John 5 and I'll
begin in verse 5.
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John 5, beginning in verse 5,
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"Now a certain man was there
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who had an
infirmity thirty-eight years.
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When Jesus saw him lying there,
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and knew that he already
had been in that condition
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a long time, He said to him,
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'Do you want to be made well?'
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The sick man answered Him,
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'Sir, I have no man
to put me into the pool
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when the water is stirred
up, but while I am coming,
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another steps down before me.'
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Jesus said to him,
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'Rise, take up
your bed and walk.'
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And immediately
the man was made well,
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took up his bed, and walked."
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I'd like to begin
with a word of prayer
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and then we will
begin the message.
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I'm going to kneel. I
invite you to bow your heads.
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Sweet Jesus, thank you
for this high privilege
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to be able to come into
your presence this morning,
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I'm asking very simply
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whether You would do for
these people what I cannot,
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and that none of us would
soon forget the manifestation
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of the power of God
through the story of Jesus.
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This is my plea and I
ask this in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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This morning's
message is entitled,
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"Do you want to be made well?"
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Do you want to be made well?
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It's based upon some
principles found in a book
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that has been
life-changing for me, called
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"The Hidden Half of
the Gospel" by Paul Coneff.
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He's been interviewed by
Shelley a few times I believe,
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and he's actually gonna be
coming here in a few weeks,
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and we'll talk about that
at the end of the message,
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but powerful
book in communicating
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how Jesus has
suffered in a multitude of ways
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that most of us
wouldn't imagine.
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We know that He
suffered physically,
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but to know what He
endured on our behalf
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in all of our wounded
areas is mind-boggling
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and life-changing and
so I look forward to going
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through those principles
with you this morning,
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but I wanna kind of
give some background here.
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We have this thing
called war plans' events
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and war plans' trainings
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that we do it on
UnScene Media Group.
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Kind of exposing what's
going on behind the scenes,
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now the enemy's
warning against us
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and how God is
trying to protect us.
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One of Satan's
favorite war plans
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is to set us up to be hurt,
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so that he can whisper his
lies in first person language
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that I'm not good enough,
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that I'm worthless,
I'm not pretty, et-cetera.
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These lies then
create negative feelings,
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so he can set us up to
medicate those feelings
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and hurt ourselves.
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And then he seeks to
have us see ourselves
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as nothing more than
the negative thoughts,
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feelings, and behaviors,
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that have come from
when we were wounded.
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So in short, he
sets us up to be hurt,
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and then he sets us
up to hurt ourselves.
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So I wanna talk about
woundedness this morning,
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and it's heavy, it is.
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It's not an easy topic to cover,
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it's not an easy
thing to go through,
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but I pray that
this is something
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that is helpful for us and
can actually bring healing,
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not just remind
us of bad memories.
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Now, some of my experience,
I want to make this brief.
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I, my parents got divorced
when I was three or four,
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somewhere around that age,
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and my mom had been
married once before,
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had a child with
that first husband,
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and then remarried
and they got divorced,
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he moved to
Florida with her son,
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so she now wasn't near her son
because the father got custody.
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She remarries, but I
was actually at the wedding,
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my mom looked like
she had a watermelon
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stuffed under her wedding dress.
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I was at the
wedding and eventually,
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my dad was the caretaker
for my great grandfather
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and he had Alzheimer's
and being in an environment
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like that with a
newborn which is difficult,
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and mom had kind of fostered
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this difficult
upbringing though,
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I'll cover here in a moment,
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but enough
things had taken place
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that she decided to
leave, and dad got custody,
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and she would tell you
that was in my best interest,
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and so would he, and so would I.
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But she remarried, and the man
that she married after my dad,
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her third husband,
beat her up really bad.
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Really, really
bad, and my grandfather,
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my dad's dad, lived just
a couple of miles from there
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and dropped me off that morning,
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mom opens the door,
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she's purple, she's
blue, she's swollen,
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she's not the
person that I know.
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And so in my childhood,
at the age of three or four,
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and then at the age around five,
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I had two severely
traumatic experiences
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that basically set me
on a course to have a life
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that isn't gonna be what
God intended for it to be.
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I started stealing
at the age of five,
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I started lying continually.
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I just wanted to be in control
because I didn't feel safe.
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And so my experiences
with instability came in
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and caused me a
lot of difficulties.
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Now the reason why my mom
was set on these trajectories
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because when she was born,
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her parents got
divorced soon after,
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and the mom abandoned
her, completely left her,
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and this is a really
unique thing to happen
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that many years ago, 50 ago.
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And it was
devastating to my mom as a child
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to feel unloved and
rejected by her mother.
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Now why does this matter?
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Well, it matters because our
view of God is largely rooted
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in our
experience with our parents.
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So if you have a
negative experience
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with your parents,
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it's very likely that you're
going to have a view of God
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that is very
negative and unhealthy.
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So my mom is
rejected by her first mother,
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my grandfather remarries,
and the woman that he marries,
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they legally adopt her so that
she can be the legal mother,
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but never fully treats
her as if she's her daughter.
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So my mom has felt as though
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she's been
rejected by two mothers.
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So the idea of the
nurturing love of God
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is just foreign to my mother
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because of
this, totally foreign.
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And so she's running
to physical relationships
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to try to fill that hole
that she has in her heart.
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She's actually been married
and divorced seven times.
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And by the grace of
God, she's found Jesus.
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Jesus is the eighth husband.
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And it's a
miracle, and it's a huge,
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huge gift from heaven
for her and for our family.
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So she has finally found what
she was looking for all along,
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but she wasn't afforded
that in the home setting.
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Her parents went to
church eight days a week
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and everybody in
the church loves them,
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but their kids
really wrestle with them.
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And so it's a situation
that, there's these sins have,
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not full blown hypocrisy,
but the sins of intimacy,
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and genuine care, and concern,
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that the parents show
to people in the church,
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the children wish they've got
to show that type of concern,
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and care, and
intimacy, you understand?
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So this is my
experience growing up,
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but this is why this is,
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how this works as
far as our view of God
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being largely rooted in
our experience of our parents.
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In the Bible, in
the beginning, it says,
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"It's not good
for man to be alone,"
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and there's a reason for this.
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There are things in
the covenant of marriage
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experientially that
we learned about God,
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that we can't learn otherwise.
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I can preach a
booming sermon on this,
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but I cannot fully
know these experiences
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because I'm not a married man.
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And so with this
being the case, my, the two,
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the mother and the
father are bringing components
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and aspects of
the character of God
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in pouring that
love into the children,
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but if one of these fails them,
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it gives a picture
of that side of God
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in a more weakened sense.
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This is actually
one of the reasons
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why God hates divorce
because it depicts disunity
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in the Godhead
before the children.
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And when there's so much
love between the two parents
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that they wanna create life,
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they wanna pour that
love into a created being,
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this is what the
Godhead went through
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when they
created us, very similar.
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They created us to love
us, to pour love into us,
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and to populate
in earth with people
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that looked just like Jesus.
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But when parents fail
us, we're set up to be hurt,
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and we're set
up to misunderstand
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who God truly is,
did that make sense?
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Now, God can
make all things new.
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Amen.
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God can restore, God can redeem,
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but it sets young
people up for difficulty.
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That was my experience,
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that was my mother's experience,
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but what I want to do
now is cover the experience
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of two people in the gospels
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before I go into what
Jesus Himself went through.
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I want to see how Jesus dealt
with people who were wounded.
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And I think there's
gonna be some lessons for us
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and even some rebukes for us
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in how Jesus
handled these situations.
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The first story we had
in our scripture reading,
00:08:46.12\00:08:47.72
it's in John 5.
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There's a man at
the pool of Bethesda,
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and he's been an
invalid for 38 years.
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It's a really long time.
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Desire of Ages gives
us some additional insight
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that he's in this condition
because of a lifestyle of sin.
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So this man is
wrestling heavily with shame,
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with guilt, and condemnation,
00:09:05.94\00:09:07.94
because he's reaping
what he sowed in his life.
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We're also told
in Desire of Ages
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that he's the most
helpless case there.
00:09:13.48\00:09:16.79
So just imagine,
00:09:16.82\00:09:18.15
that when you're
having this experience
00:09:18.19\00:09:19.55
of being the most
helpless case there,
00:09:19.59\00:09:21.06
there's a tradition
that was going on in that era
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and I don't know
if it's true or not,
00:09:22.92\00:09:24.26
but it
certainly was a tradition,
00:09:24.29\00:09:25.69
that when the water is
stirred in the pool of Bethesda,
00:09:25.73\00:09:28.56
it's actually an
angel that stirs it,
00:09:28.60\00:09:30.73
and when this takes place,
00:09:30.77\00:09:32.10
the first person in the
water is going to be healed
00:09:32.13\00:09:33.84
and made well,
00:09:33.87\00:09:35.20
but what do you think
the chances are of this man
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getting in that water
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if he is the most
helpless case there?
00:09:38.11\00:09:40.14
It's not gonna happen.
00:09:40.18\00:09:41.81
So because it
isn't going to happen,
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this guy gets another
chance and it's an amazing one.
00:09:44.35\00:09:47.48
Jesus strolls up to this
guy and asked him a question
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that's just, it's
just radical, really.
00:09:50.45\00:09:54.26
He asked him an overwhelmingly
obvious question, He says,
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"Do you want to be made well?"
00:09:58.69\00:10:01.23
And this man could be
very strongly tempted to say,
00:10:01.26\00:10:03.47
"Do I want to be...
00:10:03.50\00:10:04.83
Look at me."
00:10:04.87\00:10:06.20
This guy's legs
are spaghetti noodles.
00:10:06.23\00:10:08.84
He's not capable of
supporting his own body weight.
00:10:08.87\00:10:11.74
It can't happen.
00:10:11.77\00:10:13.11
His muscles
have gone to atrophy,
00:10:13.14\00:10:14.64
but yet this man
in this condition,
00:10:14.68\00:10:16.54
Jesus has the
audacity to ask this guy
00:10:16.58\00:10:19.25
if he wants to be made well,
00:10:19.28\00:10:20.72
of course, I
want to be made well.
00:10:20.75\00:10:23.12
But that's not the
answer the man gives him,
00:10:23.15\00:10:24.92
and the answer
that the man gives,
00:10:24.95\00:10:26.96
gives you evidence into
the experience of the man.
00:10:26.99\00:10:30.93
When Jesus asked him, "Do
you want to be made well?"
00:10:30.96\00:10:34.30
He ends up spouting
off all these things
00:10:34.33\00:10:36.03
for why he can't be made well.
00:10:36.06\00:10:37.40
"Oh, when there's a
stirring in that water,
00:10:37.43\00:10:38.77
there's no one to put me in."
00:10:38.80\00:10:40.14
Yep!
00:10:40.17\00:10:41.50
But that wasn't the
question Jesus asked him.
00:10:41.54\00:10:44.04
Jesus did not ask
you, "Why aren't you well?
00:10:44.07\00:10:47.14
Why can't you be made well?"
00:10:47.18\00:10:48.84
I asked you, "Do you
want to be made well?"
00:10:48.88\00:10:52.98
And the answer he gives
tells you that, no, he doesn't.
00:10:53.01\00:10:56.62
He doesn't believe
that he can be made well
00:10:56.65\00:10:58.72
because he deserves what he got,
00:10:58.75\00:11:01.92
you're understanding?
00:11:01.96\00:11:03.29
This man's
shame and condemnation
00:11:03.32\00:11:05.13
is about to
deprive him of healing,
00:11:05.16\00:11:07.76
and his only chance of healing,
00:11:07.80\00:11:10.00
but something
happens, he notices that
00:11:10.03\00:11:11.83
there's something
about this man, Jesus,
00:11:11.87\00:11:13.54
and he ends up,
00:11:13.57\00:11:14.90
the next thing that
Jesus tells him is to rise,
00:11:14.94\00:11:16.91
take up his mat, and walk.
00:11:16.94\00:11:18.27
And this man has
a decision to make.
00:11:18.31\00:11:20.31
Now does anything about
his surroundings tell him
00:11:20.34\00:11:22.34
that he's going
to be able to rise,
00:11:22.38\00:11:23.71
take up his mat, and walk?
00:11:23.75\00:11:25.41
No.
00:11:25.45\00:11:26.78
But he has a choice
to make, doesn't he?
00:11:26.82\00:11:28.48
Ellen White comments on
this in Desire of Ages 203.
00:11:28.52\00:11:30.99
She says that,
00:11:31.02\00:11:32.35
"Jesus had given him no
assurance of divine help."
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.19
Notice that Jesus
doesn't walk up to the man,
00:11:35.22\00:11:37.03
shake his hand, and
say, "Hi, my name is Jesus.
00:11:37.06\00:11:39.36
I also happen to be God.
00:11:39.39\00:11:40.73
I have all power in
heaven and on earth.
00:11:40.76\00:11:42.70
And I'm here to
heal you, buster."
00:11:42.73\00:11:45.33
Jesus doesn't say that.
00:11:45.37\00:11:46.70
He gives him no
assurance of divine help.
00:11:46.74\00:11:48.77
She says, "The man
might have stopped to doubt,
00:11:48.80\00:11:50.97
and lost his one
chance of healing."
00:11:51.01\00:11:53.21
If this man laughs
in the face of Jesus,
00:11:53.24\00:11:55.58
he will never walk again, ever.
00:11:55.61\00:11:59.38
She continues,
00:11:59.41\00:12:00.92
"Through the same faith
00:12:00.95\00:12:02.28
we may receive
spiritual healing.
00:12:02.32\00:12:04.05
By sin we've been
severed from the life of God.
00:12:04.09\00:12:07.39
Our souls are palsied.
00:12:07.42\00:12:10.43
Of ourselves we are no more
capable of living a holy life
00:12:10.46\00:12:13.90
than was the impotent
man capable of walking."
00:12:13.93\00:12:17.30
We're just as helpless.
00:12:17.33\00:12:19.97
She continues,
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.47
"There are many who
realize their helplessness,
00:12:21.50\00:12:23.81
and who long for
that spiritual life
00:12:23.84\00:12:25.64
which will bring them
into harmony with God,
00:12:25.67\00:12:27.68
and they're vainly
striving to obtain it."
00:12:27.71\00:12:31.35
Have you ever been there?
00:12:31.38\00:12:33.28
Making promises to God
that are like robes of sand,
00:12:33.31\00:12:36.38
vainly striving to obtain.
00:12:36.42\00:12:39.09
Take yourself out of this mess.
00:12:39.12\00:12:40.46
"And in despair they
cry," as Paul does in Roman 7,
00:12:40.49\00:12:42.96
"O wretched man that I am!
00:12:42.99\00:12:45.19
Who will deliver me
from this body of death?
00:12:45.23\00:12:48.46
Let these desponding,
00:12:48.50\00:12:49.83
struggling ones
look up" she says.
00:12:49.86\00:12:51.83
"The Savior is bending
over the purchase of His blood,
00:12:51.87\00:12:54.50
saying with inexpressible
tenderness and pity,
00:12:54.54\00:12:57.74
'Wilt thou be made whole?'
00:12:57.77\00:13:00.28
He bids you arise
in health and peace.
00:13:00.31\00:13:03.78
Do not wait to feel
that you are made whole.
00:13:03.81\00:13:06.58
Believe His word, and
it will be fulfilled."
00:13:06.61\00:13:08.65
This guy wasn't looking for some
00:13:08.68\00:13:10.02
holy mojo feeling in his legs
00:13:10.05\00:13:11.52
before he decided
to try to stand up.
00:13:11.55\00:13:13.59
He had to make a
decision when he felt nothing.
00:13:13.62\00:13:16.79
All he had was the
word of God in his midst.
00:13:16.83\00:13:19.86
Now what he came to
realize was that was enough.
00:13:19.89\00:13:23.26
Doesn't matter how I feel,
00:13:23.30\00:13:25.03
what I think about my situation,
00:13:25.07\00:13:26.80
all I need to
get out of this mess
00:13:26.84\00:13:29.50
is to hear what the word of
God says about my condition.
00:13:29.54\00:13:33.34
And he took Christ at
His word and he stood.
00:13:33.38\00:13:36.21
"Put your will on
the side of Christ.
00:13:36.24\00:13:38.81
Will to serve Him, and
in acting upon His word
00:13:38.85\00:13:41.65
you will receive strength.
00:13:41.68\00:13:43.95
Whatever may be
the evil practice,
00:13:43.99\00:13:45.65
the master passion
which through long indulgence
00:13:45.69\00:13:47.79
binds both soul and body,
00:13:47.82\00:13:49.66
Christ is able
and longs to deliver."
00:13:49.69\00:13:54.23
This is really
good news for you and I
00:13:54.26\00:13:56.73
because we've
made a mess of life.
00:13:56.77\00:13:58.50
Let's just be
honest with ourselves.
00:13:58.53\00:14:00.10
We have made an absolute
shipwreck of faith, most of us.
00:14:00.14\00:14:04.24
Our lives, our souls are palsied
00:14:04.27\00:14:07.04
because of the
decisions that we have made
00:14:07.08\00:14:09.14
and yet we're told
that Christ is able
00:14:09.18\00:14:11.78
and longs to deliver.
00:14:11.81\00:14:14.02
Doesn't matter what
you've done in that sense.
00:14:14.05\00:14:16.12
Christ is
capable of redeeming us,
00:14:16.15\00:14:18.09
but here's the real question.
00:14:18.12\00:14:20.59
Do you want to be made well?
00:14:20.62\00:14:24.16
Some of us may believe
that Christ is capable,
00:14:24.19\00:14:26.36
but we don't feel worthy enough
to desire to be made well.
00:14:26.39\00:14:32.10
The real issue here that
Jesus was asking this man
00:14:32.13\00:14:34.37
had to do with his identity?
00:14:34.40\00:14:35.84
We're gonna cover
that more as we go.
00:14:35.87\00:14:37.64
He's asking this man
to exchange identities.
00:14:37.67\00:14:40.78
"He will impart life to the soul
00:14:40.81\00:14:42.18
that is 'dead in trespasses.'
00:14:42.21\00:14:43.55
He will set free the
captive that is held by weakness
00:14:43.58\00:14:45.95
and misfortune and
the chains of sin."
00:14:45.98\00:14:49.18
So here's my
question for you this morning.
00:14:49.22\00:14:51.29
Do we cling
more to our diagnosis
00:14:51.32\00:14:53.59
than we do to what
Jesus has done to set us free?
00:14:53.62\00:14:56.83
Could phrase it differently,
00:14:56.86\00:14:59.33
is our identity tied more
to what has been done to us
00:14:59.36\00:15:02.93
or what we have
done to ourselves
00:15:02.96\00:15:05.23
than to what
Christ has done for us?
00:15:05.27\00:15:09.64
That's the real question.
00:15:09.67\00:15:11.47
Again, do you
actually want to be made well?
00:15:11.51\00:15:16.14
Jesus deals with heart
issues is what I see here.
00:15:16.18\00:15:18.11
Jesus doesn't
show up to this guy
00:15:18.15\00:15:20.12
and correct his behavior.
00:15:20.15\00:15:22.95
Jesus doesn't
come up to him and say,
00:15:22.98\00:15:24.32
"Look, I can't get baptize you
00:15:24.35\00:15:25.69
with all this
self-pity foolishness.
00:15:25.72\00:15:27.56
Come on, man."
Jesus doesn't do that.
00:15:27.59\00:15:30.23
Jesus goes to
the great heart issue
00:15:30.26\00:15:32.66
that lies within this man,
00:15:32.69\00:15:34.73
and in dealing
with the heart issue,
00:15:34.76\00:15:36.10
this man receives a restoration
00:15:36.13\00:15:37.60
that he never
envisioned for his life, ever.
00:15:37.63\00:15:41.10
It's not the behaviors
00:15:41.14\00:15:42.70
that's the problem in
the people in our lives
00:15:42.74\00:15:44.51
that we're worried about,
that we're concerned about,
00:15:44.54\00:15:46.27
even our fellow church members.
00:15:46.31\00:15:48.11
The behavior is evidence
00:15:48.14\00:15:49.84
that something
is going on in here.
00:15:49.88\00:15:52.85
And if we start
going in on the behavior
00:15:52.88\00:15:54.72
and trying to strong arm
00:15:54.75\00:15:56.08
and manipulate
them into obedience,
00:15:56.12\00:15:57.62
we're going to lose them.
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.95
And even if the
behavior falls by the wayside
00:15:59.99\00:16:02.96
and praise God for that,
00:16:02.99\00:16:04.49
the problem is
they're still wounded.
00:16:04.53\00:16:06.83
And they're gonna
run to something else
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.20
to numb their pain.
00:16:08.23\00:16:09.83
Jesus understands this
00:16:09.86\00:16:11.20
and this is why He
deals with heart issues
00:16:11.23\00:16:13.54
and you'll never believe this,
00:16:13.57\00:16:14.90
when someone's healed
of their heart issues,
00:16:14.94\00:16:16.44
they no longer
have a need to act out.
00:16:16.47\00:16:20.04
That's how the gospel works.
00:16:20.08\00:16:21.48
Now turn with me to John 4.
00:16:21.51\00:16:23.04
I say turn with me,
00:16:23.08\00:16:24.41
I'm just gonna
overview for time's sake,
00:16:24.45\00:16:25.78
but the next
sections found in John 4,
00:16:25.81\00:16:29.12
Jesus is
embarking upon a journey,
00:16:29.15\00:16:32.69
at the beginning of
the chapter here, it says,
00:16:32.72\00:16:35.02
that He was going
from Judaea to Galilee.
00:16:35.06\00:16:39.69
And He kind of,
there's this weird line here,
00:16:39.73\00:16:42.40
that's in the
next verse that says,
00:16:42.43\00:16:45.00
"But He needed to
go through Samaria."
00:16:45.03\00:16:48.07
Now, for those of
you who are aware,
00:16:48.10\00:16:50.74
there's not a whole lot
of good warm fuzzy feelings
00:16:50.77\00:16:53.54
between the
Samaritans and the Jews.
00:16:53.58\00:16:55.94
There just aren't, all right?
00:16:55.98\00:16:57.58
If someone told a Jew
00:16:57.61\00:17:00.72
that we need to
go through Samaria,
00:17:00.75\00:17:02.38
their response
would pretty much be,
00:17:02.42\00:17:03.89
"Uh, the gross."
00:17:03.92\00:17:06.22
They have cooties,
00:17:06.25\00:17:08.36
their noses are
shaped the wrong way
00:17:08.39\00:17:10.99
and they're certainly not
deserving of eternal life.
00:17:11.03\00:17:15.36
And yet Jesus, it says,
"Needs to go through Samaria."
00:17:15.40\00:17:20.17
Why?
00:17:20.20\00:17:21.70
Because there's a
wounded woman there,
00:17:21.74\00:17:23.84
and the kingdom of
heaven does not discriminate,
00:17:23.87\00:17:25.94
even though the
people of God do.
00:17:25.97\00:17:29.48
Jesus shows up to this well
00:17:29.51\00:17:31.15
to meet this
woman and it's this,
00:17:31.18\00:17:33.65
really perplexing
interaction to her
00:17:33.68\00:17:35.22
because Jesus
doesn't come in here,
00:17:35.25\00:17:38.52
guns blazing, and say, you know,
00:17:38.55\00:17:39.89
"What's with all
these husbands, woman?
00:17:39.92\00:17:41.72
I can't baptize you
00:17:41.76\00:17:43.09
if you're gonna keep
messing around with these men."
00:17:43.12\00:17:44.46
Jesus doesn't do that with her.
00:17:44.49\00:17:46.46
In fact, the way which Jesus
00:17:46.49\00:17:48.06
embarks upon this
process of healing this woman
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.60
is by being vulnerable with her,
00:17:50.63\00:17:53.17
and asking her to help
Him with His own needs.
00:17:53.20\00:17:57.64
And He asked her,
"Would you give me some water?"
00:17:57.67\00:18:01.51
She can't believe it.
00:18:01.54\00:18:02.88
She says,
00:18:02.91\00:18:04.25
"What are you, a Jew,
00:18:04.28\00:18:05.61
coming and doing talking
to me, a Samaritan woman?"
00:18:05.65\00:18:09.42
Jesus begins to tell her
that what He has to offer her
00:18:09.45\00:18:11.99
is vastly better than the
water she's coming here for.
00:18:12.02\00:18:14.36
Now what hour of day
00:18:14.39\00:18:15.72
is this woman coming
to this well, by the way?
00:18:15.76\00:18:18.56
High noon, it's blazing hot,
00:18:18.59\00:18:21.43
no one in their right mind
is gonna show up to this well,
00:18:21.46\00:18:24.23
this hour of day, and
that's why she is there.
00:18:24.27\00:18:26.74
Her water pot is her
means of escape from reality,
00:18:26.77\00:18:30.57
from the pain that
she's feeling in her life.
00:18:30.61\00:18:32.81
This is where she goes to
get away from all the stuff
00:18:32.84\00:18:34.94
that is tearing her up
inside, till she gets away.
00:18:34.98\00:18:38.95
And Jesus tells her,
00:18:38.98\00:18:40.32
"The water that
I have to offer you
00:18:40.35\00:18:41.78
is far better
than what you're doing
00:18:41.82\00:18:43.28
and what you're taking here."
00:18:43.32\00:18:45.42
And He starts to get
her attention and she says,
00:18:45.45\00:18:47.19
"Sir, I want this water.
00:18:47.22\00:18:51.16
I want what it is
that you have to offer."
00:18:51.19\00:18:53.43
She's finally willing to accept
the water of life from Jesus.
00:18:53.46\00:18:57.93
And then Jesus goes in.
00:18:57.97\00:19:01.77
He doesn't ask
her, "Get a glass.
00:19:01.80\00:19:03.51
Grab a pitcher.
Head to the fridge."
00:19:03.54\00:19:05.07
You know what He asked her?
00:19:05.11\00:19:06.78
He says, "Go,
call your husband."
00:19:06.81\00:19:09.71
Shots fired, right?
00:19:09.74\00:19:13.08
And this woman doesn't
know what to do with herself
00:19:13.11\00:19:14.88
and she kind of startles
00:19:14.92\00:19:16.25
and kind of
stammers a little bit,
00:19:16.28\00:19:17.62
she's, "Well, I
don't have a husband."
00:19:17.65\00:19:19.55
And He says, "I know.
You've had five husbands.
00:19:19.59\00:19:23.36
And the guy you're shacking up
with now is not your husband."
00:19:23.39\00:19:26.93
He reads this woman like a book,
00:19:26.96\00:19:29.63
and yet He still loves
her, and He's still with her,
00:19:29.66\00:19:33.03
and she doesn't know
what to do with this.
00:19:33.07\00:19:35.40
Now the way that she tries
to get herself off the hook
00:19:35.44\00:19:37.97
is she tries to
change the topic,
00:19:38.01\00:19:39.47
you ever do that?
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.58
Mom and Dad put their
finger on the real issue at hand
00:19:41.61\00:19:43.61
and you're just not going
to deal with that right now,
00:19:43.65\00:19:45.75
and so you ask about
anything you can find.
00:19:45.78\00:19:47.95
Well, the way that
she changed the topic
00:19:47.98\00:19:49.38
is by doing something that
00:19:49.42\00:19:51.55
is really easy
to do in our church,
00:19:51.59\00:19:53.32
instead of healing
our own brokenness,
00:19:53.36\00:19:55.12
we start getting addicted
to religious controversy.
00:19:55.16\00:19:57.83
So what she does is she says,
00:19:57.86\00:20:00.56
"Well, you know, you Jews say
00:20:00.60\00:20:02.30
that we have to worship
on this mountain and but..."
00:20:02.33\00:20:04.33
And she starts running
into religious controversy.
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.90
She could have
just easily asked Him,
00:20:06.94\00:20:08.64
"So what are your
thoughts on women's ordination?
00:20:08.67\00:20:11.37
What are your thoughts
on the nature of Christ?"
00:20:11.41\00:20:13.64
Right?
00:20:13.68\00:20:15.01
"What do you think
about the lunar Sabbath?"
00:20:15.04\00:20:16.38
Or whatever, she could go
to any controversy she wants,
00:20:16.41\00:20:18.91
but here's the point, beloved.
00:20:18.95\00:20:21.05
Her first means of
escape from the pain
00:20:21.08\00:20:22.95
she's feeling in her
life is her water pot.
00:20:22.98\00:20:24.69
But the second is the
one where it starts to get
00:20:24.72\00:20:26.65
itchy for some of us,
religious controversy.
00:20:26.69\00:20:30.49
Now I'm not gonna go
in on this, I love to,
00:20:30.53\00:20:32.19
especially at academies,
00:20:32.23\00:20:33.56
but I'm gonna be friendly today.
00:20:33.60\00:20:36.73
We need to be careful
with this stuff, yeah?
00:20:36.77\00:20:40.04
There are people
who are, be nice,
00:20:40.07\00:20:45.57
there are those within our ranks
00:20:45.61\00:20:46.94
who are finding their identity
by winning arguments with folks
00:20:46.98\00:20:50.21
about stuff that really
doesn't matter all that much
00:20:50.25\00:20:52.55
in the scheme of
the plan of salvation.
00:20:52.58\00:20:55.88
There are
components of our doctrines
00:20:55.92\00:20:57.69
that are under dispute
00:20:57.72\00:20:59.05
the aren't super, super
clear, not black and white,
00:20:59.09\00:21:01.99
and we need to
study these things out
00:21:02.02\00:21:03.36
and come up
with our conclusions,
00:21:03.39\00:21:04.73
but the spirit in
which we have those dialogues
00:21:04.76\00:21:06.23
is everything.
00:21:06.26\00:21:07.60
And if you're just
looking to argue with people,
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.47
don't bother.
00:21:10.50\00:21:12.63
Young people are
leaving our church
00:21:12.67\00:21:14.50
because of this foolishness
00:21:14.54\00:21:15.90
and I speak
this from experience.
00:21:15.94\00:21:18.57
Not my experience,
00:21:18.61\00:21:19.94
but having to
counsel tons of young people,
00:21:19.97\00:21:22.11
they're sick of this.
00:21:22.14\00:21:23.95
They get it, and we
can't keep going there.
00:21:23.98\00:21:26.68
Amen.
00:21:26.72\00:21:28.05
People are
finding their identities
00:21:28.08\00:21:29.42
by being
cannibals on chat forums.
00:21:29.45\00:21:32.42
We're supposed
to be vegetarians.
00:21:32.45\00:21:35.72
We don't eat meat, or
people, or fellow Adventists.
00:21:35.76\00:21:39.13
Amen. Amen.
00:21:39.16\00:21:40.70
I'll leave it at that
00:21:40.73\00:21:42.06
but religious
controversy was the second thing
00:21:42.10\00:21:43.57
that she ran to,
but what I love about
00:21:43.60\00:21:45.43
this story is this woman,
00:21:45.47\00:21:47.37
she leaves her
water pot with Jesus.
00:21:47.40\00:21:51.74
When Jesus heals
her of her heart wounds,
00:21:51.77\00:21:54.08
she doesn't need
the water pot anymore,
00:21:54.11\00:21:55.78
she doesn't need
religious controversy anymore,
00:21:55.81\00:21:57.98
and the immediate
instinct she has is to run home
00:21:58.01\00:22:00.28
and tell
everybody that she can find,
00:22:00.32\00:22:02.22
that this man
knows everything about me
00:22:02.25\00:22:04.45
and He loves me anyway.
00:22:04.49\00:22:07.06
She doesn't need
a church training.
00:22:07.09\00:22:09.06
She doesn't need to be scared
00:22:09.09\00:22:10.43
into doing
evangelism at a local church.
00:22:10.46\00:22:12.29
When people find healing
of their genuine heart wounds,
00:22:12.33\00:22:15.63
you can't keep them quiet.
00:22:15.66\00:22:18.43
You want our church to
be active in evangelism?
00:22:18.47\00:22:21.14
Let's find healing.
00:22:21.17\00:22:23.14
'Cause to be honest with you,
even if we brought people in,
00:22:23.17\00:22:25.21
we're gonna hurt them
because we got issues.
00:22:25.24\00:22:28.78
We need healing.
00:22:28.81\00:22:30.35
We need to see
ourselves as we truly are.
00:22:30.38\00:22:32.85
We desperately
need Jesus, all of us.
00:22:32.88\00:22:36.62
But this woman when she
found healing from Jesus,
00:22:36.65\00:22:39.45
she left that water pot with Him
00:22:39.49\00:22:40.96
and she went on her way.
00:22:40.99\00:22:42.82
Jesus is asking you
today, "Leave that thing here.
00:22:42.86\00:22:46.73
Leave that water pot,
you don't need it anymore.
00:22:46.76\00:22:50.47
I can give you what you need."
00:22:50.50\00:22:51.83
So that's the first two stories.
00:22:51.87\00:22:53.20
Now, what I really
wanted to cover this morning
00:22:53.23\00:22:55.27
wasn't actually those.
00:22:55.30\00:22:56.64
I just think it's
a helpful preface.
00:22:56.67\00:22:58.01
What I want to do
now is walk through
00:22:58.04\00:22:59.77
the story of the life of Jesus.
00:22:59.81\00:23:02.74
What are the things
that Paul Coneff points out
00:23:02.78\00:23:04.41
in his book
00:23:04.45\00:23:05.78
and in his ministry in general?
00:23:05.81\00:23:07.15
I'll give you a
little bit of background.
00:23:07.18\00:23:08.78
A year ago,
just over a year ago,
00:23:08.82\00:23:11.39
at the end of
February last year,
00:23:11.42\00:23:13.32
I've been told
by a friend of mine
00:23:13.36\00:23:14.69
in the summer of 2014
00:23:14.72\00:23:16.32
that I needed to
read Paul's book,
00:23:16.36\00:23:17.69
and I was like,
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.06
You know, other
people have wounds
00:23:19.09\00:23:20.43
and that's for them
00:23:20.46\00:23:21.80
and I thought about
even reading the book
00:23:21.83\00:23:23.16
for their sake, not for mine,
00:23:23.20\00:23:24.53
because I thought
other people had problems.
00:23:24.57\00:23:26.23
Yeah, that's why I'm in ministry
00:23:26.27\00:23:27.60
because I don't have problems,
everybody else has problems,
00:23:27.64\00:23:29.14
that's why I'm in ministry to
help them with their problems.
00:23:29.17\00:23:31.94
And I told people for
years that no side effects,
00:23:31.97\00:23:37.55
no harmful effects came from
what happened to me as a kid.
00:23:37.58\00:23:40.88
I was just sure of this
00:23:40.92\00:23:42.25
because I never cried
myself to sleep, right?
00:23:42.28\00:23:44.72
I never had any of those issues,
00:23:44.75\00:23:46.32
but I was
controlling, I was mean, right?
00:23:46.35\00:23:49.69
I was always
right about everything.
00:23:49.72\00:23:51.46
I didn't ride roller coasters,
I didn't do unsafe things
00:23:51.49\00:23:53.83
because I wanted to be
in control and feel safe,
00:23:53.86\00:23:57.80
because of what I went through.
00:23:57.83\00:24:00.20
And because of what I saw.
00:24:00.24\00:24:02.77
But what Paul did, so anyway,
I didn't read Paul's book,
00:24:02.80\00:24:05.87
I didn't buy it
and God in His mercy,
00:24:05.91\00:24:08.04
Ellen White talks about this,
when we don't deal with things
00:24:08.08\00:24:10.21
as God wants us to,
you know what happens?
00:24:10.25\00:24:13.31
It comes back around.
00:24:13.35\00:24:15.68
And it'll come back
around again if it needs to,
00:24:15.72\00:24:18.29
and if that doesn't
work, guess what happens?
00:24:18.32\00:24:19.99
It comes back
around. You know why?
00:24:20.02\00:24:21.92
Because Jesus needs to go
through Samaria, that's why.
00:24:21.96\00:24:26.46
He's going to find us
00:24:26.49\00:24:27.83
in God forsaken
lands to remind us
00:24:27.86\00:24:29.36
that we need Jesus
and so Jesus in His mercy,
00:24:29.40\00:24:33.77
sends Paul Coneff to
my kitchen a year ago.
00:24:33.80\00:24:37.44
My friend does
website stuff for him
00:24:37.47\00:24:38.97
and slides and things for him,
00:24:39.01\00:24:40.58
and he said, "Hey,
Paul's coming to 3ABN."
00:24:40.61\00:24:41.94
I said, "Have
that guy come over,
00:24:41.98\00:24:43.31
and that would be great."
00:24:43.35\00:24:44.68
'Cause I thought I knew
what this stuff was about.
00:24:44.71\00:24:46.05
And then Paul starts
running through his stuff,
00:24:46.08\00:24:48.88
I'm someone who's read the Bible
00:24:48.92\00:24:50.25
from cover to
cover like nine times
00:24:50.29\00:24:51.99
and so I have a
basic understanding
00:24:52.02\00:24:53.92
of what's
happening in scripture.
00:24:53.96\00:24:55.29
Not a really, really good one.
00:24:55.32\00:24:56.66
I'm not claiming
that, but just, generally,
00:24:56.69\00:24:58.03
when I hear stuff,
I kind of have an idea
00:24:58.06\00:24:59.39
of where someone's
going with something.
00:24:59.43\00:25:01.53
But what he did with the
life of Jesus blew my mind.
00:25:01.56\00:25:05.20
I had never thought
of Jesus this way at all.
00:25:05.23\00:25:08.40
And in the moment, I
knew, he said something.
00:25:08.44\00:25:11.41
He said that,
"Everyone's addictions
00:25:11.44\00:25:12.77
that we're feeling in our lives
00:25:12.81\00:25:14.14
are us trying to numb pain
that we're contending with."
00:25:14.18\00:25:17.98
And in a moment, I knew that
00:25:18.01\00:25:19.51
whatever this
guy's talking about,
00:25:19.55\00:25:20.92
is what I've been
looking for my whole life.
00:25:20.95\00:25:22.65
I don't know what it is,
I don't know how it works,
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.42
but I want to know more
00:25:24.45\00:25:26.12
and we're getting ready
to the General Conference
00:25:26.15\00:25:28.19
and have some ASI meetings
00:25:28.22\00:25:29.56
and meet with General
Conference departments
00:25:29.59\00:25:30.93
and stuff, Mark and I were,
00:25:30.96\00:25:32.46
and I was started listening
to Paul's videos on YouTube,
00:25:32.49\00:25:35.33
and I kid you not, it was like,
00:25:35.36\00:25:36.73
someone yanked
back the shower curtain,
00:25:36.77\00:25:38.33
and I saw a deed that
I didn't know existed.
00:25:38.37\00:25:40.77
For the first time in my
life, I saw who I really was,
00:25:40.80\00:25:43.41
not who I thought I was.
00:25:43.44\00:25:45.54
And I came to better understand
00:25:45.57\00:25:46.91
how I was hurting
the people around me.
00:25:46.94\00:25:50.05
And I realized I need healing.
00:25:50.08\00:25:52.41
God loves us enough
to tell us the truth,
00:25:52.45\00:25:54.12
not to discourage us, to
cleanse us, to set us free.
00:25:54.15\00:25:59.89
And so then I read Paul's
book and it helped even more,
00:25:59.92\00:26:02.09
but what I'm about
to cover now is what,
00:26:02.12\00:26:05.06
some of the
things that he brings out
00:26:05.09\00:26:06.43
and how Jesus literally
did suffer in all points
00:26:06.46\00:26:08.53
as we have, and
yet was without sin.
00:26:08.56\00:26:10.40
That's gonna blow your mind.
00:26:10.43\00:26:12.53
First thing, Matthew 1,
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.04
"Jesus was conceived out
of wedlock, " in verse 18.
00:26:14.07\00:26:16.60
By the way, I'm
gonna give a handout
00:26:16.64\00:26:18.61
to Selestine to
email to the church.
00:26:18.64\00:26:20.68
People take pictures
and stuff of the slides
00:26:20.71\00:26:22.74
and try to write
really fast, just sit back,
00:26:22.78\00:26:25.51
and enjoy the ride, I'll
send you the notes, okay?
00:26:25.55\00:26:27.88
Just so you can better
absorb what's being shared
00:26:27.92\00:26:29.62
and you don't lose
anything along the way.
00:26:29.65\00:26:32.29
"Jesus was
conceived out of wedlock."
00:26:32.32\00:26:33.96
Now for my parents, in 1985,
this was a scandalous thing,
00:26:33.99\00:26:36.86
growing up in
Southern Baptist circles,
00:26:36.89\00:26:38.23
for my mom to be pregnant
before she married this guy.
00:26:38.26\00:26:40.73
It's a really big deal, right?
00:26:40.76\00:26:42.20
Causes shame,
00:26:42.23\00:26:43.57
it causes
difficulty in those circles.
00:26:43.60\00:26:45.60
Yep, but imagine
in Jesus' day, right?
00:26:45.63\00:26:48.27
There is this, this
jab that the Pharisees
00:26:48.30\00:26:50.77
and Sadducees
have towards Jesus.
00:26:50.81\00:26:52.14
I think it's in John
6 or 7, where they say,
00:26:52.17\00:26:54.94
"We know who our father
is," referring to Abraham,
00:26:54.98\00:26:57.85
and, you know, what
they're really doing?
00:26:57.88\00:26:59.35
They're taking a jab at Jesus
00:26:59.38\00:27:00.78
with his
ambiguous earthly father.
00:27:00.82\00:27:03.59
And Jesus is
conceived out of wedlock,
00:27:03.62\00:27:07.56
and even Joseph,
00:27:07.59\00:27:08.92
a righteous man
wrestles with this.
00:27:08.96\00:27:11.96
He's gonna put Mary away quietly
00:27:11.99\00:27:13.50
'cause he doesn't just
know how to handle this.
00:27:13.53\00:27:14.96
Thankfully, an
angel intervenes. Amen.
00:27:15.00\00:27:17.53
But just imagine
being in Mary's shoes.
00:27:17.57\00:27:20.74
Holy Spirit,
huh? What's his name?
00:27:20.77\00:27:26.47
This is what she
has to go through.
00:27:26.51\00:27:28.04
No one in the world
will understand this woman
00:27:28.08\00:27:29.74
and what she's going through.
00:27:29.78\00:27:31.11
Thankfully, God intervened,
00:27:31.15\00:27:32.51
but Jesus
already has this as life,
00:27:32.55\00:27:34.95
so Jesus went through
this to be able to sympathize
00:27:34.98\00:27:37.55
with my parents
when they went there.
00:27:37.59\00:27:38.92
Now is that sanctioning
sex outside of marriage?
00:27:38.95\00:27:41.69
Of course not, but He knows
what their woundedness is like.
00:27:41.72\00:27:45.29
You understand the difference?
00:27:45.33\00:27:47.96
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
00:27:48.00\00:27:49.33
how many people are in this room
00:27:49.36\00:27:50.70
who are the children of pastors,
00:27:50.73\00:27:52.07
elders, teachers
in a church school?
00:27:52.10\00:27:54.74
How many people are
pastors' kids, elders' kids,
00:27:54.77\00:27:58.34
children of school teachers?
00:27:58.37\00:28:01.18
Yeah, you had to go through
a lot of pressure, don't you?
00:28:01.21\00:28:03.35
As a child in
those environments.
00:28:03.38\00:28:05.21
Because it's
assumed that you had to be
00:28:05.25\00:28:08.08
who people expect you
to be, not who you are.
00:28:08.12\00:28:13.36
There's this yoke of identity
that's thrown on you for a call
00:28:13.39\00:28:16.56
that you never asked for.
00:28:16.59\00:28:18.83
Dad asked to be a pastor,
00:28:18.86\00:28:20.53
God called Dad to
be a pastor, not me.
00:28:20.56\00:28:23.63
And I'm
counseling pastors' kids,
00:28:23.67\00:28:26.40
one of them is a
famous TV preacher,
00:28:26.43\00:28:27.77
not someone from 3ABN,
00:28:27.80\00:28:29.14
and these kids are going through
00:28:29.17\00:28:31.37
so much
difficulty with identity,
00:28:31.41\00:28:33.51
with having to be
perfect in front of everybody,
00:28:33.54\00:28:35.64
that they can't
fall or fail in anything
00:28:35.68\00:28:37.41
because then Dad's
gonna hear about it.
00:28:37.45\00:28:39.05
Mom's gonna hear about it.
00:28:39.08\00:28:40.48
It's crippling the yoke
that they're contending with.
00:28:40.52\00:28:44.79
Imagine Jesus.
00:28:44.82\00:28:47.56
He's the Son of God.
00:28:47.59\00:28:50.73
If He sins or stumbles
in word, thought, or deed,
00:28:50.76\00:28:54.00
the entire plan
of salvation is over,
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.56
and He will never
see the Father again.
00:28:56.60\00:28:59.20
You think Jesus knows anything
about pastors' kids syndrome?
00:28:59.23\00:29:01.94
100%. You know why?
00:29:01.97\00:29:04.14
Because you go through
it, He did that for you.
00:29:04.17\00:29:07.08
He went through that for you.
00:29:07.11\00:29:09.38
In Isaiah 52:14, it says that,
00:29:09.41\00:29:11.71
"He was beaten beyond
the point of recognition."
00:29:11.75\00:29:16.92
This man is
acquainted with being beaten
00:29:16.95\00:29:18.95
and physically assaulted.
00:29:18.99\00:29:20.32
Anyone here that's been
hurt by somebody like that?
00:29:20.36\00:29:22.72
Jesus understands.
00:29:22.76\00:29:24.09
You know why He
went through this?
00:29:24.13\00:29:25.46
To be able to
sympathize and comfort my mother
00:29:25.49\00:29:28.20
who was beaten beyond
the point of recognition.
00:29:28.23\00:29:33.07
He did that for
her. He did it for you.
00:29:33.10\00:29:36.40
Isaiah 53, "He felt
totally unattractive."
00:29:36.44\00:29:39.94
There's nothing about
the appearance of Jesus
00:29:39.97\00:29:41.84
that's going to
draw us to Him, nothing.
00:29:41.88\00:29:44.01
Through the movies,
you get it all wrong.
00:29:44.05\00:29:47.52
If you wrestle with
inadequacy in your appearance,
00:29:47.55\00:29:49.45
feel like
you're not good enough,
00:29:49.48\00:29:51.05
Jesus is acquainted.
00:29:51.09\00:29:53.25
"He was despised and
rejected by men," verse 3.
00:29:53.29\00:29:56.96
You've ever had to
deal with rejection?
00:29:56.99\00:29:59.09
It is crippling. It's awful.
00:29:59.13\00:30:03.30
He was acquainted with grief.
00:30:03.33\00:30:04.67
Jesus did not have an
easy life for 331/2 years
00:30:04.70\00:30:07.44
and the last
couple of weeks were bad,
00:30:07.47\00:30:09.34
His whole life was filled with
hardship, read Desire of Ages.
00:30:09.37\00:30:12.57
Even His
childhood was difficult.
00:30:12.61\00:30:14.81
Sin bothered Jesus,
really bothered Him.
00:30:14.84\00:30:17.88
Selfishness really bothered Him.
00:30:17.91\00:30:20.92
In His grief, people
hid their faces from Him,
00:30:20.95\00:30:23.65
and He was despised
and no one esteemed Him.
00:30:23.69\00:30:26.09
You ever had
those moments of need
00:30:26.12\00:30:27.96
and when you're
just dying for someone
00:30:27.99\00:30:29.66
to be there for you,
there's no one to be found?
00:30:29.69\00:30:31.96
Even get rejection
00:30:31.99\00:30:33.33
and being despised
in the midst of that?
00:30:33.36\00:30:34.90
Jesus is acquainted with that.
00:30:34.93\00:30:37.87
He was tempted to feel
alone in His grief just for you
00:30:37.90\00:30:40.87
'cause there are times
00:30:40.90\00:30:42.24
when you feel
alone in your grief.
00:30:42.27\00:30:43.61
"He was overwhelmed
with sorrow and grief."
00:30:47.58\00:30:50.15
You've ever been there
00:30:50.18\00:30:51.51
where you're just
thinking to yourself,
00:30:51.55\00:30:52.88
"God, I don't know how
much more of this I can handle."
00:30:52.91\00:30:55.28
Is this thing
over soon? I hope so.
00:30:55.32\00:30:57.32
I just can't keep
going. I just can't.
00:30:57.35\00:31:01.06
Jesus has been there.
00:31:01.09\00:31:03.19
He felt stricken and
smitten by God and afflicted.
00:31:03.22\00:31:05.69
Did you ever
felt like every fire
00:31:05.73\00:31:07.06
we dart from heaven is
coming in your direction?
00:31:07.10\00:31:10.47
Jesus knows what that's like.
00:31:10.50\00:31:14.24
He was wounded,
bruised, chastised again,
00:31:14.27\00:31:16.40
and received many
stripes unjustly, of course.
00:31:16.44\00:31:21.28
He took abuse and
was quiet about it.
00:31:21.31\00:31:22.88
Maybe somebody in this room
00:31:22.91\00:31:24.25
has been physically
assaulted by someone
00:31:24.28\00:31:25.61
and they were even
threatened and told,
00:31:25.65\00:31:27.25
"If you tell
anybody, I'm coming for Mom.
00:31:27.28\00:31:30.25
You tell anyone, I'm
coming back for you."
00:31:30.29\00:31:32.69
So my mom got,
thankfully, the cops intervened.
00:31:32.72\00:31:35.29
If you've ever been there,
00:31:35.32\00:31:36.66
Jesus took abuse
and was quiet about it.
00:31:36.69\00:31:38.09
To be able to resonate
and sympathize with you.
00:31:38.13\00:31:41.10
He's been in
prison, and in court,
00:31:41.13\00:31:42.56
He was found guilty for
things that He never did.
00:31:42.60\00:31:45.67
Did you ever to deal with
false accusation for something
00:31:45.70\00:31:47.80
that you never ever did?
00:31:47.84\00:31:49.87
Not only just meaning like
you didn't take the trash out,
00:31:49.90\00:31:51.67
mom got on to you for
it and you got grounded.
00:31:51.71\00:31:53.68
I mean, heavy stuff
and you got nailed for it
00:31:53.71\00:31:55.78
and nobody would
believe you that I didn't do it.
00:31:55.81\00:31:59.88
Jesus went
through that, for you.
00:31:59.91\00:32:02.22
These people had been
in prison for 35 years
00:32:02.25\00:32:04.15
only to be found out
that they didn't do it.
00:32:04.19\00:32:06.99
All they do is open
the door and tell them,
00:32:07.02\00:32:09.02
"Good luck" to
reintegrate into society.
00:32:09.06\00:32:10.63
It's an awful, awful process.
00:32:10.66\00:32:12.69
Most of these folks don't
know how to handle freedom.
00:32:12.73\00:32:15.23
They've been so
controlled for 30 years,
00:32:15.26\00:32:17.57
they're safer on the inside than
00:32:17.60\00:32:18.93
they are on the outside
in their spiritual lives
00:32:18.97\00:32:20.94
because they don't
know how to handle freedom.
00:32:20.97\00:32:24.44
Jesus was falsely
accused for their sakes.
00:32:24.47\00:32:27.34
He died
childless, was never married.
00:32:27.38\00:32:30.38
He died for things again
that He was totally innocent of.
00:32:30.41\00:32:34.78
Psalm 22, "He
felt forsaken of God
00:32:34.82\00:32:37.39
and that God wasn't helping
Him or hearing His prayers."
00:32:37.42\00:32:40.26
Who hasn't been there, right?
00:32:40.29\00:32:41.86
We talked about
that the last time.
00:32:41.89\00:32:43.73
The silence of
God, that you feel that
00:32:43.76\00:32:47.20
when you pray to God,
00:32:47.23\00:32:48.56
it's as if your
prayers has hit the ceiling
00:32:48.60\00:32:50.07
and laugh at you on
their way back down,
00:32:50.10\00:32:51.70
have you ever been there?
00:32:51.73\00:32:53.34
Jesus felt smitten
and afflicted by God
00:32:53.37\00:32:56.27
and that His prayers
were not being heard.
00:32:56.30\00:32:59.41
He prayed three
times for the same thing
00:32:59.44\00:33:01.21
because He wasn't
getting the answer
00:33:01.24\00:33:02.71
that He was
wanting, you ever been there?
00:33:02.74\00:33:04.38
Just wrestling
persistently with Jesus?
00:33:04.41\00:33:06.82
He remembered that
other people received help
00:33:10.09\00:33:11.72
when they
prayed, but that moment,
00:33:11.75\00:33:13.49
He wasn't feeling
like He received help
00:33:13.52\00:33:15.02
or was being heard,
you ever been there?
00:33:15.06\00:33:17.33
Have you ever had it where
testimonies are just crippling
00:33:17.36\00:33:19.93
and painful to you?
00:33:19.96\00:33:22.10
Everybody else has
got testimonies about
00:33:22.13\00:33:23.67
the faithfulness in God
in their life, when I pray,
00:33:23.70\00:33:25.60
I get cricket sounds.
00:33:25.63\00:33:28.34
I get nothing to my
prayers, you ever felt that way?
00:33:28.37\00:33:32.27
Says in Psalms 22 that
Jesus is acquainted with this.
00:33:32.31\00:33:35.81
"He was despised by
people and was ridiculed
00:33:35.84\00:33:39.01
and people mocked Him
for being a child of God."
00:33:39.05\00:33:42.68
You ever had to deal
with just flat out persecution
00:33:42.72\00:33:44.82
and hardship, just for
wanting to follow Jesus?
00:33:44.85\00:33:48.32
Jesus was ridiculed
for being a child of God,
00:33:48.36\00:33:52.76
just for you.
00:33:52.79\00:33:54.13
"He felt totally
exhausted and empty
00:33:54.16\00:33:55.80
because of all that
He was going through
00:33:55.83\00:33:57.23
and He had no strength left."
00:33:57.27\00:33:58.90
Again, Jesus, I have
nothing left to give.
00:33:58.93\00:34:02.07
How much longer is
this gonna go on, really?
00:34:02.10\00:34:05.84
He went through that for you.
00:34:05.87\00:34:08.88
Jesus didn't have to
go through these things.
00:34:08.91\00:34:11.78
Right, like the
plan of salvation
00:34:11.81\00:34:13.55
could have been
achieved by this man
00:34:13.58\00:34:14.98
walking into the temple
00:34:15.02\00:34:16.35
and being
offered as a sacrifice,
00:34:16.38\00:34:17.95
and yet Jesus
chooses to suffer like you.
00:34:17.99\00:34:22.66
To be your perfectly
sympathetic high priest,
00:34:22.69\00:34:24.83
He went through that for
you. His life was not easy.
00:34:24.86\00:34:29.36
"He was stripped of His clothing
00:34:29.40\00:34:30.80
and cried out to God for help."
00:34:30.83\00:34:32.50
Jesus was not sexually abused,
00:34:32.53\00:34:34.50
but He went through
something very similar
00:34:34.54\00:34:36.14
to sympathize with people
00:34:36.17\00:34:37.51
who were sexually abused.
00:34:37.54\00:34:40.28
You've even been
assaulted by somebody?
00:34:40.31\00:34:41.88
Stripped of your clothing
and cried out to God for help?
00:34:41.91\00:34:44.25
Jesus went through this for you,
00:34:44.28\00:34:47.35
to heal you, to provide for you
in those moments of darkness.
00:34:47.38\00:34:52.89
He came to see that He was heard
00:34:52.92\00:34:54.56
and that God did not
hide His face from Him
00:34:54.59\00:34:56.32
and was filled with praise
00:34:56.36\00:34:57.69
and I believe we can
have that same experience.
00:34:57.73\00:34:59.16
Amen.
00:34:59.19\00:35:01.13
Matthew 2.
00:35:01.16\00:35:02.50
He was a refugee and
had to flee His homeland
00:35:02.53\00:35:04.27
because of political
problems and violence.
00:35:04.30\00:35:06.37
I'm not going to get
political this morning,
00:35:06.40\00:35:07.97
but I sure hope you're
not gonna get political.
00:35:08.00\00:35:11.21
Our position on this
topic of people being displaced
00:35:11.24\00:35:14.14
because of violence and politics
00:35:14.18\00:35:16.48
should only come
from the word of God.
00:35:16.51\00:35:18.28
Amen.
00:35:18.31\00:35:19.68
There are people in our ranks
00:35:19.71\00:35:21.05
that are drinking
political kool-aid
00:35:21.08\00:35:22.42
from the right and the left,
00:35:22.45\00:35:23.79
that is not what
Jesus is asking of you.
00:35:23.82\00:35:25.95
Matthew 25 is not asking
what CNN or Fox News says.
00:35:25.99\00:35:29.72
Matthew 25 is asking
you to be fair for people
00:35:29.76\00:35:33.26
when they have needs.
00:35:33.29\00:35:34.63
That's all it says.
00:35:34.66\00:35:36.77
What would Jesus
ask you to do now?
00:35:36.80\00:35:38.77
What are they asking you to do?
00:35:38.80\00:35:40.14
Politics is
rampant in the church
00:35:40.17\00:35:41.50
and out of the church.
00:35:41.54\00:35:42.87
Don't let them make
up your mind for you.
00:35:42.90\00:35:44.34
Think for yourselves. Amen.
00:35:44.37\00:35:46.74
Jesus is asking all of you
to be Biblical and that's it.
00:35:46.78\00:35:50.91
That's it.
00:35:50.95\00:35:52.78
You don't owe them anything,
but you owe Jesus everything.
00:35:52.81\00:35:56.42
Matthew 4, He was
tempted to doubt His identity
00:35:56.45\00:35:59.05
as a Son of God again.
00:35:59.09\00:36:01.62
This is where it starts.
00:36:01.66\00:36:02.99
This is where the airplane lands
00:36:03.02\00:36:04.36
in your living room.
00:36:04.39\00:36:05.73
He was tempted to
provide for His own needs
00:36:05.76\00:36:07.10
instead of trusting
God to provide for Him,
00:36:07.13\00:36:08.83
you've ever been there?
00:36:08.86\00:36:10.20
Had a situation like King Saul
waiting on Samuel to show up.
00:36:10.23\00:36:13.00
Samuel doesn't show up,
00:36:13.03\00:36:14.37
so He offered his own sacrifice,
00:36:14.40\00:36:15.74
it's okay, it's
a religious thing.
00:36:15.77\00:36:17.11
God didn't show
up on my timeline,
00:36:17.14\00:36:18.47
so you've ever been there?
00:36:18.51\00:36:19.84
You've tried to
fulfill the promises
00:36:19.87\00:36:21.21
of God for yourself
00:36:21.24\00:36:22.58
because God doesn't show up.
00:36:22.61\00:36:23.95
He made the promise,
but He must have forgotten
00:36:23.98\00:36:25.45
that He made the promise,
so I better fulfill it for Him,
00:36:25.48\00:36:27.62
you ever been there?
00:36:27.65\00:36:28.98
We'll be real with
ourselves this morning.
00:36:29.02\00:36:31.05
Jesus was tempted to do so.
00:36:31.09\00:36:33.29
Thankfully, He
succeeded so that we can succeed
00:36:33.32\00:36:35.16
in His strength.
00:36:35.19\00:36:36.52
He was tempted to cover
Himself with food when stressed.
00:36:36.56\00:36:40.10
Watch out now.
00:36:40.13\00:36:42.26
Don't ask me about
00:36:42.30\00:36:43.63
cinnamon crunch
bagels from Panera.
00:36:43.67\00:36:45.00
I don't want to go
there this morning, all right?
00:36:45.03\00:36:47.90
Jesus was tempted to
comfort Himself with food
00:36:47.94\00:36:50.31
because there's many of us that
wrestle in the very same way,
00:36:50.34\00:36:52.57
that we try to
overcome our loneliness,
00:36:52.61\00:36:55.84
our feelings of
rejection, abandonment,
00:36:55.88\00:36:57.78
of feeling
unloved, and we run to food
00:36:57.81\00:36:59.65
to make ourselves feel better.
00:36:59.68\00:37:01.48
Jesus overcame on our behalf.
00:37:01.52\00:37:04.25
I'm really glad that
I can't snap my fingers
00:37:04.29\00:37:06.32
and create a cinnamon
crunch bagel from Panera.
00:37:06.35\00:37:09.16
His temptation was way
harder than mine, all right?
00:37:09.19\00:37:11.19
I had to get in my car
00:37:11.23\00:37:12.56
and drive to
Maryland or Carbondale.
00:37:12.59\00:37:16.20
He was tempted to be driven
by pride and approve His worth.
00:37:16.23\00:37:18.70
Did you ever have
somebody get in your face
00:37:18.73\00:37:20.07
and tell you what you aren't?
00:37:20.10\00:37:22.97
And your first instinct is to
clench your fist and hit back.
00:37:23.00\00:37:27.11
Jesus stood.
Jesus did not retaliate.
00:37:27.14\00:37:31.95
He overcame so that
we can overcome. Amen.
00:37:31.98\00:37:34.75
But He went through this for you
00:37:34.78\00:37:36.12
'cause He knows that
you battle with it too.
00:37:36.15\00:37:38.32
Whether you'll be honest with
yourself this morning or not,
00:37:38.35\00:37:39.92
He knows.
00:37:39.95\00:37:41.29
And that's why He
went through it. Amen.
00:37:41.32\00:37:43.02
He was tempted to do
physical harm to Himself,
00:37:43.06\00:37:45.19
to throw Himself off the temple.
00:37:45.23\00:37:47.20
Anyone here has dealt
with cutting, with burning,
00:37:47.23\00:37:49.16
with attempted suicide?
00:37:49.20\00:37:50.70
Jesus was
tempted to harm Himself,
00:37:50.73\00:37:53.97
to be able to overcome,
so that you can overcome
00:37:54.00\00:37:56.04
when you're
tempted in the same ways.
00:37:56.07\00:37:57.41
Amen. This is serious, man.
00:37:57.44\00:37:59.71
Young people are
really wrestling with this
00:37:59.74\00:38:01.54
all over our country.
00:38:01.58\00:38:03.21
Really wrestling, they
want to be in control mainly,
00:38:03.24\00:38:06.35
have some form of control
00:38:06.38\00:38:07.72
when they've been
deprived and hurt.
00:38:07.75\00:38:09.48
He was tempted to
give up His faith in God
00:38:09.52\00:38:11.45
to receive everything
that this world has to offer.
00:38:11.49\00:38:13.82
Who hasn't been there, right?
00:38:13.86\00:38:16.56
The enemy tries to offer
you the world on a platter.
00:38:16.59\00:38:20.13
All I'm asking for is
just to acknowledge me.
00:38:20.16\00:38:23.40
Let me have the
throne of your heart.
00:38:23.43\00:38:24.90
Matthew 14, "A close friend,
00:38:28.27\00:38:29.74
a relative of his
was brutally murdered."
00:38:29.77\00:38:31.24
Did you ever lose
somebody unjustly?
00:38:31.27\00:38:33.88
Run by a drunk driver?
00:38:33.91\00:38:36.04
Reckless driver?
00:38:36.08\00:38:38.11
Family members are
killed because of gun violence?
00:38:38.15\00:38:40.58
Some other incident?
00:38:40.62\00:38:42.68
Jesus lost a very close friend
and relative of His, unjustly.
00:38:42.72\00:38:46.76
John the Baptist
was beheaded unjustly.
00:38:46.79\00:38:50.46
Mark 3, His own family
thought He was out of His mind.
00:38:50.49\00:38:54.06
You ever been there?
00:38:54.10\00:38:55.50
Adventism cost me something.
00:38:55.53\00:38:59.30
I wasn't born in a
bubble where everyone says,
00:38:59.33\00:39:01.47
"Happy Sabbath,"
and I still don't know
00:39:01.50\00:39:02.84
if vegan cottage cheese loaf is,
00:39:02.87\00:39:04.21
but when they
eat that thing too,
00:39:04.24\00:39:05.57
I wasn't born in
that environment, right?
00:39:05.61\00:39:07.61
Becoming a Seventh Day Adventist
00:39:07.64\00:39:08.98
was hard for me,
00:39:09.01\00:39:10.35
my family still
misunderstands me.
00:39:10.38\00:39:11.85
Thankfully, not my parents,
00:39:11.88\00:39:13.55
but it's a very
difficult thing for me,
00:39:13.58\00:39:15.22
they think I've gone crazy,
they don't know what I'm doing.
00:39:15.25\00:39:17.72
I was homeless,
for goodness sakes.
00:39:17.75\00:39:19.25
I've gone through
financial problems.
00:39:19.29\00:39:20.79
I had someone tell me,
"Just go to college, Dee,
00:39:20.82\00:39:24.03
just make
something of your life."
00:39:24.06\00:39:27.30
I travel the country and
share the gospels, people.
00:39:27.33\00:39:29.23
I'm being told to
make something of my life.
00:39:29.26\00:39:33.37
They've got ways to hurt
00:39:33.40\00:39:34.74
as that nobody
else can, don't they?
00:39:34.77\00:39:37.11
Their knives go
way deeper, way deeper.
00:39:37.14\00:39:41.41
Jesus went through that
just for me, just for you,
00:39:41.44\00:39:43.71
if you've gone
through the same thing.
00:39:43.75\00:39:45.35
John 7, "His own
brothers mocked Him
00:39:45.38\00:39:47.35
and didn't believe in Him."
00:39:47.38\00:39:48.72
You ever have a
family member speak unbelief
00:39:48.75\00:39:50.45
into your experience?
00:39:50.49\00:39:52.32
Cripple you growing up.
00:39:52.35\00:39:55.16
Jesus had brothers
who did that to Him
00:39:55.19\00:39:56.52
and I praise God for the fact
00:39:56.56\00:39:57.89
that James and Jude
are converted, yeah?
00:39:57.93\00:40:00.86
God changed their lives anyway.
00:40:00.90\00:40:04.13
But He still went through it.
00:40:04.17\00:40:05.50
Matthew 26, "He wrestled
00:40:05.53\00:40:06.87
with accepting the
will of God for His life
00:40:06.90\00:40:08.67
and with being willing
to go through His suffering
00:40:08.70\00:40:10.54
as a result."
00:40:10.57\00:40:11.91
You ever have the will of God
look like the most repulsive,
00:40:11.94\00:40:14.44
scary, and unattractive
thing you've ever imagined?
00:40:14.48\00:40:17.78
And yet you know that's exactly
where God wants you to be?
00:40:17.81\00:40:20.68
Jesus knows all about that.
00:40:20.72\00:40:23.12
He begged God three
times to change His mind,
00:40:23.15\00:40:29.59
for you.
00:40:29.62\00:40:31.76
When you wrestle with accepting
the will of God for your life
00:40:31.79\00:40:34.40
because it's just
scary, it's uncertain,
00:40:34.43\00:40:36.06
you don't know what to do.
00:40:36.10\00:40:37.43
Jesus overcame in this
area just for you this morning.
00:40:37.47\00:40:40.54
Just for you.
00:40:40.57\00:40:43.17
He was betrayed
by a close friend.
00:40:43.20\00:40:44.77
Have you ever been
stabbed in the back
00:40:44.81\00:40:46.14
by somebody you just
thought would be there for you?
00:40:46.17\00:40:49.54
Jesus has, just for
you, was betrayed by a kiss.
00:40:49.58\00:40:54.35
Maybe you had a
marriage fall apart
00:40:54.38\00:40:56.02
because someone was unfaithful
in their wedding vows.
00:40:56.05\00:40:58.52
Maybe you yourself have been
unfaithful to your wedding vows
00:40:58.55\00:41:00.96
and lost a
marriage because of that.
00:41:00.99\00:41:02.89
Maybe you've
been betrayed by kids
00:41:02.92\00:41:04.26
because Mom or Dad
cheated on Mom or Dad
00:41:04.29\00:41:06.36
and tore the family apart.
00:41:06.39\00:41:08.63
Jesus was betrayed by a
kiss to be able to sympathize
00:41:08.66\00:41:11.60
and help people who
were betrayed by a kiss.
00:41:11.63\00:41:16.44
He was abandoned by His friends
in His greatest time of need.
00:41:16.47\00:41:18.87
Have you ever
been in that situation?
00:41:18.91\00:41:20.38
You're just sure that
people will be with you
00:41:20.41\00:41:23.35
when the world
falls apart around you,
00:41:23.38\00:41:24.71
whenever that's gonna
happen in your experience
00:41:24.75\00:41:26.65
and you're
sitting in dust, in ashes,
00:41:26.68\00:41:28.58
and you've got
nobody to be found.
00:41:28.62\00:41:31.09
You ever been there?
00:41:31.12\00:41:33.05
He thought they'd
be there, they weren't.
00:41:33.09\00:41:34.86
Peter, James, and John,
00:41:34.89\00:41:36.22
certainly they'll
be there for Jesus.
00:41:36.26\00:41:39.16
Where are they when
He needed them most?
00:41:39.19\00:41:41.63
Sleeping.
00:41:41.66\00:41:46.63
One of His closest
friends lied about Him
00:41:46.67\00:41:48.34
and even denied
that he knew Him.
00:41:48.37\00:41:50.74
He didn't receive a fair trial,
00:41:50.77\00:41:52.34
was lied about to
secure His conviction.
00:41:52.37\00:41:54.54
Again, He went through that,
00:41:54.58\00:41:55.91
so people who go
through the same thing.
00:41:55.94\00:41:57.78
He was spit on and
abused by religious leaders.
00:41:57.81\00:42:00.38
Anyone in this room has been
abused by religious leaders?
00:42:00.42\00:42:02.55
Sexually, physically,
00:42:02.58\00:42:04.45
maybe they just
destroyed your reputation
00:42:04.49\00:42:06.19
in front of the church body.
00:42:06.22\00:42:07.59
You ever been
abused by church leaders?
00:42:07.62\00:42:09.72
Religious people?
00:42:09.76\00:42:11.09
Jesus went
through that just for you.
00:42:11.13\00:42:13.76
The very people He came to save
00:42:13.80\00:42:15.83
and the people who knew
the most about Him spit on Him,
00:42:15.86\00:42:19.10
abused Him, and tried
to destroy His credibility
00:42:19.13\00:42:22.30
before the people.
00:42:22.34\00:42:24.21
He went through that for you.
00:42:24.24\00:42:26.24
Gossip is destroying
your existence in a church.
00:42:26.27\00:42:28.71
He took care of
that just for you.
00:42:28.74\00:42:31.28
Matthew 27, one of His
closest friends commit suicide,
00:42:31.31\00:42:34.18
just right at two years ago,
my cousin committed suicide.
00:42:34.22\00:42:38.99
There's three of us on
my mom's side of the family.
00:42:39.02\00:42:40.89
My first, my half brother
from my mom's first marriage,
00:42:40.92\00:42:43.39
my cousin, and me, that's it.
00:42:43.43\00:42:47.06
And my cousin Josh,
00:42:47.10\00:42:48.43
he'd gone
through a lot of hardship
00:42:48.46\00:42:49.80
and just wasn't
all that hip on God
00:42:49.83\00:42:51.83
at this stage in his
life, he was really hurting,
00:42:51.87\00:42:54.37
and the only
thing he had going left
00:42:54.40\00:42:55.74
for his life right
now, was a relationship.
00:42:55.77\00:42:58.01
That's all he had going for him.
00:42:58.04\00:43:00.84
And the girl breaks up with him,
00:43:00.88\00:43:02.88
he goes to the
restaurant and the bar,
00:43:02.91\00:43:04.25
wherever she was
working and he begs her,
00:43:04.28\00:43:05.61
"Please, take me back.
00:43:05.65\00:43:06.98
Will you
reconsider?" And she says, "No".
00:43:07.02\00:43:09.22
And he went out
in the parking lot
00:43:09.25\00:43:10.59
and ended his life.
00:43:10.62\00:43:12.65
Josh is gone. He's gone.
00:43:12.69\00:43:18.09
The weight of the world
was just too much for him
00:43:18.13\00:43:20.80
and he couldn't go on anymore.
00:43:20.83\00:43:23.70
Jesus has lost people.
00:43:23.73\00:43:25.07
You ever lost a family
member because of suicide?
00:43:25.10\00:43:26.80
And it's just heartbreaking.
00:43:26.84\00:43:28.17
You don't know what to do
and you're wrestling with this.
00:43:28.20\00:43:29.54
Jesus knows what that's like.
00:43:29.57\00:43:32.51
"He was tortured alive,
00:43:32.54\00:43:34.04
He was tempted to doubt
His identity as a Son of God.
00:43:34.08\00:43:39.01
And He felt forsaken of God
and abandoned to suffer alone
00:43:39.05\00:43:41.65
and He felt totally
unappreciated by those
00:43:41.68\00:43:43.79
that He was
giving His life for."
00:43:43.82\00:43:45.82
You ever been there, parents?
00:43:45.85\00:43:47.46
Pouring out your
life onto the drags
00:43:47.49\00:43:48.82
and what you get from yours,
00:43:48.86\00:43:50.19
your kids is
just total disrespect,
00:43:50.23\00:43:52.33
total lack of appreciation.
00:43:52.36\00:43:54.60
Jesus went through that for
us. Went through that for you.
00:43:54.63\00:43:56.90
How about you, kids?
00:43:56.93\00:43:59.10
Trying to
sacrifice for your parents,
00:43:59.13\00:44:00.47
trying to help them,
00:44:00.50\00:44:01.84
and you get nothing in response.
00:44:01.87\00:44:03.20
Jesus went there just for you.
00:44:03.24\00:44:05.41
Now in Isaiah 53:11, says that,
00:44:05.44\00:44:08.74
"Jesus saw the labor of His soul
00:44:08.78\00:44:10.88
and was satisfied
and by His knowledge,
00:44:10.91\00:44:14.68
my servant shall justify many."
00:44:14.72\00:44:16.72
Jesus went through
these things on our behalves,
00:44:16.75\00:44:19.59
and this is the
amazing thing to me.
00:44:19.62\00:44:21.26
Jesus' life,
again, was not easy.
00:44:21.29\00:44:24.89
He went through
this awful experience
00:44:24.93\00:44:26.83
for 331/2 years,
00:44:26.86\00:44:28.66
every bit of it, for
you, to have a complete
00:44:28.70\00:44:32.40
and a whole amount of
suffering just for you.
00:44:32.43\00:44:37.07
Before He went through
it, He calculated the cost
00:44:37.11\00:44:39.37
and He was satisfied.
00:44:39.41\00:44:41.04
While He's going
through it, He's calculating it,
00:44:41.08\00:44:43.48
He's satisfied and even after
having gone through all this,
00:44:43.51\00:44:46.65
He's still satisfied, for you.
00:44:46.68\00:44:52.02
Now in Hebrews 4, and I
want to close this story,
00:44:52.05\00:44:54.59
right at Hebrews 4,
00:44:54.62\00:44:55.96
and then I want to
have Mayri sing for us.
00:44:55.99\00:44:57.63
But in Hebrews 4, it says this,
00:44:57.66\00:44:59.83
Paul knowing the context
00:44:59.86\00:45:01.20
of what Jesus went
through on our behalves,
00:45:01.23\00:45:03.06
knowing this whole
story, you know what He says?
00:45:03.10\00:45:05.97
He says, "Seeing then
that we have such a high priest
00:45:06.00\00:45:08.27
who's passed to the
heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,
00:45:08.30\00:45:11.01
let us hold
fast our confession."
00:45:11.04\00:45:13.48
This is not the time to
be running away from Jesus
00:45:13.51\00:45:15.68
when you've been hurt.
00:45:15.71\00:45:17.05
"Hold fast your confession,"
00:45:17.08\00:45:18.41
He says "for we do
not have a high priest
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.38
who cannot
sympathize with our weakness,
00:45:20.42\00:45:22.52
but was in all points tempted
as we are, yet without sin."
00:45:22.55\00:45:26.65
And do you know
what He says next?
00:45:26.69\00:45:28.26
"Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace."
00:45:28.29\00:45:31.79
You don't have to be ashamed
to come to Jesus any more.
00:45:31.83\00:45:34.80
You can come to Jesus,
broken, wounded, messy,
00:45:34.83\00:45:38.20
it doesn't matter.
00:45:38.23\00:45:39.83
"Therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace
00:45:39.87\00:45:41.70
that we may obtain mercy
00:45:41.74\00:45:43.27
and find grace to
help in time of need."
00:45:43.30\00:45:45.87
That's yours this morning.
00:45:45.91\00:45:48.08
There's... Maybe you
can't talk to your pastor,
00:45:48.11\00:45:49.94
maybe you can't
talk to your parents,
00:45:49.98\00:45:51.55
maybe you can't
talk to your friends,
00:45:51.58\00:45:52.91
or your spouse
because it's just so bad
00:45:52.95\00:45:54.42
and so crippling.
00:45:54.45\00:45:55.78
You can talk to Jesus.
00:45:55.82\00:45:57.82
Now I want to tell a
story really briefly,
00:45:57.85\00:45:59.22
then I will have Mayri sing.
00:45:59.25\00:46:01.19
So I was sharing this,
00:46:01.22\00:46:02.56
I was sharing at
a youth camp meeting
00:46:02.59\00:46:04.86
for the Georgia-Cumberland
Conference last summer,
00:46:04.89\00:46:07.96
and they had around campfires
after the regular meetings
00:46:08.00\00:46:10.23
and they had an
evening meeting for the kids
00:46:10.27\00:46:11.97
around the campfire.
00:46:12.00\00:46:13.34
And I've been told
that this young man
00:46:13.37\00:46:14.87
there had a very difficult life,
00:46:14.90\00:46:16.24
but I didn't know
the full, full background
00:46:16.27\00:46:17.61
that he'd just
gotten out of jail.
00:46:17.64\00:46:19.34
Turns out, he's 14 years old,
00:46:19.37\00:46:21.11
grew up in an urban
environment in Knoxville.
00:46:21.14\00:46:23.78
Really violent area,
00:46:23.81\00:46:25.15
I didn't even know that existed,
00:46:25.18\00:46:26.51
'cause I'd lived that far
from Knoxville for three years,
00:46:26.55\00:46:28.52
but the
neighborhood is so dangerous
00:46:28.55\00:46:30.25
that he's afraid of being killed
00:46:30.29\00:46:31.69
just by being
on his front porch.
00:46:31.72\00:46:34.29
This young man has been
in prison from the ages of 14
00:46:34.32\00:46:37.33
through 17.
00:46:37.36\00:46:39.76
He's released on a
Thursday from prison.
00:46:39.79\00:46:42.80
His mom's life has been
filled with instability,
00:46:42.83\00:46:44.73
she lives on the streets,
00:46:44.77\00:46:46.17
he just went into the same stuff
00:46:46.20\00:46:47.54
so he could survive
in this environment,
00:46:47.57\00:46:49.77
and when he gets out of prison,
he wants to live with Dad,
00:46:49.80\00:46:51.67
he wants a change, he
needs to get his life together,
00:46:51.71\00:46:54.04
he wants to do
something different.
00:46:54.08\00:46:56.18
Thankfully, his dad is
not a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:46:56.21\00:46:58.15
but his dad's neighbor
is a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:46:58.18\00:47:01.08
He's a layperson, not a
pastor, not a Bible worker,
00:47:01.12\00:47:03.65
he's a layperson,
00:47:03.69\00:47:05.15
and he's giving
Bible studies to Dad,
00:47:05.19\00:47:07.36
the step mom,
the little brother,
00:47:07.39\00:47:08.92
and the other little brother.
00:47:08.96\00:47:10.66
And in giving
Bible studies to them,
00:47:10.69\00:47:12.03
he invites them
to this camp meeting.
00:47:12.06\00:47:14.66
So this young man gets
out of prison on a Thursday,
00:47:14.70\00:47:17.77
they show up to the camp meeting
00:47:17.80\00:47:19.13
and my meeting on a Friday.
00:47:19.17\00:47:21.67
Do you know what
message I was preaching?
00:47:21.70\00:47:24.04
This one.
00:47:24.07\00:47:26.14
And I told him the
same thing I just told you.
00:47:26.17\00:47:28.21
Maybe you can't
talk to your parents,
00:47:28.24\00:47:29.64
maybe you can't
talk to your pastor,
00:47:29.68\00:47:31.51
maybe you can't talk to anybody,
00:47:31.55\00:47:32.98
you can talk to Jesus.
00:47:33.01\00:47:34.65
Jesus has been through
what you've been through,
00:47:34.68\00:47:36.45
so that it's safe, so
that you would come boldly.
00:47:36.48\00:47:39.55
And I said, "You
can come to Jesus,
00:47:39.59\00:47:41.02
you can give it all to Him."
00:47:41.06\00:47:42.82
I didn't know anything else
about what happened after this.
00:47:42.86\00:47:45.03
This young man comes to me
the next day, we have a hike.
00:47:45.06\00:47:47.90
He says, "Man, that
message is just so powerful.
00:47:47.93\00:47:49.76
Thank you so much for that."
00:47:49.80\00:47:51.27
And I thought,
"Well, praise God."
00:47:51.30\00:47:52.77
And I knew he was tuned
in, even though it was dark,
00:47:52.80\00:47:54.90
you know, and we
just had a campfire,
00:47:54.94\00:47:56.27
I could tell that
this kid was tuned in,
00:47:56.30\00:47:57.64
but I didn't know how
much and what was going on.
00:47:57.67\00:47:59.77
So he leaves this meeting,
and he goes to his tent,
00:47:59.81\00:48:04.28
and he literally just
pours his heart out to Jesus,
00:48:04.31\00:48:07.48
he tells him everything,
you know, everything.
00:48:07.52\00:48:11.02
This is how I've been hurt,
00:48:11.05\00:48:12.62
these are the
decisions I've made,
00:48:12.65\00:48:13.99
and why I've
hurt people around me
00:48:14.02\00:48:15.36
and, Jesus, I'm just
giving it all to you.
00:48:15.39\00:48:17.36
Please cleanse me, heal me,
00:48:17.39\00:48:19.69
just I want to start over again,
00:48:19.73\00:48:21.30
and he said it felt so good.
00:48:21.33\00:48:24.03
And in that moment,
this kid found a freedom
00:48:24.07\00:48:26.17
that he hadn't
found in his life.
00:48:26.20\00:48:29.44
He has a parole bracelet,
00:48:29.47\00:48:30.81
GPS bracelet on his
ankle at these meetings.
00:48:30.84\00:48:33.44
Changed his
life radically to see
00:48:33.48\00:48:35.61
that Jesus has been
through the same things,
00:48:35.64\00:48:38.05
that he can tell
Jesus everything,
00:48:38.08\00:48:39.81
changed his life.
00:48:39.85\00:48:42.48
But for some of
us, stability is scary.
00:48:42.52\00:48:46.99
My mom was
addicted to instability,
00:48:47.02\00:48:49.26
that's why she got out
of her marriages so quickly.
00:48:49.29\00:48:52.69
And this young man, a
day and a half after this,
00:48:52.73\00:48:56.23
just in a moment of just
thoughtlessness and fear,
00:48:56.26\00:48:59.00
he cuts off his ankle bracelet
and violates his parole.
00:48:59.03\00:49:02.44
They find him and
they throw him back in.
00:49:02.47\00:49:05.57
But just think about the
story of this kid's life,
00:49:05.61\00:49:08.44
he's in prison from
the ages of 14 to 17.
00:49:08.48\00:49:11.75
He's out of
prison for like 48 hours,
00:49:11.78\00:49:14.75
and within 12 hours or 24 hours
of him getting out of prison,
00:49:14.78\00:49:18.09
he's at that meeting,
and hears that message,
00:49:18.12\00:49:20.76
and makes that
commitment to Jesus.
00:49:20.79\00:49:23.79
You think Jesus is
going to come find him
00:49:23.83\00:49:25.56
in that prison and remind
him of the decision you made?
00:49:25.59\00:49:28.26
For some of us, that's
the safest place to be.
00:49:28.30\00:49:31.30
The distractions aren't there,
the temptations aren't there,
00:49:31.33\00:49:33.64
all you have is time
to think and to surrender
00:49:33.67\00:49:36.54
and go through
these things with Jesus.
00:49:36.57\00:49:38.97
That was not a failure
for the kingdom of heaven.
00:49:39.01\00:49:40.98
This kid has
what he needs, amen.
00:49:41.01\00:49:43.24
And you should pray for him.
00:49:43.28\00:49:45.18
His name is Braxton,
pray for this young man.
00:49:45.21\00:49:48.12
But this thing works, folks.
00:49:48.15\00:49:50.09
The gospel is true.
00:49:50.12\00:49:51.45
Jesus had to suffer just
like you to offer you healing
00:49:51.49\00:49:56.09
and reconciliation and what
no one else can give you, amen.
00:49:56.12\00:50:00.20
Human sympathy
can't do that for you,
00:50:00.23\00:50:02.30
drugs cannot do that for
you, only Jesus can heal us
00:50:02.33\00:50:06.40
and it's His
suffering that makes
00:50:06.43\00:50:07.87
that healing
sufficient and complete, amen.
00:50:07.90\00:50:10.91
I'd like to have Mayri
close with a song for us,
00:50:10.94\00:50:13.01
then I'm gonna have a
closing prayer after that.
00:50:13.04\00:50:16.51
Powerful, powerful song
called, "If we're Honest."
00:50:16.54\00:50:20.42
Truth is harder than a lie
00:50:30.69\00:50:35.00
The dark seems
safer than the light
00:50:35.03\00:50:39.50
And everyone has a heart
00:50:39.53\00:50:42.70
That loves to hide
00:50:42.74\00:50:49.01
I'm a mess and so are you
00:50:49.04\00:50:52.68
We've built walls
nobody can get through
00:50:52.71\00:50:57.12
Yeah, it may be hard,
00:50:57.15\00:50:59.69
But the best
thing we could ever do,
00:50:59.72\00:51:03.96
Ever do Bring your brokenness,
00:51:03.99\00:51:08.80
And I'll bring mine
00:51:08.83\00:51:11.07
'Cause love can
heal what hurt divides
00:51:11.10\00:51:15.50
And mercy's waiting
00:51:15.54\00:51:18.07
On the other side
00:51:18.11\00:51:24.21
If we're honest
00:51:24.25\00:51:28.58
If we're honest
00:51:28.62\00:51:33.05
Don't pretend to be
something that you're not
00:51:33.09\00:51:37.59
Living life
afraid of getting caught
00:51:37.63\00:51:42.00
There is freedom
found when we lay
00:51:42.03\00:51:45.40
Our secrets down at the cross,
00:51:45.43\00:51:48.80
At the cross
00:51:48.84\00:51:50.91
Bring your brokenness,
00:51:50.94\00:51:53.71
And I'll bring mine
00:51:53.74\00:51:55.84
'Cause love can
heal what hurt divides
00:51:55.88\00:52:00.38
Mercy's waiting
00:52:00.42\00:52:02.98
On the other side
00:52:03.02\00:52:08.96
If we're honest
00:52:08.99\00:52:13.40
If we're honest
00:52:13.43\00:52:16.26
It would change our lives
00:52:20.24\00:52:24.71
It would set us free
00:52:24.74\00:52:29.44
It's what we need to be
00:52:29.48\00:52:32.68
So bring your brokenness,
00:52:44.53\00:52:47.43
And I'll bring mine
00:52:47.46\00:52:49.56
'Cause love can
heal what hurt divides
00:52:49.60\00:52:54.47
Mercy's waiting
00:52:54.50\00:52:56.77
On the other side
00:52:56.81\00:53:01.81
If we're honest
00:53:07.32\00:53:11.72
If we're honest
00:53:11.75\00:53:16.26
If we're honest
00:53:16.29\00:53:20.06
Amen.
00:53:27.54\00:53:29.50
That's what Jesus
needs from me this morning,
00:53:29.54\00:53:31.17
it's honesty.
00:53:31.21\00:53:33.74
Again, we began the
message with a question,
00:53:33.78\00:53:35.78
"Do you want to be made well?"
00:53:35.81\00:53:37.78
Yes, it's difficult.
00:53:37.81\00:53:39.15
Maybe the things
you're going through in life
00:53:39.18\00:53:40.52
are because of what
you did to yourself,
00:53:40.55\00:53:42.68
and you feel
that you deserve it.
00:53:42.72\00:53:44.62
Maybe because
someone did something to you
00:53:44.65\00:53:46.69
and you still feel
that you deserve it
00:53:46.72\00:53:50.19
or you don't
feel that you deserve
00:53:50.23\00:53:51.56
when something was done to you.
00:53:51.59\00:53:52.93
Whatever category
you find yourself in,
00:53:52.96\00:53:54.30
this morning, Jesus wants
you to know that it's safe.
00:53:54.33\00:53:58.73
"You can come to
me with those things
00:53:58.77\00:54:00.10
that you can't come
to anyone else to," amen.
00:54:00.14\00:54:02.27
You can come boldly today.
00:54:02.30\00:54:05.37
I'd like to close
with a word of prayer,
00:54:05.41\00:54:06.74
then I want to
share one more thing
00:54:06.78\00:54:08.11
after the closing prayer,
00:54:08.14\00:54:09.81
about an upcoming opportunity
to actually take action
00:54:09.84\00:54:12.38
about what we've
heard, but I'm gonna kneel,
00:54:12.41\00:54:14.55
and I'd just like to
close with prayer and, yeah,
00:54:14.58\00:54:19.59
invite you to kneel
if you'd like to join me.
00:54:19.62\00:54:24.03
God in heaven, I thank you
that Jesus did not just come
00:54:24.06\00:54:28.96
and suffer physically
for a span of a few hours.
00:54:29.00\00:54:34.17
Your whole life,
Jesus' whole life was filled
00:54:34.20\00:54:37.87
with suffering and why?
00:54:37.91\00:54:40.61
Because we live lives
that are filled with suffering.
00:54:40.64\00:54:44.08
And if suffering was complete,
He did that just for us.
00:54:44.11\00:54:50.12
God, I pray that
this would cause us
00:54:50.15\00:54:52.09
to come boldly this morning.
00:54:52.12\00:54:54.76
I'm praying specifically
00:54:54.79\00:54:56.12
if there are people in this room
00:54:56.16\00:54:57.59
that want to be made well,
00:54:57.63\00:55:00.60
that want Jesus
to make them new,
00:55:00.63\00:55:03.37
and heal them of these wounds
00:55:03.40\00:55:04.73
from what has been done to them,
00:55:04.77\00:55:06.10
what they've done to themselves.
00:55:06.13\00:55:09.07
In the privacy of
our heads being bowed
00:55:09.10\00:55:11.01
and every eye closed,
00:55:11.04\00:55:12.37
I just invite you to
raise your hands to heaven.
00:55:12.41\00:55:13.74
Jesus, we're asking today
that you would make us well.
00:55:17.41\00:55:20.08
We're going to
rise, and take up our mats
00:55:23.08\00:55:24.95
and walk, solely
because of the word of Jesus,
00:55:24.99\00:55:28.56
solely because of
the faith of Jesus,
00:55:28.59\00:55:31.13
and the belief and
sufferings of Jesus.
00:55:31.16\00:55:34.10
We ask that you would cleanse us
00:55:34.13\00:55:35.46
from all unrighteousness.
00:55:35.50\00:55:37.27
And that we would
be willing to receive
00:55:37.30\00:55:38.83
new identities today,
00:55:38.87\00:55:41.54
no longer based upon
what someone has done to us
00:55:41.57\00:55:44.04
or what we've done to ourselves.
00:55:44.07\00:55:46.74
That's solely based upon
what Christ has done for us.
00:55:46.78\00:55:51.81
We thank you that
this is possible through
00:55:51.85\00:55:53.82
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:55:53.85\00:55:56.18
And we ask these
things in Jesus' name.
00:55:56.22\00:56:00.72
Amen.
00:56:00.76\00:56:02.39