Good weekend to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this first weekend of 2026.
I wonder what you might experience this weekend that would be transformational for you? Something so significant that for the rest of your life you would look back to this weekend as the great turning point in your life. Come with me and let’s watch this happen today to a man who had been defined all of his life as being a ‘cripple’.
We’re in the New Testament part of God’s “Grand Narrative” which we began last August in Genesis. We’re following Jesus, who had recently begun His public ministry. Mark’s Gospel tells us Jesus arrived in the town of Capernaum where not long before He had invited four fishermen friends to follow Him. (Mark 1:16-20)
Because these guys are not mentioned as being with Jesus on this occasion in Mark 2, it’s possible they were back fishing that day, after all they were businessmen still needing to feed their families.
Evidently Jesus had been invited into a home for a visit but as word spread that Jesus was in town, people soon gathered filling the house and outside the house looking in the windows and doors. This is one of those stories that is also reported to us by both Matthew (Matt. 9:1-8) and Luke (Luke 5:18-26).
Jesus was beginning to be somewhat famous in Capernaum. Do you know why? Well, you may recall Mark chapter 1 reports that Jesus had freed a man from a demonic spirit and healed many people from illnesses in Capernaum not long before.
We all understand the power of empathy, don’t we? When your friend or family member is in pain you hurt too, don’t you? And you want to help them, right?
That’s why four men showed up at this overcrowded house, carrying their paralyzed friend on a stretcher. Now pause a few seconds. I’ve often wondered if this cripple had been brought to Jesus once before by his friends, but on that occasion, Jesus had left the crowd of people and gone to another town. Do you remember Mark reported that in Mark 1:37-39? Could it be this is now the second time these faithful friends were seeking Jesus’ help? But this time there was simply no way to get through the crowd into the house where Jesus was.
Mark tells us these guys are both determined and resourceful friends, and they actually started digging through the roof of the house so they could lower their friend on the stretcher right down in front of Jesus! (Oh my! I sure hope they knew the owner of that house!) Now put yourself inside that crowded house my friends and try to imagine this sight. The roof would have been mud over branches and maybe thatch, so digging through it would have been really messy for those down below in the house! Can you picture it? But these guys were not about to be denied a second time. They longed for their friend to at least have a chance to see Jesus face to face and for Jesus to consider his desperate need!
Pause and reflect on that for a moment. Do you have some friends like these? What have they done to help you in your past times of need? Are you a friend like this to anyone else, even your own family? To what extreme have you gone to help someone in need? Have you ever felt paralyzed by your situation, and you longed to see Jesus and explain your need to Him? Maybe you are among those who have experienced Jesus’ healing power? If so, have you thanked Jesus recently for what HE has done miraculously in your life? Are you in need for the powerful touch of Jesus this weekend?
Interestingly all three Gospel writers use these unusual words to describe what happened as this cripple man was lowered through the roof right in front of Jesus: “When Jesus saw THEIR faith He said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5) Whose faith moved Jesus to take action to help this cripple? I think all five of them… the cripple had great faith and his tenacious 4 friends carrying him.
What faith moved Jesus? I think faith that Jesus COULD and WOULD do something special to help this cripple. Does that mean God sees YOUR faith and mine when we bring the needs of our friends and family to Jesus? YES!!! So don’t stop praying and caring for those you know and love who need God’s help!
But why did Jesus say “your sins are forgiven” to a cripple who had come for healing of his crippled body? Oh, that’s a very good question and Mark gives us the answer next. Mark 2:6 says: “Now some teachers of the Jewish religious law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ”Why does this fellow talk like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:6)
There it is…another evidence that God loves to stir up questions in us. Important questions, life transforming questions. God welcomes ANY question my friends so don’t ever think you disappoint God or frustrate God with your questions!! These scholars were right!
Only God can forgive sin and any human who claims to act on behalf of God extending God’s forgiveness to a sinful person is blaspheming God! But of course, Jesus did have the right to say this then, and to forgive any sin any time. Why? Because Jesus IS GOD incarnate!
I think Jesus may have waited for a few moments and just let those religious scholars simmer in their frustration. They were demanding an answer to a fundamental question that EVERYONE, then and ever since, has been asking: WHO is this man, Jesus?
You see friends, as we begin a new year your answer to that question is the most important thing about you and will have profound effect on your life in ’26 and forever!! Did you know that?
Jesus’ response to the scholars & the cripple is very significant, for them and for us: “Which is easier to say to this paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk?” But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So, Jesus said to the crippled man ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” (Mark 2:8-11) This is another defining moment in human history.
Jesus, for the first time, is making a very clear, definitive statement about His identity and His Godly spiritual authority. And to prove that authority Jesus ordered the cripple to stand up, take his mat and walk out through the crowd! And that crippled man did exactly that, to the amazement of everyone in and around the house, and anyone who has ever heard the story since then!
Now we need to stop right here and give serious thought to what we have just witnessed and what powerful touch you and I need from God this weekend. How big is your faith in God? How ready are you to ask God and receive His powerful touch that will change your life.
I’ve often considered if that man kept that mat rolled up in the corner of his home and often took it out to retell the story. I call that mat “miracle debris”, do you have any such things in your home that remind you of the life changing miracles God has done in your life?
My friends, important “lessons learned” notes for further reflection are available at the ‘Grand Narrative’ link below, as is a wonderful worship song and I’ll be here waiting for you on Monday.
Today’s Scripture: Mark 2:1-12.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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