Rise Up Pt. 1: Rise Up in Faith - 10/1/2023

Pastor Dale Benson Mark 2:1-5   Mark 2:1-5 (NLT) - Most of the healings we read about in scripture take place when someone comes to Jesus, or later the disciples and seeks healing.  But there are numbers of times in scripture when Jesus heals someone based on the faith of someone else. - There is a story of a centurion’s servant who needed healing.  The centurion tells Jesus to simply speak the words and he knows his servant would be healed. Jairus’ comes to Jesus on behalf of his daughter who is deathly ill.  The little girl cannot even respond, but Jesus heals her. - There is another story of a Samaritan woman who begs Jesus to heal her son.  And Jesus does it. . . Apparently based on her faith.     During this next month, we are asking you to Rise Up in faith and turn your eyes toward our community.     Over the past year we have begun to talk about the vision of reaching the lost who don’t know Christ, marriages and homes in our community who are looking for restoration.  We have turned our eyes toward those who are struggling with anxiety and depression, we have begun to work on developing a focus in all our ministries that is based on relationships rather than programs.  We have begun focus on how all the ministries of the church, including Grove City Christian School, and Grove City Christian Childcare can work together to bring health and healing to our entire community.     Our goal is to see the rates of depression, anxiety, divorce, and addiction reverse and begin to decline in our community because we have begun to hear the call of God to Rise Up. . . In prayer. . . And in action.   During Rise Up, we will not be digging through a roof.  But there are things that God has begun to call us to do. Many of them we are already doing, but God is blessing, and those ministries are running out of space. You may not be physically carrying your friends here on a pallet, but we are preparing to make more room for others to make their way to feet of Jesus. . .More opportunities for you to invite them.     More opportunities for people to know that Jesus is here, and that they can come and:    - Find Healing. - Find Hope. - Find Freedom. - Find Forgiveness.   For over a year now, these plans have been prayed over and submitted to all the proper governmental organizations, and during the summer, the master plan was unanimously approved by the Grove City Council.   We are not going to ask you to do anything with these this morning except for look at them and begin praying about what God might have you do, in faith, for this initiative to reach our community and help others take their next steps toward Jesus Christ. . . Together.   - Rise Up in Prayer. - Rise Up in Action. - Rise Up in Generosity.   What if people from all over Grove City and the surrounding areas could raise their families around people that pray like the people of The Naz?  People that care like the people of The Naz, and people who are willing to do whatever it takes so that more people can be brought to the feet of Jesus.