1 00:00:14,099 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,379 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:27,019 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:37,859 How are you all doing this morning, good? 5 00:00:38,939 --> 00:00:41,820 Man, it was great. Sorry, I'm having technical. There we go. 6 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,939 But it was great being away, but I'll tell you, it's great being back too. 7 00:00:47,219 --> 00:00:51,259 You know, just being in the family, being in the house of the Lord, 8 00:00:51,259 --> 00:00:57,700 and just enjoying one another's company, and the Holy Spirit just giving us a big hug here. 9 00:00:57,820 --> 00:01:02,700 You feeling him this morning? I sure am. You know, it's great to be here. 10 00:01:03,020 --> 00:01:09,879 And as we were away, I had an opportunity to watch the Mother's Day service by John Kratz. 11 00:01:10,019 --> 00:01:17,379 What a great tribute to the women of God who are represented in this church, 12 00:01:17,379 --> 00:01:21,879 the mothers, and spiritual mothers as well. So that was awesome. 13 00:01:22,439 --> 00:01:27,859 And so it's tremendous. I have a couple of announcements also just about the upcoming 14 00:01:29,479 --> 00:01:35,920 men's breakfast. Our friends over at Monaco Bible Fellowship, 15 00:01:37,379 --> 00:01:41,420 we've been kind of back and forth sometimes going to theirs and them coming to ours. 16 00:01:41,659 --> 00:01:46,400 But it's a great privilege to have Tony Hart, the pastor of Monaco Bible Fellowship, 17 00:01:46,980 --> 00:01:51,239 sharing at men's breakfast. So make sure you make time to come on out, 18 00:01:51,239 --> 00:01:57,620 because Tony Hart is just a tremendous man of God, and he has experience around the world. 19 00:01:57,739 --> 00:02:01,060 He's been to so many different countries. So I don't know what he's going to speak about, 20 00:02:01,379 --> 00:02:04,640 but I asked him to kind of share a little bit of missions in there because 21 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,759 that's always exciting. So he's going to be out the last Saturday of the month. 22 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:21,460 And also, I want to acknowledge the graduates of this church. 23 00:02:23,259 --> 00:02:27,500 We have Maddie Freese. I don't know if she's actually in the house this morning, 24 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,620 because they're all out and about, and they're doing different things. 25 00:02:30,819 --> 00:02:36,360 Some of them, if she's here, stand up so we can give you a big clap. 26 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:44,500 Also, we have Leo Wen. Is Leo here? No, he's not here. So he graduated nursing school. 27 00:02:44,860 --> 00:02:51,460 So that's a great thing. I'm so proud of him. He wanted to be a missionary, 28 00:02:51,759 --> 00:02:56,979 but he realized the Lord will use nursing in missions. So that's his goal someday to be 29 00:02:56,979 --> 00:03:02,520 out on the field. But as a nurse, there's a great place because there's no better need 30 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:08,300 for health care than around the world, especially in these third world countries and so forth. 31 00:03:08,599 --> 00:03:10,939 So we're looking forward to seeing what God does through that. 32 00:03:11,539 --> 00:03:16,439 Aiden Schof graduated high school. Aiden in the house. 33 00:03:18,460 --> 00:03:24,639 Devin Comitallo, which she is right now in nursery duty, I think right now. So she's 34 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,439 serving the Lord that way. And Olivia Currier. So I don't know if any of them are here this 35 00:03:29,439 --> 00:03:34,860 morning because I know they're busy doing many things upon their graduation. 36 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,419 But so we just want to acknowledge you. Let's give them a big round of applause. 37 00:03:43,219 --> 00:03:47,719 Praise the Lord. If you can open up your Bibles to Luke chapter five. 38 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:56,259 And this is going to be a topical message. We haven't gotten into a new book of the Bible 39 00:03:56,259 --> 00:04:08,900 just yet. But we're going to discuss the fact that Jesus forgives sins. Now if you're sitting 40 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:14,819 here as a believer, you're like, well, no duh, he does. I've known that since I got saved. 41 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:21,959 It's only through Jesus Christ that I can be saved, that my sins can be forgiven. There's no one else 42 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:29,220 who anyone can call upon for the forgiveness of sins because it's his blood that washes away 43 00:04:29,220 --> 00:04:36,860 our sins. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There is no other way except Jesus Christ. Amen. 44 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:43,019 So we're going to talk about this quite a bit this morning. And we're going to zoom in on 45 00:04:43,019 --> 00:04:48,360 one particular passage in Luke chapter five, which will probably be familiar to you. 46 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:54,639 And it's a really cool passage. So the Lord is going to speak to us through his word this morning. 47 00:04:55,060 --> 00:04:57,759 I have a feeling I was something else I needed to make an announcement. 48 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:04,079 Well, one thing I do want to mention, we should, during our prayer, pray for the Nelson's home. 49 00:05:04,579 --> 00:05:10,180 Right now there's a tree with impending collapse upon their house. It fell down with it. It was 50 00:05:10,180 --> 00:05:14,680 about to fall down in the storm. So it's been uprooted partially so we could pray that the 51 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:20,879 Lord continues to suspend that tree until it's taken down from hitting the house. 52 00:05:21,660 --> 00:05:26,699 And let's pray for other things too. I know some of you need some healing in this house. 53 00:05:26,879 --> 00:05:32,459 Some of you are sick. Some of you may have even a bad report from the doctors, 54 00:05:32,759 --> 00:05:38,259 something that seems like, you know, possibly not even curable. Well, you know, the Lord says 55 00:05:38,259 --> 00:05:44,220 that he can forgive, he can cleanse and heal anything. Do you believe that today? 56 00:05:44,779 --> 00:05:50,279 So I think we just need to believe more in what God can do than what doctors can do. 57 00:05:50,620 --> 00:05:55,839 Right? And maybe your finances are a wreck right now. And maybe, you know, you realize that, you 58 00:05:55,839 --> 00:06:02,540 know, I'm having a negative balance in my bank account. I can't pay my bills. Maybe you need 59 00:06:02,540 --> 00:06:07,959 some refresher there. Maybe you need some prosperity from the Lord with vision and the 60 00:06:07,959 --> 00:06:13,500 opportunity to grow that bank account so you can bless others. Right? We can be praying for that 61 00:06:13,500 --> 00:06:20,079 today. We can be praying about relationships that we wish were better, more Godly, more loving. 62 00:06:20,199 --> 00:06:25,240 Let's pray for that today. You know? So I think we should just, all at once, just let's lift up 63 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:30,920 our voices to the Lord and pray what the Lord wants you in the spirit to pray for right now 64 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:36,019 that is going on in your life. Because you may think, oh no, that's going to sound like chaos, 65 00:06:36,540 --> 00:06:42,540 confusion. All these voices at once pray for all different things. But don't you think the Lord can 66 00:06:42,540 --> 00:06:48,779 hear each and every word that you are praying right now? Don't you think that he can decipher 67 00:06:48,779 --> 00:06:54,620 every single word, not only your words, but your thoughts, the things that you're not saying, 68 00:06:54,800 --> 00:07:00,540 right? He can determine those too. And I think we all need a miracle this morning, don't we? 69 00:07:00,879 --> 00:07:05,000 I know we all need something from the Lord desperately, just like these men we're going 70 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:10,819 to read about, digging through a roof to drop a paralyzed man before Jesus. We all need something 71 00:07:10,819 --> 00:07:17,220 here today that the Lord, we need him to do it in our lives. Whatever it is, whether it's relationships, 72 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:23,839 whether it's finances, whether it's our own mental condition, our apathy, our attitude, 73 00:07:24,019 --> 00:07:29,800 whatever that is, our depression, perhaps unforgiveness, whatever it might be that we're 74 00:07:29,879 --> 00:07:36,639 retaining right now. Don't you want that cleanse right here, right now? In the prayer room before 75 00:07:36,639 --> 00:07:44,079 the service today, Ken said, Lord, send your cleansing fire, your cleansing fire, not your 76 00:07:44,079 --> 00:07:51,379 torching fire, but your cleansing, to burn away the negativity, to burn away the unforgiveness, 77 00:07:51,699 --> 00:07:58,180 to burn away the sickness in our lives. Don't you want him to bring that holy fire right here, 78 00:07:58,180 --> 00:08:04,459 right now? So let's just lift up our voices in one voice. Just shout out to the Lord what you 79 00:08:04,459 --> 00:08:10,279 want him to heal or change in your life right now. Let's lift it up to him because he can hear it. 80 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:16,899 So let's do it. Ready? One, two, three, pray. Father God, I just ask you for a brand new 81 00:08:17,419 --> 00:08:22,879 opportunity to serve you, Lord God. I ask you, Lord God, to open up doors, Lord God, 82 00:08:22,879 --> 00:08:30,779 to transform my thinking, Lord. I have transgressions that I'm working in, Lord God. 83 00:08:31,220 --> 00:08:37,100 I ask you to heal us from that, Lord God. I ask you, Lord God, to give me clarity and wisdom 84 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:42,320 and truth, Lord God. I want to serve God. I want to love people who are, Lord God. 85 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:46,240 I want to live for you, Lord God. 86 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,639 Father God, we ask you in Jesus' name to heal all disease, 87 00:08:58,759 --> 00:09:03,120 to heal all injuries. There's some injuries in the house today, 88 00:09:03,860 --> 00:09:08,059 things that aren't working properly or that in pain. Lord God, we ask you to heal it 89 00:09:08,059 --> 00:09:14,059 this morning, Lord. Lord, our relationships aren't what they should be. 90 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:20,200 They're unforgiveness. There'd be disappointment. 91 00:09:21,980 --> 00:09:29,100 Whatever it might be, Lord God, we ask you to heal our relationships, Lord God. Help us be the active 92 00:09:29,100 --> 00:09:34,559 ingredient that can bring your grace, your forgiveness, your healing into those 93 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:40,139 relationships, Lord God. Send us into these relationships to heal them, Lord. 94 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:47,440 Lord God, you say we are the head, not the tail. We are not the borrowers. We are the lenders, 95 00:09:47,799 --> 00:09:52,299 Lord God. We are those who have dominion in this world. We're not supposed to be 96 00:09:52,299 --> 00:09:57,360 poverty-stricken unless you've assigned us for a time and season. But, Lord God, 97 00:09:57,879 --> 00:10:06,139 you are a good father, a great father, the father of lights, the giver of every good and perfect 98 00:10:06,139 --> 00:10:11,720 gift that comes down from above where there is no shadow or turning, Lord God. We know that you 99 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:18,299 give gifts to men. You don't take, take, take. You give, give, give. And so, Lord God, we ask 100 00:10:18,299 --> 00:10:24,299 you for prosperity today. Open up our wisdom and our mind. Make us more creative to think 101 00:10:24,299 --> 00:10:29,879 outside the box, to see things, Lord God, that we're supposed to be adventuring into, 102 00:10:29,940 --> 00:10:35,500 Lord God, so that we don't get hung up on the ways of the world, of the patterns of the world 103 00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:41,720 that you would transform our minds, Lord God. Renew our minds so that we can prove the good, 104 00:10:41,740 --> 00:10:47,779 acceptable, and perfect will of God, Lord God. We ask you to transform us within so you 105 00:10:47,779 --> 00:10:54,279 flow out of us, Lord God. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's give the Lord a round 106 00:10:54,279 --> 00:11:04,279 of applause. Hallelujah! Is he going to do that today? Yes. Amen. Yes and amen. His promises in 107 00:11:04,279 --> 00:11:11,460 the Lord are amen. Hallelujah. He's so good, isn't he? All right. Well, let's, let's talk a little 108 00:11:11,460 --> 00:11:18,480 bit about the forgiveness of the Lord. You know, aren't you glad that your sins are forgiven? When 109 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:25,299 you've given your life to Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Your sins are no longer imputed 110 00:11:25,299 --> 00:11:30,419 into you. You're not stained by your sins. You're not going to bring them from the earth 111 00:11:30,419 --> 00:11:36,759 into heaven. They've been washed away by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. They're 112 00:11:36,759 --> 00:11:42,559 no longer part of your destiny. So why do they need to cling on to us in this world, right? 113 00:11:42,879 --> 00:11:50,700 They've been cleansed. Paul, when he was writing to the church of Ephesus, in Ephesus 1 verse 7, 114 00:11:52,059 --> 00:11:58,799 he said, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins 115 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:06,379 to the riches of his grace. He wrote to the Colossians in Colossians 1 13 and 14, 116 00:12:06,740 --> 00:12:14,220 he said, the son of his love in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness 117 00:12:14,220 --> 00:12:23,419 of sins. Amen. So we have forgiveness of sins. You know, when we came into this world, 118 00:12:24,059 --> 00:12:32,419 we inherited a problem, right? We inherited sin, the sins of our forefather Adam. 119 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:39,240 Eve had something to do with it too, but you see through the word, the primary responsibility 120 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:48,539 for our inherited sin is the first Adam, right? And so we have this condition of sin nature, 121 00:12:48,539 --> 00:12:56,539 right? Coming into the world. And I was, I came across these two concepts, these themes or theories 122 00:12:56,539 --> 00:13:02,820 or views of how we inherited sin. Because when you think about it, it doesn't seem quite right. Like, 123 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:10,360 why? Because Adam sinned in the garden. Do we have this curse against us? We weren't in the garden. 124 00:13:10,580 --> 00:13:17,919 Were you in the garden? I wasn't in the garden. Why does this sin attach to me as soon as I come 125 00:13:17,919 --> 00:13:24,600 out of that birthing canal, I have already inherited sin, right? And so in fact, even in 126 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,860 the womb, I inherited sin, right? So we're just going to talk about two quick theories. 127 00:13:29,500 --> 00:13:36,700 One is the representative headship or federal headship. Okay. And this is the covenant of 128 00:13:36,700 --> 00:13:43,600 work. So the Lord gave a conditional covenant with Adam. If you eat from the tree of the 129 00:13:43,799 --> 00:13:50,500 knowledge of good and evil, you will have death. You will be cursed, right? And so, of course, 130 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:56,860 Adam broke that covenant. And in a sense, when he broke that covenant, he entered into that covenant 131 00:13:56,860 --> 00:14:04,360 for all mankind. He was like our ambassador or representative, right? And it was the Edenic 132 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:10,179 covenant. And so we look at this and we say, okay, so he's our representative. He's like our 133 00:14:10,179 --> 00:14:16,580 unelected official in a sense, right? And so he represented all mankind in that garden when he 134 00:14:16,580 --> 00:14:23,200 sinned. And I was trying to think of like an example of how, you know, another example or 135 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:28,399 analogy to that. Now, of course, you know, we live according to a lot of laws that we didn't 136 00:14:28,399 --> 00:14:38,039 personally vote on, right? But we voted in people who, officials who actually voted on our behalf 137 00:14:38,039 --> 00:14:44,779 and we are their constituents, right? In the same sense, in a way, Adam represented us when he 138 00:14:44,779 --> 00:14:50,419 entered into that or broke the covenant of God. So it's that federal or representation. 139 00:14:51,659 --> 00:14:56,759 You know, another example I was kind of thinking through, you know, in real estate, 140 00:14:57,900 --> 00:15:03,639 there's something called deed restrictions, right? You ever hear of them? So like, 141 00:15:03,639 --> 00:15:10,840 so if you have a property, okay, a lot of time farmlands have these deed restrictions. 142 00:15:11,539 --> 00:15:19,259 And so what they do is they sell the rights to build on this land to the township. Have you 143 00:15:19,259 --> 00:15:24,600 ever seen those signs that say this land is preserved, you know? So no one can build on 144 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:31,000 there, right? Well, now they sell that land to somebody else and that new owner has to abide 145 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:37,299 by what the previous owner signed up for. So now they can't build on that land either, 146 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:42,139 sometimes for 99 years or even longer, right? So that's like a deed restriction. Another thing is 147 00:15:42,139 --> 00:15:48,379 like an easement restriction. So you buy land, but you have to let someone else pass through 148 00:15:48,379 --> 00:15:53,480 your land because it's something written into the deed. Well, in the same way, you and I, 149 00:15:53,480 --> 00:16:01,440 when Adam broke that covenant, he made an agreement with Satan in a sense. And as a result, 150 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:08,059 all of us who come behind him are held to the same restriction or easement or curse 151 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,399 of sin. Does that make any sense? So that's kind of like that representation. 152 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:17,440 The other one that to me makes a little more sense, but maybe it's a combination of the two, 153 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:24,460 is the natural headship or seminal view. Okay. And that's the fact that you and I inherited 154 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:33,340 genes, that sin, we got contaminated genes, right? So when Adam was in the garden and he decided to 155 00:16:33,340 --> 00:16:39,379 eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he created in his, in a sense, in his seed, 156 00:16:39,379 --> 00:16:46,980 this, this, this curse that he would pass on to every generation after that, right? 157 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:53,879 If you ever been to the doctors and the doctor says, do you have any family history of heart 158 00:16:53,879 --> 00:16:59,919 disease, right? And you're like, what does that have to do with me? Well, someone, if, if, if 159 00:16:59,919 --> 00:17:06,220 you know that your grandfather and father and so on had this heart disease, they assume perhaps 160 00:17:06,220 --> 00:17:14,299 that flaw is also in you. In other words, you carried on that flaw. Now, I know many people have 161 00:17:15,019 --> 00:17:20,880 been redeemed from that curse of their forefathers, right? In a biological sense, even, you know, 162 00:17:22,079 --> 00:17:26,140 but a lot of times, you know, if people live a long time, like, Dan, you're going to live to 163 00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:35,900 that 105, right? I mean, your mom's what, how old is she? 90? 99. How about that, right? 164 00:17:36,619 --> 00:17:40,900 So we're going to have you for a long time, Dan, I'm just telling you that, right? But that's a good, 165 00:17:40,940 --> 00:17:46,279 that's a good gene, right? But like a lot of people are born with these genes that were passed on 166 00:17:46,279 --> 00:17:52,700 from their forefathers, right? Well, in this sense, it's a spiritual thing, but it's a flaw 167 00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:59,359 that we've inherited because we come from the gene pool of Adam and Eve and they curse. 168 00:17:59,519 --> 00:18:06,660 Does that make sense? So we have this inherited corrupted curse to sin. We love sinning, right? 169 00:18:07,539 --> 00:18:16,480 Until Jesus comes along. And now we have a new covenant of grace. Jesus Christ has cleansed us 170 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:24,140 really of that dirty gene that we inherited from Adam, right? And so no, we're no longer 171 00:18:24,140 --> 00:18:31,880 held to that seminal curse or that seminal representation or inheritance from Adam. We've 172 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:38,579 been cleansed from that. Amen. That's why I believe the Lord when in Numbers, we read Numbers 173 00:18:38,579 --> 00:18:47,599 14, 18, when the Lord appeared before Moses and Moses said, show me your glory. And he 174 00:18:47,599 --> 00:18:53,700 appeared before him and he couldn't see his face, but he passed by Moses. And he said these words, 175 00:18:53,900 --> 00:19:01,279 the Lord is slow to anger and abounding and steadfast love, forgiving iniquity 176 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:08,400 and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty. But then he says, but visiting, 177 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:16,480 that means shepherding, overseeing, pastoring, pastoring the iniquity of the fathers on the 178 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:22,400 children to the third and fourth generation. When I read that, I know I brought this up a few weeks 179 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:29,700 ago, but it ties right in with this because a lot of times we think, well, my dad was an alcoholic, 180 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,039 his dad was an alcoholic, he was a womanizer, this, that, and the other thing, 181 00:19:34,039 --> 00:19:43,240 I inherited all this debauchery in my genes. No, no, the Lord visits every generation and says, 182 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:52,880 I will not only visit, but I will shepherd you out of that past lineage from your forefathers. 183 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:58,079 Does that make sense? So he's saying, no, you're not held to all the curse of the past. 184 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:04,819 I have set you free. I have cleansed you of that gene. So the Lord wants to visit every 185 00:20:04,819 --> 00:20:09,599 single generation and say, no, your parents didn't do it right, but I do it right. 186 00:20:09,940 --> 00:20:15,740 I am your heavenly father. Amen. And so just a couple other things about this. 187 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:22,639 Paul wrote to the Romans about this in Romans 5, 12, which we just came out of the book of 188 00:20:22,779 --> 00:20:28,099 Romans. So you remember this verse. Therefore, just as through one man's sin entered the world, 189 00:20:28,599 --> 00:20:34,500 the death through sin and thus death spread to all men because all sin. So this inherited, 190 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:40,859 but it goes on and says, but through Jesus Christ, we have now a new covenant of grace, 191 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:50,579 redemption from our sins. Amen. Hebrews 11. No, no, I'm sorry. Psalm 51 five. You know, 192 00:20:51,539 --> 00:20:59,799 David understood this idea of inherited sin. He wrote two songs. Remember when he sinned by 193 00:20:59,799 --> 00:21:07,160 committing adultery with Bathsheba and then he arranged the death of Uriah the Hittite, 194 00:21:07,559 --> 00:21:18,059 her husband. And when David finally came clean and confessed his sins and asked to be forgiven 195 00:21:18,740 --> 00:21:26,079 and he realized, man, this is, you know, and he gradually felt the Lord's hand lift from him 196 00:21:26,079 --> 00:21:32,200 because when he was keeping silent, he said his bones were like crushing. Like he just felt the 197 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:39,880 hand of the Lord saying, you haven't confessed. You are living a lie, David. Right. And so he was 198 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:46,839 feeling the pressure of condemnation of guilt because he hasn't confessed it yet. And then 199 00:21:46,839 --> 00:21:53,440 finally, when Nathan approached him and said, you are that man, he said, really, I'm him. I sinned 200 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:58,519 against the Lord. And Nathan immediately said, the Lord has forgiven you. You know, there's 201 00:21:58,519 --> 00:22:04,299 going to be some consequences, but he has forgiven you. Right. And so as he, when he was 202 00:22:04,299 --> 00:22:10,279 finally came out of that whole thing, probably after the first son died, and then he was 203 00:22:10,279 --> 00:22:15,099 living with Bathsheba and he realized that I am actually, when he was married to Bathsheba, 204 00:22:15,099 --> 00:22:23,900 and he realized that I am forgiven. Do you remember the time when you just felt so dirty inside 205 00:22:23,900 --> 00:22:31,059 because of this sin that was just perpetuating in your life, whatever it might be, even an 206 00:22:31,059 --> 00:22:38,279 attitude or a hatred towards someone or an unforgiveness or whatever it might be or a habit 207 00:22:38,279 --> 00:22:46,240 or something. And, and you're just always condemned by it. But finally, the Lord lifts you up, 208 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,619 you know, the word says, if you humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of the Lord, 209 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:55,039 he will lift you up and he will exalt you. And I just picture the Lord lifting you up and saying, 210 00:22:55,200 --> 00:23:05,200 listen, we can get out of this. I love you. Will you just let me get you out of this mess in your 211 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:12,720 life? Let me take you out of your past and into your future. Let me do it for you. You know, his, 212 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:18,599 his yoke is easy and his burden is light. He will give us rest. If we let him do it, 213 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:24,680 he will take us out of it. Right. And so he's saying, no, trust me. And finally, 214 00:23:24,740 --> 00:23:30,039 when you start to see that the cloud, the sky clear, you know, like, don't you love this 215 00:23:30,039 --> 00:23:34,740 sunny weather the last two days, you know, finally, right? There is a sun. Well, 216 00:23:35,380 --> 00:23:42,220 when the Lord finally just clears the clouds of your, of your darkness and says, no, no, 217 00:23:42,579 --> 00:23:50,039 I haven't forsaken you. I'm still right here. Come on, let's do this thing. And finally, 218 00:23:50,039 --> 00:23:56,180 you feel like I could just trust him. I could trust him because he already forgave me. 219 00:23:56,180 --> 00:24:03,259 I can trust him to get me out of this mess and transform my life. Do you remember that time? 220 00:24:03,799 --> 00:24:09,000 If you're in something right now, I'm telling you, he forgives you. He died for that sin. 221 00:24:10,460 --> 00:24:14,880 His grace is far greater than any sins that you have committed. Do you believe that? 222 00:24:15,619 --> 00:24:23,279 When he died on the cross, your sins were nailed to the cross with him. He became your sin 223 00:24:23,279 --> 00:24:30,500 on the cross, right? And so that is a greater grace than any sin that you can continue to try 224 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:37,380 to take back, right? So he forgives you. And when you suddenly let the Lord take you out of that, 225 00:24:37,579 --> 00:24:43,799 and suddenly you see the reality of your life and say, wait a minute, I don't have to do this. 226 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:53,940 God will do this for me, the spirit of God. He's the one who empowers us to live like him. 227 00:24:54,539 --> 00:25:01,980 We can't do it. It's his Holy Spirit. He gives us the power to walk in the Holy Spirit and live a 228 00:25:01,980 --> 00:25:07,720 righteous and perfect life. We're not going to be perfect, but we can live that image of 229 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:16,619 perfection in Jesus Christ. The more we trust him to do it. Amen. And so when we trust him to do this, 230 00:25:17,039 --> 00:25:24,039 and so when David finally realized this, and he was saying, you know, I was just so trapped, 231 00:25:24,799 --> 00:25:33,039 but finally he realized he was forgiven. Psalm 51.5, he writes this, this Psalm and Psalm 32 were 232 00:25:33,039 --> 00:25:43,599 both written just after he finally realized I'm forgiven of adultery. I'm forgiven of 233 00:25:44,259 --> 00:25:50,099 basically murder, and not just Uriah, those other ones who died along with him in that battle, right? 234 00:25:51,099 --> 00:26:00,680 But I'm forgiven? Who can do that? I would never forgive me. But God forgives me. And he wrote, 235 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:08,759 blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom 236 00:26:08,759 --> 00:26:17,079 the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Isn't that awesome? 237 00:26:17,740 --> 00:26:26,059 Your sins are not imputed into you. His righteousness is. Isn't that great? That's 238 00:26:26,059 --> 00:26:30,720 the thing you're taking with you to heaven, the righteousness of Christ. Everything else falls 239 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:37,799 behind and it doesn't enter heaven. It's forgotten, you know, as far as the north is to the south, 240 00:26:38,019 --> 00:26:45,259 east is to the west. I will remember your sins no more, right? So you are forgiven. Why? Because 241 00:26:45,259 --> 00:26:52,920 Jesus Christ forgives sins. He spilled his blood to forgive and wash away your sins. Amen. 242 00:26:53,640 --> 00:27:03,900 So let's dive into Luke chapter five. And this was such a significant story that all three of the 243 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:12,019 synoptic gospels make mention of this. John is always the quirky one that likes to be a little 244 00:27:12,019 --> 00:27:18,980 different. I don't know, but it's a great gospel. So let's start in verse 17. 245 00:27:21,439 --> 00:27:28,460 Now it happened on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers 246 00:27:28,460 --> 00:27:36,279 of the law sitting by who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem. 247 00:27:36,980 --> 00:27:43,480 And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And then behold, men brought on a bed, 248 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:50,839 a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before him, meaning Jesus. 249 00:27:51,579 --> 00:28:00,059 And verse 19, and when they could not find how they might bring him in, because the crowd, 250 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:07,920 they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst 251 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:17,019 before Jesus. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, man, your sins are forgiven. 252 00:28:18,380 --> 00:28:24,319 So, you know, just picture it. These guys are carrying this, their friend on a stretcher, 253 00:28:24,619 --> 00:28:31,480 and they come up and this house is just packed, not only inside, but outside, right? I mean, 254 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:34,660 it's just all around. We're like, how in the world are we going to get in there? 255 00:28:35,300 --> 00:28:42,920 The only way in is up, up and over. And so they found a way to climb up and bring him up on the 256 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:47,440 rooftop. There's a picture of it just to kind of get our mind around it. Thank you, Natasha. 257 00:28:48,599 --> 00:28:55,759 And they start peeling off whatever fabric, whatever straw and the stuff that was on the 258 00:28:55,759 --> 00:29:01,380 top. And they're peeling that off. Imagine being in that house, right? And you're like, 259 00:29:01,380 --> 00:29:05,640 listening to Jesus and you're like, what is that? I hear footsteps, right? And you're like, 260 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:10,440 yeah, I hear squirrels on my roof. I don't know about you, right? I hear what in the world is on 261 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:15,299 that roof, right? And yet these are people walking, okay? And these are little houses 262 00:29:15,299 --> 00:29:18,900 and they're low ceilings. So like, they're looking up and they're like, 263 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:25,400 you know, hearing all this noise, right? And all of a sudden they're, you know, 264 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:30,000 whatever they're doing up there, pulling things apart. I doubt they had any saws with them, 265 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:35,079 but they were pulling things apart. Imagine being the guy who owned the house, okay? 266 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:42,339 I heard stories that it was Peter's house. I haven't really been able to confirm that, but 267 00:29:42,339 --> 00:29:46,579 imagine you're in there, it's your house. And I'll say, what in the, what do they think they're 268 00:29:46,579 --> 00:29:53,700 doing? You know? And he's hearing his roof being torn apart, right? And so they rip apart the roof 269 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:58,920 and all of a sudden there's guys up there. Like, what in the world is happening? And they start 270 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:05,059 lowering this guy on a stretcher in a packed room. Imagine that, you know? I mean, it's a sweaty, 271 00:30:05,559 --> 00:30:11,599 smelly room, okay? And all of a sudden the door, the roof opens up and this guy is being lowered 272 00:30:11,599 --> 00:30:18,259 down in their presence. It's such a strange phenomena, right? And then as they're lowering 273 00:30:18,259 --> 00:30:23,519 them down and they're before Jesus, Jesus is probably saying like, I could imagine them 274 00:30:23,519 --> 00:30:29,420 like giggling, like laughing like, are you kidding me? This is like great. This is great. 275 00:30:29,559 --> 00:30:37,519 Like this is, this is what I want. I want people to be so desperate to touch me, to feel me, 276 00:30:37,539 --> 00:30:44,619 to receive from me. That's what I want. Remember the woman who was unclean because 277 00:30:44,619 --> 00:30:51,380 she was bleeding for 12 years and she's walking up and like, this is a crowd packed around Jesus. 278 00:30:51,380 --> 00:30:56,420 How can I ever get through there? Some of them know that I have a problem, right? And I'm unclean, 279 00:30:56,460 --> 00:31:02,420 right? I'm not even supposed to be here. And guess what? She just, however she did it, 280 00:31:02,500 --> 00:31:10,240 crawled, climbed, you know, she got through to Jesus just to touch his hem, to be instantly 281 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:16,440 healed. Isn't that a great picture, you know? And then what I think is so cool is Jesus felt 282 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:21,279 power coming out of him. Isn't that the coolest thing? Like, whoa, whoa, whoa, 283 00:31:21,380 --> 00:31:26,759 something just left me, you know? Like, you know, it's like he realized someone took something from 284 00:31:26,759 --> 00:31:31,579 him, but he wasn't angry. He was like, who just did that? I want to, I want to see this person. 285 00:31:32,039 --> 00:31:36,420 Like wow, that's a stealthy thing she just did, right? And all of a sudden he turns around, 286 00:31:37,359 --> 00:31:43,339 she's trembling, realizing that like she didn't get it far to do this. And what did he say? 287 00:31:43,339 --> 00:31:54,039 Your faith has made you well go in peace, right? He loves desperate desire for him. It pleases him 288 00:31:54,039 --> 00:32:01,380 to see these guys that are just going over and above to reach him because they are that certain 289 00:32:01,900 --> 00:32:08,539 that when this paralyzed friend gets in the presence of Jesus, he's going to be healed. 290 00:32:08,539 --> 00:32:15,160 I want faith like that. I just want to have faith that like no matter what Jesus will accomplish 291 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:21,299 this. It might not be the way I saw it. It might not be the way I predicted it. It might not be 292 00:32:21,299 --> 00:32:28,339 exactly what I wanted, but it's going to be better because the Lord, he works all things for the good 293 00:32:28,339 --> 00:32:34,000 of those who love him and who are called according to his purpose. He does above and beyond, 294 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:40,279 exceedingly above and beyond, all that you could ask or think, right? That's what he does. It's 295 00:32:40,279 --> 00:32:45,900 always better. Anyways, yeah, but I still have this limp. It's better. It's better, you know? 296 00:32:46,119 --> 00:32:51,839 We were talking about the chosen on the way in this morning. I'm finally getting hooked, okay? 297 00:32:52,279 --> 00:32:56,660 I know some of you are, where you been? Like chosen? Are you kidding me? Well, we couldn't, 298 00:32:56,980 --> 00:33:00,980 you know, it's a long story, but I'm finally getting like, you know, I'm really embracing it. 299 00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:10,299 I got through those first couple of slow episodes. Thank you. And now it's like, it's really cool, 300 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:19,480 you know? But I remember that one disciple when he was like, Lord, how can I heal people if I'm not 301 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:25,920 healed yet? Did you see that episode? He says, you know what? And you know what? It was so 302 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:32,519 well played that, you know, you see Jesus almost welling up saying, it's not time, 303 00:33:33,380 --> 00:33:40,380 but it's going to be better because you're in this condition. How would it be if you were perfect 304 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:48,079 and you were laying hands on people, this is even better that you're not because it shows 305 00:33:48,079 --> 00:33:54,680 even more, it's not about you. It's about what the Lord is going to do. You're content 306 00:33:54,680 --> 00:34:01,039 in your condition. Some of us have to learn to be content for now because it's a season of life or 307 00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:07,000 a season of eternity that we're in this condition. And maybe it's not here and now that he's going 308 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:13,460 to do this, but he's saying, you know what? You can accomplish great things in that condition. 309 00:34:13,559 --> 00:34:17,780 Just like, just like Paul, you know, the foreign wouldn't be removed from his side 310 00:34:17,780 --> 00:34:22,519 and whatever that was probably blindness or something else. But the Lord said, no, 311 00:34:22,519 --> 00:34:28,760 my strength is made perfect through weakness, right? So anyway, they lower him down. He's 312 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:36,480 in front of Jesus and then they heard your sins are forgiven. That's not why we came here. 313 00:34:36,940 --> 00:34:42,340 Okay. We came here to see our friend jumping off that stretcher and high five and everyone and 314 00:34:42,340 --> 00:34:48,820 bolting out the door, running and dancing. That's why we're here, right? But Jesus says that. 315 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:52,219 What they didn't realize is that was the greater miracle. 316 00:34:52,940 --> 00:34:59,440 The fact that his sins were forgiven. That is the greatest miracle of all, isn't it? 317 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:05,800 That our sins are forgiven. This flesh is going to come and go. It's a slither on the 318 00:35:06,279 --> 00:35:11,320 measurement of eternity. It's like a line that we, the further we go, we won't even see it 319 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:15,159 anymore. Where was my life? I can't find it anywhere. It's like a hair on this whole 320 00:35:15,159 --> 00:35:22,159 continuum, right? Because it's such a slither of time, but eternity, forgiveness of sins, 321 00:35:23,340 --> 00:35:29,920 guarantees eternity with the Lord. Isn't that something to be just so thankful for, right? 322 00:35:30,300 --> 00:35:34,500 So they didn't realize he was getting the greatest miracle of all. Okay. 323 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:40,980 And so the first point I just want to bring up here in this is that, you know, the Lord, 324 00:35:41,740 --> 00:35:49,639 the Lord responds to faith, doesn't he? Like when he sees these guys going out of their way 325 00:35:49,639 --> 00:35:54,940 to break through this roof and to with full confidence, no, he's going to walk. He's going 326 00:35:54,940 --> 00:35:59,760 to lower them down. Like, you know, just the fines that are involved with that. 327 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:05,639 They could get in some big trouble, at least maybe die, you know, but they went over and above 328 00:36:05,639 --> 00:36:14,340 and the Lord saw that and said, you know what? I respect that type of faith in me. 329 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:19,420 He always does that, you know, the lepers, you know, if you have mercy for us, the blind man, 330 00:36:19,539 --> 00:36:27,000 if you have mercy for us, the Canaanite woman, you know, like he respects endurance, perseverance, 331 00:36:27,119 --> 00:36:33,260 and desperation. He says, now that's a heart that's ready to receive from me. Remember the 332 00:36:33,260 --> 00:36:38,719 woman groveling, washing his feet, you know? And finally he says, your sins are forgiven. 333 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:44,639 Go in peace, you know? And they say, how this woman, how could you just let her touch you? 334 00:36:45,059 --> 00:36:50,860 Those who have forgiven much love much, right? And I hope you realize how much you've been 335 00:36:50,860 --> 00:36:57,780 forgiven of, right? Because it's all washed away. So anyway, so the Lord always does this. 336 00:36:57,780 --> 00:37:05,679 He always sees intentional pursuing him and he responds to it. That Canaanite woman, 337 00:37:05,980 --> 00:37:12,619 what a story that is, do you remember? So they're near Tyre and Sadan and he's in this house or 338 00:37:12,619 --> 00:37:18,760 somewhere and this woman is coming up, begging him, begging him, my daughter is demon possessed, 339 00:37:19,300 --> 00:37:24,679 please deliver her, please. And the disciples are like, Lord, you know, 340 00:37:24,679 --> 00:37:31,059 she's not even one of us. She's a pagan, right? And it's like, tell her to go away. And they're like, 341 00:37:31,300 --> 00:37:38,199 you know, almost like they're like disgusted by her, right? And then Jesus tests her. 342 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:45,980 He says, it's not for me to, I did not come except for the children of Israel. Okay? 343 00:37:47,059 --> 00:37:50,920 And with that, you would think she would just say, oh man, I am really, 344 00:37:51,819 --> 00:37:58,679 oh, I was hoping so much, you know, that this man was kind enough to do this and just walk away. 345 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:03,880 But what does she do? She's like, no, no, no. And he goes, she keeps begging him, please, 346 00:38:04,119 --> 00:38:09,719 please, you can do this. And then he layers on the insults. Okay. I'm just saying read through 347 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:14,679 it yourself. You know, this was, I mean, if I wrote it down somewhere, but anyway, 348 00:38:14,679 --> 00:38:23,019 you know, the Canaanite woman. So, so she doesn't give up. Okay. And then finally he says, look, 349 00:38:23,099 --> 00:38:31,980 it's not right for me to give the bread of the children to the dogs. Ouch. Right? I mean, 350 00:38:32,539 --> 00:38:38,960 imagine being her. So in other words, you're calling me a dog. And that was a common thing. 351 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:46,619 Gentiles called Jews dogs and Jews called Gentiles dogs. He, it was a test, right? He knew 352 00:38:46,619 --> 00:38:52,539 what he was going to do. Right. She wasn't even offended with that. He just called me a dog. 353 00:38:52,900 --> 00:38:59,719 Okay. I might not be pretty, but I'm not a dog. Okay. But, and what did he say? She said, 354 00:38:59,739 --> 00:39:07,659 yeah, but even the dogs get the crumbs from the children. And I could just imagine he just 355 00:39:08,119 --> 00:39:16,119 probably almost like, wow. Wow. He probably marveled. The Lord marveled at both unbelief and belief. 356 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:21,980 You know, he marveled when the Roman centurion believed enough, right? You don't even need to 357 00:39:21,980 --> 00:39:26,139 come to my house. You just say the word, my servant will be healed. He marveled at that, 358 00:39:26,219 --> 00:39:32,380 but he also marveled at the unbelief in his own hometown who did not have enough faith for 359 00:39:32,380 --> 00:39:36,280 people to be healed. You know, he marvels at this, right? And he's like, you could just 360 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:41,860 imagine. He goes, you know what? It has been dead. It has been done as you have asked. 361 00:39:42,860 --> 00:39:49,739 And that very minute that girl was delivered from the demon, right? It was a test. You know, 362 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:56,760 he, he responds to that type of desperation and that type of faith in what he can do. 363 00:39:56,940 --> 00:40:02,000 You know, I'm not saying he requires us to be groveling on our hands and, you know, 364 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:07,679 knees and hands and just please Lord. I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is when you go out 365 00:40:07,679 --> 00:40:13,500 of your way with full confidence of what the Lord is going to do and trust that he has the perfect 366 00:40:13,500 --> 00:40:22,159 solution, he responds kindly to that and he blesses you because of it. Amen. In fact, you know, hey, 367 00:40:23,119 --> 00:40:29,960 Hebrews 11 6 says, without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone 368 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:38,639 who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him, right? 369 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:45,460 So he rewards your earnestly seeking. He says, ask, seek, and knock. That's who's going to receive 370 00:40:45,460 --> 00:40:53,039 those who pursue me, right? In fact, Hebrews 4 16 says that boldly approach the throne of grace 371 00:40:53,039 --> 00:41:00,139 where you will receive mercy and find grace in your time of need. Come forward boldly approach, 372 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:07,539 boldly approach me and you will receive from me. Isn't that awesome? So anyway, let's, 373 00:41:07,539 --> 00:41:16,159 let's read on. We're going to finish up now. Verse 21 and the scribes and Pharisees began to 374 00:41:16,179 --> 00:41:24,599 reason saying, who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? Hello, 375 00:41:25,380 --> 00:41:31,320 God's in the house. But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered and said to them, 376 00:41:31,639 --> 00:41:37,780 why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier to say your sins are forgiven you 377 00:41:37,780 --> 00:41:45,260 or to say rise up and walk, but that you may know that the son of man has power on 378 00:41:45,260 --> 00:41:52,659 earth to forgive sins. He said to the man who was paralyzed, I say to you, arise, take up your bed 379 00:41:52,659 --> 00:41:59,980 and go to your house. Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on 380 00:41:59,980 --> 00:42:08,039 and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed and they glorify God 381 00:42:08,039 --> 00:42:16,900 and were filled with fear saying, we have seen strange things today. Now your version may say 382 00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:24,139 remarkable, amazing, extraordinary, incredible. That strange is where we get the word paradox, 383 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:29,739 paradoxos. And it's unexpected. You know, when the Lord is moving, it's always, 384 00:42:30,579 --> 00:42:35,579 you can predict his character, but you can't predict exactly how he's going to do things, 385 00:42:35,579 --> 00:42:42,239 right? So here the Lord says your sins are forgiven. Now to prove your sins are forgiven, 386 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:49,539 watch what I'm about to do. Because when he made that paralyzed man stand up and walk, 387 00:42:50,180 --> 00:42:56,360 that was evidence that actually the first thing I said is also done, you know? And this leads 388 00:42:56,360 --> 00:43:04,699 me to another point is that the Lord uses outward signs to prove inner truths, doesn't he? 389 00:43:05,260 --> 00:43:12,179 A lot of times he does things that you can see so that you can believe the unseen, right? He does 390 00:43:12,179 --> 00:43:19,280 things that you can obviously check out and say, wow, that was pretty cool. Well, if that happened 391 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:25,719 according to what he said, maybe he's also doing this. I was talking to a friend yesterday and he's 392 00:43:25,719 --> 00:43:30,880 going to be getting married and he shared, he said, you know, I prayed that the Lord would bring 393 00:43:30,880 --> 00:43:38,780 me like a Godly woman, a woman, and he had all these like criteria for God, right? And through 394 00:43:38,780 --> 00:43:42,840 this person, you know, I would even meet in a bigger community and I'm paraphrasing, but, 395 00:43:43,519 --> 00:43:48,099 and in this community, and he said, you know what? And the Lord just kept doing these things. 396 00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:55,320 Like, and it's an example of when he does these things, which we think are big, 397 00:43:55,320 --> 00:44:02,519 are simple for him. Now we can believe what we can't see is actually happening too. We can now 398 00:44:02,519 --> 00:44:07,800 believe in the unseen. We can believe that we do have an inheritance in heaven. We do, 399 00:44:07,900 --> 00:44:13,019 we can believe all the things, the promises are yes and amen in him. We can believe it 400 00:44:13,019 --> 00:44:18,440 because he does the other things that are tangibly visible. I don't know if you've ever 401 00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:25,860 put the Lord to the test, but you know, a lot of times when you do, it's not testing him 402 00:44:25,860 --> 00:44:33,099 in your unfaithfulness. It's saying, Lord, if you do this, this is another sign for me to do that. 403 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:40,539 So I'll give you a quick example. One time when I was getting an MRI for a knee surgery I had 404 00:44:40,539 --> 00:44:48,719 and they found a tumor in about like between a whatever in a golf ball in a, in a nerve. 405 00:44:49,420 --> 00:44:55,159 And I'm like, whoa, that's kind of weird. And, and I did remember several times when I bumped my leg 406 00:44:55,159 --> 00:45:00,360 in a certain spot, it was like an electric shock. I'm like, ah, what the heck is that? You know, 407 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:05,000 it's like a funny bone, but in a weird spot, right? And I'm like, what is that? So all of a 408 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:09,820 sudden they say you have a tumor and you have to get that checked out because it's in a bed. 409 00:45:10,139 --> 00:45:14,840 It's in your nerve. And, and then there's all these other complications. But the main thing 410 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:21,039 is it cancerous, you know? So, so we're, so I went down, I went in, took some out and, 411 00:45:21,539 --> 00:45:26,739 and then they call me whenever, number of days later, you need to come downtown. I'm like, 412 00:45:27,699 --> 00:45:33,039 well, what is it? Yet they can't talk, speak to you over the phone. You need to come downtown. 413 00:45:33,039 --> 00:45:38,000 I'm like, like, that's weird. Like it's just, just tell me, is it or isn't it? Right. 414 00:45:38,340 --> 00:45:42,739 So I'm driving down. Right. And I remember I was with Joe and I remember thinking, you know, 415 00:45:43,039 --> 00:45:47,340 this is before we started this church. And as I was thinking through this, I'm like, man, 416 00:45:47,440 --> 00:45:51,440 you know, time is really running out in my life. You know, like, maybe God really wanted 417 00:45:51,440 --> 00:45:55,239 me to do these things. And what if this is cancer? What if I, you know, you start going 418 00:45:55,239 --> 00:46:01,380 down this road and my friend, you know, Mike for share had brain cancer for a second time, 419 00:46:01,380 --> 00:46:05,300 you know, and the Lord ended up taking him home. But like, and there's all these things I'm like, 420 00:46:05,380 --> 00:46:12,079 Lord, you know, and I'm like, Lord, if this is, or if this isn't, I'm going to do exactly what 421 00:46:12,079 --> 00:46:16,260 you told me to do. Cause I knew he was been telling Jill and I, you need to start a new work. 422 00:46:16,360 --> 00:46:20,559 I feel like I'm in the meet and greet right now, but you know, you, you need to start 423 00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:25,300 something new. You're comfortable over at Calvary chapel central bucks. You have plenty 424 00:46:25,300 --> 00:46:33,099 of responsibility. You're respected. You're, I love, we loved it there. Why leave? But I knew 425 00:46:33,099 --> 00:46:38,800 God was saying, no, no, there's something new for you, you know, and here, and here we are. Right. 426 00:46:39,420 --> 00:46:43,440 And it was like, you know, he was saying, and, but I kept procrastinating. I didn't know what 427 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:49,019 I was supposed to do. And now with this, I'm starting to think, why have I been procrastinating? 428 00:46:49,260 --> 00:46:53,480 Why have I been dragging my feet? But I started saying, Lord, whatever this is, 429 00:46:53,480 --> 00:46:57,579 you know, I don't want it to be, but if it is, whatever it is, I'm going to do 430 00:46:57,980 --> 00:47:02,719 exactly. If you, you're calling me to something new, I'm going to do it. It was like, it was it, 431 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:10,000 it was something that inspired me to do the thing, you know, and a lot of times he does that. If you 432 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:16,659 could say, Lord, you know, I, I don't know what to do with this situation, but I asked you to 433 00:47:16,659 --> 00:47:24,820 show me through it what the next step for my life is. You know, the Lord uses signs in the, in the 434 00:47:24,820 --> 00:47:30,059 word. Remember Gideon and the fleece, you know, Lord, if you've really called me to deliver Israel 435 00:47:30,059 --> 00:47:35,679 from the Moabites and Midianites and the others, Lord, you know, just can you do this 436 00:47:35,679 --> 00:47:41,519 silly little thing? You know, in fact, I have a picture of this, of him putting out his, 437 00:47:41,719 --> 00:47:45,880 the fleece on the ground, you know, and saying, Lord, can you make, you know, 438 00:47:45,880 --> 00:47:50,900 he went up on the threshing floor and he says, if you make the fleece wet and the ground dry, 439 00:47:51,619 --> 00:47:57,619 then I'll believe you did call me to this. The Lord didn't get mad. He probably thought, 440 00:47:57,739 --> 00:48:04,019 you're really silly here, but okay. Yeah. And he did it, you know, he went the next morning and 441 00:48:04,019 --> 00:48:11,500 he wrung it out and he said, wow, all right, Lord, don't be mad. Okay. But do you mind 442 00:48:11,500 --> 00:48:16,300 tonight that you wet the ground, but not the fleece, you know, can you imagine God saying, 443 00:48:16,420 --> 00:48:21,699 really, you really want to do this? Okay. In fact, Gideon asked for a few other signs after that, 444 00:48:21,860 --> 00:48:27,340 but, and so he gets it the next morning. There's the ground's wet. The fleece is dry. Like what? 445 00:48:28,199 --> 00:48:33,360 Okay. Then that means I'm to deliver Israel from the Lord's enemies. Like how do you get from the 446 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:38,199 fleece to that? But because the Lord is saying, look, I'll do the little things. If you need 447 00:48:38,199 --> 00:48:45,480 that to believe that I'm going to do the big things in your life. Right. And another example 448 00:48:45,480 --> 00:48:53,880 of that is, do you remember when Hezekiah was sick and Isaiah was sent to him by God. 449 00:48:54,599 --> 00:48:56,920 And when Isaiah went in there, see Hezekiah, he says, you know, 450 00:48:57,860 --> 00:49:03,039 you're going to die. So put your house in order. You know, how is that hearing from Isaiah, 451 00:49:03,039 --> 00:49:09,280 the prophet who always speaks on behalf of God. And he comes in the door and says, 452 00:49:09,860 --> 00:49:16,480 you're going to die. Get your house in order. It says Hezekiah just rolled over to the wall 453 00:49:16,480 --> 00:49:21,559 and just started weeping and crying. Lord, you know how much I've done for you. Lord, 454 00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:26,760 you know how much like I led the people I've accomplished. And he was, he was a great king. 455 00:49:26,860 --> 00:49:31,960 He was one of the few good Judah kings. Right. And he said, you know how much I did 456 00:49:31,960 --> 00:49:37,800 have done for you. And he's crying, please, Lord. And here Isaiah already left the house. 457 00:49:38,119 --> 00:49:44,920 He's walking through the courtyard and says, Isaiah, go back. I've changed my mind. 458 00:49:45,840 --> 00:49:48,280 Right. So he goes back in, he says, you know what, 459 00:49:49,639 --> 00:49:55,440 the Lord's going to give you 15 more years. He's like, wow. 460 00:49:56,719 --> 00:50:01,900 And he said, can you show me a sign that that's going to happen? Right. And then Isaiah says, 461 00:50:01,980 --> 00:50:08,440 here's the sign the Lord is going to give you that this sundial is actually going to go 462 00:50:09,039 --> 00:50:14,820 backwards. So the day has already been spent, but now he's saying, no, I'm going to turn the 463 00:50:15,759 --> 00:50:21,760 sun back or the earth back or whatever. This shadow is going to go backwards. In other words, 464 00:50:21,760 --> 00:50:28,480 showing that you have more time in your life. And so can you imagine like, how can that happen? 465 00:50:28,659 --> 00:50:33,260 I mean, the sun isn't going to move. The earth is going to go backwards, but the Lord did it 466 00:50:33,260 --> 00:50:40,860 to show him that I've given you more time to serve me as the king of Israel. And so the Lord 467 00:50:40,860 --> 00:50:48,320 wants us to see these things that are happening so that we can believe the things we don't see. 468 00:50:48,320 --> 00:50:51,739 Amen. As the worship team comes up, 469 00:50:58,179 --> 00:51:04,840 one last point is really that, you know, the forgiveness of sins, it is a miracle, isn't it? 470 00:51:05,659 --> 00:51:11,719 I mean, the three points, Jesus responds to faith, right? In fact, we said he marvels 471 00:51:11,719 --> 00:51:19,539 at faith. You know, even someone who wasn't supposed to get a miracle gets it because he's just so 472 00:51:20,600 --> 00:51:27,780 enamored by the faith in him. Someone who isn't really justified for it, a Canaanite woman. 473 00:51:28,619 --> 00:51:35,059 And yet she received from him. Jesus uses outward signs like we just talked about to prove things 474 00:51:35,059 --> 00:51:43,300 that are not seen, to prove inner truths. And then finally, forgiveness of sins is a miracle. 475 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:49,579 It's the greatest miracle. We can pray for things in this world, tangible things. There's nothing 476 00:51:49,579 --> 00:51:56,219 wrong with that, you know? But really what we want is his will in our lives. You know, 477 00:51:56,320 --> 00:52:01,340 getting what you think you need might not be the best thing for you. It might be something 478 00:52:01,340 --> 00:52:07,579 even better, but it's going to come through a few trials, but it's better. Do you believe that? 479 00:52:07,960 --> 00:52:15,079 Like he's got your best, his will and your best good in mind. He can do two things at once. 480 00:52:15,300 --> 00:52:18,980 You know, we sometimes can't chew gum and ride a bike or whatever. You know, 481 00:52:18,980 --> 00:52:25,739 he could do a lot of things all at once. He's a multitasker. He can fulfill his will for your 482 00:52:25,739 --> 00:52:32,480 life and actually also give you the greatest gift that you could ever have. That's what he does. 483 00:52:33,019 --> 00:52:39,400 Amen. He gives gifts from heaven. That's what he does. He's a good, 484 00:52:39,420 --> 00:52:48,639 good father who gives gifts, plenty of gifts. You know, as the Lord said to him, 485 00:52:48,639 --> 00:52:54,940 take your mat and leave. You know, it's always a picture really of that. You know, 486 00:52:55,559 --> 00:53:01,039 why did he say that? Maybe soon someone else didn't trip over the mat. You know, 487 00:53:01,440 --> 00:53:05,820 sometimes the Lord says, don't, you know, look, you've been forgiven. Now sin no more. 488 00:53:06,940 --> 00:53:16,820 This mat, it's no longer part of your life. Get rid of it. Perhaps sometimes we condemn ourselves 489 00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:24,059 because we're holding onto the sins that we've already been forgiven of. The word says somewhere 490 00:53:24,059 --> 00:53:30,300 that it's a fool who rebuilds the things that have already been demolished. Right? Why hold 491 00:53:30,300 --> 00:53:38,559 onto the things that you've already been forgiven of? Just let it go. Right? And then this mat 492 00:53:38,559 --> 00:53:43,420 could also be a testimony. When he brings that mat, look what I've been saved from. I used to 493 00:53:43,420 --> 00:53:50,159 lay on this thing day in and day out. And look at it now. I'm spitting it like a pizza. Right? 494 00:53:50,500 --> 00:53:55,619 It's no longer part of my existence. You know, a testimony of what God has delivered you from. 495 00:53:55,960 --> 00:54:02,019 It's always a thing to remember and to share with others who are going through the same thing 496 00:54:02,619 --> 00:54:06,619 that the Lord has delivered me out of that. He can do the same thing for you. Amen. 497 00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:12,519 As everyone rises up, we're going to sing this last song. I don't know what it is, 498 00:54:12,519 --> 00:54:18,460 but it's going to be a good one. And the Lord is just going to do so many amazing things for you. 499 00:54:18,559 --> 00:54:24,179 I know it. You know, we are his evidence on earth that he's a good father. 500 00:54:25,579 --> 00:54:30,639 We are the evidence on earth that he loves because he loves Ruas. Amen. 501 00:54:32,619 --> 00:54:37,780 So Father God, we thank you, Lord, for just these brothers and sisters. Lord, 502 00:54:37,780 --> 00:54:43,039 thank you for a good life, a great life in you, Lord God, the best life of all, 503 00:54:43,239 --> 00:54:49,559 the abundant life, Lord, that you give us. Thank you for your love for us, 504 00:54:49,559 --> 00:54:54,460 like we were singing earlier, Lord God. We just, we don't deserve this, Lord God, 505 00:54:54,579 --> 00:55:00,880 but you just embellish upon us. You cherish us. You sing over us, Lord God. You love us 506 00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:08,280 that much. Thank you, Lord. We just, we want to, we want to be a reflection of that love for us 507 00:55:08,280 --> 00:55:14,800 to others so they would know how much you would love them too so that they can receive this gift 508 00:55:15,579 --> 00:55:25,179 of love. So thank you, Lord. May the Lord bless us and keep us and be gracious to us. 509 00:55:25,179 --> 00:55:32,280 May he lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's 510 00:55:32,280 --> 00:55:41,159 give the Lord a round of applause. And please go, come on out to meet and greet if you've never 511 00:55:41,159 --> 00:55:46,800 been to one. And even if you've been here a while, well, I'm not new. Okay. But if you haven't been 512 00:55:46,800 --> 00:55:51,059 to one, you know, just to hear about our humble beginnings, it's going to be a short meeting, you 513 00:55:51,059 --> 00:55:57,179 know, not a bunch of handouts. It's not a big novel, just a short thing, but just to know where 514 00:55:57,179 --> 00:56:08,219 we've come from and where we're going. Amen. Love you guys. Thank you. Thanks for joining us at 515 00:56:08,219 --> 00:56:14,420 Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss his word. Don't forget to join us for worship 516 00:56:14,420 --> 00:56:21,119 live Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube. Be blessed and have a great day!