October 14th, 2025
The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
Bring Them to Jesus
In Mark 2:1-12, there is a powerful event that occurred when Jesus was teaching the crowds in his home base town of Capernaum. There was a helpless man who suffered from paralysis who spent every day lying on a mat. He had four friends who learned that Jesus was back in town and was teaching and healing people in a local residence. Desperate for their friend, they got together and decided to carry their friend to see this great teacher and healer who was nearby. They picked their friend up and carried him on his mat to the house where Jesus was teaching. Jesus was in the house and the crowds were lined up way out the door in such a way that the friends were unable to get their friend anywhere near him. So they carried him up the outside stairs to the flat roof of the home. They dug through the roof and created a hole large enough that they could tie ropes to their friend and lowered him to where Jesus was teaching. Jesus was so impressed with the faith of this man’s friends that he declared that the man’s sins were forgiven. It is likely that these friends were looking for physical healing, but Jesus saw his deeper, more eternal need and forgave him.
The religious leaders in the crowd declared that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy for claiming the power and authority that only belonged to God. Jesus read their minds and asked them which would be easier for hm to do, forgive the man’s sins or command him to take up his bed and walk. So that he could demonstrate his ability to forgive sins, he commanded the paralyzed man to pick up his bed and walk. So he did. He was so energized by Christ’s power that he began to run around and praise God.
What impresses me is the faith, concern, tenacity and ingenuity of this man’s friends. They saw that their friend needed what only Jesus could give him and made sure he got to him. Jesus rewarded their faith, their concern and their faith driven actions by giving the man everything he needed.
Do you have a friend or family member who needs to meet Jesus? This Sunday, First Christian Church will host what we call “Friend Day.” We are encouraging our members and regular attendees to invite and bring their friends for this one special service. At this service the guests will encounter numerous Christ Followers who will welcome them with the love of Jesus Thy will hear a Gospel driven message about what it means to be a friend of Jesus. We will also share in a delicious carry-in pot-luck fellowship dinner to help build relationships. The sermon will be titled, When Jesus is Your Friend. Do you care about your friends and loved ones? Bring them to Friend Day and show them Jesus and his love.
Bringing them to Jesus,
Jon
Bring Them to Jesus
In Mark 2:1-12, there is a powerful event that occurred when Jesus was teaching the crowds in his home base town of Capernaum. There was a helpless man who suffered from paralysis who spent every day lying on a mat. He had four friends who learned that Jesus was back in town and was teaching and healing people in a local residence. Desperate for their friend, they got together and decided to carry their friend to see this great teacher and healer who was nearby. They picked their friend up and carried him on his mat to the house where Jesus was teaching. Jesus was in the house and the crowds were lined up way out the door in such a way that the friends were unable to get their friend anywhere near him. So they carried him up the outside stairs to the flat roof of the home. They dug through the roof and created a hole large enough that they could tie ropes to their friend and lowered him to where Jesus was teaching. Jesus was so impressed with the faith of this man’s friends that he declared that the man’s sins were forgiven. It is likely that these friends were looking for physical healing, but Jesus saw his deeper, more eternal need and forgave him.
The religious leaders in the crowd declared that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy for claiming the power and authority that only belonged to God. Jesus read their minds and asked them which would be easier for hm to do, forgive the man’s sins or command him to take up his bed and walk. So that he could demonstrate his ability to forgive sins, he commanded the paralyzed man to pick up his bed and walk. So he did. He was so energized by Christ’s power that he began to run around and praise God.
What impresses me is the faith, concern, tenacity and ingenuity of this man’s friends. They saw that their friend needed what only Jesus could give him and made sure he got to him. Jesus rewarded their faith, their concern and their faith driven actions by giving the man everything he needed.
Do you have a friend or family member who needs to meet Jesus? This Sunday, First Christian Church will host what we call “Friend Day.” We are encouraging our members and regular attendees to invite and bring their friends for this one special service. At this service the guests will encounter numerous Christ Followers who will welcome them with the love of Jesus Thy will hear a Gospel driven message about what it means to be a friend of Jesus. We will also share in a delicious carry-in pot-luck fellowship dinner to help build relationships. The sermon will be titled, When Jesus is Your Friend. Do you care about your friends and loved ones? Bring them to Friend Day and show them Jesus and his love.
Bringing them to Jesus,
Jon
Recent
Archive
2025
April
September
2024
January
September
November
Categories
no categories
Tags
no tags
No Comments