"THE PARALYTICS' NEW LIFE"
Mark 2:1-12

Imagine yourself being in that precarious position of being suspended from the height of a ceiling, dangling helplessly in mid-air, and being lowered slowly through the hole that had been dug in the roof, down to the floor, as the paralytic was. There are some people here who know, first-hand, that kind of vulnerability of being in a position wherein you must depend upon the aid of others for mobility. And, in many cases, it has taken an adjustment-not only of a physical nature, but also of a mental nature as well, to be willing to accept that kind of help. For we all prefer independence. It grates against our pride to have to admit our helplessness and our need to rely upon others.

When you think about it, the story of the paralytic is really an accurate portrayal of each one of our lives. You don't have to be physically impaired to be a paralytic. Spiritually speaking, every one of us was once in that helpless condition. We may find it difficult to view ourselves that way; but listen carefully to the Word of God Who knows us much better than we know ourselves.

The apostle Paul writes, "You were dead in the trespasses and sins," (Ephes. 2:1). Obviously, the state of death is as "paralyzed" as anyone can possibly get. Again, the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah poses the question, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil," (13:23). In other words, we came into this world with an evil nature, unable to do a thing to help or change our condition.

Sometimes we forget that fact. Again, because none of us wants to feel obligated or dependent upon anyone else, we are prone to overlook the truth that we did not have, nor do we presently possess, any redeeming quality about us. But God's Word reveals and compels us to admit that we are not without our flaws. And because of those flaws-known as sin and our sinful nature-we rightfully deserved God's condemnation.

Again, we balk at that idea. "We might be bad," we say to ourselves, "but we certainly aren't as bad as most others." And it just doesn't seem fair that God would send us to hell when we've done our best. How can we be faulted, let alone condemned, for giving it our best effort?

Nevertheless, God's Word doesn't lie. Nor are we in any position to take exception to God's way of looking at things. Therefore, when His Word says, "For the wages of sin is death," (Romans 6:23), you can be sure that that applies, not just to the bad people in this world, but to each and every one of us sinners as well.

That's not what we might have expected-just like the paralytic and his friends who brought him to Jesus. Their expectation, their hope, was for a miracle of physical healing. I think it's safe to say that the last thing which they expected was for Jesus to say to the man on the mat, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Again, much the same as us.

You see, when we think of God we think of this kind, loving, benevolent deity. Which, indeed, is an accurate description of Him. But, often, that's where our perception, where our belief concerning God, ends. Meaning, we just can't conceive of God punishing anyone. We can't accept that God would send anyone to hell-or, at least that He'd never dream of sending you and me to hell.

And that's the very reason why most of our prayers probably begin with a request about physical concerns. "God, grant me healing from my sickness." "God, grant me an answer to my financial woes." "God, take care of this or that earthly matter." Instead of, "God, be merciful to me, a poor sinful being."

How thankful we can be, then, that God recognized what our real need was and is in all of our lives and decided to do something about it by sending His Son Jesus into this world to grant us salvation. And not only did He live and die and rise again to deliver us from all of our sins-He also granted us the power of His Holy Spirit so that we might trust in that promise with all of our hearts.

Remember, when it was mentioned before, what the true state of our spiritual well-being was when were conceived and born? We were without faith. It was absent. There was no spiritual life within us. Just as, in the case of the paralytic, there was no strength. Whatever part of him was paralyzed, (and we can probably assume that it was his whole body) whatever part of him was paralyzed was most likely also atrophied; meaning, there was no muscle mass there on his bones.

Think then, of how great a miracle this was that this man was actually able to stand up and walk out the door under his own power. Christ had to give him something that wasn't there before. He had to give him the very muscles tissue to be able to do that.

Just like the Holy Spirit had to grant us something that was never there before. In the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, He gave us faith to trust in the grace that God the Father showed to us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

And what do you think that that healed man in our text did after he walked out the door. Well, he probably did all of those things which he had only dreamed he might be able to do if he could, in fact, be healed one day-things, no doubt, that he envied other people of being able to do. Things, perhaps, that so many others had taken for granted, but which would have been an absolute joy and pleasure to this man who's world extended no farther than the mat to which he was confined.

People, do you realize the glorious privilege that has been bestowed upon you who have received God's Holy Spirit?! It is no small matter that so many other people around you in your life do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior. It is no insignificant matter that so many people around you are bound for hell because the wages of sin IS death. Could it be that we have taken the miracle of our own spiritual healing for granted?

The apostle Paul says in our Epistle reading today, "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ." In other words, God has taken us paralytics and has stood us up on our feet. And, "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership upon us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come," (2 Cor. 1:21,22).

God has anointed you in the waters of Holy Baptism. God has put His seal of ownership upon us. We should, therefore, live our lives in such a way that proves we are the living result of a miracle. This world should notice, and be told by each one of us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior.

You can do it. You can admit your helplessness; it won't kill you. You can confess to others that you are a sinner just like they are. But you can tell them that you are a forgiven sinner-that God did what you couldn't do. He made you presentable to Himself through the blood of His Son Jesus. And that gift of faith, planted in you by the Holy Spirit, is the deposit, guaranteeing what is to come; namely, eternal life.

I once heard a clergyman say, who had come through cancer treatment successfully, that he would never again take his health for granted nor would he allow a single day pass by him again without him giving thanks to God for the gift of health.

Dearly beloved, you might not recall what it was like to live without Christ in your own life, but we can most certainly see the devastating affects of that unbelief in the lives of others around us. And it is not a pretty sight by any means. It is a picture which is a billion times more tragic than any physically handicapped malady could ever be.

Don't let your spiritual life atrophy. Take care of your faith by feeding it through God's Word and Sacraments. And exercise that faith by sharing it freely with a dying world around us. Do all of those things that you dreamed about doing, if only you had the spiritual strength to do so-because the truth is, you do have that strength through God's own Holy Spirit. Your sins are forgiven. Take up your new life and walk the walk of faith. For Jesus' sake.

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