Journey Through the Word with The Gospel of Mark Pt.1
Faith Will Find a Way
Mark 1: 9-13, 16-20, Mark 2:1-5, 9-12
Introduction:
Faith is a powerful force that can help us overcome obstacles and achieve what seems impossible. Combine faith with like-minded friends, and you will find that there’s nothing that can’t be done. The support of friends and the belief in our All-Mighty God can provide us with the strength and courage we need to overcome the challenges that come our way. Conversely, bad friendships and misdirected focus can be significant hindrances to our progress and well-being. When we are not connected, when we are not unified, whenever we are not believing in the same thing, as the word says, without faith it’s impossible to please God. In Mark 2:1-5, we see how the faith of a paralyzed man and his friends helped him reach Jesus, even when it seemed impossible.
Today, we will explore this passage and learn how we can apply the same principles to our lives. We see a group of friends who were determined to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. They encountered obstacles along the way but refused to give up.
This story teaches us about the power of perseverance and the importance of working together to achieve a common goal. Faith and friendships are two of the most powerful forces that shape our lives. It is essential to recognize the influence that both faith and friends have on our lives and to cultivate positive relationships that help us grow and thrive. When faith and friendships are aligned in a positive direction, they can be an unstoppable force for the Father’s Glory.
Chapter 1 Synopsis
How do we make room for the Holy Spirit to work in Your Faith?
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Mark 1:9-13
Mark 1:16-20
Making room for the Holy Spirit to work in your faith involves intentionally creating space in your life for God’s presence and guidance. I must become more intimate with God within myself. In the context of Mark 1:9-13 and Mark 1:16-20, we see two key moments: Jesus’ baptism and temptation, and the calling of the first disciples. Both passages provide insight into how we can open ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s work.
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- Follow Jesus’ Example of Humility and Obedience (Mark 1:9-13):
- Just as Jesus humbled Himself to be baptized, we too must approach God with humility, recognizing our need for Him. This act of surrender opens us up to the Holy Spirit, as seen when the Spirit descends upon Jesus after His baptism.
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- After His baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. This demonstrates obedience—even when it leads us into challenging or uncomfortable situations. Trusting God in these moments allows the Holy Spirit to strengthen and prepare us for what lies ahead.
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- Respond to God’s Call and Step Out in Faith (Mark 1:16-20):
- When Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John, they immediately left everything to follow Him. Making room for the Holy Spirit means being willing to let go of our own plans and comforts to pursue God’s purpose for our lives.
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- Faith grows when we act on God’s invitation, even if it means stepping into the unknown. The disciples’ willingness to follow Jesus set the stage for the Spirit to work powerfully through them.
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- Remove Distractions and Pursue Unity:
- As the surrounding context highlights, faith is strengthened when we are connected with others who share our beliefs and goals. Positive relationships and unified purpose help us focus on God and make it easier for the Spirit to move in our lives.
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- Conversely, distractions, negative influences, or a lack of faith can hinder the Spirit’s work. Purposefully removing these obstacles and aligning ourselves with God’s will creates fertile ground for the Holy Spirit.
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- Persevere and Trust God’s Timing:
- As seen in the faith of the paralyzed man and his friends (Mark 2:1-5, from the broader context), perseverance and trust are essential. Even when we face obstacles, continuing to seek Jesus and believing in His power allows the Spirit to work in unexpected ways.
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Making room for the Holy Spirit involves humility, obedience, a willingness to follow God’s call, unity with others, and perseverance in faith. As we intentionally open our hearts and lives to God, the Holy Spirit can work powerfully, guiding, empowering, and transforming us for God’s glory.
What stands in our way? The noise of the crowd
- Appearance can be Deceiving
- 3 People in this text?
- Jesus
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- Crippled
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- 4 Friends
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- What’s the importance of faith? Make Room for Jesus (1-2)
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- Why do we need faith? Overcome Your Paralysis (3)
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- The things that cripple us, leave us disabled, prevent us from moving
- My Attitude about a desire has a lot to do with how I feel about myself
- Make sure you’re in the right Company (5)
- Show me your friends, I’ll show you your future
- Good Friend vs Bad Friend
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- If I’m always giving, and you’re always taking, that’s not a friend.
- They only reach out when they want something from you
- They always want you to celebrate them, but can’t celebrate you
- Always bring drama into your life
- Good Friend
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- Someone I can trust and share a deep level of transparency with
- Trust them, and depend on them
- Sticks around during good times and bad
- Celebrate life with you, want the best for you
- Tell you the truth, even if you don’t like it
- Push you and encourage you to be a better person and go after your goals
- Vision Requires Faith to overcome obstacles
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- A. The paralyzed man faced a physical obstacle that prevented him from reaching Jesus (Mark 2:3)
- His friends faced a logistical obstacle in carrying him to Jesus through the crowded house (Mark 2:4)
- Their faith in Jesus allowed them to overcome these obstacles and find a way to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus (Mark 2:5)
- Stay in Position & Hold Up Your Corner
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- Working Together to Achieve a Common Goal (Mark 2:3-5)
- The friends worked together to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus.
- They each held up their corner of the mat and carried their friend to Jesus.
- How can we work together with one another to achieve a common goal?
- Marriage
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- Ministry
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- Relationships-Mentoring & Motivating “Become a Better Me”
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- Business
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- Fitness-Getting Healthy and Relying on each other’s strengths and abilities.
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- Actions are Necessary In Order to Find a Way
- Requires Focus
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- If one way fails, try another
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- Don’t Listen to the Crowd
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- Refuse to Give in to Yourself
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- Stay Focused so you won’t fail
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- We can go forward, we can go up, but what’s not an option is going backwards
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- Faith leads to action
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- The paralyzed man and his friends did not simply have faith in their hearts; they put their faith into action by carrying the paralyzed man to Jesus (Mark 2:3-4)
- Faith without works is dead (James 2:26)
- Our faith should inspire us to take action and pursue the things we believe in
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- Tear off the Roof
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- The things that lock you in, and lock God out (Mark 2:6-8)
- No Vision
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- Wrong Perspective
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- Fear of the What If
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- Frustrations that Fog Our View
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- Out of Position
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- Refuse to be Denied
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- Remove the Lid of Limitation
- I don’t have it in my possession yet, but I can see it by faith
- Know we get more than we anticipated
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- Bring Common Faith to God, and He will create extraordinary Miracles for you
- Look for a healing and end up receiving becoming whole
- When a little becomes a lot
- Make up your mind, I’m going to do the best I can with what I have
- Use what you got where you are
- Don’t worry about what’s in front of you, just pick up your corner
- Don’t worry about the results
- Don’t worry about the future
- Don’t worry about the mistakes of the plans
- Don’t worry about what they say about you
- God will take care of you & God will take care of it
- You don’t have to wait until you see the results to say Thank You. Now would be a Good Time to prophesy your outcome and tell him, “Thank you for all He’s done for you.”
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- Thank you for the many storms you brought me through
- Thank you for the many doors you’ve opened for me
- Thank you for being my savior and my guide
- Thank You for when my loved ones left me, I recognized that weeping may endureth for a night, but JOY WILL come in the morning
- When I was down to my last dime, I recognized that He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who will provide
- I have so much to thank God for
- Take your bed and walk into your promise
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