Pack the Church | Get Up and Walk
Understanding The Power Of Forgiveness From Our Sin
James Greer
Sep 12, 2021 25m
Sometimes we can feel paralyzed by our sin. But Jesus wants to offer us forgiveness from our sin. We only have to realize the miracle of His forgiveness. He has already forgiven our sins. It's time to get up and walk in the power that God has for your life. Video recorded at Pineville, Louisiana.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
James Greer: [00:00:00] Well, morning, Journey Church. Man, I love to see a packed house, people downstairs and y'all upstairs. Whoo! Come alive up there. There you go. Man, it's an exciting message today. I'll tell you, we're talking about there's some guys that wanted a man in church so bad that they carried him to the front door and he couldn't get in. And so they climbed on top of the roof and tore the roof off and let him down. And you know, that kind of reminds me of our church. Our church has a vision to do whatever we can apart from sin to bring those people far from God close to God. And that's what we try to do. Man, you know what I was loving? I was thinking, I wish we could figure out a way to have somebody go to the top of the roof and let somebody down. Now, me, I'm not going to stand on that sucker. But they could’ve let me down. That would’ve been kind of cool. But during the story, there was these Pharisees that were in the house, in the church. You know? And they wanted him to stay paralyzed until it was legalized. In other words, they said, we don't want to heal on Sunday. And there's people who come to church every Sunday. You know? And you'd rather stay paralyzed until something's legalized. I mean in other words, you come to church and you're saying, well, I don't really think it's just right. I don't think Jesus can really do that. And I'm going to tell you, I think Sunday’s the best day to get healed there ever has been. Amen? And there were some that just, he was paralyzed and they wanted to rationalized what Jesus is going to do.
James Greer: [00:01:30] There's some people who come to church every Sunday and say, man, I need help. I got a hopeless situation. I got problems. But you just rationalize. Say, Jesus can't really do it. Yes, He can. Amen? And then I love it. Jesus wanted the paralyzed guy to be evangelized. And that's what I want. I want to see him evangelized. He wanted his life radically changed. And then the paralyzed man, once he was evangelizing, he was energized. Once he was energized, he publicized what happened to him. Amen? And I'm telling you, once you're really, really evangelized, once your life really changed and God's working you, He should energize you and you should publicize what He's done to you. Amen? See, the paralyzed man is a type of sin. It’s what sin can do to you. It can paralyze you. But I want you to know there's no sin too great that Jesus can't forgive you and set you free from. Jesus wants you to be free from your paralyzed, free from your sin, and He wants you to go out of here today not paralyzed but to walk. The guy was so paralyzed, he was in a lot of pain. But he went from pain to praising God today. There's are some of y’all here today that are in pain, that you're hurting and maybe you feel helpless to some extent. I hope you go out today praising God.
James Greer: [00:02:54] The story is from Mark 2. it starts out in. And again, He, He being Jesus. He entered into Capernaum, and after some days it was heard, y’all ready?, that Jesus was in the house. Can I tell y’all something? Y’all ready? Jesus is in the house. Amen? And man, when Jesus is in the house, things happen. Let me tell you some of the things that happened this year already. We've already had 107 people join this year. Whoo! That's because Jesus is in the house. Not only we had 107 people join, we've had 68 people baptized this year already. Amen. Whoo! And hey, after the next service, it's going to be 70. Woohoo! Amen. So that means, man, 70 people already this year alone. You know why? Because Jesus is in the house. Since Jesus is in the house, you need to be in the house. Because with Jesus in the house, you need to be in the house. And when you're in the house, it might be the very Sunday that you needed to be in the house because that Sunday God had a message just for you. And then it says, and immediately, many gathered together so that there was no room to receive them.
James Greer: [00:04:01] I love that. Jesus say, man, Jesus loved to preach to packed houses and so do I. But anyway. Not even near the door. And so He preached the Word to them. I'll tell you, that's what you got to do when you come to God's house. You preach the Word. When you preach the Word, it draws people. See, a real friend that cares for somebody that's hurting, you’ll know that the best thing you can do for somebody is to get them to Jesus. You want to help them. I want to help them. But the only lasting help is to get them to Jesus Christ. They wanted to get in there so bad, they were willing to carry him if they had to. And see, really what the man was, he was in a helpless, hopeless situation. Now they knew if I can get him to Jesus Christ, his world would change forever. And that's what a real friend would do. And if you're here today and you've got some hopeless, helpless situations, I want you to know that Jesus can change your life today. See, the best thing that anyone can do that needs help is believe that Jesus can help them. Because see, the truth is there's absolutely nothing too hard for the Lord. It says, Jesus looked at him, and He said, with men, it's impossible. But not with God. For with God, some things are possible, few things are possible, hope things are possible. Says, with God, all things are possible. Can you say all? And you know what all means? All. Amen? I mean if you learn the Word, if you live the Word, if you apply the Word, all things are possible.
James Greer: [00:05:40] Luke says this. For with God, nothing will be impossible. In Matthew 17:20 says Jesus says this. If you even have, Jesus said to them, because of your unbelief, for surely I say to you, if you have the faith of a mustard seed. I have a mustard seed. Man, they’re so little, you can't even see them. And you say to this mountain. Mountains are impossible situations. Move from here to there. It's going to move. Why? And nothing will be impossible for you. Now see, some of y’all, the mustard seed’s just planted. But some of y'all, the mustard seed is blooming. And when I say the mustard seed’s blooming, you've had a problem, but now you've got God's Word, you got God's promise, and you're starting to believe it and it's matter. You're waiting for God to do it. Man, I love it when your mustard seed starts blooming because you come to the point that you don't have to have a lot of faith but a little faith, and you got God's promise so that's God's will. And you know God's fixing to start working in your life. Amen? Because there's absolutely nothing too hard for God. What do you mean by that? There's no heart to hard for God to change. There's no life that it's too late to get saved. There's no marriage that's too hard for God to mend. There's no child who’s strayed too far that can’t come back. There's no financial situation too bad that God can't help. There's no health situation that God can't heal. I mean God, there's nothing too hard for the Lord. Amen?
James Greer: [00:07:04] Then verse 4 says, and when they couldn't come near Him, Jesus, because of the crowd. Isn't that great? They had such a crowd that they couldn't get to Jesus. They uncovered the roof where He was. Wouldn't that be cool if we could have done that today? Huh? So when they had broken through, tore the roof off. You know what happens? If we tour the roof off, somebody at church would say, I can't believe they're doing that. I mean, do you know that when Pastor James was preaching, they tore the roof off? Do you know it's too hot, it's too cold, it's too loud. There's just always. But I mean I can't believe they're doing that. I'd say, amen, brother. I wish we had so many people, you just had to push some of them out of the way to get somebody else down here. Anyway. So they broke through. And what did they do? They let the bed down, the paralyzed guy down. And see, when you let him down, he gets to the feet of Jesus. When you get to the feet of Jesus, your life’s fixing to radically change. And this is what I want you to really see. You ready? When Jesus saw their faith. Whose faith? The faith of the men, the people that brought the guy that was paralyzed. Did you know at this point it doesn't say anything about the paralyzed guy’s faith?
James Greer: [00:08:26] Did you know that your faith can change other people's lives? Did you know that your faith affects everybody? You have the faith factor in your life. Matter of fact, your faith can be this. Sometimes it's intercession prayer. If my mom wouldn't have prayed for me. My mother believed the impossible could happen because I looked impossible to get saved. I mean I bet they started laughing when I said, hey, I'm preaching. Not only her, everybody I knew. They said, you got to be kidding. It was a joke. It was so funny, I laughed. They saw their faith. Because your faith is so strong, you can change people's lives. I want you to start thinking of somebody's life that you would like changed. I'd like for you to start interceding and praying for that person and let God begin to work in their life. And so He said to the paralyzed person, he said, son, your sins are forgiven you. Can I tell you something? One of the greatest miracles in your life, when you actually come to the point that you realize that God's forgiven your sins. He's forgiven your sins in the past, in the present, in the future. Once He's really forgiven your sins, there's nothing you can do to stop from going to Heaven. I mean He's forgiven you. You don't have to be paralyzed. The problem that I see there's so many people have their parents’ faith or their grandparents’ faith or somebody else's religion. And so you come to church, but you're still paralyzed. You're still paralyzed in your sin, in your guilt, in your bondage, in your fear, in your worry, in your discouragement. And you've really never been set free from those things, from your guilt and your shame. I can't wait. Next Sunday, I start the new series The Pastor's Big Ask. I try to be very careful, and I have to be careful.
James Greer: [00:10:21] But one of my big ask questions, third week, third week. It's going to be, why are so many people living in shame? And Christians. Now if you're not a Christian, I understand that. But if you're a Christian, Jesus died for your shame. So one of the questions is why are you living in your shame? Maybe you're not saved. But once you get saved, man, you should be set free. Amen? Your life should radically be changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 said, therefore, any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things passed away. All things become new. Can you imagine this guy gets let down? Jesus said, hey, your sins are forgiven. Get up and walk. Do you think he was, man, I had experience with Jesus. I don't think so. I mean I think he knew that his life had been radically changed. In fact, if you say that you're saved and your life has never been changed, you better check out your salvation. Oh yeah, brother James. Because sin will paralyze you. But the good news is you don't have to stay paralyzed if you're here today. Not someday but today your life can be changed. It applies to Christians and non-Christians. See, first of all, you're saved from the penalty of sin. That's hell. Then you can be saved from the power of sin. Because see, when you get saved, you can saved from the penalty of sin, but you don't get safe from the power of sin. But God wants to give you the power to overcome sin. Amen? See, when you get right with God, He ignites a power in you that you're not only safe from the penalty of sin, but you get saved from the power of sin so you can overcome the sin.
James Greer: [00:11:45] That's what God wants you to do. What I was telling you, when they had to carry this guy that was paralyzed, he couldn't walk. It was a picture of sin. And what sin will do little at a time, it will paralyze you. The wrong use of drugs will paralyze your life. It'll destroy you. Fear can paralyze you. Guilt can paralyze you. Shame, which I'll be preaching on pretty soon, can paralyze you. Drunkenness, I didn't say take a drink. Drunkenness can paralyze you. Financial debt, I can remember being in financial debt, and it just paralyzed me. I’d think about it at night. I’d think about it in the morning. I’d worry about it. How am I going to get? It’ll just paralyze you. Depression, I can remember one time seeing people come and hiding under my desk. I was so depressed. I was scared. I didn't want to talk to them. Discouragement, worry, stress, all those things can paralyze you. But see, the good news is Jesus is going to tell you at the end of the service, get up and walk. You don't have to stay that way. Amen? John 8:32 says, you should know the truth and the truth shall make you free. James 5:16 says, confess your trespasses to one another and you shall be healed. Jesus wants to forgive you any and all your sins where you can get up and walk. Not only can you get up and walk, He wants you to get up walk, and tell somebody. He doesn't want you paralyzed. He wants you to publicize what God's done for you. See? Only true and lasting joy comes from doing and obey what’s God’s told you to do.
James Greer: [00:13:26] Well, then there are some scribes. The religious people were there. They were sitting and reasoning. Can you imagine? Reasoning, rationalizing why this couldn't work. See, they said, why does this man speak blasphemies like this? See, the Pharisees said, let's just keep him paralyzed. The Pharisees said, listen, he's paralyzed. It's not legalized. In other words, it's not legal to do it on Sunday. Can you imagine? They knew the Word. There are some people here at church, you know God's word, but you're still paralyzed. You're saying, I can't believe God can change my life. I don't believe He can set me free. Let me ask you a big pastor's ask question. Why don't you believe what God says? Why do you come to church and go home the same way? That's what they were doing. Who can forgive sin but God? Jesus can. That's who. Amen? And He was there to do it. That's what He wanted to do. I mean there's always somebody that's going to start telling you what Jesus can't do about the time you're getting fired up about what Jesus is going to do in your life. But immediately, when Jesus is perceived in His spirit that they were reasoned, they were rationalizing.
James Greer: [00:14:53] You've got to be careful. You can come to church and the Holy Spirit trying to work in your life. And instead you'll start rationalizing why God can't do what He says he can do. Well, do you want to stay paralyzed, rationalize or you want to be set free? Amen? Reasoning thus within themselves. And He said to them, why do you reason? Why do you keep rationalizing what Jesus can do? Why do you do that about the things in your heart? Well, I love that. Jesus was preaching to a packed house, a sea of religious people there. I'm getting to preach to a packed house. And some of y'all are just reasoning in your heart why God can't do and help you in your hopeless situations. Jesus said, which is easier? For me to say to the guy that's paralyzed, your sins be forgiven you. Or me to say, take up your bed and walk. Jesus said, look, I can do whatever I want to do. Which is the easiest for me to do? He can do it. And so Jesus said He can do when he says what He can do. But that you may know what, you ready?, that the Son of man has power on Earth. Power where? On Earth. I mean you know Jesus got power in Heaven. Amen? But Jesus has got power on Earth. I don't know what you need the power is, but He's got it. He showed His power because He told a paralyzed guy to get up and walk on Earth to forgive sin. Then He said to the man that was paralyzed. And He said, to you, arise, take your bed and go to your house which I bet he did. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine saying, hey, take your bed. And about a week later, they had a prayer service. And they all laid hands on him. And a month later, he got up and walked. It said immediately he rose. See, immediately, some people's lives could be changed today. He took his bed, and he went out in the presence of them all.
James Greer: [00:16:53] I love that because when he said he went out in the presence of them all, he went out. He was paralyzed. Now he publicized what He's done. How long has it been since you told somebody what Jesus did in your life? I mean if Jesus, is this a picture? He was paralyzed. He couldn't walk. It's a picture of Jesus changed his life. Now he can walk. It's also a picture of me and you when we were in our sins where we were and when we get saved, how radical our lives can be changed. We should go from paralyzed to publicize. We need to be telling people what Jesus done in our life, what He's doing in our church. Amen? You know what? All of them were amazed and glorified God, saying, we've never seen anything like that. I mean you should be amazed with all Jesus Christ is doing. You should be amazed we had 60-70 people already been baptized this year. That's amazing. Some churches are closing the door, and God's rocking the house. You ought to be excited. More than that, He wants to do it in your own personal life. See, you know what? I'm excited that you're here. But you know what more than that?
James Greer: [00:17:53] Jesus is glad that you're here. Many know that their life is paralyzed. You've been living paralyzed. Maybe it’s your marriage. Maybe it's something in the past. Maybe it's finance. Maybe feel like you're just not going anywhere. Maybe you feel hopeless, helpless, discouraged. Maybe you're paralyzed on your job. Maybe it's drugs. There's something in your life that’s just got you paralyzed. Fear, discouragement, guilt, shame. I'm here to tell you that's coming from the devil. As we get ready to close, I want you to know that Jesus does not want you to stay paralyzed. What He wants more than anything else as I end the day, He wants you to get in the right relationship with Him where you can get up and walk. You have to make a choice. You got to believe that Jesus can forgive you for the penalty of sin, which is hell. But He can give you the power to overcome sin. Then there's those that are just reasoning why He can't do it. See, there's really three things that happen. There's the penalty of sin that Jesus will forgive you. He'll give you the power to overcome sin. Or then there's the pessimist decides to just live paralyzed in their sin. None of those are, He don't want you to live in your sin. He wants to set you free. In fact, James 5:16, says., confess your trespasses one to another. You know why he says that? Because we need each other. You need to be at church. You really need to be in a small group.
James Greer: [00:19:53] I believe when we all come to church and we worship together, see, I believe in Jesus in the house. I believe Jesus likes to work in the house. I believe when two or three are together, God really works. But man, I think when there's that many and, you know, He says two can chase a thousand, ten will chase ten thousand, man, Jesus is in the house. Says confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another. Sometimes we just need to pray for each other. Sometimes we need to pray with each other. You know what it says after that? That you might be healed. Some of you are hurting and need to be healed today. When I say heal, some of you need to be healed from past hurts. Some of it’s emotional. Some may need to forgive somebody. Some of you need to receive forgiveness. Some of it's emotional, some of it’s spiritual, some of it’s physical. Then it says, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is powerful. It gave an example in the next verse. It said he prayed and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He prayed again and it rained. That's power. But some of you say, I feel like I'm so paralyzed, I can't even pray. Well, come and let somebody pray with you. 1 John 1:9 says, confess your sins because Jesus, He's faithful and just. He’ll forgive you all your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You know what the next verse says? If you say you have not sinned, you make God out to be a liar because we've all sinned. Then he sums it up with John 8:32. He says, you shall know the truth. The truth shall make you free. Don't go home today paralyzed. Don't sit there and rationalize why God can't work in your life. Instead, make the decision today in just a moment to get up and walk. Imagine being freer than you've ever been in your life.
James Greer: [00:21:52] Would you stand up and let me pray with you and pray for you? God, I thank you for your Word. It's so clear. It's so powerful. God, I pray for those that came in today that felt paralyzed, that felt hopeless whether it's fear, shame, guilt, whether it's financial, family, whatever it was. I pray right now through the blood of Jesus Christ that you bind Satan in their lives. You open their spiritual eyes. You begin to set them free. When I say free, God, it's a physical picture. They get up and walk out of here. They leave the fear, the guilt, the worry here at church. God's quite capable to take care of it because Jesus is in the house. Some of you need to get up and walk because you're not sure if something happened to you, you'd go to Heaven. You need to be forgiven for the penalty of sin. And man, that's what Jesus wants to do. You just need to come and say, I want to put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. I want to make sure if I died, I'd go to Heaven. Man, you talk about get up and walk. That’s you.
James Greer: [00:22:53] Some of you say I need the power over sin. And Jesus said, hey, why don't you get up and walk? Why don't you confess all known sin and then quit believing the lies? Most of the reason that sin has power over you is because you just believe the lie of the devil. Because when you get saved, man, you get Christ in you, the hope of glory. And I want your eyes to be open to the power that's available to you, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Some of you have never been biblically, publicly baptized. Maybe you were baptized as a child and now you know you need to get baptized. Why don't you get up and walk? Why don't you come to the front in just a minute? Some of you need somebody to pray with them, pray for them. Just like in James, pray for one another that you might be healed. And we got people that'll be up front and they'll pray with you and they'll pray for you. Some of you have been visiting church, and we're glad you did. Maybe got engaged. You've been coming a while. Now you want to be part of the family. It’s like get married. Say, this is my church home. This is my family. And today is the day you want to join. Just get up and walk. Just come to the front and say, hey, today's the day I want to make this my church home. Whatever it is, don't go home with the guilt, the shame and hopeless and helplessness. Be set free and get up and walk from whatever it is. I pray in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Bruce Goulart: [00:24:28] On behalf of Pastor James, I just want to say thank you for joining our online experience today. Man, what an amazing day at church with Pack the Church today. And next week we are starting a brand new series, The Pastor's Big Ask. And I'm so excited for it. But if you need someone to pray with you right now, we have people on standby that are willing to pray with you. So there's a link in the description if you click on and fill out, someone will get with you right away. Again, thank you so much for joining us on our online experience today, and we hope to see you next week.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.
James Greer: [00:01:30] There's some people who come to church every Sunday and say, man, I need help. I got a hopeless situation. I got problems. But you just rationalize. Say, Jesus can't really do it. Yes, He can. Amen? And then I love it. Jesus wanted the paralyzed guy to be evangelized. And that's what I want. I want to see him evangelized. He wanted his life radically changed. And then the paralyzed man, once he was evangelizing, he was energized. Once he was energized, he publicized what happened to him. Amen? And I'm telling you, once you're really, really evangelized, once your life really changed and God's working you, He should energize you and you should publicize what He's done to you. Amen? See, the paralyzed man is a type of sin. It’s what sin can do to you. It can paralyze you. But I want you to know there's no sin too great that Jesus can't forgive you and set you free from. Jesus wants you to be free from your paralyzed, free from your sin, and He wants you to go out of here today not paralyzed but to walk. The guy was so paralyzed, he was in a lot of pain. But he went from pain to praising God today. There's are some of y’all here today that are in pain, that you're hurting and maybe you feel helpless to some extent. I hope you go out today praising God.
James Greer: [00:02:54] The story is from Mark 2. it starts out in. And again, He, He being Jesus. He entered into Capernaum, and after some days it was heard, y’all ready?, that Jesus was in the house. Can I tell y’all something? Y’all ready? Jesus is in the house. Amen? And man, when Jesus is in the house, things happen. Let me tell you some of the things that happened this year already. We've already had 107 people join this year. Whoo! That's because Jesus is in the house. Not only we had 107 people join, we've had 68 people baptized this year already. Amen. Whoo! And hey, after the next service, it's going to be 70. Woohoo! Amen. So that means, man, 70 people already this year alone. You know why? Because Jesus is in the house. Since Jesus is in the house, you need to be in the house. Because with Jesus in the house, you need to be in the house. And when you're in the house, it might be the very Sunday that you needed to be in the house because that Sunday God had a message just for you. And then it says, and immediately, many gathered together so that there was no room to receive them.
James Greer: [00:04:01] I love that. Jesus say, man, Jesus loved to preach to packed houses and so do I. But anyway. Not even near the door. And so He preached the Word to them. I'll tell you, that's what you got to do when you come to God's house. You preach the Word. When you preach the Word, it draws people. See, a real friend that cares for somebody that's hurting, you’ll know that the best thing you can do for somebody is to get them to Jesus. You want to help them. I want to help them. But the only lasting help is to get them to Jesus Christ. They wanted to get in there so bad, they were willing to carry him if they had to. And see, really what the man was, he was in a helpless, hopeless situation. Now they knew if I can get him to Jesus Christ, his world would change forever. And that's what a real friend would do. And if you're here today and you've got some hopeless, helpless situations, I want you to know that Jesus can change your life today. See, the best thing that anyone can do that needs help is believe that Jesus can help them. Because see, the truth is there's absolutely nothing too hard for the Lord. It says, Jesus looked at him, and He said, with men, it's impossible. But not with God. For with God, some things are possible, few things are possible, hope things are possible. Says, with God, all things are possible. Can you say all? And you know what all means? All. Amen? I mean if you learn the Word, if you live the Word, if you apply the Word, all things are possible.
James Greer: [00:05:40] Luke says this. For with God, nothing will be impossible. In Matthew 17:20 says Jesus says this. If you even have, Jesus said to them, because of your unbelief, for surely I say to you, if you have the faith of a mustard seed. I have a mustard seed. Man, they’re so little, you can't even see them. And you say to this mountain. Mountains are impossible situations. Move from here to there. It's going to move. Why? And nothing will be impossible for you. Now see, some of y’all, the mustard seed’s just planted. But some of y'all, the mustard seed is blooming. And when I say the mustard seed’s blooming, you've had a problem, but now you've got God's Word, you got God's promise, and you're starting to believe it and it's matter. You're waiting for God to do it. Man, I love it when your mustard seed starts blooming because you come to the point that you don't have to have a lot of faith but a little faith, and you got God's promise so that's God's will. And you know God's fixing to start working in your life. Amen? Because there's absolutely nothing too hard for God. What do you mean by that? There's no heart to hard for God to change. There's no life that it's too late to get saved. There's no marriage that's too hard for God to mend. There's no child who’s strayed too far that can’t come back. There's no financial situation too bad that God can't help. There's no health situation that God can't heal. I mean God, there's nothing too hard for the Lord. Amen?
James Greer: [00:07:04] Then verse 4 says, and when they couldn't come near Him, Jesus, because of the crowd. Isn't that great? They had such a crowd that they couldn't get to Jesus. They uncovered the roof where He was. Wouldn't that be cool if we could have done that today? Huh? So when they had broken through, tore the roof off. You know what happens? If we tour the roof off, somebody at church would say, I can't believe they're doing that. I mean, do you know that when Pastor James was preaching, they tore the roof off? Do you know it's too hot, it's too cold, it's too loud. There's just always. But I mean I can't believe they're doing that. I'd say, amen, brother. I wish we had so many people, you just had to push some of them out of the way to get somebody else down here. Anyway. So they broke through. And what did they do? They let the bed down, the paralyzed guy down. And see, when you let him down, he gets to the feet of Jesus. When you get to the feet of Jesus, your life’s fixing to radically change. And this is what I want you to really see. You ready? When Jesus saw their faith. Whose faith? The faith of the men, the people that brought the guy that was paralyzed. Did you know at this point it doesn't say anything about the paralyzed guy’s faith?
James Greer: [00:08:26] Did you know that your faith can change other people's lives? Did you know that your faith affects everybody? You have the faith factor in your life. Matter of fact, your faith can be this. Sometimes it's intercession prayer. If my mom wouldn't have prayed for me. My mother believed the impossible could happen because I looked impossible to get saved. I mean I bet they started laughing when I said, hey, I'm preaching. Not only her, everybody I knew. They said, you got to be kidding. It was a joke. It was so funny, I laughed. They saw their faith. Because your faith is so strong, you can change people's lives. I want you to start thinking of somebody's life that you would like changed. I'd like for you to start interceding and praying for that person and let God begin to work in their life. And so He said to the paralyzed person, he said, son, your sins are forgiven you. Can I tell you something? One of the greatest miracles in your life, when you actually come to the point that you realize that God's forgiven your sins. He's forgiven your sins in the past, in the present, in the future. Once He's really forgiven your sins, there's nothing you can do to stop from going to Heaven. I mean He's forgiven you. You don't have to be paralyzed. The problem that I see there's so many people have their parents’ faith or their grandparents’ faith or somebody else's religion. And so you come to church, but you're still paralyzed. You're still paralyzed in your sin, in your guilt, in your bondage, in your fear, in your worry, in your discouragement. And you've really never been set free from those things, from your guilt and your shame. I can't wait. Next Sunday, I start the new series The Pastor's Big Ask. I try to be very careful, and I have to be careful.
James Greer: [00:10:21] But one of my big ask questions, third week, third week. It's going to be, why are so many people living in shame? And Christians. Now if you're not a Christian, I understand that. But if you're a Christian, Jesus died for your shame. So one of the questions is why are you living in your shame? Maybe you're not saved. But once you get saved, man, you should be set free. Amen? Your life should radically be changed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 said, therefore, any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things passed away. All things become new. Can you imagine this guy gets let down? Jesus said, hey, your sins are forgiven. Get up and walk. Do you think he was, man, I had experience with Jesus. I don't think so. I mean I think he knew that his life had been radically changed. In fact, if you say that you're saved and your life has never been changed, you better check out your salvation. Oh yeah, brother James. Because sin will paralyze you. But the good news is you don't have to stay paralyzed if you're here today. Not someday but today your life can be changed. It applies to Christians and non-Christians. See, first of all, you're saved from the penalty of sin. That's hell. Then you can be saved from the power of sin. Because see, when you get saved, you can saved from the penalty of sin, but you don't get safe from the power of sin. But God wants to give you the power to overcome sin. Amen? See, when you get right with God, He ignites a power in you that you're not only safe from the penalty of sin, but you get saved from the power of sin so you can overcome the sin.
James Greer: [00:11:45] That's what God wants you to do. What I was telling you, when they had to carry this guy that was paralyzed, he couldn't walk. It was a picture of sin. And what sin will do little at a time, it will paralyze you. The wrong use of drugs will paralyze your life. It'll destroy you. Fear can paralyze you. Guilt can paralyze you. Shame, which I'll be preaching on pretty soon, can paralyze you. Drunkenness, I didn't say take a drink. Drunkenness can paralyze you. Financial debt, I can remember being in financial debt, and it just paralyzed me. I’d think about it at night. I’d think about it in the morning. I’d worry about it. How am I going to get? It’ll just paralyze you. Depression, I can remember one time seeing people come and hiding under my desk. I was so depressed. I was scared. I didn't want to talk to them. Discouragement, worry, stress, all those things can paralyze you. But see, the good news is Jesus is going to tell you at the end of the service, get up and walk. You don't have to stay that way. Amen? John 8:32 says, you should know the truth and the truth shall make you free. James 5:16 says, confess your trespasses to one another and you shall be healed. Jesus wants to forgive you any and all your sins where you can get up and walk. Not only can you get up and walk, He wants you to get up walk, and tell somebody. He doesn't want you paralyzed. He wants you to publicize what God's done for you. See? Only true and lasting joy comes from doing and obey what’s God’s told you to do.
James Greer: [00:13:26] Well, then there are some scribes. The religious people were there. They were sitting and reasoning. Can you imagine? Reasoning, rationalizing why this couldn't work. See, they said, why does this man speak blasphemies like this? See, the Pharisees said, let's just keep him paralyzed. The Pharisees said, listen, he's paralyzed. It's not legalized. In other words, it's not legal to do it on Sunday. Can you imagine? They knew the Word. There are some people here at church, you know God's word, but you're still paralyzed. You're saying, I can't believe God can change my life. I don't believe He can set me free. Let me ask you a big pastor's ask question. Why don't you believe what God says? Why do you come to church and go home the same way? That's what they were doing. Who can forgive sin but God? Jesus can. That's who. Amen? And He was there to do it. That's what He wanted to do. I mean there's always somebody that's going to start telling you what Jesus can't do about the time you're getting fired up about what Jesus is going to do in your life. But immediately, when Jesus is perceived in His spirit that they were reasoned, they were rationalizing.
James Greer: [00:14:53] You've got to be careful. You can come to church and the Holy Spirit trying to work in your life. And instead you'll start rationalizing why God can't do what He says he can do. Well, do you want to stay paralyzed, rationalize or you want to be set free? Amen? Reasoning thus within themselves. And He said to them, why do you reason? Why do you keep rationalizing what Jesus can do? Why do you do that about the things in your heart? Well, I love that. Jesus was preaching to a packed house, a sea of religious people there. I'm getting to preach to a packed house. And some of y'all are just reasoning in your heart why God can't do and help you in your hopeless situations. Jesus said, which is easier? For me to say to the guy that's paralyzed, your sins be forgiven you. Or me to say, take up your bed and walk. Jesus said, look, I can do whatever I want to do. Which is the easiest for me to do? He can do it. And so Jesus said He can do when he says what He can do. But that you may know what, you ready?, that the Son of man has power on Earth. Power where? On Earth. I mean you know Jesus got power in Heaven. Amen? But Jesus has got power on Earth. I don't know what you need the power is, but He's got it. He showed His power because He told a paralyzed guy to get up and walk on Earth to forgive sin. Then He said to the man that was paralyzed. And He said, to you, arise, take your bed and go to your house which I bet he did. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine saying, hey, take your bed. And about a week later, they had a prayer service. And they all laid hands on him. And a month later, he got up and walked. It said immediately he rose. See, immediately, some people's lives could be changed today. He took his bed, and he went out in the presence of them all.
James Greer: [00:16:53] I love that because when he said he went out in the presence of them all, he went out. He was paralyzed. Now he publicized what He's done. How long has it been since you told somebody what Jesus did in your life? I mean if Jesus, is this a picture? He was paralyzed. He couldn't walk. It's a picture of Jesus changed his life. Now he can walk. It's also a picture of me and you when we were in our sins where we were and when we get saved, how radical our lives can be changed. We should go from paralyzed to publicize. We need to be telling people what Jesus done in our life, what He's doing in our church. Amen? You know what? All of them were amazed and glorified God, saying, we've never seen anything like that. I mean you should be amazed with all Jesus Christ is doing. You should be amazed we had 60-70 people already been baptized this year. That's amazing. Some churches are closing the door, and God's rocking the house. You ought to be excited. More than that, He wants to do it in your own personal life. See, you know what? I'm excited that you're here. But you know what more than that?
James Greer: [00:17:53] Jesus is glad that you're here. Many know that their life is paralyzed. You've been living paralyzed. Maybe it’s your marriage. Maybe it's something in the past. Maybe it's finance. Maybe feel like you're just not going anywhere. Maybe you feel hopeless, helpless, discouraged. Maybe you're paralyzed on your job. Maybe it's drugs. There's something in your life that’s just got you paralyzed. Fear, discouragement, guilt, shame. I'm here to tell you that's coming from the devil. As we get ready to close, I want you to know that Jesus does not want you to stay paralyzed. What He wants more than anything else as I end the day, He wants you to get in the right relationship with Him where you can get up and walk. You have to make a choice. You got to believe that Jesus can forgive you for the penalty of sin, which is hell. But He can give you the power to overcome sin. Then there's those that are just reasoning why He can't do it. See, there's really three things that happen. There's the penalty of sin that Jesus will forgive you. He'll give you the power to overcome sin. Or then there's the pessimist decides to just live paralyzed in their sin. None of those are, He don't want you to live in your sin. He wants to set you free. In fact, James 5:16, says., confess your trespasses one to another. You know why he says that? Because we need each other. You need to be at church. You really need to be in a small group.
James Greer: [00:19:53] I believe when we all come to church and we worship together, see, I believe in Jesus in the house. I believe Jesus likes to work in the house. I believe when two or three are together, God really works. But man, I think when there's that many and, you know, He says two can chase a thousand, ten will chase ten thousand, man, Jesus is in the house. Says confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another. Sometimes we just need to pray for each other. Sometimes we need to pray with each other. You know what it says after that? That you might be healed. Some of you are hurting and need to be healed today. When I say heal, some of you need to be healed from past hurts. Some of it’s emotional. Some may need to forgive somebody. Some of you need to receive forgiveness. Some of it's emotional, some of it’s spiritual, some of it’s physical. Then it says, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is powerful. It gave an example in the next verse. It said he prayed and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He prayed again and it rained. That's power. But some of you say, I feel like I'm so paralyzed, I can't even pray. Well, come and let somebody pray with you. 1 John 1:9 says, confess your sins because Jesus, He's faithful and just. He’ll forgive you all your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You know what the next verse says? If you say you have not sinned, you make God out to be a liar because we've all sinned. Then he sums it up with John 8:32. He says, you shall know the truth. The truth shall make you free. Don't go home today paralyzed. Don't sit there and rationalize why God can't work in your life. Instead, make the decision today in just a moment to get up and walk. Imagine being freer than you've ever been in your life.
James Greer: [00:21:52] Would you stand up and let me pray with you and pray for you? God, I thank you for your Word. It's so clear. It's so powerful. God, I pray for those that came in today that felt paralyzed, that felt hopeless whether it's fear, shame, guilt, whether it's financial, family, whatever it was. I pray right now through the blood of Jesus Christ that you bind Satan in their lives. You open their spiritual eyes. You begin to set them free. When I say free, God, it's a physical picture. They get up and walk out of here. They leave the fear, the guilt, the worry here at church. God's quite capable to take care of it because Jesus is in the house. Some of you need to get up and walk because you're not sure if something happened to you, you'd go to Heaven. You need to be forgiven for the penalty of sin. And man, that's what Jesus wants to do. You just need to come and say, I want to put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ. I want to make sure if I died, I'd go to Heaven. Man, you talk about get up and walk. That’s you.
James Greer: [00:22:53] Some of you say I need the power over sin. And Jesus said, hey, why don't you get up and walk? Why don't you confess all known sin and then quit believing the lies? Most of the reason that sin has power over you is because you just believe the lie of the devil. Because when you get saved, man, you get Christ in you, the hope of glory. And I want your eyes to be open to the power that's available to you, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. Some of you have never been biblically, publicly baptized. Maybe you were baptized as a child and now you know you need to get baptized. Why don't you get up and walk? Why don't you come to the front in just a minute? Some of you need somebody to pray with them, pray for them. Just like in James, pray for one another that you might be healed. And we got people that'll be up front and they'll pray with you and they'll pray for you. Some of you have been visiting church, and we're glad you did. Maybe got engaged. You've been coming a while. Now you want to be part of the family. It’s like get married. Say, this is my church home. This is my family. And today is the day you want to join. Just get up and walk. Just come to the front and say, hey, today's the day I want to make this my church home. Whatever it is, don't go home with the guilt, the shame and hopeless and helplessness. Be set free and get up and walk from whatever it is. I pray in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Bruce Goulart: [00:24:28] On behalf of Pastor James, I just want to say thank you for joining our online experience today. Man, what an amazing day at church with Pack the Church today. And next week we are starting a brand new series, The Pastor's Big Ask. And I'm so excited for it. But if you need someone to pray with you right now, we have people on standby that are willing to pray with you. So there's a link in the description if you click on and fill out, someone will get with you right away. Again, thank you so much for joining us on our online experience today, and we hope to see you next week.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.
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