Dirty Church
January 2, 2022
While we were a mess - past - present - future - because of God’s great love he sent the Messiah to clean up our mess. —Romans 5:8 (paraphrase)
But how can people call on [Jesus] for help if they’ve not yet believed? And how can they believe in one they’ve not yet heard of? And how can they hear the message of life if there is no one there to proclaim it? —Romans 10:14
The mission of Connection Church is to connect every man, woman, and child to Jesus, His people and His mission.
God considers us his ambassadors, giving us the task to share the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)
In order for someone to get
, the church must be willing to get
.
Jesus reaches out his hand to touch a man with leprosy. (Matthew 8)
Jesus touches the coffin of the dead widow’s son, and he is brought back to life. (Luke 7)
Jesus allowed a woman who was considered unclean to touch him. (Mark 5)
Jesus took the hand of a dead girl and immediately she was brought back to life. (Mark 5)
Jesus spits on the ground, makes mud, puts it on a blind man’s eyes and his. vision was restored. (John 9)
When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” —Mark 2:1-12
Talk is cheap.
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.” —Mark 2:4-5
The ultimate need in our lives is not
.
The ultimate need in our lives is
.
The REVELATION, in the DEMONSTRATION, through the MANIFESTATION of the power of Christ.
Pistis {Faith} = to be convicted that something is true.
Faith without
is dead. (James 2:17)
Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” —Mark 2:10b-12
Email: luis@cometoconnect.com
Subject: I’m in!