When God Does Something New
Notes
Transcript
Preliminary:
Preliminary:
I invite your attention to Mark 2:1-12
Mark’s Gospel is an amazing book written approximately 30-35 years after the Crucifixion and was probably the used as a guide for the other Gospels.
According to conservative scholarship Mark the author was not one of the twelve disciples, but seems to have been around them quite a bit.
He labored with Paul and deserted him but later returned Acts 13:13 and 2 Timothy 4:11 talk about that - it was what caused the sharp division between Paul and Barnabas
He also labored with Peter 1 Peter 5:13
Mark’s Gospel is written to present Christ as The Servant of God
45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
He also seemed to have a Gentile audience in mind, which probably explains why there is no genealogy, or many Old Testament references.
But I want to talk to you this morning from the thought - When God does something new
Mark 2:1-12
Read: Mark 2:1-12
Read: Mark 2:1-12
1 When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. 4 Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. 5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? 9 “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’? 10 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Solomon in all his wisdom once said:
9 That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.
I’m not going to argue with the wisest man nor his wisdom literature - but I do want you to notice there is nothing new UNDER THE SUN - He doesn’t say anything about ABOVE THE SUN.
In fact you find a fascinating scripture from the prophet Isaiah that says..
19 “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.
There are times God does something new and fantastic
He promised to send a New Prophet - and Jesus came bringing the New Covenant
He promised salvation even to the Gentiles and Jesus went to the cross a stumbling block and foolishness to those who refuse to believe.
He promises in Revelation to “make all things new!!!”
Yes there are times when God does something new.
New - means fresh, Not existing before, already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time.
Yes throughout history God has done something new
In our passage I read to you we find Jesus doing something new. It was so new the people said:
“We never saw it on this fashion” Mark 2:12
But I want to show you a few things that happen when God does something new.
When God does something new - people are changed
Some friends had a burden for their paralytic friend and they brought him to Jesus - but because the lepers had testified against Jesus’ caution, the crowds had swelled so much they couldn’t get him to Jesus.
I don’t ever want to be a reason that people can’t get to Jesus. I don’t ever want to block the way.
But these men were undeterred - and you know what if people really want to get to Jesus they can -
I want you to look at their faith that Jesus acknowledges in a moment
They had faith in Christ that he was able to help
So much faith that they were carrying him to Jesus
So much faith that they didn’t see the way blocked and say “Oh well it wasn’t for him I guess”
SO much faith that they climbed to the roof and pulled the roof off above where Jesus was and let their friend down in front of Jesus.
So much faith that they knew if we can just get him to Jesus, Jesus can do something new.
There are some people I’d like to see changed by the power of God. I’d like to see God do something new in their life.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
So when they get this man down on the ground in front of Jesus look what it says of Jesus
Mark 2:5 “When Jesus saw THEIR faith.” Not the faith of the sick man, not the faith of the people around them, not the faith of the disciples - but the faith of the FRIENDS.
I thank God I grew up with a circle of “friends of Faith”
YOUR FAITH CAN AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF SOMEONE ELSE - don’t ever forget that
YOUR FAITH CAN BRING ABOUT SOMETHING NEW FROM GOD IN SOMEONE”S LIFE!!!
Mix that faith with prayer and amazing things can happen.
I found a little Jewel from the Bible the other day that I fell in love with and was challenged and convicted by:
Colossians 4:12 it says that Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, “ That is nice Epaphras your friend says “hi” but then Paul goes on - “ALWAYS LABORING FERVENTLY FOR YOU IN PRAYERS, THAT YE MAY STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD.”
Paul is saying that Epaphras was praying for the Colossian church - and his prayers were causing God to do something new among them - they were being established, they were growing in grace, they were maturing
YOUR PRAYER AND YOUR FAITH CAN BRING ABOUT SOMETHING NEW FROM GOD!!!
PEOPLE ARE CHANGED WHEN GOD DOES SOMETHING NEW
Talk about Jesus healing the paralytic man after forgiving his sins.
You might stand in amazement at what new thing God is going to do
“Speak to him strongly and directly; don’t be afraid.”
This is what Pastor “Abraham” heard from the Lord before he led an ISIS fighter to Christ.
The ISIS fighter, Fadi, had been in the area recruiting Muslims to come to Syria to fight for ISIS, when several people in the refugee camps where he was recruiting told him of a Christian trying to get them to convert. This news infuriated the ISIS man. He decided to kill Abraham.
Abraham had been threatened many times before as he shared boldly with Sunni Muslims crossing the border from Syria. But the threats towards his family were becoming more frequent and more serious. For several months, he had been dealing more and more with internal fear. He knew of no better way to combat that fear than to pray and ask the Lord for strength. But the fear persisted.
One day, he was working outside his house with an electrical saw. As he used it, the blade suddenly popped off and caught him in the mouth. Had the blade hit him a few inches lower, it could have hit an artery in his throat. It if had been a few inches higher, it could have blinded him. As he stood in shock for a moment bleeding, he heard the Lord speak to him internally, saying: “I am in control of when your life will end. Stop being scared.”
At that moment, Abraham’s fears were calmed.
So when Fadi the ISIS fighter appeared walking toward Abraham’s home to kill him, Abraham was ready. He heard the Lord say in his spirit: “Speak to him strongly and directly; don’t be afraid.”
Abraham said to him boldly, “The Qu’ran is from Satan, Mohammad is the prophet of Satan, and the God of Islam is Lucifer himself.”
At these words, Fadi began shaking uncontrollably. Abraham came beside him, and told him, “God is here beside you now, and He is putting his hand on your shoulder, asking you, ‘What do you want?’”
“I want salvation,” Fadi replied.
“Jesus will forgive you sins,” Abraham told him. Fadi began to weep, and Abraham prayed with him before he left.
A week later, Fadi came to Abraham’s home again. He wanted to tell Abraham about a dream he’d had. In the dream, Abraham gave Fadi an envelope, and the envelope had blood pouring out of it. Abraham told Fadi in the dream, “Don’t be afraid, this blood is good.” Fadi was afraid the dream meant either he or Abraham were going to die.
Instead, Abraham told Fadi about Jesus’s blood that paid for our salvation and forgave our sins.
Four months ago, Fadi was baptized in front of Abraham’s church. He continues to come to Abraham for discipleship. He also won his wife to the Lord, and he is holding sharing his faith in the Syrian refugee camp he is now living in.
Posted: April 17, 2017
Clipped from: http://www.persecution.com/public/newsroom.aspx?story_ID=%3D383530
Middle East: ISIS Fighter Converts
We may not tear the roof off but we can in faith bring people to Jesus and when God does a new thing people are changed.
When God does a new thing People Glorify GOD!!!
The friends tore the roof off - but the people praised the roof off. I know not everyone enjoys are is helped by the loud and boisterous but it seems that there are times God likes loud
When God does something new whether loud or quiet God is glorified
We aren’t lifting ourselves up or other people we are magnifying God
The people were amazed yes - but they also “GLORIFIED GOD”
I don’t know about you -but I’m ready to see God do something new
I’m ready to see some people changed
I’m ready to see people glorify God
I’m ready to see God do a new thing.
Lord send it I pray!!!