Encountering Jesus – Part 3
December 21, 2025
Lead Pastor Paul Castelli
Encountering Jesus
Part 3
Mark 2:1–2
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.
Mark 2:3–4
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.
Faith That Makes A Way
Mark 2:5
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are. forgiven.”
Jesus Addresses the Deeper Need First
Mark 2:6–7
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?”
Jesus Has Authority To Forgive And Restore
Mark 2:8–9
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’?
Mark 2:10–12
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.
Forgiveness Is The Greater Miracle
NEXT STEPS
- I will accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
- I will invite ____________________ to one of our six Christmas Eve Services.
- I will serve at the Dec 24th 5pm service.
- I will give my best to God and invest in the next generation.
- I will memorize Mark 2:5
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are. forgiven.”