Mark 2:1-12
THE GREAT
DIAGNOSTICIAN
A diagnostician is someone who analyzes things and tells
you what is wrong. He also, hopefully
tells you how to fix it, or fixes it himself.
I have a friend named Pat who is a car mechanic. His specialty seems to be diagnosis. He is thorough, and good at diagnosing the
problem with people's cars.
I have another friend named Greg. His specialty is computers. I know from all the work that he has done on
my computer that he is a good diagnostician.
He can figure out what is wrong, and fix it!
As a pastor, I am sometimes asked to do counseling. One of the things which I have to do is get
folks to talk to me, ask some key questions, and hopefully be able to diagnose
exactly what a person's problem is.
Doctors are best known for diagnosis. They run blood
tests, use M.R.I.s,
x-rays, catherizations,
and a host of other diagnostic tests and equipment.
They are not always right, but very often they are, and
can help find out what's wrong, and if anything can fix it! Of course we don't always like a doctor's
diagnosis
"A severe rash prompted a man from a rural area to
come to town to
be examined by one of my colleagues. After the usual history-taking followed by
a series of test, the physician advised the patient that he would have to get
rid of the dog that was evidently causing the allergic reaction.
"As the man was preparing to leave the office, my
colleague asked him out of
curiosity if he planned to sell the animal or give it away.
"Neither
one," the patient replied. "I'm going to get me one of them second
opinions I been reading about. It's a lot easier to find a doctor than a good
bird dog."
As we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark, we come
to chapter 2.
In this chapter I've chosen the first 12 verses of the
chapter as our text this evening. In these verses we find Jesus as the great
diagnostician, able to get to the heart of what was actually going on in the hearts
of the people with whom he was dealing. Jesus is the great diagnostician. As God, He
knows our hearts, and everyone of our problems.
Let's watch him at work.
READ Mark 2:1-12
PRAYER
Vs. 1 - Jesus had been on a preaching tour, mentioned at the
end of
chapter 1. After a prolonged period of time, he returned to
his home base, the
This was a time of great popularity for the Lord Jesus.
He was teaching, and working miracles.
Word quickly got out that Jesus was back in town.
Although Jesus was very popular, opposition was
beginning to mount.
The scribes and Pharisees were very diligent in their
opposition to the Lord Jesus.
Vs. 2 - When word gets out that Jesus is back in town, an
immense crowd shows up. I imagine that it was a small house to begin with, so
it didn't take long for the place to be filled to overflowing.. They even had the door filled up with people,
trying to hear Jesus' words. We would
say the place was "packed out."
Notice that Jesus is practicing his great love. Because
He loved them, he preached the Word to them.
The preaching of the Word appears to be more important to Him than the
miracles. As the incarnate Word of God
in the flesh, Jesus certainly had respect, reverence, and practical use for the
written word of God.
WHY WAS THE WORD
OF GOD SO IMPORTANT TO THE LORD JESUS?
Because He helped write it
Because it was the message of His Heavenly Father
Because it is the truth
Because it changed lives when it was followed
Because it is inspired
2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture [is] given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
2 Peter 1:20-21 - Knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they
were] moved by the Holy Ghost.
You and I should have the same love for the Word of God.
We should be able to say with Jeremiah in Jeremiah
15:16,
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word
was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O
LORD God of hosts.
We should have the same attitude towards God's Word as
the Psalmist did in Psalm 119:15-16 - I will meditate in thy precepts,
and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will
not forget thy word.
We should study the Word as the Bereans
did in Acts 17:10-12,
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by
night unto
If I, as a pastor, am to imitate my Master, I need to
preach and teach the Word of God. Human effort and creativity are second to
simply sharing what God's Word says.
2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
Jesus very clearly taught the Word of God.
Vs. 3 - In the midst of this teaching, a paralytic and his
friends get word that Jesus is at this certain house. They might have heard
from or about the leper who was healed. He is mentioned at the end of Mark 1.
They knew of Jesus' reputation, believed that their
friend could be healed by the Lord Jesus.
Vs. 4 - Do you like creative problem solving?
Do you like it when someone comes up with an original
way to solve a problem?
If so, you've got to love these guys here!
They went up on the roof of this low, flat house. There
was probably a stairway on the outside.
Dwight Hiebert - " The flat roof for an
ordinary house would be constructed by laying beams about three feet apart from
wall to wall. Short sticks were laid closely together across the beams and
covered with a thick matting of thornbushes. At other
times, as seems the case here, stone slabs or plates of burnt clay were laid
across the beams. A coat of clay was spread on top of this and rolled hard to
keep out the rain."
On such a roof, a portion could be dug up, without doing
damage to the rest of the roof.
What does this verse teach us?
When the conventional ways of bringing someone to Christ
don't work, look for other ways to reach out.
Our Gospel does not change, but methods for reaching
people do change. For instance, there
was a day when evening evangelistic services went well. People were more in the
habit of going to church. Today we need
to find other ways to get people to Christ.
I've mentioned to some of you that in other areas, a sportsman's dinner
where wild game is served, seminars are given, and the Gospel is presented is
one possible way of reaching out in a creative way.
Young people listen to me! Don't be afraid to ask God to show you more
effective ways of reaching out and winning souls for Christ. Don't be afraid to try something new!
Vs. 5 - Here we see the first of Jesus' diagnosis.
Imagine this crowd of adults listening to Jesus. Some of
the local "religious men" were sitting there. When
all of a sudden, debris starts falling from the roof. Can you imagine
some of the dust falling on our lord? I
think that he was probably amused! As others looked up, they might have seen
what to them was four destructive young people! They
would have seen four guys with a lot of nerve!
They might have thought these guys were crazy. Today, we might say that
they are one French fry short of a happy meal!
But Jesus gives the proper diagnosis. He sees their
faith!
They believed that the lord Jesus would heal this man.
They did all they could to get him to Christ.
Our faith should also be seen.
To say we have faith and then not use it,
is an indication that we have no faith.
James 2:17-18 - Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without
thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
James 2:26 - For as the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
How can Jesus see our faith today?
When we say we believe the Word of God, we prove it, by
obeying it. That's faith in action.
When we say we believe God answers prayer, we prove it , by praying often and specifically by faith.
When we say we believe God wants us to witness, we prove
it by finding ways to share our faith with those who are unsaved.
When we say we believe God wants us to do good works, we
show faith by the good works we do.
When we say we believe God wants us to live Godly lives,
we show our faith by trying to live a Godly life in dependence upon God to help
us.
Can folks see your faith? If not, when are you going to
start showing it to Him?
Jesus diagnoses faith.
Vs. 5 - Jesus second act of diagnosis is found in the latter
part of this verse. He looks down at the man, and says, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee."
He knew that the man was troubled by his sin.
He knew the man was under conviction.
His sin needed to be dealt with.
I believe the man had the faith in Christ to be
forgiven.
The sickness was bad, and
perhaps caused by specific sin. We don't know. But, no sickness is as bad as
sin sickness. Because, as you know,, it is sin that separates from God
A man can be physically sick, and still be accepted by
God.
But he can not be spiritually sick and right with God!
This leads me to another observation. We spend much time
asking prayer for, and praying for the sick, and well we should. But far more
important is the spiritual condition of that person. if
the person is unsaved, or we are unsure of their salvation, our prayer should
be for their salvation, as well as their physical healing.
If it is a Christian that we are praying for, we need to
pray for Spiritual growth during the illness. We need to pray that they, above
all, will be in right fellowship with the Lord, and draw all their strength
from Him. We can also ask God to teach them, and mature them in the things of
God.
Warren Wiersbe - "Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus
ever performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it
brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results."
Vs. 6 - Whenever God is working Satan will be fighting!
There will be opposition.
These scribes were the copiers and interpreters of the
law.
When Jesus ministered publicly, there always seemed to
be a critic present.
The Devil's crowd will always be around to find fault
with the truth.
Nothing would please them more than to stop or slow down
the progress of God's work.
Vs. 7 - The scribes were right in part.
Only God could forgive sin.
But, they came to the wrong conclusion.
Instead of saying, "Jesus is God, because He
forgives sin," they accused Jesus of blasphemy. By His proclamation He was
taking on one of God's jobs, and because they did not believe He is God, to
them He guilty of blasphemy.
Vs. 8 - Notice the word "immediately."
In a split second, Jesus knew the heart attitude of the
scribes.
The great diagnostician was at work again.
Nothing was said, He just knew their hearts.
Jesus can diagnose a bad attitude!
This is a challenge for us.
We can look righteous, and loving on the outside, and
yet have unforgiving, unloving, uncaring, filthy hearts on the inside. We can
fool the world. But we can't fool God when our heart is not right!
And if our heart is not right, ultimately nothing else
will be right either.
Proverbs 4:23 - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out
of it [are] the issues of life.
At the end of Vs. 8 Jesus questions these men as
to why they were thinking what they were thinking.
Vs. 9 - Jesus challenged their thoughts by asking, which is
easier to say, "Son, your sins are forgiven," or, "Get up and
walk."
When Jesus said, "Son your sins are forgiven,"
He was saying the easier. There was no external proof that what He was saying
was true! They could have accused Jesus of "coping out" by just
proclaiming forgiveness, without healing.
Jesus could do two things these scribes could not do.
First, As the Son of God who would pay for sin on the
cross, He had the authority to forgive sin. The greater of the two things is
this.
The second thing Jesus could do that the scribes could
not do was heal this man.
Vs. 10 - Jesus is about to perform a miracle.
If He can heal this young man, then what He said about
forgiveness would also be true. These scribes needed to know that Jesus had
authority to forgive sins.
We need to know that as well. We need to know that Jesus
has authority to forgive sin, we come to Him for
salvation.
As Christians we need to know that Jesus has authority
to forgive sin, so we bring others to Him for salvation.
As Christians, we also need to know that Jesus has
authority to forgive our sins when we blow it!
1 John 1:9
Jesus didn't always grant a public pardon before a
healing.
The public pardon, I feel came for two reasons.
First, the paralytic needed to know that he was
forgiven.
Second, the scribes here needed to know of Jesus'
authority to forgive.
Vs. 11 - Jesus makes the great pronouncement.
Vs. 12 - Immediately the man is healed.
And
look at the end result.
GOD IS GLORIFIED!
This should be the goal of all ministry.
This should be the goal of all preaching.
This should be the goal of all counseling.
This should be the goal of all use of Spiritual gifts.
This should be the goal of all good works.
Jesus was the great diagnostician.
He can diagnose faith.
He can diagnose Spiritual need, including yours!
He can diagnose a bad attitude.
Let us be transparent, and let Jesus diagnose us, and
react accordingly.