Podcasts about paralytic

Read OnlineWhen Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. John 5:6–8Let us begin by imagining the overwhelming joy of this man, who was healed after he had been ill for thirty-eight years. He lay on a mat near the Pool of Bethesda, a place where tradition held that the first to enter the water after it was stirred would be healed. Some later traditions associated the stirring of the waters with the Archangel Raphael, whose name means ‘healing of God.' While Scripture does not link Raphael to this story, his healing nature from other biblical traditions makes the association meaningful for reflection.When Jesus approaches the paralyzed man and asks, “Do you want to be well?” the question seems almost unnecessary. Who wouldn't desire healing after suffering for so long? Yet this question points to a deeper reality—one that transcends physical illness. The man's condition and Jesus' question symbolize the spiritual paralysis that can afflict any soul trapped in habitual sin. Just as the man could not heal himself, so too are we unable to free ourselves from the weight of sin without divine intervention. Jesus asks us the same question today: Do we truly want to be freed from our spiritual paralysis?The man's response to Jesus also reveals an important truth. He says, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” This admission reflects a deep hopelessness that those who struggle with habitual sin often experience. Years of failure to overcome sin can lead to discouragement, even resignation. But this very discouragement is where grace begins to work. In acknowledging our inability to heal ourselves, we open the door to Christ's healing power.Perhaps Jesus chose this man precisely because he had lost all hope. After thirty-eight years of suffering, he had no one to help him and no expectation of healing. Yet Jesus, in His mercy, intervened. This is a powerful message for all who struggle with sin and despair of overcoming it: There is always hope in Christ. He takes the initiative when we cannot, bringing healing where we least expect it. Picture Christ coming to you today, asking, “Do you want to be well?” Our response should mirror the man's humility: Lord, I am powerless to free myself from my sin. In this admission of weakness, we allow Christ to work in us. It is through our humility that we prepare to receive His grace. Reflect today on any sin—whether venial or grave—that has become a habitual part of your life. Have you grown resigned to these sins, thinking they are impossible to overcome? Are there sins you have become so accustomed to that you no longer recognize their spiritual harm? Christ asks you today: Do you want to be healed? Acknowledge your weakness, confess your inability to heal yourself, and wait on the Lord. Be attentive, and you will see He is already taking divine initiative, working in ways you might not yet realize. My attentive Lord, You are fully aware of my sin and the burden it imposes upon me. You come to me night and day, asking if I want to be well. Please help me to be attentive to You and Your gentle invitations. Help me to have hope that I can change, grow closer to You, and become the saint You want me to become. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Christ Healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda by Bartolome Esteban MurilloSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

John Hodgson reflects on Mark 2:1-12. You can subscribe to The Contemplatio email here: bit.ly/TheContemplatio

Join us as teaching elder Adam Vinson continues our study through the book of Luke.

The Everyday Bible Study | March 9 | The Paralytic

Fifteen years ago, Pastor Steve Ruetschle was left paralyzed after a catastrophic motorcycle accident. Doctors told him he would never walk again.But this episode is not primarily about a medical outcome. It is about something deeper.In this conversation, Steve reflects on the different ways God heals, the power of community, and what it means to participate in the fellowship of suffering. He shares how the faith of others carried him when he could not believe for himself, how pain can either harden the heart or deepen it, and how redemptive healing does not always mean the removal of suffering. This is a thoughtful and pastoral conversation about chronic pain, unanswered prayer, community, gratitude, and the surrounding love of God.If you are walking through illness, loss, or long term suffering, this episode offers a steady reminder that you are not alone and that God's faithful love surrounds you even here.(0:00) Introduction and How Steve's Story Reached Space for Life(2:19) The Motorcycle Accident and Becoming Quadriplegic(6:31) Degrees of Paralysis and Living with Chronic Pain(11:26) Community and the Story of the Paralytic(16:00) The Turning Point and Moving His Toe(21:10) Different Types of Healing(30:06) Redemptive Healing and the Fellowship of Suffering(36:33) Guarding Against Bitterness(45:09) A Word for Those Walking Through PainLove the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! http://tommythompson.org

Proof: Healing the Paralytic - Josh Wilson by Storyline Church

Send a textThe Leper & The Paralytic: The Compassionate Authority of JesusFeb 22, 2026  •  Eric StillmanIn the seventh sermon of the sermon series “Meeting Jesus”, we looked in Luke 5:12-26, Jesus' healing of a leper and paralytics, in order to understand the compassionate authority of Jesus and the power of God that is available to us.

Jesus: The True King Before the Sea of Need The Homily focuses on the Gospel of Mark . . . . . . and the Old Testament account of David and Saul to contrast two radically different models of kingship and authority. In the Gospel, Jesus draws overwhelming crowds from every direction . . . Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, and beyond. The weight of human need is so great that his disciples must prepare a boat to keep him from being crushed. Jesus heals, teaches, and confronts unclean spirits, yet refuses acclaim or self-promotion. His kingship is defined not by ego or force, but by mercy, humility, and service to the wounded. This is set against the tragic example of King Saul, whose victory over Goliath becomes the seed of his downfall. Saul's fragile ego turns David . . . God's chosen servant . . . into a perceived enemy. Saul embodies the ruler who serves God on his own terms, seeking praise, control, and personal glory. David, though deeply flawed, remains oriented toward God's will, capable of repentance and humility. The Homily culminates in Christ as the true Son of David and Mary as Queen through obedience. God's kingdom is revealed not as conquest by power, but as a conquest of love—founded on surrender to God's will rather than domination. True authority flows from hearts mastered by God, not from self-assertion or acclaim. Listen to Jesus: The True King Before the Sea of Need ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Art Work Christ Healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda: Spanish Painter: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: 1667 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 7-12 First Reading: 1 Samuel 18: 6-9; 19:1-7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why was this image selected: Murillo's Christ stands amid a mass of broken, desperate humanity . . . bodies pressed close, faces marked by suffering. The painting mirrors Mark's emphasis on overwhelming crowds and Christ's quiet authority. Jesus is central not as a ruler demanding praise, but as a healer absorbing the crushing weight of human need.

Steve and Joanne explore the story of Jesus healing the paralytic found in Matthew 9:1-8 from four points of view.

Hope Presbyterian Church is a new church in New Braunfels, TX, seeking to take the good news of Jesus Christ to this historic and growing city. We meet every Sunday at 10 at New Braunfels Christian Academy, 995 Mission Hills Drive, New Braunfels 78130. Come join us!

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai to university students at Ernescliff College, Toronto, on January 16, 2026.The account of the paralytic lowered by his friends in front of Jesus.Mark 2:1-12: When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralysed man carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralysed man lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralysed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.' Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' Many souls seek to come closer to Jesus. How can we place them in front of Jesus?Thumbnail: Mosaic from the Basilica of Sant'Apolinnare in Nuovo, Ravenna, 5th century.Music: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Angelic Choir, with licence

Today, Jesus accepts the challenge posed to him about his ability to forgive sins. He cured a paralytic to show that he can manage things that cannot be seen but happening in the soul.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic 17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.[a] 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was […]

Shawn, special guest Luke, Justin and Other Justin dive into the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man and what it means for us.

In this episode, we review the high-yield topic of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paralytic / Adynamic Ileus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from the Gastrointestinal section at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Medbullets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Medbullets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on social media:Facebook: www.facebook.com/medbulletsInstagram: www.instagram.com/medbulletsofficialTwitter: www.twitter.com/medbulletsLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/medbullets

The Jesus Story: Wk. 5 (Healing of the Paralytic)

Description/Excerpt:  Join Kasey Olander, Darrell Bock, and Mikel Del Rosario as they explore the historical Jesus—His titles, teachings, works, and what they reveal about His claims to divinity. Time codes: 6:17  Jesus as Prophet. 9:38  Jesus as Son of Man. 11:26  Jesus as Christ. 14:01   Christ Authority and Miracles. 20:20  The Healing of the Paralytic. 22:53  The Other, Contemporary Perspectives on Christ. 26:04  Where Should Skeptics Start. 28:52  Did Jesus Claim to be God? 42:00  Jesus as Lord Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arise! Speak The Command Of The Word Of The Lord! Paralytic was healed! Faith moved the heart of God. #anointing #faith #healing #deliveranceministry

Arise! Speak The Command Of The Word Of The Lord! Paralytic was healed! Faith moved the heart of God. #anointing #faith #healing #deliveranceministry

This episode is the personal testimony of Micah, a 42-year-old former Jehovah's Witness, detailing his life within the organization, his subsequent departure, and his journey toward recovery and self-redefinition. Born into the religion to parents with significant personal trauma, Micah's childhood was defined by a "constant white knuckle paralytic terror" of Armageddon. His life was marked by a series of compounding traumas, including the death of his father at age 13, a profound lack of emotional support from his family and congregation, and severe mental health struggles leading to multiple suicide attempts. Micah's narrative illustrates a cyclical pattern of rejection, self-destructive behavior, and attempts to conform to the group's expectations, resulting in two instances of being disfellowshipped. He describes feeling like a "non-entity," with his authentic self—expressed through writing, art, and comedy—consistently suppressed. The breaking point came during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, coupled with escalating substance abuse and a final confrontation with an elder, led to his arrest, incarceration, and subsequent homelessness. His recovery began in a halfway house where he identified the recovery program, Alcoholics Anonymous, as another high-control group with cult-like tactics. This realization prompted a period of intense deconstruction, where he researched cult dynamics and logical fallacies, leading to the definitive conclusion that he was raised in a cult. By reclaiming his identity through his lifelong passion for writing, Micah published a series of books, starting with his memoir Mentally Diseased. This creative process was the catalyst for rebuilding his life, paying off debt, establishing a new community, and finding a sense of empowerment. His story is a powerful account of the damaging effects of high-control groups and the potential for profound personal transformation through authentic self-expression. Find Micah's books and more at his website https://www.micahallenlosh.com/ Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let's talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information. Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com Leave us a review on iTunes Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show. This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah's Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment. Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

Last Sunday was a wonderful start to our campaign series, FOR the ONE! Pastor Jeff shared why we are doing this campaign and what it truly means to have a “One.” Every believer in Christ has at least one person in their life who doesn't yet know Jesus—whether that's a family member, coworker, friend, or neighbor. As followers of Christ, our desire should be for every nonbeliever to experience a personal relationship with Him. Pastor Jeff challenged us to identify our One and begin praying intentionally for them.This episode, we have another exciting message as we continue our FOR the ONE series— we also celebrate Baptism Sunday! Baptism is a public declaration of one's decision to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and a beautiful step of obedience in faith. Pastor Jeff also shares the powerful story of the Paralytic and how he came to be healed by Christ through the influence of his friends.--For the ONEWebsiteFacebookInstagramSunday SetlistConnect with us!How can we prayer for you? Let us know.

Join us this week for the seventh message in our series, "Hello Jesus," with Pastor Nathan Johnson.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic 2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And […]

Southwest Harbor Congregational Church

Episode Notes They said, “He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”. These so called experts were not as good as they thought they were since they did not recognize Jesus as God the Son. Please visit our Outreach Web site! ~ Home Page. Introduction ~ About Us, Who We Are: Episode 1 How-To Be Saved: Episode 2 “End Times” and “Benediction” A “Barking Squirrel Production” Copyright: 2018 ~ All Rights Reserved Our Series: “Healing and Forgiving a Paralytic”: 2025-1001 Episode: 40 Copyright: 2025 TAGS: #Gospel #Christ #Newbirth #Joy #Holiness This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

"The King" is our sermon series through Matthew. If you made the decision to trust Jesus, or God challenged you in a specific way during this sermon, please let us know by contacting us at hello@newheightswv.com, so that we can celebrate and pray with you!

Episode Notes “This man is an emblem of a sinner in a state of nature, who is insensible of his condition, of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, of his danger and misery to which he is exposed, of his lost and undone state, of the necessity of the new birth, and of the need of salvation by Jesus Christ.”. (FROM: John Gill's Expositor) Please visit our Outreach Web site! ~ Home Page. Introduction ~ About Us, Who We Are: Episode 1 How-To Be Saved: Episode 2 “End Times” and “Benediction” A “Barking Squirrel Production” Copyright: 2018 ~ All Rights Reserved Our Series: “Healing and Forgiving a Paralytic”: 2025-0904 Episode: 39 Copyright: 2025 TAGS: #Gospel #Christ #Newbirth #Joy #Holiness This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Mark 2:1-12 (ESV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss how we want Jesus as King because He has the authority to forgive sins.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=22555The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

Matthew chapter 9 verses 1 thru 9 will be the focus of our study with Dr. Mitchell in this lesson.As we heard, Jesus, once again passed over the sea of Galilee to his own city. When He arrived, some people brought a paralytic to Him. So Jesus tells the man, Your sins are forgiven. Jesus, being omniscient, knew the evil thinking in the hearts of the scribes who were accusing Jesus of blasphemy. So, it was necessary for our Lord to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins. That is just what He did before them all.In verse 9 Matthew writes of his own call from Jesus to follow Him. Matthew, sitting at the tax booth, arose and followed Jesus. As a result, you and I are reading his gospel right now.Here's Dr. Mitchell, Matthew 9:1-9 on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast.

Message from Pastor Adam Bishop on September 7, 2025

Many approach Jesus with their own expectations. Some only pray to request healing, financial help, love, success—the needs are endless. But Jesus knows our greatest need, and only He can meet it. Hear more on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg. ----------------------------------------- • Click here and look for "FROM THE SERMON" to stream or read the full message. • This program is part of the series‘Lessons for Life, Volume 4' • Learn more about our current resource, request your copy with a donation of any amount. •Make a deep exploration of the person and work of Jesus the topic of your next individual or group study. Download Name Above All Names by Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson as an ebook for free August 1-31, 2025. Comes with a chapter-by-chapter study guide. Request yours at truthforlife.org/name. Helpful Resources - Learn about God's salvation plan - Read our most recent articles - Subscribe to our daily devotional Follow Us YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter This listener-funded program features the clear, relevant Bible teaching of Alistair Begg. Today's program and nearly 3,000 messages can be streamed and shared for free at tfl.org thanks to the generous giving from monthly donors called Truthpartners. Learn more about this Gospel-sharing team or become one today. Thanks for listening to Truth For Life!

Many approach Jesus with their own expectations. Some only pray to request healing, financial help, love, success—the needs are endless. But Jesus knows our greatest need, and only He can meet it. Hear more on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/163/29

Many approach Jesus with their own expectations. Some only pray to request healing, financial help, love, success—the needs are endless. But Jesus knows our greatest need, and only He can meet it. Hear more on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/163/29

Mark 2:1-12

Dan talks about opportunities this Fall at PCOM and tells one of his favorite Bible stories

# Our Mission: Making Friends In this first week of our new series on "Our Mission," we explore the profound theme of friendship within the church community. Drawing from biblical narratives, we discuss how the church can address the pervasive loneliness in our world today by fostering genuine friendships. ## Key Biblical Passages - **Job 1:1** - The story of Job, a man of integrity who faced immense suffering. - **Mark 2:1-12** - The account of the paralytic man and his friends who brought him to Jesus. ## The Mission of the Church The mission of the church is to free people from their "grave clothes," symbolizing the vestments of a life bound by sin, and to help them live the victorious life offered by Jesus. This mission is encapsulated in our church's approach: **making friends, meeting needs, and making disciples**. ### Making Friends The concept of a "God-shaped hole" in every human heart is well-known, but Pastor Chris introduces another critical void: the "human-shaped hole." God designed us to be enriched and fulfilled through human relationships, as evidenced in the creation narrative where God declared it "not good for man to be alone" (**Genesis 2:18**). ### The Epidemic of Loneliness Despite being the most connected generation, society suffers from an epidemic of loneliness. Statistics reveal that 30% of people experience extreme loneliness, with young adults aged 18-24 being the loneliest group. This loneliness leads to various societal issues, including lower educational performance and higher crime rates, as noted by Robert Putnam in his book, *Bowling Alone*. ### Friendship in Community Friendship takes on different forms throughout our lives, but true friendship is marked by the ability to call on someone in times of need. The church is called to fill the "human-shaped hole" by being a community where anyone can find friendship and support. ## Lessons from Biblical Friendships ### Job's Friends Initially, Job's friends demonstrated true friendship by simply being present with him in his suffering (**Job 2:11-13**). However, they later failed by offering judgmental sermons instead of compassionate support, focusing on the reasons for Job's suffering rather than seeking resolution. ### The Paralytic's Friends In contrast, the paralytic's friends in **Mark 2:1-12** exemplified true friendship by prioritizing resolution over reasons. They went to great lengths to bring their friend to Jesus, demonstrating faith and compassion without seeking recognition for themselves. ## Maxims of Friendship 1. **Resolution Over Reasons**: Focus on helping rather than analyzing the cause of someone's predicament. 2. **Service Over Sermons**: Offer practical support and understanding rather than judgment. 3. **Compassion Over Comparison**: Show genuine empathy without comparing oneself to others. ## Conclusion The church is entrusted with the mission of making friends to combat loneliness and establish credibility for the gospel message. By embodying these principles, we can point others to Jesus, who fills the deepest needs of the heart. As a church, let us commit to being a community where friendship and support are readily available, fulfilling our mission to make disciples through love and service.

"Walking with the Master" Series Mark 2:1-12

Everything is Awesome! James 5:10-20; St. Matthew 9:1-8 (Riffing on St. Peter Chrysologus) Over the last few homilies, I have tried to share an approach to living that looks for the good, and the beautiful, and the true in all things so that we might have joy in them and nurture them towards greater glory.  Today, I am going to continue this lesson by applying it to scripture.  Of course, in this case we are not nurturing scripture to greater glory, but we always grow in our appreciation of its goodness, beauty, and truth so that those virtues might grow within us. Let's go through today's Gospel reading. This story starts out so mundanely, with Christ entering the boat, crossing the sea, and coming to his town.  But even in, this there is something to learn, something that should leave us in awe. This is the God who has complete mastery over all the elements, over all of time and space.  Why does he cross the sea in this way – surely the hosts of heaven, at the very least, could have born him to his destination? As St. Peter Chrysologus teaches us the way that he juxtaposes the material with the spiritual and the mundane with the glorious; Christ came to take up our infirmities, and to confer his own power upon us; to experience human things, to bestow divine ones; to accept insults, to return honors; to endure what is irksome, and to restore health, because a doctor who does not bear infirmities does not know how to cure; and the one who has not been a fellow patient is unable to confer health. To summarize St. Gregory of Nazianzus; that part of humanity that God did not accept or assume, cannot be saved.  There were no shortcuts for our salvation.  God became man and lived according to our infirmity (in everything but sin). Therefore, he endured these limitations so that he would be shown to be true man by these human limitations. Do you see how much beauty here? We go on to read that he entered the boat. He entered a boat?  Sure you see where we are going with this!  We know these truths, but do we ever slow down and just bask in their glory? What is the boat but the Church?  Again, let's listen to St. Peter Chrysologus; Christ always enters the boat of his Church to calm the waves of the world, so that he might lead those who believe in him tranquilly across to his heavenly homeland, and make citizens of his own city those whom he made sharers in his humanity. Therefore, Christ does not need the ship, but the ship needs Christ, because without a Pilot from heaven the ship of the Church is unable to pass through the sea of the world amid so many grave perils and reach heaven's harbor. We have talked about the sea and the boat; what about his destination? How can we not be amazed that the Creator and Lord over all the cosmos, for the sake of our salvation; … began to have a human homeland, began to be a citizen of a Jewish town, and he himself the Parent of all parents began to have parents, in order that his love might invite, his charity attract, his affection bind, and his kindness persuade those whom his sovereign might had put to flight, dread had scattered, and the force of his power had made exiles. I cannot tell you how often I passed over these words as if they were filler between the really important things in the narrative.  How often do we do this not just with scripture, but with life?  Every moment, every detail of life is precious, brimming with meaning and potential.  But we skip over this invitation to joy, to glory, because we are looking or waiting for greater things.  My brothers and sisters, in a world that has been infused with the divine, everything is steeped in magnificence. And so, we finally get to the meat of the story; He came to his own town, and they brought him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, it says, he said to the paralytic: “Have confidence, son! Your sins are forgiven you” (vv. 1–2). While the point about God having the power to forgive sins, and Him choosing to exercise that power as man, as the new Adam, thus setting the scene for giving that power to us as the new humanity in Him; while all that may be obvious, or if not obvious, certainly provides the grist for most homilies on this passage…. There are details that we often pass over and that deserve our attention.  Jesus saw their faith… Their faith… not the faith of the paralytic.  St. Peter points out that the faith of the infirm is often unreliable – the mind of the infirm is often delirious – and so “he does not examine all the senseless desires of the infirm, but he comes to help thanks to someone else's faith, so that he may grant through grace alone, and not deny, whatever is of the divine will.” What a beautiful thing is the love of the Lord for all of us in our delirium!  And, when we are thinking straight, and thus concerned more for the ill and infirm among us as ourselves – he brings his mercy and forgiveness to those we bring to him!  Do you see how great this is?  When we pray for others, it does not fall on deaf ears but on ears that are always ready to hear and respond.  And who is more ill among us than the spiritually or even physically injured or dead?  And yet He teaches us, through this example from His life and from the way His Spirit has guided our worship and prayer to pray for all, and most especially for those who cannot pray or act for themselves.  Lord hear our prayer! And, just to make sure you appreciate the goodness evident here, take a moment to appreciate the paralysis and incapacitation of our own minds and thus appreciate why it is that the prayers of the prayers of the righteous avail so much!  They bring our paralyzed souls into the presence of God and plead for our healing before Him. And to all this, the Pharisees responded: He blasphemes: for who can forgive sins except God alone? (v. 3) 6. And when Jesus had seen their thoughts, it says, he said to them: “Why do you think evil in your hearts? What is easier to say: your sins are forgiven you, or to say: stand up and walk? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic: “Stand up, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he stood up and went home (vv. 4–7). Pick up your bed, that is, “Carry what used to carry you, reverse the burden, so that what is a testimony to your infirmity may be a proof that you are healed; so that the bed of your pain may be evidence that I cured you; so that the amount of its weight may attest to the amount of strength you have regained.” Go home, to the place that you belong – our heart's true home.  The place that is where we can grow in glory.  The place that is for the believer – every single place, because every single place, like every single moment, is connected with the divine source of all beautiful, good, and true.   Peter Chrysologus, Selected Sermons of Saint Peter Chrysologus, ed. Thomas P. Halton, trans. William B. Palardy, vol. 2, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2004), 193–197.  

Fr. Benjamin gives the sermon on the healing of paralytic. His reverence takes this oppurtunity to discuss God's plan as seen in the life of the paralytic and in our lives

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