What Makes God Get Excited

WHAT MAKES GOD GET EXCITED

Mark 2:1-12

We live in a world that is hooked on excitement. People jump out of airplanes to get a thrill. Others jump off a bridge to with a rubber band hooked to their legs to get a rush of excitement. Others are excited about money and fame.

What is it that gets you excited? What is it that turns your head and you can do it for hours and it seem like minutes?

Do any of these things excite you?

1. Knowing that you are going to heaven.

2. Knowing that God loves you unconditionally.

3. A romantic get away with your spouse.

4. Spending time with your family.

5. Breaking ninety on the golf course.

6. Hot homemade chocolate chip cookies.

7. Anytime South Carolina wins.

8. Anytime Clemson loses.

9. Nascar races.

10. To shoot a deer or catch a fish. At least it did when Spencer caught that whopper last year.

Think about this question -- what excites God? There is a story of an incident that took place in the life of Jesus in Mark 2 that gives me some clues on when God gets excited. It is an interesting story that believe it or not revolves around an invalid, in essence a paraplegic.

Now this man is called a paralytic, because the Greek word in essence gives us that English word. It literally means to be, "loosed on one side." Whether because of a fall or because this man was born this way, this man was crippled.

His arms hung on his side like Christmas ornaments on a tree. His legs were as limp as spaghetti. Now if he was going to get in to the presence of Jesus, somebody was going to have to bring him.

There was a greater problem, because even if he could have gotten up, he couldn’t have gotten in. The house was full. People jammed the doorways. Kids were sitting in the windows. Nobody could move. It was standing room only and this man could not stand. This is where the story really begins and when God really gets excited, because God gets excited when.

I. FAITH IS REVEALED

Dr. J. M. Buckley, a Methodist preacher, was once asked to conduct what they used to call in those days an "experience meeting" at a church in the South. That was a meeting similar to a testimony meeting such as we sometimes have today. A woman arose and bore witness to the preciousness of her religion as light bringer and comfort giver. "That’s good, sister!" commented Dr. Buckley. "But now about the practical side, the positive side. Does your religion make you strive to prepare your husband a good dinner? Does it make you look after him in every way?" Just then Dr. Buckley felt a yank at this coat tails by the host preacher, who whispered ardently, "Press those questions, doctor; press those questions. That’s my wife!" Does our faith show by what we do for others?

These men had faith that was willing to do more than just talk.

A. DANGER

1. Verse 2 proves they were early FWB members because they were late and by the time they showed up the place was full.

2. They could have fallen to their death while trying to help this man.

3. To some people it is just too dangerous for them to bring people to Jesus.

4. They are not willing to risk their reputation, their feelings, or even their life.

5. They could have dropped their friend to the floor. Furthermore, what they did certainly wasn’t kosher. I mean after all de-roofing someone’s house could be construed as anti-social.

6. Furthermore, they were going to interrupt Jesus right in the middle of His sermon, but none of these things mattered to those men. They saw their chance and by faith they took it believing that Jesus would take care of their friend.

7. There have been those who for Jesus were willing to go to the far ends of the world and by faith spread the good news and even die. Faith is dangerous at times but it is always rewarding.

8. Many never step out for Jesus because they are worried about what others will think. So they never exercise faith for Jesus and always play it safe.

9. IF these men would have been like today’s Christians this man would have died a paralytic.

B. DETERMINATION

1. I love these guys. They get on top of a man’s roof, cut a hole in it, let their buddy down through the roof while a church service was going on, they were facing a possible arrest and for sure a law suit, but they were determined to get this man to Jesus.