Bust A Move
Pt. 3 - Move Out
I. Introduction
The start of a new year makes us think about new. Different. Changes. If we could summarize our approach to a new year, then it could be captured by the word "movement." We desire and determine to make a move.
Movement is defined as "a series of organized activities working toward an objective." So, we started by saying we need to move over. I challenged you to move on because you can't move to next if you are hung up on a previous issue. Then last week, Pastor Andrew stepped in for me and challenged you to move now. Don't let the expiration date of your desperation creep up on you. You have to move now. So, today I want to wrap this up by challenging to move out.
The concept of movement or seeing change is predicated on this principle. If you want something different, then you must do something different. If you want something more, then you must do something more. If you want change, then you must change. In other words, you must move out. The path, the pattern, the plan, the rut, the routine, the recipe that you have been following that got you to the point you are now won't work to take you to new heights. It is the idea that work out fanatics discover. Even the most brutal, exhausting workout routine will take you to a point and then if you don't adjust it or switch it up you will plateau. It is what folks wanting to lose weight discover. The initial adjustment can only take you to a particular goal and then you will get stuck unless you make further changes. It is what we know spiritually. The discipline, the daily discipleship program you followed religiously will get you to a certain place and then you have to change it up. You have to move out!
Let me take you to a familiar passage this morning and see if I can't help us.
Mark 2:1-12 (TPT)
Several days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news quickly spread that he was back in town. Soon there were so many people crowded inside the house to hear him that there was no more room, even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the word of God, four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man. But when they realized that they couldn’t even get near him because of the crowd, they went up on top of the house and tore away the roof above Jesus’ head. And when they had broken through, they lowered the paralyzed man on a stretcher right down in front of him! When Jesus saw the extent of their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are now forgiven.” This offended some of the religious scholars who were present, and they reasoned among themselves, “Who does he think he is to speak this way? This is blasphemy for sure! Only God himself can forgive sins!” (Why is it the saved are always the most cynical and skeptical?) Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you being so skeptical? Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are now forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? But to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your stretcher, and walk home.’” Immediately the man was healed and sprang to his feet in front of everyone and left for home. When the crowd witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. They shouted praises to God and said, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
I know it is a story you learned in Sunday School when the teacher used flannel graphs but stay with me this morning. I have approached this account a little different in light of our subject today.
Notice that the house was full. The version I read to you declares that not only was the house full, but that the crowd had spilled outside the door. The crowd was blocking the attempt of 4 men to get their sick friend to Jesus. That part we know. But I had a thought. Are we to assume that there were no other sick folks in the crowd outside the door? Should we conclude that every broken, needy, sick, desperate person was inside the house and able to get to Jesus. I would submit that that is highly unlikely. I think there were numerous folks outside the purview of Jesus, outside the scope of His sight, outside the reach of His hand. None of those folks, to our knowledge are healed that day. The reason a paralyzed man who couldn't get to Jesus by himself and the only reason we even have this account in Scripture is because 4 men moved out.
The roof was available to anyone . . . only 4 went to the roof. Access through the roof was available to the people who brought their broken son . . . only 4 went to the roof. Access through the roof was available to the husband and wife who needed a miracle . . . only 4 went to the roof. Only 4 men moved out. They took a different, out of the ordinary path. For some reason they had a "whatever it takes" mentality that others didn't have. Only 4 thought to go where others didn’t go. Only 4 came to the conclusion that this is not where I am used to going, this isn't how I would normally approach, this isn't the acceptable path to entry, this isn't normal, but it is necessary to get to where I need to be. In fact, they came to the conclusion that if they had to tear normal up to get to Jesus, they would do it.
I know you are comfortable in your normal approach. I know you are confident in your predictable praise. I know the pattern of your approach is familiar and has accomplished things for you in the past. However, I am here to tell you this morning that you are going to have to bust a move. This year you are going to have to get a "whatever it takes" mentality"! You are going to have go where others aren't willing to go. You are going to have to do things others are unwilling to do! Normal is nice but normal won't get you near Him.
Normally I listen as the worship team sings, but to get to Him this year I am going to have to sing for myself. I normally take notes on Sunday and then forget about it, but to get to Him this year I am going to have to dig deeper when I get home. I normally pray during service, but to get to Him this year I am going to have to come 15 minutes early and get in the altars and pursue Him! I come late and leave early, but this year to get to Him I am going to have to linger. What normal do you need to tear up?
To get what others don't have, you will have to do things others won't do!
We have to go out of our way and do new. Why would we conclude otherwise? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results.
I have 2 questions for you . . . What are you going to do this year that will take you to new?
Who will you take with you?
Although you may have to move by yourself you don't have to move just for yourself! Other than mention in the Bible these four men who carried their friend to Jesus received nothing but a repair bill for a roof! What their willingness to bust a move shows us is that the power of all of us is greater than the power of one of us. By yourself you may be able to get what you need this year, but together we can get folks healed that wouldn’t be able to be healed otherwise. The power of us. Divine collaboration. I am not saying you can't make a difference by yourself. In fact, if you need to move by yourself move. I will sing though none go with me, still I will follow with the best of them. But today I am just standing on the truth that these 4 men teach us and that The Wise Man gave us when he told us that "2 are better than one not because they have no return for their efforts, but he said their return is better!" It isn’t that you have no return it is just better with two. It isn't that you getting to Jesus isn't important. It is just that if we can get to Jesus together, then more people will be set free. More people will be healed. More people will be delivered. More people will be restored. More people will find hope.
Find your four!
Not everyone around you is willing to move out. Find your four. Not everyone on your row is willing to praise more passionately. Find your four. Not everyone in your house is willing to pray more. Find your four.
I am looking for the four. Who are the four in my life who will push in when others pull back? Who are the four in my life who will do whatever it takes to approach Him when others are overtaken with apathy? Who are the four in your life who will push past their past, the obstacles, the resistance to get to Him? In this case, I am looking for us four and no more. If I could just get four to make up their minds that ordinary won't accomplish the extra ordinary, then we would see the broken restored. If I could find just four that are willing to take a different approach when we gather, then we could see the lost saved. If I could find 4 that would determine that unlikely doesn't mean impossible, then we would see mountains moved and lives changed! Not everyone will go to the roof and tear it off to get to Jesus. They are satisfied to stand on the edge watching as others get to Him. They are content with their crisis. They are fine with coming to church week after week and never experience any real change. Where are my four?
Notice what the crowd says, "We have never seen anything like this before!" I declare to you that when you get with your four and you bust a move out of normal, we will hear that statement being made on a daily basis! They are never going to say that if you just do what you have always done. Find your four and get to Jesus!
To bust a move, you will not be able to follow the crowd, you have to follow the cloud!
