NO MORE NAILS

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. 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:08.320 I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 0:00:08.320 --> 0:00:10.680 this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:13.080 Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving. 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:14.760 In your life. Enjoy the message. 0:00:16.720 --> 0:00:19.680 Where would you expect to find Jesus on resurrection Sunday. 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:22.279 You know, he's forty days away from ascending in to 0:00:22.360 --> 0:00:25.479 heaven and the Holy Spirit is coming to Jerusalem, So 0:00:25.560 --> 0:00:27.479 perhaps you would expect to find him in a place 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:29.760 with stained glass windows. Would it surprise you to know 0:00:30.720 --> 0:00:34.239 that he went on the road, that Jesus Christ, the 0:00:34.240 --> 0:00:38.320 Son of God resurrected from the grave, who's certainly risen 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:41.240 from the dead, has the power to call for any 0:00:41.280 --> 0:00:43.720 means of transportation. I mean, if I'm up from the dead, 0:00:43.760 --> 0:00:47.040 I'm getting an angel to give me a ride forget uber. 0:00:47.680 --> 0:00:51.760 I don't need lyft. I would want to ride in style. 0:00:53.240 --> 0:00:56.680 But Jesus sets out on this road. Touch somebody say 0:00:56.720 --> 0:01:01.360 walk with me. You sounded like you didn't really want 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:04.200 to walk. You sounded like yeah, you sounded like you 0:01:04.200 --> 0:01:06.000 were headed somewhere. You didn't want to be touch them 0:01:06.000 --> 0:01:08.560 like you're going somewhere you want to go and say 0:01:08.560 --> 0:01:12.399 walk with me, Walk with me. That's really the invitation 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:16.720 of the series. It's been turning my world upside down 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:21.959 and really revolutionizing my walk with God. To see Jesus 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:26.080 walking backward on the day that he got up from 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:30.759 the dead, to see that he's not in Jerusalem where 0:01:30.760 --> 0:01:32.600 the Holy Spirit is coming. The place where he was 0:01:32.640 --> 0:01:34.959 crucified was the place where the promise. 0:01:35.440 --> 0:01:37.520 Is going to be released. 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:40.600 The place where he suffered is going to be the 0:01:40.600 --> 0:01:44.280 place where the glory of God is revealed. And while 0:01:44.319 --> 0:01:48.400 waiting for that to happen, Jesus goes for a walk. 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:53.600 Last week, we met an interesting character. Does anyone remember 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:56.720 his name? Yeah, Cleo. We call him Cleo. The Bible 0:01:56.760 --> 0:02:02.960 calls him Cleopus, but we're friendly with Cleo, and so 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:06.360 we gave him a nickname. And we were surprised that 0:02:06.400 --> 0:02:10.240 we have never met him before. And he's the first 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:14.600 one that Jesus appears to. Well, I should give you 0:02:14.639 --> 0:02:16.600 a little bit more context than that. The women went 0:02:16.639 --> 0:02:19.320 that morning, because sometimes women have more faith than men do. 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:23.040 They have the ability to feel God in ways. You know, 0:02:23.680 --> 0:02:25.919 when you get men to worship. It's like a miracle. 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:29.680 Women will lift their hands. They just don't really have 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:33.360 a problem coming into the presence of God. And sometimes 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:35.760 a woman will have the kind of persistence and patience 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:38.360 with a child. I thought y'all would back me up 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:42.920 right here. I'm trying to give some some love to 0:02:42.960 --> 0:02:45.440 the women. But they went to the to remember to 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:48.920 anoint Jesus's body, but his body wasn't there. 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:51.840 And in some ways, I guess it was. 0:02:51.840 --> 0:02:53.880 An indictment that they thought he would still be there 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:56.600 when he told them I'm getting up on the third day. 0:02:57.000 --> 0:02:58.960 They didn't really believe that. 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:03.920 Even though they were sentimental, they had not yet experienced 0:03:03.919 --> 0:03:07.079 that kind of supernatural resurrection power that. 0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:10.240 Enables you to know that even if it seems. 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:14.960 Dead, was dead, is dead, it doesn't have to stay dead. 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:17.400 That's what resurrection tells me. 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:21.840 That's why our logo as a church is a Neon logo, 0:03:22.200 --> 0:03:25.480 a Neon arrow pointing upward to let you know that 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:29.800 wherever your life is today, love can lift you. Whatever 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:33.680 bit you've fallen into. Loff can lift you, whatever time 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:37.600 you've lost, whatever years you've wasted, Love can lift you 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:41.880 whatever fear has held you down up until this point, 0:03:42.040 --> 0:03:47.040 the grave is empty. He has risen and we're going somewhere, 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:53.680 going somewhere. So the women come to annoy in his body. 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:58.400 But his body isn't there. Somebody say, it isn't there. Well, 0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:02.160 I feel excited today. God's gonna set somebody free. I 0:04:02.200 --> 0:04:04.760 feel it in every fiber of my being. God is 0:04:04.800 --> 0:04:07.760 going to set somebody free today. 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:12.560 Yeah. Yeah, his body wasn't there. 0:04:13.520 --> 0:04:15.920 And okay, so his body isn't there. 0:04:16.040 --> 0:04:17.839 So he's up out of the grave. Where is he? 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:21.680 Well, he kind of appears throughout the day, But I 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:23.120 want to go back to where can I pick up 0:04:23.120 --> 0:04:24.200 where I left off last week? 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:26.599 Don't worry about it. If you weren't here, I'll bring 0:04:26.640 --> 0:04:26.880 you in. 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:30.000 So he walks with Cleo in this unnamed companion some 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:31.560 scholar speculated. 0:04:31.040 --> 0:04:32.000 Could have been his wife. 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:34.360 The text doesn't say that. The text doesn't give us 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:41.000 the other name because sometimes it's not about you. It 0:04:41.040 --> 0:04:43.560 wasn't about revealing who the other person was. It wasn't 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:49.360 even about Cleo. And Jesus is sneaking up behind two 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:52.880 travelers who are disappointed and discouraged. Because God doesn't need 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:57.240 for you to be happy to do work in your heart. Okay, 0:04:57.080 --> 0:04:59.960 he doesn't just hang out with people who pretend like 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.600 they have it all together. Cleo is not only concerned, 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:07.000 but in many ways he has crushed because his expectation 0:05:07.480 --> 0:05:09.320 of who Jesus would be, what he would do, wasn't 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:10.520 met when he died on the cross. 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:11.560 It crushed Cleo. 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:16.840 And Jesus comes alongside the one who has crushed and 0:05:16.920 --> 0:05:22.240 his unnamed companion, and he walks with them away from 0:05:22.240 --> 0:05:27.640 the place where the promise will fall toward an unknown place. 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:28.640 Well, it's unknown today. 0:05:28.640 --> 0:05:30.760 They knew where it was at the time, but it 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:34.360 was so insignificant in that day. Because God doesn't just 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:36.880 show up in big places and appear too important people. 0:05:39.320 --> 0:05:40.960 He might show up and speak to somebody in the 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:43.960 back of the room, somebody in overflow, somebody who isn't 0:05:44.000 --> 0:05:45.560 even in the in the church building. They're in a 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:49.520 hospital bed. He goes to this village called a Mais, 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:53.880 and along the way, wouldn't it be awesome if Jesus 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:57.080 himself preached to you. I mean, I know I'm pretty good, Stacy, 0:05:57.120 --> 0:05:58.960 but imagine so, y'all. 0:05:58.920 --> 0:05:59.960 You're walking. 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.440 And Jesus comes up and doesn't ask if he can 0:06:03.440 --> 0:06:06.680 walk with you. He just starts talking and he asks 0:06:06.720 --> 0:06:10.000 him a question. Okay, listen before God gives you the answers. 0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:15.400 Sometimes he'll change your questions. Yeah, yeah, is it good? 0:06:17.040 --> 0:06:20.719 Mighty quiet in this church today? Sena is mighty quiet. 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:22.760 Sina looks good. He shaved his head, looking like a 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:26.520 UFC fighter, looking like a mixed martial artist. I mean, 0:06:26.640 --> 0:06:30.719 choking nobody, Sena. But he goes for a walk and hey, 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:33.720 what you're talking about? And they tell him about their 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:36.880 disappointment and he can handle it, doesn't chase them away. 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:39.520 They tell them about their doubt and he can handle it. 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:41.599 And that's revolutionizing me because I thought I had to 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:43.920 have faith for God to meet with me. But I'm 0:06:43.960 --> 0:06:49.040 growing to understand that maybe maybe God's presence is most 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:53.520 powerful when I get honest about my doubt, get honest 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:57.360 about my pain, and seek him even still, maybe that's 0:06:57.360 --> 0:06:58.200 where I learn the most. 0:06:58.240 --> 0:06:59.840 When it doesn't go the way I wanted to. 0:07:00.400 --> 0:07:03.200 The detours, the details, the dead ends, the detours. 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:05.120 Remember we said we want to see him in three D. 0:07:05.720 --> 0:07:09.360 So here's the Son of God walking with two travelers 0:07:09.720 --> 0:07:12.120 away from the destination. I'm supposed to be on that 0:07:12.160 --> 0:07:14.520 stage right now, But we're walking the wrong way. 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:15.440 And as we're walking. 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:19.000 As we're walking, he's talking and he explains to them 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:22.280 all about himself. The Bible says that he started with 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:25.040 Moses and the prophets, and he talks about maybe I 0:07:25.040 --> 0:07:27.360 don't know exactly what he said. The Bible just summarizes, 0:07:27.400 --> 0:07:30.800 but maybe he talks about the passover Lamb that Moses 0:07:30.800 --> 0:07:34.720 had the people prepare to celebrate and commemorate their coming 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:37.680 out of Egypt and their forgiveness of sin. Now they're 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:40.680 hearing about the Passover Lamb, but they don't know that 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:45.560 they're standing with the passover Lamb. They won't recognize that 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:49.800 right now, because usually you only recognize the full extent 0:07:49.840 --> 0:07:55.720 of what God was doing in reverse. So while you're 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:58.000 on the road, you might not see it. But they 0:07:58.040 --> 0:08:01.720 keep walking. Touch somebody say keep walking, and Jesus is 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:05.440 just talking, and they like his teaching and they're interested in. 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:07.120 What he's saying. You know how I know. 0:08:07.960 --> 0:08:10.680 Because when they got to where they were going, the 0:08:10.680 --> 0:08:13.640 Bible says it was a seven mile journey, and that's 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:16.560 why we're calling it seven mile miracle, and we're using 0:08:16.600 --> 0:08:19.239 it to look at the seven last statements that Jesus 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:21.520 made on the cross that are recorded in the Gospels. 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:25.600 But he went with them all seven miles. He went 0:08:25.640 --> 0:08:28.520 with them all the way to Amais. And when they 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:32.120 got to the place where they thought they were going, okay, 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:34.080 because they weren't going to stay there long. 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:39.520 God will meet you where you are, but he won't 0:08:39.559 --> 0:08:46.040 leave you there. How good is this already? Man, this 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:48.920 is the introduction. I got to my topic yet. Don't worry. 0:08:48.960 --> 0:08:50.840 I'll get you out on time. But I got something 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:51.440 to say today. 0:08:52.720 --> 0:08:57.360 And as they walk, his words interested them. But when 0:08:57.400 --> 0:09:00.720 they got to the place where they were going, this 0:09:00.840 --> 0:09:05.040 village called Maaeus, the Bible says that Jesus acted like 0:09:05.640 --> 0:09:08.680 he was gonna keep going, because the journey starts where 0:09:08.720 --> 0:09:14.280 you are, but where it ends depends on you. And 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:17.160 you decide whether you want your relationship with God to 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:20.440 just be some superstitious thing, or whether you want it 0:09:20.440 --> 0:09:24.679 to be something so real that you fully surrender the 0:09:24.880 --> 0:09:26.280 operating system. 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:27.160 Write that down. 0:09:27.320 --> 0:09:32.200 The Cross is my operating system. It is not an addition, 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:36.120 It is not an accessory, It is not an app. 0:09:36.600 --> 0:09:39.760 It is the new way that I do what I do, 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:43.160 whatever I do. It doesn't just change what I do 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:48.719 on Sunday morning. It matriculates into my Monday, it transforms 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:54.360 my Tuesday. It works on Wednesday, it comes through on Thursday. 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:59.320 I follow him on Friday, and I'm still saved on Saturday. 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:05.760 Because he's the god of all seven miles. How many 0:10:05.880 --> 0:10:10.439 have decided, I'm going all the way with Jesus. He'll 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:14.200 began a good work with me. We'll be faithful to 0:10:14.320 --> 0:10:14.960 complete it. 0:10:15.360 --> 0:10:19.040 I'm not stop him where I started. 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:27.000 Touch somebody said I'm going all the way, all the way, 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:30.200 and they were like, hey, you want to eat something. 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:35.080 Clio said, man, I mean we didn't really plan on 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:39.480 a guest, but come on in. And where we left 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:42.000 last week is that while look at verse thirty of 0:10:42.040 --> 0:10:42.600 Luke twenty four. 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:47.600 I love this. This resurrection Sunday. Every day is resurrection Sunday. 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:49.840 Every day is Easter at elevation. 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:54.560 A miracle can break out in any heart, at any time, 0:10:54.640 --> 0:10:56.520 in any circumstance, in any grave. 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:00.000 And so he sits down. 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:07.480 And in a common experience of a shared meal, the 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:09.720 Bible says, while he was at the table, because remember, 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:13.040 they're interested in who he is, but they don't yet 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:16.040 recognize who he is like, some of y'all who come 0:11:16.040 --> 0:11:17.720 here don't really believe this stuff yet, but you like 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:18.640 the way it makes you feel. 0:11:19.280 --> 0:11:19.800 It's cool. 0:11:20.960 --> 0:11:24.800 You're not committed yet, but you're curious. You're like, that 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:26.960 was kind of weird. That one thing. I want to 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:37.280 go back. Yep, good because because he meets you where 0:11:37.280 --> 0:11:41.640 you are right and he sits down with him. Jesus Christ, 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:43.400 the son of God, has time for a meal break 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:47.280 on Resurrection Sunday, and the Bible says he just starts 0:11:47.320 --> 0:11:50.120 taking over. Okay, you've heard before that God is a 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:52.200 gentleman and he won't come in if he's not invited. 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:54.560 That's partially true. But once you let him in, he 0:11:54.600 --> 0:12:00.000 takes over. Be ready for that. He takes over. He says, down, 0:12:01.960 --> 0:12:08.560 he took bread, he just took it. And Cleo Clio's 0:12:08.679 --> 0:12:16.360 just watching. And this visitor, this traveling companion, becomes the host. 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.280 In somebody else's house. And that's what happens when he comes. 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:25.720 In your heart and when he takes the bread. 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:29.760 And he gave thanks. So Mary taught him manners. 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:38.880 Okay, he said, blessing before you eat, and he. 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:37.600 Broke it. 0:12:39.679 --> 0:12:43.320 And he began to give it to them. We postulated 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:47.160 last week that when verse thirty one says, it was 0:12:47.280 --> 0:12:52.880 then that their eyes were opened, and then that they 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:58.440 recognized him. That perhaps the reason they saw his presence 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:00.320 when he sat down with them and gave them the 0:13:00.360 --> 0:13:03.880 bread was not only that he broke the bread like 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:08.640 they broke his body, but that when he gave it 0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:11.240 to them in Jewish custom of the bread was broken 0:13:11.400 --> 0:13:16.320 like this and given like this. And they saw where 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:22.720 he was wounded, They saw where the nails were, and 0:13:22.760 --> 0:13:25.400 when they saw where the nails were, they realized who 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:30.240 he was, which lets me know that sometimes the power 0:13:30.320 --> 0:13:33.200 of an example is greater than the power of an explanation. 0:13:36.440 --> 0:13:38.160 He walked with them seven miles. 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:42.920 He walked with them for the entirety of their journey, 0:13:43.040 --> 0:13:47.800 and what his words could not show them they saw 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:54.120 in his wounds. Graham was listening to the sermon, and 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:55.280 you know, kids will just say. 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:57.640 What they think he goes. How do you know? 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:02.560 Because he he was pointing out to me that it 0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:04.920 doesn't say that they saw his scars in the text. 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:07.400 And the more we got to talking about it, I 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.640 realized the way he was thinking about it was like this, Well, 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.240 if Jesus got up from the grave, and he has 0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:20.240 the power to overcome death. He wouldn't leave scars where 0:14:20.240 --> 0:14:24.880 the nails had been. You know, if God asked resurrection power, 0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:27.000 surely he do a little cosmetic surgery. 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:28.920 So Jesus isn't having to. 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:32.520 Walk around with some big holes in his hand or 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:36.880 marks in the places where they had nailed him, where 0:14:36.880 --> 0:14:42.200 the Roman guard that was led by the Jewish leaders 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:46.920 had crucified him, sentenced him to death, executed him for 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:51.320 the sins of all menkind. Surely he wouldn't leave the scars. 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:55.280 But I had to show Graham, and I'm going to 0:14:55.320 --> 0:14:57.880 show you today how I know they saw his scars 0:14:57.880 --> 0:15:00.040 because look, the Bible says, their eyes were open and 0:15:00.040 --> 0:15:03.080 they recognized him. They saw the one that was with 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:06.800 them all along. But they saw him not in his words, 0:15:06.840 --> 0:15:07.800 but in his wounds. 0:15:07.840 --> 0:15:09.120 They saw him. 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:11.800 Not because they heard the stone was rolled away, but 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:14.760 because they were up close and personal with the one 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:18.160 who had suffered. And when they saw where he suffered, 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:21.560 they realized who he was. Then their eyes were open 0:15:21.840 --> 0:15:26.440 and they recognized him, and then he disappeared from their 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:29.440 sight because that was never their destination. 0:15:31.080 --> 0:15:32.040 Look at verse thirty two. 0:15:32.760 --> 0:15:35.120 The scripture says, They asked each. 0:15:34.960 --> 0:15:42.040 Other, we're not our hearts burning while he talked. 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:47.360 His words made their hearts burn, But it was his 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:53.160 wounds that opened their eyes. There are some things that 0:15:53.280 --> 0:15:57.760 cannot be explained. They can only be experienced. And when 0:15:57.760 --> 0:15:59.960 I tell you that God is near to the broken heart, 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:02.560 I can tell you that all day long. 0:16:02.880 --> 0:16:06.480 But it is not until your heart is broken. 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:10.040 It is not until you are at the end of yourself. 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:13.560 It is not until those who walked with you had 0:16:13.600 --> 0:16:14.840 turned their back on you. 0:16:15.200 --> 0:16:17.240 But God stood by your side. 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:21.200 That you can say with confidence, the Lord is my helper. 0:16:21.600 --> 0:16:24.760 What can man do to me? I bear on my 0:16:24.920 --> 0:16:27.360 body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:31.280 Let no man trouble me. I walked through the valley, 0:16:31.520 --> 0:16:33.040 I went through the shadow. 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:43.000 But it wasn't with his words. It was where he 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:46.240 was wounded. That's where they saw him. On the road. 0:16:46.840 --> 0:16:50.360 He opened the scriptures to us. And now they're excited, 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:54.560 so they leave Amais. They got up and went back. 0:16:56.320 --> 0:17:01.320 God told me to tell somebody get up and go back. 0:17:02.240 --> 0:17:05.800 I know Jesus got up, but the reason he got 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:10.600 up is not so you could stand around with sacramental 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:15.760 spices and sing some sacramental songs to a stationary god. 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:20.119 He got up so I could get up the same power. 0:17:20.480 --> 0:17:23.760 I'm sorry, I'm shouting for suffs inside of. 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:28.000 Me makes me shot. 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.520 Because I see you getting up, and I see you 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:33.200 going back. 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:37.600 I see you getting up. The prodigal son said, this. 0:17:37.480 --> 0:17:40.080 Is ridiculous for me to be down here with the 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:42.840 pigs when my father owns the palace. 0:17:43.320 --> 0:17:48.880 Get up, go back. You don't need a speech. This 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:50.040 is your second chance. 0:17:51.680 --> 0:17:54.800 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem, and 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:57.000 they retreaded the seven miles. 0:17:57.359 --> 0:17:59.080 This is the second seven miles. 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:05.280 When they turned around, rerouted by the resurrection power of 0:18:05.320 --> 0:18:09.280 God revealed in the scars of the Savior. Thank you Lord, 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:11.840 I feel his presence today. 0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:14.879 They got up. They went back. 0:18:15.560 --> 0:18:21.000 This is your comeback. Come back, Cleo, Come back, Cleo. 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:25.680 The spirit is coming Come back, Cleo. God's not done 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:29.959 with you yet. Come back, Cleo. They got up and 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:33.680 they came back, and when they got there, they found 0:18:33.760 --> 0:18:36.640 the eleven. This is the disciples minus Judas. Judas didn't 0:18:36.680 --> 0:18:38.679 go so well for him. He didn't come back. But 0:18:41.400 --> 0:18:44.880 they were all assembled together, and when Cleo got there, 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:47.600 they were starting to get the picture. Because Jesus had 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:50.840 been appearing to them too, And now it all comes together, 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:53.359 and now the ones who went away come back and 0:18:53.400 --> 0:18:56.280 the ones who stayed, they all get together and they say. 0:18:56.080 --> 0:19:01.879 It is true. The Lord has risen has appeared to 0:19:02.000 --> 0:19:05.240 Simon and Clio's like, yeah, me too. He showed me. 0:19:05.280 --> 0:19:09.160 We saw through amazing looking for thirty five. They were like, hey, 0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:11.320 we were on this road and he was telling my Moses. 0:19:11.440 --> 0:19:13.399 He thoughout the prophet. Do we even know he was 0:19:13.640 --> 0:19:15.640 can He took the bride and he took the brac cabs. 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:16.960 The practice saw scars. 0:19:16.600 --> 0:19:24.240 That half when he broke the bread, he was recognized 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:32.680 in the scars. How do you know he still has scars? 0:19:33.400 --> 0:19:37.000 Graham saying, Okay, here's what I know, because what Luke 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:40.560 doesn't tell us, John does tell us. And I want 0:19:40.560 --> 0:19:42.600 to go there for a minute. Because it's resurrection Sunday. 0:19:42.600 --> 0:19:45.520 Now it's evening. It's been a long day for Jesus. Okay, 0:19:45.520 --> 0:19:48.000 you start off with a little exercise, pushed that stone 0:19:48.000 --> 0:19:54.240 out of the way, a little CrossFit. If you they 0:19:54.240 --> 0:19:58.159 take me for granted, that humor was epic. That is 0:19:58.280 --> 0:20:03.080 elite level preacher humor. Whether you recognize it or not. 0:20:04.160 --> 0:20:10.040 The Lord liked that joke. I never realized how funny 0:20:10.080 --> 0:20:13.920 the Bible is. Man, It's hilarious, it really is. That's 0:20:13.920 --> 0:20:16.480 something I didn't get because I always thought God was 0:20:16.520 --> 0:20:17.200 so serious. 0:20:17.240 --> 0:20:19.240 And I know, hey, I know it's serious as a 0:20:19.240 --> 0:20:20.840 matter of life and death. Trust me. Nobody takes more 0:20:20.880 --> 0:20:21.399 serious to me. 0:20:21.680 --> 0:20:25.080 But Jesus just messing around with people sometimes. 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:25.679 Because watch this. 0:20:25.880 --> 0:20:27.639 It says on the evening of the first day of 0:20:27.640 --> 0:20:31.600 the week, this verse nineteen John, chapter twenty, same evening. Now, 0:20:31.800 --> 0:20:36.360 so Cleo is coming back, and the disciples were together 0:20:36.720 --> 0:20:42.359 with the doors locked for fear. See that's what fear 0:20:42.400 --> 0:20:45.880 will always do. It will always lock you in from 0:20:45.920 --> 0:20:50.359 the inside. They weren't locked out, they were locked in. 0:20:51.560 --> 0:20:55.880 We lock ourselves in because of fear. Remember that, that's important. 0:20:56.000 --> 0:20:58.800 They were locked in for fear of the Jewish leaders. 0:20:58.800 --> 0:20:59.840 Hey they might kill us. 0:21:00.080 --> 0:21:02.720 Hey, there's a rumor circulating that we stole the body. 0:21:02.920 --> 0:21:05.760 We better stay up here now now, Remember Cleo and 0:21:05.800 --> 0:21:08.359 his companion went the wrong way. But is it any 0:21:08.400 --> 0:21:10.879 better to stay in Jerusalem with the doors locked. 0:21:12.160 --> 0:21:15.240 Some people go away from God. Some people stay in church, 0:21:15.520 --> 0:21:16.080 but their. 0:21:15.920 --> 0:21:18.760 Heart is so locked they might as well, not. 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:19.520 Even be there. 0:21:19.880 --> 0:21:30.720 It's about your heart. And Jesus, Jesus is so funny. 0:21:30.760 --> 0:21:32.320 Why says the doors are locked for fear of the 0:21:32.400 --> 0:21:34.920 Jewish leaders. And Jesus came and stood among them. 0:21:34.920 --> 0:21:35.560 How did he do it? 0:21:35.640 --> 0:21:42.760 He picked the lock. See, grace will break in the 0:21:42.840 --> 0:21:46.000 back door, kick the door down. 0:21:46.880 --> 0:21:50.840 Grace is a G. Grace will come on in, take 0:21:50.880 --> 0:21:51.720 on over. 0:21:51.960 --> 0:21:54.840 Take your bread, break your bread. 0:21:54.960 --> 0:21:55.879 Change your life. 0:21:56.200 --> 0:22:02.840 Jesus showed up and said peace, Grace is a G. 0:22:03.040 --> 0:22:06.960 Touch somebody said grace is a G. Hashtag Grace is 0:22:07.000 --> 0:22:09.080 a G. Just any way. 0:22:08.960 --> 0:22:15.000 In peace be with you. 0:22:16.160 --> 0:22:19.040 But watch this. After he said this, he showed them 0:22:19.320 --> 0:22:22.520 his hands and his side. Five wounds. Five is the 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:23.240 number of grace. 0:22:23.320 --> 0:22:25.120 Just remember that. Five wounds in his. 0:22:25.119 --> 0:22:27.919 Sigh, in his hands, in his feet, five wounds. He 0:22:27.920 --> 0:22:29.800 showed him his hands, five fingers. He showed him his 0:22:29.800 --> 0:22:36.879 hands where the nails were, where the nails were. And 0:22:36.920 --> 0:22:39.720 I wonder did they have a flashback, because the first word, 0:22:39.760 --> 0:22:40.280 there are seven. 0:22:40.320 --> 0:22:41.119 We're going to get them all. 0:22:41.160 --> 0:22:43.600 This is the first word that Jesus spoke from the 0:22:43.640 --> 0:22:49.119 cross is a statement. He said, Father, forgive them, for 0:22:49.240 --> 0:22:52.480 they know not what they do, what a generous interpretation. 0:22:54.720 --> 0:22:59.880 When people insult me, I tell God, they know exactly 0:23:00.200 --> 0:23:00.880 what they're doing. 0:23:05.600 --> 0:23:07.960 And if I do forgive somebody, it takes me time. 0:23:09.640 --> 0:23:12.680 But while they were driving the nails, I'm flashing back 0:23:12.720 --> 0:23:16.119 now from the cross. I wonder when they saw his hands, 0:23:16.119 --> 0:23:18.080 did they remember his words? I wonder when they saw 0:23:18.320 --> 0:23:20.879 where he was wounded? Did they remember the words he spoke? 0:23:21.040 --> 0:23:21.320 Father? 0:23:22.440 --> 0:23:26.359 Forgive them, for they know not what they do, not 0:23:26.520 --> 0:23:31.879 what they did. But while they were doing it, he 0:23:32.000 --> 0:23:37.160 had the presence of mind to forgive, and he needed help. 0:23:39.080 --> 0:23:43.080 Even Jesus, perfect as he was, human as he was, 0:23:44.240 --> 0:23:44.640 knew that. 0:23:44.600 --> 0:23:46.840 He could not forgive without the help of his father. 0:23:48.760 --> 0:23:53.000 So as I think about forgiveness today, I wonder where 0:23:53.000 --> 0:23:55.680 you've been wounded, Jesus. 0:23:55.760 --> 0:23:56.600 That was in his hands. 0:23:57.440 --> 0:23:59.199 When they saw the hands, they realized this is not 0:23:59.240 --> 0:24:00.000 an impersonator. 0:24:00.000 --> 0:24:00.760 If this is not an. 0:24:00.640 --> 0:24:05.800 Impostor, they had to see something. They had to see 0:24:05.800 --> 0:24:10.320 something that let them know what he went through. And 0:24:10.400 --> 0:24:13.520 you keep trying to prove God's presence by your successes. 0:24:16.800 --> 0:24:19.400 But when it came time for Jesus Christ, the Son 0:24:19.440 --> 0:24:23.320 of God, to prove his presence, he said, look where 0:24:23.320 --> 0:24:32.080 the nails were see my hands. See where they drove 0:24:32.119 --> 0:24:34.320 the spikes between the bones so they would not break, 0:24:34.359 --> 0:24:36.840 so that it would support the weight of my body 0:24:36.880 --> 0:24:43.600 long enough for me to suffocate. See see it killed me, 0:24:43.640 --> 0:24:48.000 but I didn't stay dead. It broke me. But I 0:24:48.040 --> 0:24:52.920 am now whole. I was dead, now I'm alive. See 0:24:52.960 --> 0:24:58.960 my scars. My scars tell a story. I'm not ashamed 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:05.680 to show my scars. Christianity is not cosmetic surgery, so 0:25:05.720 --> 0:25:08.920 you can hide what you've been through to try to 0:25:08.960 --> 0:25:15.560 get people to think you're perfect. Christianity. Jesus Christ didn't 0:25:15.600 --> 0:25:21.320 come to conceal the pain. He came to reveal his glory, 0:25:21.760 --> 0:25:25.800 and he showed it. It is stars, but there was one. 0:25:26.040 --> 0:25:29.000 God has always looked him for the one who wasn't there. 0:25:29.040 --> 0:25:31.240 And the Bible tells us that even though the eleven 0:25:31.320 --> 0:25:33.920 minus Judas got to see him, there was one who 0:25:34.000 --> 0:25:36.600 wasn't there, named Thomas. Can I talk about Thomas for 0:25:36.640 --> 0:25:40.119 one minute? Let me teach you about Thomas. Oh Man, Thomas. 0:25:40.200 --> 0:25:42.120 He gets a bad rap. They call him in the church. 0:25:42.160 --> 0:25:44.520 They call him doubting Thomas. Have you ever heard this before? 0:25:44.960 --> 0:25:47.920 Doubting Thomas? Because church people will label you by one 0:25:48.000 --> 0:25:56.760 moment in your journey, doubting Thomas adultery. 0:25:56.840 --> 0:26:01.720 Annie, I'll stop right there. 0:26:01.760 --> 0:26:03.240 Some things going through my head that would have to 0:26:03.280 --> 0:26:07.720 be edited out for you too, because light will label 0:26:07.800 --> 0:26:13.760 you by what you did, and the Bible gives us 0:26:14.480 --> 0:26:16.800 a little Only John tells us this, because John had 0:26:16.800 --> 0:26:17.719 the sensitivity to him. 0:26:17.720 --> 0:26:19.360 When you read his gospel, he tells you things other people. 0:26:19.400 --> 0:26:24.920 I'll mention he said, now Thomas, also known as Didimus. 0:26:26.160 --> 0:26:28.480 I mean, if we've just got to label Thomas a doubter, 0:26:28.920 --> 0:26:31.240 can we at least call him doubting Didamis because the 0:26:31.280 --> 0:26:40.600 alliteration works much better doubting Didimus. The Bible says that 0:26:40.760 --> 0:26:45.800 doubting did he one of the twelve. 0:26:47.119 --> 0:26:47.800 Was not with. 0:26:48.000 --> 0:26:51.760 Somebody say he wasn't there. So now Jesus and Thomas 0:26:51.800 --> 0:26:54.080 got something in common. When they went to look for 0:26:54.200 --> 0:26:57.119 Jesus that body, he wasn't there. When Jesus showed up 0:26:57.119 --> 0:27:01.760 alive and resurrected, Thomas wasn't there, and Thomas wasn't there. 0:27:01.760 --> 0:27:04.280 The Bible doesn't say why he wasn't there. I've always 0:27:04.320 --> 0:27:06.120 heard it preach like he wasn't there because he didn't 0:27:06.160 --> 0:27:07.919 have enough faith to be there, but the boys inside 0:27:07.960 --> 0:27:08.800 had the doors locked. 0:27:09.880 --> 0:27:10.840 They weren't any better. 0:27:11.880 --> 0:27:14.480 So if we're gonna give out nicknames, let's talk about 0:27:14.520 --> 0:27:17.520 Simon Peter inside with the doors locked. 0:27:17.800 --> 0:27:22.040 How about scaredy cat Simon Peter, scaredy Simon. 0:27:22.680 --> 0:27:26.639 How about locked door Levi, lock him up Levi? 0:27:27.480 --> 0:27:30.439 And doubting Dicky. And we all have dolves. That's what 0:27:30.520 --> 0:27:31.440 I'm trying to say. 0:27:31.760 --> 0:27:35.800 We all have scars, we all have dysfunction. You might 0:27:35.880 --> 0:27:39.600 have long sleeves, but if I could roll up your sleeves, 0:27:39.960 --> 0:27:41.240 you've been through something. 0:27:41.560 --> 0:27:44.800 You'll struggle with something. Your wife may not know it. 0:27:44.880 --> 0:27:53.120 But God goes, I gotta hurry, I gotta hurry. 0:27:53.119 --> 0:27:54.200 I'm getting really indulgent. 0:27:54.200 --> 0:27:55.640 I gotta get you out of here because the next 0:27:55.680 --> 0:28:04.320 crowd's coming in. Somebody somebody say, nails nails, nails nails. 0:28:05.080 --> 0:28:08.280 So the other disciple told him we have seen the Lord. 0:28:08.280 --> 0:28:09.639 But Thomas said, this is why I had come down 0:28:09.680 --> 0:28:13.280 in Thomas. I call him honest Thomas. I don't come 0:28:13.320 --> 0:28:16.879 him down in Thomas. I call him honest Thomas, truthful Thomas. 0:28:16.880 --> 0:28:20.280 Because Thomas is like, I'm not buying it. I'm not 0:28:20.280 --> 0:28:22.640 buying it. Off what you said, I need to see 0:28:22.640 --> 0:28:26.199 for myself. I got to see Jesus for myself. This 0:28:26.240 --> 0:28:30.080 has to be real to me. So hey, unless I 0:28:30.160 --> 0:28:37.160 see the nail marks in his hands, unless I see 0:28:37.720 --> 0:28:45.480 where he suffered, I will not believe in his glory. 0:28:46.040 --> 0:28:50.560 And unless I put my finger where the nails were 0:28:52.280 --> 0:28:56.040 and put my hand into his sigh, I won't believe. 0:28:57.040 --> 0:29:00.160 Watch Jesus. Now, I want to point out one thing 0:29:00.200 --> 0:29:01.040 in verse twenty six. 0:29:01.120 --> 0:29:01.720 Look at it. 0:29:03.280 --> 0:29:11.400 Seven days later, a week later, seven seven miles, seven days. 0:29:12.880 --> 0:29:16.000 God will leave you in a space where you don't 0:29:16.120 --> 0:29:21.440 understand to create faith in your heart. So Thomas says, 0:29:21.800 --> 0:29:24.480 I need to see the scars. Jesus could have showed 0:29:24.560 --> 0:29:29.080 up on the spot. He waited seven days. Jesus could 0:29:29.120 --> 0:29:31.880 have walked up to Cleo and said, see my scars. 0:29:31.960 --> 0:29:34.960 It's me. But sometimes he wants to let you walk 0:29:35.520 --> 0:29:38.720 and wonder and walk and wonder. 0:29:38.600 --> 0:29:41.760 Not because he doesn't love you, but because if your 0:29:41.840 --> 0:29:46.960 faith needs an explanation, it cannot sustain the trials of life. 0:29:47.520 --> 0:29:50.120 So he waits seven days. You'll help me ap preach this. 0:29:50.680 --> 0:29:53.680 He waits seven days. Have you ever had to wait 0:29:53.800 --> 0:29:56.520 seven days? Have you ever had to wait through a 0:29:56.600 --> 0:29:59.440 custody battle. Have you ever had to wait to see 0:29:59.440 --> 0:30:01.920 if this is ever gonna feel better? Have you ever 0:30:01.960 --> 0:30:05.840 had to wait through pain, wake through depression, wake through 0:30:05.880 --> 0:30:09.920 anxiety attacks, wake through bad reports, way. 0:30:09.720 --> 0:30:13.240 Through a newscast? Have you ever had to wait. 0:30:15.520 --> 0:30:21.160 There awaiting a waiting period? And then when Jesus shows 0:30:21.240 --> 0:30:22.640 up a week later? 0:30:22.680 --> 0:30:22.880 Seven? 0:30:22.880 --> 0:30:27.000 Everybody say seven, seven days, seven miles, seven days, seven miles. 0:30:27.000 --> 0:30:31.280 It's the number of completion. And then Jesus shows. 0:30:31.080 --> 0:30:35.920 Up, maybe just at that point where Thomas is tired 0:30:35.960 --> 0:30:38.920 of waiting. And the disciples were in the house again, 0:30:40.040 --> 0:30:46.480 and Thomas this time was there, and Jesus walks in. 0:30:47.240 --> 0:30:51.760 Look at the next part. Though the doors were locked, they. 0:30:51.640 --> 0:30:57.640 Still locked, the doors still scared, but they stayed, still scared. 0:30:57.280 --> 0:30:57.880 But they stayed. 0:30:58.640 --> 0:31:01.160 I still got some addictions, and I'm in church today. 0:31:01.560 --> 0:31:04.520 God can work with that. I'm still on the road. 0:31:04.600 --> 0:31:05.960 I don't get it, but I'm still. 0:31:07.400 --> 0:31:09.880 And this time Thomas was there. He's not gonna miss 0:31:09.880 --> 0:31:13.520 it this time. And Jesus came in, stood among them 0:31:13.520 --> 0:31:28.560 and said, peace, watch what comes next? You'll temmy, Hey diddy, hey, honest, Thomas, 0:31:30.360 --> 0:31:34.280 I heard you wanted to see my. 0:31:34.400 --> 0:31:38.000 Scars Now this is important. 0:31:39.000 --> 0:31:45.280 Put your finger here, where where the nails were? 0:31:46.840 --> 0:31:48.200 Isn't that what you needed to see? 0:31:48.280 --> 0:31:52.080 Thomas? Where the nails were? And I noticed something? He 0:31:52.120 --> 0:31:56.800 didn't say, where the nails are? You'll tell me. 0:31:58.120 --> 0:32:02.080 I'm back from the grave and I need you to 0:32:02.160 --> 0:32:02.920 see something. 0:32:03.840 --> 0:32:13.400 Look, Thomas, no more nails. Look, Thomas, they're not here. 0:32:14.720 --> 0:32:19.600 But your finger where the sin was. Put your finger 0:32:20.080 --> 0:32:24.320 where the shame was. Put your finger where they tried 0:32:24.400 --> 0:32:34.040 to crucify the creator of the world. No more, somebody 0:32:34.160 --> 0:32:39.200 shall no more nails, No more nails. In other words, 0:32:39.520 --> 0:32:44.840 what held me doesn't hold me anymore. I came to 0:32:45.080 --> 0:32:52.640 the clare. Today is the day of freedom. 0:32:52.880 --> 0:32:54.000 I wish you would push. 0:32:53.880 --> 0:32:56.120 Your neighbor to they almost fall over, and say, no 0:32:56.200 --> 0:33:00.000 more nails, No more nails. Now, I've heard so much 0:33:00.080 --> 0:33:04.080 any sermons about forgiveness, because we've all been wounded. Raise 0:33:04.160 --> 0:33:06.560 your hand if life hasn't wounded you yet. I want 0:33:06.600 --> 0:33:08.880 to see where the liars are in the church, because 0:33:08.880 --> 0:33:10.960 I want to have a special prayer for all the 0:33:11.000 --> 0:33:13.320 liars who would have the audacity to lie in the 0:33:13.360 --> 0:33:16.200 presence of God and act like you haven't been wounded. 0:33:16.360 --> 0:33:19.680 We've all been wounded, rock Hill, Gaston County. 0:33:19.840 --> 0:33:22.080 It don't matter Toronto, Canada. You can't. 0:33:22.320 --> 0:33:26.200 You can't walk the road without being wounded. You can't 0:33:26.200 --> 0:33:27.680 go to church without being wounded. 0:33:28.760 --> 0:33:32.560 Faked, I'm mad. That's why I have that gange. Faked. 0:33:32.600 --> 0:33:41.800 I'm a I was in a church one time and 0:33:41.840 --> 0:33:44.120 the preacher got on to sing about wounds. And it 0:33:44.160 --> 0:33:47.280 was so weird, y'all, because he was like he was. 0:33:47.680 --> 0:33:51.640 He was preaching about wounds. His thing was trying to 0:33:51.640 --> 0:33:54.040 get everybody go back and remember all the ways they've 0:33:54.080 --> 0:33:56.400 been wounded throughout their whole life. He had me thinking 0:33:56.400 --> 0:34:01.160 of stuff in the third grade, just the craziest stuff 0:34:01.240 --> 0:34:03.800 like that was going to bring healing. Look at this, 0:34:04.880 --> 0:34:08.800 Jesus didn't show Thomas his wounds. He showed him his scars. 0:34:11.280 --> 0:34:18.840 There is a difference between being wounded and being scarred. 0:34:19.000 --> 0:34:19.479 That's good. 0:34:20.400 --> 0:34:27.600 That's good. So when I prayed about this first word 0:34:27.600 --> 0:34:31.880 of forgiveness, the Lord told me to talk to you 0:34:31.960 --> 0:34:39.839 about the nails, whatever has wounded you, whatever you hide, 0:34:41.719 --> 0:34:46.480 whatever happened. See when Jesus shows Thomas his scars, I'm 0:34:46.520 --> 0:34:49.839 glad he kept his scars. I'm glad he kept that 0:34:49.880 --> 0:34:53.080 part I'm glad he didn't stay dead, but I'm also 0:34:53.160 --> 0:34:56.640 glad that he came out scarred because that gives me hope. 0:34:56.920 --> 0:34:59.399 And that's how I try to preach. I don't want 0:34:59.400 --> 0:35:02.080 to preach wounded, because if I preach wounded, I'm going 0:35:02.120 --> 0:35:03.480 to inflict my pain on you. 0:35:04.280 --> 0:35:06.120 And I don't want to be a wounded parent. I 0:35:06.120 --> 0:35:08.440 don't want to be a wounded spouse. I don't want 0:35:08.440 --> 0:35:09.960 to walk around. God spoke to. 0:35:09.920 --> 0:35:12.960 Me a couple months ago and he said, if I've 0:35:13.000 --> 0:35:14.880 really healed you like you claim I have, why are 0:35:14.920 --> 0:35:20.520 you still so touchy? Thomas said, I want to see 0:35:20.520 --> 0:35:24.359 where the wounds were. And when I teach pre cherch 0:35:24.440 --> 0:35:25.279 Jonathan can tell you. 0:35:25.320 --> 0:35:25.759 I tell him. 0:35:25.840 --> 0:35:27.560 Don't you get up and tell the church all the 0:35:27.560 --> 0:35:30.360 ways that you woke up at five thirty am. And 0:35:30.760 --> 0:35:32.919 you know, if I put you in my puppet show 0:35:32.960 --> 0:35:35.719 the church some of your scars, you can show them 0:35:35.760 --> 0:35:38.520 the stones that God has rolled away. That's fine, that's 0:35:38.560 --> 0:35:40.640 the part of it. He is a god of miracles, 0:35:40.800 --> 0:35:42.759 he is a god who makes dreams come true. And 0:35:42.800 --> 0:35:45.160 we've all got some stones that he's rolled away. But 0:35:45.200 --> 0:35:51.560 we've all got some scars too, So show them your scars. 0:35:52.880 --> 0:35:55.120 Show them where you didn't get up at five thirty. 0:35:55.120 --> 0:35:56.279 In fact, show him. 0:35:56.160 --> 0:35:58.560 Where you pretended like you didn't hear the baby crying 0:35:58.760 --> 0:36:00.600 at five thirty got up. 0:36:02.160 --> 0:36:07.160 Tell them that story. Tell them how you almost quit. 0:36:09.440 --> 0:36:11.799 Tell them how you wanted to throw up the first 0:36:11.800 --> 0:36:14.000 week you went out to preach after the news media 0:36:14.080 --> 0:36:16.240 ran a story about you for four days straight saying 0:36:16.280 --> 0:36:16.960 things about you. 0:36:17.600 --> 0:36:18.120 Tell them that. 0:36:19.640 --> 0:36:22.080 Tell them how you were in the bathroom and you 0:36:22.160 --> 0:36:26.840 came out smiling. Show them where the wounds were, and 0:36:26.920 --> 0:36:31.520 it'll give them hope that what wound did me doesn't 0:36:31.560 --> 0:36:33.960 have to hold me forever. 0:36:35.440 --> 0:36:37.080 Come on, it's time to be free. 0:36:38.560 --> 0:36:48.920 It's been long enough, it's been seven days. Forgiveness doesn't 0:36:48.960 --> 0:36:53.960 mean it didn't happen. The scar shows it happened. Jesus 0:36:54.040 --> 0:36:56.879 didn't show up and say what Cross? What to talk 0:36:56.920 --> 0:36:59.000 about Cross? I don't remember Cross. I heard a preacher 0:36:59.000 --> 0:37:00.640 say one time, this guy's an he should have his 0:37:00.719 --> 0:37:03.839 credentials revoke. He said, if you've really uh, let's get 0:37:03.840 --> 0:37:08.719 a preacher voice going, if you've really forgiven someone in 0:37:08.760 --> 0:37:15.439 your hearts, you will not even remember the offense. There 0:37:15.480 --> 0:37:17.560 is a word that comes to my mind to describe 0:37:17.680 --> 0:37:20.960 what he said, but I'm gonna just say it's it's inaccurate. 0:37:25.000 --> 0:37:27.399 It's not denial when I say forgiveness, because I gotta 0:37:27.440 --> 0:37:28.920 be careful because I'm a pastor, right, I'm not just 0:37:28.920 --> 0:37:30.399 passing through preaching one week leaving. 0:37:30.560 --> 0:37:31.760 I'm not trying to just get something. 0:37:32.000 --> 0:37:35.080 I'm trying to go on a journey with you and 0:37:35.120 --> 0:37:37.480 to let you know that when you when you let 0:37:37.520 --> 0:37:40.440 go of whatever wounded you so that you can be 0:37:40.560 --> 0:37:42.160 free and go into the. 0:37:42.080 --> 0:37:43.399 Future God has for you. 0:37:44.160 --> 0:37:47.040 It doesn't mean that you pretend it never happened. This 0:37:47.080 --> 0:37:52.440 is not denial. The nails were there. My dad walked 0:37:52.440 --> 0:37:52.680 out on. 0:37:52.760 --> 0:37:55.680 Me, not my dad. I'm saying that you could say my. 0:37:55.719 --> 0:37:59.120 Mom had an impossible standard that I could never live 0:37:59.200 --> 0:38:02.200 up to, and I believe that part of my eating disorder. 0:38:01.760 --> 0:38:03.359 Today has to do with that. 0:38:03.600 --> 0:38:07.319 I'm not saying it didn't happen, but I can't let 0:38:07.360 --> 0:38:11.359 it hold me. I cannot blame her forever, not if 0:38:11.360 --> 0:38:16.160 I'm a Christian, not if I am a Christian, not 0:38:16.320 --> 0:38:20.759 if I worship the one who was wounded for my transgression. See, 0:38:20.800 --> 0:38:22.840 I need to let you know something because the hardest 0:38:22.880 --> 0:38:26.279 person you'll ever forgive. Is not your ex, is not 0:38:26.360 --> 0:38:29.960 your mom, is not your dad. It's not your neighbor 0:38:30.200 --> 0:38:33.200 who came over your fence and your property line. The 0:38:33.239 --> 0:38:37.000 hardest person you will ever have to forgive is yourself. 0:38:37.480 --> 0:38:38.920 See the truth be told. 0:38:39.320 --> 0:38:42.600 It is my self inflicted nails that I have the 0:38:42.680 --> 0:38:43.600 hardest time. 0:38:43.480 --> 0:38:44.200 Letting go off. 0:38:51.800 --> 0:38:54.680 But I want the devil to know when he comes 0:38:54.680 --> 0:38:59.120 to hammer at me with accusation. I don't know where 0:38:59.120 --> 0:39:02.160 you go when that start to happen, how worthless you are. 0:39:02.480 --> 0:39:05.040 Have you noticed the devil loves to hammer you, and 0:39:05.400 --> 0:39:07.600 he's got a big hammer. But let me tell you 0:39:07.640 --> 0:39:11.760 a little secret. He ain't got no more nails. Somebody 0:39:11.840 --> 0:39:13.480 shout no more nails? 0:39:14.239 --> 0:39:15.000 Do that, Sime? 0:39:15.080 --> 0:39:20.000 The devil hammers you with accusations, shout back in his face, 0:39:20.360 --> 0:39:30.760 she got no nails. All my nails are in that cross. 0:39:32.400 --> 0:39:35.920 All my shame is on that cross. Somebody shouting no 0:39:35.960 --> 0:39:39.680 more nails. There is therefore now no condemnation for those 0:39:39.680 --> 0:39:43.120 who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the 0:39:43.200 --> 0:39:46.000 law of the spirit of life has set me free 0:39:46.160 --> 0:39:48.759 from the law of sin and death. The devil might 0:39:48.840 --> 0:39:52.680 have a hammer, but he doesn't have any nails, breaks. 0:39:52.440 --> 0:39:57.080 Out in touch the place. 0:39:58.440 --> 0:40:06.759 Where the nails were, where they were. It doesn't mean 0:40:06.760 --> 0:40:13.560 it didn't happen. It happened. I fell sure it happened. 0:40:16.600 --> 0:40:17.799 I ruined the relationship. 0:40:17.840 --> 0:40:21.480 It happened. They abused me in ways that I don't 0:40:21.520 --> 0:40:26.080 even want to tell my own spouse. It happened. I 0:40:26.160 --> 0:40:27.680 deal with the traumatic rememorancy. 0:40:28.239 --> 0:40:30.200 It's not that it didn't happen, and it's not that 0:40:30.280 --> 0:40:36.000 it doesn't hurt. That's not what forgiveness is. Forgiveness doesn't 0:40:36.040 --> 0:40:38.279 mean it it doesn't hurt. 0:40:39.960 --> 0:40:41.680 I mean the nails might be gone, but the memory 0:40:41.719 --> 0:40:46.160 is still there. And it's really easy. 0:40:45.840 --> 0:40:50.120 To forgive sometimes when the person that you're forgiving is gone, 0:40:51.040 --> 0:40:54.240 but when you still have to work I'll share custody, 0:40:54.280 --> 0:40:58.839 when you still have to live with the memory, when 0:40:58.840 --> 0:41:01.960 you still can't be touched without recalling the shame of 0:41:02.040 --> 0:41:04.759 when you were touched the wrong way, and now you're 0:41:04.800 --> 0:41:06.799 trying to learn how to love the right way, when 0:41:06.840 --> 0:41:08.360 you're trying to learn how to trust. 0:41:08.880 --> 0:41:10.239 It doesn't mean it won't hurt. 0:41:12.080 --> 0:41:14.640 Away with the preaching that will teach you that the 0:41:14.680 --> 0:41:18.799 pain will go away when you forgive the offense. It's 0:41:18.840 --> 0:41:21.960 not that the pain goes away. I'm helping somebody, I'm 0:41:22.000 --> 0:41:24.759 setting somebody free. You keep waiting for the feeling of 0:41:24.800 --> 0:41:25.560 forgiveness to come. 0:41:25.600 --> 0:41:29.680 It's not a feeling. It takes faith. I said, it 0:41:29.719 --> 0:41:33.480 takes faith. I said it takes faith. I said it 0:41:33.520 --> 0:41:37.760 takes faith. It takes faith to believe. 0:41:39.840 --> 0:41:42.799 That the same place where the nails were is the 0:41:42.880 --> 0:41:44.560 same place where the healing is. 0:41:46.200 --> 0:41:47.719 They saw it in a scarce. 0:41:49.640 --> 0:41:56.920 Jesus needed those nails. If they had nailed him to 0:41:57.080 --> 0:42:02.359 that cross, if they had, if they hadn't punctured, if 0:42:02.360 --> 0:42:07.480 the blood didn't flow from that place, the power wouldn't 0:42:07.520 --> 0:42:11.759 be released. I'm saying not that God's gonna take the 0:42:11.920 --> 0:42:15.839 scar away, but that he is going to release the 0:42:15.880 --> 0:42:19.680 greatest strength in your life from the place where the 0:42:19.800 --> 0:42:20.480 nails were. 0:42:22.320 --> 0:42:32.920 Come on, shout no more else. It's a declaration. Doesn't 0:42:32.960 --> 0:42:38.880 mean it didn't happen. It happened. They bullied you, it happened. 0:42:40.040 --> 0:42:40.960 They lied about you. 0:42:41.280 --> 0:42:46.080 By the way, not only have you suffered some wounds, 0:42:47.360 --> 0:42:52.400 but you've inflicted a few two. And it's kind of 0:42:52.400 --> 0:42:55.880 crazy how we can be comfortable putting all of our 0:42:56.000 --> 0:42:58.560 nails in Jesus cross, but then walk around with a 0:42:58.600 --> 0:43:02.720 pocket full of our own to put in other people. 0:43:06.560 --> 0:43:07.120 If all my. 0:43:07.160 --> 0:43:11.360 Nails are in his cross, that means all of yours 0:43:11.360 --> 0:43:17.200 are too. I cannot demand to receive a grace from 0:43:17.239 --> 0:43:20.719 God for me that I will not give to you. 0:43:23.000 --> 0:43:27.920 And so what it means, what it means isn't that 0:43:27.960 --> 0:43:32.239 it didn't happen. What it means isn't that it didn't hurt. 0:43:34.280 --> 0:43:36.440 What it means is not that I won't handle it. 0:43:36.480 --> 0:43:38.200 I might not be able to be friends with you 0:43:38.280 --> 0:43:40.440 in the same way anymore because I might not be 0:43:40.480 --> 0:43:43.440 able to trust you. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. 0:43:43.840 --> 0:43:47.279 Don't go email in your ex on message them on 0:43:47.320 --> 0:43:50.759 Facebook when you're married now for twelve years talking about 0:43:50.840 --> 0:43:51.759 will you forgive me? 0:43:52.880 --> 0:43:55.000 In the still of the night, into the road. 0:43:55.160 --> 0:44:04.400 Flashbacks to prom It's not that things won't be different. 0:44:04.400 --> 0:44:09.560 It's not that I won't handle it. But Thomas, I 0:44:09.640 --> 0:44:15.799 want you to put your finger in the place where 0:44:15.840 --> 0:44:19.040 I was held to the cross, and I want you 0:44:19.080 --> 0:44:28.080 to know that what held me doesn't hold me anymore. 0:44:29.120 --> 0:44:30.800 That's what forgiveness is. Friends. 0:44:31.880 --> 0:44:35.600 It's not that it didn't happen. It happened, and it 0:44:35.640 --> 0:44:40.560 was horrible. It's not that it doesn't hurt, It's just 0:44:40.600 --> 0:44:42.800 that I'm not going to live in the offense any longer. 0:44:43.120 --> 0:44:48.399 I've been wounded long enough. Why would I choose to 0:44:48.440 --> 0:44:58.560 stay wounded when healing is in his hands? Why would 0:44:58.560 --> 0:45:02.239 I keep nailing you to cross when it's only hurting me. 0:45:02.360 --> 0:45:05.640 Somebody say, no more nails, No more nails. The spirit 0:45:05.680 --> 0:45:08.600 of God is in this place. No more nails. It's 0:45:08.640 --> 0:45:12.600 all in the cross, all my past, all my shame, 0:45:13.080 --> 0:45:14.400 it's all in the cross. 0:45:14.920 --> 0:45:20.560 No more nails. To be free, I. 0:45:20.520 --> 0:45:26.760 Gotta let go, and I declare over your life today. 0:45:27.600 --> 0:45:31.680 Not that it won't ever hurt again, not that some 0:45:31.719 --> 0:45:33.840 things won't need to change, not that it won't be 0:45:33.880 --> 0:45:34.440 a process. 0:45:34.560 --> 0:45:36.600 Remember this is only my one of our journey. 0:45:37.960 --> 0:45:40.240 But if you will put your nails in that cross 0:45:40.280 --> 0:45:45.560 and trust what Jesus proved that all things, somebody shot 0:45:45.600 --> 0:45:55.680 all things, even the nails, even judas, even that. I 0:45:55.719 --> 0:45:58.640 talked to a woman who went through the most traumatic 0:45:58.719 --> 0:46:00.800 childhood experience you can disc I wouldn't put it in 0:46:00.840 --> 0:46:02.919 this sermon because there are kids who came in. 0:46:04.239 --> 0:46:05.920 But what she went through was so horrible. 0:46:06.000 --> 0:46:07.600 Yet she was able to look at me in the 0:46:07.600 --> 0:46:10.080 eye and say, although I wouldn't. 0:46:09.800 --> 0:46:13.640 Choose it, and although I'm not saying. 0:46:13.400 --> 0:46:15.560 It was okay or that it was right or that 0:46:15.600 --> 0:46:19.399 God did it, I'm not trying to justify it when 0:46:19.440 --> 0:46:24.000 I see how God has used even the things that 0:46:24.080 --> 0:46:28.480 I wouldn't choose. It's not that I wanted it to happen. 0:46:29.840 --> 0:46:31.879 It's not that it doesn't hurt. I'm not gonna fake. 0:46:31.920 --> 0:46:34.959 I'm not gonna live in denial. I'm not gonna stay 0:46:35.000 --> 0:46:39.280 in dysfunction. I'm not gonna but I I wouldn't trade 0:46:39.320 --> 0:46:43.879 my scars for anything, because my scars. 0:46:45.200 --> 0:46:52.320 Are the proof of his power. Yeah I got scars. 0:46:53.640 --> 0:46:54.560 Yeah I went through it. 0:46:56.040 --> 0:47:00.480 Yeah it hurt like hell. Yes they drove the nails. 0:47:02.480 --> 0:47:06.400 Yes it was offensive, and yes it was wrong. 0:47:08.200 --> 0:47:09.919 But no, I won't stay here. 0:47:12.000 --> 0:47:16.120 No, I won't sacrifice my future on the altar. 0:47:16.200 --> 0:47:21.040 Of my past. No more nas. I'm coming out. 0:47:22.400 --> 0:47:31.480 I'm coming out. Come on, shot like your fred, shot, 0:47:31.520 --> 0:47:45.040 like your freends. How long do you want to stay wounded? 0:47:47.719 --> 0:47:51.560 How long do you want to stay stuck? It happened. 0:47:53.160 --> 0:47:58.520 I'm not living in denial it hurts. I'm not going 0:47:58.600 --> 0:48:03.200 to live defensive, pretending it doesn't hurt, and I have 0:48:03.280 --> 0:48:06.560 to handle it. I'm not gonna live in dysfunction, enabling 0:48:06.640 --> 0:48:08.960 dysfunctional situations and calling it forgiveness. 0:48:12.560 --> 0:48:19.640 But I'm not gonna stay here dead. When he is risen, 0:48:20.880 --> 0:48:23.879 no one else, no more else. 0:48:31.520 --> 0:48:33.520 He is going on the cross today, all of it, 0:48:34.920 --> 0:48:38.279 all of it, the sin you did, the sin that 0:48:38.360 --> 0:48:40.439 was done to you, is all going on the same 0:48:40.480 --> 0:48:45.400 cross today. And all things, even the scars, not just 0:48:45.520 --> 0:48:52.000 the stone, but the scars, all things will work together. 0:48:53.239 --> 0:48:53.839 For the good. 0:48:55.320 --> 0:49:01.480 Look, Thomas, it doesn't hold me anymore, Thomas. Your doubt 0:49:01.560 --> 0:49:05.080 doesn't have to hold you anymore. Look, Thomas, touch you 0:49:10.440 --> 0:49:17.239 see my scars. You see my scars. I know you 0:49:17.360 --> 0:49:23.160 got some mounds. They've been open long enough. 0:49:24.840 --> 0:49:28.240 It's time. It's time, Thomas. 0:49:30.200 --> 0:49:32.000 I know you're not over it yet, you may never 0:49:32.040 --> 0:49:34.359 feel completely over it, but you gotta move on. 0:49:34.440 --> 0:49:40.840 You can't stay like this forever. You can't stay angry 0:49:40.840 --> 0:49:44.560 about it forever. You gotta get going. 0:49:45.640 --> 0:49:51.719 Lift your hands, lift your hands, thank you for joining us. 0:49:52.000 --> 0:49:54.480 Special things to those of you who give generously to 0:49:54.520 --> 0:49:58.000 this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 0:49:58.480 --> 0:50:00.680 You can click the link in the description to give 0:50:00.760 --> 0:50:04.920 now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 0:50:04.920 --> 0:50:08.600 information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 0:50:09.000 --> 0:50:10.320 You can share it with your friends. 0:50:10.600 --> 0:50:12.920 You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 0:50:12.960 --> 0:50:15.080 share it on your social stories and tag us at 0:50:15.080 --> 0:50:15.919 Elevation Church. 0:50:16.000 --> 0:50:17.640 Thanks again for listening. God bless you.