Sunday message · We Are the Church series
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Message Summary
In the fourth message of the We Are the Church series, Pastor Phillip Santillan pauses the church’s study of Ephesians to focus on the question he left with listeners last week: “Who is your one?” Paul gives glory to God, who through his mighty power at work within us is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Phil asks whether we pray like we believe it.
Last week’s passage, Luke 15, pictures what Paul meant. A shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep and throws a party when he finds it. Nothing brings all of heaven as much joy as one person outside the church coming back to God, a truth Phil says should mess up every follower of Jesus. Paul’s hope was that God would use everyone in his church to reach every one.
Phil turns to Mark 2:1–12. Jesus is preaching in a packed house in Capernaum, so four men carrying a paralyzed man on a mat dig through the roof and lower him down. Seeing their faith, Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven. When some teachers of religious law think this is blasphemy, since only God can forgive sins, Jesus proves his authority by telling the man to stand up, pick up his mat and go home, and the crowd is amazed. Phil draws three lessons.
First, it starts with having a mission. Mission drives us, and Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost. Phil asks what God has put on our hearts that we long to see in our lifetime, and whether we plan for it as carefully as a 401(k). If our dreams are really about our own kingdom, we can confess it and be forgiven (1 John 1:9). Second, missional motivation requires eager expectation. The four men expected Jesus to heal, just as Joshua and Elijah expected God to show up, and on this side of the cross our expectation should be even greater.
Phil invites anyone who has never trusted Jesus to confess him as Lord, and asks believers whether their expectation for someone to come to faith has led to action. Third, obstacles prove our convictions. Many would give up at the crowd, assuming an open door is the path of least resistance, but if Paul had only walked through open doors, over half the New Testament would not exist. Phil asks what digging through a roof would look like for us. Throughout history, the church has embraced hardship with joy, living as strangers on earth whose home is heaven.
Phil tells a parable about a fishing club whose members build elaborate training centers and study fish in depth, yet never actually fish. Is someone really a fisherman if he never fishes? For those who call Clarity home, Phil says it is time to stop talking about fishing and start casting nets, and fishing starts with one. He closes by asking again, “Who’s your one?” and what next step each person will take in making disciples.