SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 5TH JUNE 2011

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 5TH June 2011

TOPIC: JESUS PROVES HIS AUTHORITY
LESSON TEXT: Mark 2:1 through 3:12; 11:27-33
MEMORY VERSE: Mark 1:27. They were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, what thing is this? What doctrine is this? For with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
CENTRAL TRUTH: Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and earth.
FOCUS: To acknowledge the divine authority of Christ and summit to his lordship.
INTRODUCING THE LESSON
Have you ever had a problem with a bill? Perhaps you where charged for something you didn’t buy or a payment was incorrectly credited. Though the person you talked to was pleasant and was trying to be helpful, you soon realised that you needed to talk to someone with authority to fix the problem. When you spoke to the supervisor or manager, the situation was quickly resolved.
Today’s lesson looks at incidents in the ministry of Jesus that proved His authority. If we will live in submission to His Lordship, we will find fulfilment and purpose.
LESSON OUTLINE

1. Authority to Forgive Sins

-          Faith Rewarded
-          Authority Demonstrated
2         Lord of the Sabbath
-          Questionable Behaviour
-          Questionable Healing
3          Authority from Heaven
-          Jesus’ Authority Questioned
-          Jesus’ Authority Rejected

SCRIPTURE SETTING

 MARK 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they

MARK 2:27 and he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath

MARK 11: 27 ¶ And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

BIBLE COMMENTARY

• 1.       AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS

-          Faith Rewarded; Mark 2:1-5

QUESTION: Why was Jesus’ popularity growing among the people?

Because Jesus healed people and cast out demons, he was attracting crowds throughout Galilee (Mark 1:27,28). Returning to Galilee to what had become His home base (2:1), a crowd gathered, intent on hearing Jesus preach (verse 2). The house was so crowded that no one else could get in, especially a paralytic on a pallet who was being carried by four men (verse 3). Undettered by the crowd, they must have taken the stairway up to the roof, a common feature of homes in Jesus’ days. They then removed a section of tiles and lowered the man down on his pallet right in front of Jesus (verse 4). Jesus was the only hope for their paralysed friend; they were doing everything they could to get him to Jesus.

The bold move by the paralytic’s friends might have angered some. But moved by faith, these men would not be deterred by the crowd. They were willing to take the steps necessary to get to Jesus so their paralytic friend could be healed.

QUESTION: What did Jesus see that indicated they all had faith?

Although only the paralytic was coming for healing, Jesus saw “their” faith (verse 5). He saw their extraordinary, single-minded effort to reach Him. This was evidence of faith.

Jesus did not heal the paralytic immediately. Instead, He pronounced the man forgiven (verse 5). The paralytic probably expected to walk, but Jesus honoured his faith by forgiving him of his sins, his most important need. By doing this Jesus demonstrated his divinity, for only God can forgive sins. This point was not missed by the scribes.

-          Authority Demonstrated; Mark 2:6-12