1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdik. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: And I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 2: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope 5 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 2: it gives your perspective to see God is moving. 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: In your life. Enjoy the message. 7 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: Let's get into the scripture now, the Book of Matthew 8 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: chapter eleven, verse two and three. And as I share 9 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: this with you today, I pray that it'll be a 10 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: very personal experience for you. Matthew chapter eleven, Versus two 11 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 2: and three. When John, who was in prison, heard about 12 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to 13 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 2: ask him, are you the one who is to come? 14 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: Or should we expect someone else? 15 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:48,599 Speaker 2: And really let's focus on the first part of that, 16 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 2: when John who was in prison, You'll find my message 17 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 2: right between those commas in that little clause when John 18 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: and here's the phrase, who was in prison? Today, I 19 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 2: like to speak to you about invisible prisons. Invisible prisons, 20 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: and let's pray one more time. God, you hold the keys, 21 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 2: you have all authority, your sovereign and we believe that 22 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: you can do anything. Now enable your servants to have 23 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 2: the kind of faith that will connect with Heaven, get 24 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 2: us past the point of our own perspective, and help 25 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 2: us to see things like you see him for a 26 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 2: few minutes. We believe that if we do, things will 27 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: change in our lives. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen, 28 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 2: you may. 29 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: Be seated low ocd. My Bible was on the wrong 30 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: side of the thing. I have to keep it a 31 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: certain way. 32 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 2: And you know, it's funny when you're married to somebody, 33 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 2: you notice all these little things about them. 34 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: Now listen, this is not hyperbole. 35 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 2: Holly Ferdick is pretty much the perfect wife. We don't 36 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 2: have the perfect marriage, but she's like, you know, nine 37 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: point nine nine out of ten on the way, and 38 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: even look at me, Look at me. I'm not just 39 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: earning points up here trying to get something started in 40 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 2: the afternoon after I preach. 41 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: I promise you she really is. 42 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: And even when we miss each other just by that 43 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: point zero zero zero zero zero one. 44 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: It's usually just she's even trying. 45 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: And sometimes it's just like she loves me so much 46 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 2: and messes things up, you know, like she she used 47 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: to introduce me. We would go to the different campuses 48 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 2: and have a campus vision night, and so we'd be 49 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: like at University City or at Riverwalk the artist formerly 50 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 2: known as Rock Hill, and she get up to introduce 51 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: me like she'd she'd read a scripture, greet the people, 52 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 2: and she would tell them, now, in a few moments, 53 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: our pastor is gonna come preach and let me tell 54 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: you it's going to be a good one tonight. And 55 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: they cheer a little bit, and she'd say, I mean, 56 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 2: I'm telling you he's been studying all day. I mean 57 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 2: to tell you he hadn't come out of his room. 58 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 2: I went in the room and he was on his 59 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: face on the carpet, seeking God and worshiping God. And 60 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: and then he and then he on the way over, 61 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 2: he had a napkin out and he was writing his 62 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 2: sermon notes on a napkin. 63 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: And he's just fired up. And I've never seen him 64 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: this fired up. 65 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: And I think tonight might be the best message that 66 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 2: he's ever going to preach in his life. And I'm like, 67 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 2: shut up, this is too much presser, Like I cannot 68 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: take the expectations. And it's like ah, like everything she says, 69 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 2: it's like I can't possibly make it this good. 70 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: You know, get up and tell him. 71 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 2: I've been sick and uh and the kids have been 72 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: crazy and it's just a miracle that I'm here. And then, 73 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 2: you know, I could just jump over that. You know, 74 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: I could dunk on that. Just set the goal about 75 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 2: five feet, I could. 76 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: Dunk on that. 77 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying, because she puts it up 78 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: so high I can't possibly reach it. It's about expectations. 79 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: Marriage is about expectations. I could I could preach a 80 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: seminar on that. Let's do another time, because it's just 81 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 2: the idea of when you don't understand someone's expectations, you 82 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 2: can't make sense of their disappointments. 83 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: And faith when you get. 84 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 2: To the essence of it is an expectation, a confident 85 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 2: assurance that a negative circumstance still holds the potential to 86 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 2: produce great purpose in my life. Come on, shout on that. 87 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 2: I'm gonna teach you all where to shout. Y'all been 88 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 2: coming to church too many years to not know where 89 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 2: the shouting part is. 90 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: That's the shouting part. 91 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 2: Means I can walk into something dark and light it 92 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 2: up because of my faith, because the light of the 93 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 2: world lives in me. You say, Jesus is the light 94 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 2: of the world. Absolutely he is, but guess where he lives. 95 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: It's an expectation. Faith is an expectation to know that, 96 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 2: even if the sequence of things doesn't make sense in 97 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 2: my life, that God, who lives outside of time because 98 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 2: he is eternal, knows the end from the beginning. So 99 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 2: then I have to trust him with element op if 100 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 2: he is Z and A, and if A is related 101 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 2: to Z, because he is Alpha and Omega beginning in 102 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: the end, the first and the last. My faith is 103 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 2: an expectation that before the movie even starts, he's already 104 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 2: shot the closing scene. It helps me to know today 105 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 2: that I don't have to live in suspense as to 106 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 2: whether or not I will see the goodness of the 107 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 2: Lord in the land of the living. Because faith is 108 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: an expectation. Faith enables me to wake up in the 109 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 2: morning knowing that surely goodness and mercy will follow me 110 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: all the days of my life. And since this is 111 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 2: one of the days of my life, Goodness and mercy 112 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: are my bodyguards, one on my right and one on 113 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: my left. You can't see them there invisible, but if 114 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: you look real close, I've got security. Tell somebody, say 115 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 2: I got security, goodness, and mercy. The favor of the 116 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 2: Lord is the filter through which I view the fights 117 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 2: of my life. Knowing this that he who began a 118 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 2: good work in me will be faithful to complete it. 119 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 2: Don't know when, don't know how, not even sure what 120 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 2: he's doing yet. But my faith gives me an expectation. 121 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 2: Now unto him who is able to do immeasurably more 122 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 2: than we ask or imagine, according to his power that 123 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 2: works mightily in us, not according to my preference, not 124 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 2: according to my understanding or the finite finite you know, small, little, 125 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: puny way that I tend to come at situations. But 126 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 2: my faith is an expectation, and this expectation is contagious. 127 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 2: Talk about talk about expectations. 128 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: Man John, the Baptist who we just read about, he was. 129 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 2: He was really, really familiar with the pressure of high 130 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 2: expectations because he was a miraculous, miraculously born baby, and 131 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 2: an angel prophesied his birth, and in fact, when his mother, 132 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: Elizabeth got pregnant, you know, his father Zachariah, was so 133 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 2: shocked by it that he told the angel it couldn't 134 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 2: happen because they were kind of old and so his expectation. 135 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: You know, with age, one thing can happen. With age. 136 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 2: That's good, you can get experience, but it can diminish expectation. 137 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: Do you know what I mean by that? 138 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: I'm looking for over forty because I'm not there yet. 139 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: I'm familiar with this. But John was born. Before he 140 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 2: was born, you have to understand that he was the 141 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: voice that prepared the way for the Lord that the 142 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: entire nation was expecting to. 143 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: Deliver them from oppression. 144 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 2: That was their expectation of the Messiah, and they looked 145 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 2: for for hundreds of years, in centuries, so that this 146 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 2: generation that was alive at the time the birth of 147 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,679 Speaker 2: Christ had heard the stories, the rumors, and the rumblings 148 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 2: about the possibility and potential of his coming into the world, 149 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 2: and this expectation from their heart was that he would 150 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 2: then set them free from oppression, whether economic or political, 151 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 2: or deliver them from their circumstantial containment. There's an expectation, 152 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 2: and one thing you got to do when you have 153 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 2: an expectation is make sure that you connect yourself with 154 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:29,679 Speaker 2: people who have a similar expectation. And this is important 155 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 2: because expectation is contagious. Say that out loud, expectation is contagious. 156 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 2: Those of you watching this message, you didn't get to 157 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: be with us in worship. I had everybody in the 158 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 2: church turn to each other, and I had them check 159 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: with their neighbor and make sure that their neighbor was 160 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 2: the right neighbor, because I don't want I'm sitting next 161 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 2: to anybody who's not expecting God to speak today, just 162 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 2: going to play something on their phone, you know, Candy 163 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 2: Crush or whatever game is popular. Now. 164 00:08:59,360 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 1: I don't play that. 165 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 2: I read my Bible in my free times. Kidding, I 166 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: was kidding. I read my Bible, watch YouTube in my 167 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 2: free time. But but I was just having him check, 168 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 2: you know, because expectation is contagious. 169 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: Here's how contagious it is. 170 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 2: When John the Baptist was still in Elizabeth's womb, an 171 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 2: angel appeared six months after Elizabeth got pregnant with John 172 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 2: the Baptist to Mary, who was a relative of Elizabeth. 173 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 2: Now you know, Mary, Mary, did you know from Christmas? 174 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 2: She was told that she was going to have a 175 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 2: baby and she hadn't had relations. And it's kind of 176 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 2: hard to believe a revelation that completely contradicts the circumstances. 177 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: Surrounding it. 178 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 2: So the first thing that she did when the angel 179 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 2: left was going to the hill country to see her 180 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 2: relative named Elizabeth, because the Angel said, she's also expecting. 181 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 2: The best thing you can do when you are expecting 182 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: is to get around somebody. 183 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: Else who's expecting. 184 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 2: If you get around somebody who's expecting, your expect will rise. 185 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: That's why I come to. 186 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: Church, to be honest with you, because you know what, 187 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 2: I could watch it on my phone, but there's something 188 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 2: about being in an atmosphere with people who are also expected. 189 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 2: You know what, if you're watching this message in your house, 190 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 2: next time you watch it, invite somebody over and you'll 191 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 2: drink some coffee together and get some expectation between the 192 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 2: two of you, and get a Bible, and break out 193 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 2: your Bible and stand up on your feet while I'm preaching. 194 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 2: Even if you're watching in your kitchen, if you got 195 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 2: somebody next to you, grab them right now and tell 196 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 2: them I'm expecting something. And what I need is somebody 197 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 2: who will help me with this expectation, because if I 198 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 2: don't get around somebody who's expecting something. 199 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: This is so real. 200 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: This is so real that we've got worship leaders in 201 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 2: this church who lead worship and don't even have a microphone. 202 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 2: Because when we're pulling in today, Graham, who's eleven, said 203 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: to me, we listened to hes Ki Walker on the 204 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 2: way to church today, so I had I had the 205 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 2: I had the car bumping on the way in the 206 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: parking lot. And then we moved over into Israel Hoten 207 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 2: circa two thousand and. 208 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: Six, and and then. 209 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 2: We pulled by the parking team and do you know 210 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: my son said to me when we pulled by the 211 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 2: parking team, he said, I love that guy. 212 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: Now this is Graham. Graham doesn't has never even said 213 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: he loved me, but. 214 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 2: He he was like, I love him. You can tell 215 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 2: he's excited. Graham never said I love Chris Brown. 216 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: He never said it. 217 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 2: Once ever, But that parking attendant, Graham said, he does 218 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 2: so much for our church. 219 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: What could we do for him? But it was a 220 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: childlike faith. 221 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 2: And I promise I'm gonna talk about John the Baptist 222 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 2: in a minute. But it's the craziest thing that when 223 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 2: somebody is also expecting, you know, it created an expectation. 224 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: Even in the. 225 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 2: Parking lot, my son felt something. What he felt though 226 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 2: he didn't know it was the Holy Spirit in that man, 227 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit in that man who didn't need a microphone. 228 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: He had an orange baton, and he was expecting that 229 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: when you pull in my. 230 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: Parking lot, you're pulling up on the holy ground. So 231 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 2: get ready something good. I'm expecting something. So when Elizabeth 232 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:55,439 Speaker 2: and Mary got together. 233 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 1: Mary said, Oh, I just got bumped. 234 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 2: Mary said, what do you mean I just got This 235 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 2: is the new modern steam for the translation of Bible. 236 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: What do you mean you just got bumped? 237 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 2: She said, When you got here, the baby in your 238 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: womb made the baby in my womb leap for joy. 239 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 2: Now you can't see it, it's invisible. 240 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: But something in. 241 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 2: You, the Jesus in you, the Christ in you. 242 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: I'm gonna calm down in a minute and preach. 243 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 2: But somebody who's got a purpose on the inside. Sound 244 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: like you're expecting the greatest page. 245 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: Of your life. 246 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:48,679 Speaker 2: Come on on, every campus, Let's take nineteen seconds and 247 00:13:48,880 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 2: praise a minute. There. It's all right, it's all right, 248 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 2: it's all right to be expected, it's all right, it's 249 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 2: all right. It's all right to love Jesus. It's all 250 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,319 Speaker 2: right to be enthusiastic. 251 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:16,959 Speaker 1: It's all right. 252 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 3: It's all right, to lift up your eyes to the 253 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 3: hills and know where your health comes from. 254 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 2: Expectation is contagious, so is skepticism. Sit down, We gotta 255 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 2: modulate because a lot has happened since John the Baptist 256 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 2: was jumping up and down in Elizabeth's womb as a fetus. 257 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: You know what I mean? 258 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 2: Like a lot happens between when something gets birthed the 259 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 2: point now where he's he started his ministry. He's like, 260 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: he's been doing his job. You've been doing your job. 261 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 2: Just remember the Titans. 262 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: You've been doing your job. He's been doing his job. 263 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 2: And Jesus now is really really getting He's getting popular. 264 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 2: He's blowing up, as some would say. 265 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: Now this is not before the blow up. 266 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 2: Jesus is blowing all the way up, all the way up. 267 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: And John, according to the text, is in prison. 268 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 2: When John first saw Jesus as an adult, and whether 269 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 2: or not they had much contact during their teenage years 270 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 2: is not recorded in scripture. But one thing we know 271 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 2: is that when John saw Jesus at one point when 272 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 2: he was baptized in the Jordan River, John identified Jesus 273 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 2: not by the activities that he did, but he identified 274 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 2: him based on the essence of who he was, which 275 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 2: is really important in how we relate to God, because 276 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 2: if we only learn to identify God by what he 277 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 2: does and what he does for us, then our expectation 278 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 2: will be attached to his activity, and that's dangerous. It's 279 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 2: very dangerous to have. It's very dangerous to have a 280 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 2: low expectation of God. Then you just live the life 281 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 2: at the level of your disappointments and then wonder why 282 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: everything turns out exactly the way you imagined it to 283 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 2: turn out because you didn't have any faith for anything else. 284 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: It's a self fulfilling prophecy. 285 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 2: But it's also very dangerous to have an expectation of 286 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 2: God that is not congruent with his character. And this 287 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 2: is where it gets difficult for us. Because dancing baby 288 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 2: he's in the womb is one thing. But now when 289 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 2: John who was in prison, not in prison for a 290 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 2: meth laugh, not in prison because you know, not in 291 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 2: prison for a domestic disturbance, in prison for standing up 292 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 2: to a wicked king herod and because he wouldn't say 293 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,239 Speaker 2: what was expected of him to be said, because he 294 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 2: was a prophet and he didn't operate like that, and 295 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 2: he was kind of rough, y'all. 296 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: John the Baptist was. If he had a Twitter account, 297 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 1: it would. 298 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 2: Definitely it would definitely need to be suspended. He would 299 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 2: definitely be deplatformed in this day. In this PC day, 300 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 2: John the Baptist would not have much of an audience, 301 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 2: but he was very popular in his time until Jesus came. 302 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 2: And when Jesus came, he said, look, Lamb of God 303 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 2: takes away his sins of the world. Don't follow me, 304 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 2: follow him John three thirty. He must become greater. I 305 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: must become less. Follow him, not me. Whole reason I'm 306 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 2: here his point to him. Here he is, y'all, go 307 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: with him. I'm gonna do my thing. I prepared to wagh. 308 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 2: I'm just a voice. I'm not the one. I'm just 309 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: a voice pointing. 310 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: To the one. So I know my place. 311 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:05,919 Speaker 2: So I'm gonna fall back now so he can do 312 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 2: what he came to do, and what he came to 313 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 2: do watch this was to judge the unwickedness and to 314 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 2: bring the people to repentance. That was John's favorite message. 315 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 2: He loved that word repent He just preached. 316 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 1: It all the time. 317 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 2: And when they would come out to be baptized by him. 318 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 2: He would call him names. He one time called the 319 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: Pharisees a brute of vipers. I thought that would be 320 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 2: an interesting way to welcome the campuses one weekend. And 321 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 2: yet there was a prophetic power to his ministry that 322 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 2: people were attracted to because he would say things that 323 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 2: were true, whether they wanted them to be true or not. 324 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 2: And yet that same spirit. And I really want to 325 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 2: isolate this. I didn't do it last night, but I 326 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 2: was thinking the same thing that made him so great 327 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:01,679 Speaker 2: got him in trouble, the same thing that made him 328 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 2: able to just take a stand. And I'm not moving. 329 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 2: And this is how it's gonna be. Repent, Repent, repent. 330 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: Let me show you one example. Can I show you 331 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 2: one example of what his message was? So he's out 332 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 2: baptizing at the Jordan, he baptized Jesus. He said, uh, 333 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 2: I'm not worthy to untie your thong of your sandaljes said, 334 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 2: we got to do it to fulfill all righteousness is proper, 335 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 2: it's appropriate. Stop thinking about how you think it needs 336 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,679 Speaker 2: to be, and I'm telling you how it needs to be. 337 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 2: You're just the voice. You're the You're not the message. 338 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: You're just the voice. Again, You're not the message, You're 339 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 2: just the voice. One more time, You're not the message, 340 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: You're just the voice. And so he baptized Jesus in obedience, 341 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 2: even though it didn't make sense. 342 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: And now watch this. 343 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 2: This is something that he said that shows us what 344 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 2: his expectation was. 345 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 1: And if you. 346 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 2: Don't understand his expectation, you can't make sense of his disappointment. 347 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 2: This was his expectation of the Messiah. This was his 348 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 2: expectation of the one that he gave, gave away his 349 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 2: ministry to. This was his expectation of the Lamb of God, 350 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: who takes away the sin of the world and is 351 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 2: found in Matthew chapter three. Watch this, he's talking to 352 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 2: the crowds. I baptize you with water for repentance. But 353 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 2: after me comes one who is more powerful than I, 354 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 2: who sandals I am not worthy to carry. He'll baptize 355 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,679 Speaker 2: you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Watch this verse twelve. 356 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 2: His winnowing fork is in hand. Ooh, that's what you 357 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:38,719 Speaker 2: used to get the chaf owl, the wickedness. You winnow 358 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 2: it out, and you separate the sheep from the goats, 359 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 2: the good from the bad, the righteous from the wicked. 360 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 2: He's got his winnowing fork. He's here now, and it's 361 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 2: about to go down. It's about to get good. The 362 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 2: Lamb of God is here, and he's got his winnowing 363 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 2: fork in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, 364 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 2: gathering his wheat into the bar and burning up the 365 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 2: chaff with unquenchable fire. It's about to be fired. The 366 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 2: Son of God is here. It's about to be fire. 367 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 2: He's got a fork and he's about to start a fire. 368 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 2: And he's burning up all y'all that don't want to 369 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 2: do it, and get right and get left, and you 370 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 2: know all this stuff he had John the Baptist had 371 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 2: a church sign. It would have all those things about 372 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 2: hell on it, you know, about the fire and the 373 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 2: wicked and the righteous and turn or burn and you know. 374 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 1: And he's got his fork in one hand. Now watch this. 375 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 2: He's in prison now. He's in prison now, and something 376 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 2: is making him doubt what he was so sure about 377 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 2: from the time even before he was born, what he 378 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 2: knew before he was even born, he's now doubting in 379 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 2: this prison. Sends messengers one hundred miles on foot just 380 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 2: to ask Jesus one question, and I get it, because 381 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 2: you know we're supposed to be partners. And here I 382 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 2: am in prison, and all I keep seeing is you 383 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 2: healing people, blessing people. 384 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:16,120 Speaker 1: All I see. 385 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 2: All I keep seeing is the reports of how awesome 386 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 2: it's going for you. But I stood up to a 387 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 2: king and I'm here in prison, and here's what he's wondering. 388 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 2: Did you catch it? In the verse? He said, are 389 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 2: you the one? Or should we expect someone else? In 390 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 2: other words, is it always gonna be like this? In 391 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 2: other words, I thought I thought I thought you were 392 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: gonna Have you ever thought God was gonna where'd y'all go? 393 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 2: Y'all were fired up when we had a little praise 394 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 2: moment and all that. Have you ever thought God was 395 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 2: gonna you? Have you ever wondered? Because John the Baptist 396 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 2: is just wondering. He's just wondering. He's not denying Jesus. 397 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: He's not. He's not. 398 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 2: He's not turning away from the sovereign Lord who bought him. 399 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: He's not. 400 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 2: He's he's he's. 401 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,360 Speaker 1: Not contradicting what he said to begin with. 402 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 2: He's just thinking, Now, maybe God isn't what I thought 403 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 2: he was. Maybe the one that I trusted in maybe 404 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 2: I trusted in the wrong one. 405 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: Now you don't say it. 406 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,239 Speaker 2: Like that, because if you said it like that, you 407 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 2: would be scared. God would hit you with the lightning bolt. 408 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 2: But you just send messengers. You don't say it like 409 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 2: that directly, but indirectly. Somebody came in here wondering, and 410 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 2: you don't talk about this. 411 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: You're you're wondering. 412 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 2: You know, God made some promises and and here's the 413 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 2: here's the interesting thing about it. A lot of times 414 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 2: our entire faith journey is sabotaged because of our expectation 415 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 2: of salvation when it gets started. And I'm not sure 416 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 2: that as preachers we've been very responsible about it, because 417 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 2: a lot of times we will preach that salvation from 418 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 2: your sin is a one time event. In fact, it 419 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 2: is you will never pay the penalty of your sin. 420 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 2: Jesus is the lamb of God. This is what John 421 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 2: knu who takes. 422 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: Away the sin of the world. But the power of. 423 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 2: Sin is very different than the penalty of sin, and 424 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 2: the patterns of sin are very different than the penalty 425 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 2: of sin. So when we preach that you've been forgiven 426 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 2: of your sin, you are set free from the penalty 427 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,360 Speaker 2: of your sin. But if the pattern of your sin 428 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 2: has been ingrained not only just throughout your lifetime, but 429 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,679 Speaker 2: some of it is even generational, and some addictions that 430 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 2: you are fighting against, you know, the invisible. 431 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: Prisons that you live in, the things that you do 432 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: over and over again. 433 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 2: I was thinking about how some of us are in 434 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 2: invisible prisons today. Even as we try to appear free 435 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 2: to people, there is a spiritual depression on so many, 436 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 2: so many thousands that I will preach to this weekend, 437 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 2: and nobody can see it because we paint the walls 438 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 2: with a smile, but we live behind bars on the inside. 439 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: It's an invisible prison. 440 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 2: It's ways of thinking and reasoning and fearing. Because when 441 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 2: I realized John was in two different prisons at the same. 442 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: Time, it clarified the text for me. 443 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 2: One was the one that herod Antipus put him in 444 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 2: for saying what he didn't want to hear. But the 445 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 2: other one was an invisible prison. The other one is 446 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 2: one that I'm all too familiar with. This is the 447 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 2: prison of your expectations, This is the prison of your plans, 448 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 2: This is the prison of what you thought God was 449 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 2: going to do. You know, hey, go ask Jesus, are 450 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 2: you the one? Because uh, I told everybody you're the one. 451 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 2: I told everybody you had your fork, You've got to 452 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 2: start a fire. 453 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 1: Watch what the messengers say back to John. 454 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 2: They say, Jeuz, reply, go back and report to jarn 455 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 2: what you hear and see Look at this list. The 456 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 2: blind receives sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy 457 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 2: are cleansed the death. Here the dead are raised, and 458 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 2: the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is 459 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 2: anyone who does not stumble on account of me. Watch 460 00:26:54,359 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 2: what wasn't in that verse? The fork and the fire. Jesus, 461 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 2: this wasn't doing any of the things that John wanted 462 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: him to do. Read the list again. The blind received site, 463 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 2: the lame walk, those who have leprosy or cleanse the death. 464 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 2: Here the dead or rays, and the good news is 465 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 2: proclaimed to the fore go tell John that. And John's like, 466 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 2: I'm just checking, Jesus, where's the fork? Where's the fire? 467 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 2: You know, WTF? You ever had a moment? Why y'all 468 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 2: hate me today? 469 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,719 Speaker 1: He never had a where's the fork? Where's the fire? 470 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 2: Jo? 471 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 1: John is having a moment. 472 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 2: John is in a WTF moment with the Lord, walk 473 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 2: out if you want to. But if you'll be really honest, 474 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,719 Speaker 2: if you'll be really honest, there are some things in 475 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 2: your life you're trying to figure out. Right now, Come on, 476 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 2: where is it? Where is it? What in the world 477 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 2: is this? Somebody show what is this? 478 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,199 Speaker 1: What is this? Yeah? Yeah, I don't know. I just 479 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: need to know because I. 480 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 2: Thought you were gonna and that is the prison that 481 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 2: we spend so much of our lives in what we 482 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:30,479 Speaker 2: thought God was gonna do. 483 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: But I got a question for you. 484 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,120 Speaker 2: What if He really is able to do immeasurably more 485 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 2: than you ask her. Imagine what if he wants to 486 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 2: do something so much better than your mic can comprehend? 487 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: Is you be open to that? 488 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 2: What if God didn't want to meet your expectations because 489 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: he wanted to exceed them? And now I'm gonna make 490 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 2: you sit back down because You're not gonna like this. 491 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 2: The way he grows my faith. 492 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: Is usually to disappoint my expectation. John's like this, This 493 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 1: is what I gave up my ministry for. 494 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 2: This. I gave my life to Jesus and I'm still 495 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 2: struggling with depression and anxiety. This because it was your 496 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 2: expectation of deliverance that is causing your disappointment. 497 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 1: Go tell John wishes blind c the death here the 498 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: lame walk. 499 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 2: Tell him, I'm touching people that nobody else would touch, 500 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 2: that were quarantined because of this dreadful disease called leprosy, 501 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 2: and they're able to go to their family because they're 502 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 2: cleansed and they can live their life. Tell him all that, 503 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 2: But you know he's not making this upright. This is 504 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 2: what he came to do. This is what he announced 505 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 2: that he came to do. In Luke chapter four, he said, 506 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 2: the spirit of the Lord is on me because he's 507 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 2: quote in Isaiah sixty one, because he is fulfilling the prophecy, 508 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 2: not fulfilling their preferences. Fulfilling the prophecy. It's very different. 509 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 2: He's fulfilling what he said. He was not what they 510 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 2: thought he was going to be. That's what God is 511 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 2: trying to deliver us from, you see it, from what 512 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 2: we thought he was going to be. He's so much 513 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 2: bigger than that. He's so much better than that. His 514 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 2: plan is so much bigger than that. His purpose is 515 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 2: so much greater than that. And John said, are you 516 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 2: the one? He said, go back and tell him that 517 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 2: the death here and the blind sea and the lepers 518 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 2: are touched, and the eyes of the blind are open, 519 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 2: and the ears of the death. This is all from 520 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 2: Luke chapter four. Look it up when he unrolled the scroll, 521 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: when he stood up to read in his hometown, and 522 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 2: he said. 523 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: To this day, is this prophecy fulfilled? In your hearing? 524 00:30:59,120 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: I came. 525 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 2: The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he 526 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 2: has annoyed me to preach the good news to the poor, 527 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 2: recovery of sight to the blind. He sent me to 528 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:07,479 Speaker 2: open death fears. He sent me to do all this. 529 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 2: But one thing he left out when he sent the 530 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 2: message to John. And this is crazy, Zach, because I 531 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 2: know how much you left the Bible, so it's gonna 532 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 2: blow your mind. 533 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: The only thing that he left out. 534 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 2: He added some stuff to it, but he left one 535 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 2: thing out, Freedom for the prisoners. 536 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 1: Look it up right now, reference me. It's in Luke. 537 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: For I can wait. 538 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 2: I know I'm right about this, unless you got some 539 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 2: weird bible that you made for yourself, Luke. For it's 540 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 2: like eighteen nineteen something like that. 541 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: What's his say? Eighteen nineteen? What was say? 542 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 2: Spear Lord's this is Rick Parker, the one that you'll 543 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 2: always hear on the podcast, the one you hey, Rick, 544 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 2: you know you're famous on the podcast. He's the one 545 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 2: always talking back to me, the country guy. He's always 546 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 2: talking back to him. People ask me all the time, 547 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 2: who's that country guy that's always talking back to you. 548 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: That's Rick Parker. What does it saying? 549 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, Gospel to the poor, healed the broken heart. 550 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: Liberty to the captives. Where's that? He said? 551 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 2: Tell John, I'm doing it all. Tell John that everything 552 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 2: I said I would do, I'm doing it. 553 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 1: But what I said I would do is not what 554 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: he was expecting. 555 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 2: And tell John that I need his faith not to 556 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:47,520 Speaker 2: rest in his idea of who he thought I was. 557 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna preach this home right now. 558 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 2: I need his faith not to rest in whether or 559 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 2: not I fulfill his agenda. Look, so many of the 560 00:32:57,640 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 2: things that Jesus did in the scripture, it was a 561 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: hidden agenda. In fact, he even spoke in parables, not 562 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 2: so the people would get a cute little story about 563 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 2: a father and a son and he ran away and 564 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 2: he ate with the pigs, and the father welcomed him home. 565 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 2: That isn't why he taught in parables. He taught in 566 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 2: parables because he didn't want his wisdom to be ascertained 567 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 2: with the human mind. He taught in parables so that 568 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 2: the spirit of God could reveal to the unlearned not 569 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 2: the wisdom of this world, but the things of God. 570 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 2: So much of what he does is hidden, and yet 571 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 2: we spend all of our time in our minds trying 572 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 2: to figure out whether God is good, trying to figure 573 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 2: out whether life makes sense. 574 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 1: It's a prison. 575 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 2: You'll never figure it out that way. You can't get 576 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 2: out that way. You can't solve your problems on the 577 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 2: level of self. It's gonna take a great, big God 578 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 2: with an eternal plan. 579 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 1: It's gonna take a really good God. It's going to 580 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 1: take a majestic God. 581 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 2: And I'm gonna have to decide whether or not I'm 582 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 2: going to interpret him through the lens of my expectations 583 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 2: or set my expectations on the basis of. 584 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,239 Speaker 1: Who he is. Now, here's what I know. 585 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:18,240 Speaker 2: I am preaching to so many different types of people today. 586 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 2: For some of you, you can hardly breathe right now 587 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 2: because I'm speaking so specifically to you. Because the Lord 588 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 2: is trying to get this message to you. For others 589 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,399 Speaker 2: of you, you're in a much more dangerous place. You're 590 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 2: not even listening. 591 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: You know what. 592 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 2: God uses to develop your faith, disappointment. You know what 593 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:50,840 Speaker 2: the devil uses to destroy your faith, disappointment. And I 594 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 2: think it's what you do with it. Because's going to happen. 595 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: It's going to happen in relationships, it's going to happen 596 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 2: in it's going to happen in churches to where what 597 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:10,279 Speaker 2: you thought it was gonna be and what it really is. 598 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:13,920 Speaker 2: You know, I don't even like the way this Bible 599 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 2: story goes because what I want to happen next in 600 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 2: the story is that the Angel of the Lord comes 601 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 2: breaks John out of prison, and John goes on to 602 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:25,800 Speaker 2: preach the gospel and he has more success and double 603 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:27,759 Speaker 2: for his trouble like job like never before. In the 604 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,120 Speaker 2: Lord restores the years the kanker worm is wasting. We 605 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:32,480 Speaker 2: can have good church and all get a serotonin hit, 606 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 2: go home, be happy, and watch a NASCAR race. But 607 00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 2: what I'm thinking is I need to tell you that 608 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 2: the way you expect this story to end, since we're 609 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,319 Speaker 2: talking about expectations, is not necessarily the way that it does. 610 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 2: Because John John doesn't get out of prison in Matthew 611 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:58,520 Speaker 2: chapter eleven. In fact, in Matthew fourteen, his head is 612 00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 2: served up on a platter because the King decides to 613 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 2: cut it off him. And yet there's something that's even 614 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:12,839 Speaker 2: more beautiful in the text than John getting what he wants. 615 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:17,480 Speaker 1: There's something much more profound. 616 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:22,560 Speaker 2: Then John gets what he wants, and what it is 617 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 2: is in verse seven and following. Now, this transitional phrase 618 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:31,320 Speaker 2: is really important. By the way, who am I preaching 619 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:35,799 Speaker 2: to today? That there's been some things that weren't what 620 00:36:35,880 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 2: you thought they were going to be, and it's affecting 621 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:43,200 Speaker 2: your faith now. And even in a sense, God is 622 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 2: not who you thought he was going to be, and 623 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 2: you're experiencing him in a different way. 624 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: Than you have a template for and it's challenging to you. 625 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 2: So what happens next is the part of the message 626 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 2: that I really want you to take to heart. Because 627 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 2: John's disciples were leaving, what does that mean? Whatever Jesus 628 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:10,480 Speaker 2: says next, John doesn't hear it. He turns to the 629 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 2: crowd and begins to speak about John. This is significant 630 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:20,759 Speaker 2: because what he says next is what he wants the 631 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:24,960 Speaker 2: crowd to know about John. What he said before was 632 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 2: what he wanted John to know about him. And it's 633 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 2: a critical distinction because God never wants your faith to 634 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 2: rest on you. He knows how fragile and fickle you are. 635 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 2: He said, Go tell John that there is a purpose 636 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:46,360 Speaker 2: that is greater. There is a plan that is bigger. 637 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:50,399 Speaker 2: Say that there is a purpose that is greater. There 638 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:53,640 Speaker 2: is a plan that is bigger. I'm looking for one 639 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 2: hundred percent participation on every location. There is a purpose 640 00:37:57,280 --> 00:38:00,840 Speaker 2: that is greater. There is a plan that is bigger. 641 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 2: Look at the person next you, say there is a 642 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 2: purpose that is greater. There is a plan that is bigger. 643 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 2: Other neighbor, There is a purpose that is greater. There 644 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 2: is a plan that is bigger. Tell him zoom out, 645 00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:18,279 Speaker 2: zoom out, zoom out, zoom out, zoom out, zoom out, 646 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:20,520 Speaker 2: zoom out. Because you've been seeing this one little thing, 647 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 2: and when you're in the prison of your mind, it's 648 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 2: an awfully small place sitting it. It's really hard to 649 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:26,879 Speaker 2: see the light of day in solitary confinement. But go 650 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:31,000 Speaker 2: tell John, we're right on schedule. Go tell John, I'm 651 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 2: using his preparation. Go tell John it wasn't in vain 652 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:38,480 Speaker 2: I heard the Lord say, Ferdick, Go tell John. Go 653 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 2: tell the people. Go tell the discourage, Go tell the beaten, 654 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,120 Speaker 2: Go tell the broken, Go tell the depressed, Go tell 655 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:47,960 Speaker 2: the sick, Go tell the broke, Go tell the herding, 656 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:50,320 Speaker 2: Go tell the young, Go tell the old. 657 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 1: Go tell him this working, Go tell him. 658 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:56,440 Speaker 2: I'm doing it, just not like you wanted me to, 659 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 2: But I'm doing it. He turns around and says to 660 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 2: the crowd, what did you go out into the wilderness 661 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 2: to see. 662 00:39:12,719 --> 00:39:14,840 Speaker 1: A red swayed by the wind? No? 663 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:19,080 Speaker 2: John wasn't fickle. John wasn't fragile. When John made up 664 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,880 Speaker 2: his mind about something, that's just the way it was. 665 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 2: And that's what's getting him in trouble, because he made 666 00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:30,440 Speaker 2: up his mind about what he thought God was gonna do, 667 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:33,839 Speaker 2: and when God did what God wanted to do. 668 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:42,880 Speaker 1: Is that you right now? Are you in an invisible prison? 669 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:43,399 Speaker 1: I know here. 670 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 2: It isn't gonna cut your head off. It's not that dramatic, 671 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 2: right But you can't enjoy people, can you? Is that 672 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,759 Speaker 2: you right now? You can't create? Is that you right now? 673 00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 2: Is that me who am'm preaching to? Maybe I'm preaching 674 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:01,680 Speaker 2: to me. It's not that God didn't do anything for me. 675 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:07,160 Speaker 2: It's not that God didn't bless me. It's just different 676 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:12,560 Speaker 2: than what I thought. And as long as I'm in 677 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 2: the prison of what I thought, I can't be a 678 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:24,240 Speaker 2: part of what God is doing. So be set free today. 679 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:30,520 Speaker 2: Be set free by the fact that God may not 680 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:35,359 Speaker 2: be conforming to your agenda or keeping all of your appointments. 681 00:40:36,280 --> 00:40:40,719 Speaker 2: God might not be organizing everything to match your exact preference. 682 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 2: But there is a greater purpose, and there is a 683 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:47,960 Speaker 2: bigger picture. And just like John was the forerunner of. 684 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:49,960 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, some of you. 685 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:54,120 Speaker 2: God is using you to fight battles for your children 686 00:40:54,560 --> 00:41:00,000 Speaker 2: and your children's children, and your children's children's children will. 687 00:40:59,760 --> 00:41:02,120 Speaker 1: Be blessed if you don't fall away. 688 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:08,080 Speaker 2: If you don't fall away, if you will resist the 689 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 2: urge to control God, you can serve Him and worship 690 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:15,719 Speaker 2: Him and it'll be all right. Because my faith is 691 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 2: not the expectation that circumstances will be pleasant. My faith 692 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:24,120 Speaker 2: is the expectation that the voice of the Lord is 693 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:39,120 Speaker 2: upon the waters. Go tell John, blessed is he who 694 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 2: does not trip over the way he thought it was 695 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:47,279 Speaker 2: going to be? Blessed is he who accepts what I'm 696 00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:55,080 Speaker 2: doing in his or her life. And the Lord wants 697 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:58,560 Speaker 2: to set you free today from the way you thought 698 00:41:59,280 --> 00:41:59,640 Speaker 2: that it. 699 00:41:59,640 --> 00:42:04,719 Speaker 1: Was going to be. And that's it, and that's it 700 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:10,680 Speaker 1: because you know what's going to happen. 701 00:42:10,719 --> 00:42:12,279 Speaker 2: Once you get set free from the way you thought 702 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 2: it was going to be, you can embrace what it is. Yeah, 703 00:42:17,719 --> 00:42:20,480 Speaker 2: and you know what God's gonna do more than what 704 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:24,360 Speaker 2: you thought he was gonna do. The blind see the 705 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:29,400 Speaker 2: lame walk. God's got something better than a fork. God's 706 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:30,360 Speaker 2: got something better. 707 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:30,680 Speaker 1: Than a fire. 708 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 2: The first place of deliverance is in the area of 709 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:39,320 Speaker 2: your expectation, Holy Spirit. I thank you for this moment, 710 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:42,880 Speaker 2: and I pray that this message would not fall on 711 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:47,680 Speaker 2: deaf ears, because truth be told, Lord, there is a 712 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:54,120 Speaker 2: prison that is not physical. There are captives in here today. 713 00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:59,800 Speaker 2: Those chains are invisible. And I want to pray for 714 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:03,360 Speaker 2: right now, Lord, that you would look into the places 715 00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 2: of their life where they've been disappointed and where they've 716 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:10,799 Speaker 2: been bruised or even worse than that, where they got 717 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:14,359 Speaker 2: their hopes up so high and they made a fool 718 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 2: of themselves, and so now it's kind of hard for them. 719 00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:20,840 Speaker 1: To really have an expectation of your goodness. 720 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:28,279 Speaker 2: They're in an invisible prison of disappointment, resentment, bitterness. 721 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:35,360 Speaker 1: But you said you came to set us free. 722 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:39,799 Speaker 2: So you didn't do it physically for John, But would 723 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:44,399 Speaker 2: you set us free, set us free from ourselves, set 724 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:49,120 Speaker 2: us free from our regrets, set us free from our sin. 725 00:43:51,960 --> 00:43:53,279 Speaker 1: With everyone's thending. 726 00:43:55,239 --> 00:44:01,080 Speaker 2: Where the spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom. 727 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:02,680 Speaker 1: And the kind of freedom that I mean. 728 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:09,359 Speaker 2: Is the freedom from the need to control your life, 729 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,040 Speaker 2: the freedom from the need to call the shots and 730 00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:17,319 Speaker 2: to always know the plan. John said, are you the 731 00:44:17,320 --> 00:44:23,719 Speaker 2: one I just need to know? And I hear the 732 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:25,080 Speaker 2: Lord saying today, Yeah, it's me. 733 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:27,040 Speaker 1: It's me. 734 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:33,480 Speaker 2: It's me getting you through this season. It's me that 735 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 2: allowed some of the things in your life that you 736 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:37,680 Speaker 2: don't like. I didn't cause all of them, but I'm 737 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:38,400 Speaker 2: using all of them. 738 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:44,040 Speaker 1: It's me. Go tell John, it's me. It's me. It's me. 739 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:49,799 Speaker 2: That thing that won't let you go, that's grace. God said, 740 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:54,040 Speaker 2: that's me. I think that keeps pumping in your heart 741 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:57,200 Speaker 2: getting you back up. You fall down, seven, you get 742 00:44:57,280 --> 00:45:01,080 Speaker 2: up eight. God said, that's me. That thing in you 743 00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:04,880 Speaker 2: that it can't always make sense. You know, you should 744 00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:07,000 Speaker 2: read the Bible, sometimes you don't. God said, that's me. 745 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:08,239 Speaker 2: I want you to wrestle with it. 746 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:09,920 Speaker 1: That's me. I don't want you to put me in 747 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:10,840 Speaker 1: a formula. That's me. 748 00:45:11,040 --> 00:45:12,399 Speaker 2: I don't want you to have me in a box. 749 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:15,440 Speaker 2: I don't want you to be in this prison of 750 00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:16,440 Speaker 2: your small view of me. 751 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:16,920 Speaker 1: That's me. 752 00:45:19,960 --> 00:45:22,839 Speaker 2: Oh God, of every moment that come before you now, 753 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,720 Speaker 2: in need of your mercy, in need of your grace, 754 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 2: we need to know that you are our shepherd, even 755 00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 2: if we go through a valley of the shadow of death. 756 00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:41,000 Speaker 2: And now thank you now, Lord, that as this word 757 00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:46,080 Speaker 2: has gone forth today across multiple campuses, across multiple continents, 758 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:51,759 Speaker 2: that you are confirming your presence to your people right now, 759 00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:56,880 Speaker 2: if you would just lift your hands, God said, it's me. 760 00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,560 Speaker 2: It's me that you need to make sense of your life. 761 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:00,880 Speaker 1: It's me. 762 00:46:02,920 --> 00:46:05,440 Speaker 2: Lord, I thank you that there is a bigger picture. 763 00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:09,719 Speaker 2: We do not see in full. We see in part, 764 00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:12,480 Speaker 2: we prophesy, in part, we speak in part. But when 765 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:15,040 Speaker 2: that which was perfect has come, that which is incomplete 766 00:46:15,040 --> 00:46:18,520 Speaker 2: will be taken away. Until that time, Lord, we trust 767 00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:22,839 Speaker 2: in your presence, We trust in who you are. You're 768 00:46:22,840 --> 00:46:24,799 Speaker 2: still the lamb of God that takes away the sin 769 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 2: of the world. You're still the king of our life. 770 00:46:27,680 --> 00:46:29,799 Speaker 2: You're still the hope and foundation that our lives are 771 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,080 Speaker 2: built on. You're still the solid rock on which we stand. 772 00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:35,920 Speaker 2: All of the ground is sinking sand. It's you, God. 773 00:46:36,719 --> 00:46:39,160 Speaker 2: It's you that we worship, and it's you that we trust. 774 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:42,200 Speaker 2: It's not ourselves, it's not our circumstances. 775 00:46:42,239 --> 00:46:46,479 Speaker 1: It's you. Somebody say, it's you. It's you that I need. Lord. 776 00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:49,080 Speaker 2: It's you that fulfills me. It's you that completes me. 777 00:46:49,560 --> 00:46:52,160 Speaker 2: It's you that makes ways. It's you that opens doors. 778 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:55,319 Speaker 2: It's you that sets the prisoners free. It's you that 779 00:46:55,400 --> 00:46:58,680 Speaker 2: broke the chains. It's you that I'm looking to. Promotion 780 00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:02,520 Speaker 2: doesn't come from the Easter. Promotion comes from you. It's 781 00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:05,839 Speaker 2: you I'm counting on. It's you I'm looking to. It's 782 00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:09,600 Speaker 2: you I'm leaning on. It's your everlasting arms. It's your 783 00:47:09,719 --> 00:47:12,320 Speaker 2: mighty hand, it's your outstretch power. 784 00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:14,360 Speaker 1: It's your grace that we need. 785 00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:17,719 Speaker 2: It's you, Lord, It's nobody else. It's you. 786 00:47:18,280 --> 00:47:21,239 Speaker 1: Our health comes from you. Our strength is in you, 787 00:47:21,560 --> 00:47:22,560 Speaker 1: our trust. 788 00:47:22,320 --> 00:47:24,839 Speaker 2: Is in your name, and we worship you now. 789 00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:28,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. 790 00:47:28,440 --> 00:47:30,880 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 791 00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,440 Speaker 2: this ministry, is because of you that this ministry is possible. 792 00:47:34,920 --> 00:47:37,080 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give 793 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:41,120 Speaker 2: now or visit Elevation Church dot org slash podcast for 794 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:45,200 Speaker 2: more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 795 00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:46,760 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 796 00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:49,319 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 797 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:51,480 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 798 00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:52,359 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 799 00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:54,080 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.