"Are We Crazy Enough?"

Are we Crazy Enough? Mark 3:21-22

1. Jesus’s popularity keeps growing 20Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat

• He performs great miracles, like cleansing lepers, restoring withered hands

• He also says some weird things like “I am Lord of the Sabbath”, (Mark 2:28). In these verses, Jesus is proclaiming that He is the One who exercises authority even over the rules and regulations that govern the Sabbath day.

• He also says another bizarre thought, “your sins are forgiven” Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven .

• He says yet another creepy thing “you have authority to cast out demons. “Mark 3:14He appointed twelve--designating them apostlesB--that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons.

2. They are all convinced that Jesus is not Normal

• His close’s companions say, “ 21When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

• His enemies say, 22And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by BeelzebubC!

3. Christians are not Normal either

• The world desires logic and reason, God's people live by faith, and believe a Book the Bible

• The world says, "You are entitled to hate those that hurt you." Yet, we love our enemies, and pray for our persecutors.

• The world is full of people scrambling to stock up as much earthly treasure as they can before they die. We seek to give it away in favor of treasure in heaven.

• The world's motto is "Love yourself and try not to hurt your neighbor." Our motto is, "Love your neighbor, and, in doing so, be willing to sacrifice yourself."

• The world sleeps in on Sundays. We drag ourselves out of bed to sing praise to the Lord whom we can't see, but who m we believe is coming back.

4. Jesus' friends and family were wondering if he was crazy. But we must ask if we are crazy enough.

First are we Crazy enough to believe in The Incarnation? God becomes Man Doesn't make sense.

• "For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9);

• "Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

Second are we crazy enough to believe in The cross?

• "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Thirdly are we crazy enough to believe in Salvation?

• We are told that Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and made us alive when we were dead.

Fourthly, are we crazy enough to believe in The resurrection?:

• Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

• Paul writes to the Corinthians : “And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power”.

• Paul records in Romans “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.