Stories Week 1

ME:

Students, It is so good to finally be up here speaking and getting into God’s word with you.

For the next four weeks, we’re going to be exploring how our own stories shape our lives and our faith.

Through this, the primary question, I want us to answer is this:

How does my personal story play a role in God’s greater story?

Transition: When you think of stories, what comes to mind?

We:

(write it out on the white board)

Let’s be honest, we love stories.

We all know Disney, and Disney is great at story telling.

I mean, they are associated with three of the biggest franchises.

Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.

What are some of your favorites when it comes to these franchises?

How about these?

Buzz and Woody from Toy Story

24 year stretch about two best friends.

Anna and Elsa from Frozen.

Two sisters and the distance they are willing to go for each other.

How about the Mandalorian?

Din and Baby Yoda!

How many 50 year old kids do you know that love to eat Frogs?

All of these stories clearly define one thing:

FRIENDSHIP!

Transition: Friendship can affect our habits, our attitude, and our actions. It can affect our emotions, but more importantly, our FAITH!

God:

When we talk about faith, we have to understand that it is complicated.

It does not have to apply to just spirituality and religion.

I need a volunteer

Sit in this chair please (round of applause)

How did they demonstrate faith? (Pause wait for answers)

By sitting in it.

You’ve lived your whole life knowing that if you sit in a chair, it’s going to hold you up.

You did not have to think twice about it.

This is exactly how we live our lives.

We know how to have faith in certain things without thinking about it.

But when it comes to having faith in Jesus, it becomes complicated.

Some of you have faith in Christ because of these things:

It makes sense.

You’ve checked all the facts.

Maybe you’ve had an experience that makes it easy for you to put your faith in Christ.

Some of you have no idea what I am talking about, and that’s ok too.

Faith in Jesus, however, is not the same as sitting in a chair.

A chair doesn’t ask much of us.

Tonight, we are going to be looking at a story in the book of Mark.

Mark is one of the first 4 books of the New Testament.

It is also known as one of the four gospels.

Open up your bibles to Mark 2:1-3

“When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.

Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them,

four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.”

How many of you have ever been to Brantley’s BBQ?

Have you ever been there when the line is wrapped around the entire building?

This is what it was like to go and see Jesus.

They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.

Imagine all this noise going on.

Almost like if you are in your classroom, and you hear so much commotion out in the hallway.

Except, these guys were breaking through the roof.

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

If you stop just for a second and imagine this scene.

Jesus saw these friends coming through the roof.

The amount of faith they had in this moment makes verse 5 that much more important.

It doesn’t end there.

Jesus knew the people watching were wondering how he could do that.

He asks them in verse 8-11:

Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts?

Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’?

So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said,

“Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

Can you imagine the scene where this guy picked up his mat, and starts running around?

It all goes back to his friends though.

How much do you think these friends loved him?

They did everything they could to get their friend in front of Jesus.

Their friend was healed.

More importantly,

He was forgiven.

This story shows us one thing that I think is extremely important:

We’re dead in our sins, separated from God, unable to move toward him on our own.

We need forgiveness

We received it through Christs’ death on the cross.

We have no control over saving our:

Friends

Parents

Relationships

Boyfriends

Girlfriends

We can however, be the ones who bring them to Jesus.

Let me show you how:

(BLANKET - 5 People - One in Center - 4 on each corner.)

Transition: When we work together to bring our friends to Jesus, He will bring the change and healing that they need.

You:

In life, we are going to feel lonely.

That is always a possibility when we are trying to do the right thing.

People may not always follow us.

However,

WE ARE NOT ALONE!

What we also learn from these friends in the story is that they were trustworthy.

If we want people to come to Jesus, they need to trust us.

So I want you to also remember,

YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL.

In your small groups tonight, you are going to discuss three things on how you can apply this lesson.

Pray for your friends

How can you do this?

How can your prayers be specific?

Bring your friends to Church.

How do we get our friends to church?

How can we invite them and make them feel good about coming?

Bring up Jesus in your conversations.

How can you do this?

Pray for ways to bring up Jesus in conversation.

Talk about what he’s done in your life.

Share your experiences that can only be credited back to what God has done.