Message by Hailey Tollefson – June 2, 2024
Mark 2:1-12 (NIV) A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
1. In community, we carry each other’s mat. “Someone else’s miracle may be on the other side of your willingness to pick up their mat.”
2. In community, we do the hard work.
3. In community, we bring others closer to Jesus.
“When we live in circles, when we do life together, lost people get found. Found people grow. Lonely people find family. Hurting people find healing. Bored people find purpose. Cities find hope and the Kingdom comes from heaven to earth!” – Ian Simkins
Three questions to ask yourself this week:
1. Who is in your circle?
2. Whose mat are you carrying?
3. Are your actions pointing you and your community closer to Jesus?
You can listen to the sermon on YouTube here.
About Hailey Tollefson: Hailey Tollefson was a children’s pastor with the BIC for just over two years before moving to the town of Milton to start working for a not-for-profit youth organization called Young Life of Canada.
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