Mark 2:1-12 · Jesus Heals a Paralytic

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

What Would Jesus Say About Medical Care?
Mark 2:1-12
Sermon
by J. Howard Olds
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The gentle healer came into a town one day.
He touched the blind and helped the lame to walk away.
But more than that, he forgave the sins of those who stray.
The gentle healer comes into our town today. [1]

A full twenty percent of the gospels deal with the healing ministries of Jesus. Seeing the crowds he has compassion on them and one by one, person by person, individual by individual, he heals their diseases, casts out their demons, forgives their sins, and challenges them to live a life of wholeness. What would Jesus say about medical care in America? We are at the heart of the gospels as we try to unpack that question today. I will not be presumptuous enough to pretend that I can answer that question except to give you some direction for your thinking.

There are three things I want…

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