All In (Larry Brey)

0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:02.800 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 0:00:02.840 --> 0:00:05.840 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 0:00:05.920 --> 0:00:07.760 I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:10.680 Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:12.840 Hope it gives your perspective to see God as moving 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:13.480 in your life. 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:19.680 Enjoy the message. Man, you picked a great day to 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:22.079 be in church. You picked a great day to log 0:00:22.120 --> 0:00:24.759 in online. Why because this is the day the Lord 0:00:24.920 --> 0:00:31.760 has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Hey, 0:00:31.880 --> 0:00:34.040 you might not know this, but we're celebrating twenty years 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.479 of ministry this year at Elevation Church. My wife and 0:00:38.520 --> 0:00:40.000 I had the privilege of being one of the original 0:00:40.080 --> 0:00:43.120 core families with Eric and Nicole over here. And when 0:00:43.159 --> 0:00:45.279 we look back over twenty years, people last like, how 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:48.000 do you explain all that God did? Well? God is 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:52.199 that good, He's that gracious, He's that kind, he's that loving. 0:00:52.720 --> 0:00:55.560 But also I think our pastors are that anointed and 0:00:55.640 --> 0:01:00.840 that gifted and that talented. I would be remiss if 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:03.680 we didn't take a second to celebrate the secret sauce 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:07.720 of Elevation Church, all the volunteers that make this place happen. 0:01:08.959 --> 0:01:11.480 If you're at one of our physical locations. If you're 0:01:11.520 --> 0:01:14.520 one of our volunteers, raise your hand, Valentine. If you're 0:01:14.560 --> 0:01:18.120 one of those volunteers, hey help me celebrate all those heroes, 0:01:18.680 --> 0:01:22.679 all of our online volunteers. We're not limited by location. 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:24.319 Man. 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:28.479 When we started the ministry twenty years ago, we didn't 0:01:28.480 --> 0:01:30.160 know if anybody would want to jump on board and 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:33.160 be a park. But they did. And I remember everybody 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:35.080 early on it's like, I'll do whatever you need. I'm 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.479 all in, And then it'd ask them to do something 0:01:37.480 --> 0:01:40.640 and maybe not they're quite so all in. But I 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:43.680 had this couple twenty years ago, John and Rondi Mullen 0:01:43.760 --> 0:01:45.720 show up. They were just trying to find a church 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:48.680 for their daughter. But when they walked in, they looked 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:51.360 at each other. I think we found a church for us. 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:53.680 And I had a team I started back in the 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:57.000 early days. It was called the First Impressions Team. They 0:01:57.000 --> 0:01:59.720 would get at Providence High School at six am to 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:03.880 clean the bathrooms because it smelled like high school. And 0:02:03.960 --> 0:02:06.600 so anytime someone would ask like, I'll do whatever you need, 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:08.160 I'm all in, I'd say, well, would you be a 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:11.200 part of my First Impressions Team. Now many people would say, well, 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:13.160 like I feel as though my gifts could be used 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:16.800 somewhere else. But when I presented the opportunity to John 0:02:16.840 --> 0:02:19.640 and Rondee, they said we would be honored. Thank you 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:22.200 for the privilege. They showed up that next Sunday at 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:24.360 six am and they cleaned those bathrooms and they've been 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:30.760 serving faithfully for twenty years. Thank you John, Thank you RONDI. 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:35.120 Thank you for all the volunteers faithfully serving. Hey, and 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:38.720 you might not know this, but also October's Pastor Appreciation Month. 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:43.880 Help me appreciate our pastors. Pastor Steven, Pastor Holly Man. 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:49.600 We love you, We honor you. I've got an album 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:53.240 on my phone that whenever I get a message, a 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:55.920 text or voice memo from Pastor Steven, I dump it 0:02:55.919 --> 0:02:59.400 in there. And I got messages that are in great 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:03.760 seasons of celebration. But I also have moments of great 0:03:03.800 --> 0:03:07.080 seasons of sorrow. And I'm so grateful that our pastors 0:03:07.120 --> 0:03:10.440 walk with me through the seasons of celebration and the 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:13.480 seasons of sorrow. I honor you, Pastor Stephen, Pastor Holly, 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:17.280 thank you for faithfully standing in this pulpit twenty years 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.359 preaching the word of God. All right, let me give 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:23.000 you our scripture for today. Let me give you the scripture. 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:26.200 I'm so excited, all of you saints open up to Matthew. 0:03:26.320 --> 0:03:29.240 Chapter eight, verses fourteen to sixteen is where we'll begin. 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:31.840 If you're not a note taker, maybe today would be 0:03:31.880 --> 0:03:34.920 the day that you begin writing something down. I want 0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:36.480 God to do a new thing, he says, Well, bring 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:39.280 me a new rhythm. If you start a new rhythm 0:03:39.360 --> 0:03:41.040 rather than standing in with your arms crossed, maybe I 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:43.640 would bless you. Maybe you'd write down one thing God 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:46.560 wants to speak to you today. Out of Matthew chapter eight, 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:49.720 starting in verse fourteen, it says when Jesus came into 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:53.480 Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother in law lying in 0:03:53.520 --> 0:03:56.320 bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.600 fever left her. She got up and began to wait 0:03:59.640 --> 0:04:03.160 on him. When evening came, many who were demon possessed 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:06.280 were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits 0:04:06.280 --> 0:04:10.600 with a word, and healed all the sick. Here's the 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:12.440 title for today's messages that I want to give. You 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:14.760 want to say it to your favorite person in the room. 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:17.240 You only get to pick one and I want you 0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:18.560 to say it with the two of them, with some 0:04:18.600 --> 0:04:23.600 gush Docem's foot sinya say this, say all in now 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:27.800 look at your second favorite choice and tell them all in. Hey, 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:29.960 thank you worship team for leading us today. You can 0:04:30.000 --> 0:04:32.880 give somebody a high five on the way to your seat. Etham, 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:38.680 drop in the comments. All in. This story that Matthew's 0:04:38.720 --> 0:04:41.120 going to bring to us comes in in three scenes, 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:44.680 and we're gonna start in this opening scene that Matthew 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:47.719 wants to weave together three scenes to tell a story 0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:50.520 of Jesus. And in this opening scene, we've got these 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:53.640 two characters. We've got a woman that we know that 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:57.080 she's got a fever and she's Peter's mother in law. 0:04:57.680 --> 0:05:00.200 Now Jesus is gonna come into the house and says 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:05.359 that Jesus came, Jesus saw and Jesus touched who. I 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:07.160 think God's going to do that in our hearts today. 0:05:07.680 --> 0:05:09.760 I think God came into this room. I think he 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:11.800 sees you, and I think He's gonna touch you. How 0:05:11.800 --> 0:05:13.720 many of you need a touch from God today? How 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:15.800 many have you got a space in your life that 0:05:15.839 --> 0:05:18.720 God I needs you to touch it? See healing happens 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:22.080 with a touch. Now I have no idea if this woman, 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:25.200 let's give her a name. Whenever I read the Bible 0:05:25.279 --> 0:05:27.440 and have an unnamed character, I like to give him 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:29.760 a name, because once you give him a name, it 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:32.680 just it hits a little more personal, doesn't it. Let's 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:36.239 call her Rachel. Everybody say Rachel. So Rachel is laying 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:37.839 in bed with a fever. She might have been a 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:40.359 woman of faith, or this might have been her last thoughts, 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:44.159 because sometimes Jesus is a first option. Some of you 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:46.960 faith filled people, something happens, you take it to Jesus first. 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:49.800 But other people, like me, often Jesus is more of 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:52.960 a last resort. I don't know. Maybe you're in church 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:54.839 today and this is a first option. Let's get to 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:57.359 the Lord. Let's get to the House of God and 0:05:57.440 --> 0:05:59.640 others of you. We've tried to do all that we can. 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:02.280 All the King's horses and all the King's men can't 0:06:02.320 --> 0:06:05.000 put her marriage back together again. So let's try church. 0:06:06.000 --> 0:06:07.719 I don't care if it's your first option or your 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:10.680 last resort. Thank you for logging in. I'm glad you're 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:14.520 in the room today. I'm just glad you're here, and 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:18.559 Peter was Peter's house. It might have been a first option. 0:06:18.640 --> 0:06:21.000 He might have been pulling in favor, saying, Yo, Jesus, 0:06:21.440 --> 0:06:23.240 since I have access to you, could you heal my 0:06:23.279 --> 0:06:25.719 mother in law? Could have been first option, could have 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:27.760 been last resort. Listen, we had to move this woman 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:30.240 in six months ago. Jesus, you better healerr because I 0:06:30.240 --> 0:06:32.800 need her out of the house. Sometimes it's faith and 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:37.279 sometimes it's frustration. I'm just glad you're here today. And 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:40.120 when I see the story of this woman Rachel, and 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:42.359 I look at the at the cadence of the text, 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:44.960 it says she was laying in bed with a fever. 0:06:45.720 --> 0:06:47.679 And when I look at those words at other places 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:51.120 in the New Testament, it suggests someone on their deathbed. 0:06:52.360 --> 0:06:54.919 It's not a simple little symptom where she's got a 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:57.200 little bit of a fever. No, it suggests that we 0:06:57.240 --> 0:06:59.839 are at the end of her life issues some of 0:06:59.839 --> 0:07:03.280 a sitting in this room today, watching online today, you've 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:05.160 got a space in your life that you know it's 0:07:05.160 --> 0:07:07.400 about to die. You got a space in your life. 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:09.479 You might have a new outfit, but it's an old 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:12.840 problem that's been making you limp for thirty two years, 0:07:13.560 --> 0:07:16.800 and sometimes it so becomes so debilitating. It just doesn't 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:19.679 make you sit down in it. It makes you lay 0:07:19.720 --> 0:07:22.480 down in it. Picture the woman, she's just laying down 0:07:23.480 --> 0:07:26.480 and I got nothing. And some of you, that perfectly 0:07:26.520 --> 0:07:28.960 describes the posture of your life today. And I want 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:30.760 you to see the sermon. This woman is gonna preach 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:33.680 with her posture. Because some of you, like Jesus touched me, 0:07:33.720 --> 0:07:36.800 but you're still sitting down. I want you to consider 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:40.640 the texts and would you adopt the mentality of Rachel 0:07:41.080 --> 0:07:44.240 because Jesus when he comes into the room, he touches 0:07:44.280 --> 0:07:46.520 her and she's healeding what she do. She gets up 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:49.520 and she illustrates the sermon. She begins to serve him. Whoo. 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:52.200 So if you come up to me and say, Jesus 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:53.960 touched me, I'm gonna say, and where are you serving 0:07:54.040 --> 0:07:59.520 him at? I'm all in Jesus to go back to 0:07:59.520 --> 0:08:02.120 my car, to go back to my dysfunction or that 0:08:02.200 --> 0:08:04.480 trains the direction of my life because my posture change. 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:07.320 Rather than sitting under it, I'm gonna stand up over 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:09.280 it and I'm gonna bring it to Jesus. I'm gonna 0:08:09.320 --> 0:08:14.320 serve Jesus with it. I'm all in. I have no 0:08:14.440 --> 0:08:18.000 idea what the issue was in her life, but I'm 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:20.559 so glad that Peter decided to open up his home 0:08:21.320 --> 0:08:25.040 to let this woman in. It's really awesome. And when 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:27.440 you think about your home, when you invite guests to 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:29.400 your house, do you let them see all the rooms 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:33.840 in your house? No? You only let them see the 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:38.360 ones that are presentable, the ones you've cleaned up, the 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:41.320 ones that are socially acceptable. You don't let them see 0:08:41.320 --> 0:08:44.680 the dysfunction behind the door. You've got the closets where 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:47.280 you've kicked stuff in it and you're shoving stuff in it. 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:51.319 You're like, no, you can't go upstairs. But the reality 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:55.160 is the owner determines the access. Who owns your home? 0:08:56.440 --> 0:09:00.520 You are God. I wonder what rooms you've not let 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:04.840 Jesus into, Because, if I consider our story, if Jesus 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:06.800 can't the only way that Jesus can touch it is 0:09:06.840 --> 0:09:10.199 if he's invited into it. Jesus cannot touch something he's 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:13.079 not been invited into. I wonder what rooms in your 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:16.600 life you have not let Jesus into. I wonder if 0:09:16.640 --> 0:09:21.200 it's your finances, I wonder it's the room of your relationships. 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:23.360 I wonder if it's an unforgiveness issue for a father 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:26.400 in this room. I wonder if it's a friendship. I 0:09:26.400 --> 0:09:28.960 wonder if it's a marriage. I wonder if you've got 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:31.480 what doors you have closed? And I remember when my 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.839 kids were little, like six, they would put like make 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:38.160 these signs and put it on the door no one allowed. 0:09:39.800 --> 0:09:42.319 And when they get really mad at Dad, especially Dad's 0:09:44.360 --> 0:09:47.880 I wonder what rooms you've got to sign on it 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:51.440 that said Jesus, you can't come into it. And you 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:53.520 show up Jesus, and Jesus, I want you to heal it. 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:55.880 He says, I can't heal it because I'm not being 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:58.640 invited into it. Because then tell them invited into it, 0:09:58.679 --> 0:10:05.080 I cannot Healing only comes with a touch. And what 0:10:05.120 --> 0:10:07.160 I realized is some of the times I'm telling Jesus, 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:10.040 like Jesus, would you heal this thing? And I think 0:10:10.080 --> 0:10:11.800 I've opened the door, but I'm standing in the way, 0:10:11.840 --> 0:10:13.880 like Jesus, when are you gonna do something about this? 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:15.719 And he says, as soon as you get out of 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:19.120 the way, because I can't get into the room because 0:10:19.120 --> 0:10:23.160 you are in the way. What rooms does Jesus want 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:26.240 to have access to you in your house right now. 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:31.720 Sometimes the reality is disappointment becomes a nail gun, and 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:33.720 the reality is some of the doors I close in 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:35.800 my life not because I hate God. I just kind 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:39.840 of despise myself, and rather than be disappointed, I would 0:10:39.920 --> 0:10:42.400 rather nail the door shut, so I'm no longer disappointed. 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:46.079 It happens with careers, it happens in relationships. And there 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:48.320 is somebody here today that you've been wanting a child 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:50.760 for such a long time, and you've opened the door, 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:52.800 and you've opened the door, but you're so tired of 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:58.040 opening the door. And the only thing harder than opening 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:02.920 the door is keeping the door open. And as I 0:11:02.960 --> 0:11:06.320 was praying for our church yesterday, there's a man that 0:11:06.400 --> 0:11:09.640 you had an affair in the past. I don't know 0:11:09.640 --> 0:11:12.440 who you are. God wanted me to tell you it's 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:19.400 time to open that door because you're living in this 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:23.400 place of a hard heart. And rather than bring that 0:11:23.480 --> 0:11:25.480 into the light, I'll just close the door and I'll 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:28.800 nail it shut. I wonder what rooms that Jesus wants 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:31.880 to access to say this with me, Say Holy Spirit, 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:37.960 show me the rooms I've not let you in. Say 0:11:38.000 --> 0:11:42.680 it again, say Holy spirit show me the rooms. I've 0:11:42.720 --> 0:11:47.200 not let you in because Jesus is a gentleman, and 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:49.079 I love the fact that he is not gonna kick 0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:51.480 down the door. But Revelation three twenty tells us about 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:53.320 the kind of savior that we serve. It says this. 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:55.880 It says, here, I am, I stand at the door 0:11:55.920 --> 0:11:59.160 in I knock, and I said, if you let me in, 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:00.920 I will eat with you, and I'll fellowship with you. 0:12:01.160 --> 0:12:03.120 God is standing at the door of your life. I 0:12:03.160 --> 0:12:05.480 know that you can't open it because of disappointment. But 0:12:05.600 --> 0:12:08.520 Jesus is not looking at you with disdain. He loves you. 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:11.280 He's longing for you. He's showing up at that door 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:14.240 again and again and again. He said, I want to 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:15.960 heal it, but I can't heal it if I can't 0:12:16.000 --> 0:12:19.520 touch it. And I'm so glad that Peter is the 0:12:19.640 --> 0:12:21.720 kind of man that will let people into his house. 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:25.680 Because this is kind of crazy. Some theologians believe that 0:12:25.760 --> 0:12:29.240 the reason that Peter denied Jesus is because Jesus healed 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:31.800 his mother in law. That's an old preacher joke, you know, 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:35.600 that's a preacher joy. 0:12:35.679 --> 0:12:36.120 That's good. 0:12:38.880 --> 0:12:42.320 But the story in the first verse there it says 0:12:42.360 --> 0:12:45.880 that she gets healed, and then in verse sixteen, it 0:12:45.920 --> 0:12:48.200 says when evening came, many who were demon possessed were 0:12:48.200 --> 0:12:52.960 brought to him. So the healing happens sometimes during the day. 0:12:53.120 --> 0:12:54.719 Now all the people that are in the house are 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:57.680 overwhelmed with joy, and they say, Jesus, we are all in. 0:12:58.160 --> 0:13:00.760 And Peter says, yep, I'm all in too. So all 0:13:00.760 --> 0:13:02.320 the people that had been in the house, what did 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:04.480 they do? They go out to the streets. They go 0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:06.880 out to the highways and the byways, and the overlook, 0:13:06.960 --> 0:13:09.880 the marginalized, the ones that nobody sees. They go and 0:13:09.880 --> 0:13:11.800 find it, and they drag him back to Peter's house. 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:15.880 And now it's a good old demon party. Look at 0:13:15.880 --> 0:13:18.440 the story and picture Peter out in front of his 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:21.079 home as he sees and he hears all of these 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:25.160 demons being brought to his home. Could you ever imagine 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:27.160 something like happening in your house? Or is your house 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:31.040 only available for what you want? Jesus, I'm all in. Really, 0:13:31.320 --> 0:13:33.000 would you let that person in your car or you 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:36.520 worried about how it would smell? I'm all in, Jesus, 0:13:36.520 --> 0:13:38.960 because the reality is in our fate journey we will 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:41.480 all come to these places that every step we take 0:13:41.520 --> 0:13:45.280 in following Jesus, it will test are all in. Yes, 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:47.040 it is a one time. When you place your faith 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:49.560 in Jesus, you get eternity. But to trust him to 0:13:49.600 --> 0:13:52.400 follow him as a day by day must deny myself daily, 0:13:52.679 --> 0:13:55.360 pick up my cross and follow him. I'm all in 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:59.920 for the next twenty minutes, Jesus. But you see Peter. 0:14:00.160 --> 0:14:02.240 He's opening up his home and all the demon possessed 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:04.200 people are flooding, and He's like, no, no, open up 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:06.760 the living room, open up that second living room, whatever 0:14:06.800 --> 0:14:09.319 we call that thing. Open up the kitchen, the closets, oh, 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:12.559 second floor. Let's fill it all in. Let's get everybody 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:16.600 all in. Say all in, Jesus. I'm all in as 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:18.600 much as I know. But what do I do when 0:14:18.600 --> 0:14:19.640 I come to the place. I'm like, I don't know 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:21.920 if I'm all in for that. It's like when you 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:28.560 get married. I do, that's easy, but I will that's harder. 0:14:29.440 --> 0:14:32.160 But what would compel Peter to live such an extravagant 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:35.080 life that he would be all in? Because the demon? 0:14:35.360 --> 0:14:37.800 I mean, can you picture the sound in his home, 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:40.480 all the shrieks and the shrills and the celebration all 0:14:40.520 --> 0:14:43.840 a mixture together, a praise to God as he's healing people. 0:14:44.400 --> 0:14:46.480 Most of those people would be the ones we would 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:49.480 have driven around. But those are the ones that the 0:14:49.480 --> 0:14:53.480 disciples are driven towards. And they brought them into the house. 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:57.400 They who brought them, the people that had been touched 0:14:57.400 --> 0:14:59.880 by Jesus. I'm all in, and they respond by bri 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:04.200 somebody back in. Are there any single ladies? Raise your hand. 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:05.880 You might have a single guy around you who might 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:10.040 be looking. I don't know. Let me give a little 0:15:10.040 --> 0:15:17.160 bit of dating advice. Don't date boys. That's good advice. 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:23.960 Don't date boys. See boys want to get something, men 0:15:24.000 --> 0:15:32.920 want to bring something. That's good preaching LB tell him, 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:36.600 tell them for the people in the back. Don't date boys. 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:41.960 And some of you are brand new to the faith. 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:43.800 Just keep showing up. Just keep showing up. Just keep 0:15:43.840 --> 0:15:45.960 showing up. Just keep showing up. Others of you. God 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:49.640 is blessed way more than what you're bringing to him. 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:52.080 Are you the bride of Christ? Are you coming to 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:55.120 get something? Are you coming to bring something? When's the 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:57.080 last time you brought a broken praise? When's the last 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:58.760 time you brought an offering. When's the last time you 0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:00.960 brought your service? When is the last time you brought 0:16:00.960 --> 0:16:03.040 a guest to experience a miracle standing next to you? 0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:05.080 Because if I'm only showing up to get my word, 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.520 what am I saying about the bride of Christ? I 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:09.280 am glad that you can get a word of God here. 0:16:09.280 --> 0:16:11.080 But to mature, to get in the deep end of 0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:13.640 the faith pool requires us to be a follower that 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:16.400 says I'm all in, which means you have access to everything, 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:18.640 and I'll bring it all into your per I wonder 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:22.520 what doors you said, Jesus. You cannot get behind that one. 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:25.960 I'm all in, Jesus. But what would compel Peter to 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:28.840 live such an extravagant life? And it's I want to 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:30.840 go back to the origin story of Peter real quickly. 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:33.200 This is out of Luke chapter five, because I think 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:36.720 today is somebody's origin story. I love the fact that 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:39.240 today is the day that someone are gonna see Jesus 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:40.800 in a brand new way, and it's going to be 0:16:40.800 --> 0:16:43.640 the origin story that will ignite something in your life 0:16:43.680 --> 0:16:45.600 to be a person of faith that you desire to be. 0:16:45.880 --> 0:16:48.480 It says this one day Jesus was walking by the 0:16:48.560 --> 0:16:51.680 lake of Gannessaret. The people were crowding around him and 0:16:51.720 --> 0:16:54.360 listening to the word of God. He saw by the 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:57.080 water's edge two boats left there by fishermen who were fishing, 0:16:57.520 --> 0:16:59.600 who were washing their nets. Then he got into one 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:02.280 of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:05.280 him to put out a little from the shore. This 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:07.879 is early on in jesus ministry. He's about to begin 0:17:08.000 --> 0:17:11.639 his recruiting trip to recruit his disciples, his initial followers. 0:17:12.000 --> 0:17:15.080 And you realize that the word disciple isn't just defining 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:17.960 the twelve people that followed him. Those were the apostles, 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:20.040 and in fact they were disciples. But there were seventy 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:23.600 disciples that Jesus sent out on a ministry trip, and 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:25.560 then when Jesus returns, there were one hundred and twenty 0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:28.840 disciples in the upper room. Disciple is anybody who says 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:30.439 I want to be a follower of Jesus. And if 0:17:30.440 --> 0:17:33.760 you're a follower of Jesus, guess what, you're a disciple too. 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:37.280 And this origin story is where Jesus is going to 0:17:37.359 --> 0:17:40.000 show up. He's going to preach to thousands, but he's 0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:44.320 got an audience of one it's Peter, because this is 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:47.840 a story about his selection of Peter. And I love 0:17:47.880 --> 0:17:50.119 the fact that God is preaching to thousands at the 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:52.639 same time, but he's preaching to you. He sees you, 0:17:53.000 --> 0:17:55.399 he calls you, and he is preaching a sermons just 0:17:55.480 --> 0:17:57.240 for you because he wants to get your attention. He 0:17:57.280 --> 0:18:00.440 wants to show you something. And now he says, there's 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:02.800 two boats by the edge of the water, and he 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:04.600 gets into the one belonging to Simon. Wait, I thought 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:08.359 his name was Peter. Wait. Yeah, it's a little complicated 0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:11.480 because Peter, you know, that's his one name. But then Simon, 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:16.119 that's his BC, that's before Christ. That's Simon. Is the 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.080 part of you that on Saturday night you're raising the 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:24.080 red Solo Cup, Like, hey, hey, Peter, that's the hand 0:18:24.119 --> 0:18:29.439 raised in worship on Sunday morning. Hallelujah, Hey, hallelujah. You 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:31.240 got a little Simon in you, and you got a 0:18:31.280 --> 0:18:34.960 little Peter in you. You played the game when you 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:39.040 were a kid. Simon says, act like a fool. That's Simon. 0:18:39.080 --> 0:18:41.720 You still got a little Simon in you. And he 0:18:41.760 --> 0:18:43.760 shows up and he's fully Simon in this point, and 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:46.480 there's two boats sitting there, and Jesus just goes and 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:49.159 sits in his boat. Try this after church, Just go 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:52.960 sit in somebody's random car in the parking lot and 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:57.679 he just sits down. Okay. And I love the fact 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:00.720 that Jesus is coming to him, but he's only going 0:19:00.800 --> 0:19:04.560 to come so far. And Jesus is coming to you 0:19:06.200 --> 0:19:09.040 and the boat that you don't want to get into. 0:19:09.080 --> 0:19:13.120 He's not intimidated by that door, that room of your 0:19:13.119 --> 0:19:15.280 life that you wouldn't want anybody to see. He already 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:17.800 sees it. And he says, I'm not uncomfortable in that place. 0:19:17.840 --> 0:19:21.000 I know you are. And he sits right down in it. 0:19:21.840 --> 0:19:25.320 Why because he loves you. He sits down in Peter's 0:19:25.320 --> 0:19:28.359 boat and he says, hey, Peter, well Simon, let's get 0:19:28.400 --> 0:19:31.440 his name right, Simon, push out a little from the shore, 0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:36.520 Just say a little, come better, participation, palatine, say a little. 0:19:37.760 --> 0:19:40.919 And that's what he's asking you to do today. And 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:43.399 here's the story. Let me illustrate it for you. What 0:19:43.400 --> 0:19:45.639 would compel Peter to live a life who's all in? 0:19:45.800 --> 0:19:49.879 Say all in? It began with a little step. He 0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:52.240 gets in his boat. It is anchored up on the shore, 0:19:52.320 --> 0:19:54.639 so Peter's got to push this thing out. He's like, 0:19:54.680 --> 0:19:57.119 I've been out all night fishing, I haven't slept, I stink, 0:19:57.520 --> 0:20:00.879 and like, are you kidding me? Okay, So he pushes 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:02.879 his shoulder into the boat and he pushes it out 0:20:02.920 --> 0:20:05.119 of it, and he starts walking the boat out into 0:20:05.160 --> 0:20:08.200 the water, and each step he takes, the water is 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:12.480 getting a little bit higher on him, and he pushes 0:20:12.520 --> 0:20:16.280 out a little say a little there you go, Thank you, Valentine. 0:20:17.400 --> 0:20:21.600 And now he's holding the boat about waist deep. He's 0:20:21.640 --> 0:20:25.200 in proximity to Jesus, but he's not in relationship yet 0:20:25.240 --> 0:20:31.080 with Jesus. Don't confuse proximity with intimacy. Just because I'm 0:20:31.080 --> 0:20:32.520 sitting in a seat doesn't mean him in the boat 0:20:32.520 --> 0:20:36.280 with him. And I love the fact that Jesus is 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:38.200 preaching to the thousands, but he's looking at one the 0:20:38.240 --> 0:20:41.680 whole time. And I wonder if Peter's like, oh my gosh, 0:20:41.760 --> 0:20:44.040 what am I doing? What a waste of time? Who 0:20:44.119 --> 0:20:45.200 is this guy? Preacher? Boy? 0:20:45.240 --> 0:20:45.440 Yeah? 0:20:45.520 --> 0:20:48.480 Yeah, yeah, And maybe he would hear every third word 0:20:48.520 --> 0:20:50.280 or every fifth word, or maybe that would be kind 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:52.720 of cool. But love the fact that Jesus kept preaching, 0:20:52.720 --> 0:20:55.800 but yet he still knew his audience's audience of one. 0:20:57.040 --> 0:20:59.000 And now the relationship is about to go to a 0:20:59.000 --> 0:21:04.040 different level. They're about to change the Facebook status because 0:21:04.080 --> 0:21:07.360 when he finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out 0:21:07.359 --> 0:21:09.440 into the deep and let down the nets for a catch. 0:21:09.440 --> 0:21:12.719 Say the deep. Jesus is calling you from the little 0:21:12.800 --> 0:21:18.600 to the deep. Simon answered, Master, We've worked hard all night. 0:21:18.640 --> 0:21:21.520 I haven't got anything. But because you say so, I 0:21:21.560 --> 0:21:28.160 will b y ssiw be why because you say so? Ssiw. 0:21:28.480 --> 0:21:32.479 Because you say so, I will be why ssiw. Some 0:21:32.520 --> 0:21:35.640 of you, that's your next tattoo. Put it right here 0:21:35.680 --> 0:21:39.000 on your wrist. And then when you're driven by Simon, Hey, Simon, no, no, no, 0:21:39.119 --> 0:21:42.280 because you say so. Not Simon says, because Jesus said, 0:21:44.200 --> 0:21:48.040 I'll do that. Because you say so. I will now 0:21:48.160 --> 0:21:50.480 picture the rest of this story of what Peter has 0:21:50.520 --> 0:21:53.480 to do, what Simon has to do to be obedient 0:21:53.480 --> 0:21:55.680 to the commands of Christ. Okay, I got the water. 0:21:55.760 --> 0:21:58.160 It waste deep, but let's go out into the deep. 0:21:58.200 --> 0:22:01.280 I mean, I'm comfortable right here because I can hold 0:22:01.320 --> 0:22:03.240 on to this and I can put my feet firmly 0:22:03.280 --> 0:22:06.320 on what I know, what I trust, what's reliable to me. 0:22:06.880 --> 0:22:08.800 But every step I take, the water's gonna get a 0:22:08.800 --> 0:22:10.359 little bit deeper. It's gonna make me a little bit 0:22:10.400 --> 0:22:13.080 more uncomfortable. Oh my gosh, what's about to happen. What's 0:22:13.119 --> 0:22:14.680 gonna happen on the other side of this thing? And 0:22:14.720 --> 0:22:19.280 every step I take the waters But and he's hanging 0:22:19.280 --> 0:22:21.640 on to the side of the boat. But he's not all. 0:22:23.720 --> 0:22:25.600 He had to come to this point in his relationship 0:22:25.600 --> 0:22:28.560 with Jesus that I cannot place my faith in what 0:22:28.800 --> 0:22:31.359 I know, what I touch, what's familiar to me. I 0:22:31.400 --> 0:22:35.840 gotta get all in with Jesus. And that's where he 0:22:35.880 --> 0:22:38.120 wants you to come today. The place that you would 0:22:38.160 --> 0:22:40.359 get all in in the boat he's not intimidated by. 0:22:40.440 --> 0:22:42.400 But you won't get into it. What keeps you from 0:22:42.440 --> 0:22:47.760 getting in the boat? What keeps you from getting in 0:22:48.080 --> 0:22:51.119 the boat? That's a key question, because some of you 0:22:51.119 --> 0:22:53.600 you haven't done that, And I want to ask you, 0:22:53.640 --> 0:22:55.240 and I want to the Holy Spirit to speak to you. 0:22:55.280 --> 0:22:58.800 What is the reason that you aren't getting in that boat. 0:22:59.520 --> 0:23:01.000 So if we go back to our story of the 0:23:01.000 --> 0:23:03.560 demon party, remember that demon party, that was the first scene. 0:23:04.000 --> 0:23:05.560 Now we're going to come to the middle scene. This 0:23:05.640 --> 0:23:09.000 is going to be. In verse eighteen, it says, when 0:23:09.040 --> 0:23:11.119 Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to 0:23:11.119 --> 0:23:13.600 cross to the other side of the lake. Then the 0:23:13.640 --> 0:23:15.360 teacher of the law came to him, as a teacher, 0:23:15.640 --> 0:23:20.040 I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus replied. Foxes 0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:21.800 have dens and birds have nests, but the son of 0:23:21.840 --> 0:23:24.840 man is no place to lie his head. Another disciples 0:23:24.840 --> 0:23:26.720 said to him, first, let me go bury my father. 0:23:27.800 --> 0:23:30.919 Jesus told him, follow me and let the dad bury 0:23:30.960 --> 0:23:36.240 their own dead savage Jesus here. Then he got into 0:23:36.280 --> 0:23:40.680 the boat and his disciples followed him. It says when 0:23:40.760 --> 0:23:43.480 Jesus saw the crowd around him. Some theologians believe that 0:23:43.520 --> 0:23:46.199 crowd would have been up to five thousand people. The 0:23:46.280 --> 0:23:48.639 crowd is filled with lots of people, and Jesus is 0:23:48.800 --> 0:23:52.800 very loving, but he's also very divisive. Jesus will have 0:23:52.920 --> 0:23:56.080 these moments that he says in John chapter six. He says, 0:23:56.160 --> 0:23:59.000 unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, 0:23:59.240 --> 0:24:02.080 you'll have no part of me. And John six sixty six, 0:24:02.760 --> 0:24:06.080 it's as many disciples departed him and followed him no more. 0:24:07.000 --> 0:24:09.719 Why because they followed as far as their understanding would go. 0:24:10.680 --> 0:24:13.280 I'm all in to the end of my understanding, and 0:24:13.320 --> 0:24:15.040 when it doesn't make sense, then I'm not going to 0:24:15.080 --> 0:24:17.880 continue on the journey, because that doesn't make sense Jesus. 0:24:18.119 --> 0:24:20.560 And Jesus is always separating the crowd from the committed. 0:24:23.040 --> 0:24:25.359 And I love the fact that all are loved. Everybody 0:24:25.359 --> 0:24:28.280 on that shore is loved, but not everybody will discover purpose. 0:24:30.960 --> 0:24:33.880 See you're healed with a touch, but you only find 0:24:33.880 --> 0:24:37.400 purpose when you get in the vote. And he's now 0:24:37.400 --> 0:24:39.480 going to divide the crowd, say, guys, we've got to 0:24:39.520 --> 0:24:41.959 get to the other side of the lake. Let's go 0:24:42.000 --> 0:24:43.560 to the other side of the lake. We gotta go. 0:24:43.640 --> 0:24:45.320 I wonder what's so important on the other side of 0:24:45.320 --> 0:24:46.840 the lake. He says, we got to get there. We 0:24:46.840 --> 0:24:48.520 got to get there. But he's going to divide the crowd, 0:24:48.680 --> 0:24:52.119 and there's one group. The first group is this in 0:24:52.240 --> 0:24:55.040 verse nineteen, it says, then a teacher of the law 0:24:55.080 --> 0:24:57.760 came and said, teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. 0:24:58.160 --> 0:24:59.920 He's a teacher of the law. He's saying it loud 0:25:00.119 --> 0:25:03.679 for everyone, and back to hear I will follow you. 0:25:03.880 --> 0:25:07.760 Jesus because he wanted everybody to be impressed with his language, 0:25:07.760 --> 0:25:11.960 but he didn't have the lifestyle. He's all talk. He's 0:25:12.000 --> 0:25:14.919 all talk. I remember my high school football coach. His 0:25:15.000 --> 0:25:17.679 name was Harvey Krable. He looked like a walrus, and 0:25:17.720 --> 0:25:20.200 when he would talk, his jowls would jiggle. It was amazing. 0:25:21.040 --> 0:25:24.480 And we went and played in this rich town. They 0:25:24.520 --> 0:25:27.760 had new white shoes and white gloves. I got stuff 0:25:27.800 --> 0:25:30.000 that's duct taped together. I've never had anything new in 0:25:30.000 --> 0:25:33.000 my life. And my coach, all walrus of him, six 0:25:33.080 --> 0:25:37.080 foot five, gets off the bus waddling and he's like, hey, boys, 0:25:37.119 --> 0:25:39.160 they got all the gear, but they got no game. 0:25:41.800 --> 0:25:43.879 I describes a lot of Christians. He got the T 0:25:44.080 --> 0:25:49.399 shirt and the blinkity bling you're all talk. Teacher'll follow 0:25:49.440 --> 0:25:53.800 you wherever you go. And she's like, Snowflake, there are 0:25:53.840 --> 0:25:57.159 no five star B and B where we're going. You 0:25:57.200 --> 0:26:00.560 didn't even know what you say. Holy Spirit, victis when 0:26:00.600 --> 0:26:04.720 we're all talk. We got, we got, we got the language, 0:26:04.720 --> 0:26:06.639 but not the lifestyle of being a follower of Jesus. 0:26:08.200 --> 0:26:12.280 Show me, don't tell me. You see Rachel. She got 0:26:12.359 --> 0:26:16.760 up and she served. She showed Jesus the healing, showed 0:26:16.840 --> 0:26:21.120 Jesus her faith. Sometimes Christianity turns into one of those 0:26:21.119 --> 0:26:22.760 dollars you pull the string and out pops one of 0:26:22.840 --> 0:26:29.800 five Christian phrases, blessed and highly favored. He's all talk. 0:26:31.359 --> 0:26:35.440 But then in verse twenty one, another disciple came said, Lord, 0:26:35.560 --> 0:26:38.840 let me first go bury my father. Now, this second group, 0:26:39.000 --> 0:26:41.440 if you're taking notes, you could title it this all excuse, 0:26:43.880 --> 0:26:46.680 all excuse. Now here's the reality that could have been 0:26:46.720 --> 0:26:50.080 a legitimate excuse. It could have been his father could 0:26:50.119 --> 0:26:53.879 have just literally died. But Jesus says, this assignment is 0:26:53.920 --> 0:26:57.120 for living people that's already been taken care of. There's 0:26:57.119 --> 0:26:58.800 somebody on the other side of the link that's alive, 0:26:58.800 --> 0:27:01.560 and we gotta go. And then on the boat, I 0:27:01.640 --> 0:27:04.920 wonder what excuses are so familiar you don't even recognize 0:27:04.920 --> 0:27:07.399 they're coming out of your mouth. Here's one of the 0:27:07.400 --> 0:27:11.119 greatest excuses Christianity that we carry as Christians. Let me 0:27:11.160 --> 0:27:15.679 pray about it. You know you're not gonna pray about it. 0:27:16.080 --> 0:27:20.000 You're blaming God for your disobedience because you've come so 0:27:20.240 --> 0:27:23.320 familiar with the excuse you don't even know it's leaking 0:27:23.560 --> 0:27:28.760 out Holy Spirit and make these excuses bitter that we 0:27:28.800 --> 0:27:31.680 would have a visceral response when they come out of 0:27:31.720 --> 0:27:33.600 our mouth. Are you aware of where the excuses are 0:27:33.600 --> 0:27:35.080 that are keeping you from getting in the boat? What 0:27:35.200 --> 0:27:37.360 keeps you from getting in the boat? Jesus is looking 0:27:37.400 --> 0:27:39.560 at the crowd. It's a mixture of people, people that 0:27:39.600 --> 0:27:42.320 have been healed the night before that still smell like 0:27:42.359 --> 0:27:46.480 demon whatever that smells like. But you have people that 0:27:46.480 --> 0:27:48.760 have been following him for a season, and everybody gets 0:27:48.800 --> 0:27:50.800 the same invitation to get in the boat. You don't 0:27:50.800 --> 0:27:53.000 need the religious elite, you don't need to memorize the 0:27:53.000 --> 0:27:55.520 Book of Philippians. He just says, will you follow me? 0:27:55.640 --> 0:27:57.680 Will you get in the boat. It's some of the 0:27:57.720 --> 0:27:59.800 people that are most resistant to get in the boat, 0:28:00.119 --> 0:28:02.760 critical Christians, who are so familiar with the text. We 0:28:02.840 --> 0:28:07.600 already assume what God says. And he's saying, I got 0:28:07.600 --> 0:28:09.439 to get to the other side of the lake, and 0:28:09.480 --> 0:28:11.800 I need the committed I need those that really want 0:28:11.840 --> 0:28:16.680 to follow me to jump in and be all in. Oh, 0:28:16.920 --> 0:28:19.800 all talk. What phrases are keeping you? What excuses are 0:28:19.880 --> 0:28:25.479 keeping you? I'm stupid. I never had a chance. This 0:28:25.560 --> 0:28:27.719 happened to me when I was six that's real and 0:28:27.720 --> 0:28:30.080 that was horrible, but that does not define your future 0:28:31.680 --> 0:28:34.959 because there's a series of three scenes strung together that 0:28:35.000 --> 0:28:38.520 tell a story. Matthew is very particular about stringing these 0:28:38.600 --> 0:28:41.480 three scenes together. What I prayed for some of you, 0:28:41.600 --> 0:28:44.000 some of you are stuck in a scene and you 0:28:44.040 --> 0:28:47.840 think it's the whole story. Yes, there was the demon possession, 0:28:48.080 --> 0:28:50.040 Yes there was the thing, Yes there was the thing 0:28:50.080 --> 0:28:51.520 that happened to you, there was the thing you did. 0:28:51.640 --> 0:28:54.160 Yes that was a scene in your story, but it's 0:28:54.200 --> 0:28:56.000 not the whole story. And if you back up a 0:28:56.000 --> 0:28:58.120 little bit, you will see that Jesus is giving you 0:28:58.160 --> 0:29:01.000 an opportunity. But what keeps you from getting in the boat. 0:29:01.440 --> 0:29:03.000 I think some of you, the reason you don't get 0:29:03.040 --> 0:29:04.720 in the boat is not because you don't love God. 0:29:04.760 --> 0:29:09.800 It's you despise yourself. And I think what Jesus is 0:29:09.800 --> 0:29:11.840 saying that very thing you despise about yourself is the 0:29:11.920 --> 0:29:15.040 very thing I want in the boat. Now, there's three 0:29:15.080 --> 0:29:18.720 groups in this story. We talked through two of them. 0:29:18.720 --> 0:29:20.720 The first one it's kind of hard to see because 0:29:20.760 --> 0:29:22.440 if we just read it, we skip right over it 0:29:22.480 --> 0:29:24.840 because it says this, it's just when Jesus saw the crowd, 0:29:25.000 --> 0:29:27.440 he gave orders. In verse eighteen, he gave orders to 0:29:27.480 --> 0:29:30.120 cross to the other side of the lake. Now this 0:29:30.200 --> 0:29:32.000 is the third group. This is the all in, say 0:29:32.040 --> 0:29:35.000 all in, because what they heard is, hey, let's get 0:29:35.000 --> 0:29:36.479 to the other side of the lake. What did these 0:29:36.520 --> 0:29:41.280 people do? They ran and they got a boat and 0:29:41.320 --> 0:29:44.920 they brought the boat back. Because if God gives an order, 0:29:45.160 --> 0:29:50.280 I respond with obedience. You see the crowd, the order 0:29:50.320 --> 0:29:54.320 becomes optional. But to the committed, it's a command, and 0:29:54.360 --> 0:29:57.960 they walk in obedience. Are the orders of God optional? 0:30:00.160 --> 0:30:01.880 What is the thing that God is asking you to do? 0:30:01.960 --> 0:30:04.080 The door he wants into that you're not letting him in. 0:30:05.680 --> 0:30:11.520 Because when the general gives the soldiers a command, they 0:30:11.560 --> 0:30:15.200 fall in military formation. But the civilians, they're like, you know, 0:30:15.240 --> 0:30:16.520 I'm going to go back to what's important to me, 0:30:18.640 --> 0:30:21.160 and Jesus, ain't get in the boat. We got to 0:30:21.160 --> 0:30:22.640 get to the other side of the lake. What keeps 0:30:22.680 --> 0:30:24.400 you from getting in the boat? Well, Jesus, is there 0:30:24.400 --> 0:30:26.920 gonna be any food on the boat. Some of us 0:30:26.920 --> 0:30:28.800 are like, I want a word from God. No, you don't. 0:30:28.800 --> 0:30:34.280 You want an itinerary and your obedience is proportionate to 0:30:34.440 --> 0:30:39.520 a itinerary that's comfortable for you. And rather than getting 0:30:39.520 --> 0:30:45.640 on a battleship, you're looking for a cruise ship. I'm sorry, Hello, Valentine, 0:30:45.720 --> 0:30:48.440 is in by here with me? This microphone might have 0:30:48.480 --> 0:30:52.080 been dead. I don't I'm all in Jesus until I 0:30:52.120 --> 0:30:53.880 get to like, Oh, but I was expecting you know, 0:30:54.000 --> 0:30:58.440 my ties on the lido deck. But and Jesus, get 0:30:58.480 --> 0:31:00.720 on the boat. But what about what's going to happen 0:31:00.760 --> 0:31:03.200 when we get there? Get on the boat. Get on 0:31:03.280 --> 0:31:05.640 the boat, Get on the boat. Just get on the boat. 0:31:05.920 --> 0:31:08.440 Because what I come to realize about us is if 0:31:08.520 --> 0:31:12.320 the boundaries of your obedience is determined by your understanding, 0:31:12.360 --> 0:31:16.320 you'll never live in the land of faith. I don't understand. 0:31:16.840 --> 0:31:18.400 If you make it plain to me, then I'll get 0:31:18.440 --> 0:31:20.800 on the boat an if then conditional faith with Jesus. 0:31:20.960 --> 0:31:22.800 If you give me the itinerary, then I'll follow on 0:31:22.880 --> 0:31:24.640 And says faith does not work like that. It is 0:31:24.680 --> 0:31:26.080 being sure of what you hope for, are certain of 0:31:26.120 --> 0:31:28.000 what you do not see. There is something on the 0:31:28.040 --> 0:31:30.200 other side of the lake that we've got to get to, 0:31:30.400 --> 0:31:31.960 and I need you to be a part of it. 0:31:32.200 --> 0:31:34.480 I can't give you all the details. But I will 0:31:34.480 --> 0:31:37.120 give you a command, and I will give you the option. 0:31:37.240 --> 0:31:41.360 Will you get on the boat. All of you are loved, 0:31:41.480 --> 0:31:45.840 but not everybody will find the same purpose because the 0:31:45.880 --> 0:31:50.280 reality is that thing that you think disqualifies you from 0:31:50.320 --> 0:31:53.720 getting on the boat is the very thing he needs 0:31:53.760 --> 0:31:56.120 on the boat. And if we stop the story there, 0:31:56.160 --> 0:31:59.000 we wouldn't see the fullness of it, because it goes 0:31:59.040 --> 0:32:03.160 on in Matthew twenty eight, just the next part of 0:32:03.200 --> 0:32:06.880 this story, when he arrived on the other side in 0:32:06.920 --> 0:32:13.680 the region of the Garadines to demon possess men, wait 0:32:13.720 --> 0:32:16.200 coming from the tombes, Maddam, wait no to demon And 0:32:16.240 --> 0:32:18.160 I've read this story so many times before, and it 0:32:18.160 --> 0:32:22.520 never made sense to me because I was reading each scene. 0:32:23.440 --> 0:32:29.000 But picture the demon possessed person, take whatever door that 0:32:29.040 --> 0:32:34.120 you don't want anybody to see behind that, and you're 0:32:34.120 --> 0:32:35.680 looking at the boat saying, those are for the people 0:32:35.760 --> 0:32:38.320 that really love you Jesus, and I still smell like 0:32:38.400 --> 0:32:44.200 last night, the demon possessed people. But they get on 0:32:44.240 --> 0:32:46.960 the boat, and as they're making their way to the 0:32:47.000 --> 0:32:51.080 other side, they first hear it in a distance, the 0:32:51.120 --> 0:32:53.200 cries of these demon possessed men, and it's the closer 0:32:53.200 --> 0:32:55.600 they get, they can see the contorted faces of these 0:32:55.640 --> 0:32:58.400 men under demon possession, and the faith filled people who 0:32:58.440 --> 0:33:00.720 have never struggled with demon possession standing at the front 0:33:00.760 --> 0:33:02.760 of the boat, at the bow of the boat like yeah, 0:33:02.880 --> 0:33:06.040 Jesus are start like yo, Jesus, and they start retreating 0:33:06.040 --> 0:33:09.960 to the back. But those that know what has lacked 0:33:10.000 --> 0:33:14.240 to struggle with demon possession, They're like, wait, now, you 0:33:14.320 --> 0:33:19.160 mean they have empathy for somebody on the other side 0:33:19.960 --> 0:33:24.560 of the lake. The thing that they didn't want to 0:33:24.560 --> 0:33:27.680 bring on the boat is the very thing Jesus wanted 0:33:27.720 --> 0:33:31.960 to use on the other side of the lake. That's 0:33:31.960 --> 0:33:37.600 what I'm telling you. Healing comes with a touch, but 0:33:37.680 --> 0:33:42.400 purpose is found through trust. And healing isn't the absence 0:33:42.400 --> 0:33:47.440 of pain, it's the presence of purpose. The only way 0:33:47.480 --> 0:33:51.480 you discover purposes by being all and by letting Jesus 0:33:51.480 --> 0:33:56.640 be all. And let me give a modern day example 0:33:56.640 --> 0:33:59.520 of this. Let me give you a hypothetical story. Let's 0:33:59.520 --> 0:34:02.920 say there's a fourteen year old girl named Rachel who 0:34:03.080 --> 0:34:06.960 just moved to Valentine area of Charlotte, North Carolina six 0:34:07.000 --> 0:34:10.520 months ago because mom and dad got divorced and she 0:34:10.560 --> 0:34:12.720 had to move back with Mom to move in with Grandma. 0:34:12.880 --> 0:34:14.480 And she's lived here for six months and she has 0:34:14.640 --> 0:34:20.239 zero friends, and she's lonely, and she's filled with anxiety, 0:34:20.960 --> 0:34:25.040 and she wonders, God, where are you now? And some 0:34:25.120 --> 0:34:28.000 little boy invited her to a party. And normally she 0:34:28.000 --> 0:34:31.400 wouldn't go to this party, but Rachel, she just wants friends. 0:34:32.480 --> 0:34:35.319 And she says, Okay, I'll go to the party. But 0:34:35.400 --> 0:34:38.239 she says, I promise I won't. I won't drink. Then 0:34:38.280 --> 0:34:41.120 at the party, the attention is feeding something in her 0:34:41.120 --> 0:34:43.680 that God wants to feed. That just not that way. 0:34:45.200 --> 0:34:47.040 And she says, I'll just hold the cup, I'll just 0:34:47.080 --> 0:34:50.080 have one. I'll just have two. And by the end 0:34:50.120 --> 0:34:52.960 of the night, that little boy gets her to compromise 0:34:53.000 --> 0:34:57.160 something she said she'd keep sacred till marriage. And when 0:34:57.200 --> 0:34:59.480 she's walking home to her apartment that night with Grandma, 0:35:00.360 --> 0:35:02.120 her dad gave her a promise ring when she was eight. 0:35:02.200 --> 0:35:03.440 She takes it off and she throws it in the 0:35:03.440 --> 0:35:06.719 woods because she feels like she's forfeited any future based 0:35:06.760 --> 0:35:09.840 upon that past mistake, and she lays her head in 0:35:09.880 --> 0:35:13.440 the pillow. That night, she cries herself to sleep. She's 0:35:13.480 --> 0:35:16.920 soaking the pillow with her tears. Can you hear her 0:35:17.320 --> 0:35:21.319 cries that that's the sound of the demons across the lake. 0:35:24.040 --> 0:35:25.640 And when she wakes up in the morning, she's praying 0:35:25.640 --> 0:35:27.160 it was just a nightmare. Bet it wasn't, because that 0:35:27.200 --> 0:35:30.560 little boy took photos and he already circulated him. And 0:35:30.640 --> 0:35:33.200 she's called every name you could ever imagine. And before 0:35:33.239 --> 0:35:35.399 her feet even hit the floor, she wants to kill 0:35:35.400 --> 0:35:38.400 herself because she feels like the only way out is that, 0:35:39.360 --> 0:35:41.480 but she realizes there was one other friend at school. 0:35:42.640 --> 0:35:46.759 She invited me to this place called Elevation Valentine and 0:35:46.800 --> 0:35:49.920 as somebody who normally sits in our student section, and 0:35:49.960 --> 0:35:55.000 that little girl walks up to this building, who better 0:35:55.080 --> 0:35:56.879 than you to welcome that little girl? 0:35:58.200 --> 0:36:00.759 And the reality is that story is so familiar to 0:36:00.800 --> 0:36:03.520 so many in this room, and that part of you 0:36:03.600 --> 0:36:06.000 that you want to hide, that you never ever want 0:36:06.040 --> 0:36:09.600 to share, is the very thing that Jesus needs in 0:36:09.640 --> 0:36:13.680 the boat. And if you don't let Jesus into that room, 0:36:13.719 --> 0:36:17.440 all it will ever be is pain. But when you 0:36:17.440 --> 0:36:32.399 put it in the boat, now you find purpose. Who 0:36:32.440 --> 0:36:36.160 better than you to be outfront welcoming that little girl. 0:36:36.239 --> 0:36:37.400 That thing that you said I got to take a 0:36:37.400 --> 0:36:41.200 step back. I got nothing to offer is the very 0:36:41.200 --> 0:36:44.879 thing Jesus wants to put out front. Who better than 0:36:44.880 --> 0:36:48.480 you to lead a youth girl's e group to comfort 0:36:48.480 --> 0:36:54.040 others with the comfort that you have received. Say, Holy Spirit, 0:36:55.560 --> 0:37:01.799 show me the rooms I've not let you in. An 0:37:01.840 --> 0:37:06.400 invitation starts with that admission, what are the rooms that 0:37:06.440 --> 0:37:11.600 you're not letting Jesus in? What are the spaces that 0:37:11.640 --> 0:37:15.480 you've not let Jesus into? An unnamed enemy will never 0:37:15.520 --> 0:37:19.160 be defeated? And what do we do with an enemy? 0:37:19.239 --> 0:37:22.080 What do we do with a friend? We cover them. 0:37:22.200 --> 0:37:25.080 What do we do with an enemy? We expose them. 0:37:25.640 --> 0:37:28.799 The admission is to say, I've got this room, but 0:37:28.920 --> 0:37:30.759 somebody in this room is forty five, and you're like, 0:37:30.800 --> 0:37:33.440 I can't tell anybody. What are they going to think 0:37:33.480 --> 0:37:36.520 of me? You will help them go like, oh, that's 0:37:36.520 --> 0:37:39.759 why he's acted like that for twenty two years. You'll 0:37:39.800 --> 0:37:41.799 give some understanding. Stand your feet at all of our 0:37:41.800 --> 0:37:52.759 locations without anybody moving. This is a holy moment, and 0:37:53.360 --> 0:37:56.400 I'm going to give two opportunities to respond to this 0:37:56.480 --> 0:38:00.239 sermon today. The first one is for those that you've 0:38:00.239 --> 0:38:04.560 got a room, I've got rooms. I've got houses, But 0:38:04.600 --> 0:38:06.759 what's one room that you know that you need to 0:38:06.800 --> 0:38:11.440 let Jesus into. Maybe today would be the day that 0:38:11.800 --> 0:38:15.680 you'd let Jesus. You'd hear him knocking. I've been knocking 0:38:15.719 --> 0:38:18.600 for years. I've been knocking on the door of your life. 0:38:18.680 --> 0:38:21.440 Let me into that marriage, let me into that relationship, 0:38:21.520 --> 0:38:24.640 let me into that thing. He'll come in and he'll 0:38:24.680 --> 0:38:27.799 touch you. It doesn't mean the pain goes away, but 0:38:27.840 --> 0:38:30.719 it doesn't mean you can find purpose in it. And 0:38:30.760 --> 0:38:32.560 then the second invitation is for those of you that 0:38:32.600 --> 0:38:36.239 have not placed your faith in Jesus. You know that 0:38:36.239 --> 0:38:39.359 you're separated from God. You've been playing religious activity, You've 0:38:39.360 --> 0:38:41.799 been checking boxes of going to church, go to the bank, 0:38:41.880 --> 0:38:44.400 go to the grocery store. But you've never confessed with 0:38:44.440 --> 0:38:46.920 your mouth that Jesus Lord and believe it in your 0:38:46.960 --> 0:38:49.319 heart that he was raised from the dead. And if 0:38:49.360 --> 0:38:51.160 you need to begin that relationship with Jesus, I'm going 0:38:51.200 --> 0:38:52.759 to give you that opportunity as well. But by your 0:38:52.760 --> 0:38:55.960 head's close your eyes, put your hands in front of 0:38:56.040 --> 0:38:59.680 you like you're holding a gift. Make some room for 0:38:59.760 --> 0:39:05.960 GeSe Jesus in your hands. Is that room a space 0:39:06.840 --> 0:39:10.600 that you need to let Jesus into You've covered it, 0:39:11.920 --> 0:39:13.680 not because you don't love God, you just kind of 0:39:13.719 --> 0:39:18.800 despise yourself and he wants to come into that. Father, 0:39:18.880 --> 0:39:20.680 I thank you for your sons and daughters right now 0:39:20.680 --> 0:39:26.560 that are walking in boldness fear. But I thank you 0:39:26.600 --> 0:39:30.560 that you're a loving God that you will gently come in. 0:39:31.120 --> 0:39:32.840 You're not going to kick down a door. You're knocking 0:39:32.920 --> 0:39:35.040 on it. Why could you want to come in a 0:39:35.080 --> 0:39:38.600 fellowship with them? And I thank you for the confession, 0:39:39.040 --> 0:39:41.319 the admission. There's a space in our life that we 0:39:41.440 --> 0:39:44.680 need you to touch. I pray that they would move 0:39:44.719 --> 0:39:47.240 beyond just this moment and they would invite another person 0:39:47.280 --> 0:39:51.520 into it today, somebody in this room or somebody online. 0:39:52.000 --> 0:39:53.719 May they share that room so they don't have to 0:39:53.760 --> 0:39:58.520 fight in isolation or being alone any longer. Now, for 0:39:58.560 --> 0:40:00.160 those of you that need to begin a relationship with 0:40:00.280 --> 0:40:02.720 Jesus Christ, I'm going to lead us all into prayer 0:40:03.239 --> 0:40:05.640 for people to begin that relationship. To confess with your 0:40:05.640 --> 0:40:08.719 mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart 0:40:08.760 --> 0:40:11.520 that he was raised from the dead. If you say 0:40:11.560 --> 0:40:14.480 these words and you believe it in your heart, you 0:40:14.520 --> 0:40:17.319 will be saved. Pray this with me, Church family. I 0:40:17.360 --> 0:40:22.399 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who 0:40:22.440 --> 0:40:26.239 died on the cross and rose from the grave to 0:40:26.320 --> 0:40:30.000 forgive me of my sin. I give you my life, 0:40:30.400 --> 0:40:33.320 I give you my sin, I give you my shame. 0:40:34.320 --> 0:40:39.520 Forgive me, and I'll spend my life following you with 0:40:39.560 --> 0:40:41.279 your head still bowed in your eyes still closed. If 0:40:41.280 --> 0:40:43.280 you just place your faith in Jesus or your coming 0:40:43.320 --> 0:40:45.839 back to him, I am going to count to three, 0:40:46.200 --> 0:40:49.319 and without hesitation, once I get there, boldly shoot your 0:40:49.360 --> 0:40:53.040 hand into the air. One, two, three, shoot your hand 0:40:53.120 --> 0:40:55.960 up high across this auditory. Come on, get all of 0:40:55.960 --> 0:40:59.600 our location, all of our location. Come on, get it high. 0:40:59.600 --> 0:41:01.839 One of our team want to get to you. Put 0:41:01.880 --> 0:41:06.560 a new Bible in your hands, signifying your a new creation. Hey, 0:41:06.640 --> 0:41:08.239 church family, let's celebrate that. 0:41:10.600 --> 0:41:13.120 Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of 0:41:13.160 --> 0:41:16.160 you who give generously to this ministry. Is because of 0:41:16.200 --> 0:41:19.120 you that this ministry is possible. You can click the 0:41:19.160 --> 0:41:22.880 link in the description to give now or visit Elevationchurch 0:41:23.040 --> 0:41:26.319 dot org slash podcast for more information and if you 0:41:26.400 --> 0:41:29.640 enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it 0:41:29.640 --> 0:41:31.960 with your friends you can click the share button, take 0:41:31.960 --> 0:41:34.319 a screenshot and share it on your social stories and 0:41:34.360 --> 0:41:37.239 tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God 0:41:37.280 --> 0:41:42.640 bless you.