Through The Roof

Core Statement: We will do anything short of sin to reach people who don’t know Christ. To reach people no one else is reaching, we’ll do things no one is doing.

Do you remember the story of Jessica McClure? Jessica McClure Morales, also known as “Baby Jessica,” became famous in 1987, when, at 18 months old, she fell down a 22-foot well in her aunt’s backyard. She remained trapped in the well, 22 feet below ground and only 8 inches wide. For the next 58 hours, frantic rescue crews attempted to save her life and the entire nation watched transfixed, as the drama played out on television.

While crews began the difficult process of drilling a horizontal tunnel between the two wells about two feet below where Baby Jessica was trapped, rescue workers pumped oxygen into the well and attempted to maintain constant communication with the toddler. The entire nation watched literally, around-the-clock, as a dramatic news story unfolded live on television, as hundreds of workers and volunteers worked around the clock to save the little girl. It was captivating, and an example of the human spirit. I’ve never seen such a dedicated effort from a whole community. Today, Jessica is a mother of two and living close to the very spot where she became famous.

How far would we go to save someone? To what lengths would you be willing to go? Because as we have said so often, people matter to God. So, if they matter to God, they better matter to us.

In Mark 2, we find the story of the paralytic. You probably remember this story if you were raised in church. Jesus had returned to Capernaum and as the news spread that He was back, the house where he was staying quickly filled up. It was so crowded, there was simply no room, even outside the door. Four men carrying a paralyzed man on a mat arrive at the house and quickly discovered that they could not get through the crowd. So they dug a hole through the roof and lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

The men in this story thought their friend’s soul was worth the effort, whatever effort it took, which included not giving up at the first sign of difficulty. They gave generously of their time and energy. They invested in his future. What about us? Are we ready to invest in our friends/relatives/neighbors the way the men in this story did? Are we willing to continue on even when the path seems blocked?

Northstar as a community of believers has an unquenchable passion for those far from the heart of God. We never stop praying for them. We never stop loving them because we have a genuine heart to see the lost saved through the restoring power of Jesus Christ. And we will do just about anything to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ, even if we are doing things that nobody else is doing.

Discussion Questions:
1. Jesus ate with sinners. What are some ways you can get more involved in the lives of people who are far from Christ?
2. What do you see as your role in winning those far from the heart of God as a member of Northstar?
3. Is the workplace off-limits? Talk about how you feel like your faith could play a bigger part in your work relationships?
4. How could you start a dialog with an extended family member, or long-time friend who you haven’t shared Jesus with before?
5. What have been obstacles for you in the past for not being more passionate about reaching others for Christ?