When I Can't Let Go // Judah Smith

so here we go I'm gonna go to Matthew chapter 10 Matthew chapter 10 and begin reading in verse 34 and at the conclusion of the message the band will join us again and we're gonna sing out our what we know to be true about our great God and then we'll dismiss and prepare the grill invite some friends over go out wherever you're headed kick-off not at 1:26 but at 1:25 the mile high this is till the Mile House State Mile High Stadium I think it is yeah I don't know but we're gonna do this do you believe whoa whoa where are the believers do you believe okay it is per second there I didn't think I was a church home that's awesome Matthew 10 verse 34 to 39 if you brought a friend today that is amazing just prepare yourself a little bit this is quite possibly the most challenging passage I've ever preached on true story and you'll see why Jesus says in Matthew 10 verse 34 do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth okay I've not come to bring peace but a sword it's gonna get worse before it gets better I've come to set a man against his father a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law that part I understand it's like oh that's where that games comes from and a person's enemies will be those of his own household Wow Jesus continues whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me and maybe you've heard this verse before whoever finds his life will lose it whoever loses his life for my sake will find it can I read this to you in the message Bible if you don't go all the way with me through thick and thin you don't deserve me if your first concern is to look after yourself you'll never find yourself Wow if your first concern is to look after yourself you'll never find yourself and here it is but if you forget about yourself and look to me if you forget about yourself and look to me you'll find both yourself and me somebody say Amen I'm entitled this message when I can't let go when I can't let go and I'd like to suggest that the big idea today is that God wants us to let go to trust him to trust his leadership his love and his control in our life will you pray with me Jesus we thank you for the moments that we share help us to experience you in a real tangible way we we want to see you Jesus we love you we trust you God I pray that we would leave this room this space or anyone watching online we would leave these moments thinking far more about you than ourselves we need to learn to live that life that you have invited us into thank you for your grace o God be with the young men in green and blue in Denver Colorado God may we run swiftly may we throw accurately may we run strongly and may we score more touchdowns in the Broncos in Jesus name Amen I just felt like praying very specifically today I don't know what your family did this summer I do hope that you made memories I think we're like a week or a couple of weeks into school and and for whatever reason I think that's kind of the beginning of autumn or fall which I absolutely love this season college football's back the Hawks are back it's gonna be just a great school year and you know maybe your kids are all grown now they're in college or you got grandkids going back to school but it's it's the back-to-school season it's kind of those those days and those moments you reflect on the summer that was now for the Smith family we had a pretty significant summer because it was the summer that my wife turned 40 not important but I'm not 40 yet but I'm married an older woman you get it uh I was in seven that she was in eight she just she was consumed with me but um so we celebrated Chelsea's 40th birthday so we did a lot of fun activities made a lot of memories not the least of which was some cliff jumping and so we got out on the water as you do in the summer season and we were we were out there with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law so it's the the Oldman's and the smiths all the cousins together and and they decided they were gonna do some cliff jumping so the cliff jumping started at a head and what I would call a healthy height something like the height of this stage right it was like we're doing cliff jump in and that's like perfect I'm like yeah I love cliff jumping this is great and then all of a sudden a couple of our children decided they're gonna climb higher and and I cannot believe what happened to me internally like let me back up for a second say then I try always to be the cool dad now the cool dad is the easy-breezy dad the cool dad is not a big deal you'll be fine right the cool dad is always telling his wife like babe they'll be fine the kids are fine let them be teenagers let them grow up they need it right like that's that's the dad I've always wanted to be I'm just not right so so my son my 14 year old climbs up there with his cousin and I told this story in LA on Wednesday and my son was there and he said dad it was not a 30-foot cliff it was a 50-foot cliff so you think preachers are given to exaggeration not this one okay so it's about a 50-foot cliff and he's climbing up on the cliff and station car will tell you my brother and sister-in-law and Chelsey we're in a boat and and we're watching them climb like like raw rock and cliff this is not like we're not at wild waves right and I'm like hey and all the sudden something starts to happen in my stomach something starts to happen in my brain my chest I'm like I'm like hey I can't breathe right I'm like hey hey come down whoa Chelsea looks at me with that look you know what I'm talking about gentlemen if something happens to that child I will kill you and I'm like hey it's a little high and he's like we're fine and I'm like are you sure are you sure like you know when you start saying things to your kids that aren't for them they're for yourself be careful like who's that for that's for me is it slippery watch your step like that's not helping him that's helping me it's by the way it's the same psychology when you're in your car and you talk to people outside of the car that can't hear you it's the same thing oh sorry about that they can't hear you you're doing that for you will excuse you right that's what parents do we talk to our kids for ourselves whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa you okay you need anything am I gonna get them a snack so I'm sitting on the water and they're 50 feet in the air true story and now I'm going I'm looking at the water I might do we even know how deep it is is this gonna and and and and and suddenly my son is on a fifty foot cliff and it feels like everything I care about in this life is on a cliff parents you know what I'm talking about and I'm like and I am so uncool now I'm like hey what are you doing right it's been like 20 minutes as they've been climbing this cliff what are you doing and in my teen it sounds like weird cliff jumping I think that but yeah but and but now I know I know that climbing down is far more unsafe than just jumping so now he's got to jump Chelsea's still looking at me with that stare like this could be it for you suddenly like I don't know it's like it's such a dad instinct I'm like he was six weeks early he's a preemie what is he doing up there that's my preemie you know like you can't say that stuff out loud man it's your teenage sons bleached blond hair and it's like alright dad here I go I'm like pray pray stop I must thank you you know I'm losing offending people like you can't do that to kids and like I'm really having a moment and it sure enough eventually he unfortunately he jumps and it's like everything you care about in the whole wide world is suspended in air and that 50 feet like it took five minutes for him to hit the water everything your life flashes before you he hits the water and then you know at that height there's a lot of bubbles and it's it takes him like a minute and thirty Seconds to surface and so literally I'm like is he okay Chelsea get in there save him I said that in so it's it's hilarious right he pops up out of the surface oh my god man that was so cool bro it's amazing well that was so cool now I'm trying to be the cool dad and then he's like alright dad were to do it again I go up look at the time getting about get in the boat right now it's amazing how easy breezy I can be except when it comes to my babies except when it comes to my kids there's just something about it something that is it's flesh of your flesh is bone of your bone he's got my blood he looks like his mom thank God like it just it's it's you're sure babies and if you're a parent and I've had met with parents who've lost children and lost babies and I just they're my heroes that you're still putting one foot in front of the other nothing more difficult painful nothing feels more fragile in this life than our children and then you know your children have children and you listen to my mom talk about her grandbabies and her grandkids and she on a daily basis it's way better than you and Wendy like oh thanks mom that's encouraging right like it's it's it's family which makes you kind of pause at the words of Jesus makes you kind of go whoa it's pretty intense and Jesus it's not like one verse where Jesus is like hey quit loving your family so much focus on me it's like okay you know we could kind of work with that verse but it's like verse after verse after verse he gets into specifics like in-laws and stuff and he's like hey I came to bring the vision a sword what not piece of sword now scripture interprets Scripture that's imperative when understanding interpretation so we know that he is the Prince of Peace we know that he does bring peace furthermore we know that he started the family he created the family he initiated the family he loves the family and the Bible says he puts the solitary in families the church is called the family of God we are his sons we are his daughters God loves the family Jesus loves the family so what is he saying is this anti-family messaging is this anti-family teaching well don't get too caught up look for the emphasis he says I'm gonna turn father against son daughter against mother and and in daughter-in-law mother-in-law and in in in in you'll notice what the emphasis is though because it's repeated three times here's his point he says if you love your mom and dad more than me what you are not worthy of me if you love and this is this is the passage that's hard for me if you love your babies your sons and daughters more than me you are what not worthy of me and then he says if you don't pick up your cross follow me you are not worthy of me and then here comes the famous verse that oftentimes is quoted and preached and taught it's just not left in its context and that is hey if you try to find your life you'll lose it but if you lose your life if you forget about yourself and look at me you'll actually end up finding who you really are and more importantly you'll find me you'll find Who I am why would Jesus put that all-important I mean that is one of those climactic verses that is one of those trademark verses that's one of the more quoted verses amongst Jesus followers deny yourself take up your cross follow him lose your life give it release it lose it let it go listen this is it and and yet we forget that this verse here is in the context of your relationship to your family to your family now again let's establish something your family is god-given your family it's instituted and ordained by God God loves your family how many know it is an honorable thing the Bible says if you don't take care of your babies right it is it is not good to God here to take care of your children take care of your spouse take care of your your parents take care it's an honorable thing to honor your father and your mother we could go on and on the teachings around family that are instituted ordained by God valuable honorable memorable important take care of your family so what does Jesus doing he seems to be dividing the family well first of all Jesus audience and whom he's talking to family would have been the highest of the social order family much like it is today is the backbone the fabric and foundation of society culture cities economies etc family was essential family in the cases of even some of these ancient individuals who are listening to Jesus would have been the ultimate family if I could say this would be the untouchable part of a person's life it occurs to me while listening to Jesus how much of our life we will release to God we will let go to God except maybe our family God you can have everything you have career you could have my finances you can have all these I'll trust you with with all that power money sex you can have all that these are my babies you can have all that but this is the love of my life God you can have I'll release to you finances and influence and sex and sexuality with that but I'll never forgive my dad for what he did I'll never let go of how my mom offended me I'll never be able to forgive my grandfather for what it's amazing how family can be the one untouchable area of our life it's amazing our family can be the one area of our life where it's like god I do trust you I do trust you but I've got to make sure and so I'm gonna go ahead and control and watch and I'm in Zion come down from there because I it's too fragile to it's too important it's too valuable to it's my family I can't and and and and here goes Jesus again he says do you love your babies more than me do you now when Jesus says you're not worthy you're not worthy you're not worthy what he does not mean is that hey most of the time I want you to love me more than your spouse most of the time I want you to love me more than you love your mom and dad most of the time I want you to love me more than your babies know the teachings of Jesus were clearing and Phatak you means what he says it means all the time it means every single minute of every day you are to love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength in your neighbor as yourself and you've got to bat a thousand you've got to do it a hundred percent of the time if not you are not worthy of me so I had a conversation with God and I hope this doesn't offend you so I read this and I said okay Jesus then I'm not worthy of you because I will be the first person to tell you maybe I'm the first pastor to ever say this to you there are days I love my wife more than Jesus she would how could you say that it's obvious thinking about her more holding onto her obsessed with her and Jesus is secondary part of it is she's physical visible love how she looks etc etc I mean I have to admit there are days I think more about my babies I'm concerned more about my babies then God God's big gods okay that's great Lord I I get my babies and don't you think God knows that don't you think God understands that remembers that were dust don't you think his teachings he's not he's not unaware of our fragility unaware of our humaneness we are but dust and he knows that about us so what is Jesus doing he's doing what he does all the time in his teachings he's bringing you and me to our most powerful place the end of ourselves for here he touches the untouchable he speaks about the unspeakable what kind of pastor would get up and preach other passage that Jesus is here to divide my family jesus loves my family yes he does but he's making a point and that is the standard even for loving Jesus more than your family is impossible for you and me it's impossible it's impossible for us to sit here and pretend that every day of our life we love Jesus more than our family it doesn't happen so we must come to a passage like this and go God what do you want me to do that's impossible and that's how grace works what I can't I'm gonna be so worked up about my family there are people in here today you are wound up like a rubberband ball that you made in middle school you know zoom out you are so worked up about your family so worked up about taking care of your babies so worked up about extended families so worked up about your parents then they're an old age and now it's your responsibility to take care of them it's so overwhelming and it's so consuming it's so preoccupied you and today you're like doe Judah don't talk about the family it's all I can think about right now it's consuming my everyday I'm thinking about do we have enough money to take care of my babies and my family and don't don't preach on that now be encouraged because it's impossible for any of us to live up to this standard we can't do it but when I'm weak then I am strong and the power of Christ rests upon me it's in that place where we say God that's impossible so what does he say he says then quit trying to hold on for if you find your life that word fine let me just trace it means if you hold on to your life you will lose it if you try to control the most precious aspect of your existence which for many of us is our family you try to control it you try to hold on to you'll only work yourself up into an anxious frenzy and you will not find the life that Jesus is destined for you to find for he concludes but if you will forget about yourself if you will lose your life if you'll let it go even in relationship to trying to control your family for many people the ultimate hope and security of life is at least I got my family she says if you'll even let that go you will find you let it go look at me you'll find yourself you ever had days we were like this is not me why I never wanted to be this worried person I've never wanted to be that kind of pet I never wanted to be that kind of friend why am I so insecure why am I so worried why am I so anxious why am I so fearful why what when did I become this person try to save your life you you'll lose it lose who you really are even who you wanted to be but Jesus says if you'll let go because you're looking at me you'll find who you really are and most importantly you'll discover who I really am but you've got to let go let go man Jesus knows what he's doing how many know that's an understatement cuz you could say you could let go your money I'd be like Lord assurance right let go let go of influence let go of people's perception this yours it's yours it's yours now give me your babies whoa hold up you can have them after a full life here on earth it is amazing how sensitive this area is God made us that way so he uses that space to say even in this sacred space called the family I need you to let go and what's crazy if you're in my season of life you know what I'm talking about I got a fourteen eleven and a nine all I have ahead of me is teenage after teenage after teenage years and the message from God to this man is you better let go or it's gonna get weird it's a fact of life you better some of the complications you're experiencing right now not only in your relationship with God but your relationship with others is because you won't let go you won't trust God it is amazing to me to see this message played out in different portions and passages of Scripture not the least of which is one of my favorites with theirs which is Mary and Martha Mary and Martha Mary and Martha are art if I could say that they're like family to Jesus how many know the highest compliment you can give somebody as hey you your family your family right your family because it's so sacred it's so special it's so near and dear and intimate to our heart and so Jesus goes over to Mary and Martha's house in Luke to have to Luke chapter 10 and and it's like it's like it's like family but something happens here that illustrates what I think Jesus is teaching in Matthew chapter 10 notice Martha Martha Martha and Mary Mary and Martha the Bible says Martha had a little sister named Mary and this is all says about marriage it's that the whole passage about Mary is is it it says and she sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching you can read that and go so Mary didn't do nothing now meanwhile Martha Martha Martha was distracted with much serving a she went up to him said him Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone tell her to help me Jesus says Martha Martha please hear me Martha Martha by the way he didn't say the name twice when it says Martha Martha it means he said Martha in a way with so much emphasis they repeat her name so it would have been like Martha you're anxious and troubled about many things wound up anxious fearful worried about a whole list of stuff Mary's chosen the good portion should not be taken away from her whoa whoa whoa whoa so Martha gets rebuked Mary gets commended Jesus says if you forget about yourself and look at me you'll end up finding yourself and me here's my point much of the complexity that we're experiencing in our journey with Jesus comes from doing things for God while thinking about ourselves let me say it again much of the complexity and challenge you're experiencing one of the reasons you are wound up anxious fearful and worried is because you are constantly doing things for God while thinking about yourself the Bible says Martha was not distracted with sin Martha was not distracted with something bad Martha was distracted with decorum Martha was distracted with serving Martha was doing what was culturally acceptable if Jesus was coming to your house wouldn't you kick the toys in the closet and whip up some food hello culturally speaking even today in our modern culture you're like Mary what is wrong with your free spirit right abstract random artists got no sense get in the kitchen but but who's thinking about themselves Mary or Martha Martha she's thinking about appearance she's thinking about doing things for God while thinking about herself and what does it lead to anxiety all worked up in a frenzy and you know what we end up looking like Jesus little helpers wherever we go and just I mean we're just it's like christmas day and Santa's little helpers and we're all just run around trying to do things for God I wanna do great things for God I want to do great things for God I want to do great things for God have you ever run into a Christian who doesn't seem like they're doing very much at all for God but they feel so restful and so peaceful and so kind and so encouraging and so complimented and you sent all your kids on missions trips this summer yeah much that costs but here's the proverbial Joneses their hair blowing in the wind as they walk in their favorite Starbucks and the barista already knows their favorite drink and you're like uh fellow Christians who seem to be so happy but from what I can tell they don't do a whole lot for the Lord that's one of the attitudes that you'll develop by the way when you do things for God while thinking about yourself you end up comparing yourself and the Joneses drive you nuts it's one of the dead giveaways Lord listen listen listen to the entitlement of Martha Lord tell her to help me we tell him God what to do now we tell him God what to do because apparently Martha God owes you and so does Mary you ever felt like God owed you you know why you feel that way because you do things for God thinking about yourself and before you get discouraged that's what we normally naturally do what's what we do it creates all kinds of bizarre social experiences and churches like this too when we're all working really hard for God while thinking about ourselves and then we measure ourselves by ourselves which is not wise and there's comparison and there's gossip and there's there's the divisive nough sand and there's all kind of weird stuff that happens in church because we're constantly it's not it's not that it's not that we mean bad it's that we want to be good and and we want to be good because when we're good and we do good things we feel good about ourselves thinking about our like if you were late to marry more in this story you're my hero because in the western world I was raised I get Martha a lot look at Mary look at Mary it's as if she's lost herself the only description of Mary is that she's crisscross applesauce if you will in front of Jesus talking about say it again geez that was a good scheme tell me that story again it's like where is your decorum where is your proper cultural procedure this is the son of God get up help your sister get some hummus you know me what are you doing and Jesus in a random turn of events it's like Martha you got the problem now what's this he says Mary has discovered the most important thing on the planet and I want to ask you how did Mary discover that did Mary did Mary go now Lord Jesus before you come into the house will you give me like top three four or five things that kind of we're supposed to do as human beings on the planet no no no no no Mary found the one necessary action and act of all human beings ever what we were wired for and crated for do you know how she just got caught up she just got mesmerized by Jesus and she lost herself because it is amazing what we'll do for God while thinking about ourselves but all the more it's extraordinary what we'll do for God while thinking about God you know what Jesus is saying Mary is doing for me Mary is serving me in the highest way for you know Mary Mary found it this is what I made you for I made you to relate with you and Mary found it not by trying to find it Mary found it because she started thinking about me and all of a sudden there it is if you forget about yourself look at me you'll find yourself you'll find the purpose for which you were made and you'll discover me and who I really am when it comes to our family it is amazing how much we'll do for God while thinking about ourselves thinking about our kids thinking about our spouse thinking about dynamics thinking about God says I want you to forget about that I want you to let it go and I end I end here this is my this is that was my conclusion this is my close leads us further on in Matthew's Gospel Matthew 10 11 and then you get to Matthew 12 and watch what happens here for it further illustrates the teachings of Jesus is Matthew Genesis at that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath on the Sabbath on the Sabbath his disciple EES hear this his disciples were hungry so they plucked heads of grain and they ate them now that's a very harmless verse to many of us but that isn't illegal it's an act that is illegal according to the Torah now I want you to see how Jesus works randomly they're just walking through grain fields apparently no one is gluten free and they're walking through grain fields and they're hungry watch our child like this is this is what it's like following Jesus they're hungry and there's food they take it they eat it no big deal no big deal no big deal doing things for God while thinking about God I'm hungry God will provide no big deal I trust him you see the effortlessness here you see the easier is yoke is easy his burden is light he is the fulfillment of the law it seems illegal and by the way look who was watching is this not odd it says when the Pharisees saw it my question is how did they see them in the fields do these guys have a life but it's amazing when you do things for God while thinking about yourself you'll often be on the lookout for other people and forget to live your own life with Jesus because you are comparing yourself and so you'll spend hours on a computer blogging about other people who are free and eating can you let me kid can you see the Pharisees splitting the grains they're eating like Pharisees why don't you go back to your homes and be with your families and be with your friends but you got all the time in the world to critique other people but that's the attitude and posture in perspective of someone who constantly does things for God while thinking about them selves and so they start to complain and Jesus has an extraordinary response that's filled with a lot of history and David and it is a type of the New Covenant in in but then he he goes on and Jesus says I tell you this I tell you this something greater than the temple is here now nothing was greater than the temple nothing to the Pharisees nothing was great except God Himself Jesus claiming to be God but notice he does not say someone is greater than the temple he says something which is speaking to the fact that he's about to establish a new way to relate to God a new covenant and he's saying in this new covenant it is greater than the temple itself we will become living temples God will make a new covenant not based on merit and effort and deeds and pedigree and background and the inability to keep the law though we continue to try it is gonna be on the finished work of Jesus and what he's gonna do for us and he who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God he's gonna establish the New Covenant and and he says I I tell you something greater the temple is here and if you had known what this means I desire quoting now Hosea I desire mercy and not sacrifice here it is it illustrates it again doing things for God while thinking about ourselves or doing things for God while preoccupied with God one is mercy one is sacrifice but our flesh wants to sacrifice what is sacrifice it's doing big acts of service for God that makes us feel better about ourselves and if you have never done that you've been saved for 12 seconds the rest of us know exactly what I'm talking about but it's a completely different thing that God desires he does not desire big acts of service and rituals and things that make us appear godly he says I what I want is mercy mercy is such a tender small word with massive meaning it means to be broken means to be tender-hearted it means to be sensitive it means to be like Mary it means instead of focus you know what I got to do what do I got to do what am I gonna do I'm focused on you and you are so amazing Jesus that's what that's what I desire you up here criticizing the guys because they're having some frosted flakes because they're having some mini wheats as we go through the fields on the Sabbath but I don't I don't desire your acts of service I don't need you I choose you and I want you for relationship I desire mercy and I'm translating that today as doing things for God while preoccupied with God do you see how effortless see Mary is in obedience do you see that we make so much of obedience obedience often times you don't even know you're being obedient when you're being obedient that's the best kind of obedience because you're not focused on a beat you're focused on Jesus and then you end up doing the one thing you were designed for and somebody someday will come up to you and say how did you do it he'll say what what I'm sorry what I do as your crisscross applesauce in front of Jesus at 92 years old and they were like you live such a noble life and I've said this a lot before because I believe in it I believe it's the new covenant way it's the new way of living in Jesus's yoke as easy as burden it's like you will live an effective fruitful life and you won't even truly realize it and somebody will stop you and say give me the 10 success keys to an efficient life and you'll say I'm sorry what are you talking about and they'll say you seem to discover the one thing you were made for and you'll go I did look at all that's happened in your life what happened I I felt so in love with a man I had never heard anybody talk like you the way he speaks who he is what he did for me I I loved him that's why when they enter in you ever seen interviews of mother Teresa she's lost in the interviews you should read some of the DA she'll be like I'm sorry what but the Teresa you built all this you gave your life for nobodies and her answer would be but if you do it to the least of these she said you'd you do it unto him so I do it it's as if mother Teresa couldn't understand our cultural perspective on her because everyone's like wow what a life and she's like I'm sorry Jesus is real I love him it's my honor to serve these children that's the life you and I are called to and I end with this this is my clothes of the clothes don't you judge me it's my dad's fault right from this scene right from this scene the camera pans and Jesus is now in the synagogue and he's about to demonstrate for us what he just said to the Pharisees and it says this it says he went out from there and entered the synagogue the church and a man was there with a withered hand a hand is representative of authority and blessing and wouldn't you know it control in Scripture he's going to illustrate it for us and they asked him Jesus is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him and Jesus says listen now and the man with the withered hand is listening and this is a short sermon but it's powerful he says which one of you has a sheep and if it falls into pit even on the Sabbath you'll take hold of it and lift it out he says of how much more value is a man than a sheep so it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath now I've never seen this before but I would like to propose to you what I think happened in this scene and let's understand the man with the withered hand and what his journey must have been like because in these days to have a deformity in your body was of spiritual significance it meant that this man was spiritually deficient he had some insufficiencies he had done something wrong or his ancestors had done something wrong this man would have been taught from the Torah that to cure his withered hand please hear me he would have to offer sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice that is animal sacrifice this man's life was defined by being self conscious sin conscious deformed conscious and everywhere he went for those that might see his hand that I'm sure he tried to hide at every turn would make a mental note that man has done something wrong so his whole life in relationship to the synagogue I proposed to you that he's probably at the synagogue to make animal sacrifice but God does not desire sacrifice he desires mercy an open heart a tender heart a sensitive heart so Jesus begins to illustrate the value of this man's life and I proposed to you that this man was listening to the god man and he had never heard anybody talk like this and while he's standing there in the synagogue his place of condemnation and guilt and shame Jesus starts to speak truth for he is truth and I believe that the man with the withered hand for God about himself and he stood there in awe of a man who might be the first man please hear me who had ever added value to this deformed man and he says is he not of more value watch Jesus he's classic this is classic Jesus he always adds value to those who are marginalized those who are overlooked those who are belittled those who are berated those who are less than in society he says is he not of more value than your sheep and then watch he says sir stretch out your hand stretch out your hand the very thing you have been trying to fix and control I want you to let go I want you to let go can you imagine how many times that man with the withered hand would have tried to stretch his fingers try to make his hand better I can't I got it I got this is embarrassing I've got to fix this I gotta fix my kids I gotta fix my marriage I gotta fix it I can't do it right this is the one thing that I'm gonna hide it until I fix it I'm gonna hide it until I do enough to make it right I'm gonna I can't I can't I can't Jesus starts to speak and his hearts on fire and he says stretch out your hand and the man does the unthinkable in church he I think he's surprised by his own action he said he just put it out there he let go he forgot about himself while looking and listening to Jesus and do you know what happened please hear me and I'm done I'm done and and the Bible says immediately his hand was made as healthy as the other and all of a sudden this man went from sacrifice went from law condemnation guilt shame blood sweat and tears and he just got transferred into the supernatural life where God does things according to grace we are not called Church to live a natural life we are called to live a supernatural life and the doorway to the supernatural life is when you get caught up with Jesus and you don't you don't need music playing softly and a preacher on Sunday you can do it at coffee with a friend please hear me but it's in these conversations it's when we listen to music and it speaks of God and we talk and we think and we read and we contemplate and we encourage one another and we start to look at him that all of a sudden we let go of things we have tried to control our whole life and you know what happens God supernaturally does for you dad does for you mom does for you son daughter what you could never do for yourself and you enter in to the supernatural life I don't know why I say what I say all the time but I'm telling you what I sense is the pastor of this community that what is ahead for church home it is imperative right now for us to hear the message from heaven we must let go time to let go that thing you've been trying to control it might be as intimate and private and personal as your own family so look to him that's the only power it's the only power if you focus on letting go you won't let go for long but if you focus on Jesus you'll put it out there Jesus you can have it I trust you and he will do a miracle with your family or a miracle with your business or a mirror with your marriage it's the supernatural life it's the super we need the supernatural where we're going we need the supernatural we need we need the supernatural we can't heal people we can't save people we can't deliver we need we need the supernatural but we got to we got to let go we got to let go what is it that God's asking you to let go of the thing that you perceive you're in control of I am with this Martin Luther was recorded many many years ago centuries ago is same control and security is the ultimate Idol of humanity and he says we proved time and time again that we will exchange almost anything for a quote unquote taste of it Oh brothers and sisters in light of our gracious beautiful wonderful God let us let go of what we can't control anyways but he can it is not by might is not by power it is by my spirit says the Lord there are some supernatural days ahead for many people in here that I'm talking to and already it's happening in your heart and your spirit already God is talking to you already God is speaking to you already your attention is turning to him that's the work of the Spirit of Jesus is your attention and things are gonna start to unravel things are gonna start the tensions gonna give you're gonna let go you're gonna experience supernatural peace and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus so Lord we decide by the revelation of your goodness your grace and your person we're going to be the people that let go we don't understand all that's ahead we got a sense that what's ahead is exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask think or even imagine possible so we pray not our will be done your kingdom come and you will be done in our lives Oh God may our lives be preoccupied with you and from that place of worship may it be our honor and privilege to live this life for you to honor you to serve you we love you Jesus we love you Jesus we love you Jesus we love you Jesus if you're here today he said you don't want to be a follower of Jesus I want to follow Jesus our God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that who so ever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life if you would like to make the decision to accept the forgiveness that only Jesus offers and begin a journey of following him for the rest of your days I want to pray for you it's the greatest miracle of all and so I'm gonna ask you on the count of three to lift up your hand if you want to receive Jesus you want to receive His forgiveness be a part of this family and begin following him for the rest of your days I ask you to respond by raising your hand because when you respond outside to what's happening on the inside it makes it more real to you that's all that's all you know who you are one God loves you so much - I believe you'll never be the same three if that you would you shoot up your hand all over the auditorium and say man that's me thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you anybody else you shoot up your hand I'm include you in this prayer so Jesus I thank you whom you set free it's free indeed free all the way forgiven forever past present future we thank you for your grace and your goodness we thank you that forgiveness flows freely in this place we love you Lord may we never ever take for granted the miracle of salvation forgiveness you're incredible secondly if you hear and you say Judah so much of my days recently have been doing things for God while thinking about myself I want to be preoccupied with God and follow him that's what I wanted that you would you shoot your hand up all over the auditorium Lord you see these hands you see our response to your word to your ways to your story your extraordinary your beautiful your wonderful your indescribable we love you so much it is our honor it is our privilege to live this life for you god we pray lord you fill our mind you'd fill our soul you'd fill our heart you'd fill our thoughts you'd fill our mouths you'd fill our eyes and ears with your ways and your beauty and your majesty now we dedicate these moments that we have now as what we use harmony and melody as a platform to connect with you may you preoccupy us may you fill us again anew with a passion and love for who you are and what you've done and we thank you this church is yours build your church and we thank you the gates of Hell will not prevail against it if you're physically able and willing would you stand with us and let's join the band and let's sing out passionately I praise to God hey thank you so much for taking the time to watch this video we really hope it encouraged you and maybe gave you a little something to think about through the day hey if you want to watch more you can subscribe and please watch the most recent video we love you we believe for great things for your life

Channel: Churchome

Views: 75,676

Rating: 4.891892 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: P-FlidrAyfg

Length: 49min 37sec (2977 seconds)

Published: Mon Sep 10 2018