“Pick up your mat”
Allan H. Kircher
Sermon for Love House Ministries
2nd chapter of Mark, verses 1-12.
• The house was filled
• It was filled/anticipation of hearing/good news/gospel.
• Almost 2000 years ago Jesus filled the house
• A house in Capernaum.
• Today the house filled revival of the Holy Ghost.
• A spirit that is alive.
• The same spirit Jesus shared in Capernaum.
This all began when a man with Leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees and ask “If you are willing”.
• “If you are willing” “If you are willing”
• I pray doesn’t take a life threatening disease to say “If you are willing”.
• Jesus is always willing. AMEN
You see----the man with Leprosy probably thought he was too despicable to get clean…..
• Jesus said “I am willing” “be clean”
• The man had to be elated! Weren’t you?
Then Jesus said “see that you don’t tell anyone of this”
PAUSE REPEAT PAUSE
When you accepted Jesus into your heart, could you hold that to yourself?
Weren’t you just exploding with the Holy Spirit, so much so that you had to run and tell everyone?
You were walking around with a glow of the spirit.
So this man whom Jesus saved went out spreading the news-- and as a result-- Jesus could no longer openly enter a town but stayed outside in lonely places.
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Mark 2:1-2 ….
Note: He preached the Word to them.
• He peaked their curiosity first/healings/spirit of God.
• Then they came. They came and filled the house.
• Some may have come for a cure, such as palsy or Leprosy…..
• Some may have come out of curiosity……
• Some may have come to catch sight of Him…….
But when they came together He preached to them…..
To proclaim/word/God to men who were lost eternally.
We are here today…together in the house of the Lord…..AMEN….
In the twenty first century……in the house of the Lord there is no difference today then 2000 years ago.
Some of you come here today for a cure, just as they did 2000 years ago.
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Leprosy today:
• alcohol, anger, nicotine, drugs
• promiscuous sexual activity etc.,
• So you come today to look and find that cure….
Well, brother Allan, I don’t have those issues……..OK
Leprosy today:
• gossip, enabling, co-dependency
• bitterness, strife, overeating, anxiety
• So you come today to look and find that cure….
Well, brother Allan, I don’t have those issues…..OK
Leprosy today:
• covetousness, and being idle as a Christian.
You didn’t think you were going to get out of this that easy and be the one that has no problems and does not need a cure……
• we all have Leprosy of some kind
• and we all need a cure…..
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Some back then filled the house out of curiosity.
Some of us come every week peaked by our curiosity….
Your curiosity may be:
• still driving in your own will
• your still searching for answers….
• You have come to seek righteousness in your life.
Step out in faith and trust in the Lord your God.
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Some came back then/house to catch sight of Him.
• Nothing has changed; some of us come today to catch sight of Him.
• IF you are not in the spirit of God, you cannot see Him. 1 Cor 2:14.
• IF you are of the spirit of God you can see right now.
• You can catch sight of Him right now.
• There are 100 or so Jesus’ sitting here today in this congregation.
• AND YOU CAN DO GREAT THINGS….AMEN
John 14:12 says “anyone who has faith in me will do what I am doing, he will do even greater things cause I will go to the Father.
• Can you believe that?
• Is that not the most awesome thing you have heard?
• That is a PROMISE OF GOD…..
Each and every one of you in here today that has accepted Jesus in their lives can and will do mighty things.
• He is here today
• He is willing today
• HE is here to proclaim the word of God to men who are lost eternally. AMEN
• May the glory of God be lifted high….. AMEN
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Life verse 2 Cor 5:17 “ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ…
• I CALL IT THE DOOR VERSE
2 Cor 5:15-16 and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves…
Each and everyone of us in the house are new creations through His love and mercy, and compassion and grace.
• May God be glorified in all we do.
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Mark 2:3-4 …..
• Four men weren’t worried about themselves.
• They were caring for their friend.
• they were determined.
They went to the roof and cut a hole and lowered him down.
We need to place each other up on that mat and lower ourselves down to Jesus. HUMBLE OURSELVES
• This man had Palsy.
• He could not walk himself.
• He was crippled.
• He was at rock bottom.
• HE was at rock bottom.
•
• You know what rock bottom is…..Jesus….AMEN
The only thing you can do when you’re at rock bottom is look up.
And when you’re looking up, the only thing you see is
Jesus…Hallelujah. Praise God.
You don’t know God is all you need until God is all you got.
• For some of us it takes getting palsy to find Jesus…
• to hit rock bottom.
• For some of us it’s a simple act of faith….
Rom 10:9 says…
And all of God’s children said….
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• Those four men represented faith in Jesus.
Today it represents how Christians pray for each other when our brothers and sisters are in need.
We lower our brothers and sisters to the Lord through that clay roof in prayer.
James 5:16 …..
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Mark 2:5 “when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “son, your sins are forgiven”
• We need to have true saving faith.
• True saving faith. True saving faith.
• Jesus didn’t say anything of the faith of the paralytic, but of the four who brought him to Jesus.
He forgave the sins of the paralytic because He is a forgiving God and of the faith of the others.
Through your faithful prayers for people Jesus:
• Heals people
• Protects people
• Restores people
• Brings your children back to life
• Brings your husband back to life
• Family back together
Cut a hole in that roof and lower people down to the Lord in prayer.
May God be glorified in our presence today.
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Sin is the procuring cause of all our pains and sicknesses.
You see, forgiving the mans sins was far more important than healing him….AMEN….REPEAT….
The most important thing is to seek forgiveness.
Now listen to this….
• God takes away the sting/sicknesses/he forgives sin.
• Jesus wishes for a man to live eternally, not just for a few short years.
But before we can live eternally, we must willingly come to Jesus for forgiveness of sins.
The way to remove the effect is, to take away the cause.
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The way to remove the effects of
• alcohol Is to believe in the promises of God
• Bitterness Is to believe in the promises of God.
• Idleness Is to believe in the promises of God.
• Gossip Is to believe in the promises of God.
If we believe in the promises of God, “Love your neighbor, as you love yourself”.
We wouldn’t have the effect of gossip.
If we believe in the promises of God, “quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry because man’s anger does not bring into the righteous life God desires.
We would not have the effect of anger/bitterness.
If we believe in the promises of God, “do not be anxious about anything, but everything in prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your request to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.
We would not have the effect of worrying, anxiety
Pardon of sin strikes at the root of all diseases and either cures them, or alter their property…..AMEN.
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Mark 2:6-10 ….
• In his spirit, he knew what they were thinking.
Jesus knows
• Your true heart.
• What you’re thinking.
• What you’re going to be doing tomorrow.
• What you’re going to be doing in 3 months.
• You cannot hide from Jesus.
Now that you are a child of God, God loves you and is in you.
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Life verse Phil 2:13 “for it is God who lives in you to will and act according to His own will”
Hinge verse: Phil 2:14-16 “do everything without complaining or arguing ……
• Jesus knows exactly what man thinks
• His motives, his reasoning.
He knows the sinfulness of your sins and the particulars of them, and yet is ready to pardon them. AMEN
Praise God, can you imagine sitting in that house in the presence of the living God and Jesus stating He is the Son of God!
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Then Jesus said in verse 11-12….
Walked before/living testimony/power of Jesus to forgive and heal a man’s whole being.
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A long time ago, I was on his knees begging Jesus, “I have leprosy, I have alcohol, bitterness, rage, nicotine, unbelief, Jesus “If you are willing”
Jesus looked at me and said, “I am willing be clean”.
Jesus has said to me “I tell you, get up, take your mat of alcohol and go home. And they all stood amazed the changed life and said we have never seen anything like this!
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A long time ago, Joy was on her hands and knees begging Jesus, “I have leprosy, I have an alcoholic husband, I have a son that is not living with me, I have anger, and she said Jesus If you are willing”.
Jesus looked at her and said, “I am willing be clean”.
Jesus has said to Joy “I tell you, get up, take your mat of anger and go home.
And they all stood amazed at her changed life and said we have never seen anything like this!
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Jesus says to each and every one of us
• “I tell you, get up, take your mat
• Idleness, drugs, etc. and go home.
• And they all stood amazed.
everyone will stand amazed/light that shines through you.
It is the very light that
• parted the red sea
• soaked in Job’s soul through the test he endured
• persevered in Joseph when he was sold into slavery
• shined in Elijah as he faced 450 of Baal’s prophets
• Slain the lion, the bear, and the giant.
• was in the Lion’s den.
• Darkness of the belly of the whale.
• strummed the harp for Saul to calm his evil spirit.
It is the very same light that shines through each and every one of us.
• Jesus is the light, the guiding light.
• Do not douse the light that shines in you.
• Jesus forgives the sin of any man
• no matter how terrible the sin.
He replaces that sin with an endless light that shines through you.
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• When a man’s sins are forgiven
• it should dramatically affect both him and those who know him.
great tragedy/few pay attention/claim that sins are forgiven.
• They ignore the fact/go on their merry way
• continuing to walk in the selfishness of this world.
No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning, no one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.
This is the word of God 1 John 3:6.
no one who lives in him keeps on sinning, no one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.
• not asserting sinless perfection, but explaining that a sinner’s life is characterized not by sin but by doing what is right.
Rest of the passage says, dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray….
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You see, we will sin today, multiple times, but as Christians and having Christ living in me, I know and can recognize sin and should do what is right.
If not, we need to reevaluate our commitment in Christ Jesus.
• And there’s nothing wrong with that
• But you need to do it today.
• Do it today before it’s too late…..
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Jer 29:11 “for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and to give you a hope and a future”.
What a great life verse. But let’s look at the hinge that opens the verse (door).
Then you will call upon me and pray and I will listen, and you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.
• In all that you do, seek Jesus.
• When you’re eating, driving, talking, walking, speaking.
• Jesus says when you seek me with all of your heart.
• Not with some of your heart,
Not just when you need something, but in all things, all ways, with all of your heart.
• Will you give all of your heart today?
Will you be that one today that comes to Jesus, just as that man with Leprosy came to Jesus 2000 years ago?
Will you be that one today to say “If you are willing, Jesus”?
• You can find that cure for your Leprosy today.
• You can have an answer to that curiosity today.
• You can see Him today.
You just need to reach out and let the Savior take hold of your hand.
Let Him take hold of your hand and He will carry all those burdens for you.
