Barrier-Breakers

This sermon explores Mark 2:1-12, where Jesus returns to Capernaum and encounters a paralyzed man brought by four determined friends. Rather than immediately healing the man's physical condition, Jesus first declares his sins forgiven, sparking controversy among the religious leaders who recognize that only God can forgive sins. The message emphasizes that Jesus came primarily to preach the kingdom of God and address humanity's greatest need—reconciliation with God—rather than simply changing circumstances. The sermon challenges believers to become "barrier breakers" who courageously overcome obstacles to reach Jesus and follow Him as King. It contrasts the Old Covenant system of mediated, repeated forgiveness through priests and sacrifices with the New Covenant where forgiveness is received directly through faith in Christ's finished work on the cross. The central theological point is that Jesus possesses divine authority to forgive sins, proving He is either "mad, bad, or God," and His healing of the paralytic validates His claim to deity.