How to get Friends into God’s Family

Pastor Ernest L. Williams Sr. • January 18, 2023

How to get Friends into God’s Family - Luke 5:17–26


Mary’s Chapel CME Friends and Family Day


May 15, 2022 Ernest L. Williams, Sr.

Verse 16 is pivotal to this discussion (See also 6:12 concerning Jesus’ prayer life). Luke tells us

that Pharisees and teachers of the law came from every village of Galilee and from Judea and

from Jerusalem to hear Jesus. John tells us of certain Greeks that came to Jerusalem during the

feast with one request to Philip, “Sir, we would see Jesus?” Before he teaches or heals anyone,

Jesus spends time alone in prayer to the Father (5:16; 6:12).

The end of verse 17 says “And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.” How

is it that we don’t see this demonstrative power of healing today as they did in Jesus’ and the

apostles’ time? Before the word was complete, written, and distributed, God revealed himself in

such powerful form. Heb 1:1, 2, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time

past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…” 1

Cor 13:8-10 can loosely applied here.


8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be

tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we

know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that

which is in part shall be done away.


I would like to compare this issue to the opening ceremony for the Olympics. The opening

ceremony is a spectacular display of the host country’s beauty, art, and innovations. As grandeur

as the opening ceremony is, all of that splendor changes once the actual games begin. However,

at the end of the Olympics do we see a repeat of the grand splendor of the opening ceremony in

the closing ceremony. And so shall it be with us. Christ first coming and Pentecost were as it

were the opening ceremony. The movement of the Holy Spirit through the church age even up to

this day is like the Olympic games. When Christ comes again, we will see the first fruits of our

Lord’s coming in great power and glory like the closing Olympic ceremony.


Four friends of a paralyzed man break open the roof of the place where the Lord is preaching in

order to get their friend to Jesus. What are willing to break in order to bring someone to Jesus

today? I am not talking about breaking the law. However, what about breaking some traditions

that may be blocking the gospel from getting through to some?


Jesus sees the faith of the man’s friends. It is because of the friends’ faith that Jesus forgives the

paralyzed man of his sins. The Pharisees and teachers of the law thinking to themselves that

Jesus is blaspheming God because only God can forgive sins. Well, there is your answer. It is

because Jesus is God that he is able to forgive the man of his sins.


Jesus raises the critical issue. Jesus said to them, “Is it easier to say ‘your sins are forgiven’ or to

say, ‘get up and walk’? (v.23). Jesus said, “Nevertheless, that ye may know that the Son of Man
has authority to forgive sins…” Jesus then told the paralyzed man, “Get up, take up your mat,

and go home” (v.24). The man does exactly that but also adds one more caveat. The man gets up,

takes up his mat, goes home “praising God” (v.25).


How to get friends into the family of God?


1. Pray specifically for people that you know to be saved. Pray and be open to God using

you, your time, and resources to assist the people that you are praying for (v.16).

2. What traditions and barriers are you willing to tear down to win others to Christ? The

paralyzed man’s friends broke open the roof of a building to lower their friend to Jesus

(v.19; Mk 2:4; Mt 9:2).

3. Be willing to be relational to those who need to hear the gospel message of Christ. The

paralyzed man’s four friends were relational. Do you not know of the personal pains

they probably went through just to bear this man up to the roof? In sharing our faith

with others, are we willing to give up some things, suffer some things in order to win

souls to Christ? The key to the text is that these men were friends. We need to stop just

being church members and start becoming ‘friends’ with the people within our church

family. Church members only see each other once a week. Church members may not

ever call. But friends see and talk to each other throughout the week. Friends are

sincerely concerned about one another. There are friends that stick closer than brothers.

Jesus called his disciples his friends (John 15:15). When Judas betrayed our Lord, the

Lord called him friend (Mt 26:50). Jesus seeks to build relationships with us (John

15:7, examine the word ‘abide’). And thus now Christ has committed this ministry to us

(2 Cor 5:18).


What is your greatest desire for people when you pray for them, to be saved or to healed of a

physical infirmity? In v.23 Jesus asked which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or “Get up

and walk?’ Th word ‘easier’ here probably means ‘beneficial.’ Spiritually, being forgiven was

more beneficial for the man. Physically, being healed would be more beneficial for the man.

Jesus connects both together by saying “that ye may know that the Son of Man has authority to

forgive sins…” Jesus then told the paralyzed man, “Get up, take up your mat, and go home”

(v.24). They could not ‘see’ the man’s sins being forgiven but they could see the results of his

healing. God’s desire for people is to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Our

prayer for others should first and foremost be for their salvation. All these other things Christ

will add according to his will (Mt 6:33).

Our Sermons

How do I project Jesus through me in my community?

By Pastor Ernest L. Williams, Sr. • January 20, 2023
How do I project Jesus through me in my community? How to take Jesus to the street? Tuesday, September 6, 2022 A. Be Intentional (Ephesians 4) 1. Start by telling the truth (stop lying), vs. 15. 2. Put off the old man and put on the new man, vv. 22, 24, 25. 3. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, v. 23. 4. Learn how to get angry without sinning, v. 26. 5. Stop being lazy, stealing and get a job, v. 28. 6. If you don’t have anything encouraging to say, shut up! V. 29. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” B. Be Available (Mark 5:18, 19) 1. How to take Jesus to the street? First, we must get him in the home. 2. Booker T. Washington said, “Cast down your bucket where you are!” No need to do anything extra, in the areas where you reside and work or go to school or serve, live for Christ. In Mark 5, the Lord healed a lunatic man who lived among the tombs. This man wanted to be with Jesus. “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mk 5:19). 3. The woman at the well was available. 4. When the Lord got ready to enter into Jerusalem, Jesus told two of his disciples that they would find a colt and its ass tied. Jesus told his disciples to loose him and let him go. The colt was available. A Roman centurion, who had great faith was available. Even the rooster that crowed when Peter denied the Lord, was available. Jesus calmed the waves and the wind one day: even the winds and the sea were availability. 5. Jesus told Peter and John to go into Jerusalem and they would see a man bearing a pitcher of water. The man was available. C. Be Relevant 1. Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers addressed issues that people were facing and could relate to. Many in our Christian circles are not reaching people because our methods, not message, are out of date. It took a pandemic to force many of our churches to use technology. 2. Why is it that many of our churches are one man shows with just one pastor that is hired by the church. We need to have an elder board with various “paid” pastors on staff to meet the growing needs of our community. Our business model in the church does not work. Here is one reason why it doesn’t work: It's not biblical! 3. Jesus came to die for sinners because that was and still is the current pandemic: sin. However, the church focuses more on the cross and little emphasis is placed on the fact that Jesus will return to receive his church. Our message, if it is to be relevant, must be balanced. Conclusion  Let us learn to pray this prayer before we leave the home: Lord provide the platform for me to let you shine through me. Lord I give my mind, my abilities, my words, and my deeds as service to you in this day. Lord, help me to be available for my spouse, family, pastor, church family, to people in my community, those on my job, school, or to a stranger that I may meet today. Father, I know that no encounter is an accident. So, Lord, help me to be intentional with my words, thoughts, and actions, that I may minister grace to the hearers and so someone will come to know the love of your Son Jesus Christ through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive

By Pastor Ernest L. Williams, Sr. • January 20, 2023
The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive Luke 6:20 – 38 September 4, 2022 Ernest L. Williams, Sr. In some translations, the word in Greek for “blessed” is translated as “happy.” Could Jesus be saying to the crowd in his sermon on the plains to be happy? (See v. 17 compared to Matthew’s sermon on the Mount, Matt 5). True joy contains living, giving, and forgiving. Illustration Proverbs on laughter. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Prov 17:22). A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken (Prov 15:13). All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast (Prov 15:15).  Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad (Prov 12:25). Dea. Jacque’s funnies!  Three surprises in heaven! 1. LIVE a. In verses 21 to 26, Jesus speaks to true blessings, but he also balances a happy life with warnings. 2. GIVE a. In verses 28 – 35, Jesus speaks to the nature of giving. b. A true sign of a person’s joy is seen in their giving. c. Paul speaks of allowing yourself to be defrauded in order to win souls for Christ: Luke 6:28, 29; compare with 1 Cor 6:7. i. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? d. The Golden Rule, v. 31. e. Give, looking for nothing in return, vv. 32 – 35. 3. FORGIVE a. Verses 36 – 36. b. One attribute of forgiveness is giving. Conclusion Vv. 22 – 23. We rejoice because our reward is in heaven. Job said, “my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high” (Job 16:19). Jesus told the disciples after they had returned from preaching and healing, that they should rejoice not because of what they could do, but rejoice because their names have been written in heaven. I sing because I am happy, I sing because I am free. His eyes are on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me!
More Posts