Sermon Note Sunday

James River Assembly
Guest Speaker: Robert Madu (Evangelist)

"I Got More than I Came For"

Mark 2:1-12 (ESV)
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thoese things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Rise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he said to the paralytic - "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Introduction Notes:

• Whatever I do, always stand on the Word of God.
• The reason Jesus has been distoreted is because there's not enough witnesses.
• You can go to church for years, and still not know who Jesus is!
• Most people want Jesus, but only want Him on their terms.
• But that customized "Jesus" isn't actually Jesus.
• We need a God that contradicts us (and our desires).
• Freedom and joy is only found in Jesus' presence.

Sermon Notes:

• People like to define us by our issues, but we don't have to be defined by our issues because Jesus is in us and we are a brand new creation.
• People may know my (your) history, but they don't know my (your) destiny.
• God if I don't have {put your issue in the box} my walk with You would be so much better.
• The issue won't matter if we're in the presence of God!
• When our experience doesn't line up with our expectations, God is giving us a revelation of who He is.
• Jesus will never leave us or forsake us.
• He reveals who He is in our struggles.
• What is He revealing to you?
• We think {fill in the blank} is the issue, but the {fill in the blank} is just the fruit of the issue. The real issue (and the root of the issue) is sin.
• We're better off being a paralyzed saint, then walking in sin.
• But God wants to fix both. He wants us to be free from sin, and walking.
• People attack things they see in other people, because they have that issue in themselves.
• God has the ultimate authority over every situation!!
• GET UP!! GET UP from the mat, GET UP from the struggles, GET UP {from whatever is holding you down}!
• God is calling us to get up.
• Once we're up, we should never ever forget where we came from when we were down on the ground.
• The time where we were down on the ground is our testimony.
• We are suppose to take our mat, and share how great our God is!
• The real miracle is that our sins have been forgiven!
• God can touch our soul's and our circumstances.
• When we go to Him we get so much more then what we came for!