SUNDAY SERMON

February 5th, 2012

Slide One: Mark 1: 29 – 39

²⁹ Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.

Slide Two: ³¹ So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Slide Three: ³² At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. ³³ And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

Slide Four: ³⁴ Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Slide Five: ³⁵ Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.

Slide Six: ³⁷ When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

³⁸ But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

Slide Seven: A Day In the Life of Jesus. – Part 2

          Last Sunday we looked at the morning schedule of a day in the life of Jesus. He went to church, taught a lesson as one with authority and then he drove out an unclean spirit from a possessed man. After all of that we find it is time to eat. So they carpooled over to Simon and Andrew’s house. Do you know what kind of car the disciples had? A Honda, the bible says they were all in one accord.

So he heads over to Simeon and Andrews home for a meal, they walk in and find that the mother is not well. Listen to these words once more starting in verse 29.

Slide Eight:   ²⁹ Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.

Slide Nine: ³¹ So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.”

Jesus goes in and touches her and she is healed. Then she feeds them.

Do you ever wonder why they have placed stories like this in the bible?

Slide Ten: Could it be to show us that the Lord cares about all aspects of our lives from the biggest things to the smallest?

Slide Eleven: Could it be to show us how Jesus wants to walk with us throughout every moment of our lives?

Slide Twelve: Could it be to show us that often we could be healed from lives hurts and pains very quickly if we would just ask Christ for a healing in our lives?

I know most of the health issues I struggle with are from self-inflicted wounds. I know this because the Lord has shown me how to live a healthier lifestyle time and time again, but I choice not to.

As we return to a day in the life of Jesus we find he is busy even late into the evening. Listen to these words once again from verses 32 – 34.

Slide Thirteen: ³² “At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. ³³ And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

Slide Fourteen:  ³⁴ Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.”

Have you ever wondered why we don’t see healings and demons being cast out these days?

Slide Fifteen: Could it be we have lost our faith in trusting God will give us the power to do this if we ask?

I have read in many places where Christ is being shared in third world nations for the first time, these things are taking place. People are being healed from deadly diseases, demons are being cast out, people are seeing visions from the Lord and lives are being changed.

Slide Sixteen: Could it be because we do not live out the full power of Christ in our lives, the church has lost its place in the community as being important?

In this passage we just heard it says, “… the whole city had gathered together at the door.” When was the last time we had the whole city gather at the doors of our churches?

Please hear me, that when I am asking these questions it is coming from a heart that wants to see more of Christ at work in our midst. It is coming for a person who wants to see more of Christ at work in my own life and in the life of the church I have been asked to serve.

Slide Seventeen: I want to know how we can once again be filled so powerfully with the power of the Holy Spirit that the ministries of this church are having such and impact on the world so that the whole city is gathering at the door with the hope of being touched by the healing power and love of Christ.

We have followed Jesus for a day and the last few verses we heard from that chapter begin the next day for Christ. Listen once again how his day begins.

Slide Eighteen:  ³⁵ “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. ³⁷ When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

Slide Nineteen:  ³⁸ But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

Did you catch verse 35?

Slide Twenty: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

I don’t know of one great revival that has taken place in our world without the power of prayer going before it. I don’t know of one church that has grown or one church that is making a difference in people’s lives that is not covered by the power of prayer. By prayer I mean the pouring your heart out, down on your knees, pleading for God to move in our midst kind of prayer.

Slide Twenty – One:  If Jesus, our Lord and Savior, had to take time for prayer to be able to do the ministry He was called to do, don’t you think we, as His followers have to have that same passion about prayer?

Today in my life I want to draw a line in the sand. I want to join with others who are willing to spend some gut wrenching, crying out for revival kind of prayer. I want to be a pastor who is a part of a church that is making an impact in this world because we are willing to spend whatever time it takes to be in prayer before our Lord asking him to guide is in how we are to truly be the answer to someone else’s prayer for a miracle. You see that statement by itself can make us feel good, but now I want to but some power behind it.

I am hoping in a few months we can have a visioning retreat.

Slide Twenty Two: I am hoping we will gather together and come to the full realization of what it is God is calling us to do as His church, right here, right now.

But that will never happen until we are willing to pray with passion and listen for God’s guidance in how to live as fully as we can for him.

Over the last two Sundays we went through a day in the life of Christ.

Slide Twenty Three: My friends if my understanding of the scriptures is correct we to can have the power to bring healing into our life and the lives of others,

Slide Twenty Four:  we to can have the power to cast out demons that are tormenting and hurting people,

Slide Twenty Five:   we to can have the power to be the church where the whole community gathers because they know something supernatural is taking place.

Will we commit to praying for God’s Spirit to move mightily in us, as we come into this Lenten season and we begin to dream and vision what it is God is calling us to do right now for Him?

Slide Twenty Six: Will you raise your hand if you will commit from today until Easter Sunday to be praying for this church each and every day?

To be praying for whatever time God calls you to pray each day, in whatever way God calls you to prayer.

Slide Twenty Seven:  A dream and a vision for our church will begin to take root and to become a reality when we are willing to pray.

Hold your hand high if we are willing to join me in praying each and every day from now until Easter Sunday as we are preparing for our Visioning Retreat. Raise your hand if you will be praying that God will use us to bring revival into this community and that we will do everything Lord is calling us to do as we live each day for Him.