S3 E3 | Carried to Jesus

S3 E3 | Carried to Jesus Updated Transcript

Welcome to Life Reclaimed, a place for honest conversations about faith, healing, and real life.

We are three friends learning to walk in freedom and trust God through the messy middle.

Pull up a chair.

We’re glad you’re here.

Let’s dive in.

Welcome, everyone.

Thanks for joining us today.

My name is Kim, and I’m here around the table with my two good friends, Brenda and Cindy.

Shout out to Tanya for joining us last week, but Cindy.

Yeah, and Cindy is back this week.

Thanks for coming back.

It’s great to be back.

This is our third season of Life Reclaimed.

Season one was all about being healthy, and season two was about being the most whole versions of ourselves.

This season, we’re exploring what it means to be healed by Jesus.

We’re looking at the people he encountered, what he did in their lives, and what those encounters reveal about who he is.

So good.

And today, we’re looking at a man who couldn’t get to Jesus on his own.

But he had four friends who were determined to get him there.

I love that.

I know.

I am so grateful that I have some of those friends who y’all included.

And what happens next is pretty extraordinary.

But before we jump in, let’s do a quick check in.

What is something you were convinced you wouldn’t enjoy, but ended up loving?

Mine is sushi.

Oh, I love that.

I mean, I like some fish.

I don’t.

I can eat it.

I grew up eating, you know, fresh lake fish.

Sure.

So I was like, no, I don’t know if I’m going to like sushi.

And my first encounter, I actually gagged and threw up in the kitchen sink.

Oh, no.

It was store-bought from the grocery store.

I don’t even know if the person who bought it knew what they were purchasing.

It was horrific.

And so I was like, yeah, I’m never going to like sushi.

And then Yeah, for real.

I was introduced to like fresh sushi and I love it.

That’s amazing.

I felt the same way too, about that.

I was unsure, but it is good.

Yes, it is.

So what I thought of was go-kart racing.

Oh, what?

I don’t, I mean, I don’t like to go fast.

I don’t like to do anything like that, but we went to Apex and I had some friends kind of nudge me, you know, let’s do this.

Come on.

And it’s really fun.

I kind of surprised myself.

That is awesome.

Yeah, it’s fun.

A lifetime ago, I had to play pit crew for someone who wanted to race and it was every weekend and it was a lot of work, but they had a blast out there.

And so I spent a lot of time at go-kart races every weekend.

Yeah.

I think you get to do this for about 10 minutes.

That’s it.

Yes.

It’s not cheap either.

It’s not cheap, but it’s a thrill.

It is a good time.

I love it.

I love that.

That’s really cool.

Mine would be rock climbing.

I didn’t think that I was going to be strong enough to rock climb.

And I had a friend of mine who had all the ropes and all the, he knew how to be and he would take groups of us out.

And we had a blast.

It was so great.

I love rock climbing and just being out in nature and being able to accomplish something that when you’re standing at the bottom and you’re looking up at those mountains, you’re like, zero chance I’m getting up there.

But to watch how they got up there and see where they put their hands and their feet and the holds and then they put in the clips as they go up and then for us to follow after, it just, I don’t know.

It was very cool.

Wow.

That’s awesome.

Oh, thank you.m not doing that.

What?

You guys?

Never.

I like to climb that one, you know, at the fair where we can pay.

We can try to climb that.

We actually We actually attended a gym for a little while that had the rock climbing wall at the gym.

I would do that.

That’s about it.

So during 2020, we actually built a gym in our backyard so my son could work out since he was miss missing wrestling practice and all the things.

So we built almost like a ninja Warrior part of it too.

So we had a whole rock wall.

We built the squat rack.

I mean, literally, this thing was massive. And it was crazy.

And he spent hours out there in.

Oh, I bet. Rock walls, they go way back.

Well, let’s talk about the man lowered through the roof.

Yeah.

Today we’re in Mark chapter 2.

Jesus has returned to Capernaum, and so many people have gathered to hear him that the place is packed and there’s not even room outside the door.

Four men arrive carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.

They can’t get through the crowd, but they don’t turn around and go home.

So let’s read what happened.

The scripture is Mark 2:1–12.

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.

They heard that there was room left, he preached them.

Some came bringing to him a paralyzed man carried by four Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.

I mean, can I just say, I love this.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven.

Now, some of the sitting there thinking, does this fellow?

He’s blaspheming.

Who can forgive sins, but God?

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?

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 he said to the man, I tell you, take and go home.

He got up, took his and walk out in full view of them all.

This amazed everyone, and they praised God saying, we have never seen anything like this.

No, that’s incredible.

Absolutely.

It’s such a cool story.

Okay, before we start unpacking this, what stood out to you in that story?

So many things.

I love the four friends.

I love that they didn’t give up.

Right.

When they saw an obstacle.

Right.

I love that Jesus knows what they’re thinking in their hearts and then calls them out for it.

Sometimes I’m like, oh, he was listening to my heart when I had this thought, that thought.

Yeah.

What stood out to me most was it was the faith of the friends.

Yeah.

That stood out.

And then that line of he knew what they were thinking in their heart.

Yes.

I was like, oh.

And then he responded to that.

Yeah.

I read that part when he’s talking and he’s like, oh, watch me.

I like Watch this.

Yeah.

I just love thinking about the logistics.

It just cracks me up.

You know, I mean, there’s such a crowd and yet they’re climbing.

I don’t even know how you climb up and safely take your friend who’s on a mat.

But then to think about Jesus standing there and the roof material is starting to fall down on him.

Yes.

You know, and he’s looking up Yes.

Do you think that at that when he was like, oh, here they come.

I’m sure.

Yeah.

Right?

Yeah.

He’s like, this is going to be fun.

Let’s see how this goes.

He knew.

I mean, he knew it.

It’s so good.

And I heard a sermon where they were talking about the stairs to get up to the roof are super steep.

And so to get four guys and a mat and a guy laying on the mat up the steep stairs was not an easy feet.

Just like even to begin with.

And there were probably people there, too.

I’m sure there were people sitting on the stairs trying to listen.

I picture it says some friends and then only four of them on the mat.

So it makes me wonder, well, were those other friends not able to get the carrying the mat?

Helping support them?

Like, yeah, pulled them up, push them up the crowd move.

Yeah, directing traffic.

Yeah.

Think about when you’re trying to get somebody up a ladder and you’re like, on the backside.

Like, were they all supporting the four also?

Yes.

To get up there?

That’s what I picture.

Well, and I’m just thinking as they’re sitting on top of the roof, they’re like, man, how are we going to get them down there now?

Right?

And so they’re like, here, take off your boat and let’s tie it to the mat.

And like, here, I’m going to start digging a hole out of this roof material.

Like I just, the whole thing.

There was a lot of problem solving going on.

It was.

And I just love that determination.

Yes.

They’re like, nothing is going to stop us. Such faith when Jesus has barely started his ministry.

Yes. Barely.

Yes.

Yes.

Good point.

You know, and they are all about getting their friend there.

Yeah.

I mean, that’s really cool.

It’s super cool.

So I consider these the four friends who wouldn’t give up, right?

Oh, absolutely.

Before we even get to what Jesus does, let’s just talk about these friends for a minute.

They went to extraordinary links to get this man in front of him, like we were just talking about.

They carried their friend to the house.

They couldn’t get through the crowd.

They climbed onto the roof, which we said is not an easy task.

They opened up the roof and then they lowered him down, which, again, how did they have the rope for that?

Where, you know, where did that come from?

Did they had they pre-planned?

Did they were they carrying rope with them?

Or did Did they tie their Did they take off their sash their bel or something?

Like, I don’t know.

Where did that come from?

And then, not only did they lower him down, but they got him right in front of Jesus, which I think is pretty, like when you’re standing on top of the roof, do you know exactly where Jesus is sitting?

Like, how do they arrange that?

I mean, that’s a lot of determination and grit.

And Bianca Juárez has a book and it’s called Grit Don’t Quit.

But I love the title of that book and I feel like these are these are those boys, right?

Oh, yeah.

Grit don’t quit.

So what do you think we can learn from the way these four friends brought this man to Jesus?

They knew.

If we could just get him in front of Jesus.

Yeah.

Which tells me they obviously had some encounter themselves.

Sure.

They’ve experienced some type of healing from Jesus, whether it’s physical, spiritual, emotional.

Like I feel like there’s something and they knew if we could get him there, we could bring him healing.

Sure.

Our friend healing.

Or maybe they just heard the stories from someone else who had been possibly.

And they were like, okay, okay, guys, we got to get him in, you know?

Possibly.

But he says your faith has healed him.

Yeah.

All right because of your faith, his sins are forgiven.

Yeah.

So it’s like how did they get their faith just from a story?

I don’t know.

I don’t know.

I don’t know.

I don’t know if I could personally say somebody else’s story would give me my faith.

Someone else’s story may put me in front of Jesus.

Sure.

Right.

You know, it reminded me earlier in the week in the Bible.

One of the scriptures was Hebrews 6:10, and it is, God is not unjust.

He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

And it just came to my mind, you know, that loving others is exactly what we’re supposed to be doing and God doesn’t forget it.

Exactly.

I know I even have had that thought about love, the love they must have had for their friends.

That’s what I was thinking, too.

To go through.

Those great steps, that great.

Exactly.

Exactly.

And then all driven really by their love for God.

Right.

Right.

Which, of course, then you’re going to think of 1 John 3:16.

Yeah.

Right.

This is how we know what love is.

Jesus Christ laid his life down for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

I love that.

Yeah.

I wonder if these were relatives, cousins, just friends.

Like I wonder what they really, I mean, we don’t know.

It doesn’t say what their relationship is, if they were literally just friends.

But I just want to throw this out there.

Having people in your corner who are carrying you to Jesus, pointing you to Jesus, bringing you to the feet of Jesus, praying for you, being there when you need someone there.

That is so valuable.

And if we’re walking through this life and we are missing that group, that’s something we want to start building into.

I think that’s worth our time and it’s really valuable to start building those relationships.

And it’s not too late.

No, it’s It’s’s never too late.

If you don’t have those friends yet, start your Bible study, start your knitting groups, start your something.

But start working toward finding those people who have similar values, similar love for God, and start just doing real life with them.

I think that’s the whole point behind Life Reclaimed.

Yeah.

All of us have been in some kind of desperate situation, you know, and if it were not for friends that came alongside, where would we be?

Yeah.

It would also, we’ve talked about that 2%.

Yes.

That you know, you feel alone and you want this community so desperately, but you also have a responsibility to participate in that.

Yes.

And so we’ve shared our sins and our burdens to each other and God has blessed us with these relationships that hold us accountable that are bringing us to the feet of Jesus, that are praying for us, all of those pieces.

So I encourage you if you’re feeling alone and in that place, like take that first step.

Yes, for sure.

I listened to this podcast. I think they call it The Church [Today] and it’s a group of women pastors.

And one of the things they just talked about on the episode I listened to this week was people who are ministering, how do they end up falling?

What’s not usually the first time that an accident has happened.

It’s generally because there was something in them they were struggling with and they didn’t feel like they had anyone that they could confidently tell what they were struggling with and could help them and, you know, walk them through the journey of restoration.

And so then it grew and it festered and then it became this big problem.

And then you see that leader fall, right?

And one of the things that we’re talking about is if you have one person that you can share the whole 100%, get that one person, Share that 100%.

Get it out in the open because then you can start to deal with it because you’ve named it.

You’ve brought it into the light and now you can start working on it.

They were discussing the idea that’s probably not for everyone.

You probably don’t tell everyone your whole 100%, but you have to have at least one, at least one person that you’re telling you’re 100% because that is the best way to keep you from giving Satan a stronghold and giving him a foot in the door that you don’t want him to have.

So bring it in the light, bring it in the light with trusted people, but building those relationships so that when you do need to bring something in the light, you have those relationships where you can talk about things.

Right.

And I think we have to remember, we’re all fighting.

Yes.

A demon of some sort.

And, you know, there is a spiritual war taking place and we all have that battle of the flesh.

Yeah.

So if we hide it and we give in to it a little bit here and a little bit there and a little bit there, it’s a very slippery slope.

Yep.

It’s funny that you brought that up because I too just listened to a different podcast and they were talking about this where somebody just doesn’t wake up one day and decide to commit some horrible act.

They’re tiny little steps they took along the way.

And there was no recognition of that warfare taking place.

They just hit it in darkness and the darkness got bigger and the demons got bigger and Satan took over and set them up for the entire process.

And then sadly, there’s a horrific act that takes place.

Right.

So we have to recognize that in our lives, we have that same battle.

Yes.

You know, when somebody does something catastrophic, let’s even just say really bad, some very big thing.

Generally, they felt trapped. Like that was their only option.

Right.

And if you’re feeling trapped, like that’s your only option, it’s very likely that Satan has traveled you down this road because you’re never trapped.

That’s never the only option. There’s always another option.

But being able to have somebody to say, hey, I’m thinking about this, hopefully you’ve got good, Godly people around you who are going to say, let’s talk about that for a minute, you know?

Speak the name of Jesus over it.

Yes, for sure.

For sure.

And I think these four friends had some obstacles.

Yes, absolutely.

I think it wasn’t easy.

Remember, the fall has already happened.

Satan is on earth and he has, I mean, if you really think about it, Jesus brought the crowd, but Satan used it to try to prevent those friends from getting to Jesus.

Right.

Then these guys are on top of the roof.

Now we have the roof as an obstacle.

And at that point they could have just said, forget it.

This is too hard.

This is too much.

And they didn’t.

They fought through.

And basically they said, told Satan, too bad, we are bringing our person to the feet of Jesus, which I think they had a lot of tenacity.

Yes.

And I thought of 2 Timothy 1:7, where God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power.

Like you are going to conquer these obstacles in the name of Jesus.

So I thought that was a great example of friends living that out.

I love that.

And I just want to ask this question.

What does it mean for the person who needed the help to accept the help when we cannot manage something ourselves?

I think this is that brink, right?

I don’t know about you guys.

I’ve not ever been good at asking for help.

I don’t know.

Are you guys good at asking for help?

No.

And then you have to wonder what he was saying to them.

It’s okay.

No, it’s okay, guys.

It’s okay.

Forget it.

Maybe.

We can do it another day.

Yeah.

Or it’s useless.

Yes.

He didn’t have to get Jesus addresses the friend’s faith.

That’s true.

It doesn’t say anything about the man who lived paralyzed.

Maybe he was to the point that he didn’t have any faith.

Or hope.

Or hope.

Hope.

Right.

Right.

And I think that some of us, we have been in that situation where friends do come along.

They want to help out.

And it’s just like, okay, whatever, whatever you, whatever you think.

I don’t, you know, because you’re feeling so defeated and hopeless.

Yes.

But I mean, that’s the moment.

That’s the moment when you see Jesus coming to you as your friends and taking you to him.

Yeah, that’s incredible.

And I can imagine, not only was he wrestling with why are we doing this, wrestling with the idea of what if the doesn’t work?

Right.

Right.

Right.

Then my friends have been put out.

They’ve tried all this effort and I’m still stuck here in this same spot.

Well, he’s probably embarrassed, you know, I’m embarrassed being drug around through town.

I was so embarrassed when I was sick and I couldn’t move and I was in a wheelchair and I was in a walker.

I mean, walking in your 40s, walking through a large crowd with a grandma walker when you could only take 10 steps and then had to sit down and people are like, what’s wrong with you?

Why are you stopping?

And you’re like almost in tears because you’re in so much pain.

That’s embarrassing, of course.

You know?

Right.

And I also think, you know, we both said no, we don’t tend to ask for help.

Right.

And there’s that subconsciousness.

I think of asking for help means I can’t do it.

And I’ve failed.

Yeah.

It’s a weakness.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Right.

So we don’t want that level of embarrassment.

Let’s just send the message of, I’m a failure.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

Man, this is a lot.

We’re only talking about the friends.

I love this.

We haven’t gotten to the Pharisees yet.

Yeah.

No.

There’s plenty there.

And there’s something in verse 5 that I don’t want us to miss.

Jesus saw their faith, not just one person’s faith.

That’s good.

What strikes you about Jesus recognizing their faith and what might that teach us about the role other people can play in bringing someone to him?

I think it’s really valuable because Jesus is saying to them, good job, you didn’t give up.

Good job.

You didn’t let him, you know, shoo you away or, you know, excuse you away or say, we’ll do it another time.

Good job.

You were pursuing me and didn’t let him give up on that.

I think there’s a lot there.

Well, and I’ve always heard it’s not your role to save someone.

It’s your role to introduce them to the savior.

Yes.

And then let the savior do the saving. Saving.

Yes.

And I feel like that’s what we see here.

Yes.

Yeah.

That’s so good.

This encounter shows Jesus responding to their faith.

It doesn’t establish a promise that enough faith from friends will always result in physical healing.

I would also say, but it will always result in heart healing.

Yeah.

Yeah, I love that.

That’s really brilliant.

Brilliant.

Brenda, it’s the brilliant star today.

Well, and that’s the thing.

We don’t know.

We pray for our friends.

We pray for people that are struggling., you know, with physical ailments and disabilities.

And we don’t know, but it does increase our faith, you know, and it increases their faith, I would hope just to know that we’re praying for them.

Yes.

And also, you know, when the Bible talks about where two or more are gathered, you know, he’s there with you always, not that he’s not with you when you’re alone too, but I think it’s just talking about the collective power of prayer and being in unity and having the ability to come and bring somebody to Jesus who’s maybe vulnerable and not able to get there on their own.

I think that’s maybe why I love this story.

He’s paralyzed.

He can’t get there on his own.

Right.

He could not do it.

Right.

And so without the faith of his friends, the tenacity, the grit of his friends, this wasn’t happening.

Right.

Right.

You know?

The first thing Jesus says to the man is that his sins are forgiven.

Right.

Crazy.

I wonder what everyone in the room expected him to say.

Well, I’m wondering, were they expecting him to do an amazing healing and to make this paralyzed man walk?

Like, I mean, this is still one of those moments where we don’t know what to expect from Jesus.

Right.

Right.

Right.

So you had all these teachers of the law there.

And why are they there?

And what’s in their heart already?

Exactly.

Are they already there because they’re skeptical?

Are they there because they’re trying to keep the crowd under control?

Are they there because they really want to hear what he has to say?

Like, where is their heart?

Or are they there to try to control what he does or do?

Call him out.

Yeah.

You know?

Yes.

Yeah, exactly.

Why do you think Jesus begins with forgiveness rather than immediately healing the man’s paralysis?

Okay.

What do you think?

I think because Jesus is more concerned about his heart condition than his physical condition.

Okay.

I love this.

I think he forgives the sin because the man doesn’t get up and walk immediately.

Right.

That healing comes later.

Yeah.

Now your sins are forgiven, and I would imagine at that place, the man all of a sudden had a faith.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Maybe that was part of his, his doubt.

Mm-hmm.

That’s what I, that’s where I went with it.

Interesting.

And then now I’m going to heal you.

Now I, now I can heal you.

Now you belong to me and I’m going to heal you.

Wow.

And the man, you know, the fact that he doesn’t ask for it.

Right.

Jesus just offers it.

He says, you’re forgiven, period.

Because he already knew what was coming.

Yeah.

But then there’s also the fact of his authority was in question.

Right.

Right.

So then I wonder he wants to also change the hearts of the leaders.

Yes.

So I’m going to show you what I can do.

And who I am.

Exactly.

Yeah.

It must be so cool to have Jesus’ power like this.

To be able to go, you know, I’m going to just play around for a minute.

So, your sins are forgiven.

Oh, you didn’t like me saying that?

Okay, let’s talk about it.

Do you know who I really am?

You know, I just.

So now pick up your mat and go home.

Yeah.

We’re done.

You’re good.

Yeah.

And I go back to the mat.

Yes.

Right?

Like, oh, now we could just pick it up.

Because I don’t think this is sad with anymore.

We don’t need the mat anymore.

Yes.

Before it was, don’t worry about the mat.

Now, just pick it up because you don’t eat it.

Yes.

Yeah.

It’s not what carries you anymore.

And you can carry it.

Exactly.

And I I will carry you.

That’s wild.

I love that.

What does this reveal about Jesus’ concern for the whole person?

Well, I think we touched on that.

I think He is concerned for your whole being.

And we did our season two, when we talked about becoming whole, we kind of came to the agreement that the moment you accept Jesus, you are whole.

And now you’re going to work on those parts that you’ve carried and they’re burdened with.

Right.

And so here, I think this just reveals again, that heart condition.

He wants your heart.

Yeah.

And then the rest will follow.

Yes.

And even if the physical ailments don’t resolve on this side of heaven, it’s your heart that is most critical.

Exactly.

Like, I wonder when he said, your sons are forgiving.

And then, of course, the leaders butt in or whatever.

But at that point, the man was probably joyful.

Yeah.

Like, oh my gosh.

Right.

And we don’t know what his sins were.

I mean, we’re all sinners.

And I don’t think it matters what they were.

They were forgiven.

So for him, would that have been enough if the physical healing didn’t come?

Yeah, I don’t know.

Could he have used that testimony to bring others?

But in this case, Jesus.

Did the physical healing physical healing also.

Almost as representative.

Well, the internal healing.

Yes.

And we sometimes can get so fixated on wanting that dramatic miracle.

Yes.

That we miss the little heart change.

The little miracles, which is the heart change.

Yeah.

That’s wild.

Well, talking about who can forgive sins, the teachers of the law immediately recognize that Jesus is making an extraordinary claim.

They question how anyone but God can forgive sins.

And honestly, I can see that because we are all told to keep watch and make sure that you’re analyzing what leaders are saying.

And I have a little bit of an ear and an eye when I think somebody is maybe blaspheming you’re saying something they don’t have the power for.

Right.

And this is their belief.

Yes.

And Jesus knows everything they’re thinking, which I think is so crazy and great and terrible and.

This is great is why you have to think about what you’re thinking.

This is why you have to think about what is pure, what is lovely, what is whole, what is honorable, what is all, I mean, you’ve got to think pure and holy thoughts because Jesus can hear you.

That’s why we’re told to renew our minds.

Yes, and take every thought captive.

What does Jesus’ response to the teachers of the law reveal about who he is?

Well, I think that that’s the moment where he calls himself the Son of Man.

Yeah.

And so he’s letting everybody know, I am God.

Yeah.

He literally declares his authority.

Yes.

Right.

Yeah.

In that moment.

Yeah.

And still they didn’t get it.

No, the leaders, probably not.

Well, and even some of the people.

But the people towards the end, they’re praising God.

Yeah.

Like this has never been seen before, done before.

Yeah.

We’re going to praise God for it.

It’s a lot to get your mind around.

Yes.

I mean, imagine the people, you know, these are their leaders.

They listen to what they say.

They’ve been put on this pedestal and to suddenly think that, wait a minute, somebody is taking them off of this pedestal or everything that I knew is different now.

Yes, yeah.

Challenged.

Yeah.

Rivaled.

Yeah.

So I think that’s why Jesus had to do the miracle.

You know, he’s got a mouthpiece.

Now this man’s going to walk out of there in front of this whole crowd and just keep going.

And everybody there can see, you know, it’s awesome and he can say, I’m forgiven.

Oh, and I can walk.

Oh, and.

Yes.

And I wish we knew.

And I don’t think it tells us in the desription even later on, how many people were there accepted Jesus that day.

Right.

We don’t know.

We don’t know how many we became believers.

Right.

It’s a question for when we get to heaven.

I know We have a lot of questions.

We’ve been just making a list.

Oh, man.

I have to say, if they were waiting for the Messiah, literally, that’s what they’re waiting for.

And this man comes up and starts fulfilling some of these things that have been said about the Messiah.

I could imagine during that time, it would have been very tumultuous.

Oh, yes.

Is he?

Is’t he?

He’s just this type of man.

He was just a carpenter’s son.

He’s just a, you know what I mean?

He’s just a prophet.

I mean, there’s so many, I’m sure in the leadership, mind, let’s not even put their pride on the microscope for a minute.

Let’s just talk about just logistically, you know, this is probably very challenging for them because they’re just trying to figure it out.

But then let’s add that pride layer of, I am the leader.

People listen to me.

I’ve been charged with taking care of these people.

So there’s one, the responsibility of that, that they feel very strongly to God, that they have to, you know, monitor.

But also there’s the arrogance of that of, I’m a very special person and I get to lead these people.

So I’m going to protect them and my station for all it’s worth.

Throughout the Bible and throughout the New Testament, it also talks about leaders who were really curious and wanted to meet with him privately or at night or not in the synagogue because they wanted to like really learn from him.

And so they probably saw something that matched up with maybe this really is the actual Messiah.

Well, and correct me if I’m wrong, because I’m not really sure about this, but I feel like in that time among that culture, there was a lot of belief in demonic presence and people doing almost magic and stuff like that.

And so I think they might question, you know, is Jesus just another person that is being in the witchcraft.

Yeah, doing that kind of thing.

Yeah.

I mean, I’m sure that went through their mind.

And they’re the authority.

They’re supposed to be able to figure this out.

So of course they have questions.

Of course they want to know, is he legitimate?

Right.

Well, they don’t continue to argue with him.

Not this time.

Yeah, not this time.

All right.

And I like, in this, in this case, they say teachers of the law.

Yeah.

It doesn’t call them out to what layer they are in that ranking, in the hierarchy.

So he knew their hearts, I think, could be transformed if he could show them.

Because he knows.

Or if they were open to it.

Right.

He knows some people need that.

Yeah.

Some people need an actual visual to believe where others are simply overwhelmed by the spirit.

Sure.

Right.

Or it takes very little.

They have faith so quickly.

Yeah.

Whereas others don’t.

So, and he knows that.

So he knows exactly what they needed to be convinced that he is the Messiah.

And maybe that’s why he said, your sins are forgiven.

Maybe it wasn’t for the man.

Maybe, maybe it was for them so that he could start to plant the seeds of who he really was and trying to drop hints and let them know.

He knew they would question.

Yeah.

He knew that would be something that would stand out for them.

What an interesting idea.

Yeah, that is.

Well, that’s why we talk about these things.

Exactly.

Because we don’t really know.

We’re guessing because that’s what we do.

And honestly, Jesus isn’t merely a compassionate teacher or someone who performs miracles.

He demonstrates divine authority to forgive sins.

And that’s why they were so intimidated.

Right.

This makes me think about something I shared with you both recently from 1 Peter 2:24.

Peter writes about Jesus burying our sins on the cross and says, by his wounds, you have been healed.

I love this.

How does what Jesus does in Mark 2 help us better understand the spiritual healing he makes possible through his death and resurrection?

I think it’s because in his death and his resurrection, our sins have now been atoned and they’ve been paid for and we are not able to atone for ourselves in this particular instance because we are not spotless or blameless or pure or holy.

And so his death and his wounds and then him being raised from the dead now bring all of us new life And they bring us into alignment with God And God now sees us as holy if we are believers.

And so I think what he’s doing is not only forgiving his sins and healing him, but he’s also setting the stage for what’s about to happen so that all of our sins are forgiven and all of us have a chance to be with him in heaven.

That’s good.

And I think this understanding in Mark 2, that this man, his sins were forgiven.

So if your sins are forgiven, you’ve then accepted Jesus as your Savior.

Right.

That’s how that one works.

That’s how that works.

So in that case of his death and resurrection and you believe that you have spiritual healing.

Yes.

It’s automatic.

The moment you say, I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins.

That statement he says to this man, your sins are forgiven is truth.

Yeah.

I think you’re right.

It’s just, like a precursor to what is to come to happen.

Yeah.

And without his death and resurrection, our sins would have to be atoned for somehow, right?

And I mean, that’s why Old Testament had sacrifices.

And so interesting how this whole thing works.

It’s kind of cool.

I’m excited about it.

I have so much hope.

Oh, so much hope.

I have so much hope at this forgiveness.

There’s a piece of me that wishes I could have been alive, though, when Jesus walked so all I would have to do to go is to go to his feet and him verbally tell me?

Yes.

You’re such a forgiven.

You are healed.

Yes.

Right?

We’re still living out God’s story.

Yeah.

And it makes me think someone asked me one time, you know, we’re blessed to live in a time where we have the Bible.

We have this historically documented, spiritual driven book from the Lord.

And what would your book be?

Right?

Because if you think about it, you know, maybe, maybe Jesus doesn’t return for another thousand years, but maybe God leads people to write more more.

So what would your book be about?

Wow.

What would your teachings be for the next generations to come?

I always go back to that and wonder, oh, what could I teach?

Suffering, endurance, healing, asking for help?

I mean, I could give you a list.

All the things.

Yes.

I love it.

I love the idea too, that forgiveness isn’t simply feeling better about our past.

Yes.

I agree.

I’ve been forgiven of a lot.

It doesn’t make me feel better about the choices I made.

Sure.

It provides me hope for the future and transformation.

It offers me a path to live differently.

Yeah.

I mean, I thought the same thing because I’m forgiven, that’s great.

That gives me hope and it gives me joy.

It doesn’t necessarily make me feel better about what I’ve gone through.

Sure.

You know, there’s healing.

Forgiveness is part of the healing, too.

Sure.

When you were a little kid, did you ever get caught doing something?

Oh, yes.

And right before everything happens, you know that like pit in your stomach?

Mm-huh.

Right?

That pit in my stomach, I don’t like that feeling.

I don’t know about you, but right when I know like something, you know, you’re a little kid and you know parents are going to find out or your teacher’s going to find out or like somebody’s going to tell on you or something.

And that like pit in your stomach, I don’t like that.

So for me, when I’m like doing something sinful, you know, and that’s the Holy Spirit, right?

Oh, absolutely.

That’s the Holy Spirit saying, hey, you should probably not do that.

Absolutely not better.

You probably should say something to make this right.

You probably should.

So, for instance, today I was in a store and there was somebody working at this store and he did not smell pleasant.

And I was thinking in my head as I walked by him the first time, I was like, oh, okay.

And so I could have ruminated for many minutes and said, hey, please put some deodorant in my mind, you know?

And so I was like, okay, Lord, he didn’t have time for deodorant today.

You know, what am I going to do?

Well, later, I’m still in the store and I need to get something I can’t reach.

And he’s the only person there.

And I have to ask him for something.

And I was like, okay, Lord, I see.

You’re really funny.

Like, you’re just reminding me that, you know what? This brother didn’t have time for deodorant, but who are you to judge? So be quiet and move on, lady.

That’s great.

Oh, my goodness.

It’s being able to recognize that those things in in our lives, that we know we need to work on.

Yeah.

And then again, we’ve sat stopping to think about what you’re thinking.

It’s stopping to take God’s perspective, choose Jesus’s perspective.

Get out of your own way.

Get out of your selfishness, you know, and turn to Jesus in all of those moments.

And we’ve said it multiple times.

Sometimes it’s easier said than done.

Yes.

And we’re human and that’s okay.

We have to make mistakes and then ask for forgiveness.

But the more that you can focus on Jesus throughout your day and those encounters you have with his other children, you’ll find that you offer forgiveness much quicker.

Yes.

And you’ve realized you earned it, you needed it.

Now you can extend it.

Yes.

We can still experience physical suffering while belonging to Jesus and receiving his forgiveness.

And I think that’s kind of what you were alluding to is whether this paralyzed man received the healing or didn’t receive the physical healing, it was the forgiveness of his sins that actually made the biggest change in his life.

But then because the physical healing happened, you actually then see the transformation of it, right?

Right.

Yeah, I think that his internal wounds were healed.

Yes.

That’s so good.

I would like if my internal wounds were all healed.

Can we do that?

Yes.

Let’s pray that up.

I think Jesus is working on that with you.

I mean think so.

I think really?

Yeah.

And Jesus doesn’t stop with forgiveness.

He turns to the man and tells him to get up.

I just love that.

Right?

What a great moment.

You know?

And it reminds us, of you have a role.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah, I’m not going to come over and, I mean, get up.

You’re good.

Exactly. You have to get up.

Do you think he hesitated?

I bet he did.

Probably.

Yeah.

I’m always curious.

Like, did he just like spring up, grab that mat and run out the door?

Did he turn around and sit and listen?

I would like, I wonder what happened right after.

For sure.

Like, I feel like it would have all been slow.

Am I going to trust my body weight?

Am I going to get up, you know, first on my knees and then I’m going to lean back.

Oh, interesting.

And he hasn’t had any feeling at all.

Now he can feel his legs.

Right.

Once you’re on your feet, maybe bounce a little bit, right?

That’s so funny because I don’t see this in slow motion at all.

That’s funny.

That’s funny.

I love that.

You just think he just jumps up.

But maybe that’s our problem.

We receive forgiveness.

We receive healing.

And then we linger.

Correct.

We don’t trust it.

We don’t trust the process or we don’t trust the transformation.

Is this real?

Can I change?

A lot of things we’ve talked about at life reclaimed.

And I’m going to go back to what’s comfortable.

Exactly.

Exactly.

We’re stuck in some habits, patterns, all the things that keep us there where Jesus is literally saying, I have healed you.

Yeah.

Get up and go. Move.

Go tell somebody else.

That’s why I think it’s fast.

That’s why I think it’s fast because it’s like, look, we’re done.

You don’t need to even look back.

You know, it’s like, all right, here I go.

That’s why I one of he was doing cartwheels down the street.

Like, you know, like, I don’t.

Yeah.

Yeah, exactly.

Right?

I mean, I would be, I would be celebrating.

You want to see that man in there?

Go see.

Maybe that’s what he did.

He ran around the town and, you know, spread the words and now there’s an even bigger crowd.

Right.

That’s pretty funny.

Well, Jesus tells him to get up, take his mat, and go home, and he does.

And he walks out in front of everyone.

What do you notice about the way Jesus completes this encounter?

Again, I think he’s saying, don’t turn back.

Yeah.

Don’t go back to your old habits.

Don’t go back to your own ways of thinking your own patterns, like, move on…

Start your new life.

And I go back to, you no longer need the mat.

Right.

You no longer need the crutch you’ve been leaning on.

Exactly.

You no longer need that addiction that’s been helping you.

And I say that in air quotes, right?

You no longer need to lean on your own devices.

I have freed you from that.

Well, like I said before, I think that that’s really why the miracle was so necessary.

Jesus wanted to send him out.

It was like a disciple, you know, just sending him out.

Go tell.

Go let people see what you have experienced.

So he’s got this mouthpiece now to go share the good news.

I love it.

And have you ever met anybody who is on fire for Jesus?

Oh, yes.

They like just got saved and they just want to tell the world about it and they just can’t stop talking about it.

And it’s their whole being, right?

I would imagine that in this type of a case when you were paralyzed and now you’re walking and everyone knew you as the paralytic and now they’re seeing you, you can’t stop talking about it.

You walked down the street and people like, whoa, wait a minute.

You can walk?

And you’re like, yes, this man healed me.

He’s amazing.

You know, I can just see the enthusiasm.

And he can even say at that point, I have encountered God.

Yes.

Jesus said who he was.

So when they’re asking him, well, his name is Jesus, but also the Son of Man.

Yeah.

He healed me and forgave my sins.

That’s pretty cool.

I love that the story doesn’t end with the argument between Jesus and the religious teachers, right?

It ends with everyone amazed and praising God.

I love this.

What is worth celebrating in this encounter? And what does it teach us about responding to the work of Jesus?

What it really said to me is, I just start getting used to my life now.

And I forget sometimes the miracles that God has performed for me.

And so what it’s teaching me about responding to the work of Jesus is I need to be reminding myself and sharing what I have been through with friends because I have encountered Jesus.

Yes.

I have had God speaking to me, working in my life and I need to be running out of the room like that.

Running down and just saying, I’ve encountered God.

And he’s so good.

I love that.

Yeah, I think in this encounter, we celebrate his forgiveness of sin.

We celebrate that he can walk.

Yes.

He was healed spiritually, physically.

I think we also can celebrate that Jesus says who he is.

yes. And proves it.

Right.

And that alone, I think, is praiseworthy.

Yes.

So this glorification of God, when we have little miracles, when we have big miracles, I like to call them dramatic miracles that we want to shout it to the world.

This shows us ultimately we bring the praise and glory back to God.

Yeah, right.

Yes.

In our worship, in our community.

I think it’s also lifting our eyes to the healer, not at thealing, right?

Because he could go out and just talk about thealing and never point people back to Jesus.

But I think that’s an important thing.

So doing the celebration, but also saying who and how and why.

You know what I mean?

Like bringing you fully into the whole process, I think that’s important.

Sometimes you’ll have like a miracle or God will step into a situation and we’ll be like, oh, thanks, God.

And then we’re on to the next, like, man, woe is me.

This is the big problem now.

And then he’ll like solve that problem.

And you’re like, oh, thanks, God.

Oh, woe is me.

I’m onto the next problem.

You know what I mean?

And I feel like we do like encounter those over and over again.

Right.

And I think that’s why there’s a practice of saying three things are greatfulful for every day.

And I think when you say those three things that you’re grateful for, that gratitude process that you go through, it’s to keep him front of mind and to remind you that he can do anything.

And don’t forget it.

This whole love letter of the Bible that the Lord allows us to read and the Holy Spirit illuminates things for us in it.

And it is a God-breathed text.

That whole love letter is a reminder of what he’s done, how he’s done it, the plans he has for us, what he wants from us, what he’s giving to us.

I mean, it’s literally this amazing, beautiful love letter of relationship, restoration, healing, and forgiveness.

And yet, how often can I get down in the dumps of this situation?

Right?

And let’s not forget, you’re not just getting down in the dumps.

You are experiencing spiritual warfare.

For sure.

You’re under attack.

As soon as God does some kind of miracle in your life and you are out there sharing the news of what God has done.

Yes.

The seeds are going to get planted that.

Wait a minute.

Spirit of doubt.

Oh, all of it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And I still have all these other problems.

And what about this?

And Satan wants to derail us immediately.

The moment that we start to worship God.

So maybe that praise and that worship is not just for us to be in the presence of God, but maybe it’s also to turn our eyes so that we are focusing on the thing that matters and not focusing on the things that are not going the way we expected them to go.

Right.

Right.

I think it requires us to look up.

Yes.

It requires us to not stay in the pit.

Yes.

Right.

Not join somebody in the pig pin.

Right?

You know, get out of there.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Get out of there.

You don’t need to be in the pig pen.

That’s not where God wants you.

Yeah.

And so I think the celebration is being able to recognize the miracles and who did them.

Yes.

And help you to be able to take on the next thing that might come your way, right?

Each one prepares you for the next.

That’s right.

You know, I’m always like, if you can do that and walk through that, you can walk through this.

Because God is right there with you the entire time.

And maybe as we grow and we change and we learn more about him and his character, maybe we don’t just go through that next trial.

Maybe we are triumphant.

Ooh, that’s a good word.

Because we are no longer needing to sit in the bottom of it.

But maybe because we’ve learned from what the Lord has taught us from the last 25, 35 experiences.

But faith hopefully is growing, right?

Absolutely.

And so we’re becoming more able to be more resilient and to come to Him first and to praise him for what he’s already done and see the patterns and know that he may not solve it the way I’ve asked for, but that’s totally okay because his plan is better than mine.

I mean, he’s proved it because he’s proved it over and over.

Right.

And he started in his word.

Right.

I mean, thousands of years ago.

Before we were even here.

Yeah.

Well, we’ve talked about these friends bringing someone to Jesus and we’ve seen that Jesus had the power to do something no one else could do.

So what might it look like for us to bring our burdens or the people we’re worried about to Jesus this week without feeling like we have to fix everything ourselves?

That can be hard.

It’s super hard.

We want to fix it only because we don’t want to see our friends hurting.

No.

Right.

But we have to recognize that we aren’t in control.

Yeah.

And really only do what we can do, which is to lift them up, encourage them, pray for them.

Yeah.

You know, reach out when they cross your mind.

Yes.

God has a plan for them and he’s walking them through that.

And it’s not for us to fix it, but just to be there, like you said.

And I think sometimes those themselves are burdens.

We take it on as a burden.

When the Bible clearly states not to carry the burdens, right?

Lay the burdens at the feet of Jesus.

They’re in his hands.

Yeah.

You are just going to intercede for them.

So I think this can be hard, but it’s also very necessary.

Yeah.

I think there’s also one more facet of this.

If I’m carrying my burdens and I haven’t laid my burdens down, it’s hard for me to pick up the burdens of my friend and lay them down too.

So that.

I think this is about trust, right?

I’ve got to be able to be in the headspace and in the place where I am, Lord, I am at your feet and all of these things I’ve been carrying, we did it in Sunday school and we cast our burdens on the Lord.

We did a visual of throwing those burdens off of ourselves.

We don’t do that enough in our own personal.

I feel like we carry those burdens a bit.

And we hold on to them.

Sometimes we let them define us.

Sometimes we let them rule us.

And sometimes we even make bad choices based on those burdens we’ve been carrying.

If I want to be a good support for my friends, I also need to be in a place where I’ve got Jesus carrying the burdens and I’m just at his feet.

I don’t know what do you think?

No, I think you’re right.

We can get caught up in ourselves.

Yeah.

And sometimes we think we’ve thrown those burdens down.

And we picked them back up again.

You know, we want to call it.

We’ve, you know, we’ve surrendered, but it’s just.

Well, and we’re distracting ourselves, maybe.

Yes.

Let me just focus on your burden, Kim.

Yes.

Let me help you.

Because I don’t want to deal.

Right?

It’s so good.

That is so true, though, too. So good.

If I can keep for you.

If I can keep myself busy over here helping you, right, then.

I don’t have to worry about.

I don’t to worry about mine.

That’s so good, you guys..

But when you’re confronted with those burdens, you know, sometimes they come out you in moments you don’t even expect.

For sure.

And then there’s other times that you’re in your quiet time and peaceful time time and you’re resonating in the work that you need to do and you’re asking the Lord to take those burdens, I wonder if sometimes we ask, but we really don’t like it down.

Right.

Please take it.

Please take it.

Please take it.

And went all along, he’s like, just trust me, I have it.

Or he’s saying, give it.

Yeah.

You’re asking me to take it.

And I just want you to lay it down.

Right..

That’s good.

And if I’m actually in the place where I am able to lay those burdens down, I think there’s all the more room for praise for that because I realize what I could be carrying, but I don’t have to carry it anymore.

And so it makes you feel whole and free and happy and joyful and like you’re at more peace place because he’s got it.

He’s got your back.

Yeah, and I’m going to go back into spiritual warfare.

The enemy wants nothing but for you to hold on to those burdens.

So he’ll pass those little sayings.

Well, this one, but not this one.

Yes.

This one’s too big.

There’s no way.

You’re going to have to live with that, right?

You’re going to suffer never going to change all the consequences.

You deserve this.

You deserve that.

Yes.

Right?

This is not what Jesus was talking about.

Right.

And he’s going to plant all those lies to convince you to just keep carrying it.

Yes.

And eventually it’ll be too heavy and you’ll break.

I think this goes back to isolation.

Oh, yes.

If he can isolate you and you can’t reach out to anybody because you feel trapped, then again, he’s waiting winning because he’s messing with you.

He’s telling you that you can’t be free of that burden.

You know, he can lie to you and tell you all these things and you kind of believe it because it’s a thought you’re having in your head so you feel like it’s from you.

So you kind of keep going around the cycle, right.

But it’s very interesting that if we can lay those burdens down, allow Jesus to heal those places, have a trusted friend, that we can do the actual work with and keep capturing all of those thoughts and taking them captive and comparing them to what the word of God says, then that whole process then becomes what we do with each other.

Right.

And we start to actually not be isolated.

We start to not give him the power over us because we can call it out with each other.

Right?

Right.

I listen to The Wise Wife Podcast and she talks about feeding your demons.

Yeah, don’t do it.

And she’s like, stop feeding your demons.

It’s true.

They will.

They will take every one of those thoughts and just make it larger than what it really is.

And then you’re at a place you’re so far from Jesus, which is exactly what he wants to to.

Exactly.

So we just have to recognize it and stop feeding those demons and declare Jesus’ name over it all.

Amen to that.

Woo.

What I love about this story is the fact that it is, you know, thousands of years old, but it’s so relatable.

Yeah.

Especially, I feel like for in my life, I really feel like I was paralyzed in many ways.

I was so stuck. So good.

And so the fact that the story is about this paralyzed, man, I don’t think there’s any coincidence about that.

I think that God used a paralyzed person so that those of us going through something who feel like, you know, you’re just stuck.

Yes.

Man, how relatable.

And to have my friends come alongside and just bring me to Jesus, just to pray for me and give me that hope.

I just feel like I can really relate.

Oh, wow.

I love that.

That’s so good.

I love that.

That’s beautiful.

I also think it does remind us of who Jesus is.

It reminds us of his power and his authority.

Yes.

Praise Jesus.

And Jesus.

And I think it also reminds us not to forget about people.

Yep.

Oh, yeah.

Don’t forget about your friends who may not know Jesus.

Right.

They’re not a lost cause.

They’re just like this paralyzed man.

They’re paralyzed in some form of sin.

In some form of stronghold, some form of spiritual warfare that’s taken place.

Or lie that they believe.

Exactly.

Which, again, stronghold from the enemy.

And you don’t forget about them.

Yeah.

Get them to Jesus.

And that may be inviting them to church.

Sure.

That may be how you live your life, that may be be reaching out, how can I pray for you this week?

Yes.

And it might be fulfilling a prayer that they have.

Yes.

So I think it’s a good story of that, like friendship of don’t forget about them.

And intercessory prayer for them.

Yes.

Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and I just have a person’s name on my mind and I just, I can’t stop praying for them.

I don’t even know what’s happening.

And it doesn’t even have to be at night.

I mean, during the day, the light will just bring someone to my mind.

And so I just go into prayer and trying to lift them up and not knowing what they’re stressed out about at that particular moment, but often I’d say, you know, in a text later, hey, I was praying for you today.

And they were like, oh my goodness, you have no idea how much that means to me because this, this and this was happening today, you know, 

And it’s just like more often than not.

Yes.

Yeah.

It’s very, very interesting.

Well, maybe that’s an invitation for all of us this week to keep bringing ourselves and the people we love to Jesus, trusting him with what happens next.

Well, let’s pray.

Holy God, you are amazing.

The way that you’ve provided for us, the way that you’ve protected us, the way that you have set up how we could get to know you, the way that you’ve left us your word, the way that your Holy Spirit speaks to us through this word and illuminates the things we need to learn.

Lord God, you are amazing that you’ve provided friends for us to experience because this is a hard life sometimes to walk through on our own and just being able to be around the table with a good friend, Lord, I just want to thank you for that.

Thank you for a way out that we don’t have to stay stuck.

Thank you that you have provided already the plans that are good.

Thank you, that you are a good, good father, that you love us unconditionally.

My brain can’t even wrap around how unconditional love works.

And yet you pour it out lavishly on us.

Thank you, Father, that you have forgiven us, Lord, would you forgive our sins again today, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness?

Would you bring us so sweetly into your throne room, and would we bow at your feet?

And hand you our burdens? Would we just give them to you?

Just pass them on, Lord, all the bags, all the luggage, everything we’ve been carrying.

Lord, we lay it at your feet.

Would you carry our burdens?

Would you be the one who breaks the cycle, breaks the addiction, breaks the isolation?

Would you help us find that one trusted friend that we can actually trust and that doesn’t betray us?

Would you help us, Lord, to seek out a community of believers that are going to help point us to you?

And Lord, if we are lost, would you help us find our way?

If we have not found you, would you draw so close to us, Lord, that we know it’s you?

Lord, would you take a moment and just do a miraculous healing, emotionally, physically, spiritually, relationally, all the ways, Lord, would you do it?

An amazing healing in each one of our lives?

Lord, would you be the center of our lives and the light in this world, would you allow us to enjoy and rejoice with you, that we would praise your name for the great things that you have done, and that we would continue to talk about it as we go through this week in your son’s holy name.

Amen.

Amen.

Thanks for joining us around the table.

Let’s link arms and keep looking to Jesus together.

May you recognize the love and power of Jesus as you bring yourself and those you care about into his presence this week.

As we close, we pray that you would notice Jesus meeting you in the ordinary moment of your week.

He loves you.

He sees you.

He is fighting for you.

For show notes, resources, or to answer the Reflection of the Week, visit lifereclaimed.net.

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It helps other women find a seat at the table.

Until we’re together again, may the grace and peace of Jesus go with you.

Mark 2:1–12 – A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers 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 paralyzed man, 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 by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “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 this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 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!”

Hebrews 6:10 – God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

1 John 3:16 – This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

2 Timothy 1:7 – For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

1 Peter 2:24 – “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Books

Grit Don’t Quit — Bianca Juárez Olthoff
A book about perseverance, resilience, and pressing forward through life’s challenges. We mentioned it while discussing the determination of the four friends who carried the paralyzed man to Jesus.

Podcasts

The Church Today — Podcast Series
Featuring conversations with Bianca Juárez, Hosanna Wong, and other Christian leaders about faith, the Church, and navigating real-life struggles.

The Wise Wife Podcast
Mentioned during our conversation about spiritual struggles, the thoughts we allow to take root, and the importance of recognizing what we’re feeding in our lives.

Companion Guides

Life Reclaimed Companion Guides
Explore our free companion guides for additional biblical truths, reflection, and encouragement as we continue learning to walk in freedom through Christ.

Check out the Companion Guides