Consider the story of Jesus healing the man who was paralyzed from the Gospels. In the Gospel of Mark, which has the most lengthy account of the event’s parallel accounts, (Matthew 9:1-8, and Luke 5:17-26) we read of a large crowd of people gathering at a home to hear Jesus teach. Five men arrive after the house is already filled and overflowing, one of them being carried by the others on a mat. Once lowered through the roof, Jesus tells the man that his “sins are forgiven.” This is an outrageous statement to the teachers of the Law, and to prove that the “Son of Man” has the authority to forgive sins, Jesus then heals the man. The man who was lowered through the roof moments earlier is now walking through the crowded house to exit. We would like to invite you to turn in your own Bible to Mark 2, as you prepare to listen to the following message by Pastor Anton.