WHAT IS OUR GREATEST NEED!

Mark 2:1-12

INTRODUCTION: In our text today we have a man who was paralyzed in some part of his body. Now, what do you suppose this man and his friends thought was his greatest need? This man thought, if I could only walk, everything would be wonderful! However, this man’s greatest need was not that his paralysis be healed. What do you think your greatest need is right now? You might also be wrong as to what your greatest need might be. Jesus knew exactly what this man’s greatest need was. Jesus went beyond his perceived need and gave him his greatest need: Mark 2:1-12.

I. THE FORTITUDE OF FOUR GOOD FRIENDS!

Yes, it is wonderful that Jesus can heal, but that was not His primary goal. Jesus healed to bring people to know that He has the power to forgive mankind their sins! The crowd in the house is so thick that no more can get in: Mark 2:2; Mark 1:14-15. Jesus here is preaching the words of redemption. Five more men show up desperate to get to Jesus for healing of one of them that is paralyzed. Jesus often had to work around the crowds to do what He came for. Jesus didn’t come to draw crowds, He came to make converts. Our Lord Jesus came to make disciples who want to be like their Lord. Our job today isn’t to draw the crowds, but to help people come to Jesus; to love Him, to know Him, and to serve Him. The Gospel of God doesn’t make us comfortable, it confronts us with who we really are and who God wants us to be. The true Gospel of Jesus Christ will never make you feel comfortable about you. Matthew 16:24-25. The crowd couldn’t care less if this paralyzed man could get to Jesus, but his four friends did care enough to do something outrageous. This is Peter’s house: how do you think you would feel if someone were breaking up your roof? Why would these four friends do such a thing? Because there is nothing in all the world better than bringing people to Jesus! Are you actively seeking to being people to Jesus? If you are realize you are going to offend some people! Galatians 5:11. What are some ways we could bring someone to Jesus? Prayer, care, and share! Prayer: “I am going to pray for wisdom, for opportunity, and for sensitivity. Lord give me the words and open the doors of their hard heart. I am going to care for the souls around me enough to take them to Jesus. I am going to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. I am going to share with others what my God has done for me. Matthew 28:18-20.

II. PLACING OUR FAITH IN THE SAVIOR!

Mark 2:5. You couldn’t miss the faith of this paralyzed man’s four friends. They know what they are doing would be considered bazar in normal circumstances. But they know these are not normal circumstances and are willing to let their faith show up. Real faith is not invisible: Mark 2:5. Not only Jesus saw their faith, it was everyone there that day that saw those four friend’s faith. True invisible faith will always have visible results! What we truly believe on the inside will always show up on the outside! Real faith cannot be hid. Faith alone saves but faith that saves is never alone; it always has evidence that shows: James 2:14. Real faith is persistent. These four friends didn’t give up! Real faith is creative! They found a way to get their friend to Jesus. It was a way that caused some problems for others, but it got the job done! Religious people care more about the roof than about the friend. We want to use the property God has given us but all the property is going to be burned up! Our Lord cares far more about people than He does about property; even if it our church or our house! Who in your life is worth of the expense caused for you to rip a hole in someone’s roof in order forthem to come to faith in Jesus Christ? Real faith is sacrificial. They had to pay for that roof repair! Don’t think for a minute that you can actually follow Jesus and have it cost you nothing! Bring others to Jesus will cost you time, it will cost you energy, it may even cost you in relationships, it could cost you your reputation. We need to count the cost and by faith say it is worth it! You might say “I thought grace was free?” It is free to the recipient but not to the one that pays the cost to bring it to those who need it. Philippians 1:29.

III. GOD’S FORGIVENESS FOR A SINNER!

Here is what we need the most isn’t it! Forgiveness for a sinner. Mark 2:5. This man’s four friends think that somehow Jesus has missed the reason they brought their friend to Him. They wanted his body healed but Jesus knew his greatest need was to have his sins forgiven. Jesus knows our greatest need because He looks beyond our present to the eternal needs we have. So often in life we put our physical needs far ahead of our spiritual needs. What good would it have been for this man to be healed temporarily from his paralysis only to spend eternity in hell? We must become more like Jesus Christ and see what people really need is to be born into God’s family. Every person’s greatest need is to escape the wrath of God that will be poured out on all the unrepentant sinners in this world. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ addresses that need. Only Jesus Christ’s perfect life, shed blood on the cross and His resurrection can reconcile sinners to a holy God by repentance of sin and faith in Christ! John 3:36; John 3:17-18. If we or our friends reject Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we are condemned with the rest of the world: Romans 2:5-8; Colossians 3:5-6; 1 John 4:10. We can receive God’s satisfaction for the price of our sin by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior but if we reject God’s satisfaction in Christ we bear what we reject. Unforgiven sin is what sends people to hell. Only our God can look into a man’s heart and know what He is thinking: Mark 2:6-8. These people are mad at Jesus because He claims to be able to forgive sins. Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man some 80 times in the New Testament. That Name comes from the Old Testament: Daniel 7:13-14. Daniel 450 years before Jesus birth is talking about Him. Jesus here is claiming very clearly that He is God come in the flesh! Now in order to show clearly that He is God Jesus says so that you may believe “Rise up and walk!” Mark 2:9-12. Now both of those things are impossible with man but not with God. Jesus is proving here that He is God, that He is the Messiah who was promised in the Old Testament and is now among His people. Today, knowing that Jesus died to pay for our sins and not only ours but for the sins of the whole world we have no excuse for rejecting Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior! Romans 1:18-20. How about the person sitting in your pew right now? Do you know for sure that you have personally received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Do you know for sure that all your sins have been forgiven? Do you know for sure today that you will spend eternity in the Father’s house?