Mark 2:5-17

Who really wants these folks in church? Jesus, of course! When a mega-pastor says he wants to get rid of the kooks that weigh his church down, Vann is not only shocked, but prays that God sends the kooks to his church.

During times of cascading badness, friends sometimes need to believe for those caught in the crush of seriously bad stuff. Phil Ware reminds us of Mark's story about Jesus and the four friends who dug a hole in the roof to get their buddy to Jesus.

Could it be that we are more afraid of being contaminated by the world than motivated by Jesus to be salt and light? Phil Ware reminds us that we want to not only share in the Lord's Supper, but we also want our table to be like Levi's table of grace and friendship.

Will we make the Lord's Table like Levi's table? Phil Ware reminds us that we want to not only share in the Lord's Supper, but we also want our table to be like Levi's table of grace and friendship.

Can anyone actually speak with real authority today? Russ Lawson reminds us that while some words are balderdash and came to us through crazy circumstances, Jesus words are the opposite: he speaks with real authority.

"Jesus knew immediately [that the religious teachers were accusing him of blasphemy], so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it..."

They're unsettling. They're uncomfortable. They're troubling. So, we don't ask, at least not out loud! Phil Ware asks a bunch of troubling questions as he looks at the story of Jesus and his call of Levi and the party Levi had at his house afterwords.

"Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were....."

"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...."

"Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at....."

What would you do to help a friend? The best friends bring their friends to Jesus to be blessed and helped.

Why the connection between Jesus and 'the leftovers' and why does the modern church not have the same relationships? Phil Ware reminds us that our times at the Lord's Table should be filled with the same kind of people who joined Jesus at the table when he was on earth!

What would you not do to save the life of a friend? Phil Ware talks about four friends who dig a hole in the roof to get their friend to Jesus so he could be healed; so what would we be willing to do to get our friends to Jesus to be saved?

"And the man [who was healed] jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God,..."

Inevitably, the darkness will weigh on them, exhaust them, and feel altogether overwhelming to them. Then, they can come to the light to re-charge, but they can't glow in the light! Jordan Harrell learned from her son's fascination with glow-in-the-dark spiders that we are made to shine in darkness, not sit under a light.

How badly have you missed it or messed it up? Tom Norvell reminds us to praise God for what he has done in our lives, not explain it away.

Are you fit to attend this church? Sometimes we need to be reminded that church is a place for sick and broken people, not perfect ones.

"While [Jesus] 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..."

What kind of Being acceptable to Jesus is not like getting a house ready to sell.

Do we have to be We mustn't let our feelings of inadequacy keep us from going to the One who can make us perfect.