The Question That Changes Everything

0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:02.800 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 0:00:02.840 --> 0:00:05.280 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:07.760 podcast and I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:10.959 Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope 0:00:11.000 --> 0:00:13.000 it gives your perspective to see God is moving in 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:13.560 your life. 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:19.360 Enjoy the message God's really been speaking to me this week. 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:23.640 And as for that reason that I wanted to interrupt 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:26.680 the series and the message that I was going to 0:00:26.680 --> 0:00:31.400 bring from this stage and just talk to you, talk 0:00:31.440 --> 0:00:32.920 to you. I told Wade, I was going to talk 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:36.320 to you today like you were on staff at this church. 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:40.680 I said, I'm going to talk to the whole church like. 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:45.440 They are on that unpaid staff. Clarify that. 0:00:48.280 --> 0:00:53.040 And I want to speak to you about vision. About vision. 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:57.280 How many of you have a vision for your life? 0:00:58.760 --> 0:00:59.040 Now? 0:00:59.320 --> 0:01:04.000 How many of you can explain your vision for your life. 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:08.920 That's kind of the problem sometimes is that I know it, 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:13.919 but I can't explain it. My job is to figure 0:01:13.920 --> 0:01:17.280 out a way to explain some things that sometimes we 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:24.119 intuitively know. And earlier this year you may be watching 0:01:24.120 --> 0:01:26.040 this set a later time on the archive, but it 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:30.759 was at the beginning of twenty sixteen, that I begin 0:01:30.840 --> 0:01:34.480 to ask God to give me fresh language for our 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:39.120 vision as a church, and a way of expressing where 0:01:39.160 --> 0:01:41.039 we've been, where we're going, and who God has called 0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:46.679 us to be that everybody could understand, relate to, and 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:50.600 even explain to their friends. And I guess it kicked 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:53.720 off when I was on an airplane, as all great 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:59.000 preacher stories start, and the guy next to me asked, 0:01:59.640 --> 0:02:03.280 what do you do? And I told him I was 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:05.120 a preacher and he said, really, you don't look like 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:08.160 a preacher. And I said, well, then what do I 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:12.079 look like? He said, He looked at me really hard. 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:14.560 He said, I don't know, either some kind of fighter 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:15.359 or a musician. 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:19.880 And I said, well, I fight that devil with my praise. 0:02:22.160 --> 0:02:29.560 Me. I said, no, I passed her church. It's great, 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:31.079 and he's from Charlotte. I was like, you should try it. 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:32.320 I want you to come, because I was trying to 0:02:32.320 --> 0:02:36.119 explain to him that you could watch it online. Here's 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:38.440 the website, but you really got to come. 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.520 And I know it's a little inconvenient sometimes and. 0:02:42.480 --> 0:02:43.920 You feel like I could just click on, but you 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:47.600 really got to come to experience it. I said, because 0:02:47.720 --> 0:02:50.200 I think my preaching is okay, but it's really the people. 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:52.080 And I can prove that. 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:53.639 To you because a lot of times when I get 0:02:53.680 --> 0:02:55.960 an email, they'll say, we knew from the moment we 0:02:56.040 --> 0:02:58.320 rolled up on the parking lot that this was our church. 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:00.720 We knew when we saw people. 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:05.080 Smiling, excited, happy, enthusiastic, and joyful. 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:10.320 That this was our church. They hadn't heard a sermon yet. 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:14.240 It wasn't what happened behind the pulpit, but what was 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:17.560 happening as they parked their car. So I said, you 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:20.000 really got to come, and he said, well, I may 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:25.040 some time. And he said how many people come? I said, well, 0:03:25.040 --> 0:03:26.640 I'm going to tell you it's a lot of people. 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:28.920 I want you to know that it's a lot of people, 0:03:29.440 --> 0:03:30.640 and it's different locations. 0:03:30.680 --> 0:03:32.160 It's a lot of people. He said how many? 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:37.080 I said, wells thousands of people. And he said how many? 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:39.680 You got thousands of people? How many thousands of people? 0:03:40.400 --> 0:03:42.600 I said, well, bro, it's like over twenty thousand. I'm 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:44.320 not trying to be something, but if you just want. 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:45.880 To ask this, over twenty thousand. 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:50.280 And then he cussed when I said that, because he 0:03:50.320 --> 0:03:54.080 was not a Christian. You know, people who aren't Christians 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:59.320 don't talk like Christians, so he said the non Christian 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:04.560 equivalent of well, praise the Lord, Glory to God. And 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:07.680 his next question floored me. And this where I want 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:09.640 to go today, and I won't be long. I just 0:04:09.640 --> 0:04:11.200 want to say something really simple to you. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:22.360 He asked me, why do they come? Now? That's complicated. 0:04:23.760 --> 0:04:26.400 Because I know what the answer to that is supposed. 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:28.960 To be, but I don't always know what it is. 0:04:30.560 --> 0:04:34.159 I said, Man, I've asked myself that question a lot. 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:37.120 I think some people might come because they. 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:40.480 Heard the girls are hot. I think some people. 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.240 Might come because their grandmother told them if they didn't 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:44.719 go to church, they'd go to Hell. And this is 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:49.200 a more enjoyable option than certain other churches. I think 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:52.000 some people come because they like the music, some people 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:56.279 come because of social reasons and friendships, and some people 0:04:56.320 --> 0:04:59.599 come because their parents gave them no option on that 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:01.159 particular killer morning or evening. 0:05:03.320 --> 0:05:08.559 And but got me thinking, why did you come? 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:12.360 Would you take a moment and just tell the person 0:05:12.400 --> 0:05:14.520 next to you why I came to church today, Just 0:05:14.600 --> 0:05:17.760 if you could do that real quick? Why did you 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:22.680 come at every campus? Yes you too, Blakeney, Yes you 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:23.360 too rock killed. 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:27.560 Why'd you come? If you didn't have to. 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:30.920 Come, you could be washing your car, cleaning your closet. 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:35.640 I'm real glad you came. By the way, it's better 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:40.200 when you're here. I prayed that you would come. I 0:05:40.320 --> 0:05:42.360 start praying over ten years ago. 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:47.960 Okay, the exercise is over. I don't know. I'm trying 0:05:47.960 --> 0:05:49.599 to figure out how myself. 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:56.839 What. It's a good question. I may as well draw 0:05:56.839 --> 0:05:58.240 on this thing. They brought it up here, and you 0:05:58.320 --> 0:05:59.200 get used for something. 0:06:02.680 --> 0:06:04.400 Why not? 0:06:04.440 --> 0:06:06.440 A lot of people spend their whole lives figuring out what. 0:06:09.600 --> 0:06:13.880 But when he asked me why, it got me remembering 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:18.039 why we started the church, you know. And there's thousands 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:20.560 of new people here that weren't here just even a 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:22.200 few weeks ago, because the church is growing. 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:25.560 And I needed you to know why. 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:28.520 Because if I don't tell you why, and I just 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:30.520 leave it up to you to figure out why, you 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:34.120 might think that we put this thing on to entertain you, 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:44.640 like a spiritual VMAs, but we didn't. Or you may 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:47.279 think that we started the church or have the church 0:06:47.360 --> 0:06:49.920 or something like that to build buildings. Let me tell 0:06:49.960 --> 0:06:56.200 you something, I have no passion for construction. The first 0:06:56.240 --> 0:06:58.440 time I saw this building where I preached from was 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:03.200 a couple weeks before we opened it. Not in the building. Buildings, 0:07:04.120 --> 0:07:06.240 they're cool. I thank God for them, and they're expensive. 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:19.280 But why My favorite scripture is Ephesians three twenty, and 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:22.640 Ephesians three twenty describes the experience that I have had 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:24.560 over the past ten years as a pastor. 0:07:25.320 --> 0:07:26.240 God's about to do. 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:28.000 Something awesome, and I'm trying to get as many people 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:29.600 ready for it as I. 0:07:29.480 --> 0:07:30.720 Can, he says. 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:34.800 Paul says, Now to him who is able to do 0:07:35.800 --> 0:07:42.320 immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. The biggest thought 0:07:42.400 --> 0:07:46.200 you can think up would make God laugh. When you 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:50.280 go to imagining what could be possible through your life 0:07:50.640 --> 0:07:54.400 if God got a hold of it. Even your best 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:59.080 imagination is pale in comparison to the reality of God's ability. 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:01.520 Now to Him, who is. 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:07.200 Able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:09.920 according to His power. 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:12.560 I don't know why I brought a stool out. 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:16.880 I'm too excited to sit on this stool today. Touch 0:08:16.880 --> 0:08:19.559 your neighbors. Say God's about to do something. God's about 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:22.520 to do something. I mean, we're about to go into 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:26.520 a Revival season needs are going to be met. God's 0:08:26.600 --> 0:08:31.000 going to be glorified. Hell's going to be popping Prozac pills. 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:36.000 Ten Nights of Glory, It's going to be awesome. We 0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:38.280 got thousands of people signing up. 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:44.400 In egroots, strengthening their relationships, getting accountability. God is doing 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:48.240 something in our church. I mean, there are things going 0:08:48.240 --> 0:08:51.120 on that you don't even know about. There are ministries 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:53.400 that are going on that you don't even know about, 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:56.480 and yet there are thousands of people who aren't even 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:58.360 in on it, and I don't want it. I was 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:02.040 asking God, what can can I tell the people before 0:09:02.080 --> 0:09:05.280 this season takes off so fast that they're trying to 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:08.160 merge into traffic and they can't get on. And what 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:10.640 can I tell the people who don't even. 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:12.760 Know why we do it? 0:09:12.840 --> 0:09:13.880 What we do? 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:15.480 Why we do what we do? 0:09:15.559 --> 0:09:17.240 He said out to him, was able to do measureably 0:09:17.280 --> 0:09:20.640 more than we ask her. Imagine according to His power 0:09:22.440 --> 0:09:28.360 that is at work within us. Here's a Bible story 0:09:28.360 --> 0:09:32.680 for you when you talk about why. 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:34.720 Did you come? What are your motives? 0:09:34.760 --> 0:09:35.000 Why? 0:09:35.120 --> 0:09:35.360 Why? 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:41.160 Why would why would you put yourself through the Valentine 0:09:41.240 --> 0:09:42.480 parking lot exit? 0:09:50.840 --> 0:09:53.920 Because people ask you they'll be like, you go to elevation, 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:56.120 why do you go there? Why? 0:09:57.160 --> 0:09:59.280 And you tell them, oh, it's the water slide. I 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:11.120 go for the understand and they might ask you that. 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:15.640 And so one day, Jesus, can I talk to you 0:10:15.679 --> 0:10:18.320 like you're on my staff today? All right? 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:19.600 Well, if I were talking to. 0:10:19.559 --> 0:10:21.600 The staff, I would tell him about blind Bartimaeus. Blind 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:24.040 Bartimaeus was begging by the roadside. In Mark, chapter ten, 0:10:24.080 --> 0:10:27.120 Mark records this miracle as follows. He said they came 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:30.679 to Jericho as Jesus and his disciples, together with a 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:33.880 large crowd, were leaving the city. This blind man Bartimaeus, 0:10:33.920 --> 0:10:37.800 which means son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging. 0:10:38.480 --> 0:10:40.480 All of a sudden he heard that it was Jesus 0:10:40.600 --> 0:10:43.640 of Nazareth. Remember, he couldn't see, but he could hear. 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:47.000 Couldn't see, but he could hear. 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:49.679 Yes, And so his. 0:10:51.480 --> 0:10:54.439 Auditory senses picked up that this miracle worker, who has 0:10:54.480 --> 0:10:57.640 been rumored to be able to heal deaf ears and 0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:01.800 make the limb to walk and open blind eyes is 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:02.640 passing by. 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:04.839 So he takes a chance, he does something. 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:07.080 He's not just going to sit there and just sit 0:11:07.160 --> 0:11:08.960 there and just sit there, like some people do in 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:09.880 church every week. 0:11:09.800 --> 0:11:10.480 Just sit there. 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:14.000 Touch somebody say, don't just sit there, don't just sit there. 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:15.719 This is how I used to preach when the church 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.319 was one hundred and twenty one people. And it's kind 0:11:18.320 --> 0:11:19.880 of rough, so I might get it back down to 0:11:19.880 --> 0:11:22.080 one hundred and twenty one people. But I used to 0:11:22.080 --> 0:11:24.800 tell the people because they would come and they would go, well, 0:11:24.840 --> 0:11:27.920 are you going to have a program for women and 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:30.880 for men? And I like this type of Bible study, 0:11:30.880 --> 0:11:32.280 and I like this study in the Greek and the 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:34.920 Hebrew and the Aramaic, and I like the Book of 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:37.520 Revelations and World Book. 0:11:37.640 --> 0:11:39.360 And so they said, you're gonna do that. I want 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:40.600 to book a study on the end of. 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:42.320 Times and this is my favorite preference. 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:44.160 And so early on we would get up and just. 0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:47.400 Tell the people, you know, it's not about what you 0:11:47.440 --> 0:11:50.760 can sit and receive. There is something in you that 0:11:50.840 --> 0:11:52.200 God wants to stir up. 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:54.840 And this man was. 0:11:54.800 --> 0:11:59.280 Not willing to be inactive when Jesus passed by, when 0:11:59.320 --> 0:12:02.600 the opportunity unity of a lifetime was headed his way, 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:06.400 when it was possible that everything could change in a moment, 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:09.480 this man shouts from his spot. 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:12.200 On the side of the road. Jesus, son of David, 0:12:12.520 --> 0:12:13.720 have mercy on me. 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:15.800 Now. The crowd did what the crowd always does. 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:16.760 They told him to shut up. 0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:22.600 What this passionate people always do when someone gets passionate, 0:12:23.440 --> 0:12:25.600 try to keep you in the corner because your passion 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:27.680 is proof of their apathy. It makes them feel bad, 0:12:30.000 --> 0:12:33.920 so they call you a fanatic. Because that they can 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:35.680 label you as a fanatic, then they don't have to 0:12:35.679 --> 0:12:38.640 deal with the fact that they're a you know, they're 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:44.680 kind of struggling. But that did something inside of him, 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:48.040 Like the more they told him to shut up, the 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:51.000 more the devil was telling them that they couldn't the 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:53.200 more this is what happens inside of a person whose 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:56.480 passion has been awakened. Why something awesome is going to 0:12:56.520 --> 0:13:01.600 happen in church today. I feel God on this message. 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:00.680 He shouted. 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:01.560 All the more. 0:13:04.000 --> 0:13:09.000 Shouted Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:12.280 Now. Let me ask you a question, and it's not 0:13:12.320 --> 0:13:18.600 a trick question. Who is this man interested in? I 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:21.800 know Sunday's answer. Jesus, Yeah. Why are you going to 0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:27.800 church today to worship Jesus? Yeah, yeah, sure, Okay, Why 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:34.120 did you really come here. I mean, this guy is 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:47.400 interested in himself. Bartimaeus loves him some Bartimaeus, so they said, uh, 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:52.920 they said shut up, but Jesus stopped in his tracks 0:13:54.200 --> 0:14:01.439 and creations. King takes a break on his journey to Jericho. 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:04.240 For one man. 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:09.360 Who everybody else was trying to push to the side. 0:14:10.320 --> 0:14:12.800 And I always felt like that was happening when I 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:16.319 preached that. I never felt like I was preaching to crowds. 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:18.880 No matter how many people would come to the church, 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:20.880 I would always feel like I. 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:24.080 Was preaching to one and I never knew who the 0:14:24.120 --> 0:14:26.680 one was. But I always felt like that every time 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:29.960 I opened Gog's were that there was somebody that God 0:14:30.120 --> 0:14:32.280 was speaking to in that moment. 0:14:35.360 --> 0:14:38.520 And Jesus supped and everybody else said shut. 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:41.840 Up, But Jesus said, calling, that's the one that I want. 0:14:42.120 --> 0:14:44.480 I came to preach to somebody who. 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:47.560 Everybody else might have given up on you, and life. 0:14:47.480 --> 0:14:49.040 Might not be where you wanted. 0:14:48.880 --> 0:14:50.280 To be, and you might not. 0:14:50.320 --> 0:14:52.680 Have been what you could have been, but it's not 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:59.400 too late to become who you are. So Jesus is 0:14:59.440 --> 0:15:02.760 life call him. 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:07.080 And they told him, hey, man, it's return. Cheer up 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:09.520 on your feet, because there's nothing wrong. 0:15:09.360 --> 0:15:14.040 With your feet. So notice this, this is just freeze 0:15:14.080 --> 0:15:15.080 and then doing my message at all. 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.480 But he used his mouth and his feet to affect 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:19.480 what wasn't working. 0:15:24.240 --> 0:15:26.960 And so it is faith that God. 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:33.600 Is interested in, and not perfection, but participation that attracts 0:15:33.600 --> 0:15:37.600 the presence of God. And so our church has always 0:15:37.640 --> 0:15:40.680 been about participation. And this man does what he can, 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:43.000 and God does what he can't. 0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:46.000 So he throws his cloak. 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:49.240 Aside and jumps to his feet, because you can't wait 0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:54.920 around when the possibility of a miracle is imminent. You 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:59.640 can't procrastinate when the possibility of a miracle is imminent. 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:03.880 And so he gets up, jumps up and came to Jesus. 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:08.640 And when he came to Jesus, Jesus asked him a question, 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:11.840 kind of like the man on the plane asked me 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:18.120 a question. And the question goes like this, what do 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:19.000 you want me to do for you? 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:26.120 Reminiscent this question of John. 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:29.760 Chapter one, because when Jesus was first coming on the scene, 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:32.960 John the Baptist was the man. And when Jesus came 0:16:33.000 --> 0:16:34.960 on the scene, John the Baptist pointed at him and said, 0:16:34.960 --> 0:16:36.640 one day, look there's the lamb of God. That's the 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:39.440 one I've been telling you about. Maybe the whole purpose 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:41.360 of our life isn't about us, but to point to 0:16:41.360 --> 0:16:44.880 someone who is greater than us. And he says, that's 0:16:44.880 --> 0:16:46.680 the one. And when he said that's the one, the 0:16:46.720 --> 0:16:49.560 two disciples that were following him transferred their church membership 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:52.280 to Jesus and they started following Jesus. And John was 0:16:52.320 --> 0:16:53.680 cool with that because he's the one that it was 0:16:53.720 --> 0:16:56.760 always about, and so they started following Jesus. 0:16:57.720 --> 0:16:58.600 This is funny, though. 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:02.960 When Jesus noticed that he had some stalkers, he turned 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:06.040 around and he asked them a question, a question, a question. 0:17:07.200 --> 0:17:09.280 And the question you would think would be, can you 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:13.919 explain the theological concept of sanctification, because that's the kind 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:17.720 of questions that churches usually ask before people can join, 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:20.480 and you know, can you explain the doctrine. 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:20.720 Of the trinity. 0:17:21.880 --> 0:17:24.320 But Jesus turns around and he asks something very simple. 0:17:24.840 --> 0:17:27.240 He breaks it down so simply. He just turns around 0:17:27.280 --> 0:17:28.320 and this is this. 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:30.680 Is the first question that is recorded that. 0:17:30.680 --> 0:17:32.160 Jesus ask in John's gospel. 0:17:33.080 --> 0:17:36.600 It's a question that I ask my kid one hundred 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:40.119 times a week. Although probably not in his loving of 0:17:40.160 --> 0:17:43.440 a tone. As Jesus asked it here in John chapter one, 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:48.000 verse thirty eight, he asked them, what do you want? 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:54.280 What do you want? Are you following me? What do 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:58.359 you want? What do you want? What do you want 0:17:58.359 --> 0:17:58.640 to wi? 0:17:58.760 --> 0:17:58.960 Job? 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:02.399 Busy? What do you want? What do you want to have? 0:18:03.119 --> 0:18:05.560 What do you want? What do you want? How do 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:09.000 you say? What do you want? What do you want? 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:16.520 What do you want? I don't know. Point is he 0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:18.120 starts with their motive. 0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:23.760 Yeah, and God has been dealing with me about my 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:32.120 motives to say, not only to you, why did you 0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:38.800 come here, but to challenge me as a pastor, what 0:18:38.880 --> 0:18:43.439 is it that you want for these people? What is 0:18:43.440 --> 0:18:49.240 it that you want for these people? Not what is 0:18:49.280 --> 0:18:53.320 it that you want from these people? Because maybe I've 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:55.760 spent too much of my ministry trying to figure out 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:56.080 what I. 0:18:56.040 --> 0:18:57.719 Wanted from people. 0:18:59.320 --> 0:19:04.200 Maybe a better question is what does God want for 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:09.360 these people? What do you want for these people? That's 0:19:09.400 --> 0:19:12.080 a good question for every campus pastor at our church. 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:15.080 When you stand up and you say, hey, sign up 0:19:15.119 --> 0:19:18.280 to volunteer today. What is it that we want for 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:22.280 the people who volunteer? When we're telling people, Hey, give 0:19:22.480 --> 0:19:24.919 to the work of God. What is it that we 0:19:24.960 --> 0:19:26.640 want God to do for. 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:29.160 You as you give? And what is it that you 0:19:29.240 --> 0:19:31.760 want God to do for you today? You say, well, no, 0:19:31.760 --> 0:19:34.440 that's not a good question. No, it's it's it's it's 0:19:34.560 --> 0:19:38.560 exactly the right question. It's the question Jesus asked Martamaye, 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:41.880 is what do you want me to do for you? 0:19:42.119 --> 0:19:45.600 The audacity that you would get to have a moment 0:19:45.640 --> 0:19:48.880 of face time with the Creator and he would want 0:19:48.960 --> 0:19:54.080 to know about little all you pitiful, you blind, you weak, 0:19:54.200 --> 0:19:59.080 you dysfunctional you. What do you want me to do 0:19:59.600 --> 0:20:00.000 for you? 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:00.160 Who? 0:20:01.359 --> 0:20:10.480 That's the starting place. James and John heard the same question. 0:20:11.680 --> 0:20:14.679 In fact, Mark, Mark's kind of clever because okay, when 0:20:14.720 --> 0:20:17.280 you read like a gospel account, Matthew, Mark, Luc John, 0:20:17.840 --> 0:20:20.600 it's not putting everything exactly when it happens. So if 0:20:20.600 --> 0:20:22.400 it's three verses later, that doesn't mean it was three 0:20:22.400 --> 0:20:22.920 minutes later. 0:20:22.960 --> 0:20:24.320 It could have been days later, weeks later. 0:20:24.840 --> 0:20:27.600 Added to that, each gospel writer they chose how to 0:20:27.680 --> 0:20:30.199 organize their materials so that it would get across the 0:20:30.200 --> 0:20:34.480 theme of their gospel record. Mark is telling about blind Bartimaeus, 0:20:34.520 --> 0:20:36.680 but before he tells about blind Bartimaeus. If you back 0:20:36.760 --> 0:20:39.199 up a few verses, he tells about James and John. Now, 0:20:39.200 --> 0:20:41.800 these were two disciples of Jesus. They had been following Jesus. 0:20:42.119 --> 0:20:44.679 Jesus explains to them that this does not end with 0:20:44.760 --> 0:20:46.680 the crown, but it ends with the cross. 0:20:47.320 --> 0:20:49.400 In other words, ultimately. 0:20:49.080 --> 0:20:51.479 For me to be glorified, I have to suffer. And 0:20:51.520 --> 0:20:53.960 so when Jesus explains that they don't really want to 0:20:54.000 --> 0:20:56.640 hear it too much, James and John sneak up behind 0:20:56.720 --> 0:20:59.399 Jesus just after he shares, they're going to spit on me. 0:20:59.800 --> 0:21:02.359 Just after he shares they're gonna mock me, just after 0:21:02.400 --> 0:21:04.920 he shares they're gonna beat me. Just after he shares 0:21:04.960 --> 0:21:06.919 that he's gonna have to die at the hands of 0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:09.040 sinful men to redeem them from the very sin that 0:21:09.119 --> 0:21:10.040 caused him to kill him. 0:21:10.359 --> 0:21:11.000 Just after he. 0:21:10.960 --> 0:21:13.080 Explains this to them, they come up and they want 0:21:13.080 --> 0:21:14.800 a favor. And look how they said it. Look how 0:21:14.800 --> 0:21:18.440 bold they are. Jesus said, what is this verse? That's 0:21:18.480 --> 0:21:22.280 not the right one. Go to the next one, Go 0:21:22.440 --> 0:21:27.800 next one. Yeah, you hear this, teacher. We want you 0:21:27.840 --> 0:21:31.840 to do for us whatever we ask. Are you seven 0:21:35.240 --> 0:21:41.760 and Jesus asked, Okay, what do you want me to 0:21:41.800 --> 0:21:44.040 do for you? There it is again. There must be 0:21:44.160 --> 0:21:49.040 something to this question. What do you want me to 0:21:49.119 --> 0:21:53.480 do for you? And so they say, well, listen, what 0:21:53.520 --> 0:21:55.800 we'd like is we'd like some vip seting in heaven. 0:21:57.160 --> 0:21:59.080 Let one of us sit at your right and the 0:21:59.119 --> 0:22:01.080 other at your left. And we're good because you know 0:22:01.480 --> 0:22:07.800 Peter and John and Jesus, Jesus is Jesus is not 0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:11.200 indignant about it. He just tells them, you don't know 0:22:11.280 --> 0:22:17.040 what you are asking. You got the question wrong. You 0:22:17.080 --> 0:22:21.080 got the question wrong. Have you gotten the question wrong? 0:22:24.400 --> 0:22:26.400 What are you here for? I'm just here in the church. 0:22:26.400 --> 0:22:28.919 What are you hear on the earth for? What are 0:22:28.920 --> 0:22:29.520 you put here for? 0:22:29.760 --> 0:22:31.439 See? God's been giving me some vision. 0:22:33.000 --> 0:22:35.280 And I bet I filled up maybe four or five 0:22:35.359 --> 0:22:40.240 six legal pads just writing down, scribbling since January of 0:22:40.280 --> 0:22:40.720 this year. 0:22:41.640 --> 0:22:42.399 What God was speaking to me? 0:22:42.400 --> 0:22:44.080 Because you know, we're going on ten year anniversary thing 0:22:44.119 --> 0:22:46.159 and we're doing all this amazing. 0:22:45.760 --> 0:22:46.679 Stuff to celebrate it. 0:22:46.720 --> 0:22:48.840 And I said, God, for the next ten years, for 0:22:48.880 --> 0:22:50.760 all these thousands of people that you sent, some of 0:22:50.760 --> 0:22:52.480 them come once every seven weeks, and some of them 0:22:52.520 --> 0:22:54.640 are faithful every week, something been around long time, someone 0:22:54.720 --> 0:22:56.879 are brand new, someone are black, someone are white, some 0:22:56.960 --> 0:22:57.880 were young, someone are old. 0:22:57.960 --> 0:22:59.880 Someone came from Catholic church, someone came from no church. 0:23:00.119 --> 0:23:01.800 So I'm kind of Baptist and we're going to pray 0:23:01.800 --> 0:23:04.760 for him out of staff this I'm skinned, And what 0:23:06.240 --> 0:23:08.439 do you want to do for them? How can I 0:23:08.480 --> 0:23:10.639 put it to them? Because I wanted a phrase that 0:23:10.720 --> 0:23:12.640 everybody could know and say. And our mission, our church 0:23:12.680 --> 0:23:14.600 mission is so that people far from God will be 0:23:14.680 --> 0:23:15.600 raised to life in Christ. 0:23:15.640 --> 0:23:17.679 That's who we reach. In other words, we're saying it's 0:23:17.720 --> 0:23:19.560 not the healthy that need a doctor, it's the sick. 0:23:19.920 --> 0:23:21.400 In other words, we're saying that if we ever shut 0:23:21.400 --> 0:23:22.879 our doors and decide this is as big as we 0:23:22.920 --> 0:23:24.959 want to get because it's comfortable for us and our families, 0:23:25.000 --> 0:23:26.760 God will take his hand in favor off this ministry. 0:23:26.760 --> 0:23:29.000 And that ain't gonna happen. We're always gonna fling our 0:23:29.000 --> 0:23:31.280 doors wide open. We're always going to build new churches. 0:23:31.640 --> 0:23:33.280 To the brother who wants to know, when's it going 0:23:33.359 --> 0:23:34.760 to be enough, It'll never be enough. 0:23:35.040 --> 0:23:36.080 It'll never be enough. 0:23:36.240 --> 0:23:38.320 As long as there's one person to reach, It'll never 0:23:38.400 --> 0:23:38.879 be enough. 0:23:39.000 --> 0:23:41.760 We're never gonna stop. We're never gonna stop. We're never 0:23:41.760 --> 0:23:44.320 gonna stop. As long as there's one blind Bartimaeus by 0:23:44.359 --> 0:23:45.520 the roadside. 0:23:45.040 --> 0:23:47.200 Begging we might have given up on himself, or when 0:23:47.280 --> 0:23:50.440 Jesus passes by, something else that can happen. We're gonna 0:23:50.480 --> 0:23:54.720 keep building. I keep growing. It be a blessing. 0:23:57.280 --> 0:23:58.000 That's our mission. 0:23:59.200 --> 0:24:02.000 It doesn't change. But it's like I wanted a way 0:24:02.000 --> 0:24:03.920 to save the vision. So the first phrase I wrote 0:24:03.960 --> 0:24:06.920 down I was doing on my legal path. I wrote 0:24:06.960 --> 0:24:16.320 down this phrase, everybody ready, come on that fancy. I 0:24:16.359 --> 0:24:21.240 didn't have that capability ten years ago. And I wrote 0:24:21.280 --> 0:24:23.480 down this phrase. I was like, okay, here's what we 0:24:23.520 --> 0:24:25.400 do as a church. What do we do as a church? 0:24:25.800 --> 0:24:27.800 When you come here? What happens? And I wrote down 0:24:27.800 --> 0:24:32.800 this phrase. I was really proud of it because it rhymes. 0:24:49.440 --> 0:24:52.240 And see that's kind of why I didn't choose that one, 0:24:52.240 --> 0:24:56.040 because see how you were just like fine. 0:24:57.880 --> 0:25:00.040 I was so excited about it. I came over. I 0:25:00.080 --> 0:25:01.080 came over to Chunk and said. 0:25:00.960 --> 0:25:05.199 I got it, and the rhymes and both start with 0:25:05.240 --> 0:25:06.000 the same vowel. 0:25:07.359 --> 0:25:08.919 Encounter said empower. That's what we do. 0:25:08.960 --> 0:25:11.359 You know, like Isaiah, he saw the Lord high and 0:25:11.400 --> 0:25:13.359 lifted up. And when people come in our church, we 0:25:13.400 --> 0:25:15.359 want to see the Lord high and lift it up. 0:25:15.520 --> 0:25:17.840 And the train of his robe fills the temple with glory. 0:25:18.040 --> 0:25:20.080 And then when God says, whom shall us sin? Who 0:25:20.119 --> 0:25:22.119 will go for us? And he touches your lips and 0:25:22.160 --> 0:25:24.399 he cleanses you of your sin because you're an unclean person, 0:25:24.520 --> 0:25:26.520 and you live among some people of unclean people, and 0:25:26.560 --> 0:25:28.520 God empowers you. And I say, and went on to prophesy, 0:25:28.720 --> 0:25:29.280 and that's what we want. 0:25:29.320 --> 0:25:30.800 We want people to have an encounter with God that 0:25:30.880 --> 0:25:32.000 will empower them for their life. 0:25:32.040 --> 0:25:34.520 And I looked at Chunks, and he says, that's cool, 0:25:38.560 --> 0:25:40.479 and it's right, that's what we want to happen. But 0:25:40.800 --> 0:25:43.040 I didn't feel like you would say that to your friend, 0:25:43.520 --> 0:25:46.959 you know, come with me to church for an encounter 0:25:47.760 --> 0:25:49.800 that empowers. 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:51.760 You know. 0:25:51.840 --> 0:25:53.760 So I said, okay, well that's the right, right idea, 0:25:53.800 --> 0:25:56.520 it's not the right way of saying it necessarily. So 0:25:56.560 --> 0:26:00.159 then I came up with an even worse one. I 0:26:00.200 --> 0:26:02.000 was like, all right, when people come to. 0:26:01.920 --> 0:26:05.639 This church, what is it that they're looking for? What 0:26:06.000 --> 0:26:06.840 do they want? 0:26:06.880 --> 0:26:11.760 And I put down this phrase which is phonetically impressive. 0:26:14.440 --> 0:26:26.359 I said, they want audacious inspiration. That's what they want, right, So, yes, 0:26:26.520 --> 0:26:29.320 that's exactly what I woke up thinking about today, Pastor 0:26:29.359 --> 0:26:33.040 Steve Man, I need some audacious inspiration in my life. 0:26:33.080 --> 0:26:37.040 There's all these preacher terms and this week. This week, 0:26:37.840 --> 0:26:38.960 I was with. 0:26:38.800 --> 0:26:41.520 Our team and we had meetings all day about this, 0:26:41.640 --> 0:26:42.440 and I was like, I. 0:26:42.400 --> 0:26:44.399 Want to tell the people. I want him to know. 0:26:44.640 --> 0:26:47.240 I want that dude in the back row of the 0:26:47.320 --> 0:26:49.120 church who keep seeking it out. 0:26:49.359 --> 0:26:51.920 I want him to know what we want for his life, 0:26:51.960 --> 0:26:53.160 because it's what God wants. 0:26:53.000 --> 0:26:54.680 For his life. We're figure it out, and we can't 0:26:54.680 --> 0:26:56.200 figure it out, We're gonna shut the church down. 0:26:56.240 --> 0:27:03.040 It's been nice. We shut the door and stayed up 0:27:03.080 --> 0:27:05.120 kind of late and went home with nothing. The next day, 0:27:06.080 --> 0:27:08.440 I was standing up because sometimes the breakthrough comes when 0:27:08.440 --> 0:27:09.080 you've given. 0:27:08.920 --> 0:27:11.919 Up on it. I've been like eight months looking for this, 0:27:12.680 --> 0:27:13.000 and I. 0:27:12.960 --> 0:27:14.440 Was talking to this guy and I was like, I 0:27:14.480 --> 0:27:16.600 don't know, I'm looking for phrases in eight months. I 0:27:16.640 --> 0:27:18.679 can't figure out how to say it where everybody can 0:27:18.720 --> 0:27:22.520 get around it. And then I just said it, and 0:27:22.560 --> 0:27:26.760 this is it. This is why you came, this is 0:27:26.760 --> 0:27:29.719 what we want for you. I finally figured out how 0:27:29.720 --> 0:27:32.720 to answer the guy on the plane's question. It took 0:27:32.800 --> 0:27:39.800 me eight months, but the way I said it, I said, 0:27:41.240 --> 0:27:44.879 if you come to Elevation Church, what I want for 0:27:44.920 --> 0:27:47.200 you is I want. 0:27:47.040 --> 0:27:54.520 You to see what God can do through you. 0:27:55.240 --> 0:27:58.480 Yeah. 0:27:58.520 --> 0:28:00.600 And when I said it like that, I knew it. 0:28:01.800 --> 0:28:02.359 That's it. 0:28:03.640 --> 0:28:08.040 That's it, whether you know it or not, that's what 0:28:08.880 --> 0:28:12.080 brought you here, because sometimes you don't even know why 0:28:12.119 --> 0:28:12.480 you came. 0:28:13.080 --> 0:28:17.640 When you come, what do you want me to do 0:28:17.840 --> 0:28:21.399 for you? Blind? Bartimaeus had an answer to that question. 0:28:21.520 --> 0:28:26.320 He said, I want to see, and Jesus opened his eyes. 0:28:27.440 --> 0:28:31.760 I want to see, so he got his vision. That's 0:28:31.800 --> 0:28:37.280 where it all starts, just to see. That's one of 0:28:37.320 --> 0:28:39.280 the greatest ways you can invite someone to church. 0:28:39.320 --> 0:28:41.360 By the way, hey, just come and see. 0:28:42.240 --> 0:28:44.480 When they told Jesus, we want to see where you're staying, 0:28:44.480 --> 0:28:46.560 because he turned around to those two guys and he said, 0:28:46.760 --> 0:28:47.400 what do you want. 0:28:47.360 --> 0:28:48.880 They said, well, we want to see where you're staying. 0:28:48.920 --> 0:28:51.560 You know what he said, come and see. 0:28:51.760 --> 0:28:54.080 And that's the first part. Just to see. 0:28:54.280 --> 0:28:59.120 Because people are wandering through life blind to opportunities. Blind 0:28:59.160 --> 0:29:01.840 to potential, blind to new beginnings. 0:29:02.760 --> 0:29:05.800 And the first thing that God will do in transforming 0:29:05.840 --> 0:29:09.440 your life is opening your eyes so you can see. 0:29:09.920 --> 0:29:11.840 You gotta just come and see how many of you 0:29:11.920 --> 0:29:12.800 have said that to somebody. 0:29:12.800 --> 0:29:15.000 You just gotta see. You just gotta see, you've said 0:29:15.000 --> 0:29:16.880 it before, you said it before. I just gotta you 0:29:16.920 --> 0:29:23.200 gotta see for yourself, see see. So I believe that 0:29:23.240 --> 0:29:24.760 God wants you to see. 0:29:26.520 --> 0:29:26.920 What he. 0:29:28.480 --> 0:29:38.720 This important changing colors? What God apologize for my handwriting? 0:29:41.320 --> 0:29:49.280 Can who apologize from a spelling apologize for not knowing 0:29:49.280 --> 0:29:50.320 how to erase this board? 0:29:50.400 --> 0:30:05.960 Yet can do? To see what God can do? 0:30:07.560 --> 0:30:11.840 Up until this point in your life, you've seen what you. 0:30:13.240 --> 0:30:19.320 Can do. And isn't it time for you to throw 0:30:19.400 --> 0:30:23.920 your cloak to the side of the road and see what. 0:30:24.760 --> 0:30:29.840 God can do? What God not not what people can do, 0:30:31.080 --> 0:30:35.440 not what your mom can do, not what a democrat 0:30:35.600 --> 0:30:39.840 can do or a Republican can do, but to see 0:30:40.440 --> 0:30:46.240 what God can now unto him who is able to 0:30:46.440 --> 0:30:48.920 do in miserably. 0:30:48.440 --> 0:30:51.520 More, your eye has not. 0:30:51.680 --> 0:30:56.440 Seen, your ear has not heard, neither hasn't entered into 0:30:56.480 --> 0:30:57.200 the heart of a man. 0:31:00.720 --> 0:31:02.760 Come on, touch five people, Tell them I want to 0:31:02.800 --> 0:31:03.920 see what God can do. 0:31:04.480 --> 0:31:07.560 I want to see what God can do. I've taken 0:31:07.720 --> 0:31:10.320 my life as far as it can go. I slept 0:31:10.320 --> 0:31:12.800 with a lot of different people. I still feel empty. 0:31:12.960 --> 0:31:13.640 I earned some. 0:31:13.600 --> 0:31:16.280 Money, I still feel empty. I got a job, I 0:31:16.360 --> 0:31:19.360 still feel empty. I'm ready for purpose now. I'm ready 0:31:19.400 --> 0:31:22.320 for meeting. Now, I'm ready for a well that will run. 0:31:22.520 --> 0:31:29.920 Why, I'm ready for bread that satisfies. I told you 0:31:29.960 --> 0:31:32.960 this message is going to be a shift. I was 0:31:33.000 --> 0:31:34.840 so excited to preach it. I thought, well, I'll share 0:31:34.880 --> 0:31:36.640 that later in the year. God said, you'll share it 0:31:36.680 --> 0:31:37.600 when I tell you to share it. 0:31:37.600 --> 0:31:38.880 I said, when am I going to share it? And 0:31:39.040 --> 0:31:40.080 say share it now? 0:31:40.480 --> 0:31:45.480 Because somebody is sitting by the roadside and the opportunity 0:31:45.520 --> 0:31:46.200 is passing by. 0:31:46.280 --> 0:31:51.920 Don't you want to see what God can do as 0:31:51.920 --> 0:31:52.840 a church? Wouldn't you? 0:31:54.600 --> 0:31:57.040 Or do you want to be telling the story to 0:31:57.040 --> 0:32:00.600 your kids one day of what God could have done? 0:32:02.440 --> 0:32:05.160 You want to lay there one day on some bed. 0:32:05.520 --> 0:32:06.880 I know you're gonna be one hundred and twenty when 0:32:06.880 --> 0:32:11.640 you die because you eat kale and not gluten, But 0:32:11.760 --> 0:32:14.760 you want to be laying there at that point thinking 0:32:14.800 --> 0:32:21.680 about what God could have done? Would have done or 0:32:21.680 --> 0:32:26.880 do you want to see. I'm sorry that I know 0:32:26.920 --> 0:32:28.760 that the crowds are telling me to shut up, but 0:32:28.960 --> 0:32:29.680 I've got. 0:32:29.440 --> 0:32:30.640 To see. 0:32:32.040 --> 0:32:40.080 What God can do. What God can do for you. 0:32:41.120 --> 0:32:44.640 That's where it starts, to see what God can do. 0:32:51.080 --> 0:32:51.440 For you. 0:32:52.840 --> 0:32:56.680 And that's a great place to start, yeah, because you 0:32:56.720 --> 0:32:58.240 need a touch from God and it's by grace. 0:32:58.280 --> 0:33:02.320 We're saved through faith and I can't do it for myself. 0:33:03.640 --> 0:33:05.000 And I want this to be a place where you 0:33:05.040 --> 0:33:06.640 can come and God can do for you what you 0:33:06.760 --> 0:33:07.120 need done. 0:33:07.200 --> 0:33:09.880 You know, because some weeks you're going to need direction 0:33:10.040 --> 0:33:10.800 and encouragement. 0:33:10.880 --> 0:33:13.000 You got a business decision and this thing with your kids, 0:33:13.040 --> 0:33:15.320 and I want you to come here to see what 0:33:15.360 --> 0:33:16.480 God can do for you. 0:33:16.600 --> 0:33:18.560 It's a great place to start, but it's a terrible 0:33:18.560 --> 0:33:19.000 place to. 0:33:18.960 --> 0:33:24.080 Stop because when God spoke the vision of this church 0:33:24.160 --> 0:33:26.120 to me for the next ten years, and the vision 0:33:26.880 --> 0:33:29.040 that He asks for each and every life that's represented 0:33:29.920 --> 0:33:33.280 within this body of believers, he didn't say for you 0:33:33.320 --> 0:33:34.680 to see what God could do for you. 0:33:37.000 --> 0:33:48.760 He said it's time for you to see. 0:33:49.520 --> 0:33:50.120 Let's use the. 0:33:50.040 --> 0:33:57.400 Blue what God can do. I'm excited about this. 0:34:04.800 --> 0:34:05.160 Now. 0:34:07.200 --> 0:34:10.799 To him who is able to do. Give them three 0:34:10.840 --> 0:34:15.960 twenty again. What time is it? It's three twenty Ephesians 0:34:15.960 --> 0:34:19.160 three twenty times three twenty. Whenever you're watching this, it's 0:34:19.200 --> 0:34:24.520 three twenty. Set your watch, it's three twenty. Who is 0:34:24.640 --> 0:34:25.480 able to do? 0:34:27.280 --> 0:34:27.600 God? 0:34:27.920 --> 0:34:30.879 See what God can do immeasurably more than we ask 0:34:30.960 --> 0:34:39.480 or imagine, according to his power. Your potential is equal 0:34:39.520 --> 0:34:49.680 to God's power, and nothing is impossible to him who believes. 0:34:49.719 --> 0:34:53.680 Come on, ah, I feel the Holy Spirit of God 0:34:54.360 --> 0:34:57.759 stirring something up in this place in. 0:34:57.680 --> 0:35:02.480 Your life, in our communities in Raleigh, North Carolina. 0:35:02.480 --> 0:35:06.640 In Gaston, North Carolina, Gaston County. Don't you want to 0:35:06.760 --> 0:35:10.640 see what God can do according. 0:35:12.239 --> 0:35:19.439 To the power that works. This is the key within us. 0:35:19.520 --> 0:35:22.239 So God has a job to do in the earth. 0:35:22.280 --> 0:35:23.000 He's about redeeming. 0:35:23.040 --> 0:35:26.080 He's about restoring, he's about reclaiming, he's about replenishing. 0:35:26.880 --> 0:35:30.919 God has a job to do. That's the person next 0:35:30.920 --> 0:35:34.400 you tell him. God has a job to do. But 0:35:34.440 --> 0:35:35.040 give him the part. 0:35:35.080 --> 0:35:36.440 Beat, give them the part be because if you just 0:35:36.480 --> 0:35:37.880 tell them that, they'll wait for him to do it. 0:35:39.239 --> 0:35:42.640 Tell him again, God has a job to do, but 0:35:42.719 --> 0:35:43.319 he's gonna do. 0:35:43.280 --> 0:35:52.560 It through you, Through you, through you. 0:35:55.080 --> 0:35:58.680 Point at somebody and say through you. Put your finger 0:35:58.760 --> 0:36:00.799 right in their face unless it's gonna lost trouble at. 0:36:00.680 --> 0:36:06.279 Home, and tell them through you, through you, through you. 0:36:07.760 --> 0:36:11.640 And notice that there is no clause following the sentence. 0:36:13.400 --> 0:36:17.319 That's where the period goes right there. Not what God 0:36:17.440 --> 0:36:20.600 can do through you, when not what God could do 0:36:20.760 --> 0:36:24.120 through you. If I want you to see what God 0:36:24.320 --> 0:36:25.040 can do. 0:36:25.480 --> 0:36:32.040 Through you now, yeah, but I'm a murderer. I hear you, Moses. 0:36:32.280 --> 0:36:35.239 It's all right. Take off your shoes and take the 0:36:35.360 --> 0:36:39.239 next step. The place you are standing on is Holy grou. 0:36:40.080 --> 0:36:42.400 I gotta talk to do and I want to do 0:36:42.560 --> 0:36:43.120 it through. 0:36:43.040 --> 0:36:52.880 You, through you, through you, through you, through you, through you, 0:36:53.760 --> 0:36:58.759 through you, through you, through you, through you, through you, 0:36:59.520 --> 0:37:04.239 through you, through you, for you, for you, through you, 0:37:04.960 --> 0:37:09.320 through you, through you, through you, through you, through you, 0:37:10.000 --> 0:37:13.360 through you, for you, through you, through you. 0:37:14.000 --> 0:37:18.320 Through you, through you, through you, through you, through you, 0:37:19.000 --> 0:37:23.320 through you, through you, through you, through you, through you, 0:37:23.920 --> 0:37:30.560 through you. God wants his power to flow through you. 0:37:30.760 --> 0:37:32.839 Stand on your feet. I've said what I came to say. 0:37:33.520 --> 0:37:40.560 That's what you came for, and it needs it needs 0:37:41.719 --> 0:37:44.399 to shift in your heart today. It's okay to start 0:37:44.480 --> 0:37:50.480 with what God can do for you. But the cool 0:37:50.480 --> 0:37:54.959 part about Bartimaeus is what happened after his eyes were open. 0:37:56.280 --> 0:37:59.360 He saw what God could do for him. This is 0:37:59.400 --> 0:38:01.279 the cool verse. I don't think people preach about this 0:38:01.360 --> 0:38:03.440 because if you're doing it, you want the climax to 0:38:03.480 --> 0:38:06.839 be and he could see. But the really important part 0:38:06.920 --> 0:38:10.560 is what happened next. And it's going to come right 0:38:10.600 --> 0:38:16.520 there on the screen. It says that Jesus told him 0:38:16.560 --> 0:38:20.400 to go, and he said that his faith had healed him. 0:38:20.480 --> 0:38:23.080 And then it said that immediately he received his sight, 0:38:23.600 --> 0:38:27.880 see what God can do for you. And then this 0:38:28.000 --> 0:38:30.839 is the part, he followed Jesus along the road. Now, 0:38:32.000 --> 0:38:34.400 the greatest miracle in bartimaeus life was not that he 0:38:34.480 --> 0:38:38.279 got to see what God could do for him. It's 0:38:38.320 --> 0:38:41.520 that he made the decision to follow Jesus and see 0:38:41.560 --> 0:38:43.719 what God could do through him. 0:38:46.320 --> 0:38:58.360 Threw me, what what could God do through you? I 0:38:58.440 --> 0:38:58.719 don't know. 0:38:58.960 --> 0:39:00.520 I don't just mean in the church, which, by the way, 0:39:00.600 --> 0:39:02.760 I hope you volunteer. I hope they swarmed the tents 0:39:02.800 --> 0:39:04.480 when they're leaving today and just volunteer. 0:39:05.239 --> 0:39:07.800 I'm not doing a volunteer push. This isn't a giving sermon. 0:39:07.880 --> 0:39:10.080 This is no nothing like that. This is what's in 0:39:10.160 --> 0:39:13.160 my heart for you that if you're a part of 0:39:13.239 --> 0:39:14.280 this ministry. 0:39:13.880 --> 0:39:18.040 And this movement, whether online or on television or locally 0:39:18.080 --> 0:39:19.800 here at one of our campuses, I want you to 0:39:19.880 --> 0:39:24.480 see not what God can do through me. We have 0:39:24.640 --> 0:39:29.359 so elevated the platform of the preacher. The preacher has 0:39:29.440 --> 0:39:34.520 no platform if the people have no sense of mission. 0:39:41.360 --> 0:39:47.279 For you. For you, I wish I knew your name. 0:39:47.320 --> 0:39:50.040 I'll call it out. I'll just call your name straight out. 0:39:50.040 --> 0:39:51.400 And I'm not a prophet, so I can't do that 0:39:51.480 --> 0:39:53.440 kind of stuff. I could make something up. I could 0:39:53.480 --> 0:39:53.960 call you Doug. 0:39:54.000 --> 0:40:00.359 You might not be dug through you through Fergie over here. 0:40:02.719 --> 0:40:07.320 Fergie wasn't always running a camera in the church. Fergie 0:40:07.440 --> 0:40:14.200 was a mess. Little teenager, a little punk teenager came 0:40:14.239 --> 0:40:16.320 over to the church ten years ago, been with me 0:40:16.400 --> 0:40:18.640 almost the whole time. My first capital campaign where I 0:40:18.719 --> 0:40:21.000 raised money in the church. We didn't have a building yet, 0:40:21.920 --> 0:40:23.600 and we were praying for a building, but we wanted 0:40:23.640 --> 0:40:24.919 to have the money ready when we had it because 0:40:24.920 --> 0:40:25.960 we want to raise money for a building. 0:40:25.960 --> 0:40:29.879 We wanted to raise money for a vision. So when 0:40:29.880 --> 0:40:30.640 I would raise money. 0:40:30.680 --> 0:40:32.960 I had a picture of Fergie getting baptized on my wall, 0:40:33.000 --> 0:40:34.759 and when donors would come in and they'd say, what 0:40:34.840 --> 0:40:37.480 are we getting to, I point to Fergie getting baptized. 0:40:37.680 --> 0:40:44.879 I say, that's our mission. I saw our mission. That boy, 0:40:46.880 --> 0:40:47.759 he's a man now. 0:40:47.920 --> 0:40:51.680 He got some traps and some triceps. 0:40:52.160 --> 0:40:54.760 Big old camera runs his jib cameras. 0:40:54.800 --> 0:40:57.000 Only three people in the state of North Carolina licensed 0:40:57.000 --> 0:40:59.719 to run one of these. I made that part up, 0:40:59.760 --> 0:41:03.080 but he doesn't want it, and he puts me on TV. 0:41:04.080 --> 0:41:06.719 He puts me on TV every week. Half a million 0:41:06.760 --> 0:41:09.719 people watch on TV, thousands online all that every week 0:41:09.960 --> 0:41:10.399 every week. 0:41:11.080 --> 0:41:14.960 And he shows that. Show him the crowd real quick 0:41:15.000 --> 0:41:16.160 if you can. I don't know if they have it 0:41:16.239 --> 0:41:17.880 set up for that, but just show him for you. 0:41:18.000 --> 0:41:21.000 Do the look what God's doing through you. 0:41:24.600 --> 0:41:31.719 For you. And that's only a part of it. That's 0:41:31.760 --> 0:41:35.960 only a part of them. That's only a part of it. 0:41:39.280 --> 0:41:41.000 That's only a part of it. That's only we can't 0:41:41.080 --> 0:41:45.399 show everything. He wrote me a letter last year when 0:41:45.400 --> 0:41:49.160 we were opening our Balentine campus and said, if I get. 0:41:49.040 --> 0:41:51.200 To open, I'm in your way. Step out the way. 0:41:51.560 --> 0:41:52.000 Do his job. 0:41:53.200 --> 0:41:55.680 And he said that I prayed that God would let 0:41:55.719 --> 0:41:59.479 me open every be a part of opening every elevation church. 0:42:01.200 --> 0:42:05.400 This teenage. He could have set them too young, he 0:42:05.440 --> 0:42:06.680 could have set him too messed up. 0:42:08.360 --> 0:42:10.839 He would come in on Sunday's smell like cigarette smoke 0:42:10.880 --> 0:42:13.080 every Sunday, and he could have said, no, not me. 0:42:15.080 --> 0:42:16.680 But now look what God is doing through him. 0:42:16.719 --> 0:42:22.520 Now, I just want to ask the question, are you 0:42:22.680 --> 0:42:28.279 ready to see what God can do through you? 0:42:30.640 --> 0:42:31.480 Lift your hands. 0:42:32.239 --> 0:42:32.479 Father. 0:42:32.640 --> 0:42:35.680 I thank you in this moment that lives are being surrendered, 0:42:36.160 --> 0:42:39.920 that hearts are being opened. I thank you that imaginations 0:42:40.000 --> 0:42:44.360 are being excited and instigated by the possibilities of faith. 0:42:44.760 --> 0:42:47.160 We want to see as a church. You continue to 0:42:47.280 --> 0:42:50.239 move mountains, but it's only going to happen if the 0:42:50.320 --> 0:42:53.520 people speak. It's only going to happen if the people move. 0:42:53.960 --> 0:42:57.440 So God, we commit in this place to see what 0:42:57.680 --> 0:43:01.800 you can do through off. I want to see what 0:43:02.120 --> 0:43:06.040 God can do through me. I'm lifting my hands because 0:43:06.040 --> 0:43:08.760 I want to see what God can. 0:43:08.719 --> 0:43:11.960 Do through me. Our Father, who are in heaven, how 0:43:11.960 --> 0:43:14.279 will it be your name, your kingdom come? 0:43:14.600 --> 0:43:18.240 Nor will be done on earth as it is in heaven, 0:43:18.520 --> 0:43:21.000 in my life as it is in heaven. 0:43:21.360 --> 0:43:23.680 Now I'm to him who is able. 0:43:23.440 --> 0:43:27.719 To do in miserably hard, and we ask formatch a 0:43:27.920 --> 0:43:31.400 part income of power that works in you, that works 0:43:31.440 --> 0:43:31.680 in you. 0:43:32.239 --> 0:43:34.600 It's working at you, it's working at you. 0:43:34.880 --> 0:43:40.520 He'll mesuna now. 0:43:42.800 --> 0:43:47.560 Bred thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those 0:43:47.600 --> 0:43:50.600 of you who give generously to this ministry. Is because 0:43:50.600 --> 0:43:53.520 of you that this ministry is possible. You can click 0:43:53.600 --> 0:43:56.520 the link in the description to give now, or visit 0:43:56.600 --> 0:44:00.560 Elevation Church dot org slash podcast for more information and 0:44:00.640 --> 0:44:03.080 if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 0:44:03.560 --> 0:44:04.800 You can share it with your friends. 0:44:05.160 --> 0:44:07.400 You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 0:44:07.520 --> 0:44:09.560 share it on your social stories and tag us at 0:44:09.640 --> 0:44:10.479 Elevation Church. 0:44:10.560 --> 0:44:12.160 Thanks again for listening. God bless you