WEEK 2 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Beyond the walls – Part 2

Introduction:

In the Bible, Jesus healed a paralyzed man to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins and to show the faith of the man and His friends:

Bottom line: See with the eyes of Jesus.

Something To Talk About:

Someone who was in need: Jesus cared deeply about those in need, demonstrating His compassion in tangible ways: giving sight to the blind, touching the leper, healing the sick. But He also preached the good news of God’s love and salvation. Jesus encountered a man who wasn’t content with simply hearing Him speak that day. This man wanted to be changed, forgiven, and healed. He wanted Jesus, but he needed help to reach Him. Then, “Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat” (Mark 2:2-3). Sadly, no one made room for a paralyzed man on a mat. No one gave up their place. So, his resourceful buddies “dug a hole through the roof” (Mark 2:4) lowered the paralyzed man into the house. The crowd must have looked up in astonishment as a man on a mat entered the room through a door that didn’t exist before. A helpless man who couldn’t create that opening or lower himself down. A person with a real need. We, too, need to see the needs of others.
Someone who cares: We live in a society where it’s easy to ask, “Who really cares anymore?” The four friends of the paralyzed man cared deeply for him and were willing to do whatever it took to get him to Jesus. Those kinds of true and real friends are willing to tear open roofs and do whatever it takes to carry you when you don’t have the strength to get up. Sometimes, we can be that kind of friend, too. This is what it means to live and grow in a community. There are times when the faith of others is what keeps us connected to God, even when we feel like God is far away. May we learn to cultivate faith-filled friendships and be that kind of friend when the moment arrives. And may we see the needs of others and want to make a difference in their life as the four friends. May we learn to take action when we see the need.
Someone who was preoccupied: In Mark 2, Jesus is teaching inside a house packed with people. Down the street, there is a man who is paralyzed and spends his days lying on a mat. This man has four friends who hear that Jesus is in the vicinity. Their faith is intense. These four men believe that if they can get their friend to Jesus, Jesus can heal him. The house is already filled with people, but everybody is preoccupied with listening to Jesus and does not see the four friends with the paralyzed man. Fortunately for the paralyzed man, his four friends pick up their paralyzed friend and tear through the ceiling, creating a big enough hole to pass their friend through. The paralyzed man is lowered inside, and Jesus proceeds to heal and extend forgiveness to him. The example of the bed carriers should challenge us in two ways. First, would I have carried the bed? Or would I have been too preoccupied to see the needs or take action on the needs I see? Do I have compassion for the needy people and my world? Am I willing to be inconvenienced for them? Am I willing to take action?
Someone who was critical: Jesus healing a paralyzed man was seen as a miraculous act. Before healing the man, Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.” When Jesus forgave the man, the teachers of the law didn’t like it, and with good reason. How could a mere man forgive sins, something that only God had the authority to do? Jesus knew their thoughts, and he asked them a question, “Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?” It’s a rhetorical question. Both statements would be impossible for anyone but God. If Jesus had the authority to make the lame walk by merely uttering the word, then He also had the authority to forgive sins because the power to do either was in God’s domain, not man’s. Are we, too, critical? It’s hard to love others when you choose to think about what you don’t like about that person. As you seek to show love through action, try intentionally thinking about others the way Jesus feels about them. Then, your actions can flow out of the good stored in your heart instead of criticism.
Discussion Questions:
What do you think Jesus’ purpose in healing the paralytic?
Jesus showed His authority to forgive sins by healing the paralytic. What does this say about Jesus’ power and mission?
How did the scribes react to Jesus healing the paralytic? How did the people react to the healing of the paralytic?
Is it easy or difficult to see others’ needs? Is there a reason we don’t?
How do you become someone who cares?
Is it difficult to be someone who cares when we are preoccupied with other things?
Which is it easier for us to forgive others or care for them when they’re sick?
How do we become less critical?
How is faith in God’s ability to do something through us related to our tenacious persistence in getting it done?
How can the individual avoid getting caught up in addressing circumstances and focus on the true needs of people? How can the church?
What is the biggest takeaway from this message?

Take one thing home with you:

What are some takeaways from the healing the paralytic story? First, sometimes you’re the one on the mat. You’re the one who feels paralyzed or stuck. You’re the one who needs some healing and hope. You’re the one who needs help and in need of friends who care enough to do crazy things to help us – even if that means going through the roof.

On other days, you’re carrying your friend up to the roof. We’re the ones that need to show up to help our friends. You, the one who digs and claws through the roof and shows up for a friend when they need us most. It is amazing. The paralyzed man’s friends could have told him they were too busy, too tired, or booked up. Instead, they showed up. They carried their friend up to the rooftop. Then, they proceeded to dig, scrape, and fight for their friend when he couldn’t fight for himself. It made such a big enough difference that we’re still talking about this centuries later.

Lastly, we need to create doors where they don’t already exist. The front door wasn’t an option. Too often in life, we only see one alternative for getting where we want to go, and often it’s the easy and safe option everyone else takes. These four men didn’t stop in this story when the easy and safe option was no longer available. Instead, they moved on and created a door where there was no door to begin with. They dug a hole through a roof! They prevailed because they thought outside the box, or should I say, outside the door.