Click here for the sermon discussion questions or see them listed below. We highly encourage you to listen, think, and talk about the sermon. These are questions you can reflect on by yourself, with your family, or with your small group.

Discussion Questions 

1. How did the paralyzed man’s friends show they had great faith in Jesus’ power and ability to heal?  Today, how do we know when faith is genuine?  What do you think it means that “faith works and it works very hard”?  Are we saved by our works?
2. The paralyzed man’s friends ripped through a roof to bring their crippled friend to Jesus.  What did their actions reveal about their desire to be with Jesus? Compared to the men in this story, how would you rank your desire to be near to the Lord?  What barriers do you have to break through in order to be closer to Jesus?
3. Why do you think Jesus asked the question, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?”  What was the greater need that Jesus was trying to show to the Pharisees?   If a person truly understands their greatest need, how does this show up in the way they live their lives?
4. The miracle of the paralytic’s complete healing was insufficient to bring the Pharisees to faith. What can we learn from this as we share our faith with our family and friends?  Rather than focus on all the ‘good things’ Jesus can do to change a person’s life, what should the focus of our evangelism be?
5. How and why should the forgiveness of our sins help us to “not sweat the small stuff”?