#13 - Obey & Live - Pr. William Lee | August 15, 2026

God is good >> all the time >> and all the time. >> God is good. >> Amen. And amen. Let's bow our heads for prayer. Eternal Father in heaven, God, we are so grateful that you are such an amazing God. Thank you for being our rock and our shelter. And now, God, we ask we'd as we open the pages of sacred scripture that you would breathe upon us, God, right now. Speak to every single last one of us. and may our wills be lost in thine in Jesus name. Amen. I invite you to take your Bibles with me today and go with me to the New Testament Gospel of Mark today. The New Testament Gospel of Mark, chapter number two. And I'm going to begin reading beginning at verse number one. Mark chapter 2 and beginning at verse number one. I'm going to read today from the King James version of the Bible. Again, Mark chapter 2 and beginning at verse number one, the word of God says these words. It says, "And again he that is Jesus entered into Capernium after some days, and it was noise that he was in the house. [snorts] And straightway many were gathered together in so much that there was no room to receive them. No, not so much as about the door. And he preached the word unto them, and they come unto him, bringing one sick of the pausy which was born of four. Verse four, and when they could not come nigh unto the press for him, they uncovered the roof where he was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the Pauly lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the Pauly, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." But verse six says, "But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts. Why does this man do speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sin but God only?" And immediately Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reason within themselves and he said unto them, why reason these things in your hearts? Whether it is easier to say to the sick of the pausy, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk." But that you may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sin. He said to the sick of the pausy, I say unto thee, arise, take up thy bed, and go into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up his bed, and went forth before them all in so much that they were all amazed and glorifying God, saying, "We never saw it on this fashion." Who says, "Amen." >> Amen. >> Amen. I wish I could have been there. The Bible says that the house was absolutely packed. There was not a single seat left anywhere inside of the house. People were lined up at the door. People were all around the house trying to catch a glimpse, trying to hear what was being said on the inside of the house. You see, Jesus was in the house. And whenever Jesus is in the house, Jesus knows how to draw a crowd. As soon as people found out that Jesus was in town, they stopped what they were doing. And they all ran downtown to see him, the rich were there, the poor were there, the place was packed with people from all walks of life. And hear me right now, the Gospel of Luke tells us something amazing that Mark's Gospel does not tell us. In Luke 5 and verse 17, Luke chapter 5 and verse 17, the Bible tells us that the power of the Lord was present to heal them. In other words, the house is packed with people. People are there from all walks of life. And the Bible says that the spirit of God was present to heal every last one of them. How many of you all know that our God is a healer? Oh, the Bible says in Mark chapter 2 and verse one that Jesus is in the city of Capernium. Scholars say that Jesus may have been inside of Peter's house at the time. Can you see it? There are hundreds if not even thousands of individuals that are lined up at the door trying to get on the inside. Now the Bible tells us that there is a man in the crowd. This man has a problem. The Bible says that this man is sick of the pausy. This man is physically paralyzed. He has lost the movements in his arms and in his legs. His muscles are like spaghetti. His legs are like jello. He He is has no power in his body at all. In fact, what the Bible is trying to show us is that paralysis will infect your infect your entire life and eventually cause you to be handicapped. For years in Mark chapter 2, this man has been laying on his bed unable to move. He can't get up and go to the bathroom. He cannot wash his face like you and I. He cannot go to the shower like you and I. This man is completely helpless in Mark chapter two. And not only is this man helpless, but the man is also ill. You see, Ellen White tells us in Desire of Ages that this man had gone to the doctors of the law. He went to the theologians, the Pharisees. But when he went to the church, the church had declared that this man had been cursed by God. They had declared that this man was an awful sinner and nobody could do anything for him at all. You see in those days the Pharisees believed that all those who were suffering were being punished by God. They believed that that this man that he was suffering because of the sins of his life. How many of you know that sometimes mental pain can be worse than physical pain? Sometimes we lay in our beds at night and we think to ourselves, "If I had only done this, if I had not have done that, if I had just said no, I would not be in the shape that I am in right now." Sometimes mental pain is worse than physical pain. Isaiah of Vasia says that this man's disease was the result of a lifestyle of sin. The reason this man is paralyzed right now is because he has led a life of sin. And church, hear me right now. The Bible does not tell us what this man did, but we can be sure that your sins will find you out. Turn with me to Galatians chapter 6 right now. Galatians 6 and verse 7. I want you to hear the word of God today. Galatians 6 and verse 7. The word of God says this again from the King James version of the Bible. The Bible says this. Galatians 6 and verse 7. The Bible says, "Be not deceived. God is not mock. Whateversoever a man seweth, that shall he also reap. Uh church, my mother used to say, "What goes around comes around." Daddy said was done in the dark will come out in the light. Come on, say amen. It may not come out today, but it will come out. It may not come out tomorrow, but it will come out. The source of this man's problem was that he was physically paralyzed, but he was paralyzed by sin. Sin had grabbed him and paralyzed him. Sin now has caused for him to lost the movements in his arms and in his legs. sin had grabbed him. And now the Bible tells us that we need to be careful because sin can separate us from God. >> Isaiah, take your Bibles again. Isaiah 59 and verse 1 and two. There's good news in a moment, but Isaiah 59 verse 1 and two. Notice what the Bible says here. Isaiah 59 verse 1 and two. The Bible says these words says, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save. Neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear." Who says amen to that? In other words, pause right there. God's hand can save you. When you call upon God, God can hear you. But verse two says, "But your iniquities," iniquity is cherished sin. It's those sins that keep you up late at night, that wake you up early in the morning. The Bible says that your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear. Church, sin is serious business. Sin will rob us of our relationship with God. It will molest us of our morality. Sin will tear us apart. And the Bible says that if we confess our sins, that God is faithful to forgive. Who says amen? >> There is a a a lady that I love so much. You can Google her in your own spare time. Her name is Pora Nelson. What's her name? Pa Nelson. She wrote an autobiography of her own life in five chapters. I'm going to read very quickly her entire autobiography of five chapters. If you heard me say that, say amen. All right. Chapter number one. She says this is short but powerful. Here is her story about living in sin. She says, "I walked down the street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I'm lost. I'm helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes me forever to find my way out." That's chapter one. Chapter two, she says these words. As I walk down the same street, there's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I'm in the same place. It isn't my fault. It takes me forever to find my way out. Chapter three. I walk down the same street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it there. I still fall in because now it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. But this time, I get out immediately. Chapter 4. I walk down the same street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk, but this time I walk around the hole. Chapter five, her last chapter, she says, "I walked down another street." >> How many of you all know that sometimes that we don't have victory in our lives because we keep on walking down the same sorry streets? Sometimes we keep on doing the same thing. And the reason that God we don't have victory is because we don't trust God to give us full deliverance. But I declare to you today, Nairobi Central, it's time for us to walk down another street. >> Amen. The source of this man's problem Mark in Mark 2 was not so much that he was physically paralyzed and could not move, but the source of this man's problem was that he was paralyzed by sin. Young people and young adults, the source of most of our problems is a spiritual disconnection with God. Desire of Ages says that more than desiring a physical restoration, this man's only desire is God forgive me of my sins. >> He's not praying to be physically restored, but he has the guilt of sin that he's living with. And every single day HIS PRAYER IS, "GOD, JUST HAVE MERCY upon me." >> Every day he's praying, "Lord, just forgive me of my sins. GOD, I KNOW I'VE messed up. I know I've sinned in the face of God." He could care less about having his body restored. He wants the forgiveness of our sins. Amen. >> So the Bible tells us as he is lying there hoping that somehow his sins could be forgiven, somebody tells this man that Jesus is in town. Somebody tells this man that Jesus has showed up to Nairobi Central 7th Day Adventist Church. Somebody has told this man that Jesus is in the house. And the man begins to think to himself, "If I could just get to Jesus, my sins could be forgiven." >> This man in our text today, he has a mind that is made up. His heart is fixed right now. He is tired of living in his sins. He is tired of feeling the guilt of his sins. And he says, "Oh, if I could just meet Jesus." Somebody tells this man that Jesus is a miracle working God. >> Somebody tells this man that there was a woman that had an issue of blood for 12 long years. But somebody told this man that that she met Jesus. She touched the hymn of his garment and her issue WENT AWAY BECAUSE THERE'S POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS. >> He was told about the miracle working power of Jesus and he begins to believe if I could somehow meet Jesus for myself, my sins could be forgiven as well. Amen. >> The Bible tells us in this text that this man is physically paralyzed. But hear me now. Verse four says that this man had four friends. Somebody say four friends. >> Thank God for Christian friends >> that will take somebody else to Jesus. If we can take people to the doctor and to stores, surely we can take them to Jesus. >> These four friends care enough about their friend to sacrifice their own needs to bring their friend to Jesus. In Mark 2:4, look at the text. Mark 2 and verse 4. The Bible says that in when they could not come nigh unto the press, stop right there. The Bible says that as they try to get to the house, they encountered a roadblock. There are so many people that are around that there's no way in the world for this paralyzed man to be ABLE TO GET ALL THE WAY UP HERE to find Jesus. There's a roadblock in the way. Church, sometimes when we are trying to serve Jesus, we find roadblocks in the way. Sometimes when we're trying to find Jesus, the devil knows that we need to get to Jesus, but he could he puts all kind of obstacles in our way to distract us. Have you ever wondered while you were trying to have your personal devotional life early in the morning that your cell phone rings the moment you open your Bible? Have you ever wondered why your mind wonders so much in prayer? While you're bending on your knees talking to God, thoughts come out of left field, right field, you have to sometimes even repent while you're praying. >> You can say amen right there. Amen. >> There are times where our minds are so messed up and the reality is the devil is trying to prevent us from getting to Jesus. But I thank God today that these four friends say, "I'm going to bring my boy to Jesus no matter what." Amen. >> His only prayer, his only prayer, his only prayer is, "Lord, forgive me of my sins." >> Amen. >> He does not even desire to be physically restored, but he wants his sins to be forgiven. >> Amen. Church, can I remind you today that when you call upon the name of God, God is able to hear the prayers of his children. >> There was a little boy. His name is Johnny. What's his name? What's his name? >> Johnny is three years old. Johnny, true story. Johnny goes to the grocery store with his mother. And when they get to the grocery store, Johnny's mother tells Johnny, "Listen, I don't have money to buy everything up in this store, so don't ask me for anything." Has your mother ever said that before? Somebody. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Amen. I see your hands right now. Johnny is three years old and he gets inside of the grocery store with his mother. The story is told that the mother takes Johnny places him in the shopping cart in the seat at at the beginning at at the beginning of the cart. He is inside of the cart and mommy and Johnny are about to shop in the store. [snorts] As they are shopping, Johnny loves chocolate chip cookies. Oh my goodness. He loves chocolate chip cookies. And Johnny can't help himself. Mommy is pushing the cart. They're shopping and getting items, putting items in the cart. And all of a sudden, Mommy makes a turn into the cookie aisle. Johnny is sitting there and he says, "Oh my goodness, I remember the speech, but I can't help myself. Mommy, can I have some chocolate chip cookies? And mommy says, "Boy, didn't I tell you I don't have money to buy everything in this store?" Story has it, true story, that mommy and Johnny keep on shopping and they pick up a few more items, but they end up in the chocolate chip cookie aisle once again. And Johnny thinks to himself, "Wait a minute. Here we go again. Mommy, I'm sorry. Can I please, pretty please, pretty, pretty pretty, pretty pretty pretty please, have some chocolate chip." Mommy said, "Johnny, I have a list. I can't buy everything in this store." True story. So, Mommy and Johnny are making their way to the checkout aisle. And now Johnny at three years old thinks to himself, "This is the last chance I have." So the story is that Johnny stands up in that front seat. He puts one finger in the air and he says these words. In the name of Jesus, >> can I have some chocolate chip cookies? And the story is, don't miss it right now. The story is that everybody at the checkout lane begin to laugh just like you. And Johnny and Mommy walked out of that store with 23 boxes of chocolate chip cookies. Everybody around them bought them some chocolate chip cookies. I got to thinking, church. If Johnny at three years old can point a finger in the air and say in the name of Jesus, how much more should you and I be able to call upon the name that is above every OTHER NAME. THERE'S POWER [screaming] IN THE NAME OF JESUS. >> Jesus is able to heal us. This man's only prayer is, "God, forgive me of my sins." And the house is packed right now. The house is so packed that that there's no way in the world that the church members that are lined up at the door are going to allow for somebody else to cut them. So, what do they do? Oh, I love Desire of Ages because it paints such a marvelous picture of what was going on in this story in Mark 2. Ellen White says that the man, again, you all know the Bible says he's paralyzed. Why is he paralyzed? Because he's been holding on to his sin. And as he's lying there, hear me, notice he's paralyzed. They are carrying a man paralyzed. Four men are carrying a paralyzed man. And Ellen White says this. She says, "While he was lying on his back, it was the paralyzed man that saw the roof where Jesus was inside. And it was him that said, "Listen, if I can't get through the front door, how about we climb the roof?" Oh, church, you have to be desperate to want to climb a roof to get to Jesus. >> Oh, the Bible says, and hear me, I've done my study, church. The Italian archaeologist declared that Peter's house was not like everybody else's house in the region of Capernaum. You see, Peter's house uh most of the houses in Capernaum. They had flat roofs where you could simply walk easy and normal. And and according to Italian archaeologists, there would always be a ladder that was hanging on the side of the house. Are you following me right now? There's a ladder hanging. There's a flat roof, but Peter's house does not have a flat roof. Peter's house has a slanted roof. Oh, church, can you see the danger of what's going on right now? How do five men climb a roof? In other words, they must have thrown the paralyzed man on their back and now they are climbing up onto the roof. Because the reality is that when you get fed up with your sins, you'll do anything to get to Jesus. When you get tired of not having power, when you get tired of falling down over and over and over again, you'll get tired of not having the authority that God wants you to have. And you'll do anything to get to Jesus. The these men now are climbing the roof and and all of a sudden now they are on top of the roof. Can you see them right now? Can you see them right now, church? Can you see them in your mind? Five men are on the roof. Four friends and a paralyzed man. You know the story. The Bible says they're there. They're there on the roof. Follow me now. Look at me. And the Bible says that they are there and they began to tear up the roof. They're breaking the roof apart. The roof is made of mud and clay. So, while these men are breaking up the roof, oh, you should see it right now. Jesus is downstairs. He's in the main sanctuary. He's in the main room there. And all of a sudden, while there are hundreds, if not even thousands of individuals that are gathered around the house, hear me. While Jesus is preaching and teaching the word of God, Luke 5:17 says, "The power of the Lord was in that house to heal every single last one of them." But now the Bible says, can you see it? They're on the roof and all of a sudden pieces of mud and clay are falling on the heads of the worshippers in the house that they're sitting there listening to Jesus, but all of a sudden mud is falling on their heads and and they're trying to figure out what in the world IS GOING ON. WHY is the roof caving in? Now, I know if that had have been Nairobi Central, y'all would have said, "Deacons, why is this church falling apart? What's wrong with us? We don't allow this kind of thing. Somebody close up the roof." But no, Jesus is preaching in the house. And the sermon illustration is about to come through the roof. The man has prayed all of his life, "God, I'm sorry. God, I've messed up. God, I know I shouldn't have done it. God, it felt good, but I lost my mind because church, hear me today. Sin will make you temporarily insane." Oh, you better preach, Pastor Lee. Sin will cause you to lose your mind. Now, don't say amen. Just look amen right now. Have you ever done something in your life and then when you got done doing it, you said to yourself, "I must have been crazy." >> Don't say amen. Look. Amen. Because sin will make you temporarily insane. And this man in our text, he is so pitiful. He is so broken down. He He desires that SOMEHOW THAT THE GOD of heaven and earth would just please God. Please Lord, just forgive me. If you've never been there, if you've never experienced the forgiveness of God, you don't know the power of God. Because when God forgives you, God gives you grace. When God forgives you, he gives you his mercy. See, THE BIBLE SAYS ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS. NO, not one. Can I help you right now? No matter how good your suit looks, you are still a sinner. No matter how beautiful that dress is, you are still far from God. But here's the good news. THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED ON CALVARY that we might have life and have life more abundantly when we come to Jesus. The Bible says that when we come to Jesus that in no wise will Jesus cast us out. He's a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He's a man that you can count on. He'll never leave you nor forsake you. They are there. I'm almost done. They are there on the roof. And while they're there on the roof, the clay has fallen down. And can you see it right now? The hole has gotten larger and larger. The men are on the roof. The man is paralyzed. And all of a sudden, they began, uhoh, to lower the man down. The people in the house are saying, "What is going on? Why is there a man COMING THROUGH THE ROOF? WHAT IS HAPPENING right now?" They lower the man down. And remember, the man only has one prayer. Lord, forgive me of my sins. His heart is broken. His life is messed up. Does not have power. He's lived a lifestyle outside of God's will. And hear me today. This is powerful. Don't miss me. He's been let down before. He's been let down by the church. He's been let down by society. He's been let down by everyone around him. But he's never been let down by Jesus. >> They lowered him down. And as they lower him down, oh church, can I just please demonstrate this for a second? Is that all right? Can I do it, church? >> No, you didn't say amen. Come on, say it like you mean it. >> Amen. I'm sorry, but I think in pictures in the Bible, and I don't want you ever to forget it, as he is being lowered down, he cannot turn his head at all. He's paralyzed. He can't go right. He can't go left. So, as he is lying there on the floor, Jesus now is looking in his eyes and for the first time in his life, his eyes met the eyes of Jesus. >> The eyes of guilt met the eyes of grace. >> Amen. The eyes OF MISERY MET THE EYES OF MERCY. >> And Jesus looks at the man. And the very first word that Jesus says to the man, Mark 2 verse 5, Jesus says, "Son." Oh, you missed your amen. >> You missed your amen RIGHT THERE >> BECAUSE JESUS CALLS THE MAN A SON. HE DOES NOT CALL HIM YOU SINNER, YOU BACKSLIDER, YOU BAD INDIVIDUAL. NO, Jesus says son. BECAUSE SON MEANS I BELONG TO GOD. >> No matter how far I FALLEN, WE STILL belong to God. >> Beloved, what manner of love the father has given unto us that we can be called the children of God. Amen. >> Jesus says, "Son," in other words, that's a term of endearment, [snorts] son. Even though you're fallen, you still belong to me, >> son. I love you. >> Let me tell you something about my God. Oh, I feel like preaching today. >> You cannot out sin God. The Bible says where sin abound, grace does much more abound. >> That does not give us a license to sin. But if you fall down, you need to get back up. >> IF YOU FALL DOWN, don't stay down in that sidewalk hole >> pretending you didn't see it. >> He looks at Jesus. Jesus looks at him and it's like music in his ears. He says, "Son," and then watch what Jesus says. Mark 2:5, he says, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." >> Hallelujah. >> Thy sins be forgiven thee. He does not desire to be restored physically, BUT ALL HE WANTS IS FOR GOD to forgive him for his sins. >> And the Bible says, Jesus, son, your sins are forgiven you. >> The man is still paralyzed. Don't miss the power of God's word today. His sins are now forgiven, but he's still paralyzed. He still cannot move. And now all of a sudden, as his sins are forgiven, the Bible says in Mark chapter 2 and verse 6. Now look at the text. Mark 2 and verse 6. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and the scribes are reasoning in their hearts. They say, "Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sin but God only?" You know, it's always interesting that whenever God blesses you, somebody always will have something to say about your blessing. >> When God blesses you, somebody always got who you think you are? >> Why you looking like that? Why you dress like that? Why you walk like that? Can I tell you, stop making excuses for the favor of God. If God has blessed you, hallelujah in the name of Jesus. >> Amen. >> We are called to be blessed so we can be a blessing to somebody else. Come on, say amen. >> Oh, Nairobi, can I preach for a few more moments right now? If you ever make it to the top, don't get to the top and forget to send the elevator back down. >> Send the elevator back down so somebody else can get on that bad boy and get up to where God wants you to be as well. >> Who does God think he is? Who does Jesus think he is? Jesus is the son of God. >> Amen. The choir told us he's a rock in a weary land. >> They they questioned Jesus. Look at the text. I'm only have a few verses left. The Bible says in verse 9 verse and immediately immediately how fast immediately Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reason within themselves. And he said unto these haters, he says, "Why reason these things in your heart? Whether it is easier to say to the sick of the Pauly, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, arise, take up thy bed, and walk." [clears throat] Church, verse 10 is my amen, hallelujah verse. Verse 10 says, Jesus says, "But that you may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sin." He said to the sick of the pausy, I say unto thee, arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. Amen. >> Don't miss this church because here is the power of camp meeting. Here is the power of obey and live. >> Don't miss what's going on right now. This man in verse five has his sins forgiven, >> but he was still paralyzed. Verse five, he's forgiven. Verse 11, Jesus says, "Arise." You see, church. Too often we get forgiven. But we don't have obedience. He's [clears throat] paralyzed in verse five. But now, here it is. I'm done. Here it is. Here it is. He's paralyzed. And now when Jesus says arise, oh church, when Jesus says arise, the power is in your obedience. >> Amen. When he stood up and obeyed, he began to live. >> And here's why. In right now, when he obeys God, he can now walk. Uhoh. Uhoh. Uh-oh. Wait a minute. He's walking. He was paralyzed, but now he's walking. Church, I got to go. Those online look at the power of God. Wait a minute. Jesus tells him, "Take up thy bed and walk." Take up my bed. That's the same bed I've been That's the same bed I I don't want that bed. I would have asked Jesus, "Can I get a new cly posttopedic bed? You got a water bed?" Come on, Jesus. You got something for me right now. >> The reason Jesus tells him, "Take up his bed is because Jesus never wants you to forget what he delivers you from." >> The bed is in his hand. And notice what happens. He does not leave through the roof. >> He leaves through the front door. >> Amen. >> Because whenever you meet Jesus, you don't leave the same way you came. Amen. [clears throat]