Week 2: The Next Chapter -Mark 2:1-12

Welcome to the second week of our Mark reading plan! We are on a journey to discover who is Jesus and what he has done through the pages of the Gospel of Mark. If you missed out last week you can catch up by reading the first chapter of Mark here.

Do you ever struggle with reading the Bible? Have you ever rushed through your daily reading just to get it over with? Or given up because it seems too difficult to understand?

If you can relate to those struggles I challenge you to try something new this week as you read. It involves three actions Focusing, Finding, and Following:

1. FOCUS -Before you start reading take a minute and ask God to guide your reading. Ask Him to focus your mind and to show you something in today's passage.

2. FIND -Read the passage. You have asked God to guide your reading, what words, phrases, or truth did He highlight? What stood out? What did you find? Write down the insight down.

3. FOLLOW -Take a moment or two and write out a response to the what God revealed in your reading. Was there an action you need to take?  An area of sin you need to confess?Or a promise you should claim? Once you have an action follow through and do it.

Mark 2:1-12The Message (MSG)

2 1-5 After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.”

6-7 Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, “He can’t talk that way! That’s blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.”

8-12 Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . .” (he looked now at the paraplegic), “Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!”