NOTE: This resource is for group leaders only. It’s not meant to be a handout.
Main Passage
Mark 2:1-12 NIV
1
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!”
Context
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Notice in verse one that it says Jesus “had come home.” After Jesus was rejected in his
hometown of Nazareth, he finds his “family”—those that choose to follow him to become part of
his new extended network—in Capernaum. After this point, his “family” is defined not by
biological relationships but by a commitment to the Kingdom.
A common assumption in first-century Judaism was that physical disabilities were a direct result
of spiritual sin. Though that is not true, Jesus directly addresses the heart of the matter when he
responds to the paralyzed man with forgiveness, rather than simply healing his disability.
One of the most notable features of Mark’s descriptions of Jesus’ miracles is the common
description that Jesus “raised” him/her up. This repeated phrase foreshadows Jesus’ ultimate
miracle in his resurrection.
The Gospel writers sometimes refer to Jesus’ miracles as “signs,” which may be a more helpful
way to understand his supernatural acts because more than simply healing someone, Jesus
wants us to see a picture of life in the coming Kingdom of God. In other words, his miracles, are
“signs” that point us toward heaven.
The Big Idea
According to social scientist Huston Smith, Americans’ view of God can most accurately be described
as “deism”—a view that God created the universe but maintains a distance from our present day
circumstances. The picture of God from Scripture is a God that not only sees our present condition, but
is so involved that is not only willing but able to give us what we need.
Main Points: Why do we need Jesus’ authority and power
in our lives?
Our greatest need is forgiveness.
While the paralyzed man may have seen his most pressing need as physical healing, Jesus identifies
our need for forgiveness as our greatest need. In the same way, we may identify certain pressing
needs in our lives that we want God to fill, but our greatest need is our need for forgiveness.
Jesus alone can truly forgive us.
When the religious leaders exclaim that Jesus is speaking blasphemously, it is because of their correct
assumption that only God has the power to forgive sin. What they didn’t know is that Jesus is God and
that he alone has the power to extend forgiveness and reconciliation to us.
We need to be empowered for kingdom living.
Just as Jesus extends forgiveness to us, we expand the Kingdom by working towards forgiveness and
reconciliation in our families, workplaces, and communities.
Topics of Discussion
Ideas for Gather, Learn, and/or Respond
The Supernatural
Some general discussion questions to discuss:
• Describe the way you currently approach/understand the supernatural?
• What feelings do you associate with the supernatural (i.e. fear, anxiety, curiosity, apathy)?
• Are there any experiences that have significantly shaped the way you think about the
supernatural (positively or negatively)?
• What is the cultural narrative to the supernatural?
• What influences shape the cultural understanding of the supernatural?
Forgiveness
Some general discussion questions about forgiveness:
• Have you ever asked anyone for forgiveness? What was that experience like?
• Has anyone ever asked you for forgiveness? What was that experience like?
• What does healthy forgiveness look like in the context of a relationship/community?
• Is there anything “miraculous” about the act of forgiveness? If so, what?
Our Greatest Need
Jesus extends forgiveness to a man who most would assume would need physical healing. In fact,
even in healing the man, the healing is a demonstration of his power to forgive.
• Do you agree that your greatest need is forgiveness?
• What do you need to be forgiven of?
• Are there any other needs that you would consider more urgent/pressing than forgiveness?
• How do you pursue forgiveness in your daily life?
Keeping Tabs
Our ability to spot the miraculous in our lives takes practice. Throughout the duration of this series use
a journal, phone app, or post-its to:
• Write down what you are asking God for
• Track the ways that you see God working in small and big ways