"And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this." (Mark 2:1 - 2:12 NKJV)
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."
(Mark 5:25 - 5:34 NKJV)
"Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
(Luke 19:1 - 19:10 NKJV)
Text: Mark 2:1-12; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 19:1-10
Title: Faith that get's God's Attention!!!
Intro:
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
(Hebrews 11:1 NKJV)
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)
Three Examples!
-paralyzed man and his four friends
-woman with issue of blood for 12 years
-Zaccheus in the Sycamore tree
These are three relative unknowns in the Bible. This is not Jesus, Paul or Peter. They were not very different than you or I. They came from different circumstances. They just had faith that would get God's attention.
What do these folks have in common?
-they each needed fixin (physically or spiritually)
-they had heard about Jesus
-they each came up against the same obstacle in getting through to Him: the Crowd
-they were determined to get through to Jesus somehow. Each had a plan: through the roof, push through the crowd , climb the tree.
"And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Genesis 32:26 NKJV)
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV)
"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. “Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ’Get justice for me from my adversary.’ “And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ’yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth." (Luke 18:1 - 18:8 NKJV)
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)
-They each had faith to start with that caught Jesus' attention
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3 NKJV)
" When Jesus saw their faith..." (Mark 2:5)
"And Jesus immediately knowing that in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him..." (Mark 5:30)
"And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him..." (Luke 19:5)
-Their faith in Jesus was rewarded and acknowledged
"When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”...But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this." (Mark 2:5, 10 - 2:12 NKJV)
"For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?"... And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:28 - 5:30, 34 NKJV)
"This day is salvation come to this house." (Luke 19:9)
III. Characteristics!
-a response to a need
-desperate/determined/persistent
-basis only in Christ
-fearless
-powerfully effective:
"So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20 NKJV)
IV. Conclusion
-somebody here is Zaccheus and needs to invite Jesus in today!
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)
-some are sick in their bodies, minds and/or spirit and need some help getting to the cross like the paralyzed man.
"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up." (James 5:13 - 5:15 NKJV)
-some have allowed people, places and things to get in the way of what God has had for you all along.
Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."
(Mark 5:25 - 5:34 NKJV)
"Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
(Luke 19:1 - 19:10 NKJV)
Text: Mark 2:1-12; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 19:1-10
Title: Faith that get's God's Attention!!!
Intro:
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
(Hebrews 11:1 NKJV)
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)
Three Examples!
-paralyzed man and his four friends
-woman with issue of blood for 12 years
-Zaccheus in the Sycamore tree
These are three relative unknowns in the Bible. This is not Jesus, Paul or Peter. They were not very different than you or I. They came from different circumstances. They just had faith that would get God's attention.
What do these folks have in common?
-they each needed fixin (physically or spiritually)
-they had heard about Jesus
-they each came up against the same obstacle in getting through to Him: the Crowd
-they were determined to get through to Jesus somehow. Each had a plan: through the roof, push through the crowd , climb the tree.
"And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Genesis 32:26 NKJV)
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV)
"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. “Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ’Get justice for me from my adversary.’ “And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, ’yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth." (Luke 18:1 - 18:8 NKJV)
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)
-They each had faith to start with that caught Jesus' attention
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3 NKJV)
" When Jesus saw their faith..." (Mark 2:5)
"And Jesus immediately knowing that in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him..." (Mark 5:30)
"And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him..." (Luke 19:5)
-Their faith in Jesus was rewarded and acknowledged
"When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”...But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this." (Mark 2:5, 10 - 2:12 NKJV)
"For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?"... And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:28 - 5:30, 34 NKJV)
"This day is salvation come to this house." (Luke 19:9)
III. Characteristics!
-a response to a need
-desperate/determined/persistent
-basis only in Christ
-fearless
-powerfully effective:
"So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20 NKJV)
IV. Conclusion
-somebody here is Zaccheus and needs to invite Jesus in today!
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)
-some are sick in their bodies, minds and/or spirit and need some help getting to the cross like the paralyzed man.
"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up." (James 5:13 - 5:15 NKJV)
-some have allowed people, places and things to get in the way of what God has had for you all along.
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