Cycle of Pain Pt. 2 // Judah Smith

with a really cool experience and I just want to say this and we're gonna be showing this this video to many locations on Sunday in Seattle and so last night and of course this will be shown on Sunday so was it last night if you're watching this on Sunday whether downtown or at the UD or in our current location or Bothell but it's Wednesday here so last night Tuesday on Bainbridge Island we had Church at home and one of the things we're trying to pioneer is that so many people it is just not even feasible for them to make it to an auditorium like the Saban theater tonight or like auditoriums we have in Seattle and we believe that we can connect with people at home and we can use technology like a tool just like a theater is a tool to gather people and so last night on Bainbridge Island on the church home app we met the family we had never met before they've been coming to church for about a year they're the coolest vegan family and I had the first avocado cheesecake I've ever had in my whole life it was unreal I just want to say that it was so good I'm very tempted to become a vegan but not that tempted I'm sorry sorry clappy did it I was like but it's not gonna happen I'm sure I'll eat an animal tonight like ooh too far too far it sounded kind of like I need to rethink that statement so yeah so or the Bainbridge Island is this really cool island you take a ferry from downtown Seattle it's just a really really special place and this family commutes an hour and a half the Phelps family on Sundays to come to our Kirkland location that's a commitment and so when we started throwing out that hey church home one of the reasons we named our church church home is that we believe you can have Church at home we want to function like a family like a home but we believe you can have Church at home using technology and gathering friends and so I got to meet three new couples never heard of our church have no idea what's going on don't put particularly aren't really into religion or God but they got invited by this couple and so they showed up and there we were and it was just one of the most significant movie nights just being able to connect with people talk about God and I'm just grateful for what we get to do so if you get a chance if you haven't downloaded the app this is not a commercial the app is free there's no big catch here you can kind of watch what happened in Bainbridge Island last night and it was just really really special to see people feeling like they got a place they got a space and I think everybody on the planet deserves a shot at having a place they belong having a space where they're seen and they're heard and they're loved and so our passion at church home is that it's not limited to a Saban theatre or two auditoriums in Seattle but that we can see people encounter community and belonging and love and forgiveness maybe even all over the world someone recently on the hour today on the app said hey is there anyone on this from Helsinki because I want to start a group in Helsinki and I just thought this is this is so awesome so don't you agree that people all over the world deserve a shot at having community and then love forgiveness so thanks for that and from where maybe you're visiting tonight from somewhere and you want to consider church at home it's a passion of ours and I just think the sky's the limit I don't know why I just said the sky's the limit who says the sky's the limit I am becoming my father oh man anyways I'd like to do something speaking of the app today I'd like to do a part two the part one of the cycle of pain is what I'm titling this talk the cycle of pain part one you can find actually on the app I recorded it in studio I'd like to do a part two to that tonight and I want to talk about pain pain on on any level if you are experiencing pain on any level I'd like to make you aware of a cycle that I think many of us are prone to as human beings and maybe you will be able to identify with some of this and find some answers and some hope pain should not and couldn't and cannot be rated pain is pain and so tonight it's not like well my pain is worse than your pain now pain is pain and pain is real and all of us are going to be touched by pain and the answer or the question is what do we do when we're in the midst of a painful situation a painful relationship a painful season some title is the cycle of pain someone asked me backstage what are you preaching on and I said pain they're like Oh fun but I think we still can't have some fun how many know you need some fun when you're in pain can I get a witness all right we're gonna go to Genesis chapter 29 Genesis chapter 29 thank you so much at the conclusion of this message wherever you are whether it's in Bothell whether it's UD whether it's Kirkland whether it's downtown on the app or right here in the Saban theater music will come after the message it'll be a time of reflection sing some songs that we know to be true about our God and then we will hopefully go out with some friends okay so if this is new to you or you're watching right now and this is new to you that church home is a place that is for everyone we certainly hope so it is a place that you're gonna find out real quick where what I'm going to reference is the person life death burial and resurrection of Jesus you're gonna find out real quick I am a Jesus is God person that does not mean you have to believe Jesus is God but just to give you some context I'll be speaking from that perspective I believe that this book is inspired by God the Bible I believe it points us to the forgiveness that God offers the love the belonging that we are all his children and so I here at church home we're always speaking from that perspective but all perspectives are welcome how many know we're all in a journey and nobody has everything a hundred percent right okay Genisys some of you're like not I'm right okay Genesis 229 let me give you a quick back story this will catch you up you can find more the back story again in part one of the cycle of pain here is our portrait here's our backdrop here's our story for investigation tonight and it's actually a really interesting story this is a guy by the name of Laban he has two daughters the oldest is named Rachel the youngest is named Leah actually that's not correct leah is older rachel is younger but here's how the story goes you may not like this this is just how the Bible tells it Rachel is absolutely gorgeous and Leah has a good heart I said oh is that better if I say it like that you mean like a but you got a great personality though so so Lee Rachel is so beautiful that people in in in the village if you will in the town thousands of years ago they actually know of Laban because of his daughter like word has gotten out rachel is gorgeous so Jacob who is a considerable character in the Old Testament Jacob like all the other guys hears about this young lady the daughter of Laban named Rachel now as the story goes Jacob sees Rachel he's so smitten with Rachel he appeals to Laban and says I would do anything if you will let me marry your daughter Laban says anything Jacob says anything he says work from me seven years Jacobs like are you for real seven years at the end of seven years you can marry Rachel now if I was Jacob I would have been like how about as soon as I start working I can marry her and I'll stick around for seven years but he's like no seven years can you imagine seven years you are working for Laban on his property and you can see Rachel and for seven years Jacob works for Rachel and then the party the feast the wedding arrives it's the night it's exciting evidently this party was for real because Laban does the old switcheroo like there is no such thing as the old switcharoo jutsu but he does the old switcheroo and Jacob ends up consummating the marriage not with Rachel but with Leah probably a late night party with some wine okay because he doesn't know it's Rachel the night of okay he wakes up and he's like you know and he's like what have I done so he goes to Laban and he's like hey man that is not okay that's not cool and Levens like listen you're gonna send how this is from me my older daughter is Leah I can't marry off my younger daughter so it was gonna be ashamed of the family so I gave Yulia now here's the deal here's the deal and Jacob was fired up Jacob was frustrated he's like here's the deal it's not listen just calm down Jacob here's what I'm gonna do you can keep Leah as well I don't suggest this type of fathering at all this is thousands of years ago ladies and gentlemen some of you are already disgusted this is disgusting don't bring me to this kind of church this is just a story okay so so Laban goes sorry keep Leah I'll give you Rachel if you'll work another seven years now I think this is when Jacobs negotiation kicked in he's like I am not working 14 years so he's like all right just commit that you'll work another seven and you can marry Rachel now so that's how the story goes so he now has two wives two wives two wives that is called a complicated life my brothers and sisters he Bao has two wives okay and so now he's excited but as the Bible tells us Jacob despised Leah Leah represented to Jacob a trick leah represented to Jacob I don't I don't want I didn't work for Leah I worked for Rachel so as you can a man Jacob had eyes for Rachel Jacob at love for rake Rachel Jacob adoration for Rachel and he frankly ignored Leah and wanted nothing to do with her and that's where we pick up the story it says in Genesis chapter 29 and verse 31 when the Lord saw that leah was hated he opened her womb but Rachel was barren Leah conceived and bore a son and she called his name Reuben for she said because the Lord has looked upon my affliction for now my husband will love me she can see begin bore a son and said because the Lord has heard that I am hated he has given me this son also and she called his name Simeon again she can see by the way this took time it was not this fast and like Judah we know that don't insult our intelligence again she conceived and bore a son and said now this time my husband will be attached to me because I have borne him three sons therefore his name was called Levi she conceived begin and bore son and said this time I will praise the Lord and she named him one of the great names in human history and called his name Judah and then she ceased bearing the cycle of pain I want us to look at this again again you can find part 1 on the app but I want to title this part to take it a little bit further and a little bit deeper and call this the cycle of pain and I would like to submit to you that there is so much about Leah's life and the cycle she goes through that can relate to you and to me quite frankly there are many people probably watching right now in Seattle or on the app or in this room that are currently in the midst of this cycle we pray with me Jesus I thank you for the moments that we share help us Lord to be efficient and effective and clear help me to clearly communicate what you want to say tonight thank you for the Saban theatre thank you for the opportunity we have together thank you for what you did in Bainbridge Island thank you for what you're doing in people's lives all over the world we love you God as training camp is coming to a close for the Seattle Seahawks prepare them for the preseason protect all of our really important players in the preseason and get ready for the regular season in Jesus name and everybody said amen amen amen football season is upon us my brothers and sisters don't act like you care so this summer for the Smith family we've been gone for a few weeks and and what I what I what I don't like to do in the summer is road trips I don't like road trips I don't like driving at all I don't prefer to drive if we were ever together and you're like I'll Drive I'll be like okay I just don't like I don't like driving I'd rather talk I'd rather look out the window and sometimes I do that while I'm driving and I'm criticized by my family so I'm not a big like let's go on a drive but for whatever reason Chelsea will confirm this this was the summer of road trips for this mi mi mi Lian we drove a five-hour road trip we drove a three-hour road trip we drove a four hour road trip we drove an 18 hour road trip that's a lot but we drove a lot of road trips this one trip we made from the water that the Washington State mountains we we drove all the way to Coeur d'Alene Idaho to see Jason Kennedy he's on enews every night know if you've heard of him it's a founder here at church oh okay so we drove to see Jason Kennedy and Lauren Kennedy again Jason Kenney is on twice a day on basic cable and we went to see him because he's on TV and come on so we're driving to Cortland we had we the best time best few days together it was amazing on the drive home we got in a fight Jason doesn't even know this we got in a fight and the fight started pretty early and to be honest I can't totally remember what the fight was about can you remember what the fight was about you know now you remember what do you want to say what the fight was about no it's not appropriate what the fight was about okay that's interesting like I seriously can't remember like I was not doing drugs in Idaho like just have to clarify you know like but so Chelsea remembers I I don't remember because I forgive and then I forget but um how are you good to see you guys tonight so love keeps no record of wrongs just you know the Bible's it's in here so we're driving I drove the entire way lays laying down my life for my wife and so we get in this fight and she shares like her frustration and I just go quiet I go quiet I start looking out the window and it's actually a really beautiful drive and there's just this endless amount of land out there in Idaho and Washington so I'm just driving and and problem is is we're gonna have to stop for gas and I'm looking down and I'm like okay you know and so so then Chelsea says something like you know we need gas and I go I know I know and you may ask what was I doing well it's a tactic used in marriage some call it the silent treatment but what I was trying to communicate this is a truth I'm just I'm not in the ladee this is a true story I'm trying to be so silent because I feel like I am not being heard she's not understanding me and I have been unjustly convicted and I'm gonna tell you exactly what I desire when I go silent this is what I desire this is every this every spouses dream when they go silent on their spouse this is the fantasy it is this I wanted Chelsea in the vehicle driving from Idaho to the mountains of Washington I wanted her to say babe have I hurt you that's when the silent gets deeper and I look away look what I've done to the one I love that indeed is not my desire I have crossed a line I have taken this too far I've made this personal you're the man of my dreams look at you driving with your strong forearms and the care and the concern that you have for our family and all the money you bring in for our family you know like and I kind of want to look over and go do you mean it yeah and I want her to be like I do will you ever forgive me when you find it in your heart to forgive me again I will write like that's what you're hoping for you're hoping that the silent treatment so tortures your spouse that they get up and go oh my god I'm so sorry you must talk to me all I want is your time and your focus in your words it never works we need gas I know pull off and she's like I you do you want anything at Starbucks like we found Starbucks by the way in the middle of Idaho literally all you see is like farmland farmland farmland Starbucks so she's like do you want anything from Starbucks I'm like I'm fine it never works out and then the most mature person in the relationship and it's usually Chelsea Wawa she comes out to the car and I'm feeling filling the car with gas and she gets me I'm you know my bacon egg bites which I really like a kid my cold brew and she's like here I got you these and I'm like thank you so we get in the car and she's like thank you for filling up the car that's fun this really happened you don't believe me you're like no one is this childish but you shut up like that's the point Judah she's like okay babe I don't want to be mad at you I love you and I'm like oh it's not the way I wanted this to end and I'm like okay I didn't want to be mad at you either it's funny it's again I can't even remember because I just immediately I release things and forgive and forget but I it's so primal in us as human beings when when we feel like we're not either heard or being seen or understood a cycle begins a cycle begins and it can it can manifest itself in many ways when I said silent treatment almost everyone in this room or watching can say I know what the silent treatment is because it's either been done to us or more specifically you have used the silent treatment the silent treatment is very primal no one has ever taught us the silent treatment no one has ever taught us to ignore no one has ever taught us to act like no one sees us no one no one it's just innate within us it is primal when we feel a measure of pain now you may be like Judah it was a little fight in a car from Idaho to Washington yeah but it's still pain I still feel frustrated I feel like she misunderstood me I feel like maybe she's being too hard on me or and then you start you ever done this you start listing the good things you've done and all the things you do for this person who's now upset with you and you're like oh if they only knew how much I do for them and the cycle begins and I'd like to say that all of our fights and within a few minutes of a drive and they end with cold brew and egg bites and everything just works out but sometimes that cycle can persist and it can get deeper and it can get darker and it can get worse you want to talk about pain it's one thing to get in a car ride road trip you know fight lea is in pain isn't she she's in pain Leah Leah's life is just painful leah is not loved leah is not seen leah is not hurt I mean there are some fundamental things we crave as human beings and it's called being seen being heard being loved being valued having a place a place to belong and Leah really has very little of that at all she has been given by her father to a man that doesn't want her and it gets worse not only does her husband not water her husband does not want her because her husband wants her sister who everyone knows is better looking Leah's life is that and so the cycle begins and what happens when we start to experience pain as cycle starts to go in motion and this is not an exhaustive assessment of the cycle of pain but I'd like to extrapolate from Leah's journey what I think might relate to you and to me notice leah has a boy and of course in ancient time that's significant and families for whatever reason seemed to celebrate boys often times more than the birth of a daughter a boy seemed to well they're gonna carry on the name and so Leah finds out it's a boy and notice she names her first boy Reuben Reuben and do you see what she says listen to her pain now because the Lord has looked upon my affliction now my husband will love me how much pain is this woman in as soon as her boy comes out she is more focused not on the new baby boy she's focused on how this new baby boy might finally get her what she wants and what she wants is to be seen by her husband the name Reuben literally it means this see it's a son look it's a boy she names her son look it's a boy look it's a boy hey you had a child yet look what's his name look it's a boy really you must be excited yeah look it's a boy but here's what happens when we're in pain maybe you can relate with us in your own life you seek to do something to be seen that's why I was quiet in that car I want to Chelsea to be like oh no I've lost him he's so quiet and I wanted it to be like do you see me over here right you play like you don't want to be heard you play like you don't want to be seen but it's the exact opposite you want just that she has a baby boy and she's like look I did something good look over here I had a boy look over here I look at my job look at my status look at my body look at my accomplishments look at how I dress look at my friends look who I knew look who I just met look over here and all of that is symptomatic of pain we're trying to compensate for something we feel inside that is absolutely real we feel like and here's what happens she says I hope now my husband will love me in other words what is she saying she's saying I hope now I'm enough I wasn't enough but now with Ruben now we're looking to boy maybe what I'm looking for which is Jacobs love Jacob will come by and be like wow you gave me a boy you are now number one girl it never happens so the cycle begins we start to ask ourselves am i enough am I going through pain because I'm not enough am I going through the because I'm not as good as Rachel and I said this in part one on the app but there will always be a Rachel in your life we could take a whole night on that if you are Lea there's always gonna be a Rachel if you are Rachel there's always gonna be another Rachel now I'm in LA so y'all know what I'm talking about you were Rachel in Montana and you were Lea in LA I'm not allowed to say that y'all know what I'm talking about all the Rachel's move to LA and we all show up like oh dang I'm actually a Lea you know like I've been here long enough clearly there will always be somebody bigger stronger faster better looking more gifted more talented and yet what do we base our identity on what do we continue to attach ourselves to to ease the pain I'm good looking I'm faster than them I'm stronger than them and boy that's a slippery slope because I promise you you'll always have a Rachel and if you live like that always trying to compete with the Rachel in your sphere and your circle you will constantly be trying to measure up and you'll have a baby and name him look everybody look it's a boy look over here like my photo here we're here look it's a boy I think this is the reason is put in Scripture we just get one baby after another because the names speak volumes about the cycle of pain that this woman is in it says she conceived again and and and bore son and she says now the Lord has heard because I am hated he has given me this son also and I will name him Simeon Simeon now what's interesting about Simeon which is a Hebrew name if you say Simeon in Hebrew it's all it sounds almost identical as the word heard in Hebrew so now her first boys she names look over here it's a boy the second boy she names heard what's his name some heard some heard why'd you name him sooner because God heard me God heard me what do you mean I'm hated I'm hated here's how the cycle goes it gets deeper it gets darker you start with I'm not enough I asked everybody look nobody's looking nobody's noticing me and then the cycle gets one step and now you're like not only does nobody see me nobody hears me I'm hated I'm despised and this is what it typically leads to this emotion nobody understands me nobody understands me and so then you come into communities where there might be actually a shot at you being healed and loved and surrounded but the emotional disposition you find yourself to protect yourself from dealing with the real pain that you're in is this you will never understand me and to a degree that is true of us all is it not is it now I will never understand what it's like to be you and you'll never truly understand what it's like to be me but what if we connected on what we do understand and that is that we are in this path we're on this painful planet at the same time at the same place and maybe we could help each other if we dropped our defenses but listen to Leah she says well god I'm hated down here I'm hated I'm hated and and and and and and that's a real place that Leah finds herself in she clearly feels hated by her husband she feels hated by her little sister she feels hated by her father and she feels despised she feels nobody understands and must be nice to be Rachel must be nice to be Jake it must be nice to be my dad give both of his daughters what must be nice I wish I was my mom I wish I I wish I it must be not it must be nice and you can't celebrate anybody's blessings or success because that's just one more withdrawal from what you should have but nobody understands it's the cycle of pain now what you won't say and what I won't say when I'm in that place is that I'm still subtly holding out hope in a little way that maybe I could still turn this around and so she has a third child and watch what happens it says again she conceived and bore a son and said not now this time my husband will be attached to me because I have borne him three sons and wouldn't you know Levi in Hebrew sounds like the Hebrew word attached so she names the first boy looked over here it's a boy the second boy herd and the last boy Levi attached now this cannot be an accident that she seems to name her first three boys these these fundamental things we need as human beings what do we need as human beings I you need to be seen you need to be heard one of the mantras of our church is that church home would be a place where people are seen and heard valued and loved surrounded and honoured with dignity as a human being that's one of our mantras people are asking why using technology why do you want to go to Bainbridge or do Church at home because there are people who don't even have the gumption don't even have the inner fortitude because they have been so depleted by this planet they can't even get in the car and make it to a theater so we're gonna go to where they are broken and hurting and where people are not being seen where people are not being heard and where people do not have an attachment they have been absolutely isolated and individualized and we're going to take them the love of Jesus and community church home is not about app and we're not about theaters and we're not about buildings we're about using those as tools to connect people with God and with each other because everybody needs a fair shot at being seen heard and connected and Leah says I'm not I'm not seen I'm not heard I'm not connected but here's one of the telltale signs of the cycle of pain did you notice when Ruben was born Leah says now my husband will what love me two babies later she has Levi and what does she say she wants from Jacob I just want him to be attached to me and this is what happens with pain pain as the cycle begins to work its way into full flight in your life you start to settle every human being deserves love but Leah has been so worn down by her environment in her pain now she's saying I've given up on love I just need some attachment and here's what happens and this is what I'd like to submit to you that all of us including me oftentimes settle for cheap connections and attachments why because we are in pain we are in pain and there are mysteries on this planet that are beyond our understanding and so after a while when life beats you up so long you finally go you ever run into somebody who's like oh someday I'm gonna I'm gonna marry like royalty and I'm gonna be a prince I'm gonna be a princess and we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna build this beautiful home and you you like you like been in life for a while and you like cute awesome you're like oh my word right because you're like it doesn't life is not a fairy tale right and if you if you're really struggling you actually tell that person that and they start crying then you're like oh sorry I'm just kidding you can live a Disney cartoon it's real it's real because you've been so worn down by life and now you just settled for attachments cheap I just want to connect to something or someone don't have to be long than have to be meaningful than that to be even that authentic I just need to feel the sensation of connection so we use stuff we use strangers and oftentimes people will say the way we go about attachments we can use substances and we demonize people and we ought not to do that because we're all susceptible to doing things we swore we would never do when we're in pain I think sometimes we think what that person has this problem with that problem that's why they're using the subs that's why they're abusing the substance sir that's why they put all their identity and stuff and things they accumulate that's why they mess around with strangers and they ought not to do well if you had gone through the pain day had gone through I wonder what kind of attachments you would settle for but we project on people we tell people you you shouldn't you I bet his word that is that is and Leah she is so bad for her she's naming babies after her pain that's how real it is for her she's like I'm gonna remember my pain cuz I'm gonna I'm a raise kids that I named after my pain cheap I just wished Jacob would attach to me just a night a week just a look I just do anything and it's amazing what we trade for attachments and connections we we trade like what lasts now we're like you don't matter if it lasts huh like that that's like a thing that even relational and I'm not talking about romantic just relational it's like relationships lasting now is like well I got one it's fun that last cool like it's not a popular thing in our world to be like man I have had a friend for 38 years all right cool like the idea of things just lasting I wanted to to last I'm in so much pain don't matter if it lasts I just need something now Wow we we trade not only what what lasts but we trade what what really matters or more specifically we trade we trade what we really want you ever been there you settle for something cheap and momentary and you wake up the next morning and what you wanted before you settled it's still there and I said there's some part one but these cheap attachments are like soda and if you like soda it's alright but here's the truth about soda it's the best business model ever because the more so do you drink the more thirsty you get and that's called cheap attachments cheap connections the more you have the more your thirst for what your soul craves grows and so you're actually not even fulfilling anything you're tormenting yourself so jus that's me no no no I've done it we're all in this together we've all spent enough time in this lifetime tormenting ourselves we're in pain we're trying to find relief so we trade what lasts we trade what really matters we trade what we really want so here's the conclusion what can break the cycle what can break the cycle if there's any aspect of discernment you can relate to but maybe you're interested in this question what can break the cycle how do I break this sick cycle that enters my human experience on a semi-regular basis what do I do well let's keep reading the story it says about Lea it says and she conceived a fourth son and everything has suddenly changed from verse 34 to verse 35 she says this time I will praise the Lord and you're like happened to Leah like we got we got used to like Leah laying around and complaining and verse 35 she says you can almost see like she's standing up she's like now this time here we go again Leah what you gonna name this son Leah no other name for Leah would be Eeyore you know like what what are you you gonna give another kid another one of these names right but you can relate to Leah if you were going through I mean honestly that that's a big part of my message not if you were going with through what leah was going through i would do more than just name my kids bad names but she says this time i will praise the lord therefore his name shall be called praise or judah it's good man and like to do you'll have to do keep doing that every time you mentioned your name she called his name praise so she goes from look it's a boy to heard please hear me so I just want an attachment - I'm just gonna praise God you're like well Leah muscle went to a really good church right like what happened to Leah she's over here talking about look over here somebody hear me somebody see me anybody want to connect with me and suddenly she turns a significant corner and says I tell you this time I'm just gonna praise God now there is no indication in our story tonight that anything in her situation has changed at all so nothing's changed except her perspective has changed so she still wants says the desire to be seen to be heard to have connection and none of that has changed at all but this time around she says I'm going to praise the Lord now much has been made what happened to Leah between verse 34 and verse 35 it probably would have been a year maybe a year and a half what happened in that year to Leah that changed everything because that would crack the code on how you and I can break the cycle I'd like to suggest to you that the text itself is pointing us to the main character of the whole book and the answer to breaking your cycle I believe fundamentally is a person named Jesus here's why I believe that because locked in this verse is a big neon sign towards Jesus Judah was the fourth son Jesus after creation he entered the planet in the 14 year 4004 is a very significant number it's also for as the four corners of the earth and the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and by the way Jesus came from the lineage and line of the tribe of Judah I truly believe that this story is put there and the point is Leah if you will is having a Jesus moment her perspective has changed and here's what I'd like to suggest for you and for me that what Leah desired in Jacob and what you and I desire in others surroundings and circumstances Jesus can be that and more and I would like to suggest tonight that your pain that you're in none of your circumstance may change while we're sitting here watching this wherever you may be you're in this theater nothing may change in your circumstance but everything could change right now in your perspective suddenly Jesus could could be the answer Jesus could be the answer I read this and I'm thinking Leah you you you you want Jacob you think you want Jacob but what you what you want is Jesus Leah you're crying out for somebody to see you you're crying out for somebody to listen to you you're crying out for someone to be connected with you did it occur to Leah that God was the answer to her pain because her conclusion in her fourth son is I'm gonna praise I'm gonna praise now the word praise you think now some of you've been in church long and I feel like I'll praise also she was singing bass songs some of you know what that jug like man that we have a time of praise and worship now if you ever to church service and anybody says we're gonna praise and worship praise means fast songs worship means slow songs it's just Christian vernacular okay so some of you here like she's like I'm gonna praise Lord some of the oh oh that's awesome she did some fast songs right there no that's not what it means it means she started to talk out gratefulness talk out thankfulness she probably did sing it she did say it she said she started saying probably things like God I thank you for Ruben and you know what thank you for Simeon he's a gift and lord thank you for Levon thank you for my son Jude I thank you that I got a roof over my head and I thank you that I do have a family that I'm a part of and I thank you that you love me I thank you that you haven't forsaken me and all the sudden everything shifts why here's my suggestion Jesus sees you Jesus hears you and Jesus is connected to you and it's not cheap and it's not short it is forever I'd like to submit to you that Leah had a god moment and she realized Jacob doesn't see me Jacob doesn't hear me Jacob doesn't even want a connection with me but wait a minute the one who made me sees me the one who made me here's me the one who made me is connected to me let me just read just a couple of scriptures I'm closing but look at these scriptures on being seen why even the hairs of your head are numbered fear not Jesus says you're more of value than so many little birds he's saying I see Birds I see you I see you look at look at the next verse I think it's the Psalms he says the psalmist says you've kept count on my tossings tossings also means what wanderings you could argue that God keeps track of how many times you roll over in night why he just is crazy about you you put my tears in your bottle are they not in your book that reference to a book is not the Bible it's in a reference to perchance God has a book where he's writing down the details of your life you are seen by God in the most myopic detailed way God is keeping track of your every move sounds like Google God is keeping track and they are listening suddenly getting ads for the conversation I just had God God is he he sees you God God hears you look at these verses God God hears you when the righteous cry for help the Lord hears and deliver them shout it delivers them out of o their troubles olia what you want in Jacob you can truly only have in Jesus are you like me when I'm in pain I project on people why are you there for me why don't you call me why don't you follow through must be nice having all the success you have meanwhile I'm over here not my fair share Oh what you have desired from people and people always let you down God will always be there and when the righteous cry out II he here's a look at the next verse I'm closing this is a conclusion it's over it's done this poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of oh his troubles it's it's clear God God hears you and lastly in Romans Romans chapter 8 look how clear it is that you have a connection for I am sure that neither death nor life nor Angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation in other words nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord here's what we believe about the pain that we all experience and I want to make it very clear as little rumors that get out they come out of rooms like this full of seekers and believers that somehow when you follow Jesus you won't experience pain anymore some preachers have said that if you'll just accept Jesus all your pain will go away no the Bible says though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for when I am in this dark and bleak and painful place I know that you are with me and you will see me through it so sometimes following Jesus the pain can get worse but the pain can be bearable and he will sustain you through it and oh what you will learn about yourself and oh what you will learn about God know Jesus is the answer now here's what we believe and I'm done this is my conclusion I it's my second conclusion but this is my conclusion that Jesus is the only one they can give us connection with our Creator for he is the creator he is the creator and physical visible form and God put on skin and bone and he hung between two thieves some 2000 years ago and after suffocating in his blood for hours one of the seven statements he uttered was it is finished it is finished that is the separation between God and man created by our selfishness is finished and now the gap has been bridged Jesus who knew no sin became sin became our heir are wrong in our selfishness paid the penalty for what we had done and now grants us connection with God forever and here's the caveat you are a forever being and God has no intention of letting you the centerpiece of his creation the human being the forever human being to live forever apart from him so this separation was so serious because it was going to be eternal that he came into time and space to remedy it so once and for all the eternal beings the forever ones the human beings could be with their designer and creator forever we don't live in forever right now we're on our way there and forever is home because forever is filled with the one who gave us breath in the first place that's our desk that's our home and only Jesus provides he says I am the way I am the truth and I am the life the only true lasting strength that I have received going through some of the most painful seasons of my life and my adulthood I promise you is the story I'm telling you right now the message I'm sharing with you right now the reality that Jesus is with me forgiving and I'm gonna be forever with him what does that give you on in this life it's a thing called endurance it's a thing called gratitude and all of a sudden you go from Leah to I will praise God then I have learned in the most painful seasons of my life and I wish I wish I did this all the time I wish this was my knee-jerk reaction but I'm getting better at it when the pain starts to overwhelm me I say okay God persuade me again show me what you showed Leah so that I can turn this pity party into some praise into some brain side and I don't mean to be cliche but the cycle of pain turns into sometimes hopefully a cycle of praise and all this pain you're going through it's like oh you just given me more reason to hold on to God and to remind myself he is the sure thing in the universe can I pray for you Jesus I thank you for the moments that we share I thank you for what you're saying to our church got them praying right now for those watching in Seattle those watching on the app those here right now in the Saban theater each man woman boy and girl under the sound of my voice that is in pain I am asking that you would persuade us again persuade us that you see us persuade us that you hear us persuade us that we have a connection with you and persuade us God to praise you I'm asking Lord that you would lift up our eyes help us to see our life different even our pain different our circumstances different we thank you for that we thank you for that if you're here listening watching or in this room and you said Judah I would like I am persuaded that Jesus is God I am persuaded that he's the only one that can forgive my err am I wrong and my sin and I would like to receive that forgiveness and begin to follow Jesus I'd like to seal my forever with him you cannot earn it you cannot deserve it it's just a gift all you can do is accept it and receive it that's the good news if you'd like to accept and receive this forgiveness wherever you are watching or in this room right now I want to pray for you I'm gonna ask on the count of three you just lift up your hand you can put it right back down and I'm gonna pray this simple prayer if forgiven forever one two three if that's you just slip up grants eminence me that's me thank you hands all over god I thank you we are forgiven forever in one moment one moment of acceptance one moment of receptivity we are forgiven forever and we thank you for that and we thank you for your grace and for your love thank you for what you're doing in our church now gotta ask you what comfort the brokenhearted you would comfort those whose hands hang low whose heads hang low who are dejected and sad and grieving and in pain I pray Lord you'd meet us there and show us your love and your grace and your goodness in Jesus name in Jesus name

Channel: Churchome

Views: 21,895

Rating: 4.9247313 out of 5

Keywords: Churchome, Judah, Judah smith, church, message, anxiety, depression, how to, elevation, Steven, Hillsong, oceans, sermon, the city church, church home, Chelsea smith, bobby Houston, td jakes, pastor, pastor preaching, carl lentz, Jesus, conference, guest speaker, sermon jam, worship, Justin Bieber, la Hillsong, Selena, preaching, Judah message, performance

Id: DujYq3bdxrM

Length: 55min 12sec (3312 seconds)

Published: Sat Aug 10 2019