1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 2: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 2: it gives your perspective to see God. 6 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 7 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 2: Look at the person next to give them my title. 8 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 2: Say you must be important, be seated. 9 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: Amen. 10 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: Have you noticed that, like who we think is important, 11 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 2: sometimes maybe God doesn't think is as important in culture. 12 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 2: I mean, just like, have you noticed that it seems 13 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: like lately I'm praying more and more, God, show me 14 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: what's important from your perspective. I'm afraid that I'll live 15 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 2: my life wasting my energy on things that seem important 16 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 2: to me, only to find out that they weren't as 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 2: important as I thought they were. So I'm just praying 18 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: more and more in the moment, just a very short prayer. God, 19 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: show me what's important, and I'm praying it at the 20 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 2: start of my week. 21 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: More that God. 22 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 2: There's a lot I could do this week, but I 23 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: need you to show me the difference between what's urgent 24 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: and what's important, because some things that will be an 25 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 2: emergency for other people cannot become my priority just because 26 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: they didn't make a plan. And so this week, I 27 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: need you to show me the difference between what's urgent. 28 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: And what's important. 29 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 2: And sometimes it's urgent and important, but I need God 30 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 2: more and more. 31 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: To show me what's more important. 32 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 2: Lately, I find that it's not choosing between you know, 33 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 2: Netflix and Bible study. It's like which show on Netflix 34 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: or Bible. I'm just kidding. I just want to take 35 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: it there now. It's two things that are equally to me, 36 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: equal priorities, because I know that I need to seek 37 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 2: first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. I don't 38 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: always know what that looks like in this because my 39 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: role in the Kingdom consists of multiple roles. So on 40 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: one level, I am a pastor who needs to prepare 41 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: a sermon. On another level, I am a dad with 42 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: a kid who wants to throw the football. And I 43 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: know you think that you're more important than my son's 44 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: desire to throw a football. But the fact of the 45 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 2: matter is, you know, if I drop dead, there'd be 46 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: another preacher standing here this weekend, but he's only got 47 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 2: one dad. 48 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: It's true, is so true? 49 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 2: Some of the things that I thought were more important 50 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: in my twenties. Now that I'm like a wise sage 51 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: at the age of thirty eight, I'm realizing that I 52 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: need God more and more to show me what's important now, 53 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,119 Speaker 2: what's important now? What was important to me in one 54 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 2: season may not need the same priority in this season. 55 00:02:58,080 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: And that even applies to people. 56 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: I know that everybody is equally important to somebody say, 57 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: I know you're important to God. But God is an 58 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 2: unlimited resource and he can love everybody equally. 59 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: I'm not that much like God. I only have so 60 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: much to give. 61 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 2: Come on, There's only so many bags of chips in 62 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: the vending machine of my heart, and I can't just 63 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 2: have everybody grab and everything out of me all the time. 64 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: Eventually I will run out. 65 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 2: So I need to be led by the spirit to 66 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 2: know what's most important in this moment, in this season 67 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 2: of my life. 68 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: What is the priority of God for me? 69 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: In Mark's Gospel, we are going to study today briefly 70 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: a story that he thought was important to include to 71 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: give us a full picture of Jesus. It's been shocking 72 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 2: to us some of the priorities that Jesus had and 73 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: how much different those priorities are than maybe what we 74 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 2: would have exc When we see him stopping to heal 75 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: a woman in Mark five point twenty one, and following 76 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: on his way to heal a little girl, we are shocked, confounded, 77 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: and in some ways challenged because the one he was 78 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 2: going to heal was the daughter of someone who was important. 79 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: His name was Gyrus, he was a synagogue leader. 80 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 2: The woman who came up behind Jesus isn't even given 81 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: a name. Nobody really cared about women like that in 82 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 2: this culture. He stops en route to the miracle that 83 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: is more important and more urgent, because the little girl 84 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 2: has hours to live. In fact, while he stops to 85 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: heal this unimportant woman, the important girl dies. Jesus isn't 86 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: concerned about this because he is healer. Yes, also he 87 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 2: is resurrection. His priority in this moment is to show 88 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,919 Speaker 2: the people a deeper revelation of who he is. The 89 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: only way for him to give them this revelation of 90 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 2: the power of his presence is to upset their priorities 91 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: and stop for something that they see as less important, 92 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: so that when he gets to the scene, which was 93 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 2: more important, the little girl is already dead. This provides 94 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 2: an opportunity for him to do something that he couldn't 95 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 2: have done if he had gone according to their priorities. 96 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 2: Sometimes God will upset your priorities to show you his 97 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 2: power in a new way. And I know it's hard 98 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 2: to clap for that. But if God has been doing 99 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 2: some unusual things. 100 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: In your life lately and it seems. 101 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 2: Difficult to get Jesus to follow your agenda, maybe he. 102 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: Is re ordering your priorities. 103 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 2: Maybe what was important to you then shouldn't be important 104 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 2: to you now, and he's trying to show you an 105 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: order of importance. That's how you can know when the 106 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 2: presence of God is really increasing in your day to 107 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 2: day life. 108 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: It will shift your priorities. 109 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 2: Goosebumps don't prove the presence of God. 110 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: I get goosebumps off of Bruno Mars every time. 111 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 2: Goose Bumpson sometimes I kiss Holly. Feelings don't prove the 112 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: presence of God. 113 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: What proves the presence. 114 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: Of God in my life is when my priorities begin 115 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 2: to align with his. And this is going to require 116 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 2: a collision because cultural priorities are much different. Now we're 117 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 2: ready for Mark Chapter five, a story that Mark thought 118 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: was important enough to include for us. Imagine you have 119 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 2: to write a gospel account and you have to decide 120 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: what's the most important teaching Jesus gave that you want 121 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 2: to put in Mark four or what stories are. 122 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: You going to leave out? 123 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 2: Because it's not like you could say, well, that wasn't 124 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 2: any good when he healed that line. Man, you know 125 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 2: what I'm saying, Like it'd be hard to let something 126 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 2: hit the cutting room floor, right, Yeah, Well, I mean 127 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: he he opened so many death fears. You got to 128 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 2: pick and choose which ones you're gonna include. Like stuff 129 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 2: that Jesus did on his way to his appointments would 130 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: have been our greatest accomplishment in our whole lifetime. And 131 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: now Mark has to decide, all right, what are the 132 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 2: most important stories? 133 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: And so in order to do that, he has to 134 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:16,679 Speaker 1: choose one theme. 135 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 2: And he has to get this theme across because Matthew, 136 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: who wrote a gospel account, he's gonna have a theme. 137 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 2: Luke is John is Mark's theme, he decides is going 138 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: to be to show. 139 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: The authority of Jesus. The authority of Jesus, and authority 140 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: is illustrated, not explained. Can I talk about that? 141 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 2: People who always need to tell you they're in charge, 142 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 2: aren't really in control. When you really have power, you 143 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 2: don't have to shout. Just walk through my house and 144 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 2: watch Holly look at one of our kids a certain way, 145 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 2: and you will see that power doesn't have to shout. 146 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 2: I mean, there is a look she can give. And 147 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 2: I don't know where the kids go after that. They 148 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 2: crawl under parts of the house I've never seen off 149 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:05,239 Speaker 2: of one look. And this is a demonstration of Jesus 150 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 2: authority that I don't think you'll soon forget. 151 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,239 Speaker 1: Married it to you. Just relax and listen, Okay. 152 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 2: They went Mark five, verse one, across the lake to 153 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 2: the region of the Garriscenes. 154 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: When Jesus got out. 155 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: Of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came 156 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 2: from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in 157 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 2: the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not 158 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 2: even with a chain, for it had often been chained 159 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 2: hand and foot. But he tore the chains apart and 160 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 2: broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong 161 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 2: enough to subdue him, and that's called foreshadowing class. No 162 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 2: one was strong enough to subdue him. Somebody shot I 163 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 2: got a great big God night and day Verse five 164 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 2: among the tombs, and in the hills he would cry 165 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 2: out and cut himself with stones. And verse six is 166 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: interesting when he saw Jesus from a distance. Now, this 167 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 2: is the first time he's seen Jesus, but this is 168 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 2: not jesus first vision of him. He saw Jesus from 169 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 2: a distance. Jesus did his ministry in Capernaum. This account 170 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 2: is from a Gentile region, the region. 171 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: Of the Garriscenes. No one knows exactly where that is. 172 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 2: By the way, there's a lot of debate about it. 173 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 2: I went over to a spot where they think this 174 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 2: story might have happened last year, and he showed me 175 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 2: how Jesus would go up in the mountains and pray 176 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 2: early in the morning and late at night, and across 177 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 2: the sea of Galilee, where Jesus has just traveled, the 178 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 2: sound would have traveled. So if this man is crying 179 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: out day and night, there's a good chance Jesus would 180 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 2: have been up early while the man was up late, 181 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 2: and while the man was up late crying, Jesus was 182 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 2: up late praying. And maybe one morning, after hearing the 183 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 2: man cry one more time, Jesus decided, today is the 184 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 2: day for me to make my way toward this man 185 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: and set him free. Could it be that God has 186 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 2: heard your cry, and he has heard. 187 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: The secret petitions and disappointments. 188 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 2: Of your heart, and he had you log on or 189 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 2: show up today because today is today? 190 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: That he came to see about you. 191 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 2: When you thought no one else was listening, and you 192 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 2: thought you were all alone. 193 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: Could it be that he heard you? 194 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: And now the man sees Jesus, possibly before Jesus even 195 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 2: lays eyes on the man, and he ran and fell 196 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 2: on his knees in front of him verse seven. He shouted, 197 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 2: at the top of his voice, what do you want 198 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 2: with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God. Oh, 199 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 2: by the way, your first response to God will often 200 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 2: be feared. 201 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: When he shows up in your life in real power. 202 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 2: There will be something in you that will resist that 203 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: authority because it goes against everything that is ingrained in 204 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: our humanity to be in the presence of one who 205 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 2: is greater than us, and it often causes us to 206 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: reevaluate our priorities. Now, in this man's case, there is 207 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: a specific reason that he falls on his knees and shouts, 208 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 2: what do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the 209 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 2: Most High God? In God's name, don't torture me, for 210 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 2: Jesus had said to him, here it is, come out 211 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 2: of this man, you impure spirit. And Jesus challenged the 212 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 2: spirit that was within the man, and the spirit within 213 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 2: the man resisted the challenge of Jesus because anytime the 214 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: enemy has occupied a territory for a while, he won't 215 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 2: let it go without a fight. Jesus asked him a question, 216 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 2: not for information, but for revelation. He doesn't need to 217 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 2: know this, he knows all things. But he asked the 218 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: man because the man might know who Jesus is, but 219 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 2: this man doesn't know who he is. And Jesus asked 220 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 2: the man, what is your name? And the man responded, 221 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 2: my name is region, for we are many. And he 222 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: begged Jesus again and again not to send them out 223 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 2: of the area. The demons beg Jesus, don't make us leave. 224 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 2: And this is where the story gets interesting verse eleven. 225 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 2: And I promise you the Bible is way more bizarre 226 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 2: than you give it credit for him exhibit. 227 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: A verse eleven, a large herd of pigs. 228 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 2: We know we're not in Jewish territory anymore, right, because 229 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 2: there would not be a. 230 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: Large herd of pigs. Jesus has let his home. 231 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 2: Turf, and he's crossed over, and now he's in Gentile territory, 232 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 2: the region of the gar Seats. And there's a large 233 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 2: herd of pigs standing nearby on the hillside feeding. And 234 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 2: the demons begged Jesus send us among the pigs, allow 235 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 2: us to go into them. He gave them permission. Okay, 236 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 2: you got to leave the man, but you can jump 237 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 2: on the pigs. And the impure spirits came out and 238 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 2: went into the pigs, and the herd, about two thousand 239 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake, 240 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 2: and we're drowting. I know you're worried right now that 241 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 2: I'm going to find a way to preach about this 242 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 2: in a way that applies to your life. But trust me, 243 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:10,719 Speaker 2: I've been doing this a long time. I got a 244 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 2: good track record, and I promise you there is a 245 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: connection between you and these pigs. And if you give 246 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 2: me a few minutes and pay close attention, I'll show 247 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: you what it is. Verse fourteen. Those tending the pigs 248 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 2: ran off and reported this in the town in countryside, 249 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 2: and the people went to see what had happened. And 250 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 2: when they came to Jesus, they saw the man who 251 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, 252 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 2: dressed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 253 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 2: Those who had seen it told the people what had 254 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 2: happened to the demon possessed man, and told about the 255 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 2: pigs as well. And then then then the people began 256 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 2: to plead with Jesus to leave their region. Touch them 257 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 2: again and say, can I get your autograph? Touch them 258 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 2: say you must be imported. You must be important that 259 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 2: Jesus would go through all this trouble to keep an 260 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 2: appointment with you. 261 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: Oh, I'm so sorry. I messed up. I started reading 262 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: in the wrong place in the Bible. 263 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 2: It happens. I'm sorry. This is my third time preaching it. 264 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 2: You will have to forgive me. I was supposed to 265 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 2: start at mark four thirty five, and I started in 266 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 2: mark five. And you can't understand mark five without mark 267 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 2: four thirty five through forty one. So if you will 268 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: forgive me for my slight oversight, I'm gonna do what 269 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: I should have done before. I want to tell you 270 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 2: about the storm that came. 271 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: Before the miracle. 272 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 2: This passage of scripture will preach all by itself, because 273 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 2: watch this. How many of you are going through a 274 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 2: storm in your life today? Just raise your hand, or 275 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 2: somebody close to you is going through a storm. 276 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: Raise your hand. 277 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 2: Now see how easy it is to preach about storms. 278 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 2: Did you see the high percentage of hands that went up? 279 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 2: Except at Blakeney they never raised their hands when I 280 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 2: ask them to. But let me try this one more time. 281 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 2: How many of you are going through a storm. Just 282 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: came out of a storm, or you know there's probably 283 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: a storm around the corner. Come on, be a meteorologist 284 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: and touch your neighbor and say, there's. 285 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: A storm out on the ocean. 286 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 2: So let me read this to you because it's important. 287 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 2: Somebody say it's important. That day when evening came, this 288 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 2: is the same day, remember the same day. Mark didn't 289 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 2: divide this into chapters. 290 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: We did that later. Mark's writing it all as one story. 291 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 2: That day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, 292 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 2: let's go over to the other side. 293 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: Note he doesn't tell him why. 294 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 2: He doesn't say, because I've got an appointment on the 295 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: other side. He doesn't tell them why. He just tells them, 296 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 2: what can you obey? What God says, when you don't know, 297 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: why can you just get in and go even though 298 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 2: you don't know where this is going. If you believe 299 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 2: he has all authority, you don't need full details to 300 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 2: be obedient. This is just for the obedien and Christians 301 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 2: who are willing to cross over. Now make a note 302 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 2: of this. You can't cross over without conflict. Jesus is 303 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 2: moving the mission forward. He's leaving the comfort zone of 304 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 2: what do we call it? Copernaum? Ooh nahoum comfort Copernaum, Copernaum, 305 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 2: it's the place of the comforter. He's leaving the comfort zone, 306 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 2: and he's moving into enemy territory, like some of you 307 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 2: are doing right now in your life. You are beginning 308 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 2: to move forward in the things of God. You're changing 309 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 2: your circle, You're changing your values. You have begun to 310 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: prioritize the presence of God. 311 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: But let me warn you. When you make God your priority, 312 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: the enemy will send a storm. 313 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 2: You never cross over without conflict. Did you expect the 314 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 2: devil would let you go without a fight. Did you 315 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 2: expect that he would let you leave Egypt without sending 316 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 2: his chariots to chase you down. 317 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: You've been serving the devil forty. 318 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 2: Two years and now you decide to stand up and 319 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 2: be a godly man, and you think it's just gonna 320 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 2: change overnight. As a matter of fact, I want to 321 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 2: announce to you the reason the storm is raging might 322 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 2: not be because your. 323 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: Jonah headed away from the will of God. 324 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 2: It might be because you're crossing over into the calling. 325 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 1: That is on your life. That's what the conflict is 326 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: all about. 327 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 2: It. 328 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: I know I should just calm down and talk to you, but. 329 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 2: Sometimes when you're in a storm, sometimes you need somebody 330 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 2: to holler at you and say, hey, you're gonna make 331 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 2: it through this. 332 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: How do you know? Because Jesus said, We're going to 333 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: the other side, so you can't die in this. 334 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 2: You gotta make it to that. 335 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: That's what I came to say. 336 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 2: I've preached so many sermons about this storm, and I've 337 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 2: told so many people that they can survive what they're 338 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 2: going through. But there's a more important question than will 339 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 2: you survive. The better question to ask is why did 340 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 2: you survive the storm? 341 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 1: Have you thought about Have you ever thought. 342 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 2: About how many things the enemy did, even early in 343 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 2: your life to try to stop you from having a 344 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 2: relationship with God. Remember this is Mark chapter four, not 345 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 2: Mark chapter five. This man has not even seen Jesus 346 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 2: yet yet. There is a storm that is sent to 347 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 2: the Sea of Galilee to keep Jesus from getting to him. 348 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: I know you're like, well, how do you know the 349 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: devil started the storm. 350 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 2: Maybe it was just climate change because it said Jesus 351 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:04,360 Speaker 2: rebuke the window the waves. Jesus doesn't rebuke natural elements. 352 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 2: He rebukes demons. The same demonic oppression that was oppressing 353 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 2: that man was in that sea trying to stop Jesus 354 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 2: from getting to the man. You were on the devil's 355 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 2: hit list before you were ever born. There were things 356 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 2: in your family line that were happening before you were 357 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 2: born that were designed to keep you from being in 358 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 2: church at this moment today, touch somebody say you must 359 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 2: be imported because in spite of all the storms that 360 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 2: had your name on them, in spite of all the 361 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 2: winds and the waves and the hurricane forces, in spite 362 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 2: of every attack, look at you in church. Look at 363 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 2: you clapping, Look at you taking notes, look at you 364 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 2: praising God, look at you believing for a brighter day. 365 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: Look how you made it. You must be important. You'll survive. 366 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: You know how I know you're important. 367 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 2: It takes boldness to call your sermon you must be important. 368 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,640 Speaker 2: It takes boldness to call your sermon that. 369 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: But I know it. 370 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 2: Not because of the car you drive, not because of 371 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 2: the house you live in, not because I looked up 372 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 2: how many. 373 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: Instagram followers you have. 374 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 2: I know you're important because of your storm. 375 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 1: See the size of. 376 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 2: Your storm tells me something about your importance. The size 377 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 2: of your storm lets me know the importance of your assignment. 378 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 2: The devil doesn't start a storm for somebody who is 379 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 2: not threatened by. 380 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 1: If you're going through a storm, there's. 381 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: Something so big on the other side, And if you 382 00:20:55,440 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 2: know high five to three people say you must be 383 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 2: important because that big, bad devil's been huffing and puffing, 384 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 2: and he thought he would. 385 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: Blow your house down. But the trial to serve, to 386 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: prove your foundation. Come on, my house is on the rock. 387 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: I can't. I was so confused for so long. 388 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 2: I thought the storm meant that God had left me, 389 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 2: you know, But in this passage, the storm means He's 390 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 2: on the way. 391 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: Did you hear what I said? 392 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 2: If you're going through a storm right now, or if 393 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:54,439 Speaker 2: one happens to hit on Thursday morning. I want you 394 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 2: to know that the storm is a sign that grace 395 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 2: is on the way. The Bible says the storm came 396 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 2: up suddenly the moment Jesus started in the direction of 397 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 2: the man, here came a storm, not because God wasn't 398 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 2: with him, but precisely. 399 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 1: Because he was headed in his direction. 400 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 3: All right, So if that's true, if what I just 401 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 3: said is true, that there is a storm that proves 402 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 3: nobody attacks what isn't valuable, I promise you if I 403 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 3: went to play Game seven today, Lebron wouldn't guard me. 404 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: I promise you. 405 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 2: They would let me run all around that court and 406 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 2: do whatever I wanted to do. They would hand me 407 00:22:53,640 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 2: the ball gladly. You only guard. Why would you guard 408 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 2: someone who wasn't in a position to score. 409 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: I know you're important.