INFLUENCE

“Come and See/The Power of An Invitation”
Pastor Ben Johnson – September 17, 2023

Sympathy causes us to FEEL something for someone. Compassion moves us to DO something for someone. But, MISSION empowers us to BE Jesus for someone.

Mark 2:1-12 (NLT) — 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!”

Mission READY – Are we PREPARED to MOVE people towards Jesus regardless of the OBSTACLES?

1. Mission empowers our PRAYERS for reaching lost people and SHARING Jesus.
   

2. Mission empowers us to see GOD-MOMENTS and to ACT.
   

3. Mission empowers us to LEVERAGE more — to share in the joy of REACHING more. We have the power to change someone’s life through an invitation.

So, let’s INVITE more people to experience NEW LIFE in Christ Jesus.