Mark 2:1-14

Mark 2:1. And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

We expect to see the crowd round the door, but there was not room, even for the doorway hearers, when Jesus Christ was preaching. There is an attracting power about the voice of Jesus. We may expect that if we will let Jesus speak in the ministry, and not speak too much our own thought and our own words, there will still be the same attraction about the gospel. «He preached the Word unto them.»

Mark 2:3. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy,

A paralyzed person: that is the exact word one, who could not come himself, but had a very anxious desire to come. They came to him, bringing a paralytic.

Mark 2:3. Which was borne of four.

Your neighbors agreed to lift him

Mark 2:4. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press,

They had tried the door very many times, but could not possibly enter.

Mark 2:4. They uncovered the roof where he was:

They, perhaps, went up the stairway of the next house, and then from one flat roof to another till they came to the top of the verandah which sheltered Christ while he preached to the people in the court. They uncovered this roof where he was.

Mark 2:4. And when they had broken it up,

For it does not seem to have been a very light structure, but to have required some labour; yet they broke it up.

Mark 2:4. They let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Where there is a will there is a way, and when there is no way a resolute will, will make one. Better to come to Christ through the ceiling than not to come at all. Better to be let down to him by a rope than not to be in his presence.

Mark 2:5. When Jesus saw their faith,

For he has a very quick eye to faith: and though we do not read that they had said anything, and, therefore, they had not expressed their faith, yet this bold and venturous action in breaking up the roof and letting all the dust fall about the Saviour's head, not fearing that they should provoke him, but trusting in his gentleness and patience, showed their confidence that they had only to get the man where Christ could see him, and good would come of it. «When he saw their faith.»

Mark 2:5. He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts.

They had come with a bad motive. They wanted to find fault, and they took their seats that they might hear everything very carefully, take notes of it, and put it down, and make as much mischief of it as ever they could.

They had all their ears open. They did not know, however, that he could read their hearts, or they might not have been so forward in coming into his presence. They were «sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts.»

Mark 2:7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only.

Which was quite true, but then he was God, and therefore it was not blasphemy. Blasphemy it would have been had he not been divine.

Mark 2:8. And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

Do they not each require a divine power? If I be divine, I shall prove I am by healing this man. Then I have a right to say, «Thy sins be forgiven thee.»

Mark 2:10. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Admire and imitate the faith and the obedience of this paralytic, He did better than some, for there have been some who, out of very gratitude, have disobeyed Christ. I mean, when he said to one that he should not tell what Christ had done. He did tell it, but this man, though no doubt his gratitude would have prompted him to stay and throw himself at his benefactor's feet, or to stop at least and sing a hymn of thankfulness to God, yet he knows that to obey is the best form of gratitude, and as Christ had told him, «Go thy way into thy house,» he did just that. The best thing to do for Christ is to do what Christ bids you. There are many glittering forms of gratitude, but all is not gold that glitters. The most golden gratitude is that which scrupulously renders obedience to every command of Jesus Christ. Take this to heart, and do ye so.

Mark 2:13. And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

Better air than there was in the house, and more room, but he kept to the same gospel. He taught them.

Mark 2:14. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

Swept up his shekels gathered up his account books stopped no longer. He rose from taking toll to follow the Master. Oh! for just such a word tonight to some here present. «Follow me.» And would to God there would be such a heart in them as there was in this man named Levi, alias Matthew, that they may come and follow Jesus too.