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REMOVE THE ROOF
Mark 2:1-12 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
I. Opening
A. High expectations
1. I want you to come into this message with high expectations.
a) I want you to put your mind in a state of anticipation
b) I fully believe that God is going to work a work in our midst today
c) I have come to cause you to “exercise your faith”
(1) Exercise means to use
(2) If we do not exercise then we become slow, fat, and lazy in the natural sense
(a) If we do not exercise in the spiritual realm of faith, then we can become weak and ineffective Christians.
d) Exercise your faith today
(1) Stretch out of the comfort zone of your current expectations
(2) Move into the operation of God’s power in your life
(3) Let all your worries and cares sweat away this morning
(a) We are exercising our faith
B. Familiar story
1. But there are some truths to be gleaned from this passage of scripture
2. There are some important points that need to be mentioned from this passage of scripture
a) There is an example and template here that we can learn from to apply to our own lives and situation.
II. Jesus was in the house
Vs1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
A. Jesus entered into the city of Capernaum
1. This was the hometown of Simon Peter
a) It is more than likely that this was the house that Jesus went to.
B. Jesus goes to the house of the believer
1. Peter was Jesus’ disciple. He followed Jesus everywhere
a) So when they came to Peter’s house Jesus went inside
(1) If you want Jesus in your house, you’ve got to be a believer
(2) You’ve got to follow Jesus
2. Jesus doesn’t just go to anybody’s house
a) I am sure there were nicer homes in the city of Capernaum
b) There undoubtedly were richer men than Peter
(1) But Jesus didn’t go to any of their houses
(2) He went to the house of his follower
(a) It doesn’t matter how much money you have
(b) It doesn’t matter how famous you are
(c) It doesn’t matter what position you hold in this life
(d) The only thing that matters is, do you have Jesus in your house?
3. Church, the most important thing is, do we have Jesus in the House?
a) We’re not the biggest
b) We’re not the best known
c) We don’t have all of the programs that other churches do
(1) That’s not important – because we’ve got Jesus in the house!
C. It was noised
1. People heard that Jesus was in the house
2And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
a) And so many came that the house could not contain them
2. Church we’ve got to let people know that Jesus is in the house
a) We can’t keep silent or still
b) We’ve got to witness and testify
3. What happens when people find out that Jesus is in the house?
a) There were so many coming that the house could not contain them
(1) As long as we let people know that Jesus is here in the church, revival will follow.
(2) So many that we will not be able to contain them all.
(a) We can’t keep silent, because Jesus is in the house!
III. The Paralyzed man
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
A. Notice the situation
1. There are so many people around the house that nobody else could get close to Jesus
2. These four guys have a friend that is a paralytic. Whether he was born this way or became this way through sickness or accident the Bible does not specify.
3. They know they need to get Jesus
a) People know what they need
b) When you get desperate – you find Jesus
(1) Churches were full on the week of 9/11because people were desperate.
4. They can’t get to Jesus the ordinary way, so they climb up on top of the house and remove the roof.
a) The obstacles were before them – but they didn’t let that stop them
b) The crowd didn’t part to allow them to come to Jesus
(1) So they made their own way.
(2) They took the roof off of the house
(a) There had to be a part of their minds that was saying – This is crazy, this is expensive, this is not going to work.
(b) But they took the roof off
IV. Take the Roof off
A. A roof is a metaphor for a limit
1. In the business world, when you have advanced as far as you are going to, they say that you have reached your ceiling
2. In some cases with prejudice or sexism, they describe it as a “glass ceiling”
a) This is your limit, you can’t go beyond this
b) No matter how hard you work or how qualified you may feel that you are, you have reached your limit – your ceiling.
3. Remember 2011 when we found out that the United States has a debt ceiling – this is as high as we will allow the debt to go
a) Then they changed it
b) But a ceiling was in place to limit the national debt.
4. In the aeronautics world, the ceiling is the maximum altitude that an airplane can travel
a) After that altitude the plane’s engines do not receive enough air to continue to function, and the plane can go into a stall and crash.
(1) That’s the ceiling – that’s the roof
(2) It’s your limit – where you can’t go beyond this point.
B. Take the roof off
1. As I mentioned the men must have been thinking some things as they climbed up to the roof.
a) This is crazy
b) This is expensive
c) This is hard and long
d) This is not going to work
(1) These are all roofs on our lives today
C. Faith says to step out into the impossible
1. Crazy is stepping out of a perfectly good boat in the middle of a storm.
a) But faith says – I can walk on water with Jesus
2. Crazy is bringing five loaves and two fishes to feed five thousand people
a) But faith says – Jesus will provide
b) The apostle Paul put it this way – I have become a fool for Christ
c) Oh yeah faith is in the realm of the crazy – but that’s just a roof that you need to tear off of your life
d) Tear that roof off your life by stepping into what God has called you to.
D. Faith says no cost is too great
1. In the natural sense the destruction of the roof must have been quite costly
a) We’re going to have to pay Peter back for tearing up his roof
b) But no cost is too great to receive what we need from Jesus by faith
2. In our lives we face costly decisions.
a) In our economic recession we are faced with many challenges
b) God I can’t pay the electric bill, this month
c) Jesus I don’t have enough for the mortgage
d) Jesus I can’t provide for my family
(1) But it’s time to tear that roof off of your life
3. Tear the roof off your finances through faithfulness to God.
a) Do you remember that I prophesied to this church that I would have a job before the end of September?
(1) I can tell you that God provided a job for me.
(2) Not only that but there are better jobs on my horizon
(3) Why, because I tore the roof of my finances
(a) My family has been faithful in tithes and offerings.
(b) We are faithful to God, so I can expect God to be faithful to me as well.
b) I am not the only one that is stepping into the blessings of God this month
(1) Those that are faithful are starting to receive the benefits of their faithfulness.
(2) Jobs are being opened up – provision is being made – miracles are happening all around us – why because we have been faithful to God
(a) Sis. Amos – is a faithful saint
(b) Bauske’s – mortgage payment reduced – best financial year
(c) Bro. Scott’s job was spared
(d) Sis. Lynn’s SPEED job
(e) Sis. Crystal, Sis. Felicia, Bro. Bruce,
(f) Sheaves for Christ – we received from one person more than what we had designated as our church offering.
(g) The Inheritance – and bonus
(h) Faithful people that took the roof off!
E. Faith says I will see this through
1. In the natural sense tearing a roof off is hard work
a) There was effort and sweat involved
b) Maybe there were some cuts and splinters
c) To be sure, the roof did not come off quickly
2. In the spiritual sense tearing the roof off of your faith takes time
a) It is in the daily walk with God
b) It is in your personal prayer life
(1) It is in enduring through trials and hardships
3. Tear off the roof of sin today
a) The Bible describes the Holy Ghost as rain
b) Some people don’t feel the rain of the Holy Ghost, because they are under a roof of sin
(1) They’ve put up barriers of iniquity between them and God
(2) So when the presence of God is moving in the service they sit unaffected, because the roof of sin is on their life
(a) It’s time to tear that roof off today
(b) It’s time to get right with God
F. Faith says I have no doubt
1. As the men were tearing off the roof, I am sure they were thinking – what if this doesn’t work?
a) Doubt tried to worm it’s way into their minds
b) But they kept tearing at that roof
2. Your mind is going to say – what if it doesn’t work for me?
a) What if I step out in witnessing and nobody listens?
b) What if I become faithful in tithing and end up worse than before?
c) What if I reach for Jesus this morning and don’t receive.
(1) The enemy will try to plant doubt and fear into your mind.
(2) When you don’t believe, you don’t pull the roof off
(3) Doubt leads to inaction – Faith spurs us into motion
(a) Sis. Tammi’s Sciatic Nerve
(b) Sis. Amos singing for Sis. Lucy
3. Tear the roof of doubt off today
a) I told you to raise your expectations this morning
b) Not What if I step out in witnessing? – I’m going to go and get a Bible Study
c) Not What if I become faithful in tithing? – I will be faithful and God will provide for me
d) Not What if I reach for Jesus today? – I will receive the Holy Ghost
(1) Sis. Ruby Receiving the Holy Ghost.
e) Not What if I come to the altar? –God will heal me
f) Not What if I pray for my lost family? – God’s going to save them all.
g) Not, I’ve fallen too far for Jesus to reach me? – His grace is enough me
h) Not What if I ask Jesus for his touch today? –I will receive what I need today
(1) I’m tearing my roof off.
V. When the roof comes off
Vs. 5 When Jesus saw their faith
