1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 2: Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving. 6 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: In your life. Enjoy the message Elevation Church. How are 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: we feeling on this Sunday morning? Can we go ahead 8 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: and give God? Come on? Can we give God some 9 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: praise on this Sunday morning? You add an extra hour 10 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: of sleep? Come on, give him a shout today, Honelujah. 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but are you feeling what 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: I'm feeling today? It's not just some cool atmosphere. It 13 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: is the very presence of God. And what I love 14 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: about God's presence is when it comes to worship, it's 15 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: not that God is not with you. He's always with you. 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,279 Speaker 1: You don't have to be at church to know that 17 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: He's with you in your car, he's with you at work, 18 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: He's with you in that difficulty. But the scripture says 19 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: that He inhabits the praises of his people. And there's 20 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: something about praise and worship that makes me aware. Come on, anybody, 21 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: aware today that God is with us and God is working. 22 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: Come on, I want you to clap your hands. I 23 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: want you to behave today like you are, glad you're 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: in the house of the Lord. What an honor it 25 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: is to be back at Elevation Church and always just 26 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: so grateful to stand behind this pulpit. It is never 27 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: ever lost on me just the work that is taking 28 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: place right here at Elevation Church as it goes from 29 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: this room to all over the world. And it's not 30 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: by coincidence, it's not by accident, it's by intentional leadership. 31 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: And I'm so grateful, honestly, when I come. One of 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: my greatest honors is just to get behind this pulpit 33 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: and just to say thank you so much to I 34 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: think two voices that have been raised up for such 35 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: a time as this. Anybody thankful for Pastor Stephen and Hally. 36 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: I'm telling y'all, these are two of God's finest and 37 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: their life, their leadership has so impacted me, so changed me. 38 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: I'm so thankful for who they are. I think they're trailblazers. 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: What that means is that they go into the tough 40 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: areas and they make a way for others to follow, 41 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: and there's so many of us that are following behind them. 42 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: I always just come to say, take good care of them, 43 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: Pray for them, love on them. They're doing a lot 44 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: of work. They need your prayers, they need your support, 45 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: they need your encouragement. You are blessed with good leadership. 46 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:39,799 Speaker 1: Let me just tell you there's a blessing on them, 47 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: and when you get under them, come on, that blessing 48 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: flows on you. Let's clap our hands and thank God 49 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: for amazing, amazing leadership. Hey, yo, what about this new song? 50 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: I know when nay dead things coming back to life, 51 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: I could just close right now. I already got more 52 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: than what I came for. In fact, someone right now 53 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: at Voo Church back in Miami's watching the service and 54 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: we are illegally taking that song. It's gonna be in 55 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 1: our worship set next week. No one can sing like Chris, 56 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: but we're just gonna bring your vocals in and fake it, 57 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: lip sync it. Anyone grateful for another brand new, beautiful 58 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: song that just ministers to us. Who I know a name, 59 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: I know a name. If you got a Bible, Luke, 60 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: Chapter seven is where I want you to turn. You 61 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: can stay standing for a moment as we read the 62 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: word of God. Merry Christmas, everyone, Christmas came early. I'm 63 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: covered by the blood of Jesus. This is very red, 64 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: I think extremely red. But it's a bold move for 65 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: a bold sermon. Luke Chapter seven, starting in verse eleven, 66 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: it says this. Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town 67 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: called Name, and his disciples and a large crowd went 68 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: along with him. And as he approached the town gate, 69 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: a dead person was being carried out, the only son 70 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: of his mother. And she was a widow, and a 71 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 1: large crowd from the town was with her. When the 72 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: Lord saw her, his heart went out to her, and 73 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: he said, don't cry. Can we just say that outloud? 74 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: Say don't cry. Then he went up and he touched 75 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: the beer they were carrying him on, and the bearers 76 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: stood still. He said, young man, I say to you, 77 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,239 Speaker 1: get up. The dead man sat up and began to talk, 78 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were 79 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,239 Speaker 1: all filled with awe and they praised God. A great 80 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: prophet has appeared among us. They said, God has come 81 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: to help his people. And the news about Jesus spread 82 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: throughout Judea, and the surrounding country. I don't know about you, 83 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,799 Speaker 1: but I know a name today. I know a name today. 84 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: I don't know what you walked in here with today, 85 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: but I believe God's presence is here. God's power is 86 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: here all of you watching online right now. I know 87 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: a name today, and he's getting ready to reveal himself 88 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: like never before in your life. I'm already getting excited 89 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 1: just reading this passage. I got a good sermon today, 90 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: but I already feel it springing up on the inside 91 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: of me. I want to preach for a few moments 92 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: if I can today from the subject. God works in 93 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: mysterious ways. God works in mysterious ways, And would you 94 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: pray me. Lord. We thank you for your word. We 95 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: thank you that it's a lie, that it's active God. 96 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: We thank you that it's more relevant today than it 97 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: ever has been. God. In shaky times and scary times 98 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: and uncertain times. Lord, we look to your word for 99 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: something stable and true that we can stand upon. Lord. 100 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: I pray for everybody that's here at Elevation today, the 101 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: entire EPAM who's joined us by way of online. Lord. 102 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: Today we asked that you'd minister to us, that you'd 103 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: speak to us that you would remind us of that 104 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: powerful name, the name of Jesus. We pray all these 105 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: things in the name of Jesus. And if you agree 106 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: with that prayer. All of God's people said, all of 107 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: God's people said, if you love Jesus one more time, 108 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: give him a big, big shout all over this place, 109 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: all right, high five. A few people tell them God 110 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: is working. Say God is working in the chat right now, 111 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: tell him God is working. God is working. Would anybody 112 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 1: agree with me that life is a mystery? I mean, 113 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: life is a mysterious I think about that old expression. 114 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: The more I know, the less I understand. Some of 115 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: you all say amen, pastor honestly. It's like I just 116 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: turned forty this past year. Thank you, Honestly. Even though 117 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: older I get sometimes I'm like, man, some things are 118 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: just still complicated. I'm still learning stuff. I'm still trying 119 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: to understand stuff. And I could give you a lot 120 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: of examples, but let's just use one right down in 121 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: front of us. It's like airplanes, for instance. H I 122 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: fly on airplanes a whole lot. In fact, I have 123 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: flown three million air miles with American Airlines. I'm pretty 124 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: much on staff except I pay them and they don't 125 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: pay me. And uh. But it's like like I fly 126 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: all the time, but I'm still like, I still don't 127 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: guess if I still have questions. That's probably a good 128 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: way to say it. At the end of the day, 129 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: I was flying and this was just like two weeks ago, 130 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 1: and I had my iPad. My iPad is one of 131 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: those keyboards and I'm out typing on my iPad and 132 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: the stewardess she walks by and she says, sir, you're 133 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: gonna we're getting ready for landing. You got to put 134 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: the iPad. You can keep the iPad out, but you 135 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: got to put the keyboard away. And I was like why, 136 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: and she goes, oh, it's not safe. I go, not safe. 137 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: I don't understand. What's what's that jeopardy here with the 138 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: keyboard being out? But this happens all the play. Great 139 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: thing about like I usually fly, I don't fly. I 140 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: usually fly second class. You know, don't talking about in 141 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: the back hello second class? And uh sometimes when you're 142 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: in second class, you know, you got the seats and 143 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: they don't give you much room. Right, It's like here 144 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: and here preaching to someone to day here and here 145 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: same thing. I got questions. They walked by, Sir, you 146 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: have to put your seat up for landing. Why, oh, 147 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: it's not safe. Excuse me, Yeah, it's not safe. You 148 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: mean safe, unsafe, safe, unsafe. These are questions. Just a 149 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: few weeks ago, I took off forty five minutes late, 150 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: but we landed on time. I'm walking out. I say, oh, man, 151 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: we took off forty five minutes late. How did we 152 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: get here on time? She said, Oh, that's easy. The 153 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: pilot just flew faster. He can do that. How come 154 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: he doesn't always do that? Is there a speed limit 155 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: we're all unaware of? All right, So so four weeks ago, 156 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 1: I'm flying back from Birmingham. It is a true story. 157 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: The unthinkable, the unmanageable, the unexpected took place. This has 158 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: never happened to me. I've been flying with this airline 159 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:15,719 Speaker 1: for twenty some years. I get up to go to 160 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 1: the bathroom, and friends, when I go into the bathroom, 161 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: I get locked in the bathroom. Now, let's just be honest, like, 162 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: none of us are usually go to the bathroom. One Oh, 163 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: I'm never gonna get out of here. I'm in the lavatory, 164 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: that's what they call it. On an airplane and I'm stuck. 165 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: I'm trying to get out, but like I'm kind of 166 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: putting some pressure on the door and like I don't 167 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: know for you, like how long before you cry out 168 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: for help? I'm like, I can figure this out. I 169 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: can figure this out. Well, I don't know. It's probably 170 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: only like a minute, but it felt like I start 171 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: having a panic attack, like I gotta get out of here. 172 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 1: I start, you, guys, I start screaming out, somebody help me. 173 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: I'm stuck in the bathroom. To my amazement, and to 174 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: my shock, an elderly woman flat attendant came and I 175 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: don't know if she was like a she starts hitting 176 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 1: this door with a with a force that like boom, 177 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: but she breaks through the door. You guys, When I 178 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: come out of the bathroom, the entire plane is clapping. 179 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: I didn't know what to do. I just embraced her 180 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 1: and said, thank you, my savior. Questions things, this is 181 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: a mystery. How come the more I know, the less 182 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: I understand, and it leaves me in this place. And honestly, 183 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: it's funny, but this is sort of how life works, 184 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: that you can just kind of be going on your 185 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: journey thirty years, forty years, fifty years, sixty years, and 186 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: you might be getting a handle on life. Then all 187 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: of a sudden, something comes, something happens, and you find 188 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: yourself stuck. You find yourself trapped, You find yourself in 189 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: a place. And sometimes we have the strength to break 190 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: through the silence. But some of us, even in this 191 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: room today and some of us watching online right now, 192 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: we find ourselves in a place that what we're going 193 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: through is so difficult that we can't even muster out 194 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: a whisper. It's not just life that's mysterious. I mean, 195 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: I know faith is mysterious. Like what I'm discovering is 196 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 1: that the closer I get to God, the more I 197 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: recognize just how far away I was to begin with, 198 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: which means that, like maturity in Jesus ought not to 199 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: lead to spiritual superiority, maturity in Jesus leads us to 200 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: a place of deep humility. And I think a humble 201 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,839 Speaker 1: thing that you and I both can do is humility, 202 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: is when our faith actually has questions. Maybe you're here 203 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: today and you are going I'm going through life and 204 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: I have faith, but I have questions, So do I 205 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: I do this for a living I have questions sometimes 206 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: I look around and going, yeah, why do bad things 207 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 1: happen to good people? How about this? Why do good 208 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: things happen to bad people? How Come some doors open 209 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:00,559 Speaker 1: automatically and then some just stay shut It seems like forever. 210 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: How Come sometimes I can pray and pray and pray 211 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: and nothing turns around. But then there's other areas of 212 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: my life where there's great breakthrough or great miracles and 213 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: there wasn't even a petition uttered. How about this? This 214 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: one hits home for me? How Come I can go 215 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: and preach on stages of thousands of people and watch 216 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: hundreds of people respond to the gospel. It's sometimes the 217 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: people closest to my life, it's like their heart stays hard. 218 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: Come on, anybody ever got some questions when it comes 219 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: to faith? I do not think that questions are offensive 220 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 1: to God. I want to encourage someone the day who 221 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: walked in here with some questions in their faith. That 222 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: you're going through a difficult time. God is not intimidated 223 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 1: by your questions. In fact, as you begin to serve 224 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: the Lord, what you'll realize is that questions don't have 225 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: to define your faith. They can refine your faith. In fact, 226 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: when it comes to questions, it's that yo. Faith does 227 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: not eliminate questions, but faith re routes where I take 228 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: my questions too. Come on, anybody believe that we have 229 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: the answer, we have the hope, we can bring them 230 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: to God. After all, a question mark is just an 231 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: exclamation mark been out of shape. I'm hoping by the 232 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: end of this message that some of you who've walked 233 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,079 Speaker 1: in here with questions. It's not that your question will 234 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: be immediately removed, but you might be saying why am 235 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: I here? But by the end of this message, you're 236 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: going to take that question and turn it into a declaration. 237 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: I am here for such a time as this. Can 238 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: I get a witness in this house if you got 239 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: some faith in the room today. Life is a mystery. 240 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: Faith is a mystery, and really all of meaning in 241 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: life is when you lean into the mysteries, when you 242 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: bring your questions before God and you find meaning in 243 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: whatever mystery you are up against. I believe our text 244 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: today is a beautiful, beautiful story around the mystery of God. 245 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: To put into some context really quick, Luke, chapter seven, 246 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: our texts begin saying soon afterward, and I think that's 247 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: important that when you start studying the Bible, you always 248 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: go what just happened? Well, Jesus was in Capernaum. We 249 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: didn't read it today, but he was in Capernaum. And 250 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: while he was there, that's his ministry headquarters. He's preaching 251 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: and teaching. And a Roman official centurion sends word to 252 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: Jesus that his servant is sick, and he says, can 253 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: you come to my house. Well, Jesus starts making his 254 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: way to the centurion's house, and then all of a sudden, 255 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: the centurion sends out more leaders or servants, and he 256 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: sends the word and saying, hey, I know who you are, 257 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: and I believe you have great authority. And I don't 258 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: even need you to come to my roof. If you'll 259 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: just say the word, I believe my servant can be 260 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: made well. Which, by the way, this is a great lesson, 261 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: because leadership is never seen in your presence. It's always 262 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: seen in your absence. Great power is not that I 263 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: have to shout and yell at someone. Great power is 264 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: when I can whisper and it begins to change things around. 265 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: The Bible says that Jesus was amazed at this man's faith. 266 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: In fact, he's so amazed that instantly he heals the man, 267 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: although he doesn't even go and pray for the man. 268 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: Would you believe there's only two times in scripture that 269 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: Jesus is amazed. It's this moment right here. The second 270 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: time is in Mark chapter six. He's amazed because he's 271 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: in his hometown, and in his hometown they're very familiar 272 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: with him, and they got questions, isn't this the carpenter's boy. 273 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: Isn't this the guy who is from Nazareth? He can't 274 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: be the Messiah? And the Bible says that Jesus was 275 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: unable to do many miracles and he was amazed. Listen 276 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: to this at their lack of faith. There's only two 277 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: ways that you amaze Jesus. It's either faith or no faith. 278 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: And I want to encourage someone because maybe you think 279 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: faith is measured by your church attendants. Maybe you think 280 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,359 Speaker 1: faith is measured by how many scriptures you have memorized. 281 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: Maybe you think faith means I never fall or never 282 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: have a question. No, my friend, that is not the 283 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: surement of great faith. Great faith is simply measured when 284 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: you take God at his word. God, if you said it, 285 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: I believe it. Jesus, if you said I could do it, 286 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: I want to do it. I believe today that in 287 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 1: this room there is great faith. If that's you in 288 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: this house, clap your hands, make a little bit of noise. 289 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: I want great faith. If you said it, I believe 290 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: it's going to happen. And so the Bible says that 291 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: soon after this moment, this great miracle, Jesus and his 292 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: crew start heading twenty miles away to another town. And 293 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: the town is called name. Everyone say name. And as 294 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: Jesus is entering into the town of Name, there is 295 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 1: another crew exiting the city. So just get this picture. 296 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: Jesus's party is entering the city, and then we see 297 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: there's a funeral party exiting the city. Two conflicting crowds colliding. 298 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: This crowd that Jesus is encountering is far different from 299 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: his crowd. Jesus' crowd is celebrating, they're happy, they're excited, 300 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: but this other crowd is a funeral procession. Nine, by 301 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: definition means a beautiful place. And I think sometimes about 302 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,719 Speaker 1: my city. They say about Miami that Miami is sonny 303 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 1: on the outside but shady on the inside. But I 304 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: think Nane like Miami like Charlotte, like wherever you're tuning 305 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: in from today is a picture of life that so 306 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: often we can look good on the outside, but on 307 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: the inside there's deep affliction. There's deep brokenness, there's deep 308 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: affliction by definition means be stuck in a state of suffering. Help, 309 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: I'm locked in the bathroom. Are you afflicted today? Are 310 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: you stuck in something today? I want to remind people 311 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: I love the spirit in this house, and I love 312 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 1: the spirit that's honestly right now going through these cameras 313 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: as people are watching, but we're living in name that 314 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 1: in this room, even right now, this is life. Someone 315 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: can be winning, and someone can be losing. Someone could 316 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: be really happy, and someone can also be really hurting. 317 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: Someone can be celebrating, and somebody can be mourning. I 318 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,199 Speaker 1: think about some of you just here right now, Like, 319 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: let's just never ever forget all the people in the room. 320 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: Let's never forget all the people that are getting this 321 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: ministry today. Someone today, a baby is being born while 322 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: somebody else is burying their father. Someone's getting ready for 323 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 1: a marriage this week, and somebody else just got a 324 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,439 Speaker 1: divorce this week. Somebody is celebrating a birthday and somebody 325 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: else is headed to a funeral. I see it because 326 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: it hits me. And every time we walk into a 327 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: room like this, we've got to be aware that there's 328 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: all sorts of different stories colliding and conflicting. But I 329 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: don't know about you. If you're like me, I'm looking 330 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: at this story and I'm saying, Yo, what a divine appointment? 331 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: Because if you're headed to a funeral, can you imagine 332 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: you're headed to a funeral that somehow you have a 333 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: collision with Christ. See this is prophetic for someone today 334 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: because many times when you collide with Jesus, you don't 335 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: even know that he's on the way to you. You're 336 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 1: headed to the funeral, but he's headed to invade your life. 337 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: See today, we didn't come just to tell you about 338 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 1: the problem. We didn't just come to talk about your affliction. 339 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 1: We came to remind you that there is an answer 340 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: to your affliction. Come on, there's an anecdote to your affliction. Oh. 341 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: I know a name, and his name is Jesus Christ, 342 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:44,919 Speaker 1: King of Kings, and he can turn your story around. 343 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 1: I want to encourage you. Maybe today you're stuck in 344 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: something and you feel like I don't see any help 345 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,199 Speaker 1: on the way. I remember when I was in college, 346 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: I had this experience where I saw this, I saw 347 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: this guy get hit by a car. Now that doesn't 348 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: sound funny, but it was actually hilarious. He said, tell me, well, okay, 349 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: so here's the story. So I'm in college, probably my 350 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: sophomore year, and this dude is walking with his with 351 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: his girlfriend, and I can tell just by the way 352 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,199 Speaker 1: he's walking that it's like puppy dog love, you know, 353 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 1: those early stages love. That that that's a real mystery right there, 354 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: that kind of love. You know, they're walking and you 355 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: know he's just got way too much swagging his step. 356 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: You know, falling in love is is crazy because how 357 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: many you know, like guys, we all have a different 358 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: voice when we're falling in love dudes. Where I was like, 359 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 1: yeah it, what's up? 360 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 3: Bro? All right? 361 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: All right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, what are yea? By the way, 362 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 1: you like, what do you just say? Every guy in 363 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 1: this room knows what I just said. But all of 364 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: a sudden, the phone rings, you know, and it's like 365 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: his it's like his new girlfriend. Ha ha ha oh 366 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: yeah yeah, ring ring, Hey babe, what's up? Have you 367 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: experienced it like an upper octave. Hey, what's going on? Yeah? 368 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: Hey cool, Yeah, No, I'm just hanging with the guys. Yeah, 369 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: just hang with the guys. My wife and I we 370 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: just celebrated eighteen years of marriage. Holler at your boy. 371 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: And I remember when I was an eighteen year old 372 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: fallen in love with her. We're on the phone at night. Yeah, 373 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: I miss you, No, I miss you. It's like, all right, 374 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: we gotta go. No, no, no, no, never say no no, 375 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 1: don't go. All right, we gotta hang up. Oh I 376 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: hate it. Okay, on three, we're gonna hang up. You promise, 377 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:45,520 Speaker 1: I promise. Okay, babe, No, I miss you? Okay, ready? One? Two, three? 378 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: Are you still there? It's fall in love. It's mysterious. 379 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 1: So so this dude is totally in love. Okay, they're walking. 380 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 1: How do I know their love? Because he's walk They 381 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: got their fingers laced. That's always a sign, right, how man, 382 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: y'all know you you only laced fingers with your girl. 383 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: You ever been in a church service the pastor's like, hey, 384 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: join hands with your neighbor. You're like, nah, bro, married, 385 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,439 Speaker 1: I don't want to. Don't lace fingers with me? You know, 386 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: like that's stop there. They're walking. This this is true story. 387 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: They're walking. Gets to the crosswalk, He's like, all right, 388 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: I'm across the street. Bye. Girl walks out on the crosswalk. 389 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: Way too cool. A car. A car hits this man. 390 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: When it hits him, he rolls over the hood, falls 391 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: and somehow, by the grace of God, lands on his feet. 392 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: The only thing is is he tried to act like 393 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,679 Speaker 1: he didn't get hit by a car. He tried to 394 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: walk it out like nothing just happened. Yo, you can't 395 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,120 Speaker 1: do that. You can't be walking up over the thing. 396 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: Land on your feet. Now, walk it out, get out. 397 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:03,640 Speaker 1: I'm way too petty for that. I had to run 398 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: across the here like grow you just got hit by 399 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: a car. And what he said to me has always 400 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: stuck with me. He said, I know, I didn't see 401 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: it coming, and so many of us that's how life happens. 402 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 1: I didn't see it coming. I wasn't expecting it. I 403 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 1: didn't anticipate it. I didn't see that suffering. I didn't 404 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: see that pain. I didn't see that affliction. And there 405 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: is no doubt that pain can hit your life fast. 406 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: But I want to encourage you today that God can 407 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: hit your life even faster. Do you know we serve 408 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: the God of suddenly that when God shows up, he 409 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: shows up without warning. When God wants to do something 410 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: in your life, he does so in an unexpected way, 411 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: in an instant. He can invade your darkness all at once. 412 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 1: He can interrupt your funeral, and he can show up 413 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: and say, I've come to cancel the funeral. Somebody give 414 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: God some praise in this place. He cancels funerals and 415 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: know a name. So here's this moment. It's not a coincidence. 416 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: Fifteen minutes earlier, fifteen minutes later, he would have missed them. 417 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 1: One crowd's headed to the cemetery. Jesus is headed to 418 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: the city, and it's not a car crash, but rather 419 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 1: it's a collision with Christ. She didn't even see it coming. 420 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: She wasn't even expecting it. And the Bible says that 421 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 1: when Jesus sees her, his heart begins to break for her. 422 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: In fact, he looks at this woman and he says, 423 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: don't cry. This is the heart of Jesus. Please notice 424 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 1: she hasn't even opened up her mouth. This woman's crying, 425 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: and I think that we ought to just take a 426 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: moment and say, she's got good reason to cry as 427 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: we find out this isn't our first funeral, this isn't 428 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: her first setback. She's already buried her husband, which in 429 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: that time period, to not have a husband is one 430 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: of the most difficult, tragic things you could go through 431 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:09,640 Speaker 1: because all of your power, position, all of your livelihood 432 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: would have come from your husband. But this woman has 433 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: a plan. She has a one and only son that 434 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 1: all of her hopes, all of her dreams are in 435 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 1: this boy. But now her plans have died. What do 436 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: you do when your plans and your dreams die? 437 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 2: Oh? 438 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,959 Speaker 1: Can I encourage you today? As believers in Jesus. Our 439 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: trust is not in a plan. Our trust is in 440 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: a man. I know his name because watch this. This 441 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 1: woman doesn't know it. But her only son is getting 442 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: ready to meet God's only son. One is alive and 443 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: he's destined to die. The other is dead, but he's 444 00:25:55,080 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: destined to live. Oh, the mysteries of God. God works 445 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: in mysterious ways. Someone's like, that's right, Pastor, my Bible 446 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: says God works in mysterious ways, except for the fact 447 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 1: that he doesn't say that. That's nowhere actually in the Bible. Now, 448 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,440 Speaker 1: the word mysteries all over the Bible. Colossians would remind 449 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: us that we have this mystery, which is Christ in us. 450 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: Revelation would remind us that God will accomplish his will, 451 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: and it's a mystery. Mysteries all throughout the Bible. And 452 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: although this phrase never shows up in the text, we 453 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,360 Speaker 1: can see this truth all over it. The phrase actually 454 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: comes from an English poet in the late seventeen hundreds. 455 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: His name was William Cowper, and William Kwper, as he 456 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 1: tells his own story, was dealing with a deep depression. 457 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 1: He was stuck in affliction, and one night he decided 458 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: he was going to end his life, and so he 459 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,199 Speaker 1: marched down to the River Thames and he was going 460 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: to drown himself. But while he was there, he kept 461 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,399 Speaker 1: seeing a figure walk on the ridge line. Somewhat feeling 462 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: like he wasn't in a place of privacy, he decided, 463 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to go back to my house and I'll 464 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: do the deed in my own home. And as he 465 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: recounts his story, he would say that three different times 466 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: he tried to take his life, but every time listen this, 467 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 1: Every time he attempted to take his life. He said 468 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 1: something was stopping him from doing it. He described it 469 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: as the invisible hand. Some years later he got saved. 470 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: He ended up being discipled by Jonathan Newton, the writer 471 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 1: of Amazing Grace, and Newton would encourage him to take 472 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 1: his gift of poetry and give it back over to 473 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: God and to begin to write melodies by putting theology 474 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 1: to melody. And his greatest hymn is a hymn called 475 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 1: God Moves. And the first stands of that hymn is 476 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 1: God works in mysterious ways. I don't know if it 477 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: ministers to you, but it ministers to me, because the 478 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: invisible hand is a great way to describe God at work. 479 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: Who else placed the stars in the sky the invisible hand? 480 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 1: Come on? Who else sets the tides in mo Who 481 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 1: else has them rise and fall perfectly? Who set the 482 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:09,679 Speaker 1: clock the invisible hand did? God is at work? I 483 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: just look all over nature and see the mystery. You 484 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: ever thought about a butterfly? I don't know if you know. 485 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: You know a butterfly starts as a caterpillar. No, rich, 486 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: we didn't know that. Well you ought to know it. 487 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: But who told this this caterpillar? 488 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:21,439 Speaker 2: Yoh? 489 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: Can you see the cabin. I don't think I belong 490 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: in the dirt. I think I'm called the fly. Really, 491 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:31,640 Speaker 1: who told you that? And then the caterpillar goes from 492 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,120 Speaker 1: the dirt and he wraps himself up in a cocoon. 493 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 1: But it's the invisible hand. And after twenty one days, 494 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: this ground little insect comes out like a beautiful, colorful 495 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,960 Speaker 1: butterfly flying in the air. What about a seed? A 496 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: seed gets buried in the dirt, and it looks like 497 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: the story is all over. But then the invisible hand 498 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: reaches down into that dirt and reminds that seed, you're 499 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: not buried. Come on, somebody, you're planted, and I will 500 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: bring you out, David said. And he lifted me out 501 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: of the myrie pit, out of that slimy pit. He'd 502 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,479 Speaker 1: put my feet on a solid rock. He put a 503 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: new song in my mouth. Anybody got a new song today? 504 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: Go ahead, lift up your praise. 505 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 3: The invisible hand is always ad work, it's mysterious. But 506 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 3: in Luke seven, the invisible hand materializes into the physical 507 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 3: hand of Jesus Christ. Fret just the right moment, in 508 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 3: this mysterious way, he shows up to this funeral party, and. 509 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 1: He looks at this woman, and he says, don't cry. 510 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: That I would encourage you if you go to a funeral, 511 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:46,120 Speaker 1: don't look at somebody unel him not to cry. That 512 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: would be insensitive. But when Jesus says it, he's not 513 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 1: being insensitive. It's because he plans to turn the situation around. 514 00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: He plans to turn it around. Here's what I notice. 515 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: I don't know if this will minister to you, but 516 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: it so speaks to me. This woman never even asked 517 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: Jesus for help. What if I told you his love 518 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 1: for you outweighs your faith in him. What if I 519 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: told you that Jesus even acts even when you don't ask. 520 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: My Bible says he's close to the broken hearted. He's 521 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 1: always with us. But I think when you're in pain, 522 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,959 Speaker 1: when you're in suffering, he gets even closer than some 523 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: of us today were people of faith. I believe faith speaks, 524 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,239 Speaker 1: I believe faith talks, I believe faith proclaims. But I 525 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: just want to remind you about a God who's always 526 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: been acting on your behalf, long before you ever asked 527 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: him to do anything. You didn't ask him to rise 528 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: the sun this morning. My Bible says it rains on 529 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 1: the just and the unjust. You didn't ask him to 530 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: put air in your lungs, but every breath you take, 531 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: he put it there. That's what I love about praise 532 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: and worship. We're just giving God his breath back. That's 533 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: why I gotta say something. That's why I gotta sing. 534 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:06,120 Speaker 1: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly, 535 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: when we were cursing his name, when we were running 536 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: from him. Jesus Christ hung from that tree, shed his blood. 537 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: We stretched him wide, we hung him high, But he said, Father, 538 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 1: forgive them, for they know not what they're doing. Somebody, 539 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: thank God. If you're grateful, then he acts even when 540 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: you don't have to strength to ask. And he walks over. 541 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: And as he walks over, the Bible says that he 542 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 1: touches the stretcher. The invisible hand becomes the physical hand. 543 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 1: It's mysterious, and everybody stops. What's happening. Wait a minute, 544 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: you can't touch this dead thing. This is the theology 545 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: of the day. That a rabbi can't touch something dead 546 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: because that would make them unclean. The only thing is 547 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: that Jesus is not some regular rabbi. The only thing 548 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: is that ge Esus is not just some mere man. 549 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: The only thing today is that we haven't gathered for principles, 550 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: we haven't gathered for philosophy. We've gathered to encounter the 551 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: living God. That Jesus Christ is the son of God 552 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: and he can do what he pleases. And when he 553 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 1: touches the stretcher, he's telling you and I I'm not 554 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: afraid of your affliction. I'm not afraid of the thing 555 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: that's decayed, the thing that you've been hiding. I know 556 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: some of us, we've exposed our hurts, we've exposed our pains, 557 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: and people have run from it. But Jesus says, with 558 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: just one touch, I can handle your pain. I can 559 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: touch your mess. In fact, God works greatness through our mess. 560 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:44,479 Speaker 1: And he touches the stretcher, and everyone stops. Watch what 561 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: Jesus says. Jesus says, get up. Someone say get up, 562 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:53,040 Speaker 1: someone say get up, because this is a prophecy for 563 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:57,920 Speaker 1: your life today. Get up. You do know that when 564 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: God wants something done, he just speaks. Like when God 565 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: wants to create something, he speaks it to you. In 566 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 1: the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and 567 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 1: the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over 568 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: the earth. And what did God do? God said, let 569 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 1: there be and with his words nothing became something. One 570 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: that he's on a storm and he's asleep on a cushion, 571 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 1: and the disciples are freaking out. Oh, we're gonna die. 572 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: We're stuck, We're stuck. This is bad. Where's Jesus? They 573 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: find Jesus asleep? Do you even care if we drown? 574 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: Jesus wakes up, doesn't shout comes out in the front 575 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: of the boat. Peace be still and immediately, someone say, 576 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:52,440 Speaker 1: immediately the storm settles. In fact, the text says that 577 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: they were afraid in the storm, but then they became 578 00:33:55,560 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: terrified when it was completely calm. Afraid in the storm, 579 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: terrified in the calm. Why would that be. Maybe it's 580 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 1: because they just witnessed the storm's match. I need to 581 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 1: speak to someone today who's hurting. God is not mean, 582 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 1: but he is dangerous, and storms have to stop. When 583 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 1: he simply speaks. He doesn't have to let out more 584 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: than a whisper. But if he whispers into your situation, 585 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: that which is turbulent, that which is full of obstacles, 586 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 1: that which looks like it is dead, Jesus can whisper, 587 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: and that thing can settle, that thing can come back 588 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: to life. I need to build your faith today. Can 589 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 1: you clap your hands and make a little bit of 590 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: noise if you're receiving this word. Jesus gets word that 591 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: his best friend is so sick he's about to die. 592 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 1: They send a letter the one you love is about 593 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: to die, and Jesus says, this sickness will not end 594 00:34:56,760 --> 00:35:01,879 Speaker 1: in death, and then he waits two more days. Can 595 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,320 Speaker 1: you trust that God is working even while you're waiting. 596 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:08,960 Speaker 1: He waits two more days. When he finally shows up 597 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 1: to the home of Lazarus, we discover that Lazarus has 598 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 1: been dead for four days. And when he gets there, 599 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: Martha's one. If you had only been here, my brother 600 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 1: would not have died. I love the scripture. It's the 601 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: shortest scripture for looking one to memorize. You can still 602 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: memorize one in twenty twenty four. Jesus wept. It's a 603 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: powerful scripture because what you see as you see Jesus say, 604 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: before I exercise my authority, I'm going to exercise my empathy, 605 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: because authority without empathy is cheap. I don't know what 606 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:43,879 Speaker 1: you're going through, but Jesus weeps. You might be going 607 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,240 Speaker 1: through hell and high water, but Jesus weeps. He knows 608 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 1: how you feel. He senses your pain. He's drawn to it. 609 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 1: He cares about it. And he looks at Martha and says, Yo, Martha, 610 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: I am the resurrection and the life. What does that mean? 611 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: It means I don't just do resurrection. No, it's my 612 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,759 Speaker 1: very nature. When things get around me, I don't care 613 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:07,920 Speaker 1: how long they've been dead, four days, fifty days, twenty years. 614 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: They have to come back to life. Am I preaching 615 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:16,399 Speaker 1: to anybody? On a Sunday morning? Dead things coming back 616 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 1: to life? And he gets to the cemetery and he says, 617 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,799 Speaker 1: roll the stone away, and then he looks into that 618 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: tomb and what does he say? Lazarus come forth. It's 619 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:34,879 Speaker 1: important that he was so specific with naming Lazarus. Had 620 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:39,839 Speaker 1: he not named Lazarus, every dead thing in that cemetery 621 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: would to come walking out like a Michael Jackson thriller video. 622 00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 1: I'm trying to preach to someone dead things are coming 623 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: back to life. 624 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:56,240 Speaker 3: At his word, it's mysterious. 625 00:36:56,920 --> 00:37:02,240 Speaker 1: I can't explain it. It's unsinkable, it's unmade God works 626 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: in mysterious ways. And what does he say? He says, 627 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:09,400 Speaker 1: get up? Can imagine that boy just set up? Whoa 628 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 1: notice this? Because this is practical that many times when 629 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:16,399 Speaker 1: God says get up, what is he saying? He's saying, 630 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: you have to change your position so I can shift 631 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 1: your perspective. See there's some people in this room that 632 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:29,359 Speaker 1: have caught a revelation that I clap my hands, I 633 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: lift my hands, sometimes I stand up on my feet. 634 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 1: Why am I doing I'm changing my position so I 635 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 1: can shift my perspective. So much of life wants to 636 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: bury you, So much of life wants to USh you 637 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:44,160 Speaker 1: to the funeral. But if you're notice like down here, 638 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:51,720 Speaker 1: down here, I can't see all that good down here. 639 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 1: I have one perspective. Down here, I feel the weight 640 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: of the world. I'm not gonna make it. I'm over 641 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,879 Speaker 1: whe But then God says get up, and I get up. 642 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: Can I say, wait a minute, Greater is he that 643 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: is in me than he that is in the world. 644 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 1: Down here, I'm just trying to survive. Oh Jesus, bring Friday. 645 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 1: I gotta get to the weekend. Yo, I'm not gonna 646 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 1: make it. But then God says, get up, and I go, 647 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 1: wait a minute, I'm not a survivor. I'm more than 648 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 1: a conqueror. I'm appreciate it till somebody else feels this. 649 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,400 Speaker 1: Down here, I don't have the strength. I'm not enough. 650 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:41,920 Speaker 1: I feel thin, I feel anxious. I'm too weak. But 651 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:44,400 Speaker 1: then God says, get up, and when I get up, 652 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,160 Speaker 1: I get his perspective. Wait a minute, I can do 653 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:54,160 Speaker 1: all I said, all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Oh, 654 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna get someone that I Down here, I'm overcome 655 00:38:57,280 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 1: by fear down here. I don't know what's gonna happen 656 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 1: to America. Down here, I don't know what's gonna happen 657 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:05,879 Speaker 1: to my family. Down here, I don't know what's gonna 658 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:08,480 Speaker 1: happen to my kids. But then God says, get up, 659 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 1: and when I get up, my perspective is shifted. Yay. 660 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 1: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death, 661 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:20,600 Speaker 1: I will fear no evil. God has not given me 662 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 1: a spirit of fear, but of love and of power 663 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:32,480 Speaker 1: and a sarmind baby, Someone say it up. Oh, I 664 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 1: know about a God who's taken me to mountaintops. I 665 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: know about a God who's taken me to grace. I 666 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:40,480 Speaker 1: know about a God who's taken me to miracles. But 667 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:42,919 Speaker 1: I also know about a God who's taken me down 668 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:45,800 Speaker 1: into the valley. But let me testify from the valley. 669 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 1: He's only ever taken me to the valley. He always 670 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:52,960 Speaker 1: has brought me through. He always brings me to the 671 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:56,600 Speaker 1: other side. Anybody got some faith God's bringing you through? 672 00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:06,000 Speaker 1: Someone say, get up. You gotta get up to get 673 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 1: a new perspective. You can grab a seat. I promise 674 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 1: I'm finished. I'm finished, but grab a seat because I'm 675 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:15,319 Speaker 1: gonna really preach it. Get up, Get up, Get up, 676 00:40:15,320 --> 00:40:16,799 Speaker 1: Get up, Get up, Get up, Get up, get up. 677 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:21,040 Speaker 1: I can't help but lift my hands. I'm not lifting 678 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:23,239 Speaker 1: my hands because I feel it. I'm lifting my hands 679 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:27,040 Speaker 1: because I know it. I can't help but shout. I'm 680 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:30,759 Speaker 1: not shouting because I've got goosebumps. I'm shouting because I'm 681 00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: putting my faith as an exclamation mark in a declaration that, 682 00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:37,720 Speaker 1: although it's not done yet, I believe God is working. 683 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 1: He's mysterious. And the Bible says the boy starts talking. 684 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 1: I don't know what he said, doesn't tell us in 685 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,399 Speaker 1: the scripture, but I imagine it's something like this. Thank you 686 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:54,720 Speaker 1: for all of our Spanish speakers. Can I see as 687 00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:02,719 Speaker 1: my favorite nation in Brazil? But all put that in 688 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:05,000 Speaker 1: the chat right now? How about of God? Oh, Brazilian 689 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:08,120 Speaker 1: flags all over the chat. Thank you, thank you, thank you, 690 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:10,839 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, 691 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:14,440 Speaker 1: thank you. They all started worshiping. The boy was resurrected, 692 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:21,080 Speaker 1: the funeral was canceled, and the future was conceived. It's mysterious, 693 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:23,399 Speaker 1: and the Bible says. They all begin to praise God, 694 00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:27,200 Speaker 1: because that's what you do. That's what we do on 695 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:34,239 Speaker 1: Sundays when Jesus acts, praise reacts. I don't care if 696 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:36,959 Speaker 1: it's a new song or not. I got a song 697 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:40,560 Speaker 1: in my heart. It's not my song, it's God's song. 698 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 1: I can't stay quiet. I gotta lift my hands, I 699 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:50,920 Speaker 1: gotta lift my voice. Jesus has acted mightily in my life. 700 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 1: They begin to praise, saying, a great prophet has come. 701 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 1: Let me draw your attention to Luke chapter seven. This 702 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:00,640 Speaker 1: is Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, and it just spoke to me. 703 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna speak to you Luke chapter seven. 704 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:07,200 Speaker 1: See if you catch it. Verse sixteen. They all realized 705 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:13,439 Speaker 1: they were in a place of holy mystery, that God 706 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:17,440 Speaker 1: was at work among them. Watch this, they were quietly worshipful, 707 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 1: and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves. God is back, 708 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:27,200 Speaker 1: looking after the needs of his people. And then the 709 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:31,520 Speaker 1: news of Jesus spread. It just lands right there for 710 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:36,360 Speaker 1: me that every week we gather this is mysterious. We 711 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:38,400 Speaker 1: have no idea what God is doing right now in 712 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:41,479 Speaker 1: the supernatural. We have no idea the seed of faith 713 00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:44,279 Speaker 1: that's being planted in your heart wherever you're tuning in 714 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:47,480 Speaker 1: from right now. It's a mystery. It's a holy mystery. 715 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:50,719 Speaker 1: It's a mystery in Charlotte. It's a mystery in the Epham, 716 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:53,560 Speaker 1: It's a mystery in Miami. And notice the marks of 717 00:42:53,600 --> 00:43:00,719 Speaker 1: a mystery. Quietly worshipful and then noisily grateful. Do you 718 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:03,160 Speaker 1: ever notice this in worship? You ever noticed this? When 719 00:43:03,200 --> 00:43:05,880 Speaker 1: God shows up? There's these times where it's just a whisper, 720 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:13,080 Speaker 1: Oh God, God, thank you, God, thank you. You saved 721 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:17,600 Speaker 1: my marriage. God, you saved my kids. Oh God, thank you. 722 00:43:18,080 --> 00:43:19,680 Speaker 1: But then there's other times I don't care if you're 723 00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:24,320 Speaker 1: a Pentecostal or not, that you start getting noisily grateful. 724 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:28,880 Speaker 1: I can't help it. I've gotta testify. I have a 725 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:32,640 Speaker 1: reason to praise God. If I don't praise him, whoa, 726 00:43:33,320 --> 00:43:38,520 Speaker 1: the rocks will cry out in my place. But other times, othertimes, 727 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:44,440 Speaker 1: Oh God, oh Jesus, be still A. No, I know 728 00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:47,120 Speaker 1: you're with me. I know you're here. I know you're 729 00:43:47,160 --> 00:43:49,600 Speaker 1: at work. It's mysterious. I know I can't see it 730 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:51,680 Speaker 1: right now. I know I feel stuck. I know I 731 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:54,200 Speaker 1: don't have to strength to show. But God, I sense you. 732 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:56,760 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden it flips around into 733 00:43:56,800 --> 00:43:59,960 Speaker 1: a noisily grateful moment. Oh, I might not be where 734 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,480 Speaker 1: where I want to be, but thank God, I'm not 735 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:06,759 Speaker 1: where I used to be. I was dead, but now 736 00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:11,319 Speaker 1: I hear. I was blind, but now I see. I 737 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:13,520 Speaker 1: was lost, but I've been found. 738 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:16,960 Speaker 3: I was dead, but I'm alive. 739 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:31,440 Speaker 1: It's mysterious. It's mysterious. Don't underestimate it. It's not hype. 740 00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:34,520 Speaker 1: It's not sensationalism. It's not emotionalism. It's the mystery of 741 00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:38,160 Speaker 1: God at work. It's the invisible hand sweeping through the room. 742 00:44:38,640 --> 00:44:43,040 Speaker 1: It's touching you, it's catching your tears. God is here. 743 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:50,640 Speaker 1: God is working. God is here. God is working. If 744 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:53,200 Speaker 1: that can you help me prepacy, We're done. We're done. 745 00:44:53,239 --> 00:44:55,640 Speaker 1: I promise, I promise. I follow this up claw. I 746 00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:57,160 Speaker 1: just want to try to illustrate this for somebody. This 747 00:44:57,200 --> 00:44:58,640 Speaker 1: hide the room. You're gonna help me preach this t 748 00:44:58,760 --> 00:45:03,160 Speaker 1: right here. Try to say God is here, and no whisper. 749 00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:07,360 Speaker 1: Not you guys, you're way too aggressive. Say God is 750 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:13,640 Speaker 1: here one more time. Any Pentecostals in the room today, 751 00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:20,680 Speaker 1: All right, you know your part. God is working one 752 00:45:20,719 --> 00:45:35,640 Speaker 1: more time this side, Pentecostals. I'm doing that because I 753 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:46,319 Speaker 1: don't know how you need to hear it today. But 754 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:48,680 Speaker 1: God sent me from Miami to tell you. Whether it's 755 00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:52,400 Speaker 1: a whisper or a shout, He's going to remind you 756 00:45:53,120 --> 00:45:55,359 Speaker 1: he's mysterious. This is my life, this is your life. 757 00:45:56,040 --> 00:45:58,000 Speaker 1: I remember when we first started our church. We couldn't 758 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:00,000 Speaker 1: find a place to meet. We're up in my apartment 759 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:02,520 Speaker 1: just trying to start a church, and it was scary, 760 00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:07,080 Speaker 1: it was frightening, but we had this sense. We were praying, 761 00:46:07,120 --> 00:46:11,440 Speaker 1: we were hoping. All we can say is God is here. 762 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:14,560 Speaker 1: We finally found a building. We were so grateful, little 763 00:46:14,560 --> 00:46:17,040 Speaker 1: middle school in Wynwood. We started with one service and 764 00:46:17,080 --> 00:46:20,960 Speaker 1: all we could say was God is here, but that 765 00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:23,560 Speaker 1: thing began to grow in the invisible hand started to 766 00:46:23,560 --> 00:46:26,200 Speaker 1: build that church. For if we labor in vain, it 767 00:46:26,239 --> 00:46:27,920 Speaker 1: won't work, but God builds his house. They went from 768 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:30,960 Speaker 1: one service to two service, three, four, five, six. We 769 00:46:31,000 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 1: had an eight pm cert. Y'all, you haven't been to 770 00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:37,600 Speaker 1: church until you went to church at eight pm at night. 771 00:46:37,640 --> 00:46:41,720 Speaker 1: Trust me. Everybody at Vood Church was shouting. I remember 772 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:43,560 Speaker 1: my wife when she turned twenty five years of age. 773 00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:45,279 Speaker 1: The doctor said, it's going to be almost impossible for 774 00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:47,840 Speaker 1: you to have children. It was crazy for us to 775 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:50,399 Speaker 1: hear it because she's one of seven. I'm one of four, 776 00:46:51,680 --> 00:46:53,560 Speaker 1: and it was scary and we were crying and we 777 00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:58,000 Speaker 1: were worried, but we had this sense God is here. 778 00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:03,839 Speaker 1: Here's went by. It wasn't like one Sunday and wow good. 779 00:47:03,920 --> 00:47:07,479 Speaker 1: It was word after word. It was Pastor Stephen, write 780 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:11,520 Speaker 1: another song, Pastor Stephen, I need another word. But we 781 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:16,080 Speaker 1: just kept saying God is here. But after eight years, 782 00:47:17,320 --> 00:47:20,799 Speaker 1: eight is the number of new beginnings. New beginnings hit 783 00:47:20,840 --> 00:47:26,560 Speaker 1: our house. My wife became pregnant. We were shouting and 784 00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:29,240 Speaker 1: cannot just testify today at the ripe age of forty 785 00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:32,560 Speaker 1: years of age. Four weeks from today, my wife will 786 00:47:32,560 --> 00:47:34,400 Speaker 1: give birth to our fourth. 787 00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:36,080 Speaker 3: Oh. 788 00:47:36,120 --> 00:47:50,759 Speaker 1: We could shout this time. Last year, my father, my hero, 789 00:47:50,920 --> 00:47:54,799 Speaker 1: my pastor, the man of OH always wanted to be like, 790 00:47:55,360 --> 00:47:59,280 Speaker 1: got diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. It was scary. 791 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:04,360 Speaker 1: Who's to take care of my mom? What's gonna happen 792 00:48:04,400 --> 00:48:08,840 Speaker 1: to his church? I'm not enough, But there was this sense. 793 00:48:08,920 --> 00:48:13,120 Speaker 1: It wasn't a shout, it was a whisper. And we 794 00:48:13,239 --> 00:48:15,160 Speaker 1: pray and we fasted, and all we can say is 795 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:24,799 Speaker 1: God is here. God is here. He went into a 796 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:30,160 Speaker 1: six month quarantine. He had a stem cell transplant in 797 00:48:30,239 --> 00:48:39,280 Speaker 1: this past August. The doctors not understanding at all, unexplainable, unexpected, 798 00:48:39,760 --> 00:48:42,680 Speaker 1: they gave him a clean bill of health. Trust me, 799 00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:45,400 Speaker 1: everybody in Miami and all of the world is shouting. 800 00:48:46,719 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 1: What are we shouting? What do you say? What do 801 00:48:50,680 --> 00:48:55,080 Speaker 1: you believe? Say it louda say it so somebody could hear. 802 00:48:56,160 --> 00:49:03,560 Speaker 1: God is working. God it is here, do works in 803 00:49:03,640 --> 00:49:07,160 Speaker 1: my serious ways. And I've said something dead. It's coming 804 00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:11,399 Speaker 1: back to life today. I know what Nay, hey, sit 805 00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:18,120 Speaker 1: your hand may thank you for joining us. 806 00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:20,880 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 807 00:49:20,960 --> 00:49:24,440 Speaker 2: this ministry is because of you that this ministry is possible. 808 00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:27,080 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give 809 00:49:27,200 --> 00:49:31,440 Speaker 2: now or visit Elevation Church dot org slash podcast. 810 00:49:31,040 --> 00:49:34,120 Speaker 1: For more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you 811 00:49:34,160 --> 00:49:34,960 Speaker 1: can subscribe. 812 00:49:35,440 --> 00:49:37,520 Speaker 2: You can share it with your friends. You can click 813 00:49:37,520 --> 00:49:39,759 Speaker 2: the share button, take a screenshot and share it on 814 00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:42,680 Speaker 2: your social stories and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks 815 00:49:42,680 --> 00:49:43,440 Speaker 2: again for listening. 816 00:49:43,480 --> 00:49:44,080 Speaker 1: God bless you.