1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 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 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: Hope it gives your perspective to see God as moving 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: in your life. 7 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. Man, you picked a great day to 8 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: be in church. You picked a great day to log 9 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: in online. Why because this is the day the Lord 10 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Hey, 11 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: you might not know this, but we're celebrating twenty years 12 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: of ministry this year at Elevation Church. My wife and 13 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: I had the privilege of being one of the original 14 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: core families with Eric and Nicole over here. And when 15 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: we look back over twenty years, people last like, how 16 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: do you explain all that God did? Well? God is 17 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,199 Speaker 1: that good, He's that gracious, He's that kind, he's that loving. 18 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: But also I think our pastors are that anointed and 19 00:00:55,640 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: that gifted and that talented. I would be remiss if 20 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: we didn't take a second to celebrate the secret sauce 21 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: of Elevation Church, all the volunteers that make this place happen. 22 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: If you're at one of our physical locations. If you're 23 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: one of our volunteers, raise your hand, Valentine. If you're 24 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: one of those volunteers, hey help me celebrate all those heroes, 25 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: all of our online volunteers. We're not limited by location. 26 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: Man. 27 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 1: When we started the ministry twenty years ago, we didn't 28 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: know if anybody would want to jump on board and 29 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: be a park. But they did. And I remember everybody 30 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: early on it's like, I'll do whatever you need. I'm 31 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: all in, And then it'd ask them to do something 32 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: and maybe not they're quite so all in. But I 33 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: had this couple twenty years ago, John and Rondi Mullen 34 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: show up. They were just trying to find a church 35 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: for their daughter. But when they walked in, they looked 36 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: at each other. I think we found a church for us. 37 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: And I had a team I started back in the 38 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: early days. It was called the First Impressions Team. They 39 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: would get at Providence High School at six am to 40 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: clean the bathrooms because it smelled like high school. And 41 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: so anytime someone would ask like, I'll do whatever you need, 42 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: I'm all in, I'd say, well, would you be a 43 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: part of my First Impressions Team. Now many people would say, well, 44 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: like I feel as though my gifts could be used 45 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: somewhere else. But when I presented the opportunity to John 46 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: and Rondee, they said we would be honored. Thank you 47 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: for the privilege. They showed up that next Sunday at 48 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: six am and they cleaned those bathrooms and they've been 49 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: serving faithfully for twenty years. Thank you John, Thank you RONDI. 50 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for all the volunteers faithfully serving. Hey, and 51 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: you might not know this, but also October's Pastor Appreciation Month. 52 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: Help me appreciate our pastors. Pastor Steven, Pastor Holly Man. 53 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: We love you, We honor you. I've got an album 54 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: on my phone that whenever I get a message, a 55 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: text or voice memo from Pastor Steven, I dump it 56 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: in there. And I got messages that are in great 57 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: seasons of celebration. But I also have moments of great 58 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: seasons of sorrow. And I'm so grateful that our pastors 59 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: walk with me through the seasons of celebration and the 60 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: seasons of sorrow. I honor you, Pastor Stephen, Pastor Holly, 61 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: thank you for faithfully standing in this pulpit twenty years 62 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: preaching the word of God. All right, let me give 63 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: you our scripture for today. Let me give you the scripture. 64 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: I'm so excited, all of you saints open up to Matthew. 65 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: Chapter eight, verses fourteen to sixteen is where we'll begin. 66 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: If you're not a note taker, maybe today would be 67 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: the day that you begin writing something down. I want 68 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: God to do a new thing, he says, Well, bring 69 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: me a new rhythm. If you start a new rhythm 70 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: rather than standing in with your arms crossed, maybe I 71 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: would bless you. Maybe you'd write down one thing God 72 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: wants to speak to you today. Out of Matthew chapter eight, 73 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: starting in verse fourteen, it says when Jesus came into 74 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother in law lying in 75 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the 76 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: fever left her. She got up and began to wait 77 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: on him. When evening came, many who were demon possessed 78 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits 79 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: with a word, and healed all the sick. Here's the 80 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: title for today's messages that I want to give. You 81 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: want to say it to your favorite person in the room. 82 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: You only get to pick one and I want you 83 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: to say it with the two of them, with some 84 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: gush Docem's foot sinya say this, say all in now 85 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: look at your second favorite choice and tell them all in. Hey, 86 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: thank you worship team for leading us today. You can 87 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: give somebody a high five on the way to your seat. Etham, 88 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: drop in the comments. All in. This story that Matthew's 89 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: going to bring to us comes in in three scenes, 90 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: and we're gonna start in this opening scene that Matthew 91 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: wants to weave together three scenes to tell a story 92 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: of Jesus. And in this opening scene, we've got these 93 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: two characters. We've got a woman that we know that 94 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: she's got a fever and she's Peter's mother in law. 95 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: Now Jesus is gonna come into the house and says 96 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 1: that Jesus came, Jesus saw and Jesus touched who. I 97 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: think God's going to do that in our hearts today. 98 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: I think God came into this room. I think he 99 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: sees you, and I think He's gonna touch you. How 100 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: many of you need a touch from God today? How 101 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: many have you got a space in your life that 102 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 1: God I needs you to touch it? See healing happens 103 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: with a touch. Now I have no idea if this woman, 104 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: let's give her a name. Whenever I read the Bible 105 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: and have an unnamed character, I like to give him 106 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: a name, because once you give him a name, it 107 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: just it hits a little more personal, doesn't it. Let's 108 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,239 Speaker 1: call her Rachel. Everybody say Rachel. So Rachel is laying 109 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 1: in bed with a fever. She might have been a 110 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 1: woman of faith, or this might have been her last thoughts, 111 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: because sometimes Jesus is a first option. Some of you 112 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: faith filled people, something happens, you take it to Jesus first. 113 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: But other people, like me, often Jesus is more of 114 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: a last resort. I don't know. Maybe you're in church 115 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: today and this is a first option. Let's get to 116 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 1: the Lord. Let's get to the House of God and 117 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: others of you. We've tried to do all that we can. 118 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: All the King's horses and all the King's men can't 119 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: put her marriage back together again. So let's try church. 120 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: I don't care if it's your first option or your 121 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: last resort. Thank you for logging in. I'm glad you're 122 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: in the room today. I'm just glad you're here, and 123 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:18,559 Speaker 1: Peter was Peter's house. It might have been a first option. 124 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: He might have been pulling in favor, saying, Yo, Jesus, 125 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: since I have access to you, could you heal my 126 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: mother in law? Could have been first option, could have 127 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: been last resort. Listen, we had to move this woman 128 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: in six months ago. Jesus, you better healerr because I 129 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: need her out of the house. Sometimes it's faith and 130 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: sometimes it's frustration. I'm just glad you're here today. And 131 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: when I see the story of this woman Rachel, and 132 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,359 Speaker 1: I look at the at the cadence of the text, 133 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: it says she was laying in bed with a fever. 134 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:47,679 Speaker 1: And when I look at those words at other places 135 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: in the New Testament, it suggests someone on their deathbed. 136 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 1: It's not a simple little symptom where she's got a 137 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: little bit of a fever. No, it suggests that we 138 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 1: are at the end of her life issues some of 139 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: a sitting in this room today, watching online today, you've 140 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,160 Speaker 1: got a space in your life that you know it's 141 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: about to die. You got a space in your life. 142 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 1: You might have a new outfit, but it's an old 143 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: problem that's been making you limp for thirty two years, 144 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: and sometimes it so becomes so debilitating. It just doesn't 145 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,679 Speaker 1: make you sit down in it. It makes you lay 146 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: down in it. Picture the woman, she's just laying down 147 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: and I got nothing. And some of you, that perfectly 148 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: describes the posture of your life today. And I want 149 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: you to see the sermon. This woman is gonna preach 150 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: with her posture. Because some of you, like Jesus touched me, 151 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: but you're still sitting down. I want you to consider 152 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: the texts and would you adopt the mentality of Rachel 153 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: because Jesus when he comes into the room, he touches 154 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: her and she's healeding what she do. She gets up 155 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: and she illustrates the sermon. She begins to serve him. Whoo. 156 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: So if you come up to me and say, Jesus 157 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: touched me, I'm gonna say, and where are you serving 158 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: him at? I'm all in Jesus to go back to 159 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: my car, to go back to my dysfunction or that 160 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: trains the direction of my life because my posture change. 161 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: Rather than sitting under it, I'm gonna stand up over 162 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: it and I'm gonna bring it to Jesus. I'm gonna 163 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: serve Jesus with it. I'm all in. I have no 164 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: idea what the issue was in her life, but I'm 165 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,559 Speaker 1: so glad that Peter decided to open up his home 166 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: to let this woman in. It's really awesome. And when 167 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: you think about your home, when you invite guests to 168 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: your house, do you let them see all the rooms 169 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: in your house? No? You only let them see the 170 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: ones that are presentable, the ones you've cleaned up, the 171 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 1: ones that are socially acceptable. You don't let them see 172 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: the dysfunction behind the door. You've got the closets where 173 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: you've kicked stuff in it and you're shoving stuff in it. 174 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:51,319 Speaker 1: You're like, no, you can't go upstairs. But the reality 175 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: is the owner determines the access. Who owns your home? 176 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: You are God. I wonder what rooms you've not let 177 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: Jesus into, Because, if I consider our story, if Jesus 178 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: can't the only way that Jesus can touch it is 179 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 1: if he's invited into it. Jesus cannot touch something he's 180 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: not been invited into. I wonder what rooms in your 181 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: life you have not let Jesus into. I wonder if 182 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: it's your finances, I wonder it's the room of your relationships. 183 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: I wonder if it's an unforgiveness issue for a father 184 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: in this room. I wonder if it's a friendship. I 185 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: wonder if it's a marriage. I wonder if you've got 186 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: what doors you have closed? And I remember when my 187 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,839 Speaker 1: kids were little, like six, they would put like make 188 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: these signs and put it on the door no one allowed. 189 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 1: And when they get really mad at Dad, especially Dad's 190 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: I wonder what rooms you've got to sign on it 191 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: that said Jesus, you can't come into it. And you 192 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: show up Jesus, and Jesus, I want you to heal it. 193 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: He says, I can't heal it because I'm not being 194 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: invited into it. Because then tell them invited into it, 195 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: I cannot Healing only comes with a touch. And what 196 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: I realized is some of the times I'm telling Jesus, 197 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: like Jesus, would you heal this thing? And I think 198 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: I've opened the door, but I'm standing in the way, 199 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: like Jesus, when are you gonna do something about this? 200 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 1: And he says, as soon as you get out of 201 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: the way, because I can't get into the room because 202 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: you are in the way. What rooms does Jesus want 203 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: to have access to you in your house right now. 204 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: Sometimes the reality is disappointment becomes a nail gun, and 205 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: the reality is some of the doors I close in 206 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: my life not because I hate God. I just kind 207 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: of despise myself, and rather than be disappointed, I would 208 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: rather nail the door shut, so I'm no longer disappointed. 209 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 1: It happens with careers, it happens in relationships. And there 210 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: is somebody here today that you've been wanting a child 211 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: for such a long time, and you've opened the door, 212 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: and you've opened the door, but you're so tired of 213 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: opening the door. And the only thing harder than opening 214 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: the door is keeping the door open. And as I 215 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: was praying for our church yesterday, there's a man that 216 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: you had an affair in the past. I don't know 217 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: who you are. God wanted me to tell you it's 218 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: time to open that door because you're living in this 219 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: place of a hard heart. And rather than bring that 220 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: into the light, I'll just close the door and I'll 221 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: nail it shut. I wonder what rooms that Jesus wants 222 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: to access to say this with me, Say Holy Spirit, 223 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: show me the rooms I've not let you in. Say 224 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: it again, say Holy spirit show me the rooms. I've 225 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: not let you in because Jesus is a gentleman, and 226 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,079 Speaker 1: I love the fact that he is not gonna kick 227 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: down the door. But Revelation three twenty tells us about 228 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: the kind of savior that we serve. It says this. 229 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: It says, here, I am, I stand at the door 230 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: in I knock, and I said, if you let me in, 231 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: I will eat with you, and I'll fellowship with you. 232 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: God is standing at the door of your life. I 233 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: know that you can't open it because of disappointment. But 234 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: Jesus is not looking at you with disdain. He loves you. 235 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: He's longing for you. He's showing up at that door 236 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 1: again and again and again. He said, I want to 237 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: heal it, but I can't heal it if I can't 238 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: touch it. And I'm so glad that Peter is the 239 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: kind of man that will let people into his house. 240 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: Because this is kind of crazy. Some theologians believe that 241 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: the reason that Peter denied Jesus is because Jesus healed 242 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: his mother in law. That's an old preacher joke, you know, 243 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: that's a preacher joy. 244 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 3: That's good. 245 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: But the story in the first verse there it says 246 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: that she gets healed, and then in verse sixteen, it 247 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: says when evening came, many who were demon possessed were 248 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: brought to him. So the healing happens sometimes during the day. 249 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 1: Now all the people that are in the house are 250 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: overwhelmed with joy, and they say, Jesus, we are all in. 251 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: And Peter says, yep, I'm all in too. So all 252 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: the people that had been in the house, what did 253 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: they do? They go out to the streets. They go 254 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: out to the highways and the byways, and the overlook, 255 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: the marginalized, the ones that nobody sees. They go and 256 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: find it, and they drag him back to Peter's house. 257 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: And now it's a good old demon party. Look at 258 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: the story and picture Peter out in front of his 259 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,079 Speaker 1: home as he sees and he hears all of these 260 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: demons being brought to his home. Could you ever imagine 261 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: something like happening in your house? Or is your house 262 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: only available for what you want? Jesus, I'm all in. Really, 263 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: would you let that person in your car or you 264 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: worried about how it would smell? I'm all in, Jesus, 265 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: because the reality is in our fate journey we will 266 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: all come to these places that every step we take 267 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: in following Jesus, it will test are all in. Yes, 268 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: it is a one time. When you place your faith 269 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: in Jesus, you get eternity. But to trust him to 270 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: follow him as a day by day must deny myself daily, 271 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: pick up my cross and follow him. I'm all in 272 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: for the next twenty minutes, Jesus. But you see Peter. 273 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: He's opening up his home and all the demon possessed 274 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: people are flooding, and He's like, no, no, open up 275 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: the living room, open up that second living room, whatever 276 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 1: we call that thing. Open up the kitchen, the closets, oh, 277 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 1: second floor. Let's fill it all in. Let's get everybody 278 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: all in. Say all in, Jesus. I'm all in as 279 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: much as I know. But what do I do when 280 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 1: I come to the place. I'm like, I don't know 281 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: if I'm all in for that. It's like when you 282 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: get married. I do, that's easy, but I will that's harder. 283 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: But what would compel Peter to live such an extravagant 284 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: life that he would be all in? Because the demon? 285 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: I mean, can you picture the sound in his home, 286 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: all the shrieks and the shrills and the celebration all 287 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: a mixture together, a praise to God as he's healing people. 288 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: Most of those people would be the ones we would 289 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: have driven around. But those are the ones that the 290 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: disciples are driven towards. And they brought them into the house. 291 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: They who brought them, the people that had been touched 292 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: by Jesus. I'm all in, and they respond by bri 293 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: somebody back in. Are there any single ladies? Raise your hand. 294 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: You might have a single guy around you who might 295 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: be looking. I don't know. Let me give a little 296 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: bit of dating advice. Don't date boys. That's good advice. 297 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: Don't date boys. See boys want to get something, men 298 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: want to bring something. That's good preaching LB tell him, 299 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: tell them for the people in the back. Don't date boys. 300 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: And some of you are brand new to the faith. 301 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: Just keep showing up. Just keep showing up. Just keep 302 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: showing up. Just keep showing up. Others of you. God 303 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 1: is blessed way more than what you're bringing to him. 304 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: Are you the bride of Christ? Are you coming to 305 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: get something? Are you coming to bring something? When's the 306 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: last time you brought a broken praise? When's the last 307 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: time you brought an offering. When's the last time you 308 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: brought your service? When is the last time you brought 309 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: a guest to experience a miracle standing next to you? 310 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: Because if I'm only showing up to get my word, 311 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: what am I saying about the bride of Christ? I 312 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: am glad that you can get a word of God here. 313 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: But to mature, to get in the deep end of 314 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: the faith pool requires us to be a follower that 315 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: says I'm all in, which means you have access to everything, 316 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: and I'll bring it all into your per I wonder 317 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: what doors you said, Jesus. You cannot get behind that one. 318 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: I'm all in, Jesus. But what would compel Peter to 319 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: live such an extravagant life? And it's I want to 320 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: go back to the origin story of Peter real quickly. 321 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: This is out of Luke chapter five, because I think 322 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: today is somebody's origin story. I love the fact that 323 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: today is the day that someone are gonna see Jesus 324 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: in a brand new way, and it's going to be 325 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: the origin story that will ignite something in your life 326 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: to be a person of faith that you desire to be. 327 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: It says this one day Jesus was walking by the 328 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: lake of Gannessaret. The people were crowding around him and 329 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: listening to the word of God. He saw by the 330 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: water's edge two boats left there by fishermen who were fishing, 331 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: who were washing their nets. Then he got into one 332 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked 333 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: him to put out a little from the shore. This 334 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: is early on in jesus ministry. He's about to begin 335 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: his recruiting trip to recruit his disciples, his initial followers. 336 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: And you realize that the word disciple isn't just defining 337 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: the twelve people that followed him. Those were the apostles, 338 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: and in fact they were disciples. But there were seventy 339 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: disciples that Jesus sent out on a ministry trip, and 340 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: then when Jesus returns, there were one hundred and twenty 341 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: disciples in the upper room. Disciple is anybody who says 342 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:30,439 Speaker 1: I want to be a follower of Jesus. And if 343 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: you're a follower of Jesus, guess what, you're a disciple too. 344 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: And this origin story is where Jesus is going to 345 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: show up. He's going to preach to thousands, but he's 346 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: got an audience of one it's Peter, because this is 347 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: a story about his selection of Peter. And I love 348 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: the fact that God is preaching to thousands at the 349 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: same time, but he's preaching to you. He sees you, 350 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: he calls you, and he is preaching a sermons just 351 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: for you because he wants to get your attention. He 352 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: wants to show you something. And now he says, there's 353 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: two boats by the edge of the water, and he 354 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: gets into the one belonging to Simon. Wait, I thought 355 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: his name was Peter. Wait. Yeah, it's a little complicated 356 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: because Peter, you know, that's his one name. But then Simon, 357 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 1: that's his BC, that's before Christ. That's Simon. Is the 358 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: part of you that on Saturday night you're raising the 359 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: red Solo Cup, Like, hey, hey, Peter, that's the hand 360 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 1: raised in worship on Sunday morning. Hallelujah, Hey, hallelujah. You 361 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: got a little Simon in you, and you got a 362 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: little Peter in you. You played the game when you 363 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 1: were a kid. Simon says, act like a fool. That's Simon. 364 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 1: You still got a little Simon in you. And he 365 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: shows up and he's fully Simon in this point, and 366 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: there's two boats sitting there, and Jesus just goes and 367 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: sits in his boat. Try this after church, Just go 368 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 1: sit in somebody's random car in the parking lot and 369 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:57,679 Speaker 1: he just sits down. Okay. And I love the fact 370 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: that Jesus is coming to him, but he's only going 371 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: to come so far. And Jesus is coming to you 372 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: and the boat that you don't want to get into. 373 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 1: He's not intimidated by that door, that room of your 374 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 1: life that you wouldn't want anybody to see. He already 375 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: sees it. And he says, I'm not uncomfortable in that place. 376 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: I know you are. And he sits right down in it. 377 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: Why because he loves you. He sits down in Peter's 378 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 1: boat and he says, hey, Peter, well Simon, let's get 379 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: his name right, Simon, push out a little from the shore, 380 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: Just say a little, come better, participation, palatine, say a little. 381 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: And that's what he's asking you to do today. And 382 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 1: here's the story. Let me illustrate it for you. What 383 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: would compel Peter to live a life who's all in? 384 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: Say all in? It began with a little step. He 385 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: gets in his boat. It is anchored up on the shore, 386 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: so Peter's got to push this thing out. He's like, 387 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: I've been out all night fishing, I haven't slept, I stink, 388 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: and like, are you kidding me? Okay, So he pushes 389 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 1: his shoulder into the boat and he pushes it out 390 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: of it, and he starts walking the boat out into 391 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: the water, and each step he takes, the water is 392 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: getting a little bit higher on him, and he pushes 393 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: out a little say a little there you go, Thank you, Valentine. 394 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: And now he's holding the boat about waist deep. He's 395 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: in proximity to Jesus, but he's not in relationship yet 396 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: with Jesus. Don't confuse proximity with intimacy. Just because I'm 397 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: sitting in a seat doesn't mean him in the boat 398 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: with him. And I love the fact that Jesus is 399 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 1: preaching to the thousands, but he's looking at one the 400 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: whole time. And I wonder if Peter's like, oh my gosh, 401 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: what am I doing? What a waste of time? Who 402 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: is this guy? Preacher? Boy? 403 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 2: Yeah? 404 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, And maybe he would hear every third word 405 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: or every fifth word, or maybe that would be kind 406 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: of cool. But love the fact that Jesus kept preaching, 407 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: but yet he still knew his audience's audience of one. 408 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: And now the relationship is about to go to a 409 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: different level. They're about to change the Facebook status because 410 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: when he finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out 411 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: into the deep and let down the nets for a catch. 412 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,719 Speaker 1: Say the deep. Jesus is calling you from the little 413 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: to the deep. Simon answered, Master, We've worked hard all night. 414 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: I haven't got anything. But because you say so, I 415 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: will b y ssiw be why because you say so? Ssiw. 416 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,479 Speaker 1: Because you say so, I will be why ssiw. Some 417 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 1: of you, that's your next tattoo. Put it right here 418 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: on your wrist. And then when you're driven by Simon, Hey, Simon, no, no, no, 419 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: because you say so. Not Simon says, because Jesus said, 420 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: I'll do that. Because you say so. I will now 421 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: picture the rest of this story of what Peter has 422 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: to do, what Simon has to do to be obedient 423 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: to the commands of Christ. Okay, I got the water. 424 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: It waste deep, but let's go out into the deep. 425 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm comfortable right here because I can hold 426 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: on to this and I can put my feet firmly 427 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: on what I know, what I trust, what's reliable to me. 428 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: But every step I take, the water's gonna get a 429 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 1: little bit deeper. It's gonna make me a little bit 430 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: more uncomfortable. Oh my gosh, what's about to happen. What's 431 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: gonna happen on the other side of this thing? And 432 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: every step I take the waters But and he's hanging 433 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: on to the side of the boat. But he's not all. 434 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: He had to come to this point in his relationship 435 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: with Jesus that I cannot place my faith in what 436 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: I know, what I touch, what's familiar to me. I 437 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: gotta get all in with Jesus. And that's where he 438 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: wants you to come today. The place that you would 439 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 1: get all in in the boat he's not intimidated by. 440 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: But you won't get into it. What keeps you from 441 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: getting in the boat? What keeps you from getting in 442 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: the boat? That's a key question, because some of you 443 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 1: you haven't done that, And I want to ask you, 444 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: and I want to the Holy Spirit to speak to you. 445 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: What is the reason that you aren't getting in that boat. 446 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: So if we go back to our story of the 447 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: demon party, remember that demon party, that was the first scene. 448 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: Now we're going to come to the middle scene. This 449 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: is going to be. In verse eighteen, it says, when 450 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to 451 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: cross to the other side of the lake. Then the 452 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:15,360 Speaker 1: teacher of the law came to him, as a teacher, 453 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus replied. Foxes 454 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: have dens and birds have nests, but the son of 455 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: man is no place to lie his head. Another disciples 456 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: said to him, first, let me go bury my father. 457 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,919 Speaker 1: Jesus told him, follow me and let the dad bury 458 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: their own dead savage Jesus here. Then he got into 459 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 1: the boat and his disciples followed him. It says when 460 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: Jesus saw the crowd around him. Some theologians believe that 461 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,199 Speaker 1: crowd would have been up to five thousand people. The 462 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: crowd is filled with lots of people, and Jesus is 463 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: very loving, but he's also very divisive. Jesus will have 464 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: these moments that he says in John chapter six. He says, 465 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, 466 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: you'll have no part of me. And John six sixty six, 467 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: it's as many disciples departed him and followed him no more. 468 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,719 Speaker 1: Why because they followed as far as their understanding would go. 469 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: I'm all in to the end of my understanding, and 470 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: when it doesn't make sense, then I'm not going to 471 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,880 Speaker 1: continue on the journey, because that doesn't make sense Jesus. 472 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: And Jesus is always separating the crowd from the committed. 473 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: And I love the fact that all are loved. Everybody 474 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: on that shore is loved, but not everybody will discover purpose. 475 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: See you're healed with a touch, but you only find 476 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 1: purpose when you get in the vote. And he's now 477 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: going to divide the crowd, say, guys, we've got to 478 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,959 Speaker 1: get to the other side of the lake. Let's go 479 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: to the other side of the lake. We gotta go. 480 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: I wonder what's so important on the other side of 481 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: the lake. He says, we got to get there. We 482 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: got to get there. But he's going to divide the crowd, 483 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 1: and there's one group. The first group is this in 484 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: verse nineteen, it says, then a teacher of the law 485 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: came and said, teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. 486 00:24:58,160 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: He's a teacher of the law. He's saying it loud 487 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:03,679 Speaker 1: for everyone, and back to hear I will follow you. 488 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: Jesus because he wanted everybody to be impressed with his language, 489 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: but he didn't have the lifestyle. He's all talk. He's 490 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,919 Speaker 1: all talk. I remember my high school football coach. His 491 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 1: name was Harvey Krable. He looked like a walrus, and 492 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 1: when he would talk, his jowls would jiggle. It was amazing. 493 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: And we went and played in this rich town. They 494 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: had new white shoes and white gloves. I got stuff 495 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: that's duct taped together. I've never had anything new in 496 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: my life. And my coach, all walrus of him, six 497 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: foot five, gets off the bus waddling and he's like, hey, boys, 498 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 1: they got all the gear, but they got no game. 499 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: I describes a lot of Christians. He got the T 500 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 1: shirt and the blinkity bling you're all talk. Teacher'll follow 501 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: you wherever you go. And she's like, Snowflake, there are 502 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:57,159 Speaker 1: no five star B and B where we're going. You 503 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: didn't even know what you say. Holy Spirit, victis when 504 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: we're all talk. We got, we got, we got the language, 505 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 1: but not the lifestyle of being a follower of Jesus. 506 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: Show me, don't tell me. You see Rachel. She got 507 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: up and she served. She showed Jesus the healing, showed 508 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 1: Jesus her faith. Sometimes Christianity turns into one of those 509 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: dollars you pull the string and out pops one of 510 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: five Christian phrases, blessed and highly favored. He's all talk. 511 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: But then in verse twenty one, another disciple came said, Lord, 512 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: let me first go bury my father. Now, this second group, 513 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 1: if you're taking notes, you could title it this all excuse, 514 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: all excuse. Now here's the reality that could have been 515 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: a legitimate excuse. It could have been his father could 516 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 1: have just literally died. But Jesus says, this assignment is 517 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,120 Speaker 1: for living people that's already been taken care of. There's 518 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: somebody on the other side of the link that's alive, 519 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: and we gotta go. And then on the boat, I 520 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: wonder what excuses are so familiar you don't even recognize 521 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: they're coming out of your mouth. Here's one of the 522 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 1: greatest excuses Christianity that we carry as Christians. Let me 523 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 1: pray about it. You know you're not gonna pray about it. 524 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: You're blaming God for your disobedience because you've come so 525 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: familiar with the excuse you don't even know it's leaking 526 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: out Holy Spirit and make these excuses bitter that we 527 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 1: would have a visceral response when they come out of 528 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: our mouth. Are you aware of where the excuses are 529 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: that are keeping you from getting in the boat? What 530 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: keeps you from getting in the boat? Jesus is looking 531 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: at the crowd. It's a mixture of people, people that 532 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: have been healed the night before that still smell like 533 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: demon whatever that smells like. But you have people that 534 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: have been following him for a season, and everybody gets 535 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: the same invitation to get in the boat. You don't 536 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: need the religious elite, you don't need to memorize the 537 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: Book of Philippians. He just says, will you follow me? 538 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,680 Speaker 1: Will you get in the boat. It's some of the 539 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: people that are most resistant to get in the boat, 540 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 1: critical Christians, who are so familiar with the text. We 541 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: already assume what God says. And he's saying, I got 542 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 1: to get to the other side of the lake, and 543 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: I need the committed I need those that really want 544 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:16,680 Speaker 1: to follow me to jump in and be all in. Oh, 545 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: all talk. What phrases are keeping you? What excuses are 546 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:25,479 Speaker 1: keeping you? I'm stupid. I never had a chance. This 547 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 1: happened to me when I was six that's real and 548 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 1: that was horrible, but that does not define your future 549 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 1: because there's a series of three scenes strung together that 550 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 1: tell a story. Matthew is very particular about stringing these 551 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 1: three scenes together. What I prayed for some of you, 552 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: some of you are stuck in a scene and you 553 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 1: think it's the whole story. Yes, there was the demon possession, 554 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: Yes there was the thing, Yes there was the thing 555 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: that happened to you, there was the thing you did. 556 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: Yes that was a scene in your story, but it's 557 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: not the whole story. And if you back up a 558 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: little bit, you will see that Jesus is giving you 559 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: an opportunity. But what keeps you from getting in the boat. 560 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: I think some of you, the reason you don't get 561 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 1: in the boat is not because you don't love God. 562 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: It's you despise yourself. And I think what Jesus is 563 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: saying that very thing you despise about yourself is the 564 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: very thing I want in the boat. Now, there's three 565 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: groups in this story. We talked through two of them. 566 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: The first one it's kind of hard to see because 567 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: if we just read it, we skip right over it 568 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: because it says this, it's just when Jesus saw the crowd, 569 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: he gave orders. In verse eighteen, he gave orders to 570 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 1: cross to the other side of the lake. Now this 571 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: is the third group. This is the all in, say 572 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 1: all in, because what they heard is, hey, let's get 573 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:36,479 Speaker 1: to the other side of the lake. What did these 574 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: people do? They ran and they got a boat and 575 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: they brought the boat back. Because if God gives an order, 576 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: I respond with obedience. You see the crowd, the order 577 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: becomes optional. But to the committed, it's a command, and 578 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: they walk in obedience. Are the orders of God optional? 579 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: What is the thing that God is asking you to do? 580 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: The door he wants into that you're not letting him in. 581 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: Because when the general gives the soldiers a command, they 582 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 1: fall in military formation. But the civilians, they're like, you know, 583 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to go back to what's important to me, 584 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: and Jesus, ain't get in the boat. We got to 585 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: get to the other side of the lake. What keeps 586 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 1: you from getting in the boat? Well, Jesus, is there 587 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 1: gonna be any food on the boat. Some of us 588 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: are like, I want a word from God. No, you don't. 589 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 1: You want an itinerary and your obedience is proportionate to 590 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: a itinerary that's comfortable for you. And rather than getting 591 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: on a battleship, you're looking for a cruise ship. I'm sorry, Hello, Valentine, 592 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: is in by here with me? This microphone might have 593 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 1: been dead. I don't I'm all in Jesus until I 594 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 1: get to like, Oh, but I was expecting you know, 595 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: my ties on the lido deck. But and Jesus, get 596 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: on the boat. But what about what's going to happen 597 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: when we get there? Get on the boat. Get on 598 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: the boat, Get on the boat. Just get on the boat. 599 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: Because what I come to realize about us is if 600 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: the boundaries of your obedience is determined by your understanding, 601 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: you'll never live in the land of faith. I don't understand. 602 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: If you make it plain to me, then I'll get 603 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: on the boat an if then conditional faith with Jesus. 604 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 1: If you give me the itinerary, then I'll follow on 605 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: And says faith does not work like that. It is 606 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 1: being sure of what you hope for, are certain of 607 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: what you do not see. There is something on the 608 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: other side of the lake that we've got to get to, 609 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 1: and I need you to be a part of it. 610 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 1: I can't give you all the details. But I will 611 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: give you a command, and I will give you the option. 612 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: Will you get on the boat. All of you are loved, 613 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: but not everybody will find the same purpose because the 614 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: reality is that thing that you think disqualifies you from 615 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 1: getting on the boat is the very thing he needs 616 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: on the boat. And if we stop the story there, 617 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: we wouldn't see the fullness of it, because it goes 618 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 1: on in Matthew twenty eight, just the next part of 619 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,880 Speaker 1: this story, when he arrived on the other side in 620 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 1: the region of the Garadines to demon possess men, wait 621 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: coming from the tombes, Maddam, wait no to demon And 622 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: I've read this story so many times before, and it 623 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: never made sense to me because I was reading each scene. 624 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: But picture the demon possessed person, take whatever door that 625 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:34,120 Speaker 1: you don't want anybody to see behind that, and you're 626 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: looking at the boat saying, those are for the people 627 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 1: that really love you Jesus, and I still smell like 628 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: last night, the demon possessed people. But they get on 629 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: the boat, and as they're making their way to the 630 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: other side, they first hear it in a distance, the 631 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: cries of these demon possessed men, and it's the closer 632 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 1: they get, they can see the contorted faces of these 633 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: men under demon possession, and the faith filled people who 634 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: have never struggled with demon possession standing at the front 635 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: of the boat, at the bow of the boat like yeah, 636 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,040 Speaker 1: Jesus are start like yo, Jesus, and they start retreating 637 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: to the back. But those that know what has lacked 638 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 1: to struggle with demon possession, They're like, wait, now, you 639 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: mean they have empathy for somebody on the other side 640 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 1: of the lake. The thing that they didn't want to 641 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: bring on the boat is the very thing Jesus wanted 642 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: to use on the other side of the lake. That's 643 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: what I'm telling you. Healing comes with a touch, but 644 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: purpose is found through trust. And healing isn't the absence 645 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:47,440 Speaker 1: of pain, it's the presence of purpose. The only way 646 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: you discover purposes by being all and by letting Jesus 647 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 1: be all. And let me give a modern day example 648 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,520 Speaker 1: of this. Let me give you a hypothetical story. Let's 649 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 1: say there's a fourteen year old girl named Rachel who 650 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: just moved to Valentine area of Charlotte, North Carolina six 651 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: months ago because mom and dad got divorced and she 652 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:12,720 Speaker 1: had to move back with Mom to move in with Grandma. 653 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: And she's lived here for six months and she has 654 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 1: zero friends, and she's lonely, and she's filled with anxiety, 655 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 1: and she wonders, God, where are you now? And some 656 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 1: little boy invited her to a party. And normally she 657 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't go to this party, but Rachel, she just wants friends. 658 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,319 Speaker 1: And she says, Okay, I'll go to the party. But 659 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 1: she says, I promise I won't. I won't drink. Then 660 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: at the party, the attention is feeding something in her 661 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: that God wants to feed. That just not that way. 662 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 1: And she says, I'll just hold the cup, I'll just 663 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: have one. I'll just have two. And by the end 664 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 1: of the night, that little boy gets her to compromise 665 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: something she said she'd keep sacred till marriage. And when 666 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 1: she's walking home to her apartment that night with Grandma, 667 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: her dad gave her a promise ring when she was eight. 668 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 1: She takes it off and she throws it in the 669 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 1: woods because she feels like she's forfeited any future based 670 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 1: upon that past mistake, and she lays her head in 671 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: the pillow. That night, she cries herself to sleep. She's 672 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 1: soaking the pillow with her tears. Can you hear her 673 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 1: cries that that's the sound of the demons across the lake. 674 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: And when she wakes up in the morning, she's praying 675 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 1: it was just a nightmare. Bet it wasn't, because that 676 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: little boy took photos and he already circulated him. And 677 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: she's called every name you could ever imagine. And before 678 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:35,399 Speaker 1: her feet even hit the floor, she wants to kill 679 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: herself because she feels like the only way out is that, 680 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: but she realizes there was one other friend at school. 681 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 3: She invited me to this place called Elevation Valentine and 682 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 3: as somebody who normally sits in our student section, and 683 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:55,000 Speaker 3: that little girl walks up to this building, who better 684 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,879 Speaker 3: than you to welcome that little girl? 685 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: And the reality is that story is so familiar to 686 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: so many in this room, and that part of you 687 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 1: that you want to hide, that you never ever want 688 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: to share, is the very thing that Jesus needs in 689 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: the boat. And if you don't let Jesus into that room, 690 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: all it will ever be is pain. But when you 691 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:32,399 Speaker 1: put it in the boat, now you find purpose. Who 692 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: better than you to be outfront welcoming that little girl. 693 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:37,400 Speaker 1: That thing that you said I got to take a 694 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: step back. I got nothing to offer is the very 695 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:44,879 Speaker 1: thing Jesus wants to put out front. Who better than 696 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,480 Speaker 1: you to lead a youth girl's e group to comfort 697 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:54,040 Speaker 1: others with the comfort that you have received. Say, Holy Spirit, 698 00:36:55,560 --> 00:37:01,799 Speaker 1: show me the rooms I've not let you in. An 699 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:06,400 Speaker 1: invitation starts with that admission, what are the rooms that 700 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: you're not letting Jesus in? What are the spaces that 701 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,480 Speaker 1: you've not let Jesus into? An unnamed enemy will never 702 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 1: be defeated? And what do we do with an enemy? 703 00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 1: What do we do with a friend? We cover them. 704 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 1: What do we do with an enemy? We expose them. 705 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:28,799 Speaker 1: The admission is to say, I've got this room, but 706 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 1: somebody in this room is forty five, and you're like, 707 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 1: I can't tell anybody. What are they going to think 708 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 1: of me? You will help them go like, oh, that's 709 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 1: why he's acted like that for twenty two years. You'll 710 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 1: give some understanding. Stand your feet at all of our 711 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:52,759 Speaker 1: locations without anybody moving. This is a holy moment, and 712 00:37:53,360 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to give two opportunities to respond to this 713 00:37:56,480 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 1: sermon today. The first one is for those that you've 714 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 1: got a room, I've got rooms. I've got houses, But 715 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 1: what's one room that you know that you need to 716 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:11,440 Speaker 1: let Jesus into. Maybe today would be the day that 717 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:15,680 Speaker 1: you'd let Jesus. You'd hear him knocking. I've been knocking 718 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:18,600 Speaker 1: for years. I've been knocking on the door of your life. 719 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: Let me into that marriage, let me into that relationship, 720 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:24,640 Speaker 1: let me into that thing. He'll come in and he'll 721 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,799 Speaker 1: touch you. It doesn't mean the pain goes away, but 722 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:30,719 Speaker 1: it doesn't mean you can find purpose in it. And 723 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 1: then the second invitation is for those of you that 724 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:36,239 Speaker 1: have not placed your faith in Jesus. You know that 725 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:39,359 Speaker 1: you're separated from God. You've been playing religious activity, You've 726 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:41,799 Speaker 1: been checking boxes of going to church, go to the bank, 727 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:44,400 Speaker 1: go to the grocery store. But you've never confessed with 728 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:46,920 Speaker 1: your mouth that Jesus Lord and believe it in your 729 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,319 Speaker 1: heart that he was raised from the dead. And if 730 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 1: you need to begin that relationship with Jesus, I'm going 731 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:52,759 Speaker 1: to give you that opportunity as well. But by your 732 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: head's close your eyes, put your hands in front of 733 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 1: you like you're holding a gift. Make some room for 734 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 1: GeSe Jesus in your hands. Is that room a space 735 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 1: that you need to let Jesus into You've covered it, 736 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:13,680 Speaker 1: not because you don't love God, you just kind of 737 00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:18,800 Speaker 1: despise yourself and he wants to come into that. Father, 738 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: I thank you for your sons and daughters right now 739 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 1: that are walking in boldness fear. But I thank you 740 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 1: that you're a loving God that you will gently come in. 741 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:32,840 Speaker 1: You're not going to kick down a door. You're knocking 742 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,040 Speaker 1: on it. Why could you want to come in a 743 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 1: fellowship with them? And I thank you for the confession, 744 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:41,319 Speaker 1: the admission. There's a space in our life that we 745 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:44,680 Speaker 1: need you to touch. I pray that they would move 746 00:39:44,719 --> 00:39:47,240 Speaker 1: beyond just this moment and they would invite another person 747 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 1: into it today, somebody in this room or somebody online. 748 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:53,719 Speaker 1: May they share that room so they don't have to 749 00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: fight in isolation or being alone any longer. Now, for 750 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:00,160 Speaker 1: those of you that need to begin a relationship with 751 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:02,720 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, I'm going to lead us all into prayer 752 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:05,640 Speaker 1: for people to begin that relationship. To confess with your 753 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:08,719 Speaker 1: mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart 754 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:11,520 Speaker 1: that he was raised from the dead. If you say 755 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:14,480 Speaker 1: these words and you believe it in your heart, you 756 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:17,319 Speaker 1: will be saved. Pray this with me, Church family. I 757 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:22,399 Speaker 1: believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who 758 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 1: died on the cross and rose from the grave to 759 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 1: forgive me of my sin. I give you my life, 760 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 1: I give you my sin, I give you my shame. 761 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:39,520 Speaker 1: Forgive me, and I'll spend my life following you with 762 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:41,279 Speaker 1: your head still bowed in your eyes still closed. If 763 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:43,280 Speaker 1: you just place your faith in Jesus or your coming 764 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:45,839 Speaker 1: back to him, I am going to count to three, 765 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:49,319 Speaker 1: and without hesitation, once I get there, boldly shoot your 766 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 1: hand into the air. One, two, three, shoot your hand 767 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 1: up high across this auditory. Come on, get all of 768 00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:59,600 Speaker 1: our location, all of our location. Come on, get it high. 769 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,839 Speaker 1: One of our team want to get to you. Put 770 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 1: a new Bible in your hands, signifying your a new creation. Hey, 771 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:08,239 Speaker 1: church family, let's celebrate that. 772 00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:13,120 Speaker 2: Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of 773 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:16,160 Speaker 2: you who give generously to this ministry. Is because of 774 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 2: you that this ministry is possible. You can click the 775 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,880 Speaker 2: link in the description to give now or visit Elevationchurch 776 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:26,319 Speaker 2: dot org slash podcast for more information and if you 777 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,640 Speaker 2: enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it 778 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:31,960 Speaker 2: with your friends you can click the share button, take 779 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,319 Speaker 2: a screenshot and share it on your social stories and 780 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:37,239 Speaker 2: tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God 781 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:42,640 Speaker 2: bless you.