1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: Elevation Church every location. Can we put our hands together 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: and give Jesus the best praise we got? Yeah? Hey, 8 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: let's pray together. I believe preaching should lead from and 9 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: to prayer. Father, we are grateful. The fact that we're 10 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: able to worship you this week is evidence of your faithfulness. 11 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: Your faithfulness is not ordinary. It's been great. Today. We're 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: reminded of the testimony of the scriptures that when we 13 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: were faithless, you were faithful. And even when we walked 14 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: away from you, you never walked away from us. We 15 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: thank you for that today, thank you for your goodness 16 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: that's been demonstrated all around us. We pause for this 17 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: cause of expressing thanksgiving for things that we've taken for 18 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: granted this week, things we've looked over, and we declare 19 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: that no matter what it is, it doesn't change who 20 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: you are. We declare your goodness to our souls this week, 21 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: and we pray your your blessing on this gathering. You're 22 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: the only one that could say something to all of us, 23 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: but say something different to each of us at the 24 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: same time. So locate us through your word, find us 25 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: wherever we are, speak to us in a way that 26 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,639 Speaker 1: lets us know that we are seen by you, known 27 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: by you, cared about by you. I thank you for this, 28 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: and I pray for the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. 29 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 1: You are annoying and to equip me to teach your 30 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: word to your people, and knowing you like we know 31 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: you we already have. Well we've asked you for So 32 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: we thank you for these things in the name of 33 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: the one that saved our life. His name is Jesus. 34 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: If your lover one more time, putting your hands together, 35 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: well listen. If you're in the rooms physical locations, you 36 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: can be seated. So glad to be with you today, 37 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: always an honor. I feel like I'm yall cousin now 38 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: we family, and so it's so good to be here. 39 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 1: As always. I just want to give a major shout 40 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: out to my friend and my brother. He I got 41 00:02:53,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: a Wednesday morning appointment with him every Wednesday via YouTube. 42 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: Every Wednesday while I'm working out today, I listen to sermons. 43 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: I don't listen to a lot of them, but I 44 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: listen to him each week, and he just adds such 45 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: tremendous value to my life as a person, as a leader, 46 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 1: and also as one of the greatest communicators of God's 47 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 1: word around the world. We celebrate him today the incredible 48 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: leadership he provides. And to his amazing wife Holly, the 49 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 1: kids love the natural family and this spiritual family. This 50 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: this incredible team you got here. And you know, I've 51 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: been trying to do this church thing for a while, 52 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: doing the best I can. I've learned though, you don't 53 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: go as far as your dream, you go as far 54 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: as your team. So shout out to this incredible team 55 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: that God has sent to this house, and it's using 56 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: the change lives around the world. So something I want 57 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: to share today. As I was thinking through and praying 58 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: about what direction to go, I was reminded of a 59 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: concept that really started stirring in my heart several years ago, 60 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: and I did some teachings on it then, but it's 61 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: reemerged because I'm in the process process now write my 62 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: next book and it's kind of going to be birthed 63 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: from this concept, and so it's just it's all in me. 64 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: I can't get away from it. So now you're gonna 65 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: have to suffer for it today, because I want to 66 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: share and unload this. I want to read a small 67 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 1: part of a scripture found in the Gospel of Matthew, 68 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: chapter number fourteen. I want to look at verse twenty eight, 69 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: and I want to read just a couple of verses there, 70 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,119 Speaker 1: and I want to use that text as a launching 71 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: pad to leap into our lesson. Y'all ready for the 72 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: word today? Yes, Matthew chapter fourteen, Verse twenty eight says, 73 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: this is Peter talking. He says, Lord, if it's you, 74 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: tell me to come to you on the water, come, 75 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,679 Speaker 1: Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, 76 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: walked on water and came toward Jesus. Then Peter got 77 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: down out of the boat, walked on water and came 78 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: toward Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, 79 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: walked on water and came toward Jesus. Then Peter got 80 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: down out of the boat, walked on water, and came 81 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: toward Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat. 82 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: He walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. 83 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: I want to use this scripture as a foundation for 84 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: this lesson in our time together day. I want to 85 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: talk from this subject. I am number twelve. I am 86 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 1: number twelve. Family. There are a number of words that 87 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: can be used to describe those of us who have 88 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: accepted Jesus as the leader of our life and the 89 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: forgiver of our sin. Number of words the Bible uses. 90 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: None of those words imply or suggest normal. All through 91 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: our scripture we see an array of adjectives that the 92 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: authors of Scripture use to describe and depict the nature 93 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 1: and character of God's people, and none of those adjectives 94 00:06:53,800 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: in any way suggests normal. The Bible uses words like salt, light, special, chosen, royal, blessed, beloved, anointed, peculiar, chosen, head, 95 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: not tell above, only, not beneath. All of these words 96 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: are used by the authors of scripture to articulate to 97 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: us who we are. My question is why, if I 98 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: am that, why do you have to tell me that? 99 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: And maybe it's because just because something is a spiritual 100 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: truth doesn't mean it's my personal experience that The question 101 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: that we need to. I believe ask an answer is 102 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 1: really a question that can be answered by this sage 103 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: named Solomon when he says in his collection of Thoughts 104 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: and Axioms, a book of the Bible called Proverbs, when 105 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: he says this, as a man or woman thinks in 106 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: their heart, so is he, which means maybe one of 107 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: the reasons God reiterates and regularly repeats to us who 108 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: we are from his perspective is because God knows we 109 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: will always live in a way that's consistent with the 110 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: way you see yourself. Am I'm making sense here? Yeah, 111 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: maybe he's trying to do some holy and healthy brain washing. 112 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: Paul would call it. I know that was the harsh one. 113 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: Paul would call it. Then mind renewal. That's better if Yeah, 114 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: he would mind renewal. He wants to retrain the brain 115 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: because he knows you're gonna behave in a way that's 116 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: consistent with the way you see. So, like in number thirteen, 117 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: when I tell you you can defeat the enemy and 118 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: occupy canaanland, you're going to see the giants and look 119 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 1: at yourself and see yourself as a grasshopper. So you're 120 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: not going to fight a fixed fight not because of 121 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 1: who you are, but because of how you see yourself. 122 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 1: And what I what if I told you that in 123 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,559 Speaker 1: this season of many of our lives, what God's trying 124 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: to do is not just trying to change your mind 125 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: about the world or change our mind about external and 126 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: existential things. Maybe what God's trying to do is to 127 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: change your mind about you. Maybe what God's trying to 128 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 1: do is to get you to see yourself the way 129 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: He sees you, so that you can behave in a 130 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: way that's consistent with the way He sees you and 131 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: not the way you see your All throughout Scripture we 132 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: see this, and I believe this pattern in Scripture is 133 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: a picture of a principle I've affectionately entitled the principle 134 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: of exception. I think last time we were here we 135 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: talked about the principle of perspective. But this principle is 136 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: the principle of exception. What's an exception? Thearius? An exception 137 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: is an anomaly, it's a deviation, it's an abnormality. It's 138 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: a rule breaker. You do know your God is a 139 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: rule breaker. You do know? Last week we celebrated God 140 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: breaking the ultimate rule because nobody goes in a tomb 141 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: and stays there three days and then gets up. But God, 142 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: who's the god of the exception, knows how to break 143 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 1: a rule. Is there anybody watching, anybody that can look 144 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: back over your life and remind yourself that he broke 145 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: some rules for me. That the only reason I'm saying 146 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: in the membrane is because he broke some rules for me. 147 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:45,479 Speaker 1: He's a rule breaker. You know what Grace does, breaks rules. 148 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: Theologian Sli Marker calls it scandalous when he describes Grace. 149 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 1: He used the word scandalous. He said that that's just 150 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: not right for God to give me what I don't deserve. Scandalous. 151 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: This principle of exception, here's a principal family. What happens 152 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: with them does not dictate and determine what happens with me. 153 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: What happens with them does not dictate and determine what 154 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: happens with me. It suggests that previous patterns are not 155 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: accurate indicators of future possibilities. It means that you can't 156 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: just lump me into some statistical category and then tell me, 157 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: because I fit certain criteria and certain statistics, that that's 158 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: gonna dictate my destiny. I can't say what happened with 159 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: everybody else, but I do know that I serve the 160 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: God who breaks rule. He's the God of the exception, 161 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: and what happens with them does not dictate and determine 162 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: what happens with me. I know there may be people 163 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: who went through what you're going through and who didn't recover. 164 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: But God's the God or the exception. I know, maybe 165 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: the likelihood of us overcoming some of the obstacles that 166 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: we are facing, maybe that likelihood is low. But just 167 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: because something is unlikely doesn't mean it's impossible. God is 168 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: the God of the exception. What happens with them does 169 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: not dictate and determine what happens with me. It means 170 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: that you can't look at them and then tell me, 171 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: based on what happened with them, what God wants to 172 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: do with me. I shouldn't even be here today. I'm 173 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: from kill Michael, Mississippi, population six hundred and thirty people. 174 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: Your pass us from Monks Corner, South Carolina. I don't 175 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: even know where that is, but I know God is 176 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: able to look at your history and say that has 177 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: absolutely nothing to do with your destiny. See, I want 178 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: you to catch this. Exceptionism is not the same as exceptionalism. 179 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: I want to be clear on that this what we're 180 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: saying from a not cultural, but from a Christian perspective 181 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: of this. We're not saying we're better than we're saying 182 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: we're different from. This is not a declaration of superiority. 183 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: This is a declaration of distinction. And what we're saying 184 00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: is our distinction is not always in our experiences, is 185 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: oftentimes in our outcomes. What does that mean. It means 186 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: that we may go through some of the exact same 187 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: things that other people go through, but our distinction is 188 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: not in that we don't go through. Our distinction is 189 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: the way we come out. We may go in the 190 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: same thing, but we're not gonna come out the same way. 191 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: I may go into fire refurnace, but I'm gonna come 192 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: out not smelling like smock. I may go in the 193 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,119 Speaker 1: lions then, but I'm gonna come out not being consumed. 194 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: We go through what of us go through, but we 195 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: don't have to come out the way others come out. 196 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: This is not a denial of norms, but rather a 197 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: belief that we don't have to be limited by them, 198 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: governed by them. Or imprisoned by them, or defined by them. 199 00:15:53,520 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: They are always exceptions. Why can't you be one of them? 200 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 1: If you do research, most people that go in lions 201 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: dens don't come out. But with Daniel, God made an exception. 202 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: If you were to do a focused group, you discover 203 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: women in their nineties don't have babies. But with Sarah, 204 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: God made an exception. If you would do a survey 205 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: regarding whether or not screaming at walls will make walls 206 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: fall down, But when Joshua instructed Israel to do that 207 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:46,479 Speaker 1: with the walls of Jericho, God made an exception. Teenagers 208 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: don't defeat giants who've been trained in military warfare their 209 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: entire life with a fleeing shot and a rock. But 210 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: with a dude named David, God made an exception. And 211 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: watch this, Watch this. Dead men don't go in a grave, 212 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: stay there three days and then get up early Sunday morning. 213 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: But with Jesus, God made an exception. And the same 214 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: God that did it for Daniel, that did it for 215 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 1: the Hebrew Boys, that did it for Joshuas that did 216 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: it for David, that did it for Jesus, is the 217 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: same God that's doing it right now. I've seen you move, 218 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: you move the mountains, and I believe I'll see you 219 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 1: do it again. He's the God of exceptions. I said, 220 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: He's the God of exceptions. And there's a word that's 221 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: often used to describe those that understand and embrace this principle. 222 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: Now recently recently been exploring if you're in the room, 223 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: you can please. I've recently been exploring this, uh, this 224 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:24,640 Speaker 1: concept because right now even I've been recently working on 225 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 1: these messages, and I'm working on this message around grace. 226 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 1: And one of the things I've been struggling with is, like, 227 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:35,239 Speaker 1: you know, I think most Christians understand grace conceptually. I 228 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 1: just think I don't think most Christians actually receive it, right. 229 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: I think conceptually they could say, yes, I get God 230 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: doesn't judge me that I get God's going to respond 231 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: to me according to the finished work of Jesus, and 232 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: everything that I do is simply in response to that 233 00:18:57,359 --> 00:18:59,959 Speaker 1: finished work. It's not a substitute to that finished work, 234 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: because if it's finished, it's finished. So I think most 235 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 1: Christians would agree with that conceptually. But if I were 236 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 1: to say, do you struggle with condemnation, they'd probably say yes, 237 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: I do because you understand, but understanding it and embracing 238 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: it is something different. So there's a word that we 239 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: can use to describe those that not only understand this 240 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: principle of exception, but embrace it. And I think our 241 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: foundational passage here in Matthew gives us an amazing example 242 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: of this adjective. This word, and the word is water 243 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: Walker's what's that because that's that's an exception. Water walkers 244 00:19:53,119 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 1: those that walk on what other people drown in. One writer. 245 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: One writer noted that the Bible is inundated with examples 246 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: of people who do walking. God walk in the garden 247 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 1: of Eden in the cool of day, Enoch walk with God. 248 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: Abraham walked to Mount Mariah. Moses walked through the Red 249 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: Sea on dry ground. Joshua walked around the walls of Jericho, 250 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: the Disciples walked on Amaeas Road. Jesus walked the Via 251 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: della Rossa. All throughout scripture we see examples of people walking. 252 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:37,120 Speaker 1: But here in Matthew chapter fourteen, we see something different 253 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: because in all the other examples I mentioned, people are 254 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: walking on the ground. In Matthew chapter fourteen we see 255 00:20:48,040 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: an exception. We see two people. This is important two 256 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: people walking on water. Yeah, it's really interesting. The contextually 257 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: what happens here. I think we picked up in the 258 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: latter part of the story, but contextually this instance this 259 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:19,360 Speaker 1: story transpires right after Jesus has Matthew records Jesus performing 260 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: a miracle with two fish and five blows of bread 261 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: so powerful. Verse twenty two actually begins with the word immediately, saying, 262 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: as soon as Jesus is finished performing this miracle, he 263 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: tells his disciples, now I want you to get on 264 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: the boat. I want you to go to the other side, 265 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna pull up on you later. That's what 266 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 1: it says. Get in this boat, you go to the 267 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: other side'a pull up on you later. The disciples do 268 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: exactly what he said. They get in the boat, and 269 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: the Bible says that Jesus does this, he goes off 270 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 1: to a solitary place to pray. This is so interesting 271 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 1: in me family, So he puts them on the boat, 272 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: sends them ahead of him. He goes off to a 273 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: solitary place to pray, which means they have a head start. 274 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: The Bible says they have a head start of hours. 275 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 1: They have a head start of hours. They're rowing or 276 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 1: sailing for hours and then all of a sudden, in 277 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: the middle of the night, they see Jesus walking. They've 278 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: been rowing, but he's walking. I want you to catch this. 279 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: They had to invest some sweat to get to where 280 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: they were. They probably had to do some straining. Even 281 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: if they had to put up a cell, they had 282 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: to strain. If they had to row, they had to strain. 283 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: They're straining, but Jesus is stepping. They have a head start, 284 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: but he catches up because while they are exerting energy 285 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 1: and effort, he's praying. And so because he reset himself spiritually, 286 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: he was able to accelerate himself naturally. I'm gonna say 287 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: that one more time. Because he reset himself spiritually, he 288 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: was able to accelerate himself naturally. See some places we're 289 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: trying to get to by straining and rowing and grinding, 290 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 1: not realizing that to get to some places, you can 291 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: get there quicker if you got spiritual stammin out. So 292 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: it's okay to take a moment and say I got 293 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:12,120 Speaker 1: to pause for the cause and reset myself spiritually. Because 294 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: while you are rowing your way there, and while you 295 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: have a head start, God knows how to get me 296 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: there another way, right on schedule. And I want to 297 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: encourage somebody right now, Who's who's standing on the shore 298 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: and you see people ahead of you. They're ahead of 299 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,199 Speaker 1: you professionally, they're ahead of you. Relationally, you waiting to 300 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: walk the isle, they've already walked the aisle, they're ahead 301 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 1: of you spiritually. I want to let you know that 302 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 1: God is the god of exception, so this means he's 303 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,919 Speaker 1: a god of acceleration. He'll help you make up for 304 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: lost time. This is interesting. Listen to this family. They 305 00:24:53,760 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 1: see this silhouette walking on the water and Peter asks, Lord, 306 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 1: is it you? Here's my question. If you've been walking 307 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: with me, eating with me, learning from me, being mentored 308 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 1: by me for three years, how do you not know 309 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: what I look like? And maybe it's because, before we 310 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: judge Peter, maybe it's because God doesn't always show up 311 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: looking like God in a Stormy tex says they were 312 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 1: dealing with some turbulent sea and wrestling with the storm 313 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: and Jesus shows up and Peter's like, who is that? 314 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,640 Speaker 1: Because God doesn't always look like God in a storm, 315 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: And so we got to be careful because the text 316 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: says they said it's a ghost. They said, we got 317 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: to be careful because in a storm, you will prematurely 318 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: label something one thing, and then when the storm is over, 319 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: you'll look back and say, oh, that was God. I'm 320 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 1: telling somebody. The thing you're calling pain in this season, 321 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 1: you're gonna look back in another season and say that 322 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: was God. The thing you're saying is a closed door 323 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 1: in this season, you're gonna look back in another season 324 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: and say that was God. Let me help my singles 325 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 1: who ready to mingle. The thing you're calling a breakup 326 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: in this season, you're gonna look back in the next 327 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: season and say that was God. Because God doesn't always 328 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: show up looking like God in a storm. Their doors 329 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,919 Speaker 1: that close in my face in certain seasons of my 330 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 1: life that caused me pain and feelings of rejection and inadequacy. 331 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 1: And now I look back at some of those seasons 332 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: and say, that wasn't rejection, that was God. That was protection. 333 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: He was protecting me in a season where I didn't 334 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 1: have the discernment to avoid walking through the wrong door. 335 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: So Peter says this. He says, Okay, Lord, if it's 336 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: really you, tell me to come to you on the 337 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: water and the Bible says, we read it together. Jesus said, come. 338 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 1: Peter said, if it's you tell me to come to 339 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: you on the water, and the Bible says Jesus said, come. 340 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: Peter said, if it's you tell me to come to 341 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: you on the water, and the Bible says that Jesus says, come. 342 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: Sometimes we don't walk on water because come is not enough. 343 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:05,879 Speaker 1: Jesus didn't say, come. Then I'm gonna suspend gravity and 344 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 1: then you're gonna walk on water. Jesus didn't say come. 345 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: I want you to take twelve steps to the left 346 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,120 Speaker 1: and twelve steps to the right. Because some of us 347 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: are wired like me and we're very detail oriented. I 348 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: don't want to just come. I won't know where we're going, 349 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: which router would take in how long is it gonna 350 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: take for us to get there. But sometimes in dealing 351 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: with God, sometimes if we're gonna walk on water, sometimes 352 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: if we're gonna be the exception, we've got to learn 353 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: how to go on a come. So you got to 354 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: learn how to be able to move with the information 355 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 1: that I give you at the pace that I give 356 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: it to you. Because God will never inform us incompletely, 357 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: but he will inform us incrementally. He says, I'm gonna 358 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: give you more information on the way. He says, I 359 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: give you the information that you need, not the information 360 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: you prefer. And the Bible says this. Peter steps down 361 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: out of the boat, walks on water. But Matthew tells 362 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: us he does that to come toward Jesus. So he's 363 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: not trying to walk on water simply to walk on water. 364 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: He's not trying to spiritualize his ego and his ambition. 365 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: He's not trying to do something major just to do 366 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: something major. He's not trying to blow up just to 367 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: blow up. He's trying to get to Jesus. But I 368 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: saw something. It's interesting me. The text only says that 369 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: Peter does it. But all the disciples were in the boat, 370 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: but only Peter had enough whatever, And there are number 371 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: words we can put in there, faith, naivety, I don't know, 372 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 1: but only Peter stepped out. Are you all ready for this? 373 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 1: There are eleven others in the boat. Peter looks at 374 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: the eleven and said, I'm number twelve. I'm not built 375 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: for the boat, I'm wired for the water. I'm not 376 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: better than you, but I'm different and if you're okay 377 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: in the boat, that's okay, but I'm not. But I 378 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: can't make my personal decision based on whether majority is sitting. 379 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: So Peter says, I see what the eleven are doing, 380 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: but what I'm doing is I'm looking at Jesus, and 381 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 1: I gotta make a decision. Who's gonna influence what I 382 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 1: do more, the one walking on the water or the 383 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: eleven sitting in the boat. I'm gonna tell you, if 384 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: you're gonna be a water walker, there are times where 385 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to make a decision to say, I'd 386 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 1: rather be like Jesus than the eleven sitting in the boat. 387 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: Can you imagine the pressure he felt? Can you imagine 388 00:31:54,880 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 1: that the pressure he felt the eleven bringing to themselves. 389 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: He got out of there anyway. Can you imagine his 390 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: struggling emotionally. But he got out of there anyway, because 391 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: I don't know how big this boat was. But Matthew says, 392 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 1: we read this that Peter got down out of the 393 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: boat because that's the only way we're able to exemplify 394 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: this principle of exception. Because to get over the ego, 395 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: to get over the insecurity, to get over the potential embassment. 396 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: You gotta go down humility, because all wrestling with the 397 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: ego is is wrestling with pride. He got down out 398 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: of the boat, walked on water, and came toward Jesus. 399 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 1: And I believe on today that I'm preaching in a 400 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: number twelve church, preaching for a number twelve pastor, preaching 401 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:17,959 Speaker 1: too some number twelve people. God would not put you 402 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: under the leadership of a number twelve pastor and call 403 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: you to be a part of a number twelve church 404 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,719 Speaker 1: if He intended for you to live a number eleven life. 405 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: You got a number twelve destiny on you. You You are 406 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 1: a rule breaker, you are a deviator, You are a 407 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: testament of the miraculous, miracle working power of God. Your 408 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: number twelve, So that means you got to be okay 409 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: sometimes being the only one that's not in the boat. 410 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 1: Listen to me. I know it's just weird math, but 411 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 1: you can't be number twelve if you're not okay being 412 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:13,319 Speaker 1: the only one. Because sometimes number twelves are the only 413 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 1: one in the room, only one on the board, only 414 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 1: one taking that approach, only one that says I'm not 415 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: going to allow my age to defy and dictate what 416 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: I can and cannot do. That God is sovereign. If 417 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 1: he's sovereign, he can do anything for any reason and 418 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 1: any season. And so culture may try to limit you 419 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: because of your age, or because of your gender, or 420 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: because of your socioeconomic status. But God is a God 421 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: that will blow up the cultural categories and the social 422 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:56,919 Speaker 1: norms and perform exceptions. You're number twelve, and the struggles 423 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:02,799 Speaker 1: the number twelve have is they don't want to leave 424 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: the eleven in the boat, but they can't live with 425 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 1: themselves if they don't go towards Jesus. It's tension because 426 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:20,879 Speaker 1: there's the pressure to fit in and stand out at 427 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 1: the same time. It's not wanting to be weird for 428 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 1: weird sake. It's not wanting to be different for different sakes. 429 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 1: It's not wanting to be to be an anomaly just 430 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:42,920 Speaker 1: to be an anomaly. It's an authentic internal tension that 431 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:48,760 Speaker 1: I feel the connection with the eleven and I want 432 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: to be okay with the boat. I want to be 433 00:35:52,719 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: okay with the boat. I just can't. And I believe 434 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 1: I'm talking to people. God burned my heart with this message. 435 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 1: I believe that God is talking to people through the scriptures, 436 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 1: affirming and reaffirming this is who you are. And sometimes 437 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 1: number twelve doesn't mean just doing different things. Sometimes it 438 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:37,280 Speaker 1: means doing the same things different ways. Because everybody walks, 439 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,960 Speaker 1: that's the same thing. But what Peter did is he 440 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: walked on water. He did the same thing a different way. 441 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:54,839 Speaker 1: Am I'm making sense? So I want to share really 442 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: quickly three things here that I see in this text 443 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,399 Speaker 1: that I think are incredibly important for those of us 444 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 1: who want to walk out what we see portrayed in 445 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:10,719 Speaker 1: this passage. Here's number on. The first thing we gotta 446 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:15,879 Speaker 1: do is this, We got to embrace our uniqueness. Now, 447 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:20,040 Speaker 1: notice I didn't say understand your uniqueness. I said embrace 448 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 1: it because your uniqueness will always feel like awkwardness until 449 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,400 Speaker 1: you get to a season where God shows you its relevance. 450 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say that one more time. Your uniqueness will 451 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:38,520 Speaker 1: feel like awkwardness until God gets you to a season 452 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: where he shows you its relevance. Your uniqueness will feel 453 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: like awkwardness until God gets you to a season where 454 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 1: He shows you its relevance. So when we look at Peter, 455 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: he was impulsive. He's always been that way, temperamental, unpredictable, 456 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 1: at times borderline volatile, but he was that wiring was 457 00:37:58,719 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: redeemed by God, and that same uniqueness and that same 458 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: weirdness was something that God used to cause him to 459 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:10,240 Speaker 1: step out of the boat and to walk on water 460 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: because he had to get to a season where he 461 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: saw its relevance. And there are some things that feel 462 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:22,960 Speaker 1: weird about you that are one of the most valuable 463 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:26,719 Speaker 1: things about you. But God's got to get you to 464 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: a season where he shows you. This is why I 465 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 1: wired you this way. Embrace your uniqueness. Number two, you're 466 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,040 Speaker 1: gonna have to brace when heat number two gonna have 467 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:49,480 Speaker 1: to walk in the wind. See y'all stopped reading the 468 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:54,359 Speaker 1: story with Peter getting out of that boat walking on water. 469 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 1: That's that's that's an amazing place to end, But it's 470 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:03,439 Speaker 1: not the end of the story. The Bible says Peter 471 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,400 Speaker 1: gets out of the boat and he walks on water, 472 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:09,840 Speaker 1: and the text says, as long as he keeps his 473 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:14,720 Speaker 1: eyes on Jesus, he's able to walk on the water. 474 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:19,319 Speaker 1: But the story says he sees the wind, and when 475 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:22,239 Speaker 1: he sees the wind, he takes his eyes off of 476 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:28,359 Speaker 1: Jesus and begins to sink notice this now. The text says, 477 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,879 Speaker 1: he sees the wind. Listen to me, family. You can't 478 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:39,000 Speaker 1: see wind. You can feel wind, you can hear wind. 479 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:43,640 Speaker 1: You can't see wind. You can only see what the 480 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 1: wind is affecting. And when Peter starts looking at what 481 00:39:49,239 --> 00:39:52,360 Speaker 1: the wind is affecting, what does that do? It takes 482 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 1: his focus. And when he lost this focus, he lost 483 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,759 Speaker 1: this balance. And when he lost this balance, he began 484 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:09,520 Speaker 1: to sink. Peter didn't lose vision, he lost focus. So 485 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: he was able to walk a little while and begin 486 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:15,040 Speaker 1: to sink. I want to tell you, if you're gonna 487 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 1: be number twelve, if I'm gonna be number twelve, we 488 00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:20,360 Speaker 1: got to walk with the wind. If we're waiting for 489 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:23,560 Speaker 1: the wind to stop blowing, that's not gonna happen. You 490 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: might be in a season where the wind's not blowing 491 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:28,280 Speaker 1: right now, but keep living. Something's gonna blow in your direction. 492 00:40:28,719 --> 00:40:30,600 Speaker 1: And if it doesn't blow on you, it's gonna blow 493 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:32,960 Speaker 1: on something around you. It might blow in the home, 494 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: It might blow with this on the spouse, might blow 495 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:36,680 Speaker 1: with the children, might blow in the workplace. And the 496 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:40,000 Speaker 1: question is can I keep on walking when the wind 497 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:44,319 Speaker 1: is blowing because the wind can't destroy you, but your 498 00:40:44,719 --> 00:40:52,160 Speaker 1: being distracted can cause you to destroy yourself. Walking in 499 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: the wind means I have to do more than have 500 00:40:55,960 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: strong faith. Walking in the wind means I need to 501 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 1: have long faith. The question isn't just how strong is 502 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:12,000 Speaker 1: my belief? Is how long can I believe? Can I 503 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:15,799 Speaker 1: keep walking when the wind is blowing? And I want 504 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:18,800 Speaker 1: to tell somebody who's dealing with some wind right now, 505 00:41:19,200 --> 00:41:23,120 Speaker 1: to keep on walking with tears in your eyes, keep 506 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:27,000 Speaker 1: on walking with confusion in your mind, keep on walking 507 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:31,560 Speaker 1: with despondency and discouragement in your heart. Keep on walking. 508 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:34,279 Speaker 1: You got to walk in the wind, and pray in 509 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:39,879 Speaker 1: the wind, and believe in the wind. Embrace your uniqueness, 510 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:46,080 Speaker 1: walk in the wind. Last point number three, Scream for 511 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:55,840 Speaker 1: the Savior. It's in the text. The Bible says that 512 00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:58,960 Speaker 1: as Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink, 513 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:03,120 Speaker 1: but he didn't allow the sinking to cause him to 514 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:08,680 Speaker 1: go silent. Listen to me, Every water walker will sink, 515 00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 1: but you don't have to drown. Peter sank, but he 516 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 1: didn't drown because he knew to scream for the Savior. 517 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:26,759 Speaker 1: And the Bible says that Jesus not only picked him up, 518 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 1: but he walked him back to safety on the boat. 519 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:36,360 Speaker 1: What am I saying, see watch this. Water walkers may sink, 520 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:40,719 Speaker 1: but they don't have to allow their pride to cause 521 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:48,560 Speaker 1: them to drown. He said, you know what I'm gonna do. 522 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna scream for the Savior and all throughout scripture, 523 00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:04,680 Speaker 1: Old Testament and New test And I see this. I 524 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:08,480 Speaker 1: seen this, and I'm so like, I think God's helping 525 00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:13,440 Speaker 1: me be more balanced, but I'm so like analytical that 526 00:43:13,480 --> 00:43:20,000 Speaker 1: I would see like this pattern of these exuberant outbursts 527 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:22,520 Speaker 1: in the Bible. And then I grew up in church. 528 00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:25,000 Speaker 1: I've been in church my whole life forty one years 529 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:31,640 Speaker 1: and nine months, so I would see that. I'm like, oh, 530 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:42,279 Speaker 1: that's that's cool. You know, I didn't quite get it, 531 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:49,879 Speaker 1: Jerry ko Wahle. They shouted blind bottom mass Mark ten. 532 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:53,400 Speaker 1: Jesus walking by, screamed, Jesus on the David, have mercy 533 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:57,840 Speaker 1: on me. The syrol Phoenician woman who wanted Jesus to 534 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 1: intervene with her daughter. She was persistent, so persistent the 535 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 1: disciples said, send her away. She cries after us. Nobody 536 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:11,719 Speaker 1: coming for them. They came for Jesus. She's bothering us. 537 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:19,440 Speaker 1: The metaphor here is not literal screaming. That's not what 538 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:21,080 Speaker 1: I'm trying to get across. That's what I'm trying to 539 00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:26,759 Speaker 1: get across here. It's so important that his screaming for 540 00:44:26,880 --> 00:44:33,760 Speaker 1: the Savior was a revelation of his reliance on God 541 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:40,239 Speaker 1: and not just his own steps. I'm just telling you, 542 00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:43,200 Speaker 1: no matter how good a stepper you are, you're going 543 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:47,160 Speaker 1: to hit a space where you sink that no matter 544 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:49,440 Speaker 1: what you do, God's not gonna let you do it 545 00:44:49,480 --> 00:44:58,560 Speaker 1: without God. And so these pleas that you see in 546 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:02,520 Speaker 1: scripture where people are raising their voices, they are expressions 547 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:05,319 Speaker 1: of faith, because you don't call on people to help 548 00:45:05,480 --> 00:45:08,040 Speaker 1: that you don't believe can help. And you don't call 549 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:10,880 Speaker 1: on people to help that you don't believe will help. 550 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:21,919 Speaker 1: And he's screaming for the Savior. And this didn't quite 551 00:45:21,960 --> 00:45:23,920 Speaker 1: make sense to me till I was reading the Psalms. 552 00:45:23,960 --> 00:45:26,080 Speaker 1: I'm done. I was reading the Psalms, and that's what 553 00:45:26,160 --> 00:45:33,360 Speaker 1: the Psalmer says. He says, through the praise of youth, 554 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:42,239 Speaker 1: you have established a stronghold around my enemies. So I said, 555 00:45:42,239 --> 00:45:44,440 Speaker 1: wait a minute, praise a stronghold. A stronghold in the 556 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:53,200 Speaker 1: Bible is like a fence. I say, oh, this isn't 557 00:45:53,280 --> 00:45:58,960 Speaker 1: just spiritual, this is mental that when I begin to 558 00:45:59,040 --> 00:46:02,720 Speaker 1: remind God of who he is, I'm not really reminding 559 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:07,520 Speaker 1: him because he hadn't forgotten. My praise reminds me of 560 00:46:07,560 --> 00:46:11,200 Speaker 1: who God is. And when I'm reminded of who God is, 561 00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 1: that produces a fits and a stronghold, and some negative 562 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:19,040 Speaker 1: thoughts that were getting through can't get through, and doubt 563 00:46:19,160 --> 00:46:22,279 Speaker 1: that was getting through can't get through, and hopelessness that 564 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:26,320 Speaker 1: was getting through can't get through. Because my praise doesn't 565 00:46:26,400 --> 00:46:29,239 Speaker 1: just remind God of who he is, it reminds me 566 00:46:29,400 --> 00:46:32,160 Speaker 1: of who he is. And I want someone who's watching, 567 00:46:32,440 --> 00:46:35,880 Speaker 1: someone who's in this room, every location, every home, in 568 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:39,400 Speaker 1: your own way, will you just take a moment and 569 00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:55,360 Speaker 1: remind yourself of who your God is. You're not number eleven, 570 00:46:57,160 --> 00:47:15,680 Speaker 1: You're number twelve. And a message a message, this message, 571 00:47:16,320 --> 00:47:19,879 Speaker 1: I think it's more than just a message. I think 572 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:26,239 Speaker 1: it is the testimony of Jesus different anomaly and the 573 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:30,920 Speaker 1: destiny of those who are courageous enough listen to me 574 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:35,880 Speaker 1: to make a decision to be like the one walking 575 00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:40,120 Speaker 1: on the water and not the eleven sitting in the boat. 576 00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:44,080 Speaker 1: You don't want to pray for. I want to pray 577 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:46,800 Speaker 1: for you, but you don't want to pray for I 578 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:50,359 Speaker 1: don't pray for two things. I know I needed these 579 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:55,319 Speaker 1: in my journey. I'm sure your pastors these and his. 580 00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:58,000 Speaker 1: I don't know of another pastor that preaches as good 581 00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:02,440 Speaker 1: as him and then write songs and then leads. How 582 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:07,839 Speaker 1: you do that? It's different, isn't it. But I'm gonna 583 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:09,880 Speaker 1: tell you two things it takes to do that. I'm 584 00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:14,560 Speaker 1: gonna pray for this for us. It takes courage. Number one, 585 00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:17,080 Speaker 1: because this is one thing to have clarity. It's another 586 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:19,440 Speaker 1: thing to have the courage to actually step out of 587 00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:21,920 Speaker 1: that boat and to be who you feel like you've 588 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:23,880 Speaker 1: been called to be. Sometimes it's not just courage to 589 00:48:23,880 --> 00:48:28,560 Speaker 1: do something. Sometimes it's courage just to be. It takes courage. 590 00:48:28,840 --> 00:48:33,560 Speaker 1: And then two, it's gonna take resilience because the wind's 591 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:37,080 Speaker 1: going to blow and you're gonna be tempted to get 592 00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:40,799 Speaker 1: back in the boat because it feels easier in there. 593 00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:45,040 Speaker 1: But every time you're tempted to do that, this is 594 00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:46,680 Speaker 1: my prayer. I don't know if a preacher's ever prayed 595 00:48:46,680 --> 00:48:48,520 Speaker 1: this for you. I'm gonna pray that God gets on 596 00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:53,200 Speaker 1: your nerves. I'm gonna pray that he agitates you where 597 00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:58,359 Speaker 1: they infects you with a holy discontent, so that every 598 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:02,000 Speaker 1: time you start going back to that boat, there's an 599 00:49:02,080 --> 00:49:04,880 Speaker 1: internal alarm that goes off on the inside of you 600 00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:10,520 Speaker 1: that says to you, you're not built for this. So Father, 601 00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:14,160 Speaker 1: I pray right now for people all over the world 602 00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:21,799 Speaker 1: that are watching this, and you're speaking to them, affirming 603 00:49:23,880 --> 00:49:25,680 Speaker 1: to them who they are and who they've been called 604 00:49:25,719 --> 00:49:30,680 Speaker 1: to be. I pray that you would grant us two things. 605 00:49:30,719 --> 00:49:34,920 Speaker 1: I pray for courage. I pray for courage to step 606 00:49:34,920 --> 00:49:37,000 Speaker 1: out of that boat, even if our feet are trembling, 607 00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:42,719 Speaker 1: to walk on water, if our legs are shaking, I 608 00:49:42,760 --> 00:49:47,120 Speaker 1: pray for courage to do it anyway. I thank you 609 00:49:47,200 --> 00:49:50,000 Speaker 1: for this. And Lord, I pray for resilience. I pray 610 00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:56,319 Speaker 1: for long faith. I pray for faith to finish, to 611 00:49:56,480 --> 00:50:00,840 Speaker 1: walk in the midst of the wind. And I just 612 00:50:00,920 --> 00:50:06,360 Speaker 1: thank you that you're releasing this today, that you're adding 613 00:50:06,480 --> 00:50:10,880 Speaker 1: value to your people in this way, and that you 614 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:16,600 Speaker 1: are loosing number twelves all over the world to be 615 00:50:16,760 --> 00:50:19,359 Speaker 1: who they've been called and created to be. And may 616 00:50:19,360 --> 00:50:22,000 Speaker 1: it be said of us as it was said of 617 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:26,560 Speaker 1: the early Church, These are they that have turned the 618 00:50:26,719 --> 00:50:38,360 Speaker 1: world upside down in Jesus' name. Amen, Thank you for 619 00:50:38,480 --> 00:50:41,000 Speaker 1: joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give 620 00:50:41,120 --> 00:50:43,960 Speaker 1: generously to this ministry. Is because of you that this 621 00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:46,920 Speaker 1: ministry is possible. You can click the link in the 622 00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:50,919 Speaker 1: description to give now or visit Elevation Church dot org 623 00:50:51,000 --> 00:50:54,680 Speaker 1: slash podcast for more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, 624 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:57,680 Speaker 1: you can subscribe. You can share it with your friends. 625 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:00,200 Speaker 1: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 626 00:51:00,320 --> 00:51:02,399 Speaker 1: share it on your social stories and tag us at 627 00:51:02,440 --> 00:51:05,000 Speaker 1: Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.