1. Four friends (1-5)

The four men who brought their friend to Jesus had to overcome many obstacles. They even made a hole in the roof of someone else's house. They brought their friend to Jesus by any means. Jesus saw their actions as faith. And he saw that the deeper problem of the paralyzed man was sin. Because of their faith to bring their hopeless friend and his faith to come, Jesus forgave him.

2. Authority to forgive sins (6-12)

Some religious leaders doubted Jesus' authority to forgive sins. So Jesus told the man to get up and walk. He gave visual evidence of his power to forgive and heal. The paralyzed man represents all those sinners who are paralyzed by sin and fatalism. He represents those who are full of bitterness and complaints. Jesus' word of forgiveness and healing makes useless men useful.

Application: Father, forgive me for my sins and help me to bring others to Jesus by faith, so that he may forgive and heal them, too.
One Word: Only Jesus can forgive and heal