Paralyzed

Have you ever thought you knew what the best thing was for a particular situation? I have, – too many times to count – but I will share one. Many years ago, when my husband accepted a position with a company, the agreement was that he would be able to work from home in Montana within three to five years. We were anticipating being closer to family and out of the big city which is not my husband’s most comfortable environment.

Imagine my surprise when one evening my husband came home from work and told me the company would like us to move to Dubai in the Middle East for two years. No way! Not only was that NOT closer to family, but it also meant moving half a world away. This wasn’t the plan, and I was having none of it. I was focused on our goal. It wasn’t a bad goal, but I wasn’t looking for or being willing to follow God’s plan. At that moment (and for several days after), I couldn’t even imagine that God wanted us to go to Dubai, that it might be part of His better plan.

I’ve been reading through the Gospel of Mark. The other day I read the account of Jesus healing the paralytic man (Mark 2:1-12). I’ve read this account before, but as so often happens, the Holy Spirit helped me to see it with fresh eyes.

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” [1]

This account begins with Jesus “at home” (likely Peter’s home) after traveling through Galilee where He had healed many and cast out a demon (Mark 1). Mark tells us that so many were gathered around Jesus that there was no more room. The crowds were following Jesus wherever He went (Mark 1:45).

Look back at verse 2. What was Jesus doing? Was he healing more people? No, He was preaching the word to the crowds. Preaching or teaching was what Jesus had gone out to do (Mark 1:38-39). We tend to see Jesus’ compassion only in the miracles He performed, but His compassion is evidenct even more in His words. Let’s continue to see Jesus’ heart and what our hearts often reflect.

Can you picture this crowded scene? Can you imagine Jesus’ teaching the crowd? Suddenly four men carrying their paralyzed friend literally start tearing up the roof. They aren’t easily removing a panel or some palm branches. The Greek indicates that the men broke and tore up the materials of the roof to create an opening. I imagine there was debris that fell on the crowd. Then the four lower their friend down. Remember that Mark told us there was no more room. Perhaps people were stepping on the toes of those behind them trying to get out of the way and dodging debris.

Not only did these men interrupt Jesus’ teaching with their clamor and lowering of their friend into the crowd, but they had a different agenda. Jesus was teaching, but they were there for a miraculous healing.

It’s a good thing it wasn’t me there teaching because I likely would’ve been angry at the interruption and the mess. Do you remember Jesus’ response? Look back at verse 5. Mark doesn’t relay that the men or the paralytic said anything. Yet, Jesus saw their faith in Him and His ability to heal their friend.

I want to pause for a moment. These are the kind of friends we want and need. The paralytic’s friends cared greatly about him and had unshakable faith in Jesus’ ability to heal, so much so that they carried their friend to where Jesus was, climbed up to the roof, tore the roof open, and lowered their friend down in the middle of a crowd and a sermon. This is the faith Jesus saw.

I expect that the men were out of breath from their effort, and expectantly staring down through the roof, waiting for Jesus to heal their friend. Then Jesus says, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

Mark doesn’t tell us what the friends, the paralytic or the crowd thought upon hearing Jesus’ words, but as I read this account again, I knew my own sinful heart would be thinking, “Is that it? I went to all this trouble for our friend to be healed, and You won’t heal him?” I’m guessing almost everyone present was disappointed at Jesus’ words.

Mark does tell us what the scribes were thinking, and it wasn’t good. Their focus wasn’t on a possible healing. They were focused on what they perceived as blasphemy in Jesus’ words. They believed correctly that only God could forgive sin (vs 7). What they were blind to or didn’t want to acknowledge is that Jesus was God and thus, had all authority to forgive sins.

Jesus perceived the scribes’ thoughts and confronted them (vs 8-9). Jesus knew the most important thing for the paralytic, his friends, and the crowds was to have their sins forgiven. His words of forgiveness could lead to eternal life if those listening put their faith in Him, the Messiah, the Son of God. The paralytic’s sin, his friends’ sin, the crowds’ sin, our sin is the greatest problem not our physical bodies or our circumstances which are limited to our time on earth.

Whatever Jesus was teaching before the four men lowered their friend into the crowd, He now delivered a very poignant lesson regarding who He was. So, there would be no question that He was God and had the authority to forgive sins, He told the paralytic to rise, pick up his bed, and go home. And the paralytic, no longer paralyzed, did just that.

Jesus further illustrated His deity by referring to Himself as the “Son of Man” (vs 10). Jesus often used this title to refer to Himself. It is a Messianic title from Daniel 7:13-14 describing the coming King of Glory who will judge the world. I would guess this wasn’t lost on the scribes.

This account ends with the crowds “were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” Mark doesn’t give us further details, but I wonder if they glorified God because of the healing or because of Jesus’ declaration as the Messiah who had authority to forgive sins. I know I often get caught up in loving or rejoicing at the gift instead of glorifying God the giver.

The healing of the paralytic was immediately verified. The paralytic got up and walked home. Jesus’ granting the forgiveness of sins isn’t something we can see or verify. Our often-weak faith wants and sometimes demands tangible signs. Jesus, who knows our hearts, gave the verifiable sign of healing the paralytic (and by just the power of His words), so that those who were there would have no valid excuse for not believing He was the Messiah.

I began with our Dubai story. Here’s what we would have missed if I had gotten my way and never moved to Dubai. God gave me the time in Dubai to begin my Biblical counseling studies. He allowed me to disciple two other women. He gave us a beautiful friendship with a couple that became our family. The husband later came to saving faith, the wife renewed her relationship with God, and after they moved back to the States, they became involved in their church serving their church body and community and leading mission trips. Their testimony has impacted many as the wife endured breast cancer and recently joined her Savior in glory. My life has been forever changed for the good and blessed by our time in Dubai.

Jesus still shows us compassion by providing for our physical needs. He can still do miracles but let us not be so fixated on and paralyzed by temporal things or our idea of how God should work, that we miss our greatest, daily need for Jesus. May we daily glorify God for the gift of grace in saving us and continuing to sanctify us. May we daily see our need for Jesus’ victory over sin and death as we face temptations. May we daily be thankful for Jesus’ righteousness that is ours in Him.

Reflection

1. What is a past or present situation where you were/are fixated on and paralyzed by your own plan instead of submitting to God’s plan? What is at the root of holding on to your plan? What do you think you will lose or won’t get if you submit to God?

2. Describe a time you trusted God and His sanctifying plan instead of going your own way. How were you blessed? How did you grow in your faith? How was God glorified?

3. One of God’s blessings is other believers. When we are weak, struggling, or paralyzed in our faith, we need someone to come alongside us and help bear our burden. Do you have a friend who walks in faith with you? Do you need to reach out to them today to ask for help or to thank them? Do you have someone you are walking in faith with? Give them a call to get together or ask how you can pray for them or send them an encouraging word from Scripture.

4. Memorize Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

5. Listen to Katherine Hawkins Hwang’s “One Pure and Holy Passion.”

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 2:1–12.