Inspired by Elvis Burrows "When Jesus Shows Up" But only a little snip herre and there may remain.
TITLE: When Jesus is In the House 05-27-2013
TEXT: Mark 2:1-12
INTRODUCTION: THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, JESUS MOVES IN THE CHURCH
A. Is Church a celebration of historical facts, a recitation of rituals, a religious observance. Or, is it a powerful celebration of the presence of Jesus where the Holy Spirit moves in vibrant ways?
1. It used to be different. There was a time when our great-grand-parents, even though they didn’t have cushioned pews, air conditioning, and over-produced music, a computerized sound and light systems, internet and other technological aids.
2. One thing they had at the Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission on Azusa Street, One thing they had at Bethel Bible School in Topeka Kansas was the presence of Almighty God in their midst. Jesus was in the house.
--There was genuine love for one another.
--They blatantly, openly defied Jim Crow Laws.
--Worship would go on for hours (even uptight white folk stayed).
3. Out of these great movements came other great movements. It was the revival which spread from west to east across our nation. Older established denominations caught some of the fire and reignited. It’s all but petered out now.
4. I’m 50 white man. I’ve never seen a great move of God with my own eyes in the church.
--The closest thing I’ve seen is the Brownsville Revival Rick took me to down in Pensacola. That’s has stopped not too.
5. Man gets involved, politics, a little greed slips in, what about the profit motive, and new found fame of discovered personalities.
6. I see now why God had to literally kick every ounce of the Dog poop out of Moses, let him rot until he was 80 years old, could no longer speak without a stutter, then God could use him more mightily than he used any man.
7. The Bible says Numbers 12:3 Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.
B. And so today where Christian entertainment is king, we should know…God will not share His glory with any man or woman who would dare to stand up and snatch it out of His hand.
1. The true glory of God, the true presence of God will not show up in that place.
2. I don’t know about you. I don’t want the rhinestone…I want the diamond. I don’t want the fool’s gold, the gold plated or gold filled…I want the 24k. I don’t want the show, I’m tired of the show…I want Jesus. I just want Jesus.
3. The Church can’t be like the country club, or the technical college where people come to take a few classes for an hour or two, learn some facts for self-improvement, then go do something fun.
--If ever a time we need the power and the presence of God is now.
4. We may be doing things by the book, but if those things are void of the power of the Holy Spirit then we are no better than the book club. Maybe we could start Bingo night.
5. At this stage of my Christian journey, I’m not going to settle for a just “casual Christian ministry”. I’m even fed up with the idea of “the pastor as a professional”. I don’t care if I garnish the respect of a Doctor or lawyer whether I’ve received the number of years of education they have or not.
6. God has saved my life. He is doing great things in my life. –While He is doing those great things, it sure hurts, but the end result is fantastic!
7. I haven’t come this far to settle for just business as usual, I want to experience the power of God, especially every time I enter into these doors. Do you?
8. But I have come to today to remind us that we have something so precious… the precious gift, the person of Holy Spirit. He is the One who brings Jesus into a House today. When Jesus enters a house, things happen.
TS. When Jesus is in the house…
I. YOU GOTTA START TALKING
A. On the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the humble little town Jesus chose to be home base for His Kingdom which would know no end in time or boundary. Our text tells an interesting story which happened there one day Mark 2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” 8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11 “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
1. It’s only chapter 2 in Mark’s gospel, and already the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door.
--Like a firestorm.
--No Internet, radio or TV ads.
--No flyers in the bulletin at synagogue, No posters nailed to phone polls.
--Just “Did you hear Jesus is back in town?”
2. The reason? In the last few verses of chapter 1, Jesus healed a man with leprosy. He warned the man sternly. Don’t tell anyone about this, only show yourself to the priests. But the man told everyone what Jesus had done for him. From that point forward, Jesus had to stay and sleep in secluded, lonely places just to get some rest.
B. Now that the Holy Spirit is the person of the God-Head on the scene, we are no longer hindered by a Jesus who needs to sleep. We need to tell everybody about Jesus. You gotta start talking it up! Spread the word!
1. Is He moving in our worship time? If He isn’t, if I am the only one feeling it, you better start praying harder. I don’t think I can do any more.
2. People of God hear me today, if we are going to see this house filled up so that there is standing room only, you gotta stop keeping it a secret that Jesus is here. Technically, the Holy Spirit is here manifesting the person and work of Jesus.
3. The house was filled that day mostly due to the leper who was now clean. The guy who was touched by Jesus.
4. Is there any one here who has had a touch? Is there anyone here who has had a touch?
--If He Touches you –you have to tell it!
--If He Heals you – someone should hear it!
--If He Saves you – you have to share it!
--If He Delivers you – you have to declare it!
--When Jesus comes through for you, don’t you dare keep it a secret.
ILL. Story of Jesus opening My son’s --Clint’s deaf ears…placing copies of the before and after audio tests results in bulletin. The results were so stark and amazing…I was so wildly excited, congregants and the unbelieving Dr. who administered the test scoffed. Some even accused me of manipulating the copy. Many accused me of being a fool. But nobody ever accused me of keeping my mouth shut about what my Jesus did for me.
5. You have been praying for a job, now you have one. You gotta start talking about Jesus!
6. You were miserable –horrible bound by sin and the devil, it was a journey miracle, or it was a twinkling of an eye miracle –Jesus saved you. You gotta start talking about Jesus! I have heard the joyful sound - Jesus Saves – Jesus Saves…
7. This church won’t grow until we start talking about Jesus. He’s alive, well, active, doing His work here.
8. If just a few of us get as excited about what Jesus has done as that cleansed leper in Mark 1…don’t talk about the music, the pastor, the preaching, the this or the that, talk about Jesus, you would see this house fill. See even more of Jesus and His loving acts of saving, healing and delivering.
II. HEAR GOD SPEAK
A. When Jesus is in the house, there is always a word. Our scripture says V2 …While he was preaching God’s word to them… What wonderful words of life Jesus must have shared with them that day!
1. Relaying in strong terms the word of God—Preaching, was a major part of Jesus purpose on Earth Mark 1:38, 39 “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” 39 So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.
2. When we think of Jesus’ 3 year ministry, we think of the miracles 1st, but do you see what Jesus actually does first? He preached ἐλάλει While he was preaching Dative tense, a special tense, with a loud voice, with authority. Romans 10:17 faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
3. There is nothing more valuable to God…nothing He wants more from us than faith. Faith in Jesus is what re-establishes the connection between us and God through which God is able to do every other thing He longs to do in our lives and in our world. It is the only connection.
B. When Jesus is in the house – there is a word. I am amazed at this. I am humbled God would use me to speak His message sometimes.
ILL. Lately as I’ve been preparing my messages I’ve been telling God, “OK, I need about a 15 minute sermonette. I need to take it easy on the folks this week.” God smiles. He gives me my little sermonette. Sunday morning, I skip lightly in here to glibly deliver it to you. Worship starts. Then the Holy Spirit jumps on me. He hits me like a hammer—a real sneak attack. I’m blind-sided. I jumped too high, tripped, fell and bruised my tail-bone. After church I said to God, “God, don’t you see what’s going on? People have left. My Mom thinks I need to be sedated.” Then God said to me, “OK, OK, I’ll give you a 10 minute sermonette tomorrow.”
1. But worship is more than hearing what the preacher is preaching –far, far more. It is hearing what God is saying. God’s message to you may be a totally different topic than the one printed in the bulletin.
2. Hearing from God sensitive takes spiritual ears. These ears were severely damaged at the fall of man in the Garden of Eden that day.
3. Through redemption, and the help of the Holy Spirit, you can learn to use those ears again.
C. Consider the men in our story. They have interrupted the sermon. That would be OK here—not in most churches. Jesus speaks a word directly to the man, My child, your sins are forgiven.
1. It wasn’t a healing word 1st. It was the man’s real need, his most pressing need--his personal need. Jesus cut to the chase—to the heart of the issue. Jesus spoke a word just to him.
--That’s what I came for. That’s what you came for. –A word just for me.
2. Next, Jesus says, Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home! You didn’t come just to feel better about your situation. You came to see your situation changed, transformed by a word.
3. If God can speak the world into existence, Jesus can change my world with just a word.
4. Some of you feel like the guy being carried in on the mat. So burdened down by your cares you can hardly walk. Can somebody please carry me to Jesus? Can somebody just please get me to the Man?
5. What word would He speak 1st? I’m 99.9% certain He would like to say to you, My child, your sins are forgiven.
6. You may not be humble enough to receive it yet. We are programed to think these days our problems are always somebody else’s fault. But if you will humbly allow the Holy Spirit to comb through your life, you will be surprised at how gently He will uncover your fault in the thing –your sins.
--You will be amazed how freeing it will be to unload it as you repent and ask for help to change.
--You will be healed when you hear those powerful words My child, your sins are forgiven.
7. What is he saying to you?
D. Just because you did not hear Him today does not mean He did not speak.
1. We can’t hear Him if we are distracted texting, playing a game on our phone, thinking about our to-do list.
2. Sometimes God feels the need to get our attention and speak to us so greatly that He will start to exert pressure. Sometimes that pressure will hurt. We might even think God intends to destroy. No, that is never God intention.
3. His intention is for us to listen. His intention is to use us for His purpose. His intention is to have a relationship with you and to ultimately bless you. He will take you on a trip around “The Horn” in order to accomplish this. If that doesn’t work, He will take you around “The Horn” during a storm.
TS. When Jesus is in the house, --We gotta start talking about it; --We should Hear God Speaking; and 3rd when Jesus is in the house…
III. LIVES ARE CHANGED
A. Theoretically, God can do His life changing work anytime He chooses. Most of the time, He just so happens to choose to do this His work in the context of church where Jesus is honored, the Holy Spirit is welcomed and God’s word is proclaimed.
1. The man in our story has two needs. The casual eye only observes his physical need. Those who know him best likely know his other problems.
2. Hey, we all have problems. Stop with the hairy eyeball already. We all need Jesus to heal us on the inside –forgive us, free us from our sin, far worse than any physical touch we may need.
ILL. In 2011, after a minor cave diving accident in a Mexico Jungle, I developed an infection in my ankle the Docs couldn’t identify. Therefore, the proper antibiotic cocktail could not be mixed and administered. After a couple of surgeries the Head Surgeon and the Dean of the Medical School here in the State of South Carolina asked me to sign the paper to saw off my foot before my final surgery. I was already under some anesthesia, so I told him I’d let it rot off first… OK, I wasn’t under any anesthesia yet. He dug deep and found a good bit of black stuff –Gangrene, which for some reason had remained hidden all the while. I finally began to heal. It was an answer to much prayer. I give God glory. I am very happy to be alive. I would not have let them take my foot. You cannot frog kick with a prosthetic foot --a must in cave diving.
3. I have enjoyed other more dramatic physically healings more wonderful than that in my life; --too many to tell this morning.
4. But friend, let me tell you something. Those do not hold a candle to the changes Jesus had made in me on the inside.
5. I know, I know. I hear ya. Good God! He needs to do more of that! Amen! Absolutely! He needs to do more! Even so…Come quickly Lord Jesus! Do more! Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee… Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine./Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne./Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store./Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
6. But stop giving me the hairy eyeball. Some of you are so good at identifying the spiritual needs of others. Indeed I know people who are so crass, so obtuse, they will tell you the Holy Spirit has gifted them, enabling them to identify how others have fallen short of the glory of God
7. You will never know the joy I’ve found until you start using said gift on yourself allowing the Holy Spirit to help you look inward.
8. It doesn’t matter what kind of sinner you are, how fleshly, how religious, how prideful, how complicated your sins are. Jesus is in the house. He has come to changes lives. He told me He has come Luke 19:10 …to seek and save those who are lost.
B. Did you notice that the man had to be literally dragged to Jesus? It was that important. It was even important enough to tear up another man’s roof.
1. How important would it be to you to come over and tear up my roof? How important would it be if it meant you had to break into my house?
2. I dare say, the conditions inside the life and mind of a person duped, bound-up, experiencing daily the horrors of sin’s consequences are so tragic, you would be completely heartless if you did not knock that person over the head and bring them to Jesus.
3. Now think about eternity. Think about real people suffering the consequences of the fires of hell where their only recourse is to gnash their teeth.
ILL. My dog has a panic attack and cries like a little girl every time we pull into the parking lot of the veterinarian. But I take him anyway. If it were an emergency, I would take him in my hotrod. If I saw blue lights, I would out run em’. If I went to jail…again, it would not be before I delivered my dog into the hands of the staff of the vet’s office. The police could hook me up then.
--There are some here who would do the same.
4. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air… Are you not much more valuable than they? The foulest sinner is immeasurably more valuable to God…and to me than my dog. I would do anything to get a valuable person to Jesus to stop the suffering.
5. Jesus said Luke 14:23 ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. φραγμοὺς By force, with threats, or other means necessary
IV. THE PEOPLE LEFT WITH A NEW ATTITUDE
A. V12 …They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” Since lives are changed, that means you don’t leave the way you came.
1. Yes you go back to your same situations –they haven’t changed. But you have. The way you approach the people and situations, no matter how difficult, no matter if they are of your own making will change too.
2. The man came in Paralyzed, but he left jumping. There was year upon year, list after list of honey-do’s piling up buddy, you better jump.
--He came unwilling through the roof, forced like a child. He walked out through a door like a man.
--He was a bound-up sinner weighed down by his sin. Now free –it was like he has wings. I believe I can fly…
--Let the Holy Spirit lead to close (please make it shorter than last week God)
