Jesus is so glorious, you can’t fully know Him, but you can know him more and more. And as you get to know Him more and more you’ll find He will surprise you 

Pattern of Progressive Revelation in the Gospel of Mark 

  1. Initial Encounter – Jesus invites, interrupts, or simply shows up 
  2. Partial Understanding – The disciples (and readers) make initial confessions, but often misunderstand. 
  3. Crisis and Correction – Jesus confronts false views, challenging assumptions and expectations.  
  4. Foreshadows the Cross – Full clarity comes not through miracle, but through the Cross. 
  5. Faith upon Resurrection – The disciples reframe everything in light of the risen Christ. 

Implications for DISCIPLES then and today: 

  • Discipleship means letting Jesus redefine what we think we need. 
  • Sanctification/Transformation often begins with disruption—Jesus may withhold what we want in order to show us what we truly need. 

Jesus surprises the PARALYTIC with FORGIVENESS - Jesus doesn’t address the obvious. But he addressed the necessary.  

  • In forgiveness, Jesus gives the man eternal life and the potential for unending joy.  

 

Jesus surprises the SCRIBES by EXPOSING their HEARTS - It wasn’t that they were aggressive in their argument, it was that they were silent in their judgement so that they couldn’t be CHALLENGED.  

  • He declares Himself as chosen by God and as the fulfillment of Scripture.  He heals the man to reveal Himself.  He shows AUTHORITY of DISEASE to CONFIRM His AUTHORITY over sin. 

Jesus surprises the FRIENDS by COMMENDING their FAITH - Jesus here is VALIDATING and AFFIRMING true friendship.  True friendship understands need, loves enough to risk, and gets their friends to Jesus.  

  • Friendship is where faith gets traction. They were trying to get Jesus to give their friend a better life.  What Jesus gave their friend was an eternal life.  

Many people are PARALYZED by fear, anger and shame: 

  • Forgiveness tells us that we need not fear, because God loves us. 
  • Forgiveness tells us that we need not be ashamed, because God has cleansed us.  
  • Forgiveness tells us that we don’t need to be angry, because God has justified us.  

Who are you in the story?  A question for each: 

  • Paralytic – Are you forgiven? 
  • Scribes – Who is Jesus? 
  • Friends – What’s the risk? 

If he not only heals this man but forgives his sins as well, he’s taking a decisive step down the path to his death. By taking that step, he is putting a down payment on our forgiveness. 

Making forgiveness possible was not easy, but it is glorious to those of us who receive it.