{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvertical.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Fteaching-feb-15-2026-M7DhLx96","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"The Paralyzed Man | Mark 2:1-12 | Nathan Hughes | Vertical Church","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/9689ac23-2320-4b64-bf07-a443a5ebe021/87226aea-0f93-478a-97f6-d70e5413647c/bankruptgrave1square.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"<iframe src=\"https://player.simplecast.com/db70c6df-201f-4c5c-95f5-7245d8b31bbf\" height=\"200\" width=\"100%\" title=\"The Paralyzed Man | Mark 2:1-12 | Nathan Hughes | Vertical Church\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>","height":200,"description":"In Mark 2, Jesus returns home and the crowds pack the house. People have heard about His miracles. They’ve seen His power. They want healing. They want signs. But Jesus is preaching the Word—because the Kingdom always begins with truth.\n\nFour determined friends bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. They refuse to quit when the crowd blocks the door. They climb the roof. They tear it open. They lower him down. And Jesus sees their faith.\n\nThen Jesus does something unexpected. Before addressing the man’s physical condition, He speaks to his soul: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The crowd wanted a miracle. Jesus offers mercy.\n\nBecause our deepest problem is not physical—it’s spiritual. We ask for relief. Jesus wants repentance. We want comfort. Jesus wants surrender. If God gave us everything we asked for without transforming our hearts, it would destroy us.\n\nThe religious leaders understand exactly what Jesus is claiming. Only God can forgive sins. And Jesus doesn’t correct them—He proves it. To validate His authority, He heals the man publicly. But the visible miracle is not the greatest miracle. The forgiveness is."}