WEBVTT 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:04.240 Thanks for listening to the His Hands Church podcast. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:12.800 If you're using the His Hands Church mobile app, please turn off the auto lock on your phone's general settings so that you can listen to the message uninterrupted. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:16.079 And thank you for being part of what God is doing at His Hands. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:20.879 Man, we definitely want to be uh to be overcome by God's presence. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:25.120 It's easy for life to overcome us at times, but it's good when we're overcome by his presence. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:27.039 I definitely feel that this morning. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:29.039 Oh, thank you. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:30.079 Thank you. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:35.679 We uh we had a baby. 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.000 If you didn't know, we had a baby on Monday. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:39.600 And yep. 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:42.000 And when I say we, I mean my wife. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:42.799 My wife's the one. 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:44.079 She did the I was there though. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:45.359 I was there, I witnessed it, it was great. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:47.439 But no, thank you for uh for all the prayers. 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:48.719 We have a beautiful baby girl. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:52.880 Her name is Lily, and she is amazing, and I'm already uh a wreck. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:54.000 So thank you so much. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:54.560 I love her. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:55.200 She's great. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.840 Um, got a few quick announcements. 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:00.159 We're actually starting a brand new series this morning. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:01.439 I talked about it a little bit last week. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:06.079 Bill Thrasher's gonna kick us off this morning, and uh it's gonna be great. 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:11.359 What I love about this is we're looking at the strange and sometimes difficult things that Jesus said. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:25.920 There is something about Jesus that is so different than any person that's ever lived, and that he he himself made the claim that he is God, and he put people in a place where he said things, and they're things that you just can't dismiss. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:27.680 You either have to be on one side or the other. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:30.640 You have to you have to address those things, you have to deal with those things. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:36.719 And sometimes there are the things that as we as we read through scripture, we get to them and they're like, man, I don't know what to think about that. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:44.879 I'm not sure how that sort of fits the idea I've maybe grown up with when I think of Jesus, but somehow it it's it's gotta come together. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:48.159 And we're gonna be looking at those things every single week for the next few weeks. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:49.040 It's gonna be really exciting. 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:51.760 Bill's got a great thing to focus on this morning. 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:57.599 And I think it's always good for us when we just talk about Jesus because we are his followers. 00:01:57.840 --> 00:01:59.599 This place is all about Jesus. 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:03.120 He's the only one that we want to be more famous when we walk out of here on a Sunday. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:05.359 And so the next few weeks are gonna be great. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:07.840 Uh, a few quick announcements, like I said before. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:09.360 First off, small groups. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:14.560 We had our official launch of small groups last Sunday, and we had an incredible response. 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:25.039 We are so so excited for how many of us obviously have a desire to get together and a desire to know one another and have a relationship like we've never had before with one another. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:30.080 Uh, this morning, if you'd still like to be a part of a small group, you can sign up at the Connect Desk. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:38.319 There are gonna be four people at the Connect Desk, and there are orange cards you can fill out, and they'll help you find a group that is open that fits your schedule, that fits your needs. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:40.240 You'll see some balloons at the Connect Desk. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:41.919 It'll help make things a little bit easier for you. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:47.439 If it's a blue balloon, that's a men's group, because it's blue, and we were going with kind of baby things. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:48.960 I guess it was partially my fault. 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.319 So uh blue is baby, as wait, blue is boy. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:54.560 Did I tell you that we had a baby this week? 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:57.680 If there's one thing on my mind, it's this baby. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:00.800 Pink, pink is uh is is girls. 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:02.319 We're not trying to offend anyone. 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:05.919 We know some guys like the color pink, some girls don't, but it's just it made sense. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.719 I've been seeing the color pink nonstop for the last week. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:14.719 My my little girl basically wears pink, and then we camouflage her by putting her in pink things, so it's just pink everywhere. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.039 But girls, you know, women's groups, that's pink. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:19.919 And then if you see green balloons, that's couples groups, married couple groups. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:21.919 So there's still time to get involved in those groups. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:27.840 They're gonna start this week, but just head to the Connect Desk as soon as we're done, and we'll be able to uh to help you out. 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:31.840 I want to say a big thank you to everyone for helping us out with giving. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:33.120 There's always a need for that. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:42.319 And something I haven't talked about this year is a year ago, we felt called as a church to support some amazing ministries in Cherokee County. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.120 And it's kind of a different thought process as a church. 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:49.840 What we basically do is say, hey, we we see needs in this community that need to be met. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:50.719 And we have a choice. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:57.360 Are we gonna start something ourselves that's our own version of that, of meeting whatever need that is? 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:04.639 Or are we gonna find organizations that already do that and they already do it well and they do it efficiently, and we're just gonna support them. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:08.479 We don't have to have our name attached to it, we don't have to have our logo on it. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:17.519 We just want to help as many people as we can, and we've identified that these local ministries can do a lot more with every dollar we spend than we could do ourselves. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:28.639 And so there's there's three places that we support, and that's the Cherokee Family Violence Center, which supports mothers and children who are in abusive relationships and helps them get out of those relationships. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:36.879 We support uh Papa's Pantry, Papa's Pantry is a food pantry, but it also helps people who are out of work get to a place where they can get back into the workforce. 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:40.319 And finally, we support the Hope Center, which is a crisis pregnancy center. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.399 And we believe very uh passionately about what each of those ministries is doing. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:48.160 So we give a percentage every Sunday of what we get back to them. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:50.959 Last year, we were able to give right at$100,000. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.680 And we would that's which is exciting. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:59.920 And honestly, this year we'd like to give more. 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:06.959 And so I just I say that because in all of our lives, there's that personal choice when we give to say, hey, this is something I'm having to sacrifice. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:08.560 This is something I could use for something else. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:11.199 And we're doing that as a church as well. 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.959 And we talked a little bit this last year about how our roof uh needs a lot of repair. 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:16.800 It's a big roof, it's expensive. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:21.680 And it would be really easy for us to say, hey, look, let's just take that, that percentage would really help with the roof. 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:26.879 But we believe that just like we talk about as individuals, that as a church, we've got to give to this community. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:28.560 We've got to help people that need help. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.360 And so when you give here, just know that you're supporting his hands. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.040 You're also supporting a lot of people in this community, and God's doing great things with it. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:38.560 So, with that said, let's pray and we'll bring Bill out to share with us this morning. 00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:41.920 Jesus, thank you so much for your presence. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:43.439 You are here, Lord. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:44.319 You are here. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:46.000 And we love you. 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:48.480 We love the fact that we can know you. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:55.680 And Jesus, we pray this morning that you would speak to us through your word as we look literally at your word, Jesus, at the things that you said. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.720 Give us an understanding. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:04.079 God, give us a focus on how we can take your words and live them out in our lives. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:07.040 We love you so much, and we just thank you for this morning. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:07.920 Amen. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.160 All right, well, hey, here's Bill Thrasher. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:12.720 Hey, good morning. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:15.600 Happy Sunday. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:19.759 Um, I actually say that really for a reason. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:24.639 Um I have had a heck of a week. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:26.240 I'm just serious. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:35.199 Um, sometimes I tend to lose focus and the thought that Sunday is the beginning of my week, not the end of my weekend. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:41.279 And uh I'm I'm really relieved in a lot of ways that last week is finally through. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:43.360 Um, it was a full week. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:47.920 Um and I say full as different from busy. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:53.920 You know, busy, I I at least imply that as I'm just kind of along for the ride, you know, and there's just a lot going on. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:56.720 Full being, I am like invested. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:01.199 I am engaged in every single thing going on in the week. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:13.360 And uh this last week, man, I had some really unusually joy-filled moments, and also some really, really tough uh emotionally just draining moments, and uh and everything in between. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:14.639 And it was just nonstop. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:17.360 Anybody ever had just one of one of those? 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:19.360 Um it was just like that. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:23.839 And um, it was so so being here this morning is is really good. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:35.120 It's um it's something where I can come and I can just get filled up with love from you guys, um, from God, and it's such a great way for me to start my week. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:36.240 It just is. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:39.600 And um I I wanted to you know highlight one thing. 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:45.920 I get energized and refreshed, and I'm able to go back into my week now um with a really nice, good focus. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:08:17.360 Um, but one of the things this past week that I just wanted to highlight because Justin just mentioned it, and I just think it it's really funny, is um small groups that we're my wife and I are actually hosting a small group, and we met last Wednesday, and um it was one of those parts of the week that started off with you know that anticipation and there's the anxiety of people coming over, and we knew some of them, we didn't know some of them, and um it was just it was kind of like you know, my house clean enough, what are they gonna think? 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.120 You know, we go through all those things. 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.800 And uh then they showed up on Wednesday, and it was so good. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:31.360 When we had some really good friends we reconnected with, we had some people we didn't know, and we got to got to know them, and we're gonna have some more come this week. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:37.600 So I just wanted to kind of expand on that and say that was that was so, so encouraging. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:42.000 So um thank you for the our group is full, sorry. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:51.600 Um but uh we we have uh seven other couples um other than Christina and I that have have um kind of said they'd like to be a part of our group, and we're just we're really encouraged about that. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:56.799 But just because it showed that's one of those things in a week like that that can just you know fill it up. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:04.559 Um I also have one other thing I wanted to mention, and it's totally selfish, but today is my son's 11th birthday. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:06.159 All right, yeah, I know. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.960 He's about he's about yay high, right? 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:12.480 He looks a lot like me, except he has hair and he wears glasses. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:18.720 All right, so if you see him, his name is Will, tell him happy birthday, maybe pig on a little and just say, your dad told me to do it. 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:22.399 All right, so you he'll get inundated and uh we can do that. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:25.200 But uh today I'm really excited about what we're gonna share. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:28.000 Um and uh well, we'll get started. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:29.039 But can we pray first? 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:29.440 Do you mind? 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:31.279 Uh, Justin's already done that once, but we're gonna do it again. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:32.080 So, all right? 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:34.720 Heavenly Father, thank you for this morning. 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:43.120 Thank you for uh Megan and Justin's new uh new beautiful daughter Lily, and just uh we just pray for blessing and favor over them. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:51.919 We pray for our small groups, Lord, that you're just gonna make those dynamic and engaging and bring really close friendships with a focus totally centered around you, God. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:10:03.200 And uh we pray for this morning's message, Holy Spirit, that you'll just communicate uh life, love, and uh you'll just use me to just um hopefully share that in a really, really awesome way. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:06.240 We love you to lift your name up, and it's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:07.200 Amen. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:14.000 So, so we're starting this series, Strange Things Jesus Said. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:23.279 And it's kind of a funny series title, but there's actually a uh there's a whole element of the things that Jesus said that make us go, hmm. 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:25.200 Things that make you go, hmm, right? 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:31.360 And it's easier to gloss over those strange things, um, but these are Jesus' words, and they do give life. 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:33.039 They are truth. 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:41.120 And you align this whole thing with this kickoff of small groups, and there's kind of a Holy Spirit uh uh Holy Spirit element happening there. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:52.399 Um, you know, we want to provide our groups maybe some point of conversation, something that they can talk about that can give them kind of something to um to chew on. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:11:01.200 And I don't know what's more interesting with people you don't really know and that you're just getting used to than talking about exciting and odd, challenging Jesus theology, right? 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:05.840 What better way to but um it's really a good way to sit down. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:14.159 We're gonna grow friendships and we're gonna learn about how much God loves us, and he really does want a dynamic, dynamic relationship with you. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:21.840 Um, this morning's account takes place in the book of Matthew, and it deals with faith and the power that faith can give us. 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:27.120 Now, to preface what we're gonna talk about, you have to set a scene. 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:35.679 And what we're gonna see in almost every one of these accounts over the next several weeks is context is everything. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:37.759 Context is everything. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:39.200 You have to have it. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:44.639 It's the key element in providing clarity to what Jesus is communicating. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.600 And it's no different with today's account. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:12:04.879 Here we're gonna have Jesus' closest friends, his disciples, and they've been traveling with him for well over a year, and they've witnessed countless miracles and healings, and now they've just witnessed what's generally referred to as the transfiguration. 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.840 Now, you may or may not know what the transfiguration is. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:11.759 Basically, what that is, is Jesus is up on a mountaintop, all right? 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:18.320 And he's with Peter, James, and John, three of his closest friends, and he transforms before them. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:21.840 His face starts beaming with light, all right? 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:25.360 And they get to experience seeing him as he really is. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:28.720 Basically, like we are going to get to see him in heaven. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:36.799 And Jesus then all of a sudden begins talking and having conversations with Moses and Elijah, who are there, all right? 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:39.440 The spirit forms of these two guys. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.000 I mean, this is pretty intense, right? 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:43.679 I mean, they're blown away. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:45.440 More so than they've ever been before. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:48.960 I mean, they've they've seen the loaves and the fish and the walking all walk. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:54.480 Now we have Transform Jesus and two guys who aren't here anymore. 00:12:54.720 --> 00:13:05.279 And then to top it all off, God's voice comes down and speaks to them through the clouds and says, This is my dearly loved son who brings me great joy. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:06.960 Listen to him. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:10.080 Alright, put yourself in your shoes. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:11.440 Or their shoes. 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:13.039 You're already in your shoes. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:14.159 Yeah. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:16.000 Put yourself in their shoes. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:20.240 Can you imagine experiencing this, seeing this? 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:26.320 I mean, it had to be just absolutely so encouraging and just mind-blowing. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.919 And then they come down off the mountain. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:31.519 They've just experienced this. 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:32.799 This has just happened. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.399 And now they're walking down the mountain. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:38.960 And this is where we're going to pick up, and we're going to get to kind of what the core of what we're talking about today. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:47.679 We find at Matthew 17, starting with verse 14, it says, At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:51.759 And a man came and knelt before Jesus and said, Lord, have mercy on my son. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:53.919 He has seizures and suffers terribly. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.399 He often falls into the fire or into the water. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:59.759 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:06.159 Jesus said, You faithless and corrupt people, how must how long must I be with you? 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:08.399 How long must I put up with you? 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:10.320 Bring the boy here to me. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:13.360 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy and it left him. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:15.679 From that moment, the boy was well. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:21.440 Afterwards, the disciples asked Jesus privately, Why couldn't we cast out that demon? 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.559 You don't have enough faith, Jesus told them. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:26.240 I tell you the truth. 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:35.120 If you had faith, even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it would move. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.879 Nothing would be impossible. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.200 Wow, that I didn't expect that. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:42.159 Right? 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:45.600 Could you see how this can be confusing and strange? 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:46.559 You know? 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:54.240 I mean, he's saying this to the guys, his friends, who have dropped everything in their lives to follow him. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:57.840 They've had that kind of faith. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:00.799 It seems pretty harsh, doesn't it? 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:13.440 I mean, because this is such a tough encounter to interpret, it's it's been a cause of contention and stress for many people's Christian or church experience, to be honest. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:19.279 I mean, we have to first understand that Jesus, Jesus was a man. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.639 He was human. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:22.639 Totally human. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:28.720 He wasn't any more capable of superhero acts as you or I. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:40.159 What Jesus did have, though, is a supernatural wisdom and a supernatural, supernatural connection to the Holy Spirit and God the Father. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:50.399 He had a personal ability to understand God's ultimate plan and the abilities God's power has in this world. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:52.960 They were so far beyond what we can know. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:55.039 That's where his power lied. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:16:01.759 And that's what gave him, as a total human, the capability to heal people and perform these miraculous acts. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:11.360 Now, it's unfortunate, but there are people out there in this world who have used this particular passage out of context. 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.360 Alright? 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.159 And through so, they've actually caused hurt. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:20.559 They've caused emotional and spiritual damage to other people. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:26.159 Now, outside of Elijah, there's a question about Enoch. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:28.159 But we know for sure Elijah. 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:32.480 I don't know of anybody else on earth that has not died. 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:36.960 That's just the truth. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:44.559 Any and all healing then that has been experienced in this life is temporary. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:47.120 It's temporary. 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:49.279 Healing here is temporary. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:54.240 Now, that said, I know people in this room, I just I just saw one, I just smiled. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:17:01.679 I know people in this room who have experienced miraculous and unexplainable healing. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:09.680 It happens, it is real, but the truth is it's still temporary. 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:13.839 God does promise us complete and eternal healing. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:16.480 He said he will make everything new. 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:19.279 But that's just not a part of this creation. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:29.519 What we have to understand is that healing from God comes in his time, in his purpose, in his plan, and in his ways. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:35.839 It's sometimes our wants, our hopes, our desires, they align with his plan, right? 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:40.079 And we're excited and we're happy about that and we recognize that. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:43.440 But there are times when they don't. 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:51.440 And when they don't, sometimes we can just feel we can we can have a lot of pain because what we wanted to happen didn't. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:55.119 We can have a hard time understanding why. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:05.519 And what we have to do our best to understand is that in those moments, he is working everything together for good. 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:10.240 Jesus understood that better than anyone who's ever lived. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:21.039 His desires, Jesus' desires, Jesus' hopes, and Jesus' wants were always perfectly aligned with God the Father's will. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:23.200 That's why he was so special. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:27.119 That's what gave him so much power as a human. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:38.000 Now, going back to this strange thing he said about moving a mountain, he's trying to teach his disciples about power in faith. 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.759 He's saying this to his very closest friends. 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:44.960 And on the surface, when we just saw it, it kind of seems harsh. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:46.960 It kind of seems rough. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.519 But it was not meant to discourage them. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.960 Rather, the opposite. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:54.240 You see, Jesus is a perfect example of love. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:59.039 And you, whenever we're dealing with one of these strange topics, we have to think that first. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:03.119 We go, where is he coming from from a perspective of love? 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:14.799 I mean, these are the same guys who just witnessed a transformed Jesus talking to the heavenly forms of Moses and Elijah while God's voice is coming down. 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:22.160 And if these guys don't have enough faith here, right now, in this moment, he's calling them out on their faith. 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:23.920 What does that mean for me? 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:36.880 I mean, if if my salvation or my worthiness is a matter of sheer faith, and those guys got to experience and walk with him in the way they had, I don't have any hope. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:40.319 How much faith would I need? 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:43.359 Is that what Jesus is saying? 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.359 I don't think it is, but you could see how it could cause confusion, right? 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:56.400 So we see a passage like this out of context, out of under outside of understanding, outside of wisdom, can cause damage. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:01.519 And I've personally been in a situation where I've seen this happen. 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:08.000 Um and it was it was unwise and it was inappropriate, and bottom line, it just was not good. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:12.640 Um now I was blessed to be introduced to a young man. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:22.319 Um he was about my age, and he had just been uh diagnosed with an extremely rare and an unusually aggressive cancer. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:40.240 Um his family were came and were seeking support in prayer, and I was absolutely blown away and honored to be a to be a part of this group called to pray with him and for him as they endured this really taxing, tough, trying situation. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:50.480 I mean, this was a guy who went from healthy, vibrant family man to extremely ill in a very, very short period of time. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:58.400 I mean, his cancer was so aggressive he had one of his legs amputated mere weeks after diagnosis. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:02.960 And sadly, it did not stop the cancer spread. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:17.599 What ended up being an absolute state of uh desperation and an extreme desire for all of us to want his life spared, uh, families and friends gathered and in faith. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:21.440 We gathered in faith and we began praying together for a miraculous healing. 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:43.359 One of the invited guests there um actually used this scripture or referenced it, and he challenged everyone there, and he he basically said that if total and miraculous healing did not happen, it was likely because someone there didn't have enough faith. 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:47.519 I don't think he was trying to be unloving. 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:58.559 But when when the result of that situation didn't end up the way that we all hoped for, how was anyone supposed to feel afterwards? 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.759 How can you? 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:04.720 Walk away from that and not feel like maybe it was you. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:07.279 I had to ask myself, was it me? 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:13.119 Did I not do something that possibly caused that healing not to take place? 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:20.160 You see how something like that can be just absolutely misdirecting from where we're supposed to be in a relationship with God? 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:28.960 I had to go back and see this passage and find out, is that what God was trying to say there? 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:32.240 Was it that he was saying that, or was he saying something bigger? 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:33.759 Was he saying something different? 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:44.400 Was he maybe challenging his disciples in something more than a perceived inability for them or me or any of us to have some help and healing, someone else? 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:48.880 I had to get to the core of this strange thing Jesus said. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:54.079 And to start, I had to understand better what faith really is. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:56.240 What is faith? 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:58.880 It's not a George Michael song, by the way. 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:00.799 It is, but that's not what I'm talking about. 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:07.039 The good news is the Bible just absolutely flat out defines faith for us, almost like a dictionary. 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:12.480 In Hebrews 11:1, faith is, what a better way, you know, we get straight out to the definition. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:18.319 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:22.960 It gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:27.039 Some versions say it gives us evidence of things unseen. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:29.359 You know, we all have faith. 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:31.680 It's ingrained in our core nature. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:34.720 We use it in everyday life, whether we recognize it or not. 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:38.240 Faith is an essential part of how you are made. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.119 And one of my favorite examples of faith to use, it's so simple. 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:44.559 It's so practical. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:47.440 We use it every day as a bridge, right? 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.599 My guess is that everyone here crosses bridges almost every day. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.279 We cross those overpasses. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:54.559 We're always on them, right? 00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:57.039 They're everywhere here in Mentor Atlanta. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:00.559 We don't even think twice, we just we just do it, right? 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:06.160 We trust inherently the structural engineers, because they're probably Georgia Tech graduates, right? 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:16.240 We trust their educations, we trust their designs, we trust the installation process, the guys mixing the concrete and the guys setting the steel. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:22.160 We trust the inspection process, the certificates and the certifications associated with that. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:29.039 I highly doubt that many of us ever think twice before crossing over 575 in most instances, right? 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.160 We just drive. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:31.359 We just go. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:35.119 You have a confidence you will make it across. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:42.799 Your faith is evidence of your acceptance in what you have not seen but you're sure has happened. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.559 It's not blind faith. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:49.519 There's nothing about God that calls us to follow him in my blind faith. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:54.240 Like the bridge, it's a calculated and developed trust. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:56.240 It's a relationship. 00:24:56.960 --> 00:25:03.839 So when Jesus says, if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can tell a mountain to go from here to there. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:05.839 What's he getting at? 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:08.319 Some people, I know somebody told me this. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:10.799 Does anybody know how small a mustard seed is? 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:11.920 I mean, it's tiny. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:16.640 It's less than a third of the size of a single grain of rice. 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:29.039 So what he's saying, if you give it a literal sense, is if you had the teeniest, tiniest amount of faith, you should be allowed to move a mountain on command. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:32.720 Now, I I've been around Christians my whole life. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:33.440 I really have. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:40.000 I've grown up in a family around Christians, and really, honestly, some really well-known Christians. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:46.799 Um I was born in Indiana, in Anderson, Indiana, and my parents were traveling with the Gaiters. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:49.200 Now, there's probably a lot of you like who? 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:52.720 Um, and anybody over a certain age probably has heard of the Gathers. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:58.319 Um, the Gathers are some of the most famous Christian singer-songwriters who have ever lived. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:01.839 You may not know their name, but you do know some of their songs. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:06.559 Um, my dad and I happen to be a part of Billy Graham's crew. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:10.079 My dad was a sound man, I was on stage with him for several years. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:13.839 I've been exposed to Billy Graham and his ministry for over 30 years. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:18.880 Millions of people know Jesus because of Billy Graham. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:23.039 My dad actually ran sound for the Pope one time. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:31.599 I have personal friends who are Catholic priests, I have personal friends who are assembly God pastors, I have personal friends that are Southern Baptist preachers. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:38.079 And I have never seen anybody in faith use the force like Yoda and move a mountain. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:40.079 I just haven't done it. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:47.359 But that's kind of what we we read that and we're like, uh-oh, yeah, you know, but that's not what it is. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:52.799 These are all people publicly recognized for their great faith in God. 00:26:53.440 --> 00:27:01.839 So if this isn't really about healing, and it's not really about moving objects like a Jedi Knight, what is Jesus trying to say? 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:03.920 What is it at the core of what he's getting at? 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:06.480 See how it just starts to build. 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:15.920 About three years ago, my wife and I decided to take on a project in our backyard and do-it-yourself landscaping 101, right? 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:22.720 Our back porch is a concrete slab, and our yard kind of slopes away at a fairly good grade away from the backyard, right? 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:24.960 So I'm painting a pincher there for you. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:33.279 And we decided we wanted to build a little retaining wall and fill in some dirt and give us a little level area for entertaining and such. 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:39.440 So, save the money, we bought two pallets worth of retaining wall bricks. 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:42.960 And we bought, I bought a tandem load of fill dirt. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:47.519 Now, you may or may not know what a tandem load of dirt is, but there, I don't know how many bricks there were. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:53.920 There were probably 500 bricks, you know, all, you know, 10, 15, 20 pounds each. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:59.680 And a tandem load is 15 to 17 tons worth of dirt. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:03.200 It's it's a full dump truck load, that's what it is. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:09.039 Now that that's actually not too bad to deal with if if you have access to a backhoe or a bobcat. 00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:11.519 I I have a shovel and a wheelbarrow. 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:25.119 After two days of moving bricks and dirt, um, sweat-filled, hand-shuveled loads, I started to see a dent, or I thought I started to see a dent. 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:45.359 Over the better part of the next month, in what very little free time I had, dig by dig, brick by brick, load by load, one shovel scoop at a time, about a hundred feet slightly uphill, I moved what seemed to me like a miniature mountain. 00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:52.480 Now, I have to confess, I have to be brutally honest, that project's remained about 80% since then. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:29:00.240 I'm sure I'm the only guy out there that has a nice big large landscaping project that's about 80% complete after two years. 00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:04.720 Um, you see, the point is I love Jesus. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:05.200 I really do. 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:06.319 I wouldn't be up here if I weren't. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:13.200 I have faith that he is God's son and that because of him, I get to live forever. 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:23.359 And it would have been so much easier to use that faith to tell that mount of dirt to go over here, to go over here, please, than it did to do it the way I had to. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:25.680 But it wasn't gonna happen that way. 00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:34.319 What did what it did require to move was a shovel, a wheelbarrow, and action. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.400 Do you know what faith without action is? 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:40.319 Hope. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.680 Now, hope's not a bad thing, but it's not the same thing as faith. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:58.480 James lays it out like this in the second chapter, starting in verse 14, he says, What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith, but don't show it by your actions? 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:02.880 Can that faith, can that kind of faith save anyone? 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:10.000 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, Goodbye, have a good day, stay warm, eat well. 00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:12.319 I love the sarcasm right there, right? 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:17.279 But then you don't give that person any food or clothing. 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:19.200 What good does that do? 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:24.240 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. 00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:28.000 Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:32.559 James goes on to tell stories of people in the Bible about faith. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:40.079 And he tells a story of Abraham and his son Isaac, and how Abraham's great faith led to the foundation of a nation. 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:43.440 And then he says this in verse 22. 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.160 I love this. 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:49.839 It says, You see, his faith and his actions worked together. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:54.799 His actions made his faith complete. 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:57.839 His actions made his faith complete. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:03.440 Faith requires action to be complete. 00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:13.680 You see, what Jesus is frustrated with now, now that we have context, what he was trying to teach his disciples is that they had to take action. 00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:18.720 They had to be active in the part of healing that young boy. 00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:29.759 You know, it's probably highly likely that they saw this kid, maybe gave it a half-hearted effort, if at all, and they just saw transform Jesus, right? 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:32.319 And they're like, he can do anything. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:33.920 Let's pass him off. 00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:37.519