I Believe in Jesus (Mark 2:1–12; Lord’s Day 11)
In an age where reality itself is redefined, God’s naming stands: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” When Jesus told the paralytic his sins were forgiven, he claimed to be the divine Savior of Isaiah 43—and then proved it. Jesus is Savior and Jesus is sufficient: either he is not a perfect Savior, or those who in true faith accept him have in him all they need for their salvation.
God has spoken in his Word. Let us confess its teaching in the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 11, questions and answers 29–30:
Q. 29. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus,” meaning “savior”?
A. Because he saves us from our sins; and because salvation is not to be sought or found in anyone else.
Q. 30. Do those who look for their salvation and security in saints, in themselves, or elsewhere really believe in the only savior Jesus?
A. No. Although they boast of being his, by their actions they deny the only savior, Jesus. Either Jesus is not a perfect savior, or those who in true faith accept this savior have in him all they need for their salvation.
Names have meaning…at least they used to! We are living in an age where reality itself is being re-defined. Males can identify as females; a white person can identify as a black person, and the list goes on. But when God names someone or something, that is reality! He is the objective standard of reality in a world of insanity. Without this certainty life is vanity and a striving after the wind.
But because God has named the Savior of humanity, there is hope in our despair, light in the midst of darkness, and certainty on the shifting sands of culture. Echoed here in Q&A 29 is the story we read every Christmas Eve. When God’s angel appeared to Joseph as he was considering divorcing Mary, he told him what he had already told Mary (Luke 1:31): “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21).
Therefore we embrace God’s revelation of reality and say in our Creed, “I believe in Jesus.” When we call him this, what are we saying?
Jesus is Savior
First, we are saying Jesus is Savior. We see this in Mark 2. I’ve always found is fascinating that the one whose home was heaven now is in an earthly home! (v. 1)
And the crowds were there to hear him teach, but there was no more room, not even at the door (v. 2). Some people brought a paralytic carried by four men (v. 3) who were unable to set him before Jesus. So they climbed up Jesus’ house, removed the roof most likely made of palm branches, and let down the bed on which the paralytic lay (v. 4). Then comes Jesus’ response. Seeing their faith he said this to the paralytic: “Son, your sins are forgiven” (v. 5).
But some of the scribes (v. 6) responded like this: “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (v. 7) To get the force of how scandalous Jesus’ words were and why the scribes response was so serious, you have to go back to the Old Testament.
For example, look at Psalm 32:5: “I acknowledged by sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
Turn over to Psalm 130:3–4: “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”
Finally, turn to Isaiah 43 with me. The Lord speaks in chapter 42 of Israel being deaf and blind spiritually (42:18) and plundered, desolate, and imprisoned (42:22). But then he says in 43:1, “Fear not,” and in 43:2, “I have redeemed you…I have called you” (43:2). Then listen to verse 3: “I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Listen to verse 11: “I, I am the Lord and besides me there is no savior.” Finally, look at verses 24–25: “You have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
When Jesus says, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (v. 5), Jesus is claiming to be the divine Savior.
But immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?” (v. 8) What we are going to read now is that Jesus is demonstrating that he is the divine Savior. Jesus asks a comparative question: “Which is easier to say…‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or…‘Rise, take up your bed and walk?’” (v. 9)What do you think? If I say to you, “You’re forgiven,” that’s easy, because there’s nothing to see or do. But if I say, “Rise and walk,” that’s harder because it involves a demonstration. Jesus says, “Fine, you don’t believe I am the divine Savior so let me show you!”
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (vv. 10, 11). And he did! Then the crowds were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (v. 12)
Jesus Is Sufficient
This leads to a second thing we mean when we call Jesus “Jesus.” We are saying Jesus is sufficient.
Children, when I was a kid there was a commercial for Snickers candy bars that said, “Snickers really satisfies.” When we were hungry, a Snickers bar was sufficient. It was all we needed.
Jesus is all we need for salvation because he claimed and demonstrated that he was the divine Savior of the Old Testament. So Q&A 29, again, quotes another Scripture passage from Acts 4:11–12 where Peter and John say salvation is not to be sought or found in anyone else.
But there are many who say Jesus is insufficient. Q&A 30 speaks of those who look for their salvation and security in saints, in themselves, or elsewhere. The Catechism is obviously referring to Roman Catholics. I think it’s important to recognize that while Roman theology teaches that believers are to ask the saints to intercede to God for them, the Catechism is attacking the popular expression of saints saving people after Catholics pray directly to them. The point is that only the Lord knows the heart; all we can do is be charitable to people but also call them to seek a more pure way. The warning that they boast of being [Christ’s] but by their actions they deny the only savior, Jesus, is a true warning.
When the Catechism speaks of those who trust in saints, again, it’s obviously referring to the Roman Church. We put our trust in the divine Savior who alone is sufficient.
When the Catechism speaks of those who trust themselves it’s referring to self-righteousness but we can also apply it to anyone who believes the pop spiritualy of “salvation is within.”
Finally, when the Catechism speaks of those who put their trust elsewhere, here we can apply this to the idea that Christianity is compatible with Islam.
While the Qur’an says Jesus (‘Isa) was a prophet—we agree—it says he was merely a prophet of surrender to Allah (Âl 'Imran 3:84).
The Qur’an agrees that Jesus was born of a virgin (Âl 'Imran 3:34–35; Maryam 19:28; Al-An’am 6:12; Maryam 19:19–21).
He performed miracles (Âl 'Imran 3:46; Al-Ma’idah 5:110; Maryam 19:30; Âl 'Imran 3:49; Al-Ma’idah 5:111).
But, he didn’t die on a cross (An-Nisa’ 4:157) but ascended directly to Allah (An-Nisa’ 4:158).
Brothers and sisters, names have meaning.
Jesus is the Savior.
Jesus is sufficient.
And because his name has meaning, we can be certain that there are only two opinions about him:
either Jesus is not a perfect savior, or those who in true faith accept this savior have in him all they need for their salvation.