S1: We all have issues. But today, on Bold steps, Mark
S1: Jobe explains how God may be wanting to use our
S1: issues for a divine breakthrough.
S2: The last thing that you want to do is to
S2: highlight the very thing that you want to hide. You
S2: want people to see what you want them to see,
S2: but you really don't want them to see that part
S2: of you that you're ashamed of. God cannot heal what
S2: you choose to conceal.
S1: Welcome to Bold Steps with pastor Mark Jobe, president of
S1: Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community
S1: Church in Chicago. And I'm Wayne Shepherd. Yesterday, we began
S1: a powerful message about how God sees us in the
S1: midst of our struggles. Today, we'll discover why healing often
S1: requires us to do something that feels completely counterintuitive to
S1: stop hiding and bring our issues into the light. You know,
S1: it's our natural instinct to conceal the parts of ourselves
S1: that bring us shame or embarrassment. But as we'll learn
S1: from Scripture today, God cannot heal what we choose to
S1: keep hidden. If you miss part one of this transformative message,
S1: you'll find it online at Bold steps.org. But now let's
S1: join Mark Jobe for part two titled You Have an Issue.
S2: But Jesus says to this man, stand up in front
S2: of everyone. What was he doing? Well, I believe that
S2: Jesus was initiating a journey towards healing and wholeness. Can
S2: I tell you something? Look up at me. This is
S2: really important. Some of you have been hiding your shriveled
S2: hand for so long. You have become experts at hiding
S2: your shriveled hand. It is. It is part of your personality.
S2: It is part of how you operate. You block people out.
S2: You hold people out. You excuse. If people get too close,
S2: you push them out because you don't want them to
S2: see your shriveled hand. You have become an expert of
S2: letting people in so far, but then you step away.
S2: You know how to maneuver, how to manipulate, how to deflect,
S2: how to walk around it. Why? Because you don't want
S2: people to see the very thing that you're ashamed of.
S2: Some of you today are lonely people because you have
S2: an inner, deep sense and feeling that if people really
S2: knew who I was, they would reject me. Some of
S2: you have a very difficult time with community. You're comfortable
S2: coming to a Sunday morning gathering like this in a crowd,
S2: but you're very uncomfortable in a small group. You want
S2: to be anonymous. You want people to see what you
S2: want them to see, but you really don't want them
S2: to see that part of you that you're ashamed of.
S2: It works for your self-image. Image. But when you go
S2: to bed at night, there's a loneliness of your soul.
S2: There's a hollowness in your spirit. Because when you keep
S2: people away, it. Yeah, it protects you. But you were
S2: engineered and made. Made by God for community. You know,
S2: the Bible tells us in Proverbs chapter 28 verse 13,
S2: whoever conceals their sin does not prosper, but the one
S2: who confesses and renounces finds mercy. God cannot heal what
S2: you choose to conceal. You see, one of the first
S2: steps in experience and healing is when we stop concealing.
S2: And I believe that Jesus calls this man with a
S2: withered arm forward because he understood. Hey, if I'm going
S2: to heal you, you have to bring it to the light.
S2: Everybody has to see the withered ness of your hand.
S2: I cannot heal that which is hidden. I can only
S2: heal that which comes to the light, that which is exposed,
S2: that which is brought to the light. That's what I
S2: can begin to heal. Why is it so hard? Well,
S2: it's hard because it exposes deformity to others. He would
S2: be uncomfortable standing before a crowd and having people see why.
S2: Because when there's something that we we've struggled with, there's
S2: something that we're very aware of. It becomes bigger in
S2: our mind than it is to others. And we feel
S2: like our entire being will be judged by that part
S2: of us that will be labeled, that the entirety of
S2: our persona will be judged. When Jesus said to this
S2: withered the man with the withered hand, stand up! He
S2: had a choice to make. Do I run? Do I
S2: walk out? Do I hide? Do I say no way?
S2: He had a moment. A moment where he's wrestling with
S2: his faith. Can I trust this? Jesus? Can I reveal
S2: it to him? Will he embarrass me? Will he judge me?
S2: Will I walk out with greater shame? But in that moment,
S2: he had to wrestle with faith. Can I trust what
S2: Jesus says? Can I trust his heart? He was in
S2: not in an environment of faith. He was in an
S2: environment of judgment. The Pharisees were there with judgment. The
S2: Herodians were there with judgment. The Sadducees were there with judgment.
S2: There was an atmosphere of judgment and religiosity that existed
S2: in that gathering that they had. But listen, it's the
S2: presence of Jesus that overcomes everything else. Oh, man, I'm
S2: talking to someone here today because I run into people
S2: all the time that say, well, pastor, you don't know
S2: this person hurt me. That person. I think all religious
S2: people are hypocritical or whatever you may say, but I'm
S2: going to tell you, there's a presence here in this
S2: place that's bigger than anyone around you, bigger than your past,
S2: bigger than your neighbor, bigger than the one in front
S2: of you or behind you. And that's the presence of Jesus,
S2: the Christ, the son of the living God, the one
S2: who loves, who knows you, who cares about you. That
S2: is the presence. That's why we gather together here in
S2: this place is because of the presence of the Almighty
S2: Jesus that we gather with. And at that moment in time,
S2: this man with the withered hand. He understood. I'm sure
S2: that he didn't look to the right the Pharisee, the Sadducees,
S2: the Herodians. But he looked at the eyes of Jesus,
S2: and he looked at the eyes of Jesus. I think
S2: that he felt the compassion of Jesus, the power of Jesus.
S2: He felt the safety of being able to come to
S2: this Jesus and say, yeah, I have a withered hand.
S2: It tells us that the Pharisees and the teachers of
S2: the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus,
S2: so they watched him closely to see if he would
S2: heal on the Sabbath. But they were furious and began
S2: to discuss with one another. Verse 11 says how they
S2: may kill him. You see what you say? Well, pastor,
S2: what's the big deal about the Sabbath? Well, the Sabbath
S2: had become a big point of contention. The Sabbath was
S2: the day that they met on. And in the Old Testament,
S2: God gives rules about the Sabbath. And in essence, the
S2: rule was this would be a day that you worship God.
S2: You shouldn't work because it's a time of worshiping God.
S2: It was the laws of the land. It was what
S2: God instituted so that they would set aside a particular
S2: time to rest and to worship Jesus. It seems. would
S2: poke the bear because seven times he heals on the Sabbath,
S2: almost like he's doing it on purpose just to. Poke
S2: the Pharisees. Seven times you have miracles that Jesus did
S2: on the Sabbath. It tells us in Matthew that they
S2: had just had a discussion about the Sabbath, where the
S2: Pharisees were angry at the disciples because they were they
S2: were pulling wheat and eating it on the Sabbath. And
S2: so Jesus knew that it was a contention. But but
S2: here's what I want you to see here. See this
S2: God has his laws, but the Pharisees, and this is
S2: in the Torah. This is in the first five books
S2: of the New Testament. This is, uh, in the Septuagint,
S2: and it's in the Torah, the, the books of the
S2: law that are found in the Bible. But the Pharisees
S2: had added their own laws on top of the laws
S2: of God. For example, the Pharisees, they had added that
S2: you can't write, you can't erase, you can't tear on
S2: the Sabbath, you couldn't conduct business transactions, you couldn't shop,
S2: you couldn't cook, you couldn't bake, you couldn't kindle a fire.
S2: You couldn't do gardening, you couldn't do laundry. You couldn't
S2: carry anything more than six feet in a public area.
S2: You could not move anything with your hand or even indirectly,
S2: like with a broom or a broken bowl of flour
S2: in a vase or candles on a table, or raw food,
S2: or a rock or a button that had fallen off.
S2: You couldn't take it and put it on. Now you
S2: can move something with your elbow or with your breath,
S2: but not with your hand. In fact, the Pharisees had
S2: gotten so nitty gritty about this that they said, you can.
S2: You're not allowed to look in a mirror on the Sabbath. Why?
S2: Because their contention was you will look in a mirror.
S2: And if you see a gray hair, you'll be tempted
S2: to pluck that gray hair. And then you'd fall into
S2: the problem of working. I've never had that problem. Unrelatable
S2: to me. So you see how nitty gritty, how obsessive,
S2: how controlling, how legalistic, how religious they had become. Hey,
S2: you're listening to Bold Steps. I'm Mark Jobe, and we'll
S2: continue in just a moment. But if you're listening, maybe
S2: you have a bold steps testimony, a prayer request, a
S2: Bible question that you'd like to share. We love to
S2: hear from our listeners, and we're ready to hear it.
S2: And so you can just go to Bold steps.org and
S2: leave a comment right there. And we would love to
S2: hear what God is doing in your life.
S1: Or by calling (312) 329-2011. We'd like to hear your voice.
S1: That's 312329 2011. And Mark, we recently got a call
S1: from a listener with this prayer request. Let's listen.
S3: I love your program. I love this program from Tampa, Florida.
S3: I listen to it every single day and I will
S3: I would like for you guys to pray for my son, Miguel,
S3: that he needs to know Jesus and his whole family
S3: needs salvation. They're going through very difficult times and very
S3: unstable mental situation. Please pray for my son Miguel and
S3: his family that he gets the right person in front
S3: of him to know Jesus. We're very worried about his
S3: mental state for him and his family. I really and
S3: truly appreciate your prayers. Love your program. God bless you
S3: and I will always be there listening to you. I
S3: thank you.
S2: Hey mom, I feel and hear the burden in your heart.
S2: And I'm encouraged for Miguel, first of all, because he
S2: has a mother that is that cares about him and
S2: is praying for him. And I want to encourage you
S2: do not stop. Persevere. In fact, sometimes when we're praying
S2: for a prodigal son or daughter, when God starts chasing
S2: after them, it seems like things get worse. Because when
S2: God is chasing and you're running, you'll, you'll you'll go
S2: in the opposite direction. So I want to pause and
S2: pray for Miguel with you right now. Father, we pray
S2: for Miguel. I don't know what he's doing at this moment,
S2: but I know that your Holy Spirit is right there.
S2: And so we pray, Lord, that he will come to
S2: his senses, that he'll wake up father from the stupor
S2: of the confusion or his running from you. We pray
S2: God that his heart will be soft, and that he
S2: would hear from you, God, that he would turn around,
S2: and that his mother one day will be able to
S2: rejoice with exuberance that her son has come back to you. Father.
S2: We pray that in Jesus name. Amen.
S1: Amen. And you know, as we're learning today in the message, Mark,
S1: just as Jesus sees the man with the need to
S1: be healed, he sees Miguel, doesn't he?
S2: He does. Absolutely.
S1: Thank you for that. If you've never reached out before,
S1: we encourage you to take a moment today and send
S1: us a letter or a message online. Share your story
S1: or question or prayer request with bold steps. Go to
S1: our website bold steps. Org or give us a call
S1: and leave that message as our friend did a moment ago.
S1: 312329 2011 (312) 329-2011. All right. It's time to get back
S1: to the message. Now, here's Mark Jobe.
S2: Jesus was clear with the Pharisees. The Sabbath was made
S2: for man to guard them so that they wouldn't be workaholics.
S2: But not man for the Sabbath. In other words, Jesus
S2: was saying, you're missing the whole point of the Sabbath.
S2: You're putting people under this, under this heavy burden of religiosity.
S2: And can I tell you something? Let me just be
S2: honest with some of you here. Some of you here.
S2: You have lived under the burden of legalism. And when
S2: you live under the burden of religious legalism, you typically
S2: end up abandoning Christianity all the way. I'm talking to
S2: someone here who grew up under very, very strict rules
S2: in some church. And you grew up with those rules.
S2: Your hair can be only so long. You can't do this.
S2: You can't. Your skirt's got to be here. Your dad's
S2: got to say this. You can't say this. You can't say,
S2: do this, do that. You can. You can not go
S2: to the movies. You can watch the movies on TV,
S2: but not in the movie theater. And all these rules
S2: and regulations. You can't put makeup on. You can't do
S2: this if you grew up in that kind of setting.
S2: There's a lot of people that have abandoned God because
S2: you grew up in that setting and you felt like,
S2: I can't measure up. Because what happens when you grow
S2: up with a lot of rules, you eventually come to
S2: the conclusion, I can't keep all those rules, so I
S2: might as well. So God's just angry and mad at me,
S2: so I might as well just go the other way.
S2: How many of you know what I'm talking about today?
S2: Let me tell you. That's not Jesus. There may be
S2: some of you that were afraid to even come to church.
S2: Someone invited you because you felt like I've been there.
S2: I've been judged, accused, looked down on, ostracized. I don't
S2: think I want that. I want God, but I don't
S2: think I can live with that. I'm going to tell you.
S2: Jesus saw beyond all that. This is about a relationship
S2: with God, not about religion and rules placed upon you.
S2: This is about an internal transformation of grace, and not
S2: about you trying to live up to a standard that
S2: you can never live up to. If you could live
S2: up to the standard, Jesus would have never come. You
S2: would have found salvation on your own. We all need
S2: a Savior. We can't live up to that standard and
S2: then we live our lives out of gratitude and obedience
S2: to God. Not out of fear of condemnation, but of
S2: out of love for the Savior who died for us
S2: and gave himself for us. That's Christianity. So the Bible
S2: goes on to tell us. Number three. And I close
S2: with this. Our issue can only experience a breakthrough when
S2: we respond in faith to the Living Word. The Bible
S2: says he looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed.
S2: You know, Jesus gets angry. The Bible says that he
S2: was ticked, that Jesus looked around and he was angry. Frustrated.
S2: He looks around at the people that cared more about
S2: the laws than they did about the people, and he's
S2: frustrated and angry at them. And the Bible says at
S2: the stubbornness of their heart. And so as the man
S2: stands there, being judged by others and people looking at
S2: him and saying, oh, are you going to do this
S2: on the Sabbath? Jesus looks at him. He looks at them.
S2: He looks at him and Jesus in a defiant way
S2: filled with love and compassion. He says to this man,
S2: stretch out your hand. Now there's something about when God
S2: asks us to do something that you've tried to do
S2: a thousand times, and it's impossible for you to do,
S2: but becomes possible with the touch of God. Forgive that individual, pastor.
S2: I've tried, I can't. No, but with the touch of God,
S2: you can. Overcome that compulsive behavior, I can't. I'm a
S2: slave to it. You've tried on your own, but not
S2: with the power of God. Break that destructive pattern in
S2: your life. I've tried it a thousand times. I'm going
S2: to live this way till the day I die. No.
S2: With the power of God, it's possible. You see, he
S2: asked him to do something that he couldn't do in
S2: his own power. It required the supernatural touch of God.
S2: I love the fact that Jesus got angry. You know,
S2: sometimes we should become angry. There's a holy, righteous anger sometimes.
S2: Watch out when you get a man of God that
S2: are godly, enraged with holy passion. It's dangerous with people
S2: of God. Get a holy passion inside of them and
S2: they start pursuing God and walking in God. Watch out
S2: when the people of God get a holy passion for
S2: the things of God. Today, as I wrap this up,
S2: I want you to know that Jesus said, stretch out
S2: your hand. And this man, as he looked at what
S2: had been his shame, as he looked at what was shriveled,
S2: this man did what he had not been able to
S2: do in years. Suddenly there was a surge of power
S2: that went through him. Suddenly there was something that he
S2: felt happened within the tendons of his hand. Suddenly, that
S2: which had been deactivated became activated. Suddenly that which had
S2: been curled was able to straighten out. And for the
S2: first time he was able to straighten out completely before
S2: the Messiah, and that which had not been able to
S2: be used suddenly by the power of God, he was
S2: able to use. In Genesis chapter 16, Hagar is in
S2: the desert and God encounters her. And then she. She
S2: calls that place by a name. She calls it a rohi.
S2: Which means the God who sees me. I love that.
S2: The God who sees me. She was a broken woman,
S2: thrown aside, feeling rejection. But she realized that the God
S2: of the universe saw her and cared about her and
S2: had a destiny and purpose for her life. And so
S2: she says, I call this place the God who sees me.
S2: There's someone that needed to hear that message today. You
S2: needed to know that the God of the universe sees you,
S2: and maybe you have been hiding in your shame. Or
S2: maybe there's withered parts of you that you are trying
S2: to cover up. But I want you to know that today,
S2: the God that heals, the God that loves you, the
S2: God that has a purpose and a plan for your life,
S2: he sees you. He knows your name. You are not anonymous.
S2: He knows your story and he wants to be a
S2: part of that story. And so, father, I pray for
S2: that person that's been hiding in shame. I pray in
S2: Jesus name that as they expose their withered portions of
S2: their life to you, God, that you would step in
S2: and that you would touch them, heal them, restore them.
S2: I pray for that person that has lost something over
S2: the years, that has let something become so withered that
S2: they felt it was unusable. God, I pray that you
S2: would step in and use that gift that has been neglected.
S2: Use that voice that has been silenced. God use that
S2: calling that had been abandoned. Father, I pray in Jesus
S2: name that you would revive it and do it by
S2: your power. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
S1: Amen. Thank you. Mark. You're listening to Bold Steps with
S1: Mark Jobe. A lesson titled you have an issue. You
S1: can revisit this message or share it with someone you
S1: know by simply visiting our website. Bold Steps. And have
S1: you subscribed to Mark's YouTube channel yet? That's a great
S1: way to get his latest video teachings and insights right
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S1: find encouraging content that will help you apply biblical truth
S1: to your everyday life. And here at the start of
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S1: I'm Wayne Shepherd wishing you a wonderful weekend. Make plans
S1: to join us Monday when Mark continues our series on
S1: being seen with a new message titled Pain Wrapped in Shame.
S1: It's coming up Monday right here on Bold Steps with
S1: Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio,
S1: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.