Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #20221207 - What Friends Do - Mark 2:1-12

Transcript

#20221207 - What Friends Do - Mark 2:1-12 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

0:05
Welcome to the study of God's word recorded live at Calvary
0:09
Church in Aurora, Colorado, to learn more about the many
0:12
resources available, through abounding Grace, Media, or to
0:15
tune into our live stream Services.
0:18
Visit us online at Calvary. Co dot church or download our
0:22
free Calvary Church app now. Let's open our Bibles and study
0:26
God's word. You guys are II want to read,
0:33
turn your Bibles to Mark chapter 2.
0:37
I just wanted to read verses 1 through 12 and I don't plan to
0:44
to teach I want to share something that's on my heart.
0:48
As you heard the team share about what w was like, I am a
0:55
pastor and I had different eyes and I'll share some things that
1:03
I just need to share with you. You see, if I don't share it
1:06
with you. Then I see a spirit of
1:09
reluctance in my heart. You need to know what's going on
1:16
in our inner cities. So you can know how to pray
1:20
before mom, passed away years ago.
1:22
She was always out of state, you know, because I don't like to
1:27
use the word Escape, but I had to get out of the city of
1:31
Chicago or else. I would become a statistic.
1:34
That's just the way it was. We seem to be that we were born
1:38
and raised to be a statistic and then so I was a ballplayer so
1:42
that was one Of the things that I had, that could keep me out of
1:45
trouble, but still trouble was at our door.
1:49
But years later, after I'd gone to college, I would talk to my
1:53
mom and she would tell me everything that was going on in
1:56
our family. And, of course, it was the heavy
1:58
stuff. And I would like to say Mom, I
2:00
don't feel like hearing that and she says a van, if I don't tell
2:03
you what, how to pray, how you going to pray and, and so, if I
2:08
don't tell you how to pray, right?
2:10
If I don't tell you what, you should pray for, you won't know.
2:13
Oh, right. Amen.
2:16
And so, you know the word raw comes to my heart.
2:20
I was talking to Pastor Joshua tonight, Josh from Philly and he
2:26
used the word again, raw. And, you know, I don't want to
2:29
be I don't want to be raw, but I want to be honest and truthful.
2:34
No. so, Chapter 2 starting in verse 1, when he meaning, Jesus
2:46
had come back to Capernaum. Several days after afterwards.
2:50
It was heard that he was home. So, Jesus is back.
2:54
Now, he had started incorporating them and ended up
2:58
in Galilee and now he's home. Jesus is home.
3:02
And, and, you know, is interesting, Let me back up and
3:08
give you a verse. after he had healed and versed in chapter 1,
3:14
the end of chapter 1, he healed the leopard First 45 says, but
3:19
he went out and began to Proclaim it the leper after he
3:23
was healed, hit he proclaimed it freely and to spread the news
3:27
around to such an extent that Jesus could no longer lie.
3:31
No longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated
3:36
areas, and they and day were coming to him from everywhere.
3:42
So Jesus is home, and people know, they know the power of of
3:49
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
3:51
Amen. And so we move back into chapter
3:56
2 and the word says and many were gathered together, so that
4:01
there were no longer room not even near the door so that the
4:06
residency that Jesus is at right now.
4:10
It's impossible to get in. It's impossible.
4:13
And you seen, you know, back in the day when the Chicago Bulls
4:17
was rolling, you couldn't get into the stadium, you couldn't
4:21
get a ticket, that's just the way it was.
4:24
And, you know, usually when you got out of the your your your we
4:28
took taxis in Chicago, not lubbers.
4:36
Back in the day, if you got to to the stadium and you knew you
4:42
couldn't get a ticket. Usually you just say, man.
4:45
I can't get in there. I probably won't get a ticket
4:48
and the place was full. Imagine that Jesus is on this
4:51
thing and the place is full. I love this.
4:58
Why was it for? Because he was speaking the word
5:02
to them. It's so important, guys.
5:06
It's so important that we pay attention 100%, when the word of
5:14
God is being spoken. I heard something today or just
5:21
during staff meeting about how to sit in a staff meeting.
5:29
Interesting. Let me just give you a couple.
5:32
You shouldn't mess around with your phone while businesses
5:37
being addressed especially God's business, right?
5:41
And it carries over into the church.
5:45
There shouldn't unless unless you are like a heavy physician
5:48
or something extreme emergencies by, we should pay attention to
5:55
God's work. It's our time of ministry.
6:00
And we should take the word that serious such as this people,
6:06
these people, right? I mean like, hey, they wanted to
6:10
hear God's word. And so, he was speaking the word
6:14
to them. Verse 3 says, and they came
6:17
bringing, I love this to him to Jesus are parallel, attic,
6:23
carried by four men. I thought about what that looks
6:27
like in my imaginary mind. Here is a man.
6:35
That was in need of friends. I I don't think that he could
6:39
take care of himself at all. Right.
6:43
And and also thought how far did they walk to get to the house
6:47
where Jesus was that's what friends are for the Mi didn't
6:54
matter and just in case in my imaginary mind who was with
7:01
them, in case someone got tired, If someone decided to say, you
7:08
know what, there's just too many miles, just this, this man is
7:12
too heavy and I just think we should turn back who was praying
7:17
for strength. All right, because when you want
7:24
to do something for the Lord, Failure will knock at your door.
7:32
The enemy comes to kill to steal and destroy.
7:39
Amen. Amen.
7:44
The word says, in chapter 4, is has been unable to get to him
7:49
because of the crowd. They just couldn't figure out a
7:54
way. That's that's why I brought that
7:55
idea in about perhaps there was a group, write a contingency
8:02
that said, you know what? Even if we can't get through the
8:05
door, there's got to be another way.
8:09
Right. There's no there's no room to
8:16
turn back. And that should be a message to
8:20
us. There is no room, there's no way
8:24
no reason to turn back regardless of the circumstances.
8:30
All right, regardless of and they're not let me, let me stop
8:34
right there and I'll switch back to watch regardless of the drug
8:38
and alcohol listen. There's no reason that the
8:43
gospel should not go for. Regardless of churches closing
8:51
there is no reason why we should turn back. one of the things we
9:08
saw that I wasn't going to share but the Lord can fix it.
9:14
My heart is that we saw hardness that had taken place in the
9:20
projects that we served in. We never sister.
9:26
Who's her son was disadvantage mentally.
9:34
And I would say that he was probably a teenager and he did
9:38
something that offended, another person.
9:43
And as a result of this, this little teenage boy was beaten up
9:51
and he died a few days later. And no one knew why, and who did
10:00
it? And so we were walking through
10:05
the projects and as a group, we minister to this mother Who had
10:14
buried a son? That's why we went.
10:19
We didn't know what the Galia Foreman was going to look like.
10:23
All right, we just went to go help feed some people and do the
10:28
service and give Pastor Jose and his team rest.
10:32
That was our Mo but that's all we wanted to do for the Lord.
10:36
But it happened that the Lord put this in front of us and this
10:42
sister was ministered to Perhaps if we had not showed up, I'm
10:47
sure that the Lord would use someone else.
10:49
But thank God, that because of you sending us, we were able to
10:57
spend time and pray with someone whose heart was heavy.
11:01
Such as the paralytic man that was in need of friends.
11:06
We were able to gather around this sister and be her friend.
11:10
That's what friends are for. all right, and then we don't have to
11:17
have the length of time. We've known someone. the Lord
11:24
says that we should love the Lord thy God with all of our
11:26
hearts, all of ourselves and then love our neighbors as
11:31
ourselves We learned that. We learnt that and I finish this
11:38
but I want to share something with you.
11:41
They were unable to get him in because of the crowd they
11:46
removed, they removed the roof. Above him, meaning Jesus.
11:51
And when they had dug an opening, they let down a pallet
11:55
on, which the paralytic man was lying.
11:57
And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, son, your
12:01
sins are forgiven. And you know, many commentaries
12:07
say that the men or the group that carried this paralytic,
12:12
man, our came with the purpose of healing physically.
12:17
But here we see that, the first and most important issue in our
12:22
lives and his lies was that his sins would be forgiven.
12:28
It's important that we spend a little time asking the Lord
12:33
daily to forgive us of our sins and awestruck.
12:36
It's because we've all fallen short.
12:40
With that being said, I want you to know that I was so,
12:47
Overwhelmed by this trip, is that I didn't.
12:51
I, I told my wife and I told maybe a couple other pastors
12:55
that I'd never go back to watch. That's how hard it was for me.
13:01
And you say, well, why event, why was it that hard?
13:04
You see I had been there a few years ago and it seemed like
13:09
things that gotten worse. and so, if there's another reason
13:14
why we should be in prayer for communities, such as W and in
13:20
anywhere else in our in this country, where we know that the
13:26
enemy is after our youth, he's breaking up families.
13:34
Young men are in prison. and those that are out of prison at
13:40
as soon as they reach a certain age unless they are well
13:43
protected, they're being groomed to do the job that someone has
13:48
gone to jail for And that's why. We went.
13:58
So that I could come back and tell you what I saw.
14:02
So that, you know, so your hearts will be stirred to say
14:07
something has to be done. We all can't go to what but we
14:15
can go maybe 10 or 20, or 30 blocks from here.
14:19
North of here and find the same situation.
14:24
Happening, probably not as bad but it's there.
14:30
You know, when I was, when I was a kid growing up in Chicago on,
14:34
we had one station. We had a list of Seoul station
14:36
that we used to listen to but at 10:30, that would always be an
14:40
announcement that says it's 10:30.
14:43
Do You Know Where Your Children Are?
14:47
I believe we should start thinking like that again.
14:51
It's 10:30. Do You Know Where Your Children
14:56
Are? And are you praying that they
14:59
would come home safely. Man, that's that's what I saw.
15:06
I saw young teenagers 15 and 16. Acting like they were 20 and 21
15:14
already. We saw the youth being picked up
15:19
without their parents, right, but they had to be fed physical
15:22
food. First, they had to be fed
15:24
breakfast, and then given the word of God and for many, that
15:28
was your meal. That's what Pastor Jose meant by
15:35
not being a church, but the missions now.
15:40
That's what I saw. And so, you know, we we can
15:48
gather up the troops and go in and rescue robots, but we can
15:52
lift up That community and pray for the lives that I have just
16:00
related to you. Amen.
16:04
This is real. I was.
16:09
I was reminded today. I was talking to a sister and
16:12
she sees a teacher. And then we were talking about a
16:14
dad who was ill and I was reminded when in my fourth grade
16:21
class my teacher, Miss Kent was a name in The Skin was white.
16:27
And I grew up in Project housings and somehow or another
16:32
her and my mom established a relationship and Miss Kent would
16:37
come and get me. Every other week or two and she
16:42
would take me downtown Chicago and Mom would put on me, a white
16:46
shirt and a tie. And she would take me to places
16:48
that I would never go. Just to show me that there was
16:52
another way we would say versus at the table, before we ate her
16:57
husband and a little daughter. And as I think about missions,
17:03
that was my first mission trip. But it was for me and she came
17:10
from her neighborhood to reach me.
17:14
And I stand before you. What 45 years later or more to
17:20
tell you about a lady. That was my friend Guys, we need
17:28
friendships right now. Especially if we love the Lord.
17:33
That's what watch did to my heart.
17:38
He changed my heart. He changed my heart.
17:43
When he changed my heart to come back and say we we should change
17:46
our hearts and you know guys who you don't have to get on an
17:50
airplane to minister anymore, you can go right across the
17:54
street. you know, what's happening in your neighborhoods
17:58
and if not, we should find out, all right, that's what friends
18:03
do. We go to those who are hurting
18:09
to pray with them, to take them a box of food, we check on them.
18:15
We do that. Alright.
18:17
And then, and, and that's what we did.
18:19
We went to check on Pastor Jose and the team and and and they
18:25
were tired. But it was good.
18:32
Finally, I had an interesting conversation with a young lady
18:36
ninth grader during the time of the dinner on a Friday night.
18:43
The youth leaders Center over to speak to me and and we were just
18:46
kind of talking at the table and I asked her about her siblings.
18:50
And one was on the premises and he was maybe about 6 or 7 years
18:54
old, little little guy having fun.
18:56
You know, the kids are having a blast and I said, well, do you
18:59
have any more siblings? And she said, yes.
19:04
I says, is he around? Is he here if he says, no, she
19:08
says he's in jail. And I was like, floored, right?
19:14
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. And how old is he?
19:19
He's 16. Well, I hope he gets out.
19:24
And her reply was, I think you'll be there for a long time.
19:28
Let's pray for the lives of people who are just like us.
19:33
Just like us guys, you know? just because we call it, the
19:40
inner city doesn't mean that Lives are precious.
19:47
And that's why our tonight guys is just as a pastor Just men be
19:56
usable by God. Be willing to take up to Matt,
20:02
right? And if the house is crowded and
20:06
we can't get in, we're figure out a way to get that man.
20:09
A woman of where your girl to the Lord.
20:14
I was reminded today of how would the season Christmas
20:22
season coming? You know, there were families
20:25
growing up in our building it never went to church until a
20:30
holiday. and we were reminded not to make fun of those people
20:37
because that might be their only church.
20:43
Why is maybe saved that day? And so pray that our hearts
20:49
would be right to receive those who come into the house of the
20:53
Lord. That's what friends are for.
20:59
Friends. Friends.
21:05
Friends check on each other, friends.
21:07
Pray for each other. friends ask for forgiveness, when we've
21:11
heard one another That's what friends are for.
21:19
The word says that. After this man sins were
21:25
forgiven, that some of the scribes were sitting there and
21:28
reasoning in their hearts. Why does this man speak?
21:35
That way? Speaking of Jesus, he's
21:36
blaspheming who can forgive sins, but God, alone, and
21:40
immediately, Jesus aware, and his spirit that they were
21:43
reasoning that way within themselves said to them.
21:46
Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?
21:51
He knows our hearts guys. It's good to ask the Lord just
21:57
for a freshness of our hearts. To remove those things from our
22:01
heart that hinder us. It's okay.
22:08
It's okay. Immediately Jesus aware of his
22:16
spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves said
22:20
why are you reasoning? Which is easiest to say to the
22:23
paralytic, your sins are forgiven or to say get up and
22:26
pick up your pallet and walk but so that you may know that the
22:29
son of man has Authority on Earth to forgive sins.
22:33
He said to the paralytic I say to you get up, pick up your
22:37
pallet and go home and he got up and immediately picked up the
22:41
palate and went out in the side of every Everyone.
22:44
So that they were all amazed and we're going for.
22:48
I am God saying we've never seen anything like this.
22:52
You know, in closing. Guys, I spoke about blind
22:56
Bartimaeus. A couple weeks ago.
22:59
I had the privilege to share and the subject had to do with.
23:05
How much did blind Bartimaeus here on the road?
23:09
That gave him Faith to go to Jesus.
23:13
How much are we? Speaking to our friends about
23:22
our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ.
23:25
Is it enough to get them? Before the cross.
23:35
Perhaps, that's something that we need to speak to our hearts,
23:38
about speak to the to our Lord about.
23:41
It's about changing us. Just preparing us for the season
23:46
the next season. You know, by right II didn't
23:50
think that I would see. Watch this way II didn't think
23:54
that, I would come back and just being extremely upset.
24:00
But it happened but now we know how to pray. now, you know What
24:07
my eyes see. And I thank you.
24:11
I thank I stink is church for the resources that were
24:14
provided. We thank you for all things and
24:19
I pray for the next team. Whether it's Newark whether it's
24:23
w weather which Aurora, Denver Metro, but wherever the Lord is
24:29
stirring your heart to go go. Go trust and obey.
24:37
Trustin obey. And so that's my work tonight,
24:42
guys. and, Ask Pastor you in the, come back up and just
24:51
clothes. No guys.
24:57
Thank you. Thank you, boo.
24:59
I wanted to share something with you before I leave.
25:02
Sometimes guys. We need to do business with the
25:07
Lord. Sometimes it seems like
25:12
Wednesday night is all believers and for Perhaps it is but
25:16
sometimes one or perhaps many have found their way into the
25:20
house of the Lord and you need to do business with the Lord,
25:25
you need to asked of repentance. But perhaps some things that
25:30
have gone on in your life that are keeping you at a distance
25:35
from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
25:38
That time could be now. I invite you to come and speak
25:44
to one of the pastor's that would be up front.
25:51
After that I I believe in my heart as always that there is
25:55
things that we need to ask the Lord to take off of our
25:59
shoulders before we leave. Weights.
26:05
That hold us down. We get back into the car and and
26:10
we start the engine up and we think to ourselves, you know,
26:14
tonight would have been a good night to ask the Lord to fill in
26:18
the blank to wash me of my sins of my shortcomings to deal with
26:23
the situations in my home. Be willing to do that.
26:28
If that's your heart tonight. Be willing.
26:34
To humble yourself to the Lord. Amen, let's close in prayer.
26:41
Well, we thank you for the word of God.
26:43
And we ask, how many fathers that are?
26:46
We put no one or nothing in front of you.
26:50
And so Lord, we we ask Heavenly Father we be led by the Holy
26:55
Spirit. That Lord, if we are.
27:00
If we are prompted to do business with you, then Lord
27:03
have your way with us whether we're sitting in our chairs and
27:06
or whether we come to the front. we have nice tonight and, you
27:12
know, our needs, you know, our hearts Lord, just as you healed
27:16
the paralytic, man. You forgive him for his sins and
27:20
then you raise them up. We ask that you were raised us
27:23
up tonight but you do is work. You do at work in this lot.
27:28
In the name of my Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
27:31
And everyone said, man, we pray that you've been encouraged by
27:38
this Bible. Study delivered live from the
27:40
sanctuary of Calvary Church for prayer, call us at 877, 30
27:45
Grace. That's eight 77304, 2:53 to
27:52
listen to this message in its entirety or to join us for our
27:55
live stream Services. Visit us online at At Calvary Co
27:59
dot church or download our free Calvary Church app be blessed as
28:04
you worship Jesus this week. At Calvary Co dot church or
28:00
download our free Calvary Church app be blessed as you worship
28:04
Jesus this week.