Whatever It Takes

Mark 2:1-12 NKJV
1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Recently my pastor spoke on this passage a few Sundays ago. Its not a new passage to me, but hearing it again was a great refresher. The faith of the paralytic’s friends was emense. They knew no one else could help their friend, but that if they could get him to Jesus that HE would do the healing. Little did they know that their faith wouldn’t just heal their friend physically, but that Jesus would perform some Spiritual healing as well. It’s important to understand that your actions can’t save someone else, only put them in the position to accept Salvation. If these men had had faith, but the paralytic refused the free gift of Salvation, he wouldn’t be saved.

Although like I said before, our faith and actions can’t save anyone else, it can point them in the right direction. We can pray for that person, encourage them to go to church, read the Bible, and ask questions. It’s not our job to save them, it’s God’s job. Our job is to bring people to Him so that He can do the work.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister
at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder
of Inflamed Church Ministries. View Austin's
personal online ministry blog iPursueWorship.