Mari Ikeda

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Active Faith (Mark 2:1-12)

A. Jesus answers to our active faith (1-5)

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

1. Active faith

2. Jesus’ very personal answer

B. Jesus enables us to have active faith

1. Presupposition: We have the nature to reject Jesus (6-8)

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?

2. Jesus embodies God’s forgiveness for us (9-12)

9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Summary

We all have the sinful nature by which we believe that we are right and make ourselves our own gods. Jesus made a way for us to seek God’s help boldly despite our sinful nature, which is the way of forgiveness of sin. When we seek His help, He answers to us with the answer that meets our deepest personal needs that we ourselves might not be aware of. Let us rest and hope in Him and seek His help boldly.

For Discussion

1) What hinders you to get closer to Jesus?
2) How can you get rid of it?