Elevation with Steven Furtick - All In (Larry Brey)

Episode Date: October 12, 2025

Ever feel like you’ve let God in, but still hold certain things back? He won’t force His way in, but when you open the door, He can heal what’s been hidden. Going all in isn’t about perfection; it’s         about letting Jesus have access to every part of you.  If you’ve just made a decision for Christ, please respond HERE: http://ele.vc/tIepfr Scripture References:Matthew 8, verses 14-16, 18-23Revelation 3, verse 20Luke 5, verses 1-5See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life.

Enjoy the message. Man, you picked a great day to be in church. You picked a great day to log in online. Why? Because this is the day the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Hey, you might not know this, but we're celebrating 20 years of ministry this year at Elevation Church. My wife and I had the privilege of being one of the original core families with Eric and Nicole over here.

And when we look back over 20 years, people ask like, how do you explain all that God did? Well, God is that good. He's that gracious. He's that kind. He's that loving. But also, I think our pastors are that anointed and that gifted and that talented. But I would be remiss if we didn't take a second to celebrate the secret sauce of Elevation Church. All the volunteers that make this place happen. If you're at one of our physical locations, if you're one of our volunteers, raise your hand. Valentine, if you're one of those volunteers, hey, help me celebrate all those heroes. All of our online volunteers.

We're not limited by location. Man When we started the ministry 20 years ago we didn't know if anybody would want to jump on board and be apart but they did

and I remember everybody early on it's like I'll do whatever you need I'm all in and then it'd ask him to do something and maybe not they're quite so all in but I had this couple 20 years ago

John and Randy Mullin show up they were just trying to find a church for their daughter but when they walked in they looked at each other said I think we found a church for us and I had a team

I started back in the early days, it was called the first impressions team. They would get at Providence High School at 6 a.m. to clean the bathrooms because it smelled like high school. And so anytime someone would ask like, I'll do whatever you need. I'm all in. I'd say, well, would you be a part of my first impressions team. Now, many people would say, well, like, I feel as though my gifts could be used somewhere else. But when I presented the opportunity to John and Rondie, they said, we would be honored. Thank you for the privilege. They showed up that next Sunday at 6 a.m. and they clean those bathrooms, and they've been serving faithfully for 20 years. Thank you, John.

Thank you, Roni. Thank you for all the volunteers, faithfully serving. Hey, you might not know this, but also October's Pastor Appreciation Month. Help me appreciate our pastors, Pastor Stephen, Pastor Holly. Man, we love you. We honor you. I've got an album on my phone that whenever I get a message, a text or a voice memo from Pastor Stephen, I dump it in there.

And I got messages that are in great seasons of celebration. But I also have moments of great seasons of sorrow. And I'm so grateful that our pastors walk with me through the seasons of celebration and the seasons of sorrow. I honor you, Pastor Stephen, Pastor Holly. Thank you for faithfully standing in this pulpit. 20 years preaching the Word of God. All right, let me give you our scripture for today. Let me give you the scripture. I'm so excited.

All of you saints open up to Matthew chapter 8, verses 14 to 16 is where we'll begin. If you're not a note taker, maybe today would be the day that you begin writing something down. I want God to do a new thing. He says, well, bring me a new rhythm. If you start a new rhythm rather than standing them with your arms cross, maybe I would bless you. Maybe you'd write down one thing. God wants to speak to you today.

Out of Matthew chapter 8, starting in verse 14, it says, when Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her. She got up and began to wait on him. When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him. And he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. Here's the title for today's message that I want to give you.

I want to say it to your favorite person in the room. You only get to pick one. And I want you to say it to with the two of them with some gushedosh, some foot in you. Say this. Say all in. All in. Now look at your second favorite choice and tell them all in. Hey, thank you worship team for leading us today. You can give somebody a high five on the way to your seat. Epham drop in the comments all in.

This story that Matthew is going to bring to us comes in three scenes. And we're going to start in this opening scene that Matthew wants to weave together three scenes to tell a story of Jesus. And in this opening scene, we've got the opening scene. these two characters. We've got a woman that we know that she's got a fever and she's Peter's mother-in-law. Now, Jesus is going to come into the house and it says that Jesus came, Jesus saw, and Jesus touched. I think God's going to do that in our hearts today. I think God came into this room. I think he sees you and I think he's going to touch you. How many of you need a touch from God today? How many have you got a space in your life that God, I need you to touch it?

See, healing happens with a touch. Now, I have no idea if this woman, let's give her a name. Whenever I read the Bible and I have an unnamed character, I like to give them a name. Because once you give them a name, it hits a little more personal, doesn't it? Let's call her Rachel. Everybody say Rachel. So Rachel is laying in bed with a fever. She might have been a woman of faith or this might have been her last thoughts.

Because sometimes Jesus is a first option. Some of you faith-filled people, something happens you take it to Jesus first. But other people like me, often Jesus is more of a last resort. I don't know. Maybe you're in church today, and this is a first option. Let's get to the Lord. Let's get to the house of God. And others of you, we've tried to do all the weekend.

All the King's horses and all the Kingsmen can't put her marriage back together again. So let's try church. I don't care if it's your first option or your last resort. Thank you for logging in. I'm glad you're in the room today. I'm just glad you're here. And Peter, it was Peter's house. It might have been a first option. He might have been pulling in favor saying,

yo, Jesus, since I have access to you, could you heal my mother-in-law? Could have been first option? Could have been last resort. Listen, we had to move this woman in six months ago. Jesus, you better heal her because I need her out of the house. Sometimes it's faith and sometimes it's frustration. I'm just glad you're here today. And when I see the story of this woman, Rachel, and I look at the cadence of the text, it says she was laying in bed with a fever. And when I look at those words that, other places in the New Testament, it suggests someone on their deathbed. It's not a simple little symptom where she's got a little bit of a fever. No, it suggests that we are at the end of our life issues. Some of us sitting in this room today or watching online today, you've got a space in your life

that you know it's about to die. You've got a space in your life. You might have a new outfit, but it's an old problem that's been making you limp for 32 years. And sometimes it's so becomes so debilitating, it just doesn't make you sit down in it. It makes you lay down in it. Picture the woman, she's just laying down, and I got nothing. And some of you, that perfectly describes the posture of your life today. And I want you to see the sermon this woman is going to preach with her posture. Because some of you're like, Jesus touched me, but you're still sitting down. I want you to consider the text. And would you adopt the mentality of Rachel? Because Jesus, when he comes into the room, he touches her.

And she's healed and what does she do? She gets up and she illustrates the sermon. She begins to serve him. Woo! So if you come up to me and say, Jesus touched me, I'm going to say, and where are you serving him at? I'm all in, Jesus. To go back to my car, to go back to my dysfunction.

Orlai trains the direction of my life because my posture changed. Rather than sitting under it, I'm going to stand up over it and I'm going to bring it to Jesus. I'm going to serve Jesus with it. I'm all in. I have no idea what the issue was in her life. life. But I'm so glad that Peter decided to open up his home to let this woman in. It's really awesome. And when you think about your home, when you invite guests to your house, do you let them see

all the rooms in your house? No. You only let them see the ones that are presentable. The ones you've cleaned up. The ones that are socially acceptable. You don't let them see the dysfunction behind the door. You've got the closets where you've kicked stuff in it and you're shutting. stuff in it. You're like, no, you can't go upstairs. But the reality is the owner determines the access. Who owns your home? You or God? I wonder what rooms you've not let Jesus into. Because if I consider our story, the only way that Jesus can touch it is if he's invited into it. Jesus cannot touch something he's not been invited into. I wonder what rooms in your life you have not let Jesus into. I wonder if it's your finances. I wonder it's the room of your relationships. I wonder if it's

an unforgiveness issue for a father in this room. I wonder if it's a friendship. I wonder if it's a marriage. I wonder if you've got what doors you have closed. And I remember when my kids were little, like six, they would make these signs and put it on the door. No one allowed. And when they get really mad at dad, especially dads. I wonder what rooms you've got a sign on it that said, Jesus, you can't come into it. And you show up Jesus. And Jesus, I want you to heal it because I'm not been invited into it. Because until I'm invited into it, I cannot touch it. Healing only comes with a touch. And what I realize is some of the times I'm telling Jesus, like, Jesus, would you heal this thing? And I think I've opened the door, I'm standing in the way. Like, Jesus, when are you going to do something about this? And it says, as soon as you get out of the way.

Because I can't get into the room because you are in the way. What rooms does Jesus want to have access to in your house right now? Sometimes the reality is disappointment becomes a nail gun. And the reality is some of the doors I close in my life. Not because I hate God. I just kind of despise myself. And rather than be disappointed, I would rather nail the door shut. so I'm no longer disappointed. It happens with careers. It happens in relationships. And there is somebody here today that you've been wanting a child for such a long time. And you've opened the door and you've opened the door, but you're so tired of opening the door. And the only thing harder than opening the door is keeping the door open. And as I was praying for our church yesterday, there's a man that you had an affair in the past. I don't know who you are. God wanted me to tell you,

It's time to open that door. Because you're living in this place of a hard heart. And rather than bring that into the light, I'll just close the door and I'll nail it shut. I wonder what rooms that Jesus wants to have access to. Say this with me. Say, Holy Spirit. Show me the rooms.

I've not let you in. Say it again. Say Holy Spirit. show me the rooms. I've not let you in. Because Jesus is a gentleman. And I love the fact that he is not going to kick down the door. But Revelation 320 tells us about the kind of savior that we serve. It says this. It says, here I am. I stand at the door in. I knock. And I said, if you let me in, I will eat with you and I'll have fellowship with you. God is standing at the door of your life. I know that you can't open it because of disappointment. But Jesus is not looking at you with disdain. He loves you. He's love you. He's longing for you. He's showing up at that door again and again and again. He said, I want to heal it, but I can't heal it if I can't touch it. And I'm so glad that Peter is the kind of man that will let people into his house, because this is kind of crazy. Some theologians believe that the reason that Peter denied Jesus is because Jesus healed his mother-in-law. That's an old preacher joke,

you know. It's a preacher joke. That's good. But the story in the first verse there, it says that she gets healed. And then in verse 16, it says, when evening came, many who were demon possessed were brought to him. So the healing happens sometimes during the day. Now, all the people that are in the house are overwhelmed with joy. And they say, Jesus, we are all in. And Peter says, yep, I'm all in too. So all the people that had been in the house, what do they do? They go out to the streets. They go out to the highways and the byways. And they overlook, the marginalized, the ones that nobody sees, they go and find it, and they drag them back to Peter's house. And now it's a good old demon. party. Look at the story. And picture Peter out in front of his home as he sees and he hears all of these

demons being brought to his home. Could you ever imagine something like happening in your house or is your house only available for what you want? Jesus, I'm all in. Really? Would you let that person in your car or are you worried about how it would smell? I'm all in Jesus because the reality is in our fate journey. We will all come to these places that every step we take in following Jesus, it will test are all in. Yes, it is a one time when you place your faith in Jesus, you get eternity, but to trust him, to follow him as a day by day, must deny myself daily, pick up my cross and follow him. I'm all in for the next 20 minutes, Jesus. But you see Peter, he's opening up his home and now all the demon-possessed people are flooding in. He's like, no, no, open up the living

room, open up that second living room, whatever we call that thing. Open up the kitchen, the closets. Oh, second floor, let's fill it. All in. Let's get everybody all in. Say all in. Jesus, I'm all in as much as I know, but what do I do when I come to the place? I'm like, I don't know if I'm all in for that. It's like when you get married, I do. That's easy, but I will. That's harder. But what would compel Peter to live such an extravagant life that he would be all in? Because the demon, I mean, can you picture the sound in his home? All the shrieks and the shrills and the celebration, all a mixture together of praise to God as he's healing people? Most of those people would be the ones we would have driven around, but those are the ones that the disciples are driven towards. And they brought them

into the house. Who brought them, the people that had been touched by Jesus? I'm all in. And they respond by bringing somebody back in. Are there any single ladies? Raise your hand. You might have a single guy around you who might be looking. I don't know. Let me give a little bit of dating advice. Don't date boys. That's good advice. Don't date boys. Don't date boys. Don't date boys. Don't date Boys. See, boys want to get something. Men want to bring something. That's good preaching L.B. Tell them. Tell them for the people on the back. Don't date boys. And some of you are brand new to the faith. Just keep showing up. Just keep showing up. Just keep showing up. Just keep showing up. Others of you, God is blessed way more than what you're bringing to him. Are you the bride of Christ? Are you coming to get something? Are you coming to bring something? When's the last time you brought a broken praise?

When's the last time you brought an offering? When's the last time you brought your service? When's the last time you brought a guest to experience a miracle standing next to you? Because if I'm only showing up to get my word, what am I saying about the bride of Christ? I am glad that you can get a word of God here. But to mature, to get in the deep end of the faith pool, requires us to be a follower that says, I'm all in! Which means you have access to everything and I'll bring it all into your prayer. I wonder what doors you've said, Jesus, you cannot get behind that one.

I'm all in, Jesus. but what would compel Peter to live such an extravagant life? And it's, I want to go back to the origin story of Peter real quickly. This is out of Luke chapter 5. Because I think today is somebody's origin story. I love the fact that today is the day that someone are going to see Jesus in a brand new way. And it's going to be the origin story that will ignite something in your life to be a person of faith that you desire to be. It says this, one day Jesus was walking by the lake of Ganeserat.

The people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw by the water's edge two boats left there by fishermen who were fishing, who were washing their nets. Then he got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. This is early on in Jesus' ministry. He's about to begin his recruiting trip to recruit his disciples, his initial followers. And you realize that the word disciple isn't just defining the 12 people that followed him. Those were the apostles. And in fact, they were disciples.

But there were 70 disciples that Jesus sent out on a ministry trip. And then when Jesus returns, there were 120 disciples in the upper room. Disciples, anybody who says, I want to be a follower of Jesus. And if you're a follower of Jesus, guess what? You're a disciple too. And this origin story is where Jesus is going to show up. He's going to preach to thousands, but he's got an audience of one. It's Peter.

Because this is a story about his selection of Peter. And I love the fact that God is preaching to thousands at the same time, but he's preaching to you. He sees you. He calls you, and he is preaching a sermon just for you because he wants to get your attention. He wants to show you something. And now he says there's two boats by the edge of the water. And he gets into the one belonging to Simon. Wait, I thought his name was Peter.

Well, yeah, it's a little complicated. Because Peter, you know, that's his one name, but then Simon, that's his BC. That's before Christ. Simon is the part of you that on Saturday night you're raising the red solo cup like, hey. Hey! Hey, Peter, that's the hand raised in worship on Sunday morning. Hallelujah. Hey, hallelujah.

You got a little Simon in you, and you got a little Peter in you. You played the game when you were a kid. Simon says, act like a fool. That's Simon. You still got a little Simon in you. And he shows up and he's fully Simon in this point, and there's two boats sitting there. And Jesus just goes and sits in his boat. Try this after church.

Just go sit in somebody's random car in the parking lot. And he just sits down. Okay. And I love the fact that Jesus is coming to him, but he's only going to come so far. And Jesus is coming to you. And he, the boat that you don't want to get into, he's not intimidated by. That door, that room of your life that you wouldn't want anybody to see. He already sees it.

And he says, I'm not uncomfortable in that place. I know you are. And he sits right down in it. Why? Because he loves you. He sits down in Peter's boat and he says, hey Peter. Well, Simon, let's get his name right. Simon, push out a little from the shore. Just say a little. Better participation, Valentine. Say a little. And that's what he's asking you to do today. And here's the story. Let me illustrate it for you. What would compel Peter to live a life who's all in? Say all in. It began with a little step. He gets in his boat. It is a little bit. He gets in his boat. It is a

is anchored up on the shore. So Peter's got to push this thing out. He's like, I've been out all night fishing. I haven't slept. I stink. And like, are you kidding me? Okay. So he pushes his shoulder into the boat and he pushes it a little bit and he starts walking the boat out into the water. And each step he takes, the water's getting a little bit higher on him. And he pushes out a little. Say a little. There you go. Thank you, Valentine. And now he's holding the boat about waist deep. He's in proximity to Jesus, but he's not in relationship yet with Jesus. Don't confuse proximity with intimacy. Just because I'm sitting in a seat doesn't mean I'm in the boat with him.

And I love the fact that Jesus is preaching to the thousands, but he's looking at one the whole time. And I wonder if Peter's like, oh my gosh, what am I doing? What a waste of time? Who is this guy, preacher? Boy, yeah, yeah, yeah. And maybe he would hear every third word or every fifth word. Maybe that would be kind of cool.

But I love the fact that Jesus kept preaching, but yet he still knew his audience's audience of one. And now the relationship is about to go to a different level. They're about to change the Facebook status. Because when he finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out into the deep and let down the nets for a catch. Say the deep. Jesus is calling you from the little to the deep.

Simon answered, Master, we've worked hard all night. They haven't caught anything. But because you say so I will. B-Y-S-S-I-W. B-Y-S-Y because you say. say so, S-S-I-W, because you say so, I will, B-Y, S-S-I-W. Some of you, that's your next tattoo. Put it right here on your wrist and then when you're driven by Simon, hey Simon, no, no, no,

because you say so, not Simon says, because Jesus said, I'll do that. Because you say so, I will. Now, picture the rest of this story of what Peter has to do, what Simon has to do, to be obedient to the commands of Christ. Okay, I got the water at waste deep, but let's go out into the deep. Meaning I'm comfortable right here. Because I can hold on to this and I can put my feet firmly on what I know, what I trust, what's reliable to me. But every step I take

the water is going to get a little bit deeper. It's going to make me a little bit more uncomfortable. Oh my gosh, what's about to happen? What's going to happen on the other side of this thing? And every step I take the water is bl-l-l-l-blah-blah-blah-blah. And he's hanging onto the side of the boat, but he's not all. He had to come to this point in his relationship with Jesus. He said, I cannot

place my faith in what I know. what I touch what's familiar to me. I got to get all in with Jesus. And that's where he wants you to come today. The place that you would get all in in the boat. He's not intimidated by it, but you won't get into it. What keeps you from getting in the boat? What keeps you from getting in the boat? That's a key question because some of you, you haven't done that. And I want to ask you, and I want to, the Holy Spirit, to speak to you, what is the reason that you aren't getting in that boat. So if we go back to our story of the demon party, remember that demon party, that was the first scene. Now we're going to come to the middle scene. This is going to be in verse 18. It says when Jesus saw

the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then the teacher of the law came to him as a teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus replied, foxes have dens and birds have nest, but the son of man is no place to lie his head. Another disciple said to him, first let me go bury my father. Jesus told him, follow me and let the dead bury their own dead. Savage Jesus here. Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. It says when Jesus saw the crowd around him, some theologians believe that crowd would have been up to 5,000 people. The crowd is filled with lots of people and Jesus is very loving, but he's also very divisive. Jesus will have these moments that he says in John chapter 6, he says, unless you eat of my flesh,

and drink of my blood, you'll have no part of me. In John 6, 66, it says, it says many disciples departed him and followed him no more. Why? Because they followed as far as their understanding would go. I'm all in to the end of my understanding. And when it doesn't make sense, then I'm not going to continue on the journey because that doesn't make sense, Jesus. And Jesus is always separating the crowd from the committed. And I love the fact that all are loved. Everybody on that shore is love, but not everybody will discover purpose. See, you're healed with a touch, but you only find purpose when you get in the boat.

And he's now going to divide the crowd, say, guys, we've got to get to the other side of the lake. Let's go to the other side of the lake. We got to go. I wonder what's so important on the other side of the lake. He says, we've got to get there, we got to get there, but he's going to divide the crowd. And there's one group.

The first group is this in verse 19. It says, then a teacher of the law came and said, teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. He's a teacher of the law. it loud for everyone and back to hear. I will follow you, Jesus. Because he wanted everybody to be impressed with his language, but he didn't have the lifestyle. He's all talk. He's all talk. I remember my high school football coach. His name was Harvey Crable. He looked like a walrus. And when he would talk, his jowls would jiggle. It was amazing. And we went and played this rich town. They had new

white shoes and white gloves. I got stuff that's duct tape together. I've never had any new in my life. And my coach, all walrus of him, six foot five, gets off the bus, waddling. And he's like, hey, boys, they got all the gear, but they got no game. I've described a lot of Christians. You got the T-shirt and the blingety-bling. You're all talk. Teach, I'll follow you wherever you go. And she's like, Snowflake, there's no five-star B&B where we're going. You didn't even know what you say. Holy Spirit convict us when we're all talk. We got the language, but not the lifestyle of being a follower of Jesus. Show me, don't tell me.

You see, Rachel, she got up and she served. She showed Jesus the healing. Showed Jesus her faith. Sometimes Christianity turns into one of those dolls you pull the string and out pops one of five Christian phrases. Blessed and highly favored. He's all talk. But then in verse 21, Another disciple came and said, Lord, let me first go bury my father.

Now, the second group, if you're taking notes, you can title it this, all excuse. All excuse. Now, here's the reality. That could have been a legitimate excuse. It could have been. His father could have just literally died. But Jesus says this assignment is for living people. That's already been taking care of.

There's somebody on the other side of the lake that's alive and we got to go. And they need you on the boat. I wonder what excuses are so familiar. You don't even recognize their. coming out of your mouth. Here's one of the greatest excuses Christianity that we carry as Christians. Let me pray about it. Oh, you're not going to pray about it? You're blaming God for your disobedience. Because you come so familiar with the excuse, you don't even know it's leaking out. Holy Spirit, make these excuses bitter that we would have a visceral response when they come out of our mouth.

Are you aware of where the excuses are that are keeping you from getting in the boat? What keeps you from getting in the boat? Jesus is looking at the crowd. It's a mixture of people. People that have been healed the night before that still smell like demon, whatever that smells like. But you have people that have been following him for a season and everybody gets the same invitation to get in the boat. You don't need the religious elite. You don't need to memorize the book of Philippians. He just says, will you follow me? Will you get in the boat? Some of the people that are most resistant to get in the boat are the critical Christians who are so familiar with the text we already assume what God says. And he's saying, I've got to get to the other side of the lake.

And I need the committed. I need those that really want to follow me to jump in and be all in. Oh, all talk. What phrases are keeping you? What excuses are keeping you? I'm stupid. I never had a chance. This happened to me when I was six.

That's real. And that was horrible. But that does not define your future. Because there's a series of three scenes strung together that tell a story. Matthew is very particular about stringing these three scenes together. What I prayed for some of you, some of you are stuck in a scene. And you think it's the whole story. Yes, there was the demon possession.

Yes, there was the thing. Yes, there was the thing that happened to you. There was the thing you did. Yes, that was a scene in your story. But it's not the whole story. And if you back up a little bit, you will see that Jesus is giving you an opportunity. But what keeps you from getting in the boat? I think some of you, the reason you don't get in the boat is not because you don't love God.

it's you despise yourself. And I think what Jesus is saying, that very thing you despise about yourself is the very thing I want in the boat. Now, there's three groups in this story. We talked through two of them. The first one, it's kind of hard to see because if we just read it, we skip right over it.

Because it says this, when Jesus saw the crowd, he gave orders in verse 18. He gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Now, this is the third group. This is the all in. Say all in. Because what they heard is,

hey, let's get to the other side of the lake. What did these people do? They ran? And they got a boat. And they brought the boat back. Because if God gives an order, I respond with obedience. You see, the crowd, the order becomes optional. But to the committed, it's a command.

And they walk in obedience. Are the orders of God optional? What is the thing that God is asking you to do, the door he wants into that you're not letting him in? Because when the general gives the soldiers a command, they fall in military formation. But the civilians, they're like, you know, I'm going to go back to what's important to me. And Jesus is saying, get in the boat. We got to get to the other side of the lake.

What keeps you from getting in the boat? Well, Jesus, is there going to be any food on the boat? Some of us are like, I want a word from God. No, you don't. You want an itinerary. And your obedience is proportionate to an itiner. that's comfortable for you. And rather than getting on a battleship, you're looking for a cruise ship.

I'm sorry, hello, Valentine. Is anybody here with me? This microphone might have went dead. I'm all in Jesus until I get to like, oh, but I was expecting, you know, my ties on the Lido deck. And Jesus saying, get on the boat. But what about what's going to happen when we get there? Get on the boat.

Get on the boat. Get on the boat. Just get on the boat. Because what I come to realize about us is if the boundaries, of your obedience is determined by your understanding. You'll never live in the land of faith. I don't understand. If you make it plain to me, then I'll get on the boat. I have an if then conditional faith with Jesus. If you give me the it it itinerary, then I'll follow along. He says, faith does not work like that. It is being sure of what you hope for, certain of what you do not see.

There is something on the other side of the lake that we've got to get to, and I need you to be a part of it. I can't give you all the details, but I will give you a command. And I will give you the option. Will you get on the boat? All of you are loved, but not everybody will find the same purpose. Because the reality is that thing that you think disqualifies you from getting on the boat is the very thing. He needs on the boat. And if we stop the story there, we wouldn't see the fullness of it. Because it goes on into Matthew 28. Just the next part of this story. when he arrived on the other side in the region of the Garadines to demon-possessed men

wait coming from the tombs, Madden, wait, no, two demon. And I've read this story so many times before, and it never made sense to me. Because I was reading each scene. But picture the demon-possessed person. Take whatever door that you don't want anybody to see behind. That. And you're looking at the boat saying,

are for the people that really love you, Jesus. And I still smell like last night. The demon-possessed people. But they get on the boat. And as they're making their way to the other side, they first hear it in a distance. The cries of these demon-possessed men, and the closer they get, they can see the contorted faces of these men under demon possession. And the faith-filled people who have never struggled with demon possession standing at the front of the boat, at the bow of the boat. Like, yeah, Jesus. are so like, yo, Jesus. And they start retreating to the back. But those that know it is like to struggle with demon possession,

they're like, wait now. You mean, they have empathy for somebody on the other side of the lake. The thing that they didn't want to bring on the boat is the very thing Jesus wanted to use on the other side of the lake. That's what I'm telling you. Healing comes with a touch, but purses. purpose is found through trust. And healing isn't the absence of pain. It's the presence of purpose.

The only way you discover purposes by being all in. By letting Jesus be all in. Let me give a modern day example of this. Let me give you a hypothetical story. Let's say there's a 14-year-old girl named Rachel who just moved to Valentine area of Charlotte, North Carolina, six months ago because mom and dad got divorced. And she had to move back with mom to move in with grandma. And she's lived here for six months and she has zero friends.

And she's lonely and she's filled with anxiety. And she wonders, God, where are you now? And some little boy invited her to a party. And normally she wouldn't go to this party. But Rachel, she just wants friends. And she says, okay, I'll go to the party. But she says, I promise I won't drink. then at the party, the attention is feeding something in her that God wants to feed that, just not that way. And she says, I'll just hold the cup. I'll just have one. I'll just have two. And by the end of the night, that little boy gets her to compromise something, she said she'd keep sacred till marriage. And when she's walking home to her apartment that night with grandma, her dad gave her a promise ring when she was eight. She takes it off and she throws it in the

woods because she feels like she's forfeited any future based upon that past mistake. And when she lays her head in the pillow that night, she cries herself too sleep. She's soaking the pillow with her tears. Can you hear her cries? That's the sound of the demons across the lake. And when she wakes up in the morning, she's praying that it was just a nightmare, but it wasn't because that little boy took photos and he already circulated him. And she's called every name you could ever imagine. And before her feet even hit the floor, she wants to kill herself. Because she feels like the only way out is that.

But she realizes there was one other friend at school. She invited me to this place called Elevation Valentine. And as somebody who normally sits in our student section. And that little girl walks up to this building. Who better than you to welcome that little girl? And the reality is that story is so familiar to so many in this room. And that part of you that you want to hide. that you never ever want to share is the very thing that Jesus needs in the boat.

And if you don't let Jesus into that room, all it will ever be is pain. But when you put it in the boat, now you find purpose. Who better than you to be out front welcoming that little girl? That thing that you said, I got to take a step back. I got nothing to offer is the very thing Jesus wants to put out front. who better than you to lead a youth girl's e-group to comfort others with the comfort that you have received say holy spirit show me the rooms i've not let you in an invitation starts with an admission what are the rooms that you're not letting jesus in what what are the spaces that you've

not let jesus into an unnamed enemy will never be defeated. And what do we do with an enemy? What do we do with a friend? We cover them. What do we do with an enemy? We expose them. The admission is to say, I've got this room. But somebody in this room is 45 and you're like, I can't tell anybody. What are they going to think of me? You will help them go like, oh, that's why he's acted like that for 22 years. You'll give some understanding. Stand to your feet at all of our locations. Without anybody moving. This is a holy moment. This is a holy moment. and I'm going to give two opportunities to respond to this sermon today. The first one is for those that you've got a room.

I've got rooms. I've got houses. But what's one room that you know that you need to let Jesus into? Maybe today would be the day that you'd let Jesus, you'd hear him knocking. I've been knocking on the door of your life. Let me into that marriage. Let me into that relationship. let me into that thing, he'll come in and he'll touch you. It doesn't mean the pain goes away,

but it does mean you can find purpose in it. And then the second invitation is for those of you that have not placed your faith in Jesus. You know that you're separated from God. You've been playing religious activity. You've been checking boxes of going to church, go to the bank, go to the grocery store, but you've never confessed with your mouth that Jesus, Lord, and believe it in your heart that he was raised from the dead. And if you need to begin that relationship with Jesus, I'm going to give you that opportunity as well, but buy your heads, close your eyes. Put your hands in front of you like you're holding a gift. Make some room for Jesus. In your hands is that room, a space that you need to let Jesus into. You've covered it. Not because you don't love God. You just kind of despise yourself.

And he wants to come into that. Father, I thank you for your sons and daughters right now that are walking in boldness, fear. But I thank you that you're a loving God, that you will gently come in. You're not going to kick down a door. You're knocking on it. Why? Because you want to come in in a fellowship with them. And I thank you for the confession, the admission. There's a space in our life that we need you to touch. I pray that they would move beyond just this moment and they would invite another person into it today. Somebody in this room or somebody online. May they share that room so they don't have to fight in isolation or being alone any longer. Now for those of you that need to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ, I'm going to lead us all

under prayer for people to begin that relationship, to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that he was raised from the dead. If you say these words and you believe it in your heart, you will be saved. Pray this with me, church family. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God who died on the cross and rose from the grave to forgive me of my sin. I give you my life. I give you my sin. I give you my shame. Forgive me and I'll spend my life following you. With your head still bowed and your eyes closed if you just place your faith in Jesus or you're coming back to him. I am going to count to three and without hesitation once I get there, boldly shoot your hand into the air. One, two, three. Shoot your

hand up high across this auditorium. Come on. Get all of our locations. All of our locations. Come on. Get it high. One of our team want to get to you. Put a new vibe signifying. You're a new creation. Hey, church family. Let's celebrate that. Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to give now or visit elevationchurch.org slash podcast for more information. And if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe, you can share it with your friends. You can click the share button, take a screenshot, and share it on your social stories and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you. This is an IHeart podcast,

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