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We’ve already read through Matthew and about half of Mark, and it should be obvious that healing was a large part of Jesus’ ministry.  Everywhere he went he healed.  So this morning we’ll deal with a subject that affects everyone – sickness and healing.  Some of you are experiencing sickness and injury yourself, many others have loved ones dealing with it, and you know that illness can have a huge impact on your faith, both positive and negative, depending on how you respond to it. 

This morning I want to take 15 minutes to look at Mark 2, the subject of healing, and what it means for our church.

Mark 2:1-12 - 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!"