Where Restoration Starts (Robert Madu)

0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:04.760 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.240 Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 0:00:07.280 --> 0:00:10.600 you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 0:00:10.600 --> 0:00:12.639 it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 0:00:12.680 --> 0:00:15.360 see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message, 0:00:17.000 --> 0:00:18.680 and I'm excited to share the word of God with 0:00:18.720 --> 0:00:20.560 you today. If y'all feel like hearing it like I 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:23.360 feel like preaching it, something's going to happen in here. 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:26.880 Go with me. Go with me to Mark chapter two. 0:00:27.000 --> 0:00:29.600 Mark chapter two. As a matter of fact, could you 0:00:29.640 --> 0:00:31.280 stand to honor the reading of God's word. I know 0:00:31.280 --> 0:00:33.839 you were standing earlier. It feels like spiritual aerobics, but 0:00:35.000 --> 0:00:37.360 it's the only one. I'm asking you to stand up 0:00:37.680 --> 0:00:41.920 for every other one that's on you. Mark chapter two 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:45.040 and I'm gonna look at verses twenty three through twenty eight, 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:49.600 and then we'll probably read down into chapter number three 0:00:50.240 --> 0:00:55.000 as well. When you're ready to read it, say yeah. 0:00:55.080 --> 0:01:00.320 If you're not ready, say hold up. I heard faint. 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:03.360 Hold up, And I'm await for you to find the gospel. 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:06.640 According to Mark chapter two, and it says, starting in 0:01:06.680 --> 0:01:09.760 verse twenty three. One sabbath, Jesus was going through the 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:13.600 grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:18.000 to pick some heads of grain. No Pharisee said to him, look, 0:01:18.959 --> 0:01:21.200 why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath? 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:25.119 And he answered, have you never read what David did 0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:27.839 when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:30.280 And in the days of abth are the high priest. 0:01:30.360 --> 0:01:33.160 He entered the House of God and ate the consecrated bread, 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:35.880 which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he 0:01:35.959 --> 0:01:39.240 also gave some to his companions, and he said to them, 0:01:39.720 --> 0:01:44.600 the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:49.360 So the son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath. 0:01:49.920 --> 0:01:52.200 Another time, Jesus went into the synagogue and a man 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:55.680 with a shriveled hand another version says withered hand was there, 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:58.760 and some of them were looking for a reason to 0:01:58.880 --> 0:02:02.080 accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if 0:02:02.080 --> 0:02:04.720 he would heal him on the Sabbath. And Jesus said 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.480 to the man with a shriveled hand, stand up in 0:02:07.480 --> 0:02:11.959 front of everyone. And Jesus asked them, which is lawful 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:15.480 on the sabbath to do good or to do evil, 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:22.520 to save life, or to kill. But they remained silent 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:27.040 and looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:30.920 at their stubborn hearts, and said to the man, stretch 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:35.560 out your hand. He stretched it out and his hand 0:02:35.680 --> 0:02:42.040 was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:50.320 to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. Ooo, pauls, 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:51.960 I don't want to preach before I preach, but in 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:56.160 that interesting how two people can be in the same 0:02:56.280 --> 0:03:01.280 environment but have two totally different experiences. Here's a man's 0:03:01.320 --> 0:03:05.840 hand who has been completely restored. I imagine to your 0:03:05.840 --> 0:03:11.239 place erupted giving God praise. But not the Pharisees. They 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:15.280 saw this man's healing as an opportunity to begin a 0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:22.239 plot to kill Jesus. This man's healing was the impetus. 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:25.679 It was the catalyst for the plot that put Jesus 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:29.239 on the cross. I was playing around with titles before 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:32.000 I preached this. I almost started to call this message 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:36.000 when healing you is killing me. That would have been 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:37.280 a good title. That would have been good a tie. 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:39.240 That's not my title. And some of y'all ain't been 0:03:39.240 --> 0:03:41.880 saved your whole life, and uh, you've been a vegas. 0:03:41.960 --> 0:03:44.800 So I almost titled this message, almost tied to this 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:49.000 message how to win with a bad hand. Some of 0:03:49.040 --> 0:03:50.760 you get that tomorrow. You don't like that, you're like that, 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:55.160 but uh, it's not my title today. It's not my 0:03:55.240 --> 0:04:01.320 title today. I am amazed the ability of our Savior 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:08.080 to completely restore his hand, completely restore. Our God is 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:12.800 a god of restoration. I want to appreciated ay, just 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:21.320 using this as a title, where restoration starts. Where restoration starts, 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:24.240 would you bow your heads with me, Ephaan, wherever you 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:26.560 are Some of y'all still in your bathrobe listening to 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:30.880 this message. Father, thank you for your word. Speak to 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:35.000 us today. Amen. He may be seated in the presence 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:43.200 of the Lord where restoration starts. Elevation, fam. I'm fully 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:47.560 aware that we are immersed in a new year in 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:51.760 twenty twenty one. If I'm honest with you, there are 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:55.560 some lessons that I learned in twenty twenty that I 0:04:55.600 --> 0:04:59.200 am still walking out today. Twenty twenty. Tell me some 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:03.039 lessons it taught me a myriad of lessons. Matter of fact, 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:05.800 first lesson I learned in twenty twenty. First lesson I 0:05:05.880 --> 0:05:08.799 learned in twenty twenty as I was sheltered in place 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:12.920 for several months with our three little humans who are six, four, 0:05:13.000 --> 0:05:16.000 and three. The first lesson that I learned in twenty 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:18.640 as I was sheltered in place couldn't go nowhere with 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:20.840 our six year old, four year old and three year old. 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:23.360 First lesson I learned in twenty twenty, who is that 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:32.000 our teachers are grossly underpaid? Grossly under pay. I'm telling you, 0:05:32.080 --> 0:05:35.280 if you got a stimulus check, send it to a teacher. Okay, 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:38.680 this is hard out here in these streets. That's the 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:41.880 first lesson I learned in twenty twenty. The second lesson 0:05:41.880 --> 0:05:46.080 I learned in twenty twenty is that sometimes your greatest 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:51.760 ability is your adaptability, your ability to adapt. How many know, 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:54.719 God can use somebody that knows how to pivot, that 0:05:54.800 --> 0:05:57.680 knows how to shift, somebody that's not so married to 0:05:57.680 --> 0:05:59.680 what has been and what was that they don't know 0:05:59.720 --> 0:06:03.120 how to move into what God is doing. Now. I'm 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:06.159 telling you God can use you if you understand the 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:10.440 power of adaptability. The third thing I got from twenty 0:06:10.480 --> 0:06:13.000 twenty that I didn't really learn, but I was reminded 0:06:13.040 --> 0:06:16.760 of that is that the Church of the Living God 0:06:17.400 --> 0:06:22.719 is not optional, it is a necessity. The Church is essential. 0:06:22.800 --> 0:06:25.680 How mean you know we need the church. I know 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:27.920 it looks crazy in the world right now, and it's 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:31.080 dark days, and that has reminded me of the truth 0:06:31.120 --> 0:06:33.640 and the fact that we need the Church of the 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:36.680 Living God. We need something that will be light in 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:39.440 the midst of this darkness. We need people that will 0:06:39.440 --> 0:06:42.560 stand up and declare the good news of the Gospel 0:06:42.640 --> 0:06:47.240 of Jesus Christ. I'm telling you we need the church. Oh, 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:50.359 this is essential. It is essential. I can live with 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:52.960 the bad barber. I'll just have a bad haircut. I 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:55.200 can live with the bad dentist. I'll just have a 0:06:55.240 --> 0:06:58.320 bad toothache. I can live with the bad plumber. It'll 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:00.679 just mess up my house. But I need a church 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:03.600 that's alive. I can't have a dead church. I need 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:06.640 a church that's alive, that will stand up for truth 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:11.800 and speak. God is telling you to speak. Oh, I'm 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.160 telling you, I love the Church of the Living God. 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:17.120 I was reminded of that. I'm thankful for the church. 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:19.360 I'm thankful for the Word of God. In fact, it 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:22.840 was awesome today just being able to worship with you today. 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:25.160 I'm telling you should have heard y'all singing I'm gonna 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:27.480 see your victory. Some of I were off key, but 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:30.320 it was cool. I loved it because there's something about 0:07:30.360 --> 0:07:34.440 when the church comes together in worships. I'm be honest 0:07:34.440 --> 0:07:37.720 with you, I'm I'm lonely on this stage. I am lonely. 0:07:37.760 --> 0:07:39.840 Ain't nobody but me and you, bro We're the only ones, 0:07:40.560 --> 0:07:42.760 only ones up here. It's lonely on the stage, but 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:45.760 it is not as lonely as it was during the 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:49.560 pandemic last year, when I was preaching to empty sanctuary, 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:52.160 just looking to the lens of a camera, speaking into 0:07:52.160 --> 0:07:54.920 the abyss of darkness, hoping that what I was saying 0:07:55.000 --> 0:07:57.400 was resonating on the other sea side of the screen. 0:07:57.440 --> 0:07:58.920 I'm just so glad that there are people in here. 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:02.880 I'm glad I can see your right now. Actually kind 0:08:02.880 --> 0:08:06.840 of got me thinking, because I have an interesting vantage 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:12.720 point right here on the stage because I can see you, 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:16.240 you can see me. If I look at these incredible screens, 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:22.160 I can see myself. What's interesting to me is that 0:08:22.280 --> 0:08:26.800 you can't see you. Just think about that for a moment, 0:08:26.880 --> 0:08:29.320 Like you don't have a clue what you look like 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:32.600 right now. Even those of your epam like, don't go 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:34.360 to the bathroom in your house. And no, you don't 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:36.960 know what you look like right now, but I do. 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:40.240 I can see you. You don't have a clue what 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:41.880 you look like. You know what you looked like before 0:08:41.880 --> 0:08:43.600 you came to church. You know what you look like 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:45.800 if you stopped in the bathroom before. But you don't 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:48.720 know what you look like right now. And I can 0:08:48.800 --> 0:08:51.600 see you. You can't see you, but I can see you. 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:54.439 To think that you would have the nerve, the audacity 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:56.920 to say, Ooh, I'm gonna change some things in my life. 0:08:57.000 --> 0:08:58.480 I'm telling you this is gonna be a new me. 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:01.720 You can't even see you. Hey, you don't talk about 0:09:01.760 --> 0:09:04.840 there's a new year because you can't see your self. 0:09:04.880 --> 0:09:07.120 And how many you know? You cannot change what you 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:11.880 cannot see see. All change in your life must be 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:16.200 preceded by recognition. You have to see something before you 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:19.000 can actually change it. Many of us want God to 0:09:19.080 --> 0:09:22.680 restore some things, but perhaps before the restoration, we actually 0:09:22.760 --> 0:09:25.480 need recognition of the things in our life that are 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.520 broken that we are unaware of. That He wants to 0:09:28.640 --> 0:09:33.480 restore because you can't see yourself. You don't know what 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:35.320 you look like. Come on, not the only one ever 0:09:35.400 --> 0:09:38.280 experienced this phenomenon where you had a kill salad. You know, 0:09:38.280 --> 0:09:40.640 you're trying to do better summer, you're trying to do better. 0:09:40.760 --> 0:09:43.160 You have your kill salad at twelve o'clock in the afternoon. 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:46.080 You get to your house about six o'clock in the evening. Okay, 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:48.560 you look in your mirror in your bathroom and see 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:51.720 the biggest piece of kill in between your teeth, and 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:53.320 you think to yourself, wait a minute, I had that 0:09:53.440 --> 0:09:56.720 kill salad at twelve o'clock. I talked to sixty three 0:09:56.760 --> 0:09:59.800 people right after that list did nobody want to tell me? 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:01.640 Then I had a big old piece of cant help 0:10:01.720 --> 0:10:06.319 him my mouth. Oh I need new friends, because you 0:10:06.360 --> 0:10:08.800 would have got it out if you could see it. 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:14.280 But you cannot change. But you cannot see. I'll never 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:17.520 forget talking to a leader, a very influential leader, and 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:19.840 I was just asking them all these questions about leadership, 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:22.640 and he said, Robert, there's actually a question that I 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:26.479 asked other people as a leader that's formed my leadership. 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:28.760 I said, man, give me the question. He said, I 0:10:28.760 --> 0:10:31.800 asked this question of my wife, he said. I asked 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:33.840 this question of the people that I lead, he said. 0:10:33.840 --> 0:10:37.760 I even asked this question of close friends. I asked them, 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:41.640 what is it like to be on the other side 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:45.720 of me? What is it like to be on the 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:48.120 other side of me? That's a good question, he said. 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:51.600 I asked that question because I have blind spots. I 0:10:51.640 --> 0:10:53.760 don't know what it's like to be on the other 0:10:53.880 --> 0:10:56.240 side of me. That is the only thing I don't 0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:59.240 have perspective on. I don't know what it's like to 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:01.080 be on the other side me, he says. So I 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:03.280 have to ask people that I love, and then I 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:06.000 have to sit back and listen to what they say 0:11:06.320 --> 0:11:09.280 and not get defensive when they say something that they 0:11:09.400 --> 0:11:12.199 know this. I have to hear what they say because 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:15.520 I can't see myself see some of y'all listen to 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:17.640 dis message like, Oh, I don't need this message. I'm good. 0:11:17.679 --> 0:11:20.200 I'm good. You know my marriage is good. I know this, 0:11:20.320 --> 0:11:22.360 I know this, I'm a good husband. And I would 0:11:22.360 --> 0:11:26.000 say to you, how do you know you've never been 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:29.880 married to yourself? This some parents you ever seen parents like, 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:31.520 I don't know what's wrong with these kids? These kids 0:11:31.559 --> 0:11:33.920 have lost their mind. I know one thing. I'm a 0:11:33.960 --> 0:11:36.200 good parent. Right, y'all got electricity, don't you. I'm a 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:40.280 good parent. I know that. How do you know you've 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:43.720 never parented yourself. I'm just saying, you don't know what 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:46.080 it's like to be on the other side of you 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:49.600 because you can't see yourself. So when God wants to 0:11:49.600 --> 0:11:51.920 restore something, the first thing you need to ask of 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:55.480 God is God, help me to see what I cannot see. 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.480 Show me the things that are broken in me. Don't 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:01.440 let me spend my entire life looking at what's wrong 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:04.160 with everybody else that I never take the time to 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:08.400 address the things that are wrong with me. Oh God, 0:12:08.559 --> 0:12:12.440 help me see me. Don't let me live my life 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:15.920 like the Pharisees, who were real good at seeing what 0:12:15.960 --> 0:12:19.120 was wrong with everybody else, that they could never see 0:12:19.160 --> 0:12:22.360 what was wrong with them. This is the problem of 0:12:22.440 --> 0:12:26.240 the Pharisees. The Pharisees were real good at microscopes. You know, 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:28.640 microscopes you look with detail at the specimen was wrong 0:12:28.679 --> 0:12:32.559 with everybody else, But they were horrible with mirrors. They 0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:34.839 could not look at themselves, but they could see what 0:12:34.920 --> 0:12:38.280 was wrong with everybody else. I see h I say 0:12:38.320 --> 0:12:41.079 what you need to fix. I see what's wrong with you. 0:12:41.200 --> 0:12:42.800 That's the problem with the pharisees. You know you a 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:45.000 pharisee when you're talking about what I see, I see 0:12:45.120 --> 0:12:46.800 what's wrong with you. That's why they have pharisees. P 0:12:47.000 --> 0:12:50.800 H A R. I see, I see, I see what 0:12:51.040 --> 0:12:53.640 you need to fix. And you got a lot of 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:58.880 things that are on. It's horrible. When you're really good 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:03.520 at microscopes, you're terrible and pulling on Michael Jackson and saying, 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:06.160 I'm looking at the man in the mirror. I'm asking 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:09.840 him to change his ways. The Pharisees couldn't see themselves, 0:13:09.880 --> 0:13:13.360 so Jesus had this incredible, uncanny ability to help them 0:13:13.400 --> 0:13:18.600 see themselves, and they hated it. They couldn't stand that 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:22.240 Jesus would show themselves to themselves. That's what made them 0:13:22.280 --> 0:13:24.960 angry and mad. And that is what is in my 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:28.679 text today. Are y'all good? I feel like preaching this 0:13:28.760 --> 0:13:33.360 message before before I even start talking about the pharisees 0:13:33.400 --> 0:13:37.040 who cause detension in our text today. I also find 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:43.000 it intriguing that nobody ever type cast themselves as a 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:46.280 pharisee in the Bible. Have you noticed that, like you 0:13:46.320 --> 0:13:48.480 ain't never in your life while reading the Bible said 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:51.199 that's me, that's me. I'm a pharisee. And't that funny? 0:13:51.200 --> 0:13:54.360 And it's funny that the people that regularly attended church, 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:59.360 people who today regularly attend church, never think they're like 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:01.200 the pharisee. Come on, you always the person with the 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:03.679 withered had. Come on, You're the woman with the issue 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:06.080 of blood. You're the one that just got issues that 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:08.120 if you could just get to Jesus, he would fix it. 0:14:08.160 --> 0:14:10.480 You're never you never say I'm the pharisee. Come on, 0:14:10.480 --> 0:14:13.400 the Pharisees are like your caters who don't agree with you, 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:16.560 But you never say I'm the Pharisee. But I'm gonna 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:20.960 remind you you can't see yourself. So perhaps another question 0:14:21.040 --> 0:14:22.960 you should ask, besides what's it like to be on 0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:27.680 the other side of me, is could the pharisee be me? 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:31.720 Nobody type casts themselves at the Pharisees, and the Pharisees 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:35.000 couldn't see themselves, and Jesus would show them to themselves 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:37.760 and Jesus is interesting their problem with Jesus. They had 0:14:37.760 --> 0:14:39.360 a lot of problems with Jesus. But you don'ts that 0:14:39.360 --> 0:14:42.360 at the root of their problem they were jealous. They 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:45.160 were jealous of Jesus. Ooh, jealousy is something else. How 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:46.720 many you know, when you are effective at doing what 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:49.120 God has called you to do, people are gonna be jealous. 0:14:49.640 --> 0:14:51.840 I don't know who this is for today, but somebody 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.560 is stepping into the effulgence of your purpose and you're 0:14:54.560 --> 0:14:56.360 getting a lot of negativity, and you're getting a lot 0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:58.240 of haters and get a lot of critics, and they 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:00.800 blogging about you, texting about you and tweeting about you. 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:03.160 And you're about to shrink back from the call of 0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:05.960 God on your life because you got some resistance, because 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:08.000 you got some jealousy. But God told me to tell 0:15:08.040 --> 0:15:10.120 you you need to walk in the totality of what 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.640 He's called you to be. When you are doing what 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:15.320 God has called you to do, people are gonna hate. 0:15:15.400 --> 0:15:19.120 People are gonna be jealous, people are gonna talk about you. 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:22.560 Learn to live with the criticism. The only people that 0:15:22.600 --> 0:15:25.240 don't get criticized are the people that never say anything, 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:28.520 never do anything, and never become anything. But if you'll 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:32.280 start stepping in your call, people are going to be jealous. 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:37.280 Just learn to live with it. Get you some tough 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:40.560 skin and keep a soft heart. I'm telling you people 0:15:40.600 --> 0:15:45.520 will be jealous. One writer said that jealousy is the 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:50.840 trophy that mediocrity gives to excellence. Woo, I'm saying it again, 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:54.160 so maybe you could tweet it later. Jealousy is the 0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:58.920 trophy that mediocrity gives to excellence, because when you are 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:02.160 excellent and flowing in your call, people get jealous. They 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:05.120 were jealous of Jesus. Not only that they didn't like 0:16:05.200 --> 0:16:08.200 the claims of Jesus, because Jesus was claiming to be 0:16:08.280 --> 0:16:10.760 the Messiah, the son of the living God. They're like, 0:16:10.800 --> 0:16:13.480 hold on, Jesus, nothing good comes out of Nazareth. We 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:15.880 know where you came from. You ever met those people, 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:18.760 then anytime you start stepping in your call, they remind 0:16:18.800 --> 0:16:21.080 you of where you came from and remind you of 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:24.120 who you were. Oh, didn't like the claims of Jesus. 0:16:24.160 --> 0:16:27.400 They also didn't like who Jesus hung out with. Do 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:30.200 you know Jesus had a reputation. He had a reputation 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:32.880 for hanging out with people that had bad reputations. And 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:35.520 Pharisees was like, huh, if he was really holy? He 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:37.960 was really a man of God, he would know how 0:16:38.080 --> 0:16:41.080 terrible and deplorable and despicable those people are, and he 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:43.920 wouldn't hang with him. Oh, they had so many issues, 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:47.080 but none of those aforementioned issues or what God, Jesus 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.000 on the cross. You know what, God, I'm on the cross. 0:16:50.520 --> 0:16:52.800 You know what their hot button issue with Jesus was. 0:16:55.160 --> 0:17:01.560 They couldn't stand that he kept doing stuff on the Sabbath. 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:05.679 That's it. That's what got him crucified, is that he 0:17:05.800 --> 0:17:09.159 kept doing stuff on the Sabbath. Read your Bible. The 0:17:09.200 --> 0:17:12.440 only time they got all hot headed and all madsten 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:16.479 Jesus kept doing miracles on the Sabbath. They got so 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:19.439 frustrated all throughout his ministry. They're like, what can't you 0:17:19.560 --> 0:17:23.440 just heal people on another day and leave our Sabbath alone. 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:25.520 That was the issue that got him on the cross, 0:17:25.640 --> 0:17:27.919 is that he kept doing stuff on It's almost like 0:17:27.960 --> 0:17:30.040 he did it on purpose, Like, yeah, I remember store 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:32.359 stuff on the Sabbath because I know it's gonna make 0:17:32.400 --> 0:17:34.720 you mad. They didn't like it. How many know the 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:37.679 Pharisees took the Sabbath serious. They had been given a 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:40.479 mandate by Moses on the Sabbath, which means to cease 0:17:40.840 --> 0:17:44.080 from work to rest. Promise. Moses didn't say what did 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:48.800 that look like? So they started adding rules, adding rules 0:17:49.160 --> 0:17:52.920 because that's what religion will always do. It adds rules 0:17:53.240 --> 0:17:56.440 because religion needs a mark that says if I do this, this, 0:17:56.680 --> 0:17:59.600 and this, then God will accept me. But Grace doesn't 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:02.639 say that. Grace says, you are the recipient of something 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:05.800 that you don't discern. You are the recipient of somebody 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:08.960 that paid a price for your life, that lived the 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:11.680 life you were supposed to live, and died the death 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:13.879 you were supposed to die, and you don't have to 0:18:13.920 --> 0:18:17.080 deal with karma. That's what Grace says. Grace says, even 0:18:17.119 --> 0:18:19.680 though I'm messed up, because of the blood of Jesus, 0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:27.800 I can receive. Oh they didn't like it. They were 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:30.760 mad because they have added all kinds of rules and 0:18:30.800 --> 0:18:33.520 regulations to the Sabbath. They're like, Jesus, if you gonna 0:18:33.560 --> 0:18:37.800 heal somebody, do it on another day beside the Sabbath. 0:18:38.240 --> 0:18:40.480 Ooh they took the sabbath serious. Oh you'll sit down. 0:18:40.480 --> 0:18:45.040 We're just talking home. You know. Juice today still keep 0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:49.920 the Sabbath very serious. I learned this the hard way. 0:18:49.920 --> 0:18:52.040 I learned this hard way elevation fam I went to 0:18:52.480 --> 0:18:54.760 I went to Israel. I went to Holy Land, and 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.000 I'm perusing the Holy Land, having a good time. And 0:18:57.040 --> 0:19:00.240 I'm walking around and I wanted to see everything, walking 0:19:00.240 --> 0:19:01.680 around the wole land and drinking a lot of water. 0:19:01.720 --> 0:19:04.239 It was hot, and I missed the bathroom break. Can 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:05.840 I missed the bathroom break? That's on me. I was 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:09.920 having a moment in Bethlehem and I missed the bathroom break. 0:19:09.960 --> 0:19:12.320 And get back to the hotel and I got to go. 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:15.120 I got to go. And I run into the hotel 0:19:15.320 --> 0:19:17.400 and go to the elevator. The elevator opens and I'm 0:19:17.440 --> 0:19:19.399 like on the ninth floor, on the ninth floor. I 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:21.920 walk into the elevator. This elevator, I kid you not 0:19:22.320 --> 0:19:25.159 stopped on the first floor, stopped on the second floor, 0:19:25.600 --> 0:19:28.720 stopped on the third floor, stopped on the fourth floor, 0:19:29.000 --> 0:19:30.919 stopped on the fifth floor, on the sixth floor, I 0:19:30.920 --> 0:19:34.960 passed out. Stop on the seventh floor. Afol. It finally 0:19:34.960 --> 0:19:37.360 gets to the ninth floor. I get off an exasperation, 0:19:37.720 --> 0:19:40.800 go into my hotel, come back out, catch the same 0:19:40.920 --> 0:19:45.240 elevator all the way back down. Stop on every single floor. 0:19:45.359 --> 0:19:46.560 By the time I got to the lobby, I had 0:19:46.560 --> 0:19:48.680 an attitude. Okay, there was no fruit of the spirits 0:19:49.160 --> 0:19:51.040 in my life. I was mad. I said, where is 0:19:51.080 --> 0:19:53.040 the manager? I paid a whole lot of money to 0:19:53.160 --> 0:19:56.320 walk where Jesus walked, and they can't fix the elevator 0:19:56.359 --> 0:19:59.880 in this hotel. It's stopping on every single floor. Got 0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:02.720 talk to the manager immediately, and so I'm walking to 0:20:02.720 --> 0:20:04.920 talk to the manager. And somebody from our tour was like, Robert, 0:20:04.920 --> 0:20:06.000 where are you going? I said, I'm going to talk 0:20:06.040 --> 0:20:08.479 to the manager because that elevator stopped on every single one. 0:20:08.480 --> 0:20:09.399 You don't want to know what happened to me on 0:20:09.440 --> 0:20:11.840 that seventh floor by the elevator and it stopped on 0:20:11.920 --> 0:20:15.600 every single one. They said, Robert, it's the Sabbath. I said, 0:20:15.600 --> 0:20:17.439 I don't care what day it is. They need to 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:21.919 get a technician to fix that elevator. They said, no, Robert, Robert, 0:20:22.280 --> 0:20:26.040 that's the Shabbat elevator. I said, I don't care if 0:20:26.080 --> 0:20:29.639 it's the Shazam elevator. Somebody needs to do something and 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:34.480 fix it. It stopped for a single floor. They said, Robert, no, 0:20:34.720 --> 0:20:39.080 bro it's the Sabbath, and and and the reason is 0:20:39.119 --> 0:20:42.159 stopped on every floor is because to push a button 0:20:42.960 --> 0:20:46.600 would be worked, and you have to cease from work 0:20:47.520 --> 0:20:51.360 on the sabbath. Oh, you think that's crazy. You need 0:20:51.400 --> 0:20:54.159 to see all the rules the Pharisees added in the 0:20:54.200 --> 0:20:57.600 day of Jesus. Oh my, they had all constable people. 0:20:57.640 --> 0:21:00.000 You could only take one nine hundred and ninety nine 0:21:00.160 --> 0:21:02.480 steps on the Sabbath. You took that two thousand step, 0:21:02.600 --> 0:21:05.159 that was work. You couldn't carry anything that weighed more 0:21:05.200 --> 0:21:07.520 than a fig on the Sabbath. If you do something 0:21:07.520 --> 0:21:09.200 in the air, you better catch you with the other hand, 0:21:09.240 --> 0:21:10.919 because if you caught it with the same hand, that 0:21:11.160 --> 0:21:13.680 was work on the Sabbath. You couldn't light a candle 0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:16.400 on the Sabbath. You couldn't write a letter on the Sabbath. 0:21:16.560 --> 0:21:19.240 You couldn't take a bath because you might spill water 0:21:19.520 --> 0:21:21.960 and try to clean it up. You walking around musty 0:21:22.440 --> 0:21:25.760 because you're trying to keep the Sabbath holy. They had 0:21:25.760 --> 0:21:28.639 all kinds of rules and regulations they have added to 0:21:28.680 --> 0:21:30.600 the Sabbath. And how mean you know you sure couldn't 0:21:30.600 --> 0:21:34.000 heal anybody on the Sabbath. You sure couldn't restore anybody 0:21:34.040 --> 0:21:36.600 on the Sabbath. You sure couldn't open up blind eyes 0:21:36.760 --> 0:21:39.520 on the Sabbath. And here comes Jesus in the midst 0:21:39.520 --> 0:21:42.240 of all of their rules and all their regulations, and says, 0:21:42.280 --> 0:21:44.720 I am God. I'll heal who I want to heal. 0:21:44.960 --> 0:21:47.439 I restore who I want to restore. I know you 0:21:47.520 --> 0:21:50.160 got your rules, but I came to seek and save 0:21:50.560 --> 0:21:53.760 that which is lost. And anytime I see something broken, 0:21:53.920 --> 0:21:57.440 I'm gonna bring restoration in spite of whether you think 0:21:57.480 --> 0:22:01.960 it's right or wrong. Has ever had God restore something 0:22:02.000 --> 0:22:04.639 in your life? I tell you to take ten seconds 0:22:04.720 --> 0:22:12.800 and give him some praise, like you know he restores? Oh? 0:22:12.880 --> 0:22:15.280 Come on, you know your marriage wasn't always like that. 0:22:15.680 --> 0:22:18.480 You know your kids weren't always saved. You know you 0:22:18.480 --> 0:22:21.440 didn't always have the money. But how many are thankful 0:22:21.680 --> 0:22:29.399 that God step damn and restores. I feel like preaching 0:22:31.800 --> 0:22:36.359 he restores. He can't help himself. That's what he does. 0:22:36.480 --> 0:22:42.240 If something is broken, he has to bring restoration. He's 0:22:42.280 --> 0:22:46.720 attracted to the brokenness. How dare you hide your brokenness 0:22:46.720 --> 0:22:49.320 in the presence of our God? How dare you walk 0:22:49.359 --> 0:22:53.040 in with shame thinking God can't restore or redeem your life? 0:22:53.160 --> 0:22:57.960 That's what he specializes in. He specializes in taking broken things. 0:23:00.000 --> 0:23:07.040 It brings restoration. So the Pharisees couldn't understand why does 0:23:07.080 --> 0:23:13.119 he keep breaking the rules on the Sabbath. Some you 0:23:13.160 --> 0:23:16.880 need to change your perspective of God because you think 0:23:16.880 --> 0:23:18.480 that God is in heaven waiting to hit you upside 0:23:18.520 --> 0:23:21.520 the head when you break a rule. It's not the 0:23:21.560 --> 0:23:24.840 Jesus of the Bible. He broke rules to restore you. 0:23:25.000 --> 0:23:31.560 He broke rules to redeem you. He restores, He restores. 0:23:32.359 --> 0:23:35.480 Its interesting you peruse the pages of your Bible, you 0:23:35.560 --> 0:23:39.520 see that he does it on the Sabbath on purpose. 0:23:40.040 --> 0:23:45.920 Who remember Luke Chapter thirteen, there's a woman who has 0:23:45.960 --> 0:23:49.960 a spirit of infirmity. Don't miss that. It's a spirit 0:23:49.960 --> 0:23:54.280 of infirmity that is affecting her physical body, which means 0:23:54.280 --> 0:23:58.240 there are some things that manifest in your body that's 0:23:58.280 --> 0:24:01.960 starting the spirit. Oh, I'm thankful for doctors. I'm thankful 0:24:02.000 --> 0:24:03.600 for all of it. I go to doctors, I got 0:24:03.600 --> 0:24:05.400 a counselor, I got a therapist. I love it all. 0:24:05.720 --> 0:24:07.280 But there's some stuff you don't need a doctor for. 0:24:07.560 --> 0:24:11.600 You need deliverance. There's some things that gotta be cast 0:24:11.840 --> 0:24:16.439 out Can I preach this like I feel it? The 0:24:16.480 --> 0:24:18.960 Bible says she had a spirit of infirmity, and that 0:24:19.080 --> 0:24:22.240 spirit was affecting her physical body to the point that 0:24:22.359 --> 0:24:28.360 for eighteen years she's crippled, bowed over. Can you imagine 0:24:28.359 --> 0:24:31.800 for eighteen years not being able to pull yourself up, 0:24:33.640 --> 0:24:36.239 not being able to stand up straight. I think it's 0:24:36.280 --> 0:24:38.080 a picture of humanity because how many know you can't 0:24:38.080 --> 0:24:42.119 pull yourself up, you can't get yourself together. Have you 0:24:42.160 --> 0:24:44.240 not figured this out yet? How many New Years' resolutions 0:24:44.240 --> 0:24:48.520 you gotta break? Diget you can't fix you. You want 0:24:48.520 --> 0:24:52.399 to hashtag jack up to fix yourself. That's why you 0:24:52.400 --> 0:24:58.119 need a savior. Eighteen years spirit of infirmity affecting her 0:24:58.160 --> 0:25:03.480 physical body until Jesus says, daughter, be freed from your suffering, 0:25:04.200 --> 0:25:07.080 and this woman stands up straight for the first time 0:25:07.119 --> 0:25:10.760 in eighteen years. Only problem was he healed her. On 0:25:10.880 --> 0:25:18.680 the seven John, chapter five, there is a man who 0:25:18.800 --> 0:25:22.480 sits by a pool, A layman who sits by a 0:25:22.480 --> 0:25:24.880 pool called Bethesda, And every so often the waters would 0:25:24.880 --> 0:25:27.480 be stirred, and whoever God in first would get their healing. 0:25:27.680 --> 0:25:31.520 And for thirty eighty years this man missed his moment. 0:25:32.280 --> 0:25:33.760 I don't know who this is fortyday, but some of 0:25:33.760 --> 0:25:38.040 you right now have that feeling, that weight of I've 0:25:38.119 --> 0:25:42.440 missed my moment. The enemy is loud in your ear, saying, oh, 0:25:42.520 --> 0:25:44.040 God could have done a miracle last year, maybe the 0:25:44.080 --> 0:25:47.399 year before last, but now now sorry, you've missed your moment. 0:25:48.160 --> 0:25:50.480 Thirty eight years, this man sat by the pool and 0:25:50.520 --> 0:25:53.000 never got his healing, never got his breakthrough. Now I'm 0:25:53.000 --> 0:25:54.520 gonna keep one hundred with you and tell you a 0:25:54.560 --> 0:25:57.000 little story. I preached this text before, like when I 0:25:57.040 --> 0:25:58.560 was young, and I think God Discernon is not on 0:25:58.600 --> 0:26:03.440 YouTube because I preach his tics with the attitude, with attitude, 0:26:03.440 --> 0:26:05.680 because I didn't have no empathy for this dude. I'm like, homie, 0:26:05.680 --> 0:26:08.960 thirty eight years, like you couldn't get close to the 0:26:09.000 --> 0:26:12.159 pool for thirty eight I'm like, thirty a year, you 0:26:12.160 --> 0:26:15.440 could at least shimmied your way close to the pool. Oh. 0:26:15.480 --> 0:26:17.800 I had no compassion for homeboy. I was like, come on, 0:26:17.840 --> 0:26:20.320 And I even preach that Jesus talked to him with 0:26:20.359 --> 0:26:24.120 an attitude. Oh, because you know, we don't get vocal 0:26:24.119 --> 0:26:26.480 intonation in the Bible, so I preach Jesus comes to 0:26:26.600 --> 0:26:27.800 him and says, do you want to get well? So 0:26:27.840 --> 0:26:29.520 I preach it like Jesus had attitude and came up 0:26:29.520 --> 0:26:32.080 to him like, do you want to get well? Do 0:26:32.160 --> 0:26:35.280 you even want to get well? Like Jesus was annoyed 0:26:35.320 --> 0:26:37.880 with the people that he was about to heal. Oh, 0:26:38.040 --> 0:26:40.000 I preached that when I was young. But now I'm 0:26:40.040 --> 0:26:42.159 coming up on thirty eight, and I know what it's like, 0:26:42.560 --> 0:26:44.560 So you're not gonna be real to have some issues 0:26:44.880 --> 0:26:46.760 that you're like, yeah, it's me again. Lord, you know 0:26:46.800 --> 0:26:49.679 I'm still trying to figure this out. I got grace, 0:26:50.000 --> 0:26:53.600 I got compassion now because I'm getting close to thirty eight, 0:26:54.800 --> 0:26:56.440 I know what it's like to have some stuff you're 0:26:56.440 --> 0:27:00.480 still working out. So I'm so thankful that God didn't 0:27:00.480 --> 0:27:02.560 look at that man. Jesus didn't look at that man 0:27:02.720 --> 0:27:05.480 with the vocal intonation of annoyance, telling out do you 0:27:05.480 --> 0:27:07.440 want to get well? He spoke to him in the 0:27:07.520 --> 0:27:11.760 vocal intonation of expectation, saying do you want to get well? 0:27:11.840 --> 0:27:13.919 Because I know you think you missed your moment, but 0:27:13.960 --> 0:27:16.119 when it comes to me, you can never miss your 0:27:16.200 --> 0:27:19.879 moment because I'm the god that can restore the years 0:27:20.400 --> 0:27:23.880 that the enemy took from you because I bring restoration. 0:27:26.119 --> 0:27:28.840 Somebody ought to praise him if you're thankful that he 0:27:28.840 --> 0:27:34.119 can restore even the years that you wasted. God's the 0:27:34.119 --> 0:27:38.560 only one that can redeem time. He thought he missed 0:27:38.560 --> 0:27:41.560 his moment. So Jesus says, do you want to get well? 0:27:41.920 --> 0:27:44.120 Get up and take your man. He gets up, takes 0:27:44.160 --> 0:27:48.560 his man, He starts walking. The problem was he was 0:27:48.560 --> 0:27:56.840 walking on the seven you boy, ye John chapter nine, 0:27:57.119 --> 0:28:02.520 there's another man. The Bible says, it's born. He's born blind. 0:28:03.640 --> 0:28:07.280 And who Jesus and the disciples roll up on this man? 0:28:08.240 --> 0:28:16.479 And the disciples, Oh, the church staff members asked the 0:28:16.520 --> 0:28:20.720 most asinine question of this man. Who is born blin 0:28:20.920 --> 0:28:27.520 the dumbest question to ask. They say, Jesus, who's sinned? 0:28:28.000 --> 0:28:32.159 Who sin him? Or his parents for him to be 0:28:32.200 --> 0:28:36.320 born blind? Jeez? Which one? You see how narrow that question? 0:28:36.560 --> 0:28:37.880 It had to be one of those two. You see 0:28:37.960 --> 0:28:40.240 how narrow that question is. And Jesus looking at him 0:28:40.280 --> 0:28:43.880 like dummies neither. It has nothing to do with his 0:28:44.080 --> 0:28:47.080 sin or his parents sin. See. This is why you 0:28:47.120 --> 0:28:50.520 have to be careful when you're going through suffering, because 0:28:50.520 --> 0:28:53.120 when you go through suffering, the trick of the enemy 0:28:53.400 --> 0:28:56.200 will make you think that your suffering is a direct 0:28:56.320 --> 0:29:00.640 result of something that you did, so you'll expe countless 0:29:00.720 --> 0:29:03.000 nights thinking the reason I'm facing this is because I 0:29:03.000 --> 0:29:05.040 didn't do that. And the reason I'm facing this is 0:29:05.040 --> 0:29:07.719 because I'm messed up over here. Your suffering is not 0:29:07.760 --> 0:29:10.840 always the direct result of your personal sin. That is 0:29:10.960 --> 0:29:15.920 not true. Oh, don't believe that lie of the enemy. Now, 0:29:16.120 --> 0:29:20.719 Sometimes it is amen. Yeah, sometimes your suffering is a 0:29:20.720 --> 0:29:24.080 direct result of your sin. Sometimes you blame the devil, 0:29:24.120 --> 0:29:26.080 and the devil's looking at you like, no, that wasn't me, 0:29:26.160 --> 0:29:28.920 that was you. Now, you replied to that, DM, I 0:29:28.920 --> 0:29:30.920 didn't do that. You typed it. You typed. Remember it 0:29:30.960 --> 0:29:37.440 was Saturday night, you was lonely, you did that. So 0:29:37.480 --> 0:29:41.960 there's some things that's you. Jesus says, that's not the case. Here. 0:29:42.560 --> 0:29:45.080 We live in a broken world. He said, mean, guess what, 0:29:45.120 --> 0:29:47.160 even though this happened, this happens so the glory of 0:29:47.280 --> 0:29:50.840 God can be revealed in this that. Yes, he's going 0:29:50.840 --> 0:29:53.040 through it. He didn't do anything to cause it, but 0:29:53.080 --> 0:29:55.400 I'm still gonna use it. I'm still gonna get the 0:29:55.400 --> 0:29:57.240 glory out of it. Come on, say anybody that can 0:29:57.240 --> 0:29:59.920 testify that you're going through something right now that you 0:30:00.000 --> 0:30:02.400 you know, when it's all set in time, God is 0:30:02.480 --> 0:30:10.720 going to get the glory out of it. So you 0:30:10.720 --> 0:30:14.200 know what Jesus does. This dude spits in some mud, 0:30:14.280 --> 0:30:17.080 breaks all kinds of COVID nineteen rules, and just splits 0:30:17.120 --> 0:30:20.800 it all in the man's eyes, tells him to go 0:30:20.920 --> 0:30:23.600 wash off, And that man washed off and got his 0:30:23.720 --> 0:30:28.240 sight for the first time in his life. Only problem 0:30:28.280 --> 0:30:33.560 was he got a site on the So the Pharisees 0:30:34.320 --> 0:30:38.800 are noticing a trend. He keeps doing stuff on the 0:30:38.800 --> 0:30:44.120 seventh obviously doesn't care about our rules. So they took 0:30:44.120 --> 0:30:46.560 it upon themselves. They said, well, we're just gonna watch them. 0:30:47.320 --> 0:30:50.000 We're gonna follow them and make sure he doesn't do 0:30:50.080 --> 0:30:54.160 any more healings on the Sabbath. Now I'm to my text. 0:30:54.240 --> 0:30:58.560 Oh that was my intro. So in my text, you 0:30:58.600 --> 0:31:04.120 gotta see this. They're in a grain field, in a greenfield, 0:31:04.320 --> 0:31:10.600 following Jesus and his disciples in a grainfield. They're stalking 0:31:10.720 --> 0:31:15.040 Jesus and his disciple integrate stalks. They are literally stalking. 0:31:16.280 --> 0:31:21.120 It's trying to wake somebody. Hell, they're stalking him in 0:31:21.160 --> 0:31:27.440 a grainfield? Can you say him in a grainfield? Stalking Jesus, 0:31:27.640 --> 0:31:29.680 following him and his disciples. But this one made me 0:31:29.760 --> 0:31:33.920 laugh is that they don't like him. They don't like him, 0:31:33.960 --> 0:31:39.600 but they're following him. They don't like him, but they're 0:31:39.640 --> 0:31:41.480 following him. You know, there's nothing new under the sun. 0:31:41.560 --> 0:31:44.040 And it's funny how today, how people won't like you, 0:31:44.400 --> 0:31:48.200 but yet they still following you, like you pushed the 0:31:48.240 --> 0:31:50.800 follow button. I didn't ask you to follow me, but 0:31:50.960 --> 0:31:56.280 you're following me and you don't like that I'm follow boo, 0:31:56.600 --> 0:32:00.160 Why are you following me if you don't like me? 0:32:00.240 --> 0:32:04.440 When that funny, Oh, people won't like you, they still 0:32:04.480 --> 0:32:10.800 follow you. They speak quiet face looking frustrated, constepated, like 0:32:10.840 --> 0:32:15.360 they've been sucking on lemons all day. And I'm being 0:32:15.440 --> 0:32:18.320 extra cause I'm trying to paint a picture because I 0:32:18.320 --> 0:32:23.160 want you to see. Don't miss this religion versus relationship. 0:32:24.840 --> 0:32:30.000 They're speak quiet, stalking Jesus and disciples. Meanwhile Jesus disciples 0:32:30.280 --> 0:32:35.280 are having the time of their lives. They're just chilling Jesus. Hey, hey, Jesus, 0:32:35.280 --> 0:32:38.760 you are preaching today on that mount. Oh you can preach, 0:32:38.800 --> 0:32:41.000 you can preach now you long within it, you long 0:32:41.040 --> 0:32:44.840 within it, but man, you'll get pressed. Jesus, we don't 0:32:44.840 --> 0:32:47.920 even get no food. You're preachings hello. And she's like, 0:32:47.920 --> 0:32:49.560 when we're in a gray field, if you're hungry, get 0:32:49.600 --> 0:32:53.080 some food. Like, okay, there's your own ladies eating gray 0:32:53.240 --> 0:32:56.440 having a good time. Do you see relationship? You understand 0:32:56.440 --> 0:32:59.840 that the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy. 0:33:00.160 --> 0:33:02.280 Some of y'all need to get your joy back. You 0:33:02.480 --> 0:33:05.600 cry too many tears last year. God wants to restore 0:33:05.680 --> 0:33:14.120 your joy. They're having a good tongue eating grain. Right 0:33:14.160 --> 0:33:17.280 when they eat that grain, the pharisees pop up. Ah, 0:33:20.200 --> 0:33:24.200 I see and this and something like have y'all been 0:33:24.240 --> 0:33:28.200 here the whole time? Like, yes, we have, and we 0:33:28.280 --> 0:33:32.280 see and I can literally see the disciples they still 0:33:32.280 --> 0:33:37.160 got food in the matter. Like and she's like, don't 0:33:37.160 --> 0:33:39.440 worry about them. I got them yet, Chip, Peter, calm down, 0:33:39.520 --> 0:33:41.720 Let me get them, let me get them back up, 0:33:41.800 --> 0:33:44.520 back up, I got them. See. I mean, know, this 0:33:44.640 --> 0:33:46.440 is the season to know what to respond to and 0:33:46.480 --> 0:33:49.920 what not to respond to. This is season know what 0:33:50.040 --> 0:33:51.760 to type back into an email and what not to 0:33:51.800 --> 0:33:54.040 say back to an email. You gotta let the Lord 0:33:54.200 --> 0:33:56.760 fight your battles. If you keep stepping in to fight 0:33:56.800 --> 0:34:00.000 the battle, you're leaving God out of the equation. Sometimes 0:34:00.080 --> 0:34:05.640 you got to sit back and let him fight for you. See, y'all, 0:34:05.840 --> 0:34:08.360 y'all back up. I got this, I got this and 0:34:08.440 --> 0:34:11.160 Jesu gos Have you not read? Have you not read 0:34:12.640 --> 0:34:14.399 in the days of anbf are the High Priest when 0:34:14.480 --> 0:34:17.160 David and his companions were hungry and the aid of 0:34:17.200 --> 0:34:19.560 the consecrated bread that was set apart for the high Priest? 0:34:20.400 --> 0:34:22.520 Have you not read that I love Jesus because he 0:34:22.560 --> 0:34:26.640 is throwing shape? Because of course they read it. They 0:34:26.680 --> 0:34:29.360 got it memorized, the whole first five books of the 0:34:29.400 --> 0:34:33.480 Old Testament memorized. You still skip Leviticus and your one 0:34:33.520 --> 0:34:39.000 you're reading Bible play. They got this thing memorized. Of 0:34:39.160 --> 0:34:42.399 course they know it. What is he calling out? He's 0:34:42.440 --> 0:34:47.399 calling out their interpretation of the word. He's calling out 0:34:47.400 --> 0:34:49.719 the fact that you know the letter of the law, 0:34:50.160 --> 0:34:53.560 but you've forgotten the spirit of the law. He's calling 0:34:53.600 --> 0:34:55.840 out the fact that you know the word, but you 0:34:55.880 --> 0:34:58.919 don't know the author. And because you know the word 0:34:58.920 --> 0:35:02.360 and not the author, you have elevated your human tradition 0:35:02.640 --> 0:35:06.680 over people. You're more concerned with people keeping a code 0:35:06.719 --> 0:35:11.840 of conduct than you are with having compassion and human 0:35:11.960 --> 0:35:17.600 need transcends human tradition. I came to seek and save 0:35:17.840 --> 0:35:20.759 that which is lost, not for people to keep a 0:35:20.960 --> 0:35:27.000 conduct coate. You're so busy keeping the code of conduct 0:35:27.280 --> 0:35:31.799 you don't even have a heart for people. He leaves 0:35:31.800 --> 0:35:34.760 them with it and then goes into the synagogue to preach, 0:35:35.600 --> 0:35:38.800 and they're standing there like, well, well, still a Sabbath. 0:35:41.320 --> 0:35:44.440 He gets in the synagogue and he's preaching, and I 0:35:44.480 --> 0:35:48.560 see the Pharisees following him into the synagogue, and I 0:35:48.600 --> 0:35:51.080 see them scanning the synagogue the day, perhaps to see 0:35:51.120 --> 0:35:55.319 broken people, because they know if there's broken people, he's 0:35:55.320 --> 0:35:59.400 gonna heal them. I can see them scanning, looking through 0:35:59.440 --> 0:36:03.040 the sanctuary for people that are broken. Oh no, she 0:36:03.120 --> 0:36:07.560 got both her eyes good, he got both his legs, 0:36:07.560 --> 0:36:09.520 he got yeah, how man, you know, they're supposed to 0:36:09.560 --> 0:36:12.960 be broken people in the church. They're supposed I don't 0:36:12.960 --> 0:36:15.200 know when the church became a place of a museum 0:36:15.239 --> 0:36:17.560 of perfection. No, you're supposed to have some people that 0:36:17.600 --> 0:36:19.680 are still working some stuff out. You're supposed to have 0:36:19.719 --> 0:36:21.960 some people that you're like, did I just catch secondhand 0:36:22.000 --> 0:36:24.280 high from hugging hand you're supposed to have? Some people 0:36:24.440 --> 0:36:26.319 got some stuff on their breath that you're wondering what 0:36:26.400 --> 0:36:31.200 it is. This is what the church is for. It's 0:36:31.200 --> 0:36:34.200 a hospital for broken people. This ain't a museum for 0:36:34.280 --> 0:36:37.040 perfect people. This is a place where people who are 0:36:37.080 --> 0:36:40.040 broken and hurting know where the bread of life is, 0:36:40.200 --> 0:36:43.920 not because we got it all figured out, because we 0:36:44.000 --> 0:36:49.839 know we need him. I can see him scanning the 0:36:49.880 --> 0:36:53.600 crowd all of a sudden, in the back he walks in. 0:36:55.320 --> 0:36:58.960 They go, oh, got one wether phise. He's like, who 0:36:59.520 --> 0:37:01.359 right there? Third girl from the back. He always comes 0:37:01.400 --> 0:37:05.000 in lane like who is that? You know who that is? 0:37:06.080 --> 0:37:12.120 That's Willy. Willy, Yeah, WILLI with the withered hand, that's him. 0:37:12.160 --> 0:37:14.680 He always come back like it's like, oh, that is 0:37:14.760 --> 0:37:18.840 with me. I'm like that you laughed at that, because 0:37:21.000 --> 0:37:27.919 isn't that what we do? We identify people by their issue, which, 0:37:27.960 --> 0:37:29.759 by the way, his name is not really Willing. For 0:37:29.800 --> 0:37:31.600 those who knew the church e fan around the world, 0:37:31.600 --> 0:37:33.120 I want you to leave here saying passtory. I preaid 0:37:33.120 --> 0:37:34.920 that message on Mark chapter two about Willy and the 0:37:34.920 --> 0:37:36.560 Bible I just I made that up. His name is 0:37:36.680 --> 0:37:42.600 I read Will. Some want to clarify. It's funny how 0:37:42.600 --> 0:37:46.839 people will define you by your dysfunction to the point 0:37:46.840 --> 0:37:51.080 that you think you are what you did. And I 0:37:51.120 --> 0:37:54.800 came to tell you more than your mistake. Stop defining 0:37:54.840 --> 0:37:57.200 yourself by your dysfunction. Some of you have let other 0:37:57.280 --> 0:38:00.959 people define you by your mistake said what you did. 0:38:01.880 --> 0:38:04.319 Willy with the withered hand. They don't call him the 0:38:04.360 --> 0:38:09.239 man with one good hand or a man with two 0:38:09.239 --> 0:38:12.640 good legs. No, it's the man with the withered hand, 0:38:13.480 --> 0:38:18.640 because people will define you by your dysfunction. And really 0:38:18.719 --> 0:38:21.920 walks in late because he doesn't want anybody to see. 0:38:23.560 --> 0:38:26.080 And I don't think Willy was expecting a miracle that day, 0:38:27.200 --> 0:38:28.920 just like some of you. You're not expecting a miracle. 0:38:28.920 --> 0:38:30.600 He said, I'm just gonna tune in the elevation. I 0:38:30.600 --> 0:38:32.680 ain't expecting I'll see some of you came in and 0:38:32.719 --> 0:38:34.000 there you want to expect. I don't think he was 0:38:34.040 --> 0:38:38.120 expecting a miracle, because read your Bible. Every person that 0:38:38.200 --> 0:38:40.799 got in the presence of Jesus, they knew he's ten 0:38:40.840 --> 0:38:44.520 for ten. He didn't miss miracles. They said something whether 0:38:44.560 --> 0:38:46.400 it's a woman in an issue of blood. She pressed 0:38:46.400 --> 0:38:49.200 her way through. Remember ghetto Bartimaeus, who was all loud, 0:38:49.239 --> 0:38:51.799 saying Lord son of David. He was blind, Lord Son 0:38:51.840 --> 0:38:54.319 of David, had mercy on me, and people around here 0:38:54.360 --> 0:38:56.040 were like, calm down, be quiet. He's like, oh, y'all 0:38:56.040 --> 0:38:59.680 can see Lord son of Dave and have mussy. He 0:38:59.800 --> 0:39:04.520 was loud because he knew Jesus would do something about it. 0:39:06.719 --> 0:39:09.840 He didn't say anything. You know why. He wasn't expecting 0:39:09.880 --> 0:39:15.160 the miracle. Withered hand is different. It's not a lame leg. 0:39:15.200 --> 0:39:18.920 It's not a blond eye. Your withered hand represents the 0:39:18.920 --> 0:39:24.160 thing that you've learned to live with, the thing that 0:39:24.200 --> 0:39:27.759 you've lost hope. You just saying, God, you can't restore that. 0:39:28.960 --> 0:39:30.840 And God sent me on a sign of delevation to 0:39:30.880 --> 0:39:37.080 tell somebody today he wants to restore that thing. The 0:39:37.120 --> 0:39:41.600 marriage you think is hopeless, the business that you think 0:39:41.640 --> 0:39:45.799 the pandemic has completely shut down, and God can't use 0:39:46.200 --> 0:39:48.560 you in the business world ever known. He wants to 0:39:48.600 --> 0:39:54.600 restore the thing that you've learned to live with. And 0:39:54.760 --> 0:39:59.959 Jesus notices Willy and I can see the Pharisees noticing Jesus, 0:40:00.160 --> 0:40:03.920 notice Willy and I can say Jesus noticing the Pharisees 0:40:04.040 --> 0:40:07.759 noticing him, noticing. Really, I can see this conversation with 0:40:07.840 --> 0:40:10.840 their eyes. I can see the Pharisees looking like, you 0:40:10.920 --> 0:40:14.200 better not heal him. You see Jesus looking like, oh, 0:40:14.239 --> 0:40:22.080 you don't think I'll heal he really? Huh? Stand up, 0:40:24.000 --> 0:40:27.600 calls them in front of everybody, and then he turns 0:40:27.640 --> 0:40:31.799 to the Pharisees and ask them a question, what are 0:40:31.840 --> 0:40:35.160 you doing Jesus? Where he's about to do a miracle? 0:40:36.320 --> 0:40:38.080 And you need to understand when you're a god that 0:40:38.160 --> 0:40:42.880 can heal all kinds of diseases any kind of way. 0:40:42.960 --> 0:40:46.279 If you heal a unique way, that means you are 0:40:46.320 --> 0:40:48.640 teaching us something with the way you are doing that. Healing. 0:40:50.440 --> 0:40:53.719 Every miracle is a parable. When you can heal all 0:40:53.800 --> 0:40:56.800 kinds of ways, the specific way in which you heal, 0:40:58.120 --> 0:41:03.040 it's teaching something. What are you teaching Jesus? What does 0:41:03.080 --> 0:41:06.440 he do? Tells him to stand up and looks at 0:41:06.480 --> 0:41:11.600 the Pharisees and ask them a question. I love it. 0:41:12.080 --> 0:41:14.279 They came to trap Jesus. Jesus flips the script and 0:41:14.320 --> 0:41:19.319 traps through says, is it lawful? To do good or 0:41:19.360 --> 0:41:22.439 evil on the Sabbath, to save the life or the kill. 0:41:23.640 --> 0:41:28.439 Simple question that demands a simple answer. This is what 0:41:28.480 --> 0:41:31.960 God does. See, the Pharisees were real good at religion. 0:41:32.160 --> 0:41:36.759 Religion always takes that which is simple and makes it complex. 0:41:37.120 --> 0:41:40.759 It adds rules, it adds regulations. Religion will always take 0:41:40.800 --> 0:41:43.439 that which is simple and make it complex. But look 0:41:43.440 --> 0:41:46.440 at what Grace does. Grace takes that which is complex 0:41:46.640 --> 0:41:49.760 and it makes it so simple. He asks a simple 0:41:49.840 --> 0:41:53.520 question because he is the personification of grace, and Grace 0:41:53.560 --> 0:41:56.440 takes that which is complex and it makes it simple. 0:41:56.640 --> 0:41:58.719 Come on, That's what he did with the ten commandments. 0:41:58.800 --> 0:42:00.960 He said, if you're struggling with all ten and you 0:42:00.960 --> 0:42:03.319 can't even memorize them, then just take it to two. 0:42:03.640 --> 0:42:06.120 And love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, 0:42:06.200 --> 0:42:09.399 mind and strained. And love your neighbor as yourself. If 0:42:09.440 --> 0:42:11.799 you take care of those two, those two will take 0:42:11.800 --> 0:42:15.160 care of the ten. Because Grace always takes that witch 0:42:15.239 --> 0:42:22.759 is complex and it makes it simple. Hallelujah. He's this, 0:42:23.000 --> 0:42:28.160 Which one is it? Do good or evil? Save a 0:42:28.239 --> 0:42:37.719 life or destroy life? Simple question. They remain silent. Really, Pharisees, 0:42:39.040 --> 0:42:42.560 you ain't got nothing to say. You were real loud 0:42:42.680 --> 0:42:46.759 about them picking grain, but you don't have anything to 0:42:46.800 --> 0:42:51.920 say about brokenness. You know you're a pharisee. We're you're 0:42:52.000 --> 0:42:55.920 loud about certain issues, but you're quiet on other issues. 0:42:56.640 --> 0:43:00.920 When people are hurting and broken. Oh, God, give us 0:43:00.920 --> 0:43:05.080 a church that'll be loud about every issue that faces humanity, 0:43:05.520 --> 0:43:08.800 not just the issues that we want to be loud about, 0:43:09.120 --> 0:43:13.439 but anytime they're hurting and broken and suffering and lost people. God, 0:43:13.520 --> 0:43:16.200 give us a church that will stand up and say, 0:43:16.239 --> 0:43:20.360 we're gonna be loud about everything. Because everybody was created 0:43:20.600 --> 0:43:23.560 and the image of God that carries me among o 0:43:23.800 --> 0:43:27.359 day and you are valuable to him. God, help must 0:43:27.400 --> 0:43:34.600 be loud about what you're loved about. It remains silent. 0:43:36.440 --> 0:43:41.520 You had nothing to say. And he marveled that they're 0:43:41.680 --> 0:43:53.200 stubborn hearts. They're stubborn hearts. They're stubborn hearts. Oh, I 0:43:53.280 --> 0:44:03.279 see what you're doing, Jesus. They've got withered hearts, and 0:44:03.360 --> 0:44:09.919 he's got a withered hand. Their hearts have become hard 0:44:11.640 --> 0:44:18.240 as his hand. That man's hand was injured to an accident. 0:44:18.320 --> 0:44:22.600 The Greek tells us this wasn't born this way. Something 0:44:22.640 --> 0:44:26.840 happened in his past that now carries residue in his present. 0:44:28.960 --> 0:44:31.160 And in the same way. They started with good intentions 0:44:31.160 --> 0:44:34.560 to uphold the long and keep it holy. Their hearts 0:44:34.560 --> 0:44:41.319 have become so hard now that they've lost compassion, no 0:44:41.440 --> 0:44:45.080 wonder he looked at them first. He wanted to do 0:44:45.120 --> 0:44:52.640 two miracles that day. He wanted to heal and restore 0:44:52.800 --> 0:44:58.440 their heart and hearts, and restore that man's hand. Oh no, 0:44:58.520 --> 0:45:02.680 miss the message. He loves them too. He loves the 0:45:02.680 --> 0:45:08.440 Pharisees too. He wanted to heal their heart in that 0:45:08.520 --> 0:45:10.680 man's hand. You know why because your heart in your 0:45:10.680 --> 0:45:15.440 hand are connected. Anything you reach for with your hand 0:45:18.120 --> 0:45:22.960 first started in your heart. Your heart in your hand 0:45:23.000 --> 0:45:30.359 are connected. But since they refused, he asked the man 0:45:30.440 --> 0:45:35.360 to do what he wanted their hearts to do. Stretch 0:45:35.600 --> 0:45:40.319 forth your hand, reach out again. I can see the 0:45:40.360 --> 0:45:42.600 man going, Jesus. If I could reach out, I would 0:45:42.640 --> 0:45:46.720 have done it by now. Stretch forth your hand, Jesus. 0:45:46.719 --> 0:45:49.319 You don't know how long I'm good, Jesus, I can 0:45:49.360 --> 0:45:54.520 get around. Stretch forth your hand, Jesus, I can't. If 0:45:54.520 --> 0:45:56.040 I would have stretched it, I would have done it. 0:45:56.080 --> 0:45:58.000 Five years ago. If you've been healed this marriage, you 0:45:58.000 --> 0:45:59.840 would have done it years ago. If you could have 0:46:00.000 --> 0:46:03.240 he doing this child, you would have done Stretch forth 0:46:03.440 --> 0:46:06.560 your hand. But I tried before. I know you tried before. 0:46:06.600 --> 0:46:09.600 But it's different now because I'm commanding you to do it. 0:46:09.760 --> 0:46:12.600 And anytime God commands you to do something, how many 0:46:12.600 --> 0:46:15.840 you know within the commandment will come the empowerment for 0:46:15.960 --> 0:46:19.080 you to do it. So, if he's telling you to stretch, stretch, 0:46:19.320 --> 0:46:21.160 If he's telling you to take a step of faith, 0:46:21.400 --> 0:46:29.400 take a step of faith. As he stretched, restoration came 0:46:30.520 --> 0:46:36.520 to his hand. And what happened to that man's hand 0:46:38.000 --> 0:46:42.640 could have happened to their hearts. They would have stretched. 0:46:44.280 --> 0:46:47.840 Your heart and your hand are connected. Where does the 0:46:47.920 --> 0:46:56.239 restoration start? Starts in your heart? Some of you, this 0:46:56.280 --> 0:47:01.840 has been a difficult season to believe again, to dream again. 0:47:03.120 --> 0:47:05.080 And I'm wondering if you've been complaining about the thing 0:47:05.840 --> 0:47:11.360 in your hand. But God actually wants to restore your heart. 0:47:13.600 --> 0:47:16.880 He wants to give you a new heart. Heart. They 0:47:16.920 --> 0:47:21.759 can believe again, heart, they can hope again, heart, they 0:47:21.800 --> 0:47:24.120 can trust again. I know you lost some things last year. 0:47:24.360 --> 0:47:26.839 I'm not belittling what you've been through, but God saying, 0:47:26.880 --> 0:47:32.000 can you stretch your heart to believe? A kid? H 0:47:32.080 --> 0:47:34.840 you walk away just like the Pharisees and miss the 0:47:35.040 --> 0:47:39.279 miracle that was right in front of you. How many 0:47:39.280 --> 0:47:44.400 has heads be bound and os be closed? Father, Today 0:47:45.000 --> 0:47:50.880 I'm asking you to restore hearts. God give us new hearts, 0:47:52.680 --> 0:47:58.680 hearts that believe again, hearts that trust again. Jesus, restore 0:47:58.680 --> 0:48:03.120 our hearts because God, I know if you restore our hearts, 0:48:04.960 --> 0:48:09.480 then healing will come to our hands. If you restore 0:48:09.520 --> 0:48:12.400 what's on the inside, it will affect everything on the outside. 0:48:12.640 --> 0:48:16.279 This is what you do, Jesus, You heal us from 0:48:16.320 --> 0:48:20.120 the inside out. God. I pray for my brother and 0:48:20.160 --> 0:48:24.600 my sister. I was having trouble believing again or hoping again. 0:48:26.400 --> 0:48:31.839 Holy Spirit, bring life back into their hearts. Matter of fact, 0:48:31.920 --> 0:48:33.600 just right where you are, just lift up your hands. 0:48:33.600 --> 0:48:35.879 I sense the presence of God in this place. He's 0:48:35.960 --> 0:48:43.800 restoring your heart to trust him again, to believe again. 0:48:45.600 --> 0:48:47.319 If He heals your heart, it will take care of 0:48:47.400 --> 0:48:51.759 your hand whither our hands are lifted because we want 0:48:51.800 --> 0:48:56.239 you to do and inner work. Heal us from the 0:48:56.360 --> 0:49:01.000 inside out. Where does restoration start? And it starts in 0:49:01.040 --> 0:49:07.160 our hearts, so we receive it today. God, I pray 0:49:07.200 --> 0:49:09.200 for the person who's never surrendered their heart to you 0:49:09.280 --> 0:49:12.879 today and the enemy is lied to them and made 0:49:12.880 --> 0:49:15.239 them think that their issue is their identity. Father, thank 0:49:15.280 --> 0:49:19.840 you that because of your finished work on the Cross, 0:49:19.880 --> 0:49:24.640 all things are made. Now we can always come home. 0:49:26.800 --> 0:49:30.640 I thank you for it today, Thank you for joining us. 0:49:30.960 --> 0:49:33.400 Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 0:49:33.480 --> 0:49:36.960 this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 0:49:37.400 --> 0:49:39.600 You can click the link in the description to give 0:49:39.680 --> 0:49:43.839 now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 0:49:43.840 --> 0:49:47.720 information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 0:49:47.960 --> 0:49:50.000 You can share it with your friends. You can click 0:49:50.040 --> 0:49:52.279 the share button, take a screenshot and share it on 0:49:52.320 --> 0:49:55.160 your social stories and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks 0:49:55.200 --> 0:50:00.000 again for listening. God bless you