Never The Same Again

Never The Same Again

Sermon Spice – VIDEO ‘The Truth’

You have a great future ahead

I would be lying to you if I said that

You can’t hope for your life to change

If you turn things upside down

This is the truth

I love that video! It’s awesome.

AND – I am sure that if you have never seen it before that you were thinking (before it did the 180)… what a great day to be in church, right? I feel so good. I feel so hopeful.

I still remember how I felt we I first saw it, I started looking for sharp objects…

BUT WHEN – it flipped around, it was so awesome.

God is great. God is good. God is faithful.

Prayer

QUESTION – what would you like to change about yourself or your life? What would you like to be different?

SERIOUSLY – take a moment to really think about it and maybe even write something down on your notes.

Do you want to be less fearful?

More confident?

Have more self-control?

Be less anxious?

More compassionate or courageous?

Have more follow through?

AGAIN – what you like to not only see different but be different in your life?

AND LISTEN – here’s the deal.

IF YOU - would like to change something about your life…

I have some great news for you.

YOU ARE @ the right place @ the right time…

YES – this morning you are in the presence of The One who has the power and is and the desire to change anything and everything!

UNDERSTAND – change (for the good, for the better, for the greater) is what Jesus is all about.

YOU SEE – change is why He…

• Left heaven

• Put on flesh

• And was nailed to a blood stained cross….

AND – because of His death, burial and resurrection… the Holy Spirit was able to inspire Paul to write these words…

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

And these in Romans 6…

Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. - Romans 6:4

NOW THIS MORNING – as we look at a passage in Luke chapter 5… We will meet a crippled guy who was lowered on a mat through a roof, by his friends before the feet of Jesus… - a guy who was never the same again.

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?

(what a great question… ‘why are you thinking these things in your hearts…’)

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."

Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today. - Luke 5:17-26

HEY – I don’t know about you… But I think it would be great for us to leave here today saying the same thing.

NOW – if there ever was a man who wanted to see some radical changes in his life it was this guy.

Think about it…

He had spent years, perhaps his entire life on that little mat.

Years having others carry him around.

Years watching others walk, run and live…

Years unable to move…

Years living his life, stuck on that little 3ft by 6ft world.

UNDERSTAND…

Someone had to fed him, clothe him, clean him