Whatever It Takes
Notes
Transcript
Bible Passage: Mark 2:1-12
Bible Passage: Mark 2:1-12
INTRO
INTRO
Today marks one year since the official launch of Soma Church
Like we saw in the video, we have seen God do some pretty amazing things in 365 days
We have watched multiple people place saving faith in Christ (we were told this would take years in this community btw)
We have watched 3 people just in the last month step into the waters of baptism (2-3 more coming in the next few weeks)
We have engaged thousands through various mediums of outreach in the community
God has been so gracious and so kind!
As we were approaching this day, I thought about preaching something specific to our one year anniversary but wouldn’t you know, we fell into what I think to be the perfect text for the focus of our church over the last year and moving forward.
I wanna start off with a question for you this morning before we dive into the text…
As we reflect on a year passed and look forward to more coming, Are we willing to do Whatever It Takes?
Whatever it takes to live out the mission of the capital “C” church and the mission of our church.
Whatever it takes to see Matthew 28:18-20 fulfilled?
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
When I hear the phrase, “Whatever it takes” I think of Paul’s words to the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Or what about his words just a few chapters later in the same letter…
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
The founders and first builders of the church carried with them a whatever it takes mentality
“I don’t care if I am rich, poor, happy, suffering, alive or dead! The Gospel is worth my treasure, my comfort and my life.”
BODY
BODY
Today as we jump into Mark 2, we are going to see Jesus entering back into the city of Capernaum.
This is a big deal since his popularity had driven him out of the city to desolate places to do ministry.
Read Mark 2:1-2
The crowds have packed into what is likely the home he was in before (peter’s house).
This home is packed in so tight that there was no room anywhere.
I can imagine people are looking in from the windows are listening intently in hopes of just catching a word that Jesus says
Then all of a sudden in verse 4, 4 men carrying a paralyzed man show up at the house.
STORY TELL UNTIL THEY SET THE MAN AT JESUS’ FEET
They heard from their friends that Jesus was back in the city and immediately they found one another all having the same idea.
We have to get our paralyzed friend to Jesus!
He has either been paralyzed from birth or maybe he’s had a tragic accident that has left him lame and unable to walk
They quickly plotted together a way to get their friend to the one whom they have seen heal others and running short on time, one of them has the idea to lift him up in the bad he lay
Hoisting him into the air, the paralytic begins to think about what it would be like to walk for the first time
No longer would he have to be carried around and waited on but he might actually feel the earth under his feet as he puts one in front of the other.
The four men and the paralytic approach the house and see the crowds. “What do we do?!” This may be their last chance to get their friend to Jesus before he goes to the next town.
They quickly look around and see the steps of a 1st century home leading to the roof
Step by step, the carry their friend to the roof as sweat falls off their brow, but they don’t care. They are just determined to get their friend to Jesus.
Jesus is continuing to teach in the house when all of a sudden a strange sound comes from the roof of the house.
It starts with footsteps and then switches to the sound of a saw cutting through the roof.
Light begins to pour in from the ceiling and everyone looks up to see 4 men looking back at them lowering a man in a bed down to the feet of Jesus.
Read Mark 2:5-11
The faith of these 4 men and their determination to do Whatever it takes to get their friend to Jesus not only led to the restoration of his body, but the rewriting of his eternity.
There was nothing special about these men and nothing special about the paralytic but something very special about the man they were desperate to sit at the feet of.
Let me ask you, are we willing to do whatever it takes ministry?
Are we willing to tear the roof off?
Are we willing to look like fools?
Are we willing to be rejected?
Are we willing to drag our lame friends and families for miles if we have to?
All because we are deeply convinced that if we could just get them to Jesus, he would heal them?
Then, I would follow up that question with this, who are you dragging to Jesus?
Who is the family member, coworker, neighbor, stranger off the street that you need to drag to Jesus?
Who needs your faith?
George story
There are so many people who are just an invite away from coming to church, small group or a gospel conversation
80% of first time church attenders try a church for the first time because they were invited.
post covid, it takes 12-15 personal touches on average before someone will try a church.
There may be people that you have given up on that you need to grip on to tighter until they say yes to what you are calling them into.
CLOSING
CLOSING
A few observations/questions as we close
Are you so convince that Jesus is the answer that it leads you into whatever it takes ministry? b
Sermons and Discourses, 1739–1742 Gospel Ministers a Savor of Life or of Death
Whether the gospel of Christ that is preached is become a sweet savor to us.
Is the gospel so sweet to you that you are willing to do whatever it takes because you have been so marked by it you can do nothing else?
God is the God of outcomes, we are called to be the people of obedience.
Jesus heals sinners and broken people, we have only been asked to bring people to him and tell people about him.
Christ is glorified in the proclamation of the gospel wether one is saved or not.
God is looking at His people saying “Do you love me? Then obey my commandments.”
Whatever it takes ministry will lead to an experience with God like we have never had
Read Mark 2:12
Can I tell you something… I wanna see and be apart of something great.
I wanna look back on 20 more year of Soma Church ministry and be amazed. I wanna say “We never saw anything like this!”
How about you? Then we need to be ready just like our savior who gave his own life for His people to do Whatever it takes.
