When Jesus Shows Up Series

CENTRAL ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

SUNDAY April 21, 2013

Series - The Presence of God

“When Jesus Shows Up”

Mark Ch. 2: 1-12

SALUTATION

INTRODUCTION - SET THE TONE – Talk about last sermon

Say: It’s a tragedy to get up out of your bed and come to a place of worship every Sunday and never experience the presence the power and the presence of God – that’s a real tragedy.

But if the truth be told, I believe that that is a trend that is fast becoming the order of the day in many of our so called churches today.

Church is not what it used to be – one time ago our grand-parents and those who went before us, even though they didn’t have cushion pews, air conditions and all the sophistication of music, sound system, and other technological aids, one thing I do remember is that they had a genuine love and sincerity for the things of God and for the worship of God, but we losing that by the day and what has replaced it for the most part is a form of godliness and a performance based worship where folks are seeking first and foremost to please and satisfy themselves while failing to remember that worship is about God and God alone.

And so my brothers and sister, we who are here must do all that we can to avoid that kind of spirit, especially in this day and age when everything around us is falling apart and nothing much seems to make sense anymore.

The Church of the living God cannot become a playground where people come to hang out on Sunday for two hours or so then go back home to eat peas and rice….. If ever a time we need the power and the presence of God is now.

Yes we are doing a lot of things right but if those things are void of the power of the Holy Spirit then we are no better off than the rotary or Toastmasters clubs that meet weekly just the way we do.

I don’t know about you, but at this stage of my Christian journey, I can’t settle for a just “casual – like everyone else” kind of Christianity – a mediocre kind of praise and a getting by kind of worship – No B&S, I don’t know about you but God has been good to be, he has done great things in my life and I haven’t come this far to settle for just business as usual, I want to experience the power of God every time I enter into these door – and I want some folks to come alongside me (DIHAW) in the house?

But I have come to today to remind us that we have something that no other group has and that is the ever abiding presence and power of the Holy Spirit and when He is among us things happen.

That’s why I want to speak to you today on the subject

“When Jesus Shows Up?” – Mark Ch.2:1-12. –

Background.

Jesus Launches His Public Ministry.

Evidenced by his Baptism by John - the calling of his twelve disciples – constant preaching and healing of those who were a part of his everyday ministry –

In our text it begins by telling us that Jesus again entered Capernaum – meaning that this was a place that he had been before – and if we look in Ch 1:21 it tells us that.

But in ch. 2:1 – the Bible tells us that He came to Capernaum, but this time he does not go in the synagogue (maybe not the Sabbath day) but instead went into a house).

And before you could blink your eyes the house was overflowing with people. People came from everywhere because the news about Jesus went out like wild fire even though Jesus ask them to keep it a secret

That’s the first thing I want to bring to our attention today is that when Jesus shows up, remember..

1. DON’T KEEP IT A SECRET.

We have to spread the word.

Read ch. 1:v-43-45 – Read v- 1-2a –

When we experience God in an extraordinary way – how in the world could we keep that a secret.

People of God hear me today, if we are going to see this house filled up so that there is standing room only, we can no longer be contented with keeping it a secret that Jesus is in the house; We have to say something.

The house got filled up as quickly as it did because there were folks whom God had touched – look at Mark ch. 1:41 - were willing to tell others and testifying daily about what God had been doing in their midst. You know what, that tells me ..