FOUR FRIEINDS MARK 2:1-12

And when he returned to ^t 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 uAnd they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, ^vthey 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 ^wsaw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, ^xyour sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ "Why does this man speak like that? ^yHe is blaspheming! ^zWho can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, ^aperceiving 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 ^bthe 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 ^cglorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!”

This story represents all of humanity today. There are 4 basic elements to this story.1.Helpless 2. The Healer 3 The Helpers 4. The Hinders

1. Helpless man – He was a paralytic and a sinner

o       He represents all humans

·        We all sinners Rom 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

·        1 John 1:8 -  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

o       Sin will cripple your heart and keep you from doing what you are supposed to do

o       There is only one way to we can be healed of sin. We must go to the healer.

2. The Healer – Jesus Christ

o       He is the great physician he could heal up close or far away.

o       A great example Mat. 8:5-13 - ⁵ Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, ⁶ saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

⁷ And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him.”

⁸ The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! ¹¹ And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

o       Jesus is always sympathetic to those who come to him.

o       Not only could Jesus heal the physical body he could heal the sin sick soul

o       Jesus has all authority on the earth Mat. 28:18

o       He is the only one that we can go to be healed from our sin so we can make it to heaven. John 14:6 (way, truth, life)

o       His word teaches us how to saved Rom. 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

3. The Helpers – the four friends – Everyone does not have this compassion the good Samaritan Luke 10:29ff – Robbers who strip him and beat him up, Priest, Levite, Samaritan

o       They could not save the man themselves, but they could take him to the healer

o       Characteristics  
1.They had faith in the healer 
2. They loved and cared for the helpless man 
3. They worked together to bring him to the healer. 
4. They had determination.

4. The Hinders – 2 groups passive and active

o       The passive ones just thought about themselves and wanted to hear and speak to Jesus

o       The active ones were opposed to Christ and they would do anything they could to prevent people coming to Christ. 1 Thes. 2:14-16 - For you, brethren, became imitators ^aof the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For ^byou also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, ^15 cwho killed both the Lord Jesus and ^dtheir own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God ^eand are ⁴contrary to all men,  forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

Which are you? Helpless, Helper, Hinder