Becoming a Stronger Disciple

HOW A DISCIPLE BEGINS

The beginning of a disciple is a miraculous thing!

(Mark 2:1-13) A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and He preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 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. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 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 the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 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!”

1. With Aggressive Faith

A. A genuine disciple begins with aggressive faith – in JESUS.

B. This man knew he was sinful.

(Romans 3:23) All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

C. He had faith that Jesus could forgive and heal him.

D. Nothing was going to stop him from demonstrating his faith in Jesus.

(2:5) When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.

2. With Absolute Forgiveness

A. “are forgiven” – to send away or to drive away.

(Psalm 103:8-13) The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

B. He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west.

(Micah 7:18-19) Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

C. He has hidden our sins in the depths of the sea.

(Jeremiah 31:34) “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

D. He has forgiven and forgotten our sins.

3. With Amazing Change

(2:12) 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!”

A. The only evidence a person can point to as proof of his/her discipleship – is a radically changed life.

(2 Corinthians 5:17) If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come.