WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.960 Let me tell you a little bit about my family. 00:00:03.459 --> 00:00:05.360 So in my immediate family, there are four members. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.880 There's my father, my mother, my brother, and I. 00:00:10.500 --> 00:00:13.580 And we are a family of avid readers. 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:17.719 Hands up anyone here who would consider themselves a reader. 00:00:18.679 --> 00:00:20.059 Any fellow people who know my pain. 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:23.300 Okay, we've got some good work of the Fitzpatrick and the Lau family. 00:00:23.820 --> 00:00:24.640 Good work, you guys. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:31.339 To give you a small picture, I consider myself the least active reader in my family. 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:38.659 And just recently in the last week and a bit, my only bookshelf in this country has now completely been filled. 00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:44.500 There is no space for the next year and a half of my theological textbooks that I need to buy. 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:45.900 And I am in trouble. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:51.799 And I realized that in my house back in Vancouver, there are about five boxes, medium-sized boxes, 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:53.659 with my name on them saying Josh's Books. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:57.759 Far too many books for one person to reasonably have. 00:00:59.480 --> 00:01:01.700 But the person to watch out for is my dad. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:05.200 He consumes books. 00:01:06.120 --> 00:01:08.719 I am amazed at his ability to read. 00:01:10.019 --> 00:01:11.819 I'm jealous of it, to be honest with you. 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:20.500 He takes anything from the largest tomes of theological text to amazing fantasy fiction 00:01:20.500 --> 00:01:23.120 and just reads it all incredibly fast. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:31.100 And just recently, he got very into a particular variety of Scandinavian crime mystery fiction. 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:32.800 It's very specific, I know. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:35.260 But he read a lot. 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:44.120 As in, if it wasn't for a Kindle, our house would be overrun with novels. 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:50.400 We'd have to have an intervention saying, Dad, please stop buying books because we can't move on our house anymore. 00:01:51.020 --> 00:01:51.820 There's too many. 00:01:52.939 --> 00:01:59.180 And the reason I'm telling you this is I think it's helpful sometimes to think about the book of Mark as a mystery novel. 00:01:59.180 --> 00:02:02.380 Not all the time, but it's helpful to think about. 00:02:03.880 --> 00:02:06.020 We have a mystery. 00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:10.080 The major question of the book presented to us last week in chapter 1. 00:02:11.099 --> 00:02:12.000 Who is Jesus? 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:14.020 And what is he doing? 00:02:14.140 --> 00:02:14.920 What has he come to do? 00:02:14.919 --> 00:02:22.099 And we have a narrator who is trying everything he can to help us understand more and more of that question. 00:02:22.899 --> 00:02:28.560 And this week in Mark chapter 2, we make some great headway into seeing who Jesus is, I think. 00:02:29.299 --> 00:02:31.919 Seeing a glimpse of his incredible power. 00:02:33.139 --> 00:02:39.479 And so, in particular, this passage shows us, I think, Jesus' power, his right to his power, 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:43.679 and his will with his power, what he's going to do with it. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:45.859 And so, case number one. 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:51.299 The mysterious case of the paralytic and his four destructively helpful friends. 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:57.319 So, please, if you don't have your Bibles open, get them open to Mark chapter 2, verse 1 to 12 at the moment. 00:02:58.780 --> 00:03:02.959 Jesus is back at Capernaum, his old stomping ground. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.780 And the word has got out that Jesus is there. 00:03:06.259 --> 00:03:07.079 Big news. 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:12.080 Jesus, everyone, everyone and their dog has come to see him. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:16.400 The entire town has just flooded his house. 00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:21.920 And I don't know about you, but if 200 people showed up at my house, so there's no room for anyone, 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:23.900 I wouldn't be the most hospitable person. 00:03:24.620 --> 00:03:28.900 But Jesus is obviously better than I am and decides to preach to them. 00:03:29.660 --> 00:03:31.040 He gives them a message. 00:03:31.320 --> 00:03:31.760 It's incredible. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:35.120 And here enter the other characters. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:41.900 Four men carrying a fifth on a mat because he is utterly paralyzed. 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:43.379 Can't move. 00:03:44.099 --> 00:03:46.000 These five men are desperate. 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:49.120 Understandably so, I think. 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:53.480 Because if you're a paralytic back in those days, your life was essentially over. 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:57.899 All that you can do for your entire life is beg for money. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:03:59.780 You can't eat food. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:00.519 You can't feed yourself. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.099 You can't go to the temple to make sacrifices. 00:04:03.099 --> 00:04:05.039 So you are permanently unclean. 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:07.419 You can't physically clean yourself. 00:04:08.339 --> 00:04:09.299 You can't move. 00:04:09.419 --> 00:04:10.659 You can't do anything, really. 00:04:10.659 --> 00:04:20.500 Thankfully, this particular man has four friends who are just desperate to help him. 00:04:22.159 --> 00:04:23.420 It's kind of beautiful, really. 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:29.480 And they've obviously heard of who Jesus is and what he can do and what he might do. 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.520 And it's enough for them. 00:04:31.660 --> 00:04:34.140 So they get to Jesus' house, totally packed, no room. 00:04:35.080 --> 00:04:42.200 And they decide to make some exterior design choices and make a hole in the roof and slowly lower him through mid-sermon. 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:46.339 And I'm confident you've heard this story before. 00:04:46.620 --> 00:04:47.599 It's quite a famous one. 00:04:48.579 --> 00:04:53.259 But for a moment, try to picture the tension of what's actually happening. 00:04:53.899 --> 00:04:57.579 You know, you have Jesus preaching to a packed room, literally. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:07.560 And mid-message, a hole opens up and there's four bearded faces looking down, kind of lowering this guy on a mat in front of him. 00:05:08.159 --> 00:05:08.860 It's just, what? 00:05:09.980 --> 00:05:11.959 Like, it's so surprising. 00:05:12.899 --> 00:05:14.379 And they put him there. 00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:17.060 And the whole room freezes. 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:22.479 These are the kind of moments where Jesus does something and we don't know what. 00:05:23.659 --> 00:05:24.839 Because Jesus is Jesus, right? 00:05:25.060 --> 00:05:26.360 And someone's kind of waiting there. 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:27.039 What's he going to do? 00:05:27.039 --> 00:05:28.139 This is going to be good, right? 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:30.300 And he clears his throat. 00:05:31.419 --> 00:05:32.019 Verse 5. 00:05:32.180 --> 00:05:34.839 Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.139 Son, your legs are healed. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:39.500 Nope. 00:05:39.939 --> 00:05:42.099 Son, your sins are forgiven. 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:44.240 Excuse me? 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:45.959 I'm sorry, what? 00:05:46.120 --> 00:05:46.639 What was that, Jesus? 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:50.599 I'm going to pass me again because I think you missed the problem. 00:05:51.240 --> 00:05:52.979 That is clearly the man's legs. 00:05:52.980 --> 00:05:57.920 Don't you see what needs to happen? 00:05:58.439 --> 00:06:00.080 He needs to be healed. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:01.420 That is his problem. 00:06:02.420 --> 00:06:03.000 Come on, man. 00:06:04.280 --> 00:06:08.439 Nobody is thinking, man, his sins are really his problem. 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:10.600 It's not a question for people. 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:11.860 It's so unexpected. 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:13.240 It's almost an anticlimax. 00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:15.160 It's just out of left field. 00:06:16.719 --> 00:06:18.420 Can you imagine the sheer disappointment? 00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:25.860 The poor man is probably lost for words at this moment because I came all this way and my friends did all this for me for this. 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:34.699 And we focus on some scribes who are sitting there, some teachers of the law and what they're thinking to themselves. 00:06:35.300 --> 00:06:40.319 I think they have not a good reaction but an understandable reaction. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:41.540 Verses 6 and 7. 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:47.660 Some of the scribes are sitting there and they're thinking to themselves, why does he speak like this? 00:06:47.900 --> 00:06:49.020 He is blaspheming. 00:06:49.420 --> 00:06:51.240 Who can forgive sins but God alone? 00:06:52.180 --> 00:06:55.760 Jesus has claimed to have the power to forgive sins. 00:06:57.060 --> 00:07:01.439 He has put himself on the same level as God the creator. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:07.620 Which, to be fair, if it wasn't true, would be entirely blasphemous. 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:14.360 So the reaction from the statement of Jesus from the scribes is one that we can at least understand, I think. 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:19.759 However, Jesus is not finished working. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:20.680 He's not done yet. 00:07:21.579 --> 00:07:28.540 After he's made these incredible claims, he now asks the scribes why they're thinking what they're thinking. 00:07:30.660 --> 00:07:35.579 So worrying, don't you think, to have someone tell you that he can read your mind 00:07:35.579 --> 00:07:38.120 and then tell you what you're actually thinking? 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:41.699 Ah, man, I'd be so concerned at that point. 00:07:42.099 --> 00:07:43.639 Especially because they're thinking bad things about him. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:47.599 And he answers their private question, who can forgive sins but God alone? 00:07:47.939 --> 00:07:49.000 He has an answer for it. 00:07:49.180 --> 00:07:49.759 9, 10, 11. 00:07:50.599 --> 00:07:51.579 What's easier to do? 00:07:52.299 --> 00:07:57.939 To say that this guy's sins are forgiven or to fix his legs and make him walk again? 00:07:57.939 --> 00:08:04.120 It doesn't really matter because Jesus has the power and the authority to do both. 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:07.160 He heals the man. 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:08.300 He jumps up. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:10.620 Dances away with his mat. 00:08:11.699 --> 00:08:18.920 And Jesus says, so that you would know that he has the authority to forgive sins is why he's done this. 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:25.460 Such an immense act of power I think we often overlook the entirety of. 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:31.620 As Jesus is saying, this man's legs are healed. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:36.060 He's also breaching reality as we know it. 00:08:36.059 --> 00:08:47.519 The idea of Jesus forgiving sins not only brings the future effectiveness of his crucifixion to that point, 00:08:48.139 --> 00:08:49.019 before it's happened, 00:08:49.859 --> 00:08:56.000 he also brings the reality of the last day of judgment effective at that point. 00:08:57.139 --> 00:08:59.519 The paralyzed man has been declared free from sin. 00:09:00.219 --> 00:09:00.779 Utterly free. 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:04.259 Which can only happen through Jesus' power at the cross. 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:05.639 The only way. 00:09:07.139 --> 00:09:08.840 And his status in God is secure. 00:09:10.220 --> 00:09:14.480 Which is only evident, only truthful at the last day of judgment. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:16.340 It can only be true that way. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:21.879 And so Jesus cracks through every conception we have of this miracle. 00:09:22.379 --> 00:09:24.100 And just explodes with power. 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:26.720 It's incredible. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:27.559 It's hard to fathom. 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:30.939 I think the crowd has an appropriate reaction when they say, 00:09:30.939 --> 00:09:33.279 we haven't seen anything like this. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:36.419 But they're more correct than they realize, I think. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:39.740 It's an entirely unique miracle of Christ. 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:45.639 Bringing the heavenly reality, the heavenly kingdom of God, 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.600 present and powerful. 00:09:50.319 --> 00:09:52.759 And that's just some of the power Jesus has. 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:53.740 And it's amazing. 00:09:53.740 --> 00:10:07.539 Let's say somehow we could get permission from God that he would let some of his angels bring the paralyzed man down here today and we could interview him. 00:10:08.259 --> 00:10:10.120 Let's give him a nice Jewish name. 00:10:11.680 --> 00:10:12.000 Eli. 00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:12.700 Let's go with Eli. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:15.259 I had some friends called Eli back in high school. 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:16.500 Eli. 00:10:16.500 --> 00:10:16.580 Eli. 00:10:17.379 --> 00:10:20.159 What was it like that day with Jesus? 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:25.659 Well, it was the most amazing day of my entire life. 00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:27.839 You know the story. 00:10:28.620 --> 00:10:30.719 I was lowered to the roof at Jesus' feet. 00:10:31.719 --> 00:10:32.719 I was kind of nervous. 00:10:33.100 --> 00:10:35.120 And he said, your sins are forgiven. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:37.059 And of course, I was a little bit disappointed. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.319 Possibly a little angry. 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:42.980 To be honest with you, I wanted to walk. 00:10:43.140 --> 00:10:44.220 That was what I wanted. 00:10:45.760 --> 00:10:47.280 But he healed my legs as well. 00:10:47.900 --> 00:10:48.879 And I was so happy. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:51.620 You know, I just had to dance and jump and walk out of there. 00:10:51.740 --> 00:10:53.820 And I had a good life after that, thanks to him. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:56.180 I lived for another 25 years. 00:10:56.820 --> 00:10:57.660 I had a job. 00:10:57.800 --> 00:10:58.220 I had a wife. 00:10:58.280 --> 00:10:58.960 I had some kids. 00:10:59.540 --> 00:11:01.940 I gave sacrifices at the synagogue every week. 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:04.840 And I eventually died. 00:11:05.860 --> 00:11:06.540 That happens. 00:11:07.460 --> 00:11:08.200 It was a good life. 00:11:08.300 --> 00:11:10.260 And I'm thankful for Jesus for healing my legs. 00:11:10.680 --> 00:11:13.040 But here I am 2,000 years later. 00:11:13.880 --> 00:11:16.920 And I've spent all that time with God in heaven. 00:11:20.040 --> 00:11:21.480 I've been in heaven for so long. 00:11:21.520 --> 00:11:22.260 And it's been so good. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:29.560 Without a moment's thought, I would take Christ forgiving my sins over healing my legs any day of the week. 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:35.059 It's a small penalty to live paralyzed and to lose his soul. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:41.599 Jesus hasn't come to iron out the problems that we have in this life. 00:11:43.319 --> 00:11:45.500 But to open the gates of the life to come. 00:11:46.619 --> 00:11:48.619 The man in the story is alive today. 00:11:49.819 --> 00:11:50.839 I have no doubt about that. 00:11:50.899 --> 00:11:52.979 He's with Christ in heaven at this very moment. 00:11:53.619 --> 00:11:57.099 And if Eli could come down and talk to us today, he would say this. 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:02.159 And we see some of Christ's power here. 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:04.619 What about his right to use this power? 00:12:05.819 --> 00:12:07.459 Verses 23 and 28. 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:15.479 Here we have an issue of the law. 00:12:16.439 --> 00:12:17.579 Of the Sabbath. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.259 The fourth and longest commandment out of the ten. 00:12:22.259 --> 00:12:24.739 The best day in creation. 00:12:25.079 --> 00:12:26.059 In Genesis chapter 2. 00:12:26.059 --> 00:12:35.259 How is it okay for Jesus and his disciples to supposedly be breaking the Sabbath and still claim to be sinless and good people? 00:12:35.939 --> 00:12:36.679 How is that okay? 00:12:38.459 --> 00:12:41.679 And the last two verses are of particular importance. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:53.159 I don't think we quite understand the immense importance that the Sabbath holds for Jewish people now and back then and even further back. 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:55.179 It's amazing. 00:12:55.359 --> 00:12:58.519 If you ever get to go to Jerusalem, my parents did. 00:12:58.620 --> 00:13:01.739 It's an incredible sight to behold what the Sabbath is. 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:12.200 But in the Old Testament, God is emphatic with his command of the Sabbath. 00:13:12.740 --> 00:13:19.279 Often repeated is the phrase, I am the Lord or I am Yahweh and you will keep my Sabbath. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.259 It's just that simple. 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:22.019 I am God. 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:22.700 I am holy. 00:13:22.940 --> 00:13:24.720 And you will keep my Sabbath holy. 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:30.259 It's not something that God suggests should be kept. 00:13:30.540 --> 00:13:31.500 It is a requirement. 00:13:32.700 --> 00:13:34.100 It needs to happen. 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.700 And so when Jesus says in verse 27, 00:13:39.700 --> 00:13:42.139 The Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath. 00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:45.160 He is changing the whole thing. 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:46.840 He is just flipping it on its head. 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:56.080 He says the Sabbath is not meant for a strict, rigid ceremony, but as a blessing. 00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:59.560 And to be under humanity. 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:08.700 Genesis 2 is not just about God admiring his creation, but loving what he has made for us and us loving him for it. 00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:15.379 The New Testament, the idea of Sabbath, the idea of rest, is repurposed. 00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:22.820 It is reused to show the great rest that is to come when Jesus comes back. 00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:28.220 The final and complete rest that he has. 00:14:28.659 --> 00:14:29.879 And it talks about his authority. 00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:33.240 Jesus likens himself to David in the Old Testament. 00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:37.740 Here's an example there from David and his starving men being at a temple, 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:41.019 taking some of the holy food, which is only good for priests, and eating it. 00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:47.399 Jesus is saying that like the king of Israel, when it is necessary, 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:52.799 he also has authority over the things that are supposedly out of reach. 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:57.019 Because they are made to bless rather than made to rule over humanity. 00:14:57.980 --> 00:15:01.419 It's the same authority he has over fasting, as we saw earlier. 00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:05.879 The same authority it talks about in the first bit of the chapter where he heals the man's sins. 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:11.879 He says, I have done this so you know that I am powerful and authoritative over everything. 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:15.039 Sin, death, legs, everything. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:26.639 And because of this, Jesus offers us a place in his rest. 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:29.039 It's incredible to think about. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:31.399 Jesus' power is mind-boggling. 00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:36.240 We cannot comprehend the limits of his limitless power. 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:39.559 And his authority is entirely unquestionable. 00:15:41.319 --> 00:15:43.699 But I think what the most amazing thing is, 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:49.539 because as the most powerful creator and sustainer of the universe and everything in it, 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.519 he uses his power for love. 00:15:53.319 --> 00:15:54.360 For love of us. 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:55.720 For the sake of us. 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.720 It's just incredible. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:01.480 The paralytic and his friends come to Jesus, 00:16:01.920 --> 00:16:06.000 because they know that he has the will to heal this man, 00:16:06.180 --> 00:16:08.040 to be merciful, and to love him. 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:13.080 And Jesus shows to us, just like the paralytic, 00:16:13.580 --> 00:16:17.000 that he sees past the immediate problem that we may have, 00:16:17.680 --> 00:16:19.080 and gets straight to the point. 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:26.000 Straight to the disgusting, black, gooey, horrible sin, 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:28.240 and heart problem that we all have. 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:29.740 And he deals with it. 00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:31.279 He says, 00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:35.580 Your sins are forgiven because I love you. 00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:37.720 Because he loves us, 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.740 he wants us to be a part of the greatest Sabbath 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:43.120 that is ever to come in the history of anything. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:45.320 And because he loves us, 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:48.039 he opens the gates for us and lets us in. 00:16:48.419 --> 00:16:49.620 His power over us, 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:51.019 his authority over us, 00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:52.319 and his love for us, 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.159 for our salvation, 00:16:53.740 --> 00:16:56.419 is what Jesus does for us. 00:16:57.319 --> 00:16:58.199 He throws open the gates, 00:16:58.319 --> 00:16:59.259 commands sin and death, 00:16:59.319 --> 00:17:01.679 and offers us a place by his side, 00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:03.500 because of his love for us. 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:04.759 And the only mystery left to us, 00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:05.900 I think, in the book of Mark, 00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:09.539 is how could he ever be so loving to us, 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:11.079 when we are so horrible to him? 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:14.799 The only reason I can think of 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:16.059 is because he wants to, 00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:16.940 and it's his will. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.400 And we have to love him more because of that. 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:23.680 Jesus loves us so much 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:27.200 that he moves heaven and earth for us, 00:17:27.340 --> 00:17:29.220 so that we can be by his side in eternity, 00:17:29.740 --> 00:17:30.900 because he loves us. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:31.980 Amen.