Minister: Marcus Carlson

• We are in a new series about Jesus and who he is
• We are looking at Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and then the birth story of Jesus
• So to start today I want to try something different.  I need you to quickly get into groups of three and I would love it if you find someone you don’t know at all or well to get in a group with.
• As a group, share a time where a friend helped you out.  (If time and if it works, share a time where you wish you had helped someone out or you wish someone had helped you out)—maybe have them stay in their spots.
• Today I want to talk about the book of Mark and what it tells us about Jesus
• First, it is the shortest of the books, and was the first written.  It is a snapshot…it is full of quick action.  As where Matthew was about facts and history, this is about a snapshot of action.  The word immediately occurs many times in this book.  It is Jesus the man of action.
• The point of this series is not to know more about Jesus, but to know Him, and there is a difference.  For example someone might know about me…Marcus, is a youth pastor, has two kids, has good hair, likes chuck tailors, is chubby…etc, but that is not at all who I really am…
• We can know info about Jesus, but it is really knowing who He is that matter, and these four books are our best source or way to do that.
• Mark 2:1-12 NIV---this is why I had you share
• This is just one story in the book, but it tells you a lot about Jesus and who he is.
• Drew crowds as he taught…he was a good speaker and had something to offer
• It was not about the crowds for him
• There was intrigue about him, people wanted to check out what was going on
• There were some who got it and some who did not, the religious criticized and did not get it, the sinners and the outcasts fought for it.
• He was offering more that information, and even more than healing.  It was about life and forgiveness of sins.
• Talk about the story and the mat and the significance of that.
• We don’t think much of our sins, we take forgiveness for granted.
• This story shows us who Jesus is…he is about people, he is about changing lives, he is about healing and brining life…it is not just about religion and he offers us everything we need, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
• Do we really realize how much Jesus loves us and can give us?  Do we want it as bad for ourselves and our friends as these friends of the paralytic did?