WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.360 All right. 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:02.479 Let's pray. 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:04.160 Father, we praise you. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:06.240 Thank you for this for this great day. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:07.839 Thank you for the springtime. 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:12.960 It's going to be so great having longer, longer days. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.039 I just praise you for what's ahead of us. 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:17.920 Holy Spirit, thank you for being our counselor and our teacher. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:19.600 And please teach us this morning. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:25.199 Speak to each one of us and uh and give us something that we need. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:27.359 Jesus, we just praise you. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:34.640 We thank you for coming, showing us what God's really like, connecting us with our Father, your Spirit. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:36.399 And so we praise you and thank you for that. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.799 And it's in your name, Jesus, that we pray. 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:39.759 Amen. 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:43.920 Last week I talked about this man who had met Jesus. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:46.560 This man was at the lowest of lows. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:50.240 Jesus just transformed transformed him. 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:56.960 Jesus then instructed him to go back home and explain what had happened, how he had changed inside. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:15.040 And at the end of that, I was uh explaining that sometimes we can feel like the pinnacle of Christianity is to go to another uh country, and often our greatest joy and our greatest impact is going to be here at home. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:24.319 Um, I have a real heart for for Uganda, and I've been over there a lot. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:35.680 And my experience has has been that people are just as hungry for God and need God, obviously need God just as much, but but but are just as hungry for God all over. 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.200 And I was trying to explain that. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:46.400 And I talked about what God had done relative to here, relative to a couple churches that that um I've been involved with in Uganda. 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:49.840 And I haven't heard a word about that from anybody. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:55.760 But that afternoon, and really all week, I've kind of been unsettled about how I explained that. 00:01:55.920 --> 00:02:03.439 And the part that that was unsettling and um is that we shouldn't compare. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.599 And um, you know, we shouldn't compare ourselves to each other. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:13.120 And I definitely shouldn't compare us as a church um to any other church. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:15.840 And so um I apologize for that. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:22.240 And uh, you know, I'm in process, we're all in process, and so we'll we'll process together. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:28.800 Um God is doing great stuff just all over the world, obviously. 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:34.639 If we ever feel like there's no one around us here that needs Jesus, well, we just need to get out more. 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:38.479 We just need to uh to make some new friends. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:40.960 Um that's what Jesus did. 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:47.840 He met a lot of people, made a lot of new friends, and so for a few weeks we're looking at some of those uh introductions. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:56.960 This morning we got a I don't know if it's that big a story, but it's a big, it's a big topic, and especially on one uh one less hour of sleep. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:59.199 But uh I think we're gonna be all right. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:04.479 It's an unusual story how uh how Jesus meets this particular person. 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:06.479 It starts in Mark 2. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:11.360 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:15.599 Susan talked about about um home. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:18.879 Um Capernaum was Jesus' home base. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:23.759 And where he lived once he had uh once he was old enough to decide for himself. 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.680 Many of us have experienced that. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.800 I was born uh just outside Portland, Oregon. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.520 I was raised in Salem, Oregon. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:36.800 Um my home I live in is Woodstock, Georgia. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:39.199 Jesus was born in Bethlehem. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:51.599 He was raised in Nazareth, and Capernaum was his home, so where he had chosen to live in the small sea sea uh town, um, Capernaum, 1,500 or so people. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:56.240 Uh Peter, Andrew, James, and John were all from Capernaum. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:00.719 Uh Matthew was the tax collector for the area around Capernaum. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:02.400 It was Jesus' hometown. 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:10.639 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:11.919 We don't know where he was staying. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:12.879 It might have been Peter's house. 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:15.360 He'd already stayed with Peter before. 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:18.079 But either way, this house is just packed. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:19.439 I mean, people can't move. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:20.079 There's no room. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.639 There's no room inside, there's no room outside. 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:26.720 Everybody's come to uh to see Jesus. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:33.439 While he was preaching God's word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:43.439 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. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:50.240 This man had great friends. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:52.079 Great friends. 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.759 I mean, how far had they come? 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:57.439 They were determined. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:58.959 He was determined. 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:00.720 They had a lot of faith. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:04.160 They just had to get to Jesus. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:08.720 Now, I don't know how Peter, or whoever was uh owned that house, was reacting. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:15.360 I mean, he was probably already worried about the furniture, and now it's like, hey, you're digging a hole in the roof. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:18.240 But these people were determined. 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:24.240 And before long, this man was in front of Jesus. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:36.399 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, My child, your sins are forgiven. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:41.839 What do you think his reaction was to that? 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:49.680 My guess is he didn't dig a hole in somebody else's roof to get his sins forgiven. 00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:54.079 He wanted to be healed, wouldn't you think? 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.079 That's why he was there. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:06:03.839 And Jesus is definitely, definitely not making a connection to his paralysis and his sin. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:09.040 I mean, Jesus goes out of his way to make sure we understand that's not a connection. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:13.920 Once there's a blind person and he's asked, uh, who sinned, him or his parents? 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:16.319 Jesus said, Neither, neither. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:23.040 No, there's a time and a purpose when he's going to receive his sight. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:29.279 And so when Jesus says to this man, My child, your sins are forgiven, he is doing two things. 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:32.160 He is forgiving his sins. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:35.120 That's the first thing. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:37.519 He is forgiving his sins. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:46.160 And secondly, he is throwing everybody the old curveball. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.319 See, as we get to know Jesus, this is how he teaches a lot. 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:53.199 A twist, something unexpected. 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:55.199 Of course, he's going to say this. 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:56.879 He says something else. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:00.639 It challenges their thinking. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:03.360 It challenges our thinking. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:05.279 What is it he wants? 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:06.879 What is it his friends want for him? 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:08.720 It's obvious to be healed. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:15.120 Jesus says, My child, your sins are forgiven. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:21.279 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, what is he saying? 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:23.439 This is blasphemy. 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:25.439 Only God can forgive sins. 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:31.279 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, Why do you question this in your hearts? 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:36.000 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man, your sins are forgiven? 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:41.360 Or stand up, pick up your mat, and walk? 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:49.519 Jesus is forcing an answer to a key question. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.040 What is the biggest thing? 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:56.240 What's the most difficult thing? 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:00.399 What's the most important thing? 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:04.480 This man is on a mat. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:11.279 His four friends are looking through a hole in the ceiling, wondering, is that it? 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:14.959 Is that the end of the conversation? 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:18.079 So here's our question. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:22.800 Are you okay with Jesus if that's the end of the story? 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:33.039 If the very next verse is, and so Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught to the crowds that were coming to him. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:35.679 Are you okay with that? 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:43.679 You know, it's a little challenging, but if we're not okay with that, we might have answered his question. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:47.759 Which of the two do we think is the bigger deal? 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:52.080 What do we think is the most important? 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.679 Jesus cares deeply about our physical needs. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:58.399 He cares about our health. 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:06.159 He cares about our emotional needs and the way we we think and the concerns we have, everything. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.279 But none of them outweighs forgiveness. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:21.200 In Acts 13 and 38, it says, We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus, there is forgiveness for your sins. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:25.120 Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:29.679 Something the law of Moses could never do. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:38.879 Just thinking about that, that you know, I definitely take forgiveness for granted. 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:40.960 I mean, I I just do. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:44.080 You know, I've had it for 16 years now. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:45.759 I know I have it. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:47.360 I know I'm not going to lose it. 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:49.120 I know I was forgiven for what I did. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.759 I know I'm forgiven for what for what I do. 00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:02.240 I forget that of everything God will ever do for me, that's the biggest. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:03.840 It's the biggest. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:05.360 Forgiveness. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:15.600 We turn to Jesus, we turn to Jesus, we are forgiven, we are connected with God, and our spirit inside of us comes to life. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:19.600 In John 3, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus. 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:25.120 He says, Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:29.679 So don't be surprised when I say you must be born again. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:31.759 The wind blows wherever it wants. 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:40.480 Just as you can hear the wind, but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:43.039 Our spirit comes alive. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:48.559 Now, if Jesus can't explain it, I'm not going to take 15 minutes trying. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:51.440 It just does. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:52.720 It just does. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:57.679 We turn to Jesus, we receive forgiveness, our spirit comes alive. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:00.080 We're reconnected with our Father. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:07.120 In Romans, it says that his spirit testifies with our spirit, that we are children of God. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:12.320 Now there are some things that Jesus does explain to Nicodemus. 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:26.320 Like he says, For God loved the world so much, he's talking to Nicodemus, that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:34.480 God sent his son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:41.519 And so the first thing Jesus saves is our spirit. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.240 Our spirit comes alive. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:47.120 Then he starts saving our souls. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:49.759 And we get the two confused. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.879 You know, we hear soul and we think spirit. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:56.720 You know, and there's some overlap and they're intertwined. 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:14.559 But but when the Bible is talking about our souls, most often it's talking about our inside self, the way we're wired inside, the way we think, the way we feel, how we make decisions. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:16.960 We might say our personality. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:21.679 Jesus says that in him we find rest for our souls. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:26.559 We're talking it's the inside stuff. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:30.799 Now that part is a process. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:36.960 The inside stuff is a process. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:44.879 Now the changes can be fast and they can be dramatic, but it's still a process. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:56.480 And what that means is that we don't have to pretend with each other that our inside stuff has already been completely saved. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:00.480 The way I think isn't perfect. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.360 My emotions aren't perfect. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:05.039 See, we're all in a process. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:09.440 Can we all agree that we are all in a process? 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:11.519 It's okay. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:13.360 It's okay to have doubts. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:19.120 It's okay to have fears, even. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:23.759 You know, Jesus all the time when he's saying, Do not fear, do not fear. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:30.559 He's not giving us the new do not fear rule. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:40.559 He is having compassion for us because he knows there are going to be times when we have fear. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.799 And he's saying you don't have to fear. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:50.159 You can transform the way you think, you can transform the way you feel. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:52.559 It was compassion. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:54.080 Because we're just learning. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:14:01.600 We're learning to trust, we're learning to have faith, we're learning what it looks like to be loving. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.279 And so when we make mistakes, we're not freaked out. 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:07.840 Oh, I thought they were saved. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:09.440 They were saved. 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:11.200 Their spirit was saved like that. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.279 My spirit was saved like that. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.399 Eternally. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:18.240 The soul part is in process. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:21.759 And so we help each other. 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.720 And we get God's great help. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:28.720 We get God's great help. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:30.879 He does the heavy list lifting. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.240 He strengthens us. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:33.600 He teaches us. 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:35.519 He encourages us. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:37.279 And we apply ourselves. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:38.960 We pray. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:40.000 We forgive people. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:42.559 We learn what God says and how God thinks. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:46.320 And over time, the outside starts catching up with the inside. 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:49.039 And we're being transformed. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:52.879 You know, we're being transformed from the inside out. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.240 And when does that process get finished? 00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:58.879 Who knows? 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:00.559 When does the process get finished? 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:05.600 When we get to heaven. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:11.600 The process gets finished when we get to heaven. 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:14.960 Then we're gonna we'll know like we're fully known. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:19.360 And we'll grow, I'm sure, still, even in heaven. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:24.559 But that's when the process gets completed. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:27.039 And so our spirit gets saved. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:31.840 Inside our soul, being saved. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:33.840 You know what I mean? 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:35.679 We're being saved. 00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:38.000 It's a transformation, it's a process. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:45.279 Now, what does this have to do with this man who was Lord through the roof and he met Jesus? 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:49.120 So he has shown his belief in Jesus. 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:51.440 Jesus has forgiven his sins. 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:56.879 His spirit is alive eternally. 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:02.639 What is it he is probably wondering about? 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:06.159 His body. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:08.480 His physical body. 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:14.000 I've known God for, I've known about God for my whole life. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:15.840 I mean, really, I mean. 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:19.519 I was probably born in a church. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:19.919 I don't know. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:22.000 It seemed like I spent my entire childhood there. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:23.440 Knew all about God. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.600 When I was 32, man, I turned to Him. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:30.159 I really turned to Jesus. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.000 I was totally forgiven. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.240 My spirit connected with God's Spirit. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:35.440 It came alive. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:38.320 And just like that, I had eternal life. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:42.480 Inside, he's changed me dramatically over time. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:44.559 I mean, dramatically. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:47.120 I mean, you think there's big room for improvement now? 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:48.960 You should have known me then. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:55.360 It's a big change, and uh he's got a lot, a lot left to do. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.440 But he is transforming me. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:01.919 Now my body's changing too in that 16 years. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:07.119 Muscle tone, not quite the same. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.599 Still very good. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:15.839 But not quite the same. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:21.680 You might not believe this, but I've even started to notice a few gray hairs. 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:25.839 I mean, what's going on? 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:28.400 What's going on? 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:38.480 That in this context, God hasn't saved my body. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:41.920 He saved my spirit. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:42.720 It came alive. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.079 He is saving my soul. 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:46.559 I'm being transformed. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:51.759 He is going to save my body. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:57.920 See, God's healed me from time to time, and hopefully he'll keep doing that. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.200 He heals us. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:05.519 God heals us physically sometimes in very dramatic ways. 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:09.680 It is a reprieve. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:16.240 It's a small gift while we wait for the big gift. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:19.839 Say that again. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:32.160 I've experienced God heal in myself and with other people in supernatural, dramatic ways. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:38.160 He does it often, but not every time. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:42.240 When he does, it is a reprieve. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:55.200 It is a small taste of what is going to happen on that dramatic day when our bodies are finally saved. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:04.079 1 Corinthians 15 says, What I'm saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:08.160 These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:10.799 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:16.880 We will not all die, but we will all be transformed. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:20.079 We will all be transformed. 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:24.880 It'll happen in a moment, in the blink of the eye, when the last trumpet is blown. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:30.720 For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever, and we who are living will also be transformed. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:34.960 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:40.079 Our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:47.200 Spirit saved, soul being saved, body will be saved. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:54.480 The question Jesus asked these people crammed into this house. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:00.079 Which is easier to forgive? 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:05.680 Which is easier to forgive our sins or to heal our bodies? 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.839 Which is more difficult? 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:11.279 Which is the bigger deal? 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:17.759 It was just a rhetorical question. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:22.079 The answer was obvious. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:28.000 What was also obvious to Jesus is the Pharisees were going to have the wrong answer. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:39.359 He says, so I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:54.559 Jesus is saying the most important thing, the biggest thing, the most difficult thing is to forgive our sins. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:21:01.200 And he has taken care of the most important thing first. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:03.440 Forgiveness. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:06.079 Forgiveness. 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:09.759 But it wasn't the end of this story. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:16.880 Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, Stand up. 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:19.039 Pick up your mat and go home. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:20.960 Can you imagine? 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:25.839 The man jumped, jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:34.720 They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, We have never seen anything like this before. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:49.519 For this man, a small taste of heaven, of what it is going to be like for him when his body gets completely saved. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:55.920 Why does Jesus go out of his way to take this big pause in the story? 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:08.319 Why does Jesus go out of his way to help us understand his priority? 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:12.319 The most important thing. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:20.880 It's because at some time in each of our lives, we are going to need to know. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:31.920 We are going to need to know what is most important, and that there's more to the story. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.440 A loved one lost. 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:40.880 A child going to our Father God before us. 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:43.839 An illness not healed. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:49.039 Deeply difficult things that won't crush us. 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:57.119 If we know there's more to the story. 00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:06.559 We're going to have a great Sunday together. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:12.720 Trisha and her husband Jack Frost, you might know of Jack, not Jack Frost, the winner of Jack Frost. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.440 We all know. 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:16.240 We all know of him. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:26.880 Jack and Trisha started a ministry that helps people understand and experience how much our Father God loves us. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:34.079 Helps people understand and experience and get it in our hearts, just not our heads. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:37.359 How much God loves us. 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.000 He wrote a book, Embracing the Father's Love, sold over a million copies. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:57.599 And four years ago, Jack gets diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:01.039 They have great faith. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:03.039 I mean, great faith. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:07.359 And they have a great relationship with God. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:20.160 And some of their closest friends are people who are renowned for their faith and their power in their prayer. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:26.000 And thirteen months later, Jack goes home to be with his father God. 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:43.359 Three years later, almost to the day, same week, Trisha will be here, giving of herself, telling us how much God loves us. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:47.680 Her son-in-law will be here. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:52.400 All their children are involved in their ministry. 00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:58.160 And it was a hard time for them, as you can imagine. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:01.680 But their faith was not destroyed. 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:04.880 They were not crushed. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:17.759 Why was their faith not destroyed when Jack's body wasn't healed? 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.880 Because they knew what was most important. 00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:28.240 They knew what was most important, forgiveness. 00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:36.079 And they also knew that Jack's death was not the end of the story. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:44.160 Next time Trisha sees Jack, they're going to both have saved bodies. 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:46.720 Transformed. 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:50.880 Spirits that are alive, souls completely transformed. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:58.480 And are bodies that they'll never have to worry about or think about or pray about again. 00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:03.279 So we're going to finish here in a second. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:13.920 And if the worship team wants to come up and get ready, don't be discouraged. 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:16.559 Don't be discouraged. 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:22.000 Don't be discouraged if your insides haven't completely changed yet. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:27.599 It takes God and it takes some time. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:30.799 But He is transforming us. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:33.119 He is transforming you. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:40.319 Don't be discouraged. 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:59.359 If you have a physical condition that hasn't changed, or even if you have a loved one that has gone on before us to be with our Father God. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:12.160 See, all of us, all of us can be encouraged, all of us can be excited because Jesus has already done the most difficult part. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:14.000 It's the whole point of the story. 00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:19.119 Jesus has already done the most difficult part. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:21.680 We are forgiven. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:23.599 We are forgiven. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:29.599 Reconnected with God. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:32.880 Our spirits inside of us come into life. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:35.839 And it is not the end of the story. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:46.160 One day our thoughts and our decision making and our emotions will all be completely healed. 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:49.119 Completely healed. 00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:22.640 Our thoughts, our emotions, completely healed, and our bodies. 00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:27.599 Then our bodies will be saved. 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:29.359 Saved instantly. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:31.680 See, that is the story. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:36.240 That is the story of this man that met Jesus. 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:37.839 There was a pause. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:41.039 But that was his story. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:44.640 It's also your story. 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:46.640 Your story. 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.920 Let's pray. 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:53.359 Father, I just praise you for being such a great and loving God. 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:56.400 I thank you that we're all here this morning. 00:28:57.039 --> 00:29:03.680 God, speak deep into our hearts that you have a plan and that you have a process and you have a way. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:07.519 And that we can trust you. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:11.599 Thank you, thank you, thank you for having done the most important thing. 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:15.680 Jesus, thank you for coming. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:17.839 And so our sins are completely forgiven. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:19.680 Our spirits are alive. 00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:22.799 Thank you for changing us, God, from the inside out. 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:26.079 Changes faster, changes more. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:34.720 And Father, thank you for the promise that someday we'll completely be alive. 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:38.960 Spirit, soul, and body. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.200 We praise you for that. 00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:42.400 We trust you with that. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:46.880 Jesus, it's in your great, wonderful name we pray. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:47.839 Amen.