
Over the past four weeks, our church has been learning what it truly means to Share the Hope.
We’ve discovered that the Gospel isn’t something we keep to ourselves. We’ve learned that our testimony is one of the greatest tools God can use. We’ve been reminded that God sees those who feel unseen.
Now comes the question:
What do we do with the hope we’ve received?
The answer is surprisingly simple.
Bring someone to Jesus.
Every believer has a story.
Maybe it was a praying grandmother.
Maybe it was a faithful parent.
Maybe it was a friend who refused to stop inviting you.
Maybe it was a pastor who kept preaching even when you weren’t listening.
Someone believed God for you before you believed for yourself.
Someone carried you when you couldn’t walk spiritually.
That’s exactly what happens in Mark 2.
Four ordinary men refuse to leave their friend behind. When the doorway is blocked, they don’t quit—they climb onto the roof.
Because love doesn’t give up when faith has somewhere else to go.
The greatest obstacle in the story wasn’t the paralyzed man.
It was the crowd.
Today, our crowds simply look different.
People carry church hurt.
People distrust religion.
People are overwhelmed by busy schedules.
People feel isolated.
People believe they’re too broken for God.
But the answer hasn’t changed.
If the door is blocked…
Find another way.
Maybe your invitation isn’t a Sunday morning service.
Maybe it’s coffee.
Maybe it’s sharing your testimony.
Maybe it’s sending a sermon clip.
Maybe it’s serving together.
Faith asks one question:
“How can I help someone get closer to Jesus?”
The friends expected healing.
Jesus started with forgiveness.
Why?
Because Jesus always addresses our deepest need before our most obvious one.
We often focus on what’s visible.
Jesus begins with what’s eternal.
Sometimes we ask Him to fix our circumstances while He’s transforming our hearts.
That’s why Jesus continues to surprise us.
He gives more grace.
More healing.
More peace.
More freedom.
More restoration.
More than we ever imagined.
One of the greatest pressures Christians carry is believing they’re responsible for changing someone else’s life.
We’re not.
We’re called to love.
We’re called to pray.
We’re called to invite.
We’re called to carry.
Jesus does the changing.
Those four friends didn’t heal the man.
They simply refused to leave him where he was.
That’s our assignment too.
By the end of the story, the man who entered on a mat walked out carrying it.
The crowd could only say,
“We’ve never seen anything like this!”
That’s still the testimony of Jesus today.
Marriages restored.
Addictions broken.
Purpose rediscovered.
Families healed.
Lives transformed.
Not because people are amazing—
Because Jesus is.
Think of one person.
One coworker.
One family member.
One friend.
One neighbor.
Pray for them.
Reach out to them.
Invite them.
Encourage them.
Bring them closer to Jesus.
You don’t have to change them.
You simply have to bring them.
Because what Jesus does with people…
is still amazing
Pastor Clayton Hicks leads Resurgence Church, a vibrant community where people connect with God, family, service, and purpose.
Pastor Clayton Hicks leads Resurgence Church, a vibrant community where people connect with God, family, service, and purpose.



