1 00:00:01,299 --> 00:00:12,560 Matthew chapter 9. And I'm also going to read to 2 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,059 you Mark's account of the same passage. So 3 00:00:16,059 --> 00:00:18,380 first I'll give you Matthew and then I'll give you 4 00:00:18,380 --> 00:00:21,000 Mark. So in Matthew we're in chapter 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:29,280 9 verse 18. Remember last week Jesus was just 6 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,000 talking about, he had been questioned about fasting and 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,840 actually while he was saying these things, while 8 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,760 he was finishing this up an interruption comes in 9 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,500 verse 18. While he was saying these things 10 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:45,220 to them, behold a ruler came in and knelt before 11 00:00:45,220 --> 00:00:49,240 him saying, my daughter has just died but come and lay 12 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,020 your hand on her and she will live. And 13 00:00:52,020 --> 00:00:55,760 Jesus rose and followed him with his disciples and 14 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,420 behold a woman who had suffered from a discharge 15 00:00:58,420 --> 00:01:01,680 of blood for 12 years came up behind him and touched 16 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,620 the fringe of his garment. For 17 00:01:03,620 --> 00:01:07,320 she said to herself, if I only touch his garment I 18 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:11,260 will be made well. Jesus turned and seeing her he 19 00:01:11,260 --> 00:01:14,520 said, take heart daughter, your faith has made you 20 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,200 well. And instantly the woman was 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,780 made well. And when Jesus came to the 22 00:01:19,780 --> 00:01:23,140 ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd 23 00:01:23,140 --> 00:01:26,620 making a commotion he said, go away for the girl is 24 00:01:26,620 --> 00:01:30,560 not dead but sleeping. And they laughed at him. But 25 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,560 when the crowd had been put outside he went in and 26 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,660 took her by the hand and the girl arose. And 27 00:01:36,660 --> 00:01:39,200 the report of this went throughout that district. 28 00:01:39,660 --> 00:01:40,500 Now I'm going to take you to 29 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:43,840 Mark chapter 5. You're going to see some things 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,760 that seem different. The point here is that Mark 31 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,360 went into more detail just to bring you some clarity. 32 00:01:50,620 --> 00:01:51,420 One point that you're going to 33 00:01:51,420 --> 00:01:56,020 notice right away is the ruler Jairus comes and he 34 00:01:56,020 --> 00:01:59,180 says, my daughter is sick and dying. And 35 00:01:59,180 --> 00:02:01,460 Jesus says, okay, I'll go with you. And 36 00:02:01,460 --> 00:02:03,200 then he proceeds to go with and then the 37 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,700 interruption comes. And then someone says, hey, 38 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,039 never mind, she died. So you're going to go, well, 39 00:02:08,060 --> 00:02:10,080 which was it? Well, Mark was just simply 40 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,620 abbreviating the story. Hey, a little girl died. Jesus 41 00:02:12,620 --> 00:02:13,880 raised her from the dead. Or 42 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,620 that's what Matthew was doing. Hey, 43 00:02:15,620 --> 00:02:18,060 here's what happened. A little girl died. She 44 00:02:18,060 --> 00:02:19,880 was raised from the dead instead of like, well, did 45 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,980 this happen first or that happened first? Matthew 46 00:02:21,980 --> 00:02:24,660 wasn't being as detailed as Luke or Mark in this 47 00:02:24,660 --> 00:02:27,080 example. But again, not a contradiction, 48 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,100 nothing to panic over. But these are the kind of 49 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:30,640 things that sometimes could stump a saint. You 50 00:02:30,648 --> 00:02:32,360 go, what's going on here? Is 51 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,980 the Bible faithful and true? Absolutely. 52 00:02:34,980 --> 00:02:37,500 All witnesses of the Gospel accounts are faithful and 53 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:38,900 true. And yet they bring out 54 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:41,600 different details and sometimes move past other 55 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,400 things. So Mark chapter five, you're 56 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,180 going to go to verse 21. And 57 00:02:49,180 --> 00:02:51,500 when Jesus had crossed again in a boat to the 58 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:55,080 other side, a great crowd gathered about him and he 59 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,340 was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of 60 00:02:58,340 --> 00:03:01,500 the synagogue, Jairus by name. And 61 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:04,940 seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him 62 00:03:04,940 --> 00:03:07,420 earnestly saying, my little daughter is at the point 63 00:03:07,420 --> 00:03:09,880 of death. Come and lay your hands on her 64 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,880 so that she may be made well and live. And 65 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,960 he went with him. And a great crowd followed him 66 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,500 and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had 67 00:03:19,500 --> 00:03:22,100 a discharge of blood for 12 years and who had 68 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:25,240 suffered much under many physicians. You 69 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,340 see where more detail is coming here. And 70 00:03:27,340 --> 00:03:30,460 it spent all that she had and was no better, but 71 00:03:30,460 --> 00:03:33,980 rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about 72 00:03:33,980 --> 00:03:36,420 Jesus and came up from behind him in the crowd 73 00:03:36,420 --> 00:03:38,820 and touched his garment. For 74 00:03:38,820 --> 00:03:42,100 she said, if I even touch his garments, I will be 75 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:44,480 made well. And immediately the flow of 76 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,740 blood dried up and she felt in her body that she 77 00:03:47,740 --> 00:03:49,900 was healed of her disease. And 78 00:03:49,900 --> 00:03:53,100 Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out 79 00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:56,360 from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and 80 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,680 said, who touched my garments? And 81 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,220 his disciples said to him, you see the crowd pressing 82 00:04:01,220 --> 00:04:04,320 around you, yet you say, who touched me? Everyone 83 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,580 was touching him. It's a mob. Jesus 84 00:04:06,580 --> 00:04:08,700 is on the move. I want to touch him. Touch 85 00:04:08,700 --> 00:04:10,360 my baby. Kiss my baby. Oh, 86 00:04:10,380 --> 00:04:11,200 this is going on. Everybody's 87 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,160 touching him. Everybody's touching him. But 88 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,540 something different happened when the touch of faith 89 00:04:15,540 --> 00:04:18,180 came to him. You see everyone pressing you, 90 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:20,320 yet you say, who touched me? And 91 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,820 he looked around to see who had done it. But 92 00:04:22,820 --> 00:04:25,120 the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in 93 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,260 fear and trembling and fell down before him and told 94 00:04:28,260 --> 00:04:31,600 him the whole truth. And he said to her daughter, 95 00:04:32,180 --> 00:04:34,080 your faith has made you well. Go 96 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,820 in peace and be healed of your disease. While 97 00:04:37,820 --> 00:04:40,380 he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's 98 00:04:40,380 --> 00:04:44,600 house some who said, your daughter is dead. Why 99 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,260 trouble the teacher any farther? But 100 00:04:47,260 --> 00:04:50,500 overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of 101 00:04:50,500 --> 00:04:54,000 the synagogue, do not fear, only believe. And 102 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,020 he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and 103 00:04:56,020 --> 00:04:58,340 James and John and the brother of James. They 104 00:04:58,340 --> 00:05:00,180 came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and 105 00:05:00,180 --> 00:05:03,260 Jesus saw commotion and people weeping and wailing 106 00:05:03,260 --> 00:05:05,900 loudly. And when they had entered, he 107 00:05:05,900 --> 00:05:08,000 said to them, why are you making a commotion and 108 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,980 weeping? The child is not dead but 109 00:05:09,980 --> 00:05:12,840 sleeping. And they laughed at him. But 110 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:15,300 he put them all outside and took the child's father 111 00:05:15,300 --> 00:05:17,660 and mother and those who were with him and went 112 00:05:17,660 --> 00:05:19,740 into where the child was. Taking 113 00:05:19,740 --> 00:05:23,080 her by the hand, he said to her, Talitha kummi, 114 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,700 which means little girl, I say to you arise. And 115 00:05:26,700 --> 00:05:29,140 immediately the girl got up and began walking for she 116 00:05:29,140 --> 00:05:31,460 was 12 years of age. And they were immediately 117 00:05:31,460 --> 00:05:34,760 overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them 118 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,900 that no one should know this and told them to give 119 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:39,380 her something to eat. Heavenly 120 00:05:39,380 --> 00:05:41,220 Father, we thank you so much for the living word. 121 00:05:41,700 --> 00:05:43,100 It is living and active. And 122 00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:46,260 God, I pray, even as the woman who had heard the 123 00:05:46,260 --> 00:05:49,220 testimonies about Jesus, faith was born in her 124 00:05:49,220 --> 00:05:51,280 heart. God, so much more this morning. 125 00:05:51,420 --> 00:05:52,800 As we hear the word of God 126 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,440 preached, as we hear the word of God cut us to the 127 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,880 heart, Lord, as you deliver faith, help us to be 128 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,540 recipients of it. Make us good ground. Make 129 00:06:00,540 --> 00:06:03,320 us good soil. The word wouldn't be choked out 130 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,220 by thorns. The thorns of life and the 131 00:06:06,220 --> 00:06:07,960 pains that we've experienced, the despair, 132 00:06:08,300 --> 00:06:10,600 the heartbreak, the challenges. God, 133 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:12,400 I pray that there wouldn't be stones in our heart 134 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,360 where we're calloused. I pray that there wouldn't be 135 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,780 rocks in our heart where we're cynical. God, 136 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,840 I pray that we wouldn't be a hard soil that can't 137 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:24,920 even be penetrated. Make us soft and pliable. The 138 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,520 new wine skins so that we can receive new wine this 139 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,860 morning. In Jesus' name. Amen. 140 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:33,840 So, giving you a little historical context on the 141 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:36,420 situation here. Jairus is the father. He 142 00:06:36,420 --> 00:06:37,760 runs the local synagogue. So 143 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,140 you can think of each town, each village would 144 00:06:40,140 --> 00:06:41,120 have a synagogue in it. This 145 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,780 is a place for Jewish worship, but they don't 146 00:06:43,780 --> 00:06:46,260 have a set pastor like you have here. They've 147 00:06:46,260 --> 00:06:49,580 got rabbis who travel. So Jesus would have been one 148 00:06:49,580 --> 00:06:53,260 of many traveling rabbis throughout Israel. And 149 00:06:53,260 --> 00:06:57,100 the synagogue ruler, Jairus, he's responsible for 150 00:06:57,100 --> 00:06:59,720 administration. He takes care of the building. 151 00:07:00,420 --> 00:07:01,920 He runs the school during the 152 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,140 week. And he also is booking and 153 00:07:04,140 --> 00:07:06,420 making rabbis on the schedule. He 154 00:07:06,428 --> 00:07:08,980 said, OK, Rabbi Soenso is going to be with us for 155 00:07:08,980 --> 00:07:11,360 this coming Sabbath. And Rabbi Soenso is going to 156 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:12,580 come teach on this Sabbath. So 157 00:07:12,580 --> 00:07:14,140 he's planning all that. He's 158 00:07:14,140 --> 00:07:16,160 a prominent man in the community. Probably 159 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:21,039 love, probably respected, probably a godly man. So 160 00:07:21,039 --> 00:07:23,400 even in coming to Jesus and humbling himself, 161 00:07:23,580 --> 00:07:26,740 falling at the feet of Jesus, probably there's many 162 00:07:26,740 --> 00:07:29,780 rabbis and there's probably many Pharisees who are not 163 00:07:29,780 --> 00:07:31,580 a fan of what he's doing. But 164 00:07:31,580 --> 00:07:34,460 he doesn't care. Why? Because he cares about his 165 00:07:34,460 --> 00:07:36,100 daughter and he knows where the answer is. So 166 00:07:36,100 --> 00:07:39,220 he's passed all of the opinions of man at this 167 00:07:39,220 --> 00:07:41,140 point. There was a time where it didn't 168 00:07:41,140 --> 00:07:43,640 cost him much. And we don't know. This 169 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,620 is some speculation. So maybe he was all, teamed 170 00:07:46,620 --> 00:07:49,140 Jesus all the way. Jesus had people from every 171 00:07:49,140 --> 00:07:51,360 social status following him. From 172 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,400 the depth and the width. He 173 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,020 had rich people who followed him. He 174 00:07:55,020 --> 00:07:56,660 had poor people who followed him. He 175 00:07:56,660 --> 00:07:58,760 had religious leaders who followed him. And 176 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,020 then he had wicked sinners who the world would have 177 00:08:02,020 --> 00:08:04,080 called wicked sinners. Of course, we know all of us 178 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,820 to be wicked sinners. But wicked sinners, prostitutes, 179 00:08:07,140 --> 00:08:08,840 who then repented and followed him. So 180 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,620 Jesus has a broad, broad following. In 181 00:08:11,620 --> 00:08:13,920 particular, we often think it's just him and 12 182 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,220 disciples. But anytime Jesus is on the 183 00:08:17,220 --> 00:08:19,540 move, masses are on the move with him. The 184 00:08:19,540 --> 00:08:21,160 crowds. He's close. Maybe 185 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,180 it was for convenience sake, right? Like 186 00:08:23,180 --> 00:08:24,380 the Jimmy Buffett fans. There's 187 00:08:24,380 --> 00:08:26,080 some people who like literally followed that guy 188 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,600 all over the world. He even said it one time. 189 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:29,440 He's like, I think these people 190 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:33,120 need to get a life. And I would agree. Yeah, 191 00:08:33,140 --> 00:08:35,140 like because Jimmy Buffett was their life. He's 192 00:08:35,140 --> 00:08:37,539 doing another concert. So you got the people who are 193 00:08:37,539 --> 00:08:38,860 like the hardcore disciples. And 194 00:08:38,860 --> 00:08:40,380 he got the people who was like, he's coming to my 195 00:08:40,380 --> 00:08:42,179 city. I'll go check him out because 196 00:08:42,179 --> 00:08:44,460 he came to my city. Jesus had the same kind of 197 00:08:44,460 --> 00:08:45,420 thing. We've talked about that. The 198 00:08:45,428 --> 00:08:47,860 crowd versus the disciple. So 199 00:08:47,860 --> 00:08:49,840 we don't know where Jairus was, but we know when he 200 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,480 had a need, we know who he comes to. And 201 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,240 then this woman, the context for this woman who 202 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:56,720 has got this issue of blood. This 203 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:58,960 is probably an administration problem that 204 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:00,460 has happened. And it just won't stop 205 00:09:00,460 --> 00:09:03,020 happening. 12 years. Probably 206 00:09:03,020 --> 00:09:06,080 weakened because of all of this. Probably 207 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,540 discouraged because of all this. The 208 00:09:08,540 --> 00:09:10,380 things you're going to see in these passages, there's 209 00:09:10,380 --> 00:09:12,080 multiple things to see here. But 210 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,660 we're going to notice what seems like the permanence 211 00:09:14,660 --> 00:09:16,740 of both of these situations. A 212 00:09:16,740 --> 00:09:19,400 dead person. The permanence of that 213 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,220 situation. So I would think, right? It's 214 00:09:22,220 --> 00:09:23,680 settled. I guess that's it. It's 215 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:26,300 over. And a sickness of 12 years. 216 00:09:27,220 --> 00:09:28,560 Like it's just kind of your 217 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:29,540 address at this point. That's 218 00:09:29,540 --> 00:09:32,460 where you got to live. You know, 101 sickness way. 219 00:09:32,580 --> 00:09:34,360 Like this is, you get used to 220 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:35,960 this thing. You need to kind of accept it. 221 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,680 It's 12 years. I 222 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:41,100 mean, how long? I don't do well when I get 223 00:09:41,100 --> 00:09:43,340 sick. I'm not like the man baby, 224 00:09:43,580 --> 00:09:44,940 like the jokes he had made about. But 225 00:09:44,948 --> 00:09:47,980 I don't like being sick. I will say that. And 226 00:09:47,980 --> 00:09:50,300 if I've been sick for a week or two, that's pretty 227 00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:52,380 much feels like 12 years to me. I'm 228 00:09:52,380 --> 00:09:55,480 going like, well, now I know how Joe felt. You 229 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,600 know, because like this cold has just been sticking 230 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,360 around. You know, which is, you know, 231 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,640 ridiculous, of course. So there's this permanence that 232 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,580 we feel. And we feel like, man, could 233 00:10:05,580 --> 00:10:07,300 anything really change here? We're 234 00:10:07,300 --> 00:10:08,900 going to look to the master. We're 235 00:10:08,900 --> 00:10:10,960 going to look to see what Jesus does right away. And 236 00:10:10,968 --> 00:10:12,540 that's of course what we see. Jesus 237 00:10:12,540 --> 00:10:13,900 in the middle of teaching something. He's 238 00:10:13,900 --> 00:10:16,860 answering questions. And then a need comes and he 239 00:10:16,860 --> 00:10:18,280 says, I'll go with you. Like 240 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,860 I'm at your service. Jesus is here. I'm 241 00:10:21,860 --> 00:10:23,740 with you. I'll go with this father right 242 00:10:23,740 --> 00:10:26,160 away. And then it's another thing 243 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,880 we're going to notice. Look at the decisions that these 244 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,280 people made. Look at the rules that these 245 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,760 people put on Jesus. Hey, master, if you just come 246 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,460 and do this, she'll be healed. He 247 00:10:38,460 --> 00:10:40,440 comes with this predetermined assumption 248 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:44,160 about what will happen. Hey rabbi, I just need you to 249 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,360 do this. Jesus, I just need you to do 250 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,360 this. And then it's done. Doesn't 251 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:50,900 that sound familiar? The woman with the issue of 252 00:10:50,900 --> 00:10:52,860 blood does the same thing. People 253 00:10:52,860 --> 00:10:54,780 making up their own rules here. If 254 00:10:54,780 --> 00:10:58,260 I just touch his garment, if I can just touch his 255 00:10:58,260 --> 00:11:02,600 cloak, there's actually four tassels that would have 256 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:03,780 hung off of him as a rabbi. And 257 00:11:03,788 --> 00:11:05,320 she would have been probably like looking to 258 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:06,860 get to one of those because they represented the 259 00:11:06,860 --> 00:11:09,420 word of God and the law of God. So 260 00:11:09,420 --> 00:11:13,280 regardless, she just says, if I can just do this, I 261 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:14,780 don't need him to talk to me. I'll 262 00:11:14,780 --> 00:11:16,340 just press through the crowd, which I'm not 263 00:11:16,340 --> 00:11:19,640 allowed to do because I'm unclean. Ceremonally 264 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,400 unclean. Anything that this woman has even 265 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,180 sat on for the past 12 years is ceremonially 266 00:11:25,180 --> 00:11:27,300 unclean. This woman has not been allowed 267 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:30,040 in the synagogue for 12 years because she is 268 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,120 unclean. So in many ways she has a 269 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:34,880 separation. Not to the same degree as a 270 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,860 leper, like we've heard about before, but she still 271 00:11:37,860 --> 00:11:40,820 has an extreme separation from the rest of society. 272 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:42,540 And she is most definitely not 273 00:11:42,540 --> 00:11:44,620 supposed to be pressing in this crowd. She's 274 00:11:44,620 --> 00:11:45,740 shoulder to shoulder with people. She's 275 00:11:45,740 --> 00:11:48,920 like, but I'm going to get my healing. I'm 276 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,020 going to just go in. I'm not going to bother the 277 00:11:51,020 --> 00:11:52,160 master. I'm not going to slow him 278 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,120 down. She just goes, I got what I 279 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,880 need and Jesus goes, hang on a second, something just 280 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,520 happened. What happened? Everybody's 281 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,920 touching him. Everybody's touching him, but somebody 282 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,500 touched him with faith. Something 283 00:12:06,500 --> 00:12:08,660 was different and Jesus perceived it. He 284 00:12:08,660 --> 00:12:11,340 wasn't weakened. He wasn't like, oh, my power 285 00:12:11,340 --> 00:12:13,260 supply was just drained. That's 286 00:12:13,260 --> 00:12:15,360 not what's happening. He's not a battery. He's 287 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:18,540 not weakened in any way when he gives to us. But 288 00:12:18,540 --> 00:12:20,620 he perceived in the spirit something else just 289 00:12:20,620 --> 00:12:22,440 happened. Maybe some of these people are 290 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:24,780 superstitious. I have to touch him. I 291 00:12:24,780 --> 00:12:26,820 knew he's the Messiah, but they're not receiving 292 00:12:26,820 --> 00:12:29,480 anything. Apart from, I touched Jesus, 293 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:31,520 right? Jimmy Buffett walked through. I 294 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:33,980 touched him. Now I can tell the story. 295 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:35,660 Okay. You touched a famous 296 00:12:35,660 --> 00:12:37,580 person. Needs story. Kind 297 00:12:37,580 --> 00:12:39,900 of cool. But somebody else touched him 298 00:12:39,900 --> 00:12:43,980 with a spiritual faith, a living faith to receive. 299 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,300 Remember somebody else who just set 300 00:12:46,300 --> 00:12:49,680 their own terms, right? The Centurion comes to Jesus. 301 00:12:50,540 --> 00:12:53,040 The Roman soldier, the powerful 302 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:54,780 man. He's ruling over these little 303 00:12:54,780 --> 00:12:57,580 Jewish people. And yet he comes to this rabbi 304 00:12:57,580 --> 00:13:00,360 and says, master, my servant is suffering 305 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,040 terribly. And Jesus says, all right, I'll 306 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,120 come. And he goes, no, no, no, no, 307 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,440 no, don't come to my house. That's 308 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:07,920 crazy. I'm not worried to have you in 309 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,940 my house. Just speak the word and my 310 00:13:10,940 --> 00:13:14,060 servant will be healed. You telling Jesus what to do? 311 00:13:14,540 --> 00:13:16,720 Yes. Just speak the word. Don't 312 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:18,360 bother. Don't stop your day or anything. 313 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,280 Just say it. Just 314 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,560 say it, Jesus, and it'll be done. And 315 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:25,520 Jesus, did he rebuke him and said, don't you tell 316 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,900 me what to do? He marveled and said, I 317 00:13:28,900 --> 00:13:30,620 haven't even found this kind of faith among the 318 00:13:30,620 --> 00:13:35,100 Jews. And here I have a gentile, a 319 00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:38,740 Roman gentile coming to me and saying, Lord, why? Is 320 00:13:38,740 --> 00:13:41,300 it because he gave the Lord the prescription? No, 321 00:13:41,420 --> 00:13:43,380 it's the living faith. Living 322 00:13:43,380 --> 00:13:46,380 faith will always find an expression. Living 323 00:13:46,380 --> 00:13:48,540 faith will always find an expression, not a formula. 324 00:13:49,060 --> 00:13:50,340 Oh, am I supposed to do this? 325 00:13:50,460 --> 00:13:51,900 No saints. Living 326 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:54,740 faith will find an expression. We're 327 00:13:54,740 --> 00:13:56,700 not chasing a formula. There's 328 00:13:56,700 --> 00:13:58,520 not a rule that we can follow. The 329 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,720 only rule is living faith in the person of Jesus 330 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:04,800 Christ. So look at these things that 331 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:06,420 these people are saying or doing. Their 332 00:14:06,420 --> 00:14:12,040 faith is in Jesus. They don't have faith in faith 333 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,180 itself. They're not saying, if only I 334 00:14:15,180 --> 00:14:18,220 could have faith. Yes, faith matters, but it's the 335 00:14:18,220 --> 00:14:21,660 object of your faith is what matters. Not 336 00:14:21,660 --> 00:14:23,300 the formula of your faith. Not 337 00:14:23,300 --> 00:14:26,240 the correctness of your faith. Faith 338 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,680 in Jesus is the final answer. Faith 339 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:30,740 in Jesus is the final solution. And 340 00:14:30,740 --> 00:14:33,680 that leads to whatever kind of outcome the Holy Spirit 341 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,960 might direct you to. When your faith is in Jesus, 342 00:14:36,340 --> 00:14:38,300 you'll have this impression from the Lord and you just 343 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:41,420 go, I'm going to go to the Master, but you're 344 00:14:41,420 --> 00:14:44,020 going to say, all he has to do is say the word 345 00:14:44,020 --> 00:14:46,760 because the Holy Spirit directed that through a 346 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,000 living faith. Or you'll say, I'm going to 347 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:51,040 go to the Master and if he will just put his hand 348 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,320 on my daughter, then that'll be it. That's 349 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:55,700 all that has to happen. That's 350 00:14:55,700 --> 00:14:58,220 a living faith. It's not that you're just making 351 00:14:58,220 --> 00:15:00,340 things up. Well, I'd like for, if I just 352 00:15:00,340 --> 00:15:03,040 drive my car in a circle, by all means, if the Holy 353 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,560 Spirit prompts that as a result of living faith, 354 00:15:05,860 --> 00:15:08,460 obey it. This is why I have no problem 355 00:15:08,460 --> 00:15:10,960 with different expressions of worship and church. Why 356 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,700 is Bob running in a circle around the congregation? You 357 00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:16,560 don't know what living faith is operating in Bob 358 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,380 right now. And what the Holy Spirit might 359 00:15:18,380 --> 00:15:20,700 be encouraging and directing him to do. And 360 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:22,940 he might say, this ankle that's been hurting me for 361 00:15:22,940 --> 00:15:24,680 years and the Lord says, run Bob. And 362 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,940 he goes, I'm going to run. Am 363 00:15:26,940 --> 00:15:28,760 I supposed to run every time my ankle hurts? No, 364 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,140 you're supposed to put living faith in the Lord 365 00:15:31,140 --> 00:15:34,700 Jesus Christ. He is the answer, not a 366 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:38,080 formula. So with that revelation, 367 00:15:38,500 --> 00:15:42,080 there's no limit to what then is possible. Because 368 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,480 Jesus is the limitless one, not my formula. Well, 369 00:15:45,500 --> 00:15:47,680 I heard somebody did it this way one time. Well, 370 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,720 saying if the Holy Spirit would lead you that way, 371 00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:54,000 run with it. Well, I've seen, you know, I've 372 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,760 seen the TV preacher say, I could put my hand on 373 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:57,560 the TV. Is that a real thing? Living 374 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,000 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And 375 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:05,160 then I think there's very few possible limitations to 376 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,020 what that could look like. Now, 377 00:16:08,020 --> 00:16:10,180 our temptation is formula. We've 378 00:16:10,180 --> 00:16:11,920 talked about this before as we've looked through faith 379 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,040 in the scriptures as we've gone through Matthew. I 380 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,120 want a formula. I want A plus B equals C 381 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,520 every single time. I want the same results every 382 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,000 single time. Why? Because I want control. I 383 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:27,580 want control. I don't want humility. I 384 00:16:27,580 --> 00:16:30,180 don't want submission. I don't want mystery. I 385 00:16:30,180 --> 00:16:31,560 don't want any kind of mystery. I 386 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:33,360 definitely don't want to look weird either. That's 387 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:34,960 the worst thing in the world for me to have to 388 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,340 look weird. But I don't want mystery 389 00:16:37,340 --> 00:16:40,040 because then that would involve me needing to be 390 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,040 in fellowship. That would mean I actually have 391 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,180 to have communication to and from the Spirit of 392 00:16:45,180 --> 00:16:47,020 God. And that gets into the mystery 393 00:16:47,020 --> 00:16:49,120 realm. I prefer the realm where 394 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,520 there's no mystery. I prefer the realm where I 395 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,700 can accomplish things on my own. Where 396 00:16:53,700 --> 00:16:56,220 if I just know the rules of faith, well saints, 397 00:16:56,460 --> 00:16:57,960 there's only one rule of faith. And 398 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,980 that is have it and put it in Christ. But 399 00:17:00,980 --> 00:17:05,800 it's a living faith. A living active faith. So 400 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,560 these people don't have faith in faith. They 401 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:09,260 don't have faith in a formula. This 402 00:17:09,260 --> 00:17:11,220 is not a complex thing for them. It 403 00:17:11,220 --> 00:17:13,520 is the object of their faith that is also the 404 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:15,180 source of their faith. Jesus 405 00:17:15,180 --> 00:17:16,920 is the object of your faith. He's 406 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:18,220 also the source of your faith. Whatever 407 00:17:18,220 --> 00:17:20,660 you need, it's run to Jesus. It's 408 00:17:20,660 --> 00:17:22,780 run to Jesus. But living faith is different 409 00:17:22,780 --> 00:17:26,579 from brain acknowledgement. Right? 410 00:17:27,219 --> 00:17:29,160 Have you been there? Have you been in the place 411 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:30,720 where you prayed for something and you're like, 412 00:17:30,860 --> 00:17:33,240 you're truly not expecting the Lord to answer it. But 413 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:34,920 you prayed it because praying is something that 414 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,100 Christians should do. I don't condemn you for it. 415 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:38,620 I've done it a bazillion times. 416 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:40,400 And yet we've got to be honest 417 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,300 with ourselves about the difference between I am 418 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:47,300 praying a prayer compared to I am seeking God with 419 00:17:47,300 --> 00:17:50,360 living faith. There's a difference. There's 420 00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:51,880 a distinction between the two. Well, 421 00:17:51,900 --> 00:17:54,340 Jama 'kel, could you make it more clear for me? I 422 00:17:54,340 --> 00:17:58,040 don't know that I can. But it is clear when you're 423 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,080 living it. You can know it when you 424 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,120 recognize it. And if you'll have it named 425 00:18:02,120 --> 00:18:04,280 for you, you can be aware of it. What 426 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,100 do I do? How do I get this living 427 00:18:06,100 --> 00:18:07,560 faith? Saints, you're doing it right now. 428 00:18:07,900 --> 00:18:08,860 You're sitting under the Word of 429 00:18:08,860 --> 00:18:11,320 God. Faith comes by hearing the Word 430 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,480 of God. So you're not to be condemned. 431 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,580 You're not to be rebuked. You're 432 00:18:16,580 --> 00:18:19,080 to be encouraged and shepherded. Many 433 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,000 of us have heartbreak. Many of you have heartbreak. I 434 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,700 have prayed for this thing and it didn't happen. I 435 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:27,040 have prayed for this person and they weren't healed. I 436 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,180 have prayed for this person and they did die. I 437 00:18:29,180 --> 00:18:32,300 could say, show me hands and every hand would come 438 00:18:32,300 --> 00:18:34,000 up. We'd say, I've seen that. I've 439 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,620 experienced that. What do you say to that 440 00:18:35,620 --> 00:18:37,800 preacher, man? I say, let's go back to the 441 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,740 Word and let's keep putting a living faith in Jesus. 442 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:41,940 Let's ask, let's seek, let's 443 00:18:41,940 --> 00:18:45,620 knock. Ask, you shall receive. Seek, 444 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,920 you shall find. Knock, it shall be opened. Well, 445 00:18:48,980 --> 00:18:52,220 what about I have as many questions as everyone else? 446 00:18:52,220 --> 00:18:54,100 And yet I'm not going to not 447 00:18:54,100 --> 00:18:57,660 preach the Word of God to the saints that I love. I 448 00:18:57,660 --> 00:19:00,540 tell you this, every single time I preach on healing, 449 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,800 every time it comes across the Gospels, which is quite 450 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,360 frequently, I listen to a lot of sermons in my 451 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,420 preparation as I'm studying. And 452 00:19:08,420 --> 00:19:11,200 I might listen to others who preach the text. And 453 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,660 the same thing happens. Faithful 454 00:19:12,660 --> 00:19:14,820 men who I love, week after week after week, they say, 455 00:19:14,900 --> 00:19:18,500 the Word says, the Word says, the Word says, the 456 00:19:18,500 --> 00:19:20,600 Word says. And then we come to leprosy. 457 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,240 And you know, this Jesus can 458 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,740 heal the leper. And I'm like, amen, keep going. 459 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:25,620 And they're like, and that 460 00:19:25,620 --> 00:19:30,040 means he can heal your leperous attitude. And 461 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,180 I'm going, what? You lost me there. I'm 462 00:19:32,188 --> 00:19:35,100 like, wait, how did you were doing so good? You 463 00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:37,360 know, and then, you know, Jesus can raise the dead 464 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:40,300 girl. And I'm like, keep going. 465 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:42,520 You're getting close. And 466 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,440 that means Jesus can resurrect your bad day. 467 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:47,600 Like, I'm with you. I 468 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,540 agree. Let's keep going. Let's 469 00:19:49,540 --> 00:19:51,840 just bring it all the way through like basic reading 470 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,260 comprehension kind of stuff here. Does 471 00:19:54,260 --> 00:19:58,180 Jesus love Jairus more than he loves you saints? No. 472 00:19:58,540 --> 00:20:00,560 Does Jesus love Jairus' little girl more than he 473 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,360 loves you saints? No. Does Jesus love the woman 474 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:04,940 with the issue of blood more than he loves you 475 00:20:04,940 --> 00:20:08,160 saints? No. Does Jesus change? No. 476 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,180 You're doing it. You're doing excellently on this 477 00:20:11,180 --> 00:20:13,680 test. It was a pop quiz, but you're 478 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:19,240 nailing it. So he's faithful. He's 479 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,260 kind. He's good. And 480 00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:23,320 it's a living faith that makes the difference. 481 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:25,520 Hundreds of people, thousands of 482 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,520 people probably touched Jesus and received nothing. 483 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,880 Received nothing. Touched 484 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:32,020 him. You're blessed. You're 485 00:20:32,020 --> 00:20:34,060 loved. You're not condemned. He's 486 00:20:34,060 --> 00:20:36,500 not like, that touch meant nothing. That 487 00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:39,000 touch was empty. There's no condemnation for any of 488 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:40,620 it. So for all the prayers that I 489 00:20:40,620 --> 00:20:42,220 haven't prayed in faith. For 490 00:20:42,220 --> 00:20:44,880 all the prayers I've prayed in doubt and in fear, the 491 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:46,760 Lord doesn't condemn me. The 492 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,680 bruised reed, he doesn't break. The 493 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:51,960 smoldering wick, the candle that's barely flickering, 494 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,840 that's John Michael some days. He 495 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:57,160 doesn't go, pfft. He doesn't. The 496 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,720 scripture says he doesn't blow you out. So 497 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,920 when you're weak, you're not to be condemned for 498 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,420 your weak faith. You're to be encouraged to say, 499 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:06,500 keep looking to Jesus, brother. Keep 500 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:08,440 looking to Jesus, sister. You're 501 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:10,820 like, I feel so weak or I didn't receive the promise 502 00:21:10,820 --> 00:21:12,440 as I wanted. I know. So 503 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,920 I weep with you and I mourn with you. That's 504 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,200 where I'm at. I rejoice with those who 505 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:19,540 rejoice. Praise the Lord for this 506 00:21:19,540 --> 00:21:21,440 testimony. And I weep with those who 507 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,760 weep. I hate the devil. The 508 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:25,720 world is broken because of sin. And 509 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,700 yet Jesus is still going to make all things new and 510 00:21:28,700 --> 00:21:31,060 restore everything perfectly. That's 511 00:21:31,060 --> 00:21:33,580 where I land. Well, that's convenient. So 512 00:21:33,580 --> 00:21:36,840 it is. And it's very biblical. It's 513 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,900 very biblical. It's very faithful. Many 514 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:42,720 of us have believed, and this is a lot of my 515 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,060 background. Many of us have believed that a 516 00:21:45,060 --> 00:21:48,420 formula to faith was the key. If 517 00:21:48,420 --> 00:21:52,340 I said the right words and if I avoided the wrong 518 00:21:52,340 --> 00:21:55,560 words and I became formulaic in my faith and 519 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,480 thinking, I have got to say it right. Or 520 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:01,640 why? Well, I got that from places, 521 00:22:02,180 --> 00:22:04,700 biblical places that do make an important biblical 522 00:22:04,700 --> 00:22:09,940 point like Mark 11, 23, 24, whoever says unto this 523 00:22:09,940 --> 00:22:13,080 mountain, be removed and cast into the sea. And 524 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:15,640 doesn't doubt in his heart, but believe the things that 525 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,240 he says shall be done. He shall have whatever he 526 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,880 says. So I go, that is true. That 527 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:22,880 is biblical. That is Jesus. And 528 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,480 also that's not the only scripture in the Bible, 529 00:22:25,660 --> 00:22:27,760 John Michael. Did you know, John Michael, 530 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:29,640 that there are other scriptures that also teach 531 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,300 on faith and that there is a complete picture to faith 532 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:35,060 so that you should not build your entire doctrine 533 00:22:35,060 --> 00:22:39,140 or entire theology of faith around one verse. And 534 00:22:39,140 --> 00:22:40,740 that's what I had done in that area. I 535 00:22:40,740 --> 00:22:42,840 started to go, the language is the most important 536 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:44,740 thing. And then I became like this 537 00:22:44,740 --> 00:22:47,620 language Nazi, like with my words, like, I've got to 538 00:22:47,620 --> 00:22:50,640 say it right. And it's me saying it right 539 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,340 that will accomplish the thing. No, 540 00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:55,060 John Michael, you miss Jesus's point. Jesus's 541 00:22:55,060 --> 00:22:58,940 point is a living faith will say the right thing. 542 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:01,260 A living faith will say she's 543 00:23:01,260 --> 00:23:04,480 sleeping, not because it's naive or stupid, but 544 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,560 because faith speaks things that are not as though 545 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,080 they were. And it's easy to get the cart 546 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:10,740 before the horse. I'm going to say the right 547 00:23:10,740 --> 00:23:11,600 thing. I'm going to say the right 548 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,080 thing. Well, dear saint, are you doing 549 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:15,920 that in an effort to meditate on the word of 550 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,440 God? If so, keep at it. Or 551 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,660 are you doing that because you think this is the 552 00:23:20,660 --> 00:23:22,480 accomplishment of faith? Because 553 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,520 that's just vain repetition. Then 554 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,340 we're just like the pagans, you know, like Jesus said, 555 00:23:27,380 --> 00:23:29,180 who just they think they'll be heard for their many 556 00:23:29,180 --> 00:23:30,600 words. I said it right. I 557 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:31,980 said it right. I said it right. I 558 00:23:31,980 --> 00:23:34,120 said it right. The priority is living faith 559 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:36,600 and living faith will always have an action. 560 00:23:37,340 --> 00:23:38,900 Oftentimes that action will impact 561 00:23:38,900 --> 00:23:42,300 your language. Oftentimes, which is why Jesus comes 562 00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:45,060 in, he says, she's not dead. She's 563 00:23:45,060 --> 00:23:47,060 asleep and they laugh at her. By 564 00:23:47,060 --> 00:23:49,220 the way, these people were mourners. You 565 00:23:49,220 --> 00:23:51,540 would pay people to come mourn when family members 566 00:23:51,540 --> 00:23:54,620 died. In the east, they mourn very 567 00:23:54,620 --> 00:23:55,580 differently than we do. We're 568 00:23:55,580 --> 00:23:57,120 very stoic. We're like, oh, I cried a few 569 00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,320 tears and it's time to move on. That's 570 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,620 not the biblical pattern at all. When 571 00:24:01,620 --> 00:24:03,940 people die in scripture, there is weeping and 572 00:24:03,940 --> 00:24:05,860 mourning and there's a season and it is good and 573 00:24:05,860 --> 00:24:07,300 appropriate. And I think there's a lot of 574 00:24:07,300 --> 00:24:09,140 wisdom there that we miss. I 575 00:24:09,140 --> 00:24:10,620 think we bottle up a lot and we're like, well, it's 576 00:24:10,620 --> 00:24:12,780 been three days, you know, got to get back to the 577 00:24:12,780 --> 00:24:15,400 office. Instead of having time to process 578 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,380 and grieve the way the Lord wants us to, the way 579 00:24:18,380 --> 00:24:21,240 he knows that we need to, because he is kind and he 580 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,760 is gentle. And again, he doesn't break the 581 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,640 bruised reed. You know, that twig that's 582 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:28,080 flimsy, he's not going to say, well, let me just 583 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,100 sever you off. He says, no, let me strengthen 584 00:24:30,100 --> 00:24:32,200 you. The candle that's flickering, he 585 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,820 doesn't go, well, that's not enough light. He 586 00:24:34,820 --> 00:24:36,680 goes, no, you know what, we can strengthen this 587 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:38,600 thing. We can help it and we can 588 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,400 bear with it. But many of us have believed 589 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:43,600 that a formula was the key. If 590 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,100 I just did it right, no, Jim, Michael, the only 591 00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:50,400 thing to do right is the living faith, living faith, 592 00:24:50,500 --> 00:24:52,680 not head formulas. I'm supposed to say this, I'm 593 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:53,860 supposed to do this, I'm supposed to say this, I'm 594 00:24:53,860 --> 00:24:55,820 supposed to do this. Those are all excellent examples 595 00:24:55,820 --> 00:24:58,840 of what expressions of faith may look like. And 596 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,980 by all means, yes, faith speaks things that are not 597 00:25:00,980 --> 00:25:04,080 as though they were. And yes, you can say under the 598 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,900 mountain, be removed and cast into the sea, but not 599 00:25:06,900 --> 00:25:10,360 without living faith. You can't just let your words 600 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:14,520 accomplish things. Living faith in Jesus, Jesus 601 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,040 accomplishes things and he does it through his people. 602 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:19,520 This matters, these distinctions 603 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,260 matter. And if you don't have them, 604 00:25:21,340 --> 00:25:24,100 you get in great condemnation. Wouldn't 605 00:25:24,100 --> 00:25:26,820 that still imply that lack of faith matters? It 606 00:25:26,820 --> 00:25:31,380 does, clearly, which is why Jesus tells Jairus, don't 607 00:25:31,380 --> 00:25:34,420 be afraid, just believe. What 608 00:25:34,420 --> 00:25:36,100 in the world does Jairus' faith have to do with 609 00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:39,020 anything? Why does his faith matter? This 610 00:25:39,020 --> 00:25:41,560 is Jesus for crying out loud, the sovereign God. 611 00:25:43,139 --> 00:25:45,020 What role could Jairus play in 612 00:25:45,020 --> 00:25:48,320 any of this? Apparently, something. Apparently, 613 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,360 something. Let me ask another, we'll give 614 00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:53,960 you another simple quiz, easy to pass. Do 615 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,800 you think Jairus' daughter would have been raised from 616 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:59,940 the dead if Jairus had not have come to Jesus? Lots 617 00:25:59,940 --> 00:26:01,800 of people died while Jesus walked on the earth, 618 00:26:01,940 --> 00:26:03,800 friends. Lots of people were sick while 619 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,780 Jesus walked on the earth. Do 620 00:26:05,780 --> 00:26:07,540 you think the woman with the issue of blood would 621 00:26:07,540 --> 00:26:09,780 have been healed if she had just sat at her home 622 00:26:09,780 --> 00:26:13,080 and said, well, Jesus is here on the earth? No, 623 00:26:13,140 --> 00:26:16,740 but her living faith found an expression that the Holy 624 00:26:16,740 --> 00:26:22,240 Spirit met, even without Jesus, knowing that it was 625 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,620 coming. Not that Jesus couldn't have, 626 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,960 and yet he emptied himself of that temporarily. Some 627 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:29,880 saints would say Jesus knew everything at all times, 628 00:26:29,940 --> 00:26:32,060 like he knew about a leaf that was blowing here in 629 00:26:32,060 --> 00:26:35,060 Hartfield at that time. I don't think so. That 630 00:26:35,060 --> 00:26:37,240 would also imply that Jesus knew how to talk as an 631 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:38,880 infant, and he just pretended not to, 632 00:26:38,980 --> 00:26:42,860 potentially. Anyway, not important. Wherever 633 00:26:42,860 --> 00:26:44,900 you land on that, it's okay. It's 634 00:26:44,900 --> 00:26:47,820 okay. But the point is, living faith 635 00:26:47,820 --> 00:26:49,980 is what matters. So some of us, we made a 636 00:26:49,980 --> 00:26:51,400 formula out of faith. Others 637 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,880 of us, we just haven't even known to have faith. 638 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:55,420 We just have totally put all 639 00:26:55,420 --> 00:26:57,360 these things in the category of Bible story. 640 00:26:58,200 --> 00:26:59,680 Jesus could do it all. He 641 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,000 did that stuff, and you don't even think about the 642 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,260 application of it for your life at this point. And 643 00:27:04,260 --> 00:27:06,440 you're just going like, I guess I didn't even think 644 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:07,920 about it, but he doesn't do that anymore. What 645 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,120 makes you say that? Your five senses make you say 646 00:27:11,120 --> 00:27:14,800 that. That's normal. Again, 647 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:16,240 you're not to be condemned. You're 648 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,320 to be instructed. You're to be discipled. So 649 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,860 faith is supposed to come from the Word of God. My 650 00:27:20,860 --> 00:27:22,460 perception of truth is supposed to come from 651 00:27:22,460 --> 00:27:25,040 scriptures. Not, well, I heard about, or 652 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,820 one time this, or, well, those things, I don't deny 653 00:27:28,820 --> 00:27:29,740 the reality of it. I don't deny those things, 654 00:27:29,860 --> 00:27:32,260 and yet the truth of the scripture supersedes all of 655 00:27:32,260 --> 00:27:37,540 it. So others of us have such a 656 00:27:37,540 --> 00:27:40,900 weak faith that we go like where some of those 657 00:27:40,900 --> 00:27:42,200 preachers go with those scriptures. They 658 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:43,580 just want to spiritualize everything. Jesus 659 00:27:43,580 --> 00:27:45,580 can resurrect your dead dreams. Okay, 660 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,380 amen. But did he resurrect Jairus' 661 00:27:48,500 --> 00:27:51,980 dead dream? Is that how Jairus would have 662 00:27:51,980 --> 00:27:54,300 interpreted that day? Is that what he would, his 663 00:27:54,300 --> 00:27:55,960 walk away would have been like, man, Jesus can turn 664 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:57,840 your frown upside down. Like, 665 00:27:58,540 --> 00:28:01,360 I'm going to go preach that gospel of the frown 666 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:03,920 upside down, because Jesus is that powerful. But 667 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:05,980 for some reason, that's what preachers do to you 668 00:28:05,980 --> 00:28:08,580 and I now. Look what Jesus did, and 669 00:28:08,580 --> 00:28:11,480 therefore he can resurrect your career. Like, 670 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,860 I didn't see that coming. I 671 00:28:14,860 --> 00:28:18,040 agree he could resurrect anything, and yet he 672 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,820 literally resurrected a person, which means he'll 673 00:28:21,820 --> 00:28:25,180 still do that. One of my favorite quotes, I 674 00:28:25,188 --> 00:28:28,000 share this with you every so often, a dead preacher 675 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,540 guy, Leonard Ravenhill. He said, one of these days, 676 00:28:32,140 --> 00:28:35,740 some simple soul will pick up the book of God, read 677 00:28:35,740 --> 00:28:38,560 it, and believe it, then the rest of us will be 678 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:42,940 embarrassed. I'm always convicted by it. 679 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,320 Lord, let it be me, let it be 680 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:45,820 today. Let it be me, let it be 681 00:28:45,820 --> 00:28:47,700 today. Give me living faith, Lord. 682 00:28:48,340 --> 00:28:50,260 Knowledge just puffs up. I 683 00:28:50,260 --> 00:28:52,820 know more stuff now. I know the word. I 684 00:28:52,820 --> 00:28:55,180 know the word. The Pharisees knew the word, 685 00:28:55,420 --> 00:28:57,960 and they stared the word in the face, and they 686 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,940 still didn't recognize the word when he was right 687 00:29:00,940 --> 00:29:03,820 there with them. So, what are you trying to say 688 00:29:03,820 --> 00:29:05,500 about the word? I'm saying it, he's to be in 689 00:29:05,500 --> 00:29:07,680 your heart, and when it's in your heart, it produces 690 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,080 a living faith. When it's in your brain, it's 691 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:14,000 hit or miss. And yet, the word of God will 692 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,880 renew your mind. But these folks, the woman with 693 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,340 the issue of blood, the man with the dead daughter, 694 00:29:20,420 --> 00:29:23,080 they had a living faith, and living faith will 695 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,300 always find an action to take. The 696 00:29:26,300 --> 00:29:29,340 particular action is not the most important thing. 697 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:32,280 The most important thing is 698 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,860 that you truly, completely go to Jesus with living 699 00:29:34,860 --> 00:29:37,320 faith. And what does Jesus say to 700 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,420 this woman? He encourages her like a 701 00:29:39,420 --> 00:29:42,960 father. And he says, daughter, daughter, 702 00:29:43,460 --> 00:29:45,620 maybe Jesus was older than her. Maybe 703 00:29:45,620 --> 00:29:48,880 he wasn't. You know, he's at maximum. He's 704 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:53,140 33 here. He had absolute maximum. So, 705 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:57,420 maybe she's 30. Maybe she's 40. Maybe 706 00:29:57,420 --> 00:29:59,580 she's 50. Who knows? But 707 00:29:59,580 --> 00:30:03,940 he says, daughter, your faith has made you well. 708 00:30:04,380 --> 00:30:06,580 And again, my old temptation, 709 00:30:06,940 --> 00:30:09,400 be like, look, her faith did it. It's 710 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:11,940 her faith. Well, her faith in Jesus. The 711 00:30:11,940 --> 00:30:14,080 idea is not that she accomplished anything on her 712 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,220 own. The idea is that you did well. 713 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,580 You put faith in me. Your 714 00:30:19,580 --> 00:30:22,200 living faith in me has made you well. That 715 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,060 has made the difference. So this isn't to say that 716 00:30:24,060 --> 00:30:26,440 your faith is the power. It's 717 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:31,420 to say that your faith, a flawed analogy, your faith 718 00:30:31,420 --> 00:30:35,100 is the train tracks that the Lord drives the train 719 00:30:35,100 --> 00:30:37,980 on. So, look at my, I have amazing 720 00:30:37,980 --> 00:30:40,860 train tracks. Like, congratulations. Like, 721 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,380 nobody cares. The train is the thing that 722 00:30:43,380 --> 00:30:45,100 matters. The delivery of the promise. 723 00:30:45,260 --> 00:30:46,300 The delivery of the miracle. 724 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,120 But the Lord operates on these 725 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:50,720 tracks. And he says, where are the 726 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,920 tracks? So Jesus does applaud great 727 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:55,920 faith throughout the scriptures. And 728 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,860 Jesus does rebuke when he thinks, where's your faith? 729 00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:00,900 Where's your faith? Where 730 00:31:00,900 --> 00:31:03,260 are the train tracks, guys? Where's, 731 00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:06,260 like, I'm eager. I'm more than willing. Clearly, 732 00:31:06,420 --> 00:31:09,220 through these examples, the centurion, the father, a 733 00:31:09,220 --> 00:31:11,240 bunch of others that we're going to continue to come 734 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,160 across. Not because I'm doing a healing 735 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:16,160 series, but because I'm doing a Bible series, a 736 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:18,860 gospel series. And as Jesus reveals the 737 00:31:18,860 --> 00:31:21,840 kingdom, of course, that would include resurrection. 738 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:23,580 Not just the spiritual 739 00:31:23,580 --> 00:31:25,680 resurrection, which of course is the most 740 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,340 important. Resurrection. By far. And 741 00:31:28,340 --> 00:31:31,760 yet, it ain't the only one he offers. So 742 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:34,140 your faith is not the power, and yet, your faith 743 00:31:34,140 --> 00:31:36,900 does matter. You do not have to reach out 744 00:31:36,900 --> 00:31:40,260 to God in the correct way. You 745 00:31:40,260 --> 00:31:42,380 are not the thing. Be free and be relieved of 746 00:31:42,380 --> 00:31:45,140 pressure. Do I have to this? Friend, 747 00:31:45,300 --> 00:31:46,920 no. Friend, no. Living 748 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,000 faith. Living faith. I 749 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:50,240 don't know that I'm there. Me 750 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:52,260 either. So let's continue to ask and 751 00:31:52,260 --> 00:31:53,720 seek and not can pursue. Let's 752 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:55,780 feed on the word of God so that we can get to 753 00:31:55,780 --> 00:31:57,820 that place of living faith. And 754 00:31:57,820 --> 00:31:59,060 let's be honest when we're not. Like 755 00:31:59,068 --> 00:32:01,280 Sherry was saying, when I'm weak, I'm coming to you. 756 00:32:01,620 --> 00:32:03,000 I'm weak right now. I 757 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:04,020 don't have faith for this. Let 758 00:32:04,020 --> 00:32:05,780 me be honest. I don't have faith for this 759 00:32:05,780 --> 00:32:07,160 challenge and this problem. Can 760 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,080 somebody else rise up for me? And 761 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,520 you might go, I have it. Like, 762 00:32:11,620 --> 00:32:14,100 it's all over me. The spirit of God is rising up 763 00:32:14,100 --> 00:32:16,200 in me. Like, I am so angry at the 764 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,060 devil for you, and I'm so eager and expectant for 765 00:32:19,060 --> 00:32:21,060 what Jesus wants to do right now. That's 766 00:32:21,060 --> 00:32:22,740 the body of Christ strengthening one another, 767 00:32:22,940 --> 00:32:25,800 instead of me pretending to be in faith with my 768 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:27,540 language. Hey, I'm standing on this 769 00:32:27,540 --> 00:32:29,220 promise. Would you stand with me? Hang 770 00:32:29,220 --> 00:32:30,640 on. No, I'm not actually standing 771 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,240 on anything. I feel weak and discouraged 772 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:36,480 and overwhelmed, and it's been 12 years, and I 773 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,920 basically accept it as final. But 774 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,460 I'm sick of it. Could anybody else join me and 775 00:32:43,460 --> 00:32:45,580 pick me up? And maybe somebody else would 776 00:32:45,580 --> 00:32:50,060 go, yeah, actually, actually, yeah. I'm 777 00:32:50,060 --> 00:32:52,600 praying with a living faith in this moment. Saints, 778 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:54,440 don't pray when you don't have the living faith. 779 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:56,980 Sorry. Don't pretend to have 780 00:32:56,980 --> 00:32:59,180 living faith is what I meant to say when you 781 00:32:59,180 --> 00:33:00,460 don't have the living faith. Do 782 00:33:00,460 --> 00:33:02,600 pray. Do seek the Lord. But 783 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,480 don't put on. And many of us have a 784 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,960 background that would teach us the rules of faith and 785 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,780 lead us to look like we're doing something when we're 786 00:33:11,780 --> 00:33:14,100 not. It's damaging. It's 787 00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:16,520 the opposite. It's actually pride. It's 788 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:18,080 pride. It's the opposite of submission. 789 00:33:18,260 --> 00:33:19,240 It's the opposite of humility. 790 00:33:20,340 --> 00:33:21,380 And Jesus can't work with 791 00:33:21,380 --> 00:33:24,920 pride. That's so good. So 792 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,440 look at Jesus' instruction to the Father. Don't 793 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:32,240 be afraid. Just believe. Why? 794 00:33:32,580 --> 00:33:35,380 What role could Jairus' faith possibly have here? 795 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,040 Again, Jesus saying, lay down the 796 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:39,640 train tracks of your faith. Why? 797 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:41,740 Without faith, it's impossible to please God. 798 00:33:41,900 --> 00:33:44,040 Hebrews 11 .6. For 799 00:33:44,048 --> 00:33:46,140 whoever withdraws near to God must believe that he 800 00:33:46,140 --> 00:33:49,240 exists and that he rewards those who seek him. So 801 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:51,020 we will have to avoid both sides of this ditch, 802 00:33:51,100 --> 00:33:53,860 saints. The side that says, my faith 803 00:33:53,860 --> 00:33:58,160 is awesome. It's not. Your 804 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:01,340 faith isn't anything. The object of your faith is 805 00:34:01,340 --> 00:34:03,760 awesome. That's all. And 806 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,400 we avoid this ditch that says, faith has no impact 807 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,400 on anything. God is going to do what God 808 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,120 is going to do and that's that. Also, 809 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,880 clearly, not what happens in the Gospels over and 810 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,219 over and over. So what do we have here? 811 00:34:16,420 --> 00:34:17,639 Welcome to the mystery that none 812 00:34:17,639 --> 00:34:20,480 of us like. Well, it's my faith, but it's 813 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:23,480 the Lord. But I see it. Welcome 814 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,540 to walking with the Lord and being led by the Holy 815 00:34:25,540 --> 00:34:28,560 Spirit, where you're not in control and you don't get 816 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,120 to make the rules. And there is a master and 817 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,920 you're not him. And he says, ask, seek, knock. 818 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:35,360 He says, I'm the vine, you're 819 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:37,120 the branches. Apart from me, you can do 820 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:42,340 nothing. But thankfully, he's gracious, 821 00:34:42,420 --> 00:34:45,699 kind, and good. And that's what the King does. 822 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:46,960 The King has to do everything. 823 00:34:49,219 --> 00:34:51,179 Don't be afraid. Just 824 00:34:51,179 --> 00:34:53,580 believe. That's Jesus's encouragement to 825 00:34:53,580 --> 00:34:55,320 you. That's Jesus's encouragement to me. 826 00:34:55,780 --> 00:34:56,580 Don't be afraid. Just 827 00:34:56,580 --> 00:34:57,900 believe. No matter what the crowd is 828 00:34:57,900 --> 00:34:59,880 telling you, no matter what your symptom, no matter 829 00:34:59,880 --> 00:35:02,560 what your circumstance, no matter what your past. Now, 830 00:35:02,580 --> 00:35:03,720 I've got a lot of evidence. I've 831 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:07,040 got a lot of past as a pastor, as a preacher who 832 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,020 believes literally that it is always God's will to 833 00:35:10,020 --> 00:35:12,580 heal people. Can you imagine that I might 834 00:35:12,580 --> 00:35:15,660 have some stories that I can't explain that break my 835 00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:17,820 heart? And I know that you do as 836 00:35:17,820 --> 00:35:20,720 well. But I don't go, well, my story 837 00:35:20,720 --> 00:35:22,740 apparently disproves the word. I 838 00:35:22,740 --> 00:35:24,720 go, you know what? I don't know what happened 839 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:26,500 there. I just know the world is 840 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:29,880 broken because of sin. The devil is bad. And 841 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:32,820 I know that maybe something got thrown off somewhere 842 00:35:32,820 --> 00:35:35,660 with me. I'm not in guilt, shame, or 843 00:35:35,660 --> 00:35:37,480 condemnation. It doesn't take away the 844 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,460 heartbreak. And still I walk on with the 845 00:35:39,460 --> 00:35:42,120 master and say, Lord, teach me. Help 846 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,560 me to walk with you. The disciples had authority to 847 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,080 cast out demons, didn't they? Didn't 848 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,960 they? They celebrated it. Lord, 849 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:51,480 even the demons obey us in your name. And 850 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,700 Jesus goes, first of all, don't rejoice because demons 851 00:35:53,700 --> 00:35:56,380 obey you. That's no big deal. It's 852 00:35:56,380 --> 00:35:58,340 not a big deal. Of course they obey you. 853 00:35:58,480 --> 00:35:59,800 Jesus, I can step on an ant. 854 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:04,200 Congratulations. Of course the demons obey 855 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:10,280 you. Rejoice because your names are 856 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:13,140 written in heaven. That's the correction Jesus brought 857 00:36:13,140 --> 00:36:14,520 them. I know demons are going to 858 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:16,640 obey you. And yet, remember the father 859 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:18,740 with the demon that possessed boy. Jesus 860 00:36:18,740 --> 00:36:19,840 had been up on the mountain. He 861 00:36:19,840 --> 00:36:23,780 comes down and the father says, Lord, your disciples 862 00:36:23,780 --> 00:36:26,080 couldn't cast out this demon. And 863 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:30,000 Jesus said, oh, faithless generation. How 864 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:31,800 long must I bear with you? Faith? 865 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:33,680 What? They already can cast out 866 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:35,000 demons. Why couldn't they cast out this 867 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,320 one? And Jesus said, you can't do 868 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,100 this one except by prayer and fasting. I 869 00:36:40,100 --> 00:36:41,880 talked about fasting last week. Again, 870 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:45,100 is fasting my magic formula to twist God's arm? No. 871 00:36:45,660 --> 00:36:53,340 Fasting makes me the soft new wine vessel. What 872 00:36:53,340 --> 00:36:54,900 word am I looking for? Thank 873 00:36:54,900 --> 00:36:56,600 you. New wineskin. Brock 874 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,100 knew I was fishing. He saw the glaze over it. I 875 00:36:59,100 --> 00:37:02,140 was like, I know there's a word here. To 876 00:37:02,140 --> 00:37:04,340 make me the new wineskin. And 877 00:37:04,340 --> 00:37:06,460 then the new wine flows. It's 878 00:37:06,460 --> 00:37:09,020 not I fasted, Lord. Now this demon has to leave. 879 00:37:09,140 --> 00:37:10,160 Oh, it was a special fasting 880 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:13,140 demon. That's nonsense. That's 881 00:37:13,140 --> 00:37:15,720 nonsense. That's formulaic Christianity again, 882 00:37:16,060 --> 00:37:18,220 where I want the rules that I can accomplish. How 883 00:37:18,220 --> 00:37:20,020 long do you have to fast to kick this demon out? 884 00:37:20,220 --> 00:37:22,000 Huh? How many meals? How 885 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,400 many calories? What as to how long do you 886 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:27,180 have to pray? It wasn't the point. The 887 00:37:27,180 --> 00:37:29,800 point is be the new wineskin. And 888 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:31,560 then the new wine will flow. That's 889 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,660 what faith is. The track is the wineskin. And 890 00:37:34,660 --> 00:37:37,560 then the wine flows. But he's the wine giver. He's 891 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:40,280 the one who provides the powerful, nourishing new 892 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:45,180 wine. Don't be afraid. Just 893 00:37:45,180 --> 00:37:48,260 believe. To the woman. He 894 00:37:48,260 --> 00:37:51,800 says, daughter, go in peace. So 895 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:54,020 all these people touching him out of superstition, or 896 00:37:54,020 --> 00:37:56,500 just to say that they did it, one person touches him 897 00:37:56,500 --> 00:37:58,220 and receives something from him. This 898 00:37:58,220 --> 00:38:02,680 is living faith. Living faith is determined. Here's 899 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:04,000 a characteristic of living faith. It 900 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,580 is determined. How do you know if your faith 901 00:38:06,580 --> 00:38:08,360 is living faith or not living faith? Living 902 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,340 faith is determined. Living faith will get ridiculous. 903 00:38:11,940 --> 00:38:13,380 Living faith will run a lap 904 00:38:13,380 --> 00:38:15,240 around the church when other people go, what's 905 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:18,080 that about? That's not how you worship the 906 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,520 Lord. Living faith will literally tear 907 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:23,740 the roof off of someone's house. Four 908 00:38:23,740 --> 00:38:25,700 friends will get together with living faith and go, 909 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,040 pick somebody. This guy's going to sue us. I 910 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,220 don't care. I don't care. I'll 911 00:38:31,220 --> 00:38:33,180 deal with that later. Why? Because living faith is 912 00:38:33,180 --> 00:38:35,700 doing, living faith takes action. Non 913 00:38:35,700 --> 00:38:38,720 -living faith goes, eh, I don't know. It'll 914 00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:41,300 be what it'll be. It is what it is. It 915 00:38:41,300 --> 00:38:45,660 do what it was. But living faith says, I'm 916 00:38:45,660 --> 00:38:48,300 going to do something. Living 917 00:38:48,300 --> 00:38:50,960 faith is determined and it doesn't follow a script. 918 00:38:51,900 --> 00:38:53,580 Living faith might cause you to 919 00:38:53,580 --> 00:38:58,940 fill in the blank. Tear the roof off of someone's 920 00:38:58,940 --> 00:39:00,880 house so you can lower your paralyzed friend on a 921 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:05,860 mat in front of Jesus. And that scripture also said, 922 00:39:06,180 --> 00:39:11,300 Jesus seeing their faith. Faith 923 00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:12,740 looks like something apparently. Faith 924 00:39:12,740 --> 00:39:14,100 sounds like something apparently. But 925 00:39:14,100 --> 00:39:15,900 you can't get the cart before the horse and go, 926 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:18,800 I'll do a pretend faith action. No, 927 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:21,120 the faith action comes out of the living faith first. 928 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,120 The heart goes first. So 929 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,460 you got to have the horse. The 930 00:39:26,460 --> 00:39:28,080 living faith is the horse. And 931 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:32,560 then the cart can come afterwards. So 932 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,120 some things in your life say they seem stuck or 933 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:38,700 closing. 12 years is a long time to have health 934 00:39:38,700 --> 00:39:41,040 problems and not lose hope. As 935 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:43,600 time passes, it becomes easier to believe this is 936 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:47,900 my life. And somebody dies. Do 937 00:39:47,900 --> 00:39:49,380 you mind were you talking resurrection? Yes. 938 00:39:49,380 --> 00:39:53,040 I'm talking the actual application of the text. 939 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:55,580 When somebody dies, it seems 940 00:39:55,580 --> 00:39:59,160 obvious to everyone that it's too late. So 941 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,980 Jesus gets rid of the mourners. You 942 00:40:01,980 --> 00:40:04,940 guys leave. I want living faith present 943 00:40:04,940 --> 00:40:08,600 in this room. Peter, James, John, you with me? 944 00:40:09,380 --> 00:40:10,500 Yes, master. Are 945 00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:13,360 you with me? Yes, master. You 946 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:16,840 can come in. Father, mother, you can come in. 947 00:40:17,100 --> 00:40:19,080 Believe. Don't be afraid. Believe. 948 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:20,800 All right, Jesus, we're with you. That's 949 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:23,620 why we came to you. Living faith. John 950 00:40:23,620 --> 00:40:25,020 Michael, I'm not there. Saints, 951 00:40:25,140 --> 00:40:26,480 I haven't been there a million times. And 952 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:28,600 still we're going to tell the truth about where the 953 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:31,320 bullseye is. My dart has missed many times. 954 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:33,200 But we're still going to tell 955 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:35,400 the truth about the bullseye. And 956 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:36,820 we're not going to get in guilt, shame, or 957 00:40:36,820 --> 00:40:39,640 condemnation. But we do need to recognize 958 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:41,940 there are time to send the crowds away. There 959 00:40:41,940 --> 00:40:45,320 are times to separate from other people. Even 960 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:48,900 God -loving believers who, when I need a miracle, 961 00:40:49,680 --> 00:40:51,640 there's certain people I'm calling and there's certain 962 00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:56,540 people I'm not. Why? I might be on the brink. 963 00:40:57,040 --> 00:40:59,040 I might be a shred. Like, 964 00:40:59,140 --> 00:41:02,420 I don't need your doubt. I got enough of my own. I 965 00:41:02,420 --> 00:41:05,860 don't need your hesitation. I 966 00:41:05,860 --> 00:41:08,100 got enough of my own in this moment. I 967 00:41:08,100 --> 00:41:10,380 need somebody who's going to say, let's ascend the 968 00:41:10,380 --> 00:41:13,080 throne. Let's go to the throne of grace 969 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:16,700 with boldness, trusting in the merciful Lamb of God, 970 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:19,820 who was slain, who was pierced, who received 971 00:41:19,820 --> 00:41:22,780 stripes. Let's go. Let's 972 00:41:22,780 --> 00:41:24,420 go. Let's go with a hopeful 973 00:41:24,420 --> 00:41:27,520 expectation. And God, would you please grant 974 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:30,980 us that living faith? God, would you give us a living 975 00:41:30,980 --> 00:41:34,880 faith? Crowds are notoriously faithless. 976 00:41:37,140 --> 00:41:38,680 Notoriously faithless. So 977 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:40,780 we would be wise to surround ourselves with 978 00:41:40,780 --> 00:41:44,400 people who will believe Jesus with us. So 979 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:46,700 what have you come to accept as fixed? What 980 00:41:46,700 --> 00:41:48,800 have you come to accept as settled? Jesus 981 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:50,720 would tell you, don't be afraid. Just 982 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:52,560 believe. Others may have given up on your 983 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:54,380 situation. You may have given up on your 984 00:41:54,380 --> 00:41:57,360 situation. God doesn't condemn you. God 985 00:41:57,360 --> 00:41:59,720 doesn't accuse you. God is near to the 986 00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:02,860 brokenhearted. He has come to comfort the 987 00:42:02,860 --> 00:42:07,640 brokenhearted. But do not say that something 988 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:10,860 is not His will. And do not let man do so 989 00:42:10,860 --> 00:42:13,920 either. If you've got something that 990 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:17,680 seems stuck and seems permanent and dead, whether 991 00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:21,340 it's now or in the future, the solution is the same. 992 00:42:21,500 --> 00:42:23,740 It is to come to Jesus with 993 00:42:23,740 --> 00:42:26,560 living faith. The one who says it's not dead 994 00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:30,940 is just asleep. Heavenly Father, we don't have any 995 00:42:30,940 --> 00:42:34,000 resurrection power in ourselves. But 996 00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:37,440 in Christ, we absolutely do. That 997 00:42:37,440 --> 00:42:40,840 living power has been placed in us. And 998 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:43,280 that's even what Paul prayed for the Ephesian 999 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:45,080 church. That the eyes of their hearts 1000 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,440 would be opened so that they would see and know. 1001 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:50,220 That they would recognize the 1002 00:42:50,220 --> 00:42:53,700 power available for them who believe. That 1003 00:42:53,700 --> 00:42:56,240 same power that you use when you raise Jesus up 1004 00:42:56,240 --> 00:42:58,540 from the dead. The greatest miracle ever 1005 00:42:58,540 --> 00:43:01,400 accomplished, the most power ever displayed. Greater 1006 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:05,120 even than that which was done in creation. When 1007 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:09,720 you spoke and the universe was created and forced into 1008 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:12,520 existence. The resurrection of Christ was 1009 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:14,520 even greater than that. And that resurrection power 1010 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:17,440 dwells in us. Lord, would you please grant us 1011 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:21,560 more living faith? Not just more knowledge. God, 1012 00:43:21,660 --> 00:43:23,780 I pray that you would grant freedom. I 1013 00:43:23,780 --> 00:43:25,600 pray that you would break off strongholds right now. 1014 00:43:25,680 --> 00:43:26,980 That this word as it's come, 1015 00:43:27,300 --> 00:43:29,480 that it would accomplish the surgery. To 1016 00:43:29,480 --> 00:43:32,480 remove pain, to remove wounds, to remove bad 1017 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:36,920 teaching. To remove doubt in your word. 1018 00:43:37,100 --> 00:43:39,040 And also to break the 1019 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:42,280 strongholds of man's traditions. Man's 1020 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:46,160 traditions that hold up people and their actions as 1021 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:51,360 the hero. Instead of a humble people who 1022 00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:54,900 come with a living faith. Even 1023 00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:57,460 the faith that we need is a gift from you. We 1024 00:43:57,460 --> 00:44:02,320 cannot muster it up. We cannot accomplish it. But 1025 00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:04,900 you give faith as the word is preached. Faith 1026 00:44:04,900 --> 00:44:08,380 is present for us to receive. Teach 1027 00:44:08,380 --> 00:44:11,040 us, show us Lord. What does it look like? Next 1028 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:13,440 time we're facing that difficult thing or the 1029 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:21,340 current thing. Lord, bring breakthrough. Keep 1030 00:44:21,340 --> 00:44:25,100 us soft new wine skins. Who 1031 00:44:25,100 --> 00:44:29,840 remain eligible to receive the new wine. Because 1032 00:44:29,840 --> 00:44:32,960 you won't pour in new wine where it's unfit. Where 1033 00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:38,180 it would even do damage. You're 1034 00:44:38,180 --> 00:44:40,480 a tender shepherd Jesus. Thank 1035 00:44:40,480 --> 00:44:43,560 you for cleaning us. For caring for us. For 1036 00:44:43,568 --> 00:44:49,440 feeding us. Jesus, you weep with those who 1037 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:50,980 weep. You rejoice with those who 1038 00:44:50,980 --> 00:44:57,320 rejoice. You comfort and you strengthen. 1039 00:44:58,460 --> 00:44:59,340 I pray that you would do 1040 00:44:59,340 --> 00:45:02,440 whatever is necessary in the right season, in the 1041 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:04,760 right moment. Every saint in here is in a 1042 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:07,100 different spot. Different season, different moment. 1043 00:45:07,820 --> 00:45:08,880 Different thoughts, different 1044 00:45:08,880 --> 00:45:12,180 experiences. Jesus, would you please pour in 1045 00:45:12,180 --> 00:45:14,240 the oil and the wine and heal it all. Fill 1046 00:45:14,240 --> 00:45:19,700 in the cracks. Minister Holy Spirit, with your 1047 00:45:19,700 --> 00:45:20,360 loving presence.