For You Page Week 6

Devotional

Day 1: Roof-Tearing Faith That Carries Others

When four friends refused to let crowds block their paralyzed companion from Jesus, they demonstrated faith that disrupts comfort. Their determination to dig through a roof reveals how true community prioritizes others’ needs over convenience. Just as Jesus saw their faith through radical action, our willingness to carry others physically, emotionally, or spiritually makes Christ’s power visible. Healthy squads don’t settle for passive presence—they create pathways for healing. [31:30]

They came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralyzed man lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:3-5, NLT)

Reflection: Who in your life needs you to “dig through the roof” for them this week? What practical step could disrupt your comfort to bring someone closer to Jesus?

Day 2: Pagan Playwrights and Holy Truth

A 300-year-old comedy writer’s line—“bad company corrupts good character”—became Scripture’s warning. Truth isn’t confined to religious spaces; God’s wisdom echoes in unexpected places. Like Paul recognizing divine insight in a pagan playwright, we’re called to discern light wherever it shines. Yet not every cultural voice aligns with Christ—we filter them through Scripture, embracing what reflects God’s heart. [12:11]

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33, NLT)

Reflection: What non-Christian book, song, or relationship has recently challenged you to grow? How does it align—or clash—with God’s truth?

Day 3: When Comfortable Squads Stop Christlikeness

Natural gravitation toward people like us breeds sameness, not sanctification. Jesus’ disciples included a tax collector (hated) and a zealot (radical)—unlikely allies united by mission. Squads built solely on shared hobbies or politics risk missing God’s purpose: iron sharpening iron. The call isn’t to abandon preferences but to invite those who stretch our faith beyond comfort. [22:08]

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20, ESV)

Reflection: Which relationship currently pushes you toward Christlikeness? Which one might be keeping you stagnant?

Day 4: Tax Collectors at Jesus’ Table

Matthew’s first act after following Jesus? Throwing a party for his disreputable friends. He didn’t hoard grace—he made room at the table. When religious leaders criticized Jesus for eating with “scum,” He redefined kingdom priorities: mercy over rituals. Invitational squads don’t wait for people to clean up; they create spaces where transformation begins. [39:09]

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” (Matthew 9:10-12, NLT)

Reflection: Who feels “unlikely” to join your circle? How could you intentionally extend Christ’s welcome this week?

Day 5: The Starfish Difference in a Crowded World

A child saving one starfish at a time mirrors our call: change won’t come through grand gestures but through consistent, small acts of love. In a world where crowds often block access to hope, we’re invited to notice the one—the lonely neighbor, the quiet coworker, the unseen regular at the coffee shop. Making room starts with eyes willing to see and hands willing to act. [53:15]

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Who’s the “one” God is asking you to notice today? What burden can you help carry—even in a seemingly small way?

Sermon Summary

Paul speaks with a straight warning to Corinth and to modern ears: do not be fooled. Bad company corrupts good character, which means the people closest to a disciple are actively shaping who that disciple is becoming. The claim is simple and searching. The people closest to you shape who you become. Solomon then paints a path forward. Walk with the wise and become wise, because influence is never neutral. The call is not isolation but intention. There is a difference between who someone is trying to influence and who is influencing that someone.

Truth itself reinforces the point. Truth is truth because it is true, not because of where it came from. So Paul can pull a line from Menander and use it under the Spirit’s guidance. The lens stays scripture, but whatever is true, beautiful, and aligned with God’s wisdom gets received with gratitude. From there the theme turns practical. Friendliness is the front porch, community is the living room. Proximity is not the same as connection. Preference-based circles feel easy, but comfort does not always produce Christlikeness. Jesus did not build an echo chamber. He built a kingdom. His circle held fishermen, a tax collector, and a zealot, people who never would have chosen each other, and he united them around himself. Diversity becomes discipleship when stories are heard, tables are shared, and perspectives get stretched.

Mark 2 then gives the picture of a healthy circle. Four friends carry a paralyzed man to Jesus, tear through a roof when a crowd blocks the door, and lay him before the Lord. Jesus sees their faith. Faith moves for another. Sometimes the biggest act of belief is not what someone does for himself but what he will do to bring a friend to Jesus. That story also exposes a quiet danger. The crowd around Jesus can become the obstacle to someone who still needs him. So the family of God notices, carries, sacrifices, and makes room.

The New Testament’s one anothers seal the assignment. The faith is personal, never private. Love one another, encourage one another, carry one another’s burdens cannot happen from a distance. So the church is not a crowd that gathers once a week. It is a family that follows Jesus together. Three seats wait for response. Some need to find a squad. Some need to become better squad members. Some need to open the circle and add a chair. Never be so thankful for the people already at a table that the table stops growing.

Key Takeaways

1. People shape who you become Paul’s “do not be fooled” shuts the door on exceptions. Character bends toward the company it keeps, for better or worse. The right voices raise faith, the wrong voices normalize cynicism. The question that matters is who is actually making someone more like Jesus. [09:59]
2. Choose your squad with purpose Influence must be stewarded, not assumed. Scripture calls for walking with the wise so wisdom rubs off, not merely hanging with the convenient. Friendship is a gift, but formation is the goal, so access to the heart cannot be given equally to every voice. [16:56]
3. Diversity disciples; comfort dulls formation Preference builds echo chambers, but Jesus builds a kingdom. Hearing someone’s story weakens stereotypes and softens hearts, and worshiping beside a difference re-centers hope in Christ over culture. Purposeful plurality enlarges souls and sharpens love. [23:55]
4. Carry friends into Jesus’ presence The Mark 2 friends turn faith into sweat, persistence, and creativity. They refuse to let the crowd or a roof be the last word and put their friend where only Jesus can act. Often the clearest faith someone will ever see is the faith a friend lives on his behalf. [31:30]
5. Always make room for one more Circles go stale when they close. The crowd can become the problem, but a family stays interruptible, invitational, and ready to widen. One open chair, one text, one lunch can become the hinge on which a whole life turns. [37:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:18] - Join the hashtag moment
[04:15] - Who is your hashtag squad?
[09:14] - People shape who you become
[09:59] - Bad company corrupts character
[12:30] - Truth is truth, Menander’s line
[15:40] - Choose your squad carefully
[16:56] - Walk with the wise
[20:32] - Front porch vs living room
[22:08] - Preferences or purpose, diversity disciples
[28:39] - Friends who carry to Jesus
[33:15] - When the crowd blocks access
[35:36] - Living the one anothers
[37:00] - Make room for one more
[39:09] - Matthew’s dinner and invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV)
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.'"

Mark 2:1-5 (ESV)
"And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'"

Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)
"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."

Observation Questions

In 1 Corinthians 15:33, what specific warning does Paul give about relationships, and how does he frame it as urgent?
In Mark 2:1-5, what actions did the friends take to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus, and what does Jesus highlight as the reason for healing him?
According to Proverbs 13:20, what are the two contrasting outcomes of choosing different types of companions?
The sermon mentions that "the crowd around Jesus can become the obstacle to someone who still needs him" ([33:15]). How does the story in Mark 2 illustrate this tension?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Paul quote a line from a non-Christian playwright (Menander) to make his point in 1 Corinthians 15:33? How does this align with the idea that "truth is truth because it’s true, not because of where it came from"?
Jesus says he saw their faith (the friends’) in Mark 2:5. What does this imply about the role of community in nurturing and expressing faith?
The sermon argues that "diversity becomes discipleship when stories are heard, tables are shared, and perspectives get stretched" ([23:55]). How does this connect to Jesus’ intentional inclusion of diverse disciples (fishermen, tax collectors, zealots)?

Application Questions

Reflect on your closest relationships: Who consistently encourages you to pray, serve, or trust God more? What practical step could you take this week to deepen accountability with them?
The Mark 2 friends carried their paralyzed friend through obstacles to Jesus ([31:30]). Is there someone in your life who needs you to "tear through the roof" spiritually—to pray persistently for them or invite them into community? How will you act on this?
The sermon warns against building relationships solely around "preferences instead of purpose" ([21:38]). Are there people in your circle who challenge you to grow in Christlikeness but feel outside your comfort zone? How might you intentionally engage with them?
"The crowd can become the problem" by unintentionally blocking others from Jesus ([34:35]). When have you prioritized your comfort or routine over noticing someone new or isolated? What is one way to "make room" for others this week?
Proverbs 13:20 contrasts outcomes of walking with the wise versus fools. What habits, conversations, or media influences in your life might be normalizing cynicism or complacency? How can you replace them with wisdom?
The sermon asks, "Is your squad growing deeper and wider?" ([37:48]). When was the last time you invited someone into your home, group, or daily rhythms who doesn’t share your background or beliefs? What fears hold you back?

Sermon Clips

39s

#MakeRoomForOne

“``This whole conversation can feel overwhelming, can it? And sometimes we think, man, I I can't do it all. I can't change everyone. And you're right. Neither can I? But you can notice one person. You can invite one person or pray for one person. You can carry one person or encourage one person. You can save one seat. You can leave one chair open because it will make all the difference to that one.”

41s

#IntentionalCommunity

“``Because here's the truth. All of us can find ourselves somewhere on that top 10 list. Maybe your hashtag squad has become a little too comfortable. Maybe it's become a little too closed. Maybe you've confused showing up on Sundays with actually being known. Maybe you've been waiting for someone to encourage you while God has been asking you to encourage someone else. Maybe you've been asking, why doesn't anybody reach out to me when God has been saying, who are you reaching out to? Here's my point. Healthy hashtag squads don't happen accidentally. They happen intentionally.”

38s

#GuardYourCircle

“``If Menander stumbled onto something true, if the people around us shape who we become, then maybe we ought to be a little more intentional about who gets that front row seat into our lives Because not everybody deserves the same level of influence. Not everyone should have equal access to your heart. Not everyone should have equal weight in your decision making. Not everyone should have permission to shape the direction of your life. Now hear me clearly. I'm not saying we should isolate ourselves from people that don't know Jesus.”

41s

#FaithInActionFriends

“``Mark doesn't say that he that Jesus saw the paralytic's faith. Mark wrote that they that Jesus saw their faith, the four people that were carrying him. The faith of friends was visible because faith always shows itself in action. Jesus saw their determination, their persistence, their willingness to overcome every single obstacle to bring someone they love into his presence. That's a healthy hashtag squad, isn't it? Sometimes our greatest act of faith isn't what we do for ourselves, it's what we're willing to do for someone else.”

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For You Page Week 6 - #Squad