[0:00] morning we do welcome you to Pendleton Center United Methodist Church and I'd like to invite you all to sing with us our call to worship this is the day that the Lord has made this is the day this is the day that the Lord has made that the Lord has made let us rejoice let us rejoice and be glad in it and be glad in it this is the day this is the day that the Lord has made let us pray holy God we come to you today to glorify you to praise you Lord and we pray that it will be a blessing to you that you will fill this place with your presence that we may experience your abundance and your blessing in Jesus's name amen I'd like to invite y'all to stand if you're able as we sing together to God be the glory to God be the glory great things he has done so loved he the world that he gave us his son praise the Lord praise the Lord let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give him the glory great things he has done oh perfect redemption the purchase of blood to every believer the promise of God the vilest defender who truly believes that moment on Jesus the pardon receives praise the Lord praise the Lord let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give him the glory great things he has done great things he has taught us great things he has done and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son but you are the Lord the Lord and greater and greater and greater will be our wonder our transport when Jesus we see praise the Lord praise the Lord let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice
[4:09] The people rejoice. O come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give him the glory, great things he has done.
[4:27] The Lord be with you. And also with you. Please be seated. This morning's clipboards that are going around are for the first church community dinner, which is coming up, and also for Hanging of the Greens.
[4:44] That's coming up in just two weeks. We need lots of help with getting the church decorated and all ready for Christmas, for Advent, and the holidays coming in.
[4:55] And we want to make sure that everyone is participating in that and that you all bring something good to the potluck supper because that's like the best part. So what a blessing it is.
[5:06] And we want to make sure that the folks in Niagara Falls are taken care of with that dinner that we provide for them. What a blessing to be a blessing to the community. Amen? Amen. That is a joy.
[5:17] And what joys do you have this morning to share? There must be joys in the house. There's too many people here for there not to be joys in the house. There must be joys.
[5:30] The sun is shining. Sorry, what, Mary Ellen? The sun is shining. Amen. The sun is shining. Praise God. And I hear it's supposed to be getting a little warmer too. What other joys do we have to share?
[5:43] I know we have the choir singing this morning. This is an awesome thing. Amen? Amen. And God blesses us and pours out abundant blessings into our lives. In fact, God pours such abundant blessings into us that we overflow in every day, in every moment.
[6:01] Let's give back some of those. Louie's got one. Well, Louie needs, okay, somebody needs a range top stove oven thing.
[6:15] Right. So if you've got something like that, you can be a blessing to somebody, see Louie, and he will connect you up with that. Let's return to the Lord our gifts, tithes, and offerings as God has so abundantly blessed us.
[6:28] Pastor Lisa? Yes. I have a joy. Oh, wait, see? Karen's got a joy too. That's why I said what a joy the choir is and then didn't turn around to look and see if the choir had a joy.
[6:38] My daughter April, who lives in South Carolina, has been going to PT for several weeks, and she's done so amazing. They can't believe it. Amen. They're thinking about being able to let her go back to work.
[6:49] And this happened like in August where she broke her foot. Yeah. It was broken in four places. Well, amen. April's doing real well in PT, and it's looking like they're going to let her go back to work soon.
[7:01] And that is a blessing and a joy. Praise God. Amen. Amen.
[7:23] Amen. Amen. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
[7:54] I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see.
[8:06] My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me.
[8:20] And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace.
[8:36] T'was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.
[8:50] How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.
[9:04] My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me.
[9:16] And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace.
[9:32] The Lord has promised glory to me. His word my hope secures.
[9:48] He will my shield and portion be. As long as life endures.
[10:00] My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me.
[10:13] And like a flood, His mercy rains. Unending love, amazing grace.
[10:28] Unending love, amazing grace. Unending love, amazing grace.
[10:45] Unending love, amazing grace.
[11:08] Unending love, amazing grace. Unending love, amazing grace. Punch, orange-to-been peace. laut meu Kubelet sharing, Unending love, amazing grace. Blood and higihe, atorori palcio u�ori ancius ainsi — Unending love, amazing grace. Praise God,Overvor 2000, Dear Heavenly Father, we give you thanks and praise for this day and for the opportunity to gather in your name to worship, to be part of God's kingdom, the part that reaches out into the world and touches them with your amazing grace.
[12:10] Lord, we just ask that you would bless this offering of the gifts that you have so abundantly poured out into our lives. Help us, Lord, to have the wisdom we need to know how to best use them for the furtherance of your kingdom.
[12:25] That everyone would be blessed and would come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through the ministries of this church, through the gifts that you have poured out into each one of our lives.
[12:41] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Please be seated. Well, with these concerns, and I know that there are some in your hearts that have not been voiced out loud, you're welcome to join me in prayer, either at the rail or from your seats.
[12:59] Let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Gracious God, you have called us into this place to worship you, and part of that worship is to connect with you in prayer as we share the concerns that we have for the people in this place, in this world, who are having troubles, Lord, who are in need of a touch from you.
[13:35] We know that you know all of our needs, all of their needs, before we even ask. And we are confident that you hear and answer our prayers as your word has promised that you will do.
[13:50] And so now, Lord, we lift up before you all of these people who are sick and infirm, those with cancers, Lord God, those with need of surgeries, those with broken bones, those who are in pain and are suffering, Lord.
[14:14] We pray that you will touch them with your healing power, that you would give wisdom and hearts of compassion to their caregivers, to their doctors, to their nurses.
[14:29] Just be with them, Lord, and touch them. We pray in Jesus' name for all of those who are grieving losses of all kinds.
[14:41] We pray for your peace that passes all understanding to guard their hearts and their minds. We pray also for those who are nearing the end of life.
[14:55] And we just ask in Jesus' name for them and for their families to be comforted. We pray, Lord God, for families who are struggling, who are in times of strife and trouble and difficulty.
[15:15] We just ask in Jesus' name, Lord God, that there would be healing in their relationships. That forgiveness would abound in their hearts as well as the ability to receive forgiveness offered by another.
[15:36] Father, we pray for all of the situations of this world. We pray for those people who are suffering because of natural disasters that have happened, for those that are recent and for those that may have occurred a number of years ago, but even though they may not be front page news anymore, people are still suffering.
[16:09] People are still not living lives that have returned to normal. We ask for you to send help, Lord. Send help through your people.
[16:22] We pray for you to send help, Lord. Thank you. We pray for you to send help, Lord. We pray for you to send help, Lord. For victims of human violence. Violence that people inflict on one another for no good reason.
[16:40] We just ask in Jesus' name for comfort for the victims and their families. We pray in Jesus' name that hearts all over the world would be turned to you so that there will be peace in this place where you've given us to live.
[17:03] Help us through our prayers, through our gifts, through our presence, through our passion for you to be messengers of peace in this world, to do what you have called us to do, to bring about redemption, the kind of redemption that only you can work in us and through us.
[17:33] Lord, in Jesus' name now we ask that you would bless our time of worship. Help us to worship well. That our worship would be a blessing to you.
[17:45] And we come before you asking for your forgiveness of those things that we need forgiveness for this day. And so we pray together, Heavenly Father, I have sinned.
[18:01] I have not loved you completely. With all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Lord, our soul, mind, and strength.
[18:12] And I have not completely loved my neighbor as myself. I have done things I should not have done.
[18:23] I have done things I should not have done. And I have left undone things you would have had me do. If you would have had me do.
[18:33] Forgive me, Lord. Forgive me, Lord. Help me, Lord. I want to be a blessing in this world. Help me, Lord. I want to be more like Jesus.
[18:47] I want every area of my life completely transformed. Lord, I want to be more like Jesus. I want every area of my life completely transformed. Redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
[18:59] Lord, I want every area of my life completely transformed. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. God loves us so much.
[19:12] Before we even knew what sin was or that we had need of being forgiven for it, he sent Jesus so that we could be delivered from our sin.
[19:23] This is proof of God's love for us, and we can say with confidence, in the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.
[19:33] Glory to God. Amen. Amen. Shall we hear from the word of the Lord? Today's reading is from the book of Mark, chapter 2, verses 1 through 12.
[19:49] A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
[20:03] Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowering the mat the man was lying on.
[20:20] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven. Now some teachers of the law who were sitting there thinking to themselves, why does this fellow talk like that?
[20:33] He's blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone? Immediately, Jesus knew in his spirit that this is what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, Why are you thinking these things?
[20:45] Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up, take your mat, and walk? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.
[20:58] So he said to the man, I tell you, Get up, take your mat, and go home. He got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone, and they praised God, saying, We have never seen anything like this.
[21:14] This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Thank you, Terry.
[21:27] So we're in the middle of a sermon series about redemption, and redemption is an act of restoring, and today's focus is going to be on redemption of our body and our soul.
[21:39] And so the story starts out with Jesus returning to Capernaum. Now Capernaum is where Simon Peter lived, and his mother-in-law was there. There's a story that we're told about Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law, and the first time he was there, it tells about how Jesus was teaching, he was preaching, he was casting out demons, he was healing, and people thought, Jesus is amazing.
[22:06] And so when he came back, they're like, Whoa! I need to see this guy again. And so they start flocking right away, and the people are really, really excited, and the place is packed, and Jesus is teaching them all about God.
[22:19] It's like a revival is happening, and I've seen revivals in Cuba, you know, when everybody's packed in, and they're coming in through the windows because they just can't wait to hear about God, and what God is doing.
[22:33] And so it's a crowd, and everybody wanted to be with Jesus. And here's this group of people, four friends and a paralyzed man.
[22:44] Now, it says that the friends brought him on a mat, and when I think about this, I think, you know, a lot of times in scriptures, they'll say things very concisely, and you've got to really think about what's going on there.
[22:58] I mean, men are pretty strong, and when I think about the mat, I think of it much like a stretcher, kind of like what Susan said up there. You know, it's kind of a stretcher, but for them to have four doing this, I kind of think about it being maybe a really large man and heavy man, and then you've got the bumpy, bumpy ride of four people.
[23:20] Can you imagine? Four people trying to walk with this guy together, and the poor guy's like this the whole time trying to get down there. And so they get there, and the place is packed.
[23:32] They're like, we're going to get to Jesus. We've got to get over to Jesus. And they're not able to get to Jesus. And so my first thought in looking at this was, well, what on earth is wrong with these people?
[23:45] I mean, really, what is going on with them? I mean, clearly, these people are bringing a man who wants to see Jesus, who needs to see Jesus. Why on earth would they not have moved out of the way and let that happen?
[23:59] Why were they so selfish as to block the door? And so, you know, this actually happens in church, and we always have to be really aware, watching, you know, who's trying to reach Jesus, who needs to see Jesus, and make really sure that we are not in any way blocking the door.
[24:16] By our actions, by our judgments, by anything we're saying or doing, we just need to make sure that we're mindful about what's going on around us, and making sure that we never push people away that need to see Jesus.
[24:30] So these four friends are there, and I imagine they're struggling. You know, they've been carrying him for how long? I don't know. And they hit a roadblock. They're not being let in.
[24:41] And the thing is, they didn't do what a lot of us would be tempted to do. They didn't say, oh, this is harder than I thought. You know, we ran into some issues, and this is going to be way more difficult, and so it just must be not God's will, so we're just going to give up.
[24:58] Instead, they did the bold thing. They did the courageous thing, and they said, we're not defeated. We're never going to give up. Instead, we came here for a breakthrough, and we are going to break through.
[25:13] And they got creative about it, and it says they went up on the roof. Now, again, it's very concise in its writing, so imagine this, that the houses in that day, and still in Israel, many houses are like this.
[25:25] They've got a flat roof, because in the Middle East, it's hot, and when it's hot, you know, they would go up there, and they would sleep up there and such. It was much like a balcony, and so it was created with wooden slats, and then with dirt, and thatch, and then tiles and stuff on top of that, right?
[25:44] So they just went on the roof. Start with, have you ever tried to carry something up a flight of stairs? Imagine if it was a ladder instead. They're trying to get this man up there, first of all, and then when they get up there, finally, then they've got to figure out how they're going to get in.
[26:04] And that's a lot of work. They've got to dig and dig. And so it made me think about a mission trip a few years ago. This one house we worked on, we endearingly called it the Hobbit House because they had a root cellar, and it was built into a hill, and the top had wooden slats, and then it was packed full of dirt and then grass on top, and we had to completely take that apart to be able to fix it.
[26:30] And here's the thing. These big, strong teenagers, their experience was, we're digging, digging, digging, digging, digging, digging, digging, digging, digging. I mean, it was a lot of work.
[26:40] They're working their tails off. I mean, one youth even went and got a chair. They're like, oh my goodness, is it over yet? We can't get through. So imagine that these four friends are not just, oh, it's just an easy thing we haul up this man up to the roof, and oh, it's an easy thing we break through this roof.
[27:00] This took perseverance. This took time. This took effort. And they were not going to give up. And then we think about what's going on on the inside.
[27:13] The commotion. They would have heard from the inside as Jesus is teaching all the commotion upstairs, and then at some point, debris would have started falling on their heads.
[27:24] And they keep going. And the debris is falling on their heads enough so the hole is getting bigger and bigger and bigger, big enough for a whole body to go through. Because, I mean, you've got to go through this way, right?
[27:35] You can't just sort of slide them down. That's huge. And so you just have to picture the amount of time, the amount of effort, the amount of perseverance that these friends had. Can you imagine if we're here and somebody is so anxious to get into our church that they start digging holes in the roof?
[27:52] Oh! That's awesome. And so you think about what Jesus' reaction was to that. What do you think it was? Jesus says, it says that Jesus saw their faith.
[28:04] Saw their faith. I imagine Jesus had a big old smile on his face. You know, who was their faith? Well, did it include the man on the mat?
[28:15] I kind of assume so. But it was definitely those four friends. You see, faith is a response. Faith is an action. And you can see faith.
[28:26] Faith is something that's not just a head thing. Faith is a whole body, whole life thing. And so Jesus saw their faith. They decided that this man's life would be better if he met Jesus and they were willing to do whatever it takes, believing that Jesus would heal their friend.
[28:46] But then Jesus turns to the paralyzed man and he says, son, your sins are forgiven. Well, son, I mean, just start with that.
[28:57] Son, that's a familial term. It means that parent, child, son. It's like the identity of love and acceptance.
[29:09] And the same thing happens with us. You know, when we accept Christ, it changes our identity too. We end up going from being a sinner in need of God's grace to redeemed, made righteous in the sight of God, justified.
[29:27] And what justified means is that when we accept Christ in our life, we are in restored relationship. All of our sins are wiped away. Past, present, future.
[29:38] We are seen with the glory of God. That relationship that was broken by sin is restored, redeemed, re-justified. And then we become sanctified through the power of the Holy Spirit so that we become more and more in the likeness of God.
[29:54] So when we come to confession, it's not because we have somehow lost our relationship with God because of sin, but we come to confession because we're already forgiven.
[30:06] And we've become aware through the Holy Spirit and accepting through the Holy Spirit of what needs to change in us. It's like a parental type of thing where we come to our heavenly parent and say, oh, I need your help.
[30:22] I need forgiveness. Please be with me as I grow into who you want me to be. This new identity we have as a child of God and we get a new heart when that happens.
[30:35] Our heart becomes completely changed. You know, we're talking about superheroes in this sermon series and God is the ultimate superhero and through God we too can become a superhero.
[30:48] and we have a very strange clip about a superhero named Iron Man and him getting a new heart. I just need your help for a sec.
[31:00] Oh my God, is that the thing that's keeping you alive? It was. It is now an antique. This is what will be keeping me alive for the foreseeable future. I'm swapping it out for an upgraded unit and I just ran into a little speed bump.
[31:14] A speed bump? What does that mean? Nothing, it's just a little snag. There's an exposed wire under this device and it's contacting the socket wall and it's causing a little bit of a short. It's...
[31:25] What? Fine. What do you want me to do? Put that on the table over there. That is irrelevant. Oh my God. I just want you to reach in and you're just going to gently lift the wire out. Is it safe?
[31:36] Yeah, it should be fine. It's like operation. You just don't let it touch the socket wall and it goes beep. What do you mean operation? It's just a game. Never mind. Just gently lift the wire. Okay? Great.
[31:49] You know, I... I don't think that I'm qualified to do this. No, you're fine. You are the most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I've ever met. You can do great. Is it too much for a problem to ask?
[32:01] Because I'm... Okay, okay. I really need your help here. Okay. Oh, there's pus.
[32:12] It's not pus. It's an... You know, a plasmic discharge. It's from the device, not from my body. It smells. Yeah, it does. The copper wire. The copper wire.
[32:23] You got it? I got it. Okay, you got it. Now, don't let it touch... Ah! It's when you're coming out. That's what I was trying to say before. Okay, now, make sure that when you pull it out, you don't pull it out. There's an magic. At the end of it.
[32:34] That was it. You just pulled out. Okay. I was not expecting... Don't put it back in. Don't put it back in. What's wrong? Nothing. I'm just going into cardiac arrest because you yanked... I thought you said this was safe.
[32:44] We got to hurry. Take this. Take this. We got to switch it really quick. Okay. Tony. What? It's going to be okay. Okay? It's going to be okay. I am going to make this okay. Let's hope. Okay, you're going to attach that to the base plate and make sure you...
[32:59] Ow! Was that so hard? That was fine, right? Oh, I got it. I got it. Nice. Are you okay?
[33:09] Yeah, I feel great. So for those of you who are not Iron Man fans, that man is Tony Stark and he was smart and he was wealthy but he had a heart that didn't work and he needed it to be replaced.
[33:23] He needed a new heart. And what's interesting if you watch the Iron Man movies is as the movies go on, he actually begins to evolve because at first he wasn't a really very nice man.
[33:34] He wasn't a very good man but then after time, his character evolves as he received that new heart and began to live into who that new heart made him to be. And so we too are also born in need of a new heart.
[33:48] We're born with original sin, with hearts that don't work the way they should and they need to be exchanged for a new heart but one that can only come through Jesus Christ. So Jesus, when he forgives our sins, reaches into our hearts, reaches into our lives and scoops out all the bad stuff, all the faulty wiring, all the faulty believing and replaces it with a new heart that shines and transforms every part of our life.
[34:15] So Tony Stark became Iron Man and he started living with power, power that came from his new heart and the people that knew him said, don't tell anyone you're Iron Man. You can't say that.
[34:25] You got to keep it a secret. And he was bold and said, no way, I know who I am and he confidently said, I am Iron Man. Well, through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, we have a new identity too.
[34:40] With our new heart, that new identity says, I am redeemed. I am a child of Almighty God. Jesus said to the paralytic, son.
[34:52] But then he also said, your sins are forgiven. So what do you think the reactions of the people were? I mean, let's start with the crowd. I mean, the crowd, I suspect they were on the one hand kind of excited because this is like a heading towards some drama.
[35:09] All right? They know the drama that's going to happen. But then at the same time, sort of confusion and shock because, you see, back then, people would believe that if you had anything wrong with you physically, that it meant that it was due to sin, that God had actually sent this as a punishment for you or as a test for you in some way.
[35:33] And so, they would have looked at this poor man on the mat and they would have proclaimed him a sinner and looked down on him. But this is not the truth. Luke actually addresses this in 13, one through five.
[35:46] And Jesus says in those passages, it's not true. And today, I run into the same thing. You know, I go to hospitals or visit people who are sick and I'll hear people say, well, you know, God has sent this to me.
[36:05] God is testing me. And I just want to say, no, no, no, no, this is not true. God does not send you pain. God does not send you disease.
[36:16] See, you look at who Jesus is. Jesus is God incarnate. And who is Jesus? Jesus was compassionate. Jesus was love. Jesus was healing.
[36:28] We're in a broken world. And when sin was unleashed, there's pain, there's brokenness, there's disease, there's death. But God doesn't send that.
[36:38] Instead, God is with us through it. Can it make us stronger? Yes, absolutely. But that's because God is there holding you up, carrying you through, wrapping his loving arms around you and weeping alongside of you.
[36:57] This is not the world we're supposed to be staying in. Well, what was the reaction of the paralyzed man? doesn't say.
[37:08] When I preached this the first time, one of the people said, well, his reaction would have been, wow. I hope it was wow. I hope it was relief. I hope it was joy. But, you know, it may also have been frustration because Jesus didn't do what he wanted.
[37:27] Right? And don't we go through that today too? You know, we come to Jesus asking and Jesus does something other than what we asked for. And we get frustrated.
[37:38] It's like, no, that's not what I wanted. No. But the thing is, Jesus was addressing his greatest need. Jesus was reaching him where he needed to be reached.
[37:50] And so, the paralyzed man was getting what he needed. The friends, after all that, what do you think the friend's reaction was? They say, really?
[38:02] Jesus? Really? We did all this and that's it? Did you notice he's on the ground? Did you notice he's not walking? Did you notice he's not walking? It's kind of like the point we came here for.
[38:15] Forgiveness? Really? Is that it? And yet, forgiveness is everything, isn't it? It's everything.
[38:26] You know, it's so hard for us to imagine this because our physical circumstances are the priority to us oftentimes. And so, the state of our soul, we have to recognize is instead more important than anything.
[38:41] Jesus is our great physician and he knows what really needs healing. And so, we have to trust that Jesus is taking care of that.
[38:53] The religious leaders, well, they were reasoning in their hearts that Jesus is proclaiming to be God because by saying he's forgiving sins, that's exactly what he was doing. He was saying, I am God and only God can forgive sins.
[39:07] And they were thinking he was blaspheming and if he wasn't God, he was. So, Jesus responds to all of this.
[39:18] I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. Power and authority. Jesus is telling everyone, I am God.
[39:30] And in doing so then, he commands, commands, I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home. Now, that's in verse 11 and then in verse 12 he gets up.
[39:44] So, there's stuff that happens in between those two verses. You've got to think again of the response of everyone there. Jesus, I expect at peace, confident, smiling, the crowd sitting there waiting in anticipation.
[39:58] Oh, we're going to get a show. The religious leaders are challenged and unsure. The friends are like, yes, this is what we came for. And the paralyzed man, well, the paralyzed man, he had to make a choice.
[40:13] He had to listen and in faith respond to the call, respond to the command. He could have chosen to stay on the mat. You know, for some of us, and I'm going to be preaching mainly to myself right now, so y'all can just listen in.
[40:30] For some of us, we need to get up off of our mats and start to walk. You know, we know, really, what it takes to be healthy.
[40:43] All right? We know that we're not supposed to be eating all the junk food. We know we're not, you know, and yet when Halloween came, there was candy, there was donuts, there was stuff. And we know we're supposed to be exercising, and I know that I have a treadmill and a weight machine in my basement just one flight down.
[41:04] I don't need to finish the rest of that, do I? Okay. I know that we're supposed to get enough sleep. We all know that we're supposed to not have stress, and we all know these things, and yet, for some reason, we choose, choose to stay on our mat and not to do the things that would keep us healthy, that would make us healthy.
[41:27] We have the body that was given to us by God, the body that is the temple of God within us, and we have a responsibility to choose to do what is good and healthy for us.
[41:43] God is going to honor whatever choices we make, even if those choices are bad. And so we have to choose wisely in this, and we choose to participate with God in healing of our bodies, but in this case, in this case, it's even more than that.
[42:01] In this case, the paralyzed man, I mean, he's paralyzed. He has to choose to believe Jesus himself saying, you're going to get up and you're going to walk, and he has to believe it.
[42:15] He has to choose to believe it, and not only choose to believe it, but get up and participate in that, because he could have chosen not to. He could have chosen to say, you know, I'm comfortable on my mat.
[42:27] I've been here a long time. I kind of get to know it, because, you know, I kind of decided there's no need. I'm a little afraid of this. I don't know. What if it doesn't work? He could have done a lot of different things, but he had to choose.
[42:41] You see, the thing is, it's not as if Jesus just zapped him and he got up like a puppet. Jesus said, get up, and he had to make the choice to actually go and do it, and he did.
[42:54] He did. He displayed faith. He participated in the miracle of God, and it was a miracle, because not only did he walk, and think of it, muscles atrophied, and he's able to walk and move.
[43:08] That is a miracle. Jesus redeemed him, not only in his soul, but in his body. See, the redemption of our soul brings redemption to every area of our lives, even to our bodies, and in this case, it was a miracle.
[43:21] I mean, someone who was paralyzed was immediately able to walk, and for some, there is physical healing that occurs in the body. I have seen people healed in the name of Jesus, so I ask for it.
[43:35] I pray for it. I believe for it, but then, we also need to note that this is a broken world, and this is not where we're supposed to stay, and so for all of us, for everyone, with the redemption of our souls, it leads to the redemption of our body, the redemption of our body eternally in the new creation, because someday, believers, all the faithful saints, will cross over the threshold into glory with God, because Jesus defeated death on the cross, complete, eternal redemption, with no more sorrow, no more pain, no more disease, and one day, God will bring the new creation, and we will receive a new body with no exercise needed.
[44:24] I am so thankful, glorified, whole, in the image of God, the way God intended. But see, the point of this story is not the miraculous healing of his body.
[44:37] the point of this story is that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins, to bring redemption to the soul, and this is an incredibly important message, because at the same time, a lot of Christians don't really respond to it that way.
[44:52] You know, if I were to just say to you, okay, it's about forgiveness, and there'd be all sorts of different reactions. You know, there are some people who are in church, and maybe they've been in church their whole lives, but they've never actually sought out the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
[45:08] I mean, they just didn't believe they needed it. You know, I'm better than that guy. What's the big deal? But the big deal is for eternity and forgiveness. That's where healing needs to occur.
[45:20] Redemption of the soul justified through Christ. That's what the Christian faith is all about. So if you haven't already, come to Jesus and accept that redemption of your soul.
[45:31] But then there's also people, often in the church, who have heard that Jesus forgives them, but they haven't moved. They're still on the map. They've been justified, but then they're not working towards sanctification.
[45:44] And Jesus is saying, get up, pick up your mat, and walk. Walk spiritually. Walk, grow, run, soar. But instead, choosing to stay on a mat for whatever reason, living a life of guilt or defeat or fear or sin, focusing on the disease paralysis, the troubles, the afflictions, Christians need to instead focus on Jesus.
[46:10] Focus on Jesus. I know there are problems. I know there are. But as a Christian, our priority is focusing on the redemption of Jesus and the promise that comes through Jesus Christ.
[46:25] We live into eternity as the superheroes God made us to be. as God says in Isaiah 43, 90, see, I'm doing a new thing, a new creation, a new identity.
[46:36] So we have a picture of Iron Man. This was Tony Stark's new identity with a new heart and he was a superhero. He had the armor of protection.
[46:47] He could battle the enemy on the offensive. He even had Jarvis, who was a voice who would speak to him and guide him and he could soar. But we too, if we accept the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate superhero, we can live into that new identity.
[47:06] As a superhero made in the image of God, we are powered by faith with his armor of protection. We can battle the enemy on the offensive. We have the Holy Spirit that speaks to us and guides us and we too can soar.
[47:21] However, Jesus says that those of you who have accepted my forgiveness are redeemed. So we need to respond to it.
[47:33] We need to soar, live into it, the eternity that's available here and now. We need to pick up our mats and walk, walk in that redemption, knowing that God has set you free. Walk in that victory, knowing God has saved you and walk knowing that Jesus has overcome the power of sin and death.
[47:51] But then there are some, some of us who have been forgiven, who are redeemed, who are living into eternity, who are seeking sanctification, but we're like the four friends where someone we know and we love needs Jesus.
[48:11] And we are believing God for a miracle, trying to bring them to Jesus, and we just keep hitting roadblocks. Everything's blocking the way. And I want to say to you, don't give up.
[48:24] Never give up. Never give up. Pray for a way to break through. Keep up the faith because Jesus sees your faith. And so we never give up.
[48:37] Just like Jesus never, ever gave up on us. Jesus asked, which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, your sins are forgiven, or to say, get up, take your mat, and walk?
[48:54] And you know, we start to think, well, obviously, this forgiveness of sins is easier because you can't see it. But, for a holy God, forgiveness of sins meant that Jesus would take the sins of the world upon himself and die on a cross for us.
[49:14] As Christians, we recognize what Jesus did for us, the sacrifice that was made for us, and rising again so that we could be free.
[49:26] That's the harder one. As we remember the cross on Redemption's Hill, Jesus' blood being spilled for all of us, we witness Jesus' heart, his love that was poured out for you, for me, sons and daughters, for the redemption of our soul.
[49:48] And so we ask that we be led to the cross. Let's pray.
[50:21] Lord, remember. Redemption's here where your blood was spilled for my ransom.
[50:41] Everything I watched held dear. I counted all as loss.
[50:55] Lead me to the cross where your love poured out. Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down.
[51:09] Rid me of myself, I belong to you. Oh, lead me. Lead me to the cross.
[51:27] You were as I tempted and tried.
[51:45] I'm human. The word became flesh.
[51:55] Bore my sin in death. Now you're risen. Everything I watched held dear.
[52:10] I counted all as loss. Lead me to the cross where your love poured out.
[52:20] Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down. Rid me of myself, I belong to you.
[52:33] Oh, lead me. Lead me to the cross.
[52:44] Lead me to the cross. To your heart. To your heart.
[53:00] Lead me to your heart. Lead me to the cross. Lead me to the cross.
[53:16] Lead me, Lord, I lay me down.
[53:26] Rid me of myself, I belong to you. Lead me to the cross where your love poured out Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down Rid me of myself, I belong to you Oh, lead me Lead me to the cross The name of Jesus, the name of Jesus, our Redeemer, our Savior It's a beautiful name, a wonderful name, a powerful name And we trust in Jesus for the redemption of our souls By the word of the beginning
[54:37] One with God, the Lord most high Hidden glory in creation Now revealed in you, our Christ What a beautiful name it is What a beautiful name it is The name of Jesus Christ, my King What a beautiful name it is Nothing compares to this What a beautiful name it is The name of Jesus He didn't want heaven without us So Jesus, you brought heaven down
[55:42] When the sin was great Your love was greater What could separate us now What a wonderful name it is What a wonderful name it is The name of Jesus Christ, my King What a wonderful name it is Nothing compares to this What a wonderful name it is The name of Jesus What a wonderful name it is The name of Jesus Death could not hold you
[56:44] The veil tore before you You silence all boast of sin and grave The heavens are roaring The praise of your glory For you are raised to life again You have no rival You have no equal Now and forever, God, you reign Yours is the kingdom Yours is the kingdom Yours is the glory Yours is the glory Yours is the name Of all names What a powerful name it is What a powerful name it is The name of Jesus Christ, my King What a powerful name it is
[57:46] Nothing can stand against What a powerful name it is The name of Jesus What a powerful name it is What a powerful name it is What a powerful name it is The name of Jesus In the name of Jesus In the name of Jesus You are son, you are daughter We are community of faith Believing in him And so as we prepare for the table of grace Let's greet one another With the peace of the Holy Spirit Good morning What's that?
[58:38] It's up to you It's up to you Yeah, that's right You go before me You shield my way Your hand upholds me I know you love me
[59:44] And when the earth fades Falls from my eyes And you stand before me I know you love me I know you love me At the cross above my knee Where your blood was shed for me There's no breathing love in me You'll never remember me Your glory fills the highest place What can separate me now?
[60:39] I know you love me I know you love me I know you love me For God so loved the world That he gave his only begotten son That whosoever should believe in him Would not perish But have everlasting life And that's what we celebrate And that's what we celebrate At the table That's what we celebrate What has happened What God has accomplished On the cross Through the death And then the resurrection Of Jesus Christ We can come to the table We can receive God We can be restored To communion With God and with one another Because of God's love Overflowing in us We can share that love Wherever we go Everyone is welcome at the table
[61:40] Not because I invite you Or anyone in this church invites you Because God himself invites you He invites you to the table So that you can partake Of his great love and mercy So you can be filled With God's power and love And blessing Not just to keep it to ourselves But so we can be a blessing Wherever we go So if you love God Repent of your sin And seek to live in peace As a disciple of Jesus Christ If you sense that God is calling you To come to the table And share in his great love Then you are welcome to come The Lord be with you And also with you Lift up your hearts Lift up your hearts Lift up your hearts Let us give thanks To the Lord our God It is right To give our thanks It is right And a good and joyful thing Always And everywhere To give thanks to you
[62:40] Father Almighty Creator of heaven and earth By your appointment The seasons come And they go You bring forth bread From the earth And create the fruit Of the vine You formed us In your image And made us stewards Of your world Earth has yielded Its treasure And from your hand We have received Blessing on blessing And so with your people On earth And all the company Of heaven We praise your name And join their Unending hymn Holy Holy Holy Lord God of power And might Heaven and earth Are full of your glory Hosanna In the highest Blessed is he Who comes In the name of the Lord Hosanna In the highest Holy are you And blessed is your son Jesus Christ Though he was rich Yet for our sake He became poor When hungry And tempted He refused To make bread For himself That he might be
[63:41] The bread of life For others When the multitudes Were hungry He fed them He broke bread With the outcast But drove the greedy From the temple By the baptism Of his suffering Death and resurrection You gave birth To your church Delivered us From slavery To sin and death And made with us A new covenant By water and the spirit And on the night In which he gave himself Up for us He took bread And he gave thanks To you He broke the bread And gave it to his disciples He said Take and eat This is my body Which is given for you Do this in remembrance of me When the supper was over He took the cup Again he gave you thanks And praise And gave it to his disciples He said Drink from this All of you This is the cup Of my blood The blood of the new covenant
[64:42] Poured out for you Poured out for many For the forgiveness Of sin Do this as often As you drink it In remembrance of me And so in remembrance Of these Your mighty acts In Jesus Christ We offer ourselves In praise and thanksgiving As a holy and living sacrifice In union with Christ's offering For us As we proclaim The mystery of faith Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again Pour out your Holy Spirit On us gathered here And on these gifts Of bread and wine Make them be for us The body and blood Of Christ That we may be For the world The body of Christ Redeemed by his blood By your spirit Make us one with Christ One with each other And one in ministry
[65:43] To the whole world Until Christ comes In final victory And we feast At his heavenly banquet Through your son Jesus Christ With the Holy Spirit And your holy church All honor and glory Is yours Almighty Father Now and forever Amen Shall we pray together With the confidence Of dearly beloved Children of God The prayer Jesus taught us Our Father Who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done On earth As it is in heaven Give us this day Our daily bread And forgive us Our trespasses As we forgive those Who trespass against us And lead us not Into temptation But deliver us From evil For thine is the kingdom And the power And the glory Forever and ever Amen Will those who are serving Please come forward
[66:43] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen See you For with us Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen.
[67:43] Amen. Amen.
[68:15] Amen. Amen. I'd like to invite you all to stand if you're able as we celebrate who God is.
[68:27] Glorious day. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[68:39] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[68:50] One day when heaven was filled with his praises, one day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin, dwelt among men, my example is he.
[69:11] Amen. Amen. Amen. His glory, He loved me. Amen. Amen.
[69:23] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[69:35] Freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day Oh glorious day One day they led Him Up Calvary's mountain One day they nailed Him To die on a tree Suffering, anguished Despised and rejected Bearing our sins My Redeemer is He The hand that healed nations Strips out on a tree And took the nails for me Living He loved me Dying He saved me Married He carried My sins far away Rising He justified
[70:38] Freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day Oh glorious day One day the grave could conceal Him no longer One day the stone rolled away from the door Then He arose over death He had conquered Now is ascended Now is ascended My Lord evermore Death could not hold Him The grave could not keep Him From rising again Living He loved me Dying He saved me Buried He carried My sins far away from the door My sins far away My sins far away Rising He justified
[71:39] Freely forever Freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day Oh glorious day Oh glorious day Glory I sing Oh glorious day Oh glorious day Oh glorious day One day the torment will stop The storm is coming One day the skies in His glory will shine Wonderful day I'm in love I'm in love And one breath My Savior Jesus is mine Living He loved me Dying He saved me Buried He carried My sins far away Rising He justified Freely forever
[72:39] One day He's coming Oh glorious day Oh glorious day Glorious day Oh glorious day We count the moment we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts, into our lives as a glorious day We go glory to glory to glory until the final glory glory and we have a new body Amen And so we have an opportunity to live into the eternity right here, right now celebrating the glory of God Live with that new heart and that new identity in Jesus' name Amen Amen Amen
[73:43] Amen Amen Amen Thank you.
[74:30] Thank you.
[75:00] Thank you.