The lesson is based on the account in the Gospel of Luke chapter five in which the palsied man is brought to Jesus by his friends who because of the press of the crowd lowered the afflicted man through the roof into the Healer's presence.
Am I the type of friend who brings others into a relationship with God?
To be like Jesus we need to
1) show up for the overlooked, the poor, the outcasts; people society looks down on.
2) get rid of our judgmental lenses; see people for who they are: people just like us, broken.
3) shake off people's opinions of us; if you hang out with the broken you will be looked down on.
Jesus purposefully hung out with people who would give him a bad reputation, with people who needed to be made whole.
Who are the sick we need to show up for? If we don't share the love of God we miss the point.
Jesus was intentional in his relationships. He wanted everyone to know God. We need to be intentional in our relationships so that those who are weak in their own faith might "borrow" ours.
There are people in your life that God has put there for a purpose. They are your calling.
Are you merely a friendly person, or are you really a good friend?
"Love each other." --Jesus
Christ appointed us to do the same thing He did.
Notes on the message as heard by Bob Warr.
Pastor Johnnie Blair
Sunday morning
3 comments:
Some of each, I think. Lots of room for improvement.
It's hard to be a good friend lately. People are exhausting...far too many on their own paths and agendas. Oh, there are the tried and true friends...but I keep to the surface with most these days. I'm sure Jesus shakes his head at me.
Sharkey, I am sure I need to improve in both areas.
Lin, people are difficult, and building relationship is exhausting. Yet. . .
Our foibles and shortcomings not withstanding, I know Jesus loves us.
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