WEBVTT - The Potential Of Pain 0:00:02.000 --> 0:00:04.560 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdik. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:07.000 Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 0:00:07.080 --> 0:00:10.400 you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.440 it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 0:00:12.480 --> 0:00:17.560 see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:19.759 Now what I want to do. I want to go 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:23.400 into the Word of God from Matthew chapter sixteen, and 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:25.239 I want to share an encounter that Peter had with 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:29.000 Jesus while Jesus was still living. And this will sort 0:00:29.040 --> 0:00:32.720 of be this is us Jack Pearson flashback effect on 0:00:32.800 --> 0:00:35.199 the Word of God, for us to see something that 0:00:35.280 --> 0:00:37.479 Jesus said while he was still on earth in bodily 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.280 form that still echoes with ramifications for our lives today. 0:00:41.800 --> 0:00:43.800 And I want to ask that everyone stand in honor 0:00:43.800 --> 0:00:45.239 of the reading of the Word of God that is 0:00:45.240 --> 0:00:48.720 physically able to stand, and even if you're watching on 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:51.479 a screen somewhere, to stand up for a moment in 0:00:51.560 --> 0:00:55.080 reverence and respect for the Word of God. Because the 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:58.520 grass withers, the flower fades, and your outfit goes out 0:00:58.520 --> 0:01:01.040 of style, but the Word of the Lord endorse forever. 0:01:01.080 --> 0:01:07.280 I modernized it a little bit, and then so I 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:09.040 want to look at this scripture, and it's just a 0:01:09.080 --> 0:01:12.600 conversation that Peter had with Jesus. Beginning in Matthew sixteen, 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:15.920 verse thirteen, when Jesus came to the region of Cesarea Philippi. 0:01:16.240 --> 0:01:18.360 He asked his disciples, who do people say the son 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:20.720 of Man is? And they replied, well, some say John 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:25.040 the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others Jeremiah are 0:01:25.040 --> 0:01:27.840 one of the prophets. But what about you, He asked, 0:01:27.840 --> 0:01:31.119 who do you say? I am Simon? Peter answered because 0:01:31.160 --> 0:01:34.440 he always had something to say. He was that guy. 0:01:35.520 --> 0:01:38.720 He was that dude, and a lot of times everybody 0:01:38.760 --> 0:01:41.520 in the room benefited from his ignorance because Jesus would 0:01:41.520 --> 0:01:44.080 correct him and none of them had to be embarrassed 0:01:44.080 --> 0:01:47.120 by asking the stupid question. And he was that kid 0:01:47.160 --> 0:01:49.160 in class that would always raise his hand, and the 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:52.440 teachers like what Peter, And so Peter raises his hand. 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:54.760 But this time he gets it right because he doesn't 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:58.080 identify Jesus just on the basis of miracles or the 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:03.080 mechanics or the cosmetics, but he sees the potential that 0:02:03.160 --> 0:02:07.600 Jesus has, and only the spirit of God could have 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:10.919 showed him this. In fact, when he said it, he 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:14.960 was so right that Jesus knew that's not you talking, 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:18.240 That's not that part of you that comes from the 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:20.560 head and from the mind that tries to figure everything out. 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:23.040 And when he said this verse sixteen, you are the 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:26.280 Messiah or the Christ, depending on the translation that you read, 0:02:26.800 --> 0:02:30.760 he identified Jesus. At a deeper level, you are the Messiah, 0:02:30.840 --> 0:02:33.639 the son of the Living God. Jesus replied, blessed or 0:02:33.720 --> 0:02:38.240 you Simon's son of Jonah. For this was not revealed 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:40.680 to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:44.440 in Heaven. I tell you that you are Peter, and 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.280 upon this rock I will build my church, and the 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:50.600 gates of Hades will not overcome it. I'll give you 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:54.160 the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bind 0:02:54.200 --> 0:02:56.280 on earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose 0:02:56.320 --> 0:03:00.720 on earth will be loosed in heaven. And then he 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:03.240 ordered his disciples, keep your mouth shut and don't tell 0:03:03.280 --> 0:03:07.560 anyone what I just told you. From that time on, 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:10.280 Jesus begin to explain to his disciples that he must 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:14.359 go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands 0:03:14.400 --> 0:03:17.679 of the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:20.760 the law, and that he must be killed and on 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:24.880 the third day be raised to life. Today I want 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:28.080 to speak to you about the potential of pain, the 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:32.720 potential of pain. God, we pray for open hearts, pray 0:03:32.760 --> 0:03:36.040 for focused minds, and we thank you in advance for 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:41.040 changed lives. Where your spirit is there is freedom and liberty. 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:43.760 I pray that chains would fall to the floor today, 0:03:44.440 --> 0:03:47.160 and I pray that people would leave this place with 0:03:47.240 --> 0:03:49.880 a much different perspective on you and themselves that would 0:03:49.960 --> 0:03:53.000 enable them to overcome. In your name, by the power 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:55.480 of your blood and the word of our testimony, we 0:03:55.560 --> 0:04:00.280 give you praise today in Jesus' name. Amen, Way to 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.400 your seat. Tell somebody you must have done something right 0:04:02.440 --> 0:04:15.280 to sit next to me. I'm your dream neighbor. I 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:17.560 probably shouldn't tell you this on Easter because you've got 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:23.760 your grandmother with you. But I have two tattoos, and 0:04:23.800 --> 0:04:28.080 I didn't get them before I became a Christian, but 0:04:28.120 --> 0:04:32.479 they're really biblical. One is in Hebrew, so that's you 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:35.880 know that it's okay. And the other one is on 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:38.039 my ring finger and it has my wife and my 0:04:38.320 --> 0:04:41.160 initial so I was just kind of like trying to 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:42.919 make sure I had her locked in. So I was like, 0:04:43.360 --> 0:04:45.960 we're gonna get our initials tattooed, and we did it together. 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:48.200 So it says H and S. And so if she 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:51.000 wants to marry somebody else, she'll be narrowed down to 0:04:51.480 --> 0:04:53.679 the letter S. And I figure it creases my eyes 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:57.159 keeping her. Anyway, When I went to get the first one, 0:04:57.200 --> 0:04:59.800 which is on my back, the one that says kvat 0:04:59.920 --> 0:05:01.680 or honor or wait in Hebrew. At least I think 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:03.919 that's what it says. I failed Hebrew and seminary, but 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:08.479 so that's what I think it says. But it's on 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:11.000 a real painful spot and it was terrible. It hurts 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:12.760 so bad when I got it, and I'm only going 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:14.400 to have too. I'm never getting any more, not because 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:15.680 I don't want any more. I mean, I don't know 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:16.960 if I want any more or not. I'm just not 0:05:17.080 --> 0:05:19.200 I have a very low pain tolerance. And when I 0:05:19.240 --> 0:05:21.040 finished with that one, this was years ago, the guy 0:05:21.080 --> 0:05:24.320 that took me to get it, he was like, I said, 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:26.720 I feel you have so many. This guy had tattoos 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:31.640 just sleeves, and so I said, I feel so unmanly. 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:33.200 How much that hurt? He said, Oh no, well, the 0:05:33.200 --> 0:05:34.440 place you got it on is one of the most 0:05:34.480 --> 0:05:37.240 painful places you can get one. So when I said that, 0:05:37.320 --> 0:05:39.120 I said, well, why don't you tell me that before 0:05:39.839 --> 0:05:41.360 I got the tattoo? He said, because I knew you 0:05:41.360 --> 0:05:46.320 wouldn't go through with it. I sometimes wonder if the 0:05:46.360 --> 0:05:51.719 reason Jesus waited until this point in his ministry to 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:55.760 really start explaining to his disciples what it was going 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:59.440 to be like to follow him was because he knew 0:06:00.200 --> 0:06:03.159 that if they really knew what it would mean to 0:06:03.240 --> 0:06:06.160 follow him, they wouldn't go through with it. And I've 0:06:06.160 --> 0:06:10.400 wondered before if God sometimes in our lives doesn't work 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:14.160 in stages only showing us what we can handle at 0:06:14.160 --> 0:06:19.520 that point in time. Because of his infinite wisdom, you know, 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:24.800 there's a real tendency for us to judge Peter in 0:06:24.839 --> 0:06:28.640 moments like what we're about to read, because when Jesus 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:32.200 proclaimed to his disciples that he was going to the cross, 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:34.240 this was the first time they had heard him talk 0:06:34.360 --> 0:06:37.720 like that. Up until this point, they had heard him 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:41.560 say things like be healed, or they'd heard him say 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:44.239 things like bring me the bread and they had watched 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:47.600 him do things like multiply it or cause something that 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:51.040 was laying to walk. And as much as we give 0:06:51.160 --> 0:06:56.880 credit to Jesus for seeing the potential in Peter, I 0:06:56.920 --> 0:06:59.720 think we should take a moment and recognize that it 0:06:59.760 --> 0:07:03.479 took faith for Peter to see the potential in Jesus. 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:07.880 He understood at a deeper level that there was something 0:07:08.000 --> 0:07:11.680 about this miracle worker that was unlike the others who 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:16.760 had performed miracles. There was something about this prophet. His 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:20.520 words had a different authority than the teachers of the law. 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:23.520 There was something about the way that he moved, and 0:07:24.280 --> 0:07:27.080 not only the way that he spoke, but the way 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:29.760 that he prayed and the way that he lived and 0:07:29.800 --> 0:07:33.440 the way that he led that drew Peter to believe 0:07:33.960 --> 0:07:36.720 that this is the one. And he believed it not 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:38.480 in the kind of way where you tell people I 0:07:38.560 --> 0:07:43.080 believe in you, because honestly, it really means very little 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:46.160 for you to say that. If you are not invested 0:07:46.240 --> 0:07:50.720 in someone's potential, it may be that you just actually 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:54.080 are using flattery. It's a different thing when you let 0:07:54.200 --> 0:07:57.800 Jesus use your boat. Peter had actually been put in 0:07:57.800 --> 0:08:01.200 an awkward position where he was out fishing one night, 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:04.640 and Jesus just got in his boat and took off 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:08.080 in it, and Peter pushed him out and was willing 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:11.720 to let him use his boat, which represented his livelihood. 0:08:12.320 --> 0:08:15.560 And it's unique to me that Peter saw Jesus as 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:19.400 one who had potential to change everything. And in the 0:08:19.520 --> 0:08:22.920 same way, Jesus saw in Peter a kind of potential 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:26.240 that probably no one else saw. The reason I know 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:30.000 that is because he called Peter a rock while Peter 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:34.560 was still very unstable, and it seems as if he 0:08:34.679 --> 0:08:39.040 was judging Peter not according to his performance, but according 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:43.040 to his potential. You know what's funny. If I held 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:45.720 your phone right now, I couldn't use it to its 0:08:45.800 --> 0:08:49.120 full capacity because I don't know what's in it like 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:52.280 you do. I don't understand all of the contacts. I 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:54.320 could have a lot of fun I could send some 0:08:54.360 --> 0:08:56.880 text messages that would create weeks and weeks of interesting 0:08:56.920 --> 0:09:00.040 conversations if I had your phone for ten minutes. And 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:02.720 it is true that the one who possesses the thing 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:06.680 has an intimate knowledge of its potential that is unique 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:09.720 to the one who possesses it. In the same way, 0:09:09.840 --> 0:09:13.120 I believe that God knows things about your potential that 0:09:13.160 --> 0:09:16.520 your mother doesn't know, that your father doesn't know, that 0:09:16.600 --> 0:09:20.040 your best friend doesn't know. I believe God knows things 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:24.040 about your potential that even in your greatest moments of triumph, 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:27.000 you can only imagine. And I believe He speaks to 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:29.720 your life from time to time, not from the vantage 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:33.040 point of your performance, but from the vantage point of 0:09:33.080 --> 0:09:36.719 your potential. How many are grateful that God sees your 0:09:36.760 --> 0:09:40.640 potential when other people want to hold you down to 0:09:40.679 --> 0:09:43.559 the level of your past, when other people want to 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:45.920 hold you down to the level of your worst moments. 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:51.600 So he calls him a rock, even though Peter at 0:09:51.640 --> 0:09:56.119 this point is very unstable. And we know he's unstable 0:09:56.160 --> 0:09:59.480 because he just got his gold star for correctly identifying 0:09:59.600 --> 0:10:02.319 Jesus as the Christ, the son of the Living God. 0:10:03.040 --> 0:10:06.199 And no sooner does he say who Jesus is correctly 0:10:06.679 --> 0:10:09.040 than he makes a move that is above his pay grade. 0:10:09.600 --> 0:10:11.560 And I want to show you this in verse twenty two, 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:14.040 because it's almost hard to believe that he could go 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:17.560 from so high to so low in a matter of 0:10:17.600 --> 0:10:22.600 a moment, from so faith filled and so accurate in 0:10:22.640 --> 0:10:26.640 his assessment of Jesus to making a statement that completely 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:29.920 contradicted the purpose of God. And it might give you 0:10:30.000 --> 0:10:34.200 hope because some of you in here have vacillated even 0:10:34.240 --> 0:10:36.560 this morning in the amount of faith that you have. 0:10:37.320 --> 0:10:40.240 You were a different person in the parking lot than 0:10:40.280 --> 0:10:43.200 you were during the praise and worship set. Now, don't 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:45.160 make me ask your husband what you're like when you 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:47.920 get home, because I only see you in one condition, 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.200 But from moment to moment, many of us, who have 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:55.400 the greatest potential for power and purpose, also have the 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:59.400 greatest potential for pain and failure. And Peter demonstrates it 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:03.160 in the tech Right after he hears the explanation from 0:11:03.240 --> 0:11:06.560 Jesus about what's about to happen, the Bible says that 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:10.280 he takes Jesus aside verse twenty two and begins to 0:11:10.360 --> 0:11:14.360 rebuke him. Now, this is always a bad idea for 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:17.560 you to explain to the God of the universe how 0:11:17.600 --> 0:11:20.480 his plan is not correct because it does not conform 0:11:20.559 --> 0:11:23.120 to your agenda. Watch what he says next, and this 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:27.720 is what I wanted to preach to you about. He said, never, Lord, 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:36.400 this shall never happen to you. Somebody say never say 0:11:36.440 --> 0:11:40.959 a louder say never, because the Greek word for never 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:46.680 is a strong word. It's not a whisper mumble words, 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:53.920 It's an emphatic never. The Greek word is oumeh is 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:57.640 a double negative. It's not even grammatically correct. What Peter 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:01.160 is saying. He is so calmmon for them that he 0:12:01.320 --> 0:12:04.080 knows what God is going to do in his life 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:07.120 that he says not only never, but watch this never, 0:12:08.200 --> 0:12:11.760 no never. I used to say this all the time 0:12:12.320 --> 0:12:14.920 about the way that I would raise my kids until 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:18.720 I had them. I used to say, I'll never I 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:22.160 will never be the kind of dad who screams at 0:12:22.160 --> 0:12:30.560 his kids that way. You know. Never, Oh, I would never, ah, 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:36.360 because what good would that do? To discipline my kids 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:40.320 from anger? Would only create fear? And God has not 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:42.439 given us a spirit of fear, but power, love and 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:45.600 a sound mind. And I will never discipline my kids 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:48.000 in a spirit which will contradict the very nature of 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:50.040 the God that I seek to represent. I want to 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.199 be a good, good father. I want to give them 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:55.000 an accurate presentation of their Father in heaven, and so 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:57.360 I will always correct them from a posture of love. 0:12:57.400 --> 0:12:59.920 I will never raise my voice. Why would I try 0:12:59.920 --> 0:13:01.959 to correct them in the same spirit that I'm trying 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.680 to correct I will always discipline them in a way 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:07.600 that will show them that while the behavior may be unacceptable, 0:13:07.640 --> 0:13:11.679 your identity and my love for you are eternally secure. 0:13:14.520 --> 0:13:20.560 Now I yell at my kids so much. Somebody say 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:26.559 never until you had them, But we can all get 0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:30.800 this kind of false confidence, and life will challenge your 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:37.000 concept of never. I'm well aware that many people gathered 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:40.040 here today are in a situation right now that you 0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:45.000 never thought you'd find yourself in. Other people's marriages may 0:13:45.040 --> 0:13:51.080 fall apart, but my marriage never. We will wash one 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:58.080 another's feet in the name of our risen Lord. I 0:13:58.080 --> 0:14:04.200 would never talk to my husband that way. Never. Never, 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:07.120 I've never. I would never struggle with that. I don't 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:09.000 know how somebody could get hooked on something like that. 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:14.680 I just don't get people like that. I would never never, 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:25.640 who may you may me never. I don't give people 0:14:25.640 --> 0:14:29.840 who struggle with depression. They've got the joy of the Lord. 0:14:30.720 --> 0:14:35.040 Rejoice in the Lord always. The Bible says, always give 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:40.120 thanks in all things, in all circumstances, all means, all Stephen, 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:45.680 rejoice in the Lord. I will rejoice. This is the 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:48.440 day that the Lord has made. I don't understand people 0:14:48.800 --> 0:14:54.040 until something happens in your life that knocks you off balance, 0:14:55.120 --> 0:14:59.280 and you might find yourself. Be careful what you judge 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:03.680 me for today. It might be knocking on your door tomorrow. 0:15:06.280 --> 0:15:14.200 I never thought. I never thought that I would be 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:17.000 the one dealing with anxiety. But now I can't catch 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:20.760 my breath. I never thought I would think a thought 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:23.400 that dark. I never struggled with that in my teens. 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:25.640 I didn't struggle with that in my twenties. Now it 0:15:25.760 --> 0:15:33.600 came out of nowhere never no, never, never, ever ever 0:15:33.640 --> 0:15:38.200 ever never never. He said that another time too. This 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:41.800 was kind of Peter's thing. You know. He's sitting at 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:44.880 the table with the Lord at the Passover meal, where 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:47.240 Jesus was telling them, now, this is my body broken 0:15:47.320 --> 0:15:51.920 for you, and he's talking symbolically about what he's going 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:57.160 to do practically in twenty four hours, and they can't 0:15:57.200 --> 0:16:00.520 comprehend it. And he's telling them, not only am I 0:16:00.600 --> 0:16:04.000 going to die and bleed like this for you, but 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:06.760 actually all of you are going to be unable to 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:09.320 take it, and your faith will fail and you will 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:12.000 all walk away. You will all fall away. One of 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:14.480 you is going to betray me. Not saying any names 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:17.880 is Judas. But the rest of you, don't get too judgmental, 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:19.760 because none of you are going to be there at 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:21.920 the cross when it happens. You were there when I 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:23.960 was feeding bread. But when the bread is broken, you 0:16:24.000 --> 0:16:26.840 will all fall away, all of you. And what did 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:30.200 Peter say about that? You might? You might, you might 0:16:30.240 --> 0:16:33.840 be you might be surprised? Peter insisted emphatically, even if 0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:42.560 I have to die with you, I will never not me. 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:49.960 When I first started preaching, I asked the pastor. This 0:16:50.120 --> 0:16:52.320 was like very early on. I was just studying the Bible, 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:55.440 and I was trying to understand the miracles, and some 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:57.560 of the stuff in there is hard to accept at 0:16:57.560 --> 0:17:02.720 face value. Y'all never read it before. It's some really 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:05.880 crazy stuff in here, like dead people getting up out 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:09.199 of the ground, and my faith wanted to believe it, 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:12.280 but my mind was contradicting it. So I asked this pastor, 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:17.280 do you ever have doubts? He said no, never. I said, 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:20.960 you never doubt the Bible? He said no, never. And 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:27.160 two years later he was out of ministry. Because sometimes 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:31.040 it's the people who will not acknowledge their weakness, that 0:17:31.119 --> 0:17:41.080 are the most susceptible to it. Really, God put it 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:44.000 on my heart to preach to the people today, and 0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:46.760 this may not be you, and it's okay that are 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:50.240 in a situation where you never thought you would struggle 0:17:50.280 --> 0:17:54.280 with what you're struggling with. You watched other people struggle 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:58.159 with it, but you never thought that you would. What 0:17:58.320 --> 0:18:01.679 do you do when you find yourself in the situation 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:05.640 that you swore you'd never be in, that you never 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:10.639 imagine that you'd be in. What resurrection does is it 0:18:10.840 --> 0:18:19.119 challenges my concept of never. It challenges my expectation of never. 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:23.439 Because what it shows me is that although I've never 0:18:23.560 --> 0:18:27.920 seen somebody get up from the ground before after being buried, 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:33.080 that when God says never, it's different than when I 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:37.959 say never. And so what God wants to challenge this 0:18:38.040 --> 0:18:43.639 Easter Sunday is my understanding of what is possible, my 0:18:43.840 --> 0:18:48.160 understanding of what could never happen, my understanding because there 0:18:48.160 --> 0:18:51.080 are many of us here who have given up on 0:18:51.200 --> 0:18:54.800 our hope, and the word over your life has been never. 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:58.840 You'll never be happy like they are, You will never 0:18:58.960 --> 0:19:02.639 be free from this. Your mom wasn't her mom, wasn't 0:19:02.920 --> 0:19:07.480 her mom, wasn't what makes you think it's possible for you. 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:10.280 You are never going to connect. You will never love again, 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:13.439 You will never heal from this, You will never recover 0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:16.600 from that fall. You will never rebuild your reputation. It 0:19:16.640 --> 0:19:21.920 will never happen from you. But Heaven speaks a different never. See, 0:19:21.960 --> 0:19:25.440 I want to show you another never. And this never 0:19:25.520 --> 0:19:29.359 doesn't come from the mouth of Peter. This never comes 0:19:29.400 --> 0:19:33.040 from the mouth of God and is from Hebrews thirteen, 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:35.600 verse five. And I need all my Easter people to 0:19:35.640 --> 0:19:38.960 get ready to shout on this, because after you've been 0:19:39.000 --> 0:19:42.200 through all that Hell has to throw at you, after 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:45.720 you have survived the worst possible assault on your faith 0:19:46.040 --> 0:19:49.879 and your mind and your sanity, after people have left you, 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:54.200 after circumstances have drained you of your human energy, there 0:19:54.240 --> 0:19:57.120 remains a promise in the word of God. And this 0:19:57.160 --> 0:20:01.359 is not Peter's prediction. This is God's world. He said, 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:06.080 never will I leave you, and never will I forsake you. 0:20:06.560 --> 0:20:10.040 The Greek word is oome. They might, but I won't. 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:14.679 Never no, never, When will I withdraw my love from you? 0:20:14.720 --> 0:20:18.959 Never no, never, When will I change my mind about you? 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:22.320 Never no, never, When will I walk away and give 0:20:22.400 --> 0:20:27.200 up on the plans I make for your life. Never, no, never, sun. 0:20:27.280 --> 0:20:36.720 If you got a God who says never means. When 0:20:36.840 --> 0:20:41.280 God says lever, he means lever. There's nothing you can 0:20:41.400 --> 0:20:57.359 do upon a devil. I gotta living oone never never. 0:20:58.640 --> 0:21:01.840 People may change their mind about my potential, but he 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:06.680 never will. And this is a different level of hope. 0:21:06.720 --> 0:21:09.080 This is not the kind of hope you know, that 0:21:09.200 --> 0:21:14.440 plastic hope, that plastic purple hope, like these little plastic 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:18.000 these little plastic purple Easter eggs that you see, these 0:21:18.600 --> 0:21:25.159 bright and pretty, but they're plastic and they're hollow. My 0:21:25.320 --> 0:21:31.400 hope is built on nothing less. Y'all don't know any hymns. 0:21:32.040 --> 0:21:36.239 Your mom didn't take you to church. My hope is 0:21:36.320 --> 0:21:42.320 built on nothing less. So my hope I might as 0:21:42.320 --> 0:21:45.080 well show them give me the basket. My hope is 0:21:45.119 --> 0:21:49.800 not hollow. My hope is not empty. My hope is 0:21:49.880 --> 0:21:55.760 not plastic. My hope is not circumstantial. Romans, Chapter five, 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:58.399 verse three says that I hope in the glory of God. 0:21:59.280 --> 0:22:02.520 That's different than hoping in the praises of ben That's 0:22:02.560 --> 0:22:05.640 different in hoping in the kindness of life or the 0:22:05.840 --> 0:22:11.320 peaceability of circumstances. My hope. Watch this is hard boiled. 0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:15.360 My hope has been through the fire. My hope has 0:22:15.400 --> 0:22:19.560 been through hell. My hope has been disappointed and still 0:22:19.640 --> 0:22:23.880 found a weight about that. And watch this, even if 0:22:23.880 --> 0:22:28.080 it cracks on the surface, it's still good on the inside. 0:22:28.440 --> 0:22:46.040 I'm kind of living. Home is easter. He's risen. So 0:22:46.200 --> 0:22:49.399 he showed me on the cross how to deal with 0:22:49.440 --> 0:22:52.040 the penalty of my sin. But that's not all he 0:22:52.119 --> 0:22:54.920 showed me. He showed me how to deal with my pain, 0:22:56.080 --> 0:22:59.200 to let me know that the sufferings of this present 0:22:59.280 --> 0:23:03.000 time are not worthy to be compared with the glory 0:23:03.080 --> 0:23:20.560 that will be revealed great potential in your pain. He 0:23:20.600 --> 0:23:23.200 didn't change his mind about Peter. When he says never, 0:23:24.280 --> 0:23:28.840 he means never. When he says always, he means always. 0:23:34.359 --> 0:23:42.000 Because it said that while we were still sinners, Christ 0:23:42.040 --> 0:23:46.639 died for us, not on the basis of my performance, 0:23:48.240 --> 0:23:51.960 but on the basis of his purpose. Now, if he 0:23:52.119 --> 0:23:56.960 died for me while I was still a sinner, it 0:23:57.080 --> 0:24:00.640 means that he's still a savior even if I continue 0:24:00.640 --> 0:24:10.200 to sin. And nothing can pluck you from his hand, 0:24:11.640 --> 0:24:14.120 and nothing can erase your name touched on his heart. 0:24:14.960 --> 0:24:19.240 This is not superstition or sentimentality. By the spirit of God, 0:24:19.280 --> 0:24:22.520 I declare over your life today. God has not changed 0:24:22.560 --> 0:24:26.399 his mind about you, and your pain cannot negate it, 0:24:26.640 --> 0:24:33.720 and your mistakes cannot negate it. I want you to 0:24:33.760 --> 0:24:38.680 stand because I want to pray for people today who 0:24:38.720 --> 0:24:41.159 have been called out by God for great purpose and 0:24:41.200 --> 0:24:47.160 great potential. And at the Cross we find a demonstration 0:24:48.560 --> 0:24:53.240 of God's estimation of your worth. It would be my 0:24:53.359 --> 0:24:58.520 privilege today wherever you find yourself in life, and whatever 0:24:58.600 --> 0:25:03.000 your particular brand of pain may be today, whether it's 0:25:03.240 --> 0:25:08.720 a relational betrayal, Jesus experienced that, whether it is a temptation. 0:25:09.240 --> 0:25:12.040 Jesus was tempted in all ways as we are tempted, 0:25:12.200 --> 0:25:15.560 but he was without sin. Whatever the pain that you 0:25:15.600 --> 0:25:19.080 can name today, I know a name that is greater 0:25:19.600 --> 0:25:22.800 than your pain. And I know a name that is 0:25:22.880 --> 0:25:30.360 greater than your shame. And while we were still sinners, 0:25:32.160 --> 0:25:37.639 he saw what he put in you. He still sees 0:25:37.680 --> 0:25:40.400 you according to the original blueprint, no matter how much 0:25:40.440 --> 0:25:43.160 life has tried to lay it with cynicism and doubt, 0:25:44.680 --> 0:25:53.400 in addictions and fears and disappointments and rejection, Jesus had 0:25:53.400 --> 0:25:58.080 to go to Jerusalem. Peter didn't like it, the disciples 0:25:58.080 --> 0:26:01.920 couldn't stand it. Even he prayed, if there's any other way, 0:26:02.000 --> 0:26:03.879 let this cup pass. But it was the purpose that 0:26:03.920 --> 0:26:08.399 he came for. I believe God is working a great 0:26:08.440 --> 0:26:12.920 purpose in your life in this season. It is what 0:26:12.960 --> 0:26:15.480 you do with the pain that determines what it becomes. 0:26:18.920 --> 0:26:21.520 Many people died on crosses at the time when Jesus 0:26:21.640 --> 0:26:24.639 was crucified. There was nothing different about his cross. It 0:26:24.760 --> 0:26:28.440 was what he did with his cross that he endured 0:26:28.480 --> 0:26:30.960