Jesus' Church, Is It Our Church?

Mark 2:1-7

Introduction:

There are many, many types of churches today. Some that use instruments, and some that don’t. Some that are liturgical, and some that are non-liturgical. Some that are right and some that are wrong.

There are the: Assembly of God, Church of God, Church of Christ, Church of God in Christ, Church of God of Prophecy, Church of the Living God, Baptist, Southern Baptist, Northern Baptist, Full Gospel Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Episcopal, Reformed Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Reformed Lutheran, Methodist, Weslyian, Methodist, Pentecostal, United Pentecostal, Faith Churches, Word Churches, Hope Churches, Victory Churches, Christian churches, Church of the way, Church of the Savior, Church of the King, and the Church of what’s happening Now!

Just like there are many types of churches today, there are many types of pastors too.

The Pastor that leads, the pastor that follows, the pastor that feeds and the pastor that bellows. The one who cares the one who shares, and the one who has funny hair.

If Jesus were a Pastor over a church, today, what would it be like?

In the ministry of Jesus here, on earth He used Peter’s house as a “headquarters” of His ministry. Peter’s house was in Capernaum, on the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus would regularly go back to Capernaum to minister by preaching the Word of God, and healing.

Let us look at Jesus’ church…

1. Jesus’ church was an evangelistic church

2. Jesus’ church was filled with people

3. Jesus’ church was filled with faith

4. Jesus’ church was a healing center

5. Jesus’ church was a place to find forgiveness for sin

6. Jesus’ church had critics

7. Jesus’ church had praise and worship

Verse 1. Jesus’ church was an evangelistic church

A. The purpose of the church is two-fold, to be a gathering place for corporate worship and to evangelize the nations.

B. The mission is giving to us as the church.

C. Jesus’ church set the example of a church that evangelized

D. In the KJV of the bible, it says, “it was noised” that Jesus was in the house.

E. They went out into the city, and made a noise that or that they told people that Jesus was in the house.

F. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus gives us the mission to go into all of the world, preaching, teaching, baptizing, and to make disciples of all men.

G. Is our church like that of Jesus’?

H. Are you a person that evangelizes?

Verse 2. Jesus’ church was a church filled with people

A. Because of their evangelistic efforts, the church was filled with people.

B. Not only was it because of their efforts, but because Jesus was in the house

C. Where God is moving, the people will go to

D. The Brownsville Revival is a good example of people flocking to the true, and powerful move of God

E. They stand on the streets for hours just in hopes of getting in to the place.

F. Let’s pray for a true move of God, that even the sinner will come in

Why don’t people come to the church anymore?

G. Because people are tired of the same old, religious routine

H. They are tired of the hypocrisy from the clergy and the congregation

I. In Jesus’ church the preacher always set the example

Verse 3-5 Jesus’ church was filled with faith

A. An excited church is a faith-filled church

B. Here in Jesus’ church, they KNEW that the paralytic was going to be healed, all they had to do is get him to Jesus

C. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God…”

D. That must mean that a FAITH-FILLED church must really make God’s heart pleased

E. Faith must be the key to all of our churches, but it starts in the heart of all our church members

F. Jesus recognized these men’s persistent faith

G. Jesus WILL Always recognize persistent Faith

H. Is our church filled with Faith

I. Are you filled with Faith

Jesus’ church was a healing center

A. In Jesus’ church, miracles happened

B. I believe that this was so because of two things:

1. Faith within the members

2. Authentic move of God

C. Our churches should be healing centers for the sick

D. Why does it seem, that God has limited this type of miracles to certain men of God?

E. The fact of the matter, is that it is open for all of us

F. Mark 9:23, "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

G. All we have to do is believe, accept, recognize, realize, and familiarize ourselves with the power of God, and then we can expect the miracles of God

Verse 5. Jesus’ church was a place to find forgiveness for sin