Silence
1. Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence
2. Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.Praise and Thanksgiving
1. Think through your day, all the times that made you smile
2. Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people3. Open your heart to praise the Lord
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
Psalm 5:11
Confession and repentance
1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:
“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
2. Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
The Word
And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU
My Listening
My Listening
We saw in yesterday's passage how Jesus' new force takes over the evil force. Today, we see the new power giving freedom to a man who could not walk because of his sins. What? Our sins can make us unable to walk? Yes, surely. And, it always happens!
Bishop N.T. Wright says :
Jesus has authority. You can't miss it. Authority in his teaching. Authority over diseases at a distance. Authority over the storm, over the demons. Now, authority to do what normally only God does: to put away sins, to change a person's life from the inside out, to free them from whatever was gripping them so tightly that they couldn't move...
This paralysis was the sort where what we would call psychological forces had reduced the body to immovability. The man had done something - perhaps many things - of which he was deeply ashamed. He was in over his head, as we say, and saw no way out. He not only felt guilty; he was guilty, and he knew it. And gradually this gnawing sense of guilt stopped him doing things. Then it stopped him moving his body altogether.
N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.96,97.
Not only was his sins being forgiven and he could walk again. He was being resurrected! Why? Because in this passage Matthew uses three times the language "Get up!" used in connection with resurrection.
Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
Matthew 9:25
Jesus took her by the hand and said to her, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" Immediately the girl stood up and walked around.
Mark 5: 41
Then Jesus went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Luke 7:14-15
'Get up! Walk!" What does it means to you today? What Jesus is trying to tell you now?
What I got from Jesus today are two practical messages:
1. We need to get up and walk
This is for those who are stuck by their own guilt and sins that they can hardly do anything physically or spiritually. They think that they are just lazy, unable to wake up to go to church, to small group, to have daily devotion, to be close to Jesus. No! No! Just ten minutes to be with Jesus and that is too much? No! They are paralysed! Get up! Walk!
2. We need to have the courage to exercise this new power to command and help people to get up and walk
You may think that you do not have this kind of power. No! No! This is not your power. This power can be given by Jesus to you or when you are closer and closer to Jesus, He can exercise His power through you. What is the difference? We don't need to analysis. It's just that you are closer to Jesus and that He can use you to give freedom, to resurrect some people through your willingness and faithfulness.
Get up! Walk!
Let's receive this new power from Jesus today!
1. We need to get up and walk
This is for those who are stuck by their own guilt and sins that they can hardly do anything physically or spiritually. They think that they are just lazy, unable to wake up to go to church, to small group, to have daily devotion, to be close to Jesus. No! No! Just ten minutes to be with Jesus and that is too much? No! They are paralysed! Get up! Walk!
2. We need to have the courage to exercise this new power to command and help people to get up and walk
You may think that you do not have this kind of power. No! No! This is not your power. This power can be given by Jesus to you or when you are closer and closer to Jesus, He can exercise His power through you. What is the difference? We don't need to analysis. It's just that you are closer to Jesus and that He can use you to give freedom, to resurrect some people through your willingness and faithfulness.
Get up! Walk!
Let's receive this new power from Jesus today!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to have faith to receive this new power from you that we can help more people to get up and walk. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. Do you think our sin could make us unable to walk (or impair our actions/behaviour)? Why? Have you seen that happen? How?
2. Are you experiencing any kind of "paralysis" that prevents you from getting up and walking?
3. 'Get up! Walk!" What does it mean to you today? One step is enough, what could that be?
4. How can you receive the courage to exercise this new power in the name of Jesus to command and help people to get up and walk? Do you think you can do that? Why not?
4. How can you receive the courage to exercise this new power in the name of Jesus to command and help people to get up and walk? Do you think you can do that? Why not?
Family Corner:
1. Is there any unspoken sin in your family that impairs how you live as a family? Maybe it's not something major, but is there anything that prevents you from walking in Jesus in your family?
Praise and Thanksgiving
10,000 Reasons
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