" DARING TO TRUST CHRIST "
MARK 2:1-12
I SUPPOSE THAT IF THERE WERE ONLY ONE TRUTH THAT I COULD SHARE WITH YOU AS A CHRISTIAN IT WOULD BE TO CHALLENGE YOU TO DARE TO TRUST CHRIST WITH YOU WHOLE HEART. THIS BOOK WE HOLD IN OUR HANDS IS THE ABSOLUTELY INERRANT AND ALL SUFFICIENT WORD OF GOD AND OVER THE YEARS GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT IT CONTAINS TREASURE BURIED FOR THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY ENOUGH TO DIG FOR IT.
AS A MAN MY HEART WOULD TELL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND MY OWN SONS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE DEVIL MAY WHISPER THE SWEETEST WORDS YOU HAVE EVER HEARD: HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF ALL LIES AND THERE IS A PLACE INSIDE YOUR HEART THAT ONLY JESUS CAN FILL. GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR MISTAKES AND SURVIVE YOUR FAILURES JUST AS I HAVE DONE AND MANY OTHERS HAVE DONE BEFORE ME BUT NEVER FORGET THAT YOU HAVE A HOME YOU CAN SOMEDAY RETURN TO.
AS A FATHER I WOULD TELL PARENTS THAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE LOOKING TO YOU TO SET THE EXAMPLE THEY SHALL SOMEDAY FOLLOW AND IN THEIR EYES YOU NOW SEEM LARGER THAN LIFE. AS PARENTS WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE AN ENEMY THAT WANTS TO DESTROY AND KILL OUR CHILDREN, BUT WE MUST NOT ALLOW HIM ACCESS THROUGH OUR MEDIOCRITY.
AS A SOLDIER OF CHRIST I WOULD TELL YOU THAT I HAVE SEEN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY AND THERE IS TERROR IN HIS EYES THAT WE WILL BECOME ALL THAT CHRIST HAS DECREED IN HIS WORD. STAND STRONG AND BURN THE ESCAPE ROUTES BECAUSE THIS BATTLE IS INDEED TO THE DEATH. A LOST AND DYING WORLD IS DEPENDING ON US TO BRING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST.
AS A PASTOR I WOULD DARE YOU TO TRUST JESUS WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR POSSESSIONS AND WITH EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH IS ALL SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE NEEDS YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE.
THERE IS A STANDARD THAT THE BELIEVER MUST UPHOLD AND IF WE FAIL TO LIFT UP JESUS CHRIST WE HAVE FAILED MISERABLY NO MATTER THE OUTCOME, NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE SUCCESS IN THE WORLD’S EYES.
1. IF YOU CAN HEAR THE SOUND OF MY VOICE TODAY AND DON’T KNOW IF YOU WOULD GO TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE, I WOULD DARE YOU TO TRUST JESUS AS YOU PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR TODAY THAT HIS BLOOD MIGHT WASH YOUR SINS AWAY.
2. IF YOU CAN HEAR THE SOUND OF MY VOICE TODAY AND DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER YOUR MARRIAGE CAN HOLD UP BECAUSE OF THE BITTERNESS OR THE LONLINESS OR THE EMPTINESS YOU FEEL INSIDE YOUR LIFE, I WOULD DARE YOU TO TRUST JESUS TO PUT THE PIECES BACK TOGETHER AGAIN AND REKINDLE THE FLAME INSIDE YOUR HEART FOR HOLY MARRIAGE.
3. IF YOU CAN HEAR THE SOUND OF MY VOICE AND DON’T KNOW HOW GOD CAN EVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THE FORSAKING THE CAUSE OF HIS KINGDOM AND LEAVING THAT INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP YOU ONCE HAD. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW HE EVER COULD FORGIVE YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN’T FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR SMOTHERING THE FIRE IN YOUR SOUL TO ASHES, I WOULD DARE YOU TO TRUST JESUS TO REKINDLE THAT FIRE AND BREATHE ANEW THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST INTO YOUR HEART.
4. IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO MY EYES AND SEE MY FACE BUT YOU DON’T KNOW IF YOUR LIFE IS WORTH LIVING ANYMORE. YOU CAME HERE HOPING THAT SOMETHING WOULD SPEAK TO YOUR HEART OR THAT YOU MIGHT BE GIVEN SOME HOPE THAT YOU CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR MIND TO LIVE, I WOULD DARE YOU TO TRUST JESUS TO GIVE YOU THE FULFILLMENT YOU SEEK AND HIS PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL HUMAN UNDERSTANDING TO DIRECT YOUR PATH INTO GLORY AND CELEBRATION.
5. IF YOU SIT HERE TODAY DENYING THE CALL GOD HAS PLACED ON YOUR LIFE TO PREACH OR TEACH OR LEAD OR SING SO THAT GOD CAN REACH SOME LOST PERSON THROUGH YOUR OBEDIENCE BUT YOU JUST CAN’T GRASP HOW YOU CAN EVER ACCOMPLISH THE WORK SET FORTH BEFORE YOU. I WOULD DARE YOU TO TRUST JESUS FOR HE IS ABLE TO SUPPLY THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE WORDS YOU MUST SPEAK AND THE EXCITEMENT TO COMPLETE THE MISSION HE HAS SET YOU ASIDE FOR.
HAVE WE REACHED THE PLACE OF REASONING TOGETHER THAT I MAY SHARE GOD’S WORD WITH YOU TODAY?
GOSPEL OF CHRIST MARK 2:1-12
PRAYER
MOST OF US HAVE COME HERE WITH A NEED IN OUR LIVES TODAY NOW HAVENT WE? BUT I WOULD ASK YOU, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE COME HERE EXPECTING AND ANSWER FROM GOD TO THAT OVERPOWERING NEED IN YOUR LIFE? JAMES THE BROTHER OF JESUS IN THE BOOK THAT BEARS HIS NAME SAID " YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT" AND TO PUT THAT IN TERMS WE CAN ALL DIGEST, YOU DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT CONSULTED THE ONE WHO HAS ALL THE ANSWERS. IF WE COULD JUST FOR A MOMENT REDIRECT OUR VISION FROM SEEING THE HORIZONTAL TO FOCUSING ON THE VERTICAL WE WOULD BE A LOT HAPPIER AND HAVE A LOT MORE FRUIT IN OUR LIVES. IF WE WOULDN’T WAIT UNTIL ALL ELSE FAILS AND WE HAVE NOWHERE TO LOOK BUT UP WE COULD RECEIVE OUR BLESSINGS A LOT SOONER.
1. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT PETER WALKED ON WATER UTIL THE MOMENT HE LISTENED TO THE SOUND OF THE WIND AND LOOKED AT THE FEROCITY OF THE WAVES AROUND HIM?
2. IF HE WOULD HAVE JUST KEPT HIS EYES ON JESUS HE COULD HAVE CONTINUED IN GLORY DEFYING THE LAWS OF NATURE. WE DO THE SAME THING TO OFTEN IN OUR LIVES BY LOOKING AT THE SITUATION SURROUNDING US INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO THE GOD OF OUR SITUATION.
3. FOUR MEN IN THE TEXT WE HAVE JUST READ DARED TO TRUST JESUS AND SAW A MIRACLE IN THE LIFE OF THEIR FRIEND
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THREE PRINCIPLES OF FAITH IN THEIR LIVES SO THAT WE CAN APPLY THE SAME THINGS TO OUR LIVES. DIDN’T YOU KNOW THAT WHY GOD SAW FIT TO WRITE IT DOWN IN HIS BOOK BECAUSE WE ARE TO LEARN FROM IT AND NOT JUST READ OVER IT. THAT’S WHY IT’S IN HERE SO THAT WE CAN APPLY IT TO OUR OWN LIVES AND GROW FROM IT.
FIRST PRINCIPLE OF FAITH IS FOUND IN VERSES 3 AND FOUR AND LETS US KNOW THAT FAITH REQUIRES PHYSICAL ACTION ON OUR PARTS.
A. THEY HAD TO PHYSICALLY GO GET THIS PARALYTIC AND CARRY NOT ONLY THE WEIGHT OF THE MAN BUT ALSO THE WEIGHT OF HIS BED…
1. DON’T JUST GLOSS OVER THAT PART BECAUSE IT LETS US KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WE WANT TO BRING TO JESUS ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME BAGGAGE WITH THEM. THEY ARE GOING TO BRING THINGS WITH THEM THAT WE MAY HAVE TO CARRY FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE HOLY SPIRIT RELEASES THEM FROM IT. THEY MAY HAVE BEEN HURT BY SOMEONE IN THEIR PAST, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY OR SEXUALLY OR MENTALLY ABUSED, MAY HAVE HABIT FROM THEIR OLD LIFE, MAY STILL HAVE OLD ATTITUDES FROM THEIR OLD LIFE.
A. THESE MEN CONTINUED TO ACT ON THEIR FAITH EVEN WHEN THEY COULDN’T SEE JESUS WORK IN THEIR SITUATION IMMEDIATELY…
1. OTHER PEOPLE WOULDN’T LET THEM INTO THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST
2. CAN YOU IMAGINE SOME OF THE CONVERSTATION THAT DAY?
3. THEY REFUSED TO TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER
LET’S ME KNOW BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT WRITTEN DOWN IN BLACK IN WHITE THAT THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF FAITH THEY HAD WAS AN ESTABLISHED MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH GOD.
1. THESE WERE PRAYING MEN
DON’T JUST GLANCE OVER IT AND SAY IT’S NOT THERE BECAUSE THAT IT PROBABLY THE STRONGEST PRINCIPLE THAT ANY MAN WOMAN OR CHILD OF FAITH CAN HAVE IN THEIR LIFE. THEY DIDN’T LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF SATAN’S VOICE WHISPERING TO THEM HOW STUPID THEY LOOKED NOW AFTER TRAVELING SUCH A LONG WAYS CARRYING A MAN AND HIS BED. ALL THAT WORK YOU’VE DONE AND NOW WHAT DO YOU HAVE??? JUST A BIG OLE DOSE OF NOTHING AND YOU CAN’T EVEN GET INTO THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST. THEY HAD NO HOPE AT THAT MOMENT AND IF THEY HAD LOOKED AT THE WAVES RISING ALL AROUND THEM THEY WOULD HAVE JUST WENT HOME NOW WOULDN’T THEY?
AND IF THEY HAD WENT HOME AT THAT MOMENT, WE WOULD THINK
THEY HAD DONE ALL THAT WAS EXPECTED OF THEM.
2. THE PEOPLE WOULDN’T LET THEM IN, NO COMPASSION, NO PITY, NO MERCY.
3. THESE MEN REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY WERE TRAPPED IN AND INSTEAD CHOSE TO LOOK AT THE GOD OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE. LET’S LEARN TO DO THE SAME THING AND MAYBE WE’LL SEE GOD BRING SOME MIRACLES IN OUR LIVES
4. GOD ANSWERED THEIR PRAYER AND ANNOINTED THEIR MIND TO KNOW THE ANSWER THEY NEEDED TO HAVE AT THAT MOMENT TO SUCCEED
5. FIRST REVIVAL I LED AS A PASTOR WHEN THE PIANO BROKE THE NIGHT BEFORE
BRINGS US TO THE NEXT PRINCIPLE OF FAITH THESE MEN EXHIBITED IN THEIR OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND WE MUST NEVER FORGET THE GODSIZED DIMENSIONS OF THEIR DILEMMA TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE FAITH THESE MEN HAD.
THIRD PRINCIPLE OF FAITH IT THAT THE HAD A WORD FROM AND TRUSTED THAT IT WAS INDEED THE RIGHT ANSWER.
DO YOU TRUST THAT GOD HAS THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR YOU?????
1. IT’S NOT NORMAL FOR OUR HOUSEGUEST TO CLIMB IN THROUGH A WINDOW TO ENTER OUR HOMES AND DRINK A CUP OF COFFEE WITH US NOW IS IT? WELL WHY WOULD YOU THINK IT WAS NORMAL FOR THESE MEN TO SEND THEIR FRIEND THROUGH THE ROOF? THEY HAD A GODSIZED PROBLEM AND THE TRUSTED THAT THEY HAD A GOD SENT DIRECTION
2. NOT SANTA CLAUSE COMING DOWN THE CHIMNEY BUT INSTEAD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DAMAGING THE PROPERTY OF ANOTHER TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD. DON’T YOU TRY TO TELL ME THEY DIDN’T HAVE FAITH AND THAT THEY DIDN’T PRAY.
3. THAT’S THE TESTIMONY OF THIS GLORIOUS BOOK THAT TO THOSE WHO WILL HAVE THE AUDACITY TO JUST BELIEVE GOD, THERE IS AN ANSWER WAITING IN PRAYER.
STILL DON’T BELIEVE ME DO YOU? THEN EXPLAIN TO ME HOW FOUR MEN WITH NO DIGGING TOOLS DUG THROUGH APPROXIMATELY A FOOT OF HARD BAKED CLAY AND STICKS WITH NOTHING SHARPER THAN THEIR FINGERNAILS UNLESS THEY HAD A WORD FROM GOD. THEY TRUSTED IN THAT WORD AND EVEN THROUGH THEY MIGHT LOOK FOOLISH TO ALL THOSE AROUND THEM, THEY PHYSICALLY ACTED ON THEIR FAITH TO GET THEIR FRIEND INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD SO THAT HE COULD BE HEALED.
I ONLY WISH I COULD KEEP ON PREACHING THIS MORNING TO FINISH SHARING THIS MESSAGE OF FAITH BUT MY FRIEND WE HAVE REACHED THE SAME MOMENT OF DECISION THESE MEN REACHED. GOD HAS SPOKEN SOMETHING TO YOUR HEART TOO AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TO EITHER BELIEVE GOD OR NOT BELIEVE GOD.
A. LOST PERSON GOD HAS A WAY THAT YOU MAY BE SAVED AND BE ETERNALLY SECURE IN KNOWING YOU TOO CAN GO TO HEAVEN. GOD SENT HIS SON JESUS TO DIE ON A CROSS FOR YOU SINS THAT SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD. IF YOU WILL ONLY ACCEPT HIM AS SAVIOR AND HAVE FAITH IN GOD’S PLAN, HE WILL WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE.
B. CHRISTIAN WHO HAS FORSAKEN THE GLORY OF REJOICING IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST, WHATEVER THE REASON, NO MATTER THE CAUSE AND NO MATTER THE SIN: YOU CAN COME HOME TODAY AND RENEW AND REDEDICATE YOUR LIFE TO GOD. YOU TOO CAN HEAR THE WORDS OF CHRIST SPOKEN IN THIS TEXT…
" SON YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN, DAUGHTER YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN." HE WILL SPEAK THEM TO YOUR HEART. WILL YOU DARE TO TRUST JESUS IN YOUR SITUATION TODAY? I AM ASKING YOU TO PUT ACTION TO YOUR FAITH AND COME DOWN HERE AND TAKE ME BY THE HAND. TAKES FAITH TO WALK AN AISLE BUT IT SEEMS TO DO SOMETHING TO US AND ANNOINT US TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES. WILL YOU DARE TO TRUST CHRIST AND BELIEVE THE ANSWER HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU EVEN THOUGH IT MAY SEEM FOOLISH WILL YOU DARE TO TRUST HIM?
INVITATION
