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A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
REFERENCES: Mark 2:6-12, Hebrews 4:12, Galatians 6:2, 1 John 3:19
“I’ve already heard that.” Have you ever been caught telling a story to someone who’s already heard it before? The Bible is full of stories we’re probably familiar with, but unlike any other book, it is alive. It is the living word of God and the more we read it the less it is the same. It may be the same story, but there’s always a new revelation. Just like a new revelation, we have the power to change for the better everyday. Jesus has called us to change but we aren’t meant to do it alone. Like the group of men who made a way for their paralyzed friend to be healed, we will have to make the radical decision to pick up our mat and walk. So let’s do just that. As we acknowledge that we don’t have it all figured out, God can make all things new through us. With God, we have the power to change.
Jesus and Jesus alone is the only companion of change.
On the surface, the paralytic needed to be healed physically. However, God — who knows our heart — knew the paralytic needed forgiveness much more than he needed to walk. Jesus also tells us, “You are forgiven.”
When Jesus freed the paralytic by forgiving his sins, the teachers of the law questioned his authority and called it blasphemy. Jewish literature that had talked about the Messiah did not anticipate that even he would forgive our sins. But when God sent his only son, they got much more than what they were looking for as he acted out of his known authority.
Truth be told, we all want transformation but we can’t change on our own. We can look to the source, Jesus, to be our companion on the journey of change. The same Jesus who can make broken bones walk again has the authority to seal
our eternity. He has given us a path to purpose, and has empowered us by setting us free so we are no longer tied down. The single most common attribute of crowds in the Gospel of Mark is that they obstruct access to Jesus. Let us be intentional about pushing past the crowd to get closer to him. Whether that’s by getting into community or diving deeper into God’s word, we can choose to not only follow Jesus’ voice but walk with him. As we walk with him we must remember we will encounter both haters and lovers. Both will shape you, but only Jesus can change you.
Spend some time getting to know the companion of change. Read through the Gospel of Mark and list the attributes of Jesus you see. The more you know about him, the easier it is to follow him.
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
This isn’t just another conference. It’s a holy moment to encounter Jesus, be filled with His presence, and reset your heart around what matters most. Over three days of powerful worship, teaching, and community, you’ll be equipped to lead with clarity and live with boldness.
From curated workshops to next-level add-ons, VOUSCon is designed to meet you where you are and where you lead—whether that’s in your church, your workplace, or the middle of a major life decision. Every session is crafted to grow your faith and strengthen your voice.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
When: Thursday, June 19th - Saturday, June 21st
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
VOUSCon is here! On Wednesday before kicking off VOUSCon 2025 in strength and unity we are going to pray.
Don't miss the moment to join us in prayer. Please RSVP by clicking here for our FREE VOUSCon Prayer Night
When: Wednesday, June 18th
Time: 7:00PM
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Join us on the road to VOUSCon as we embark on a 40-day relay run through the state of Florida. From Jacksonville to Miami, runners from every region are invited to participate in carrying the good news. Our finish line? VOUSCon 2025. Led by a core VOUS team, we’ll link arms with partner churches along the way, spotlighting the body of Christ and championing the local church through weekly outreach initiatives.
Starting Line: Sunday, May 11
Finish Line: Thursday, June 19
Serve Day is happening Saturday, July 12th, and we want to get ALL of our crews involved in loving our city so please sign your crew up for a Serve Day project! To see the projects and sign up, please click here! Please have your form in by Wednesday, July 2nd.
When: Saturday, July 12th
Where: All VOUS Locations
Time: 10:00 AM
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS DD
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 12:00 PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
