The Church of Eleven22 - Kid Pain - Impossible to Possible - Matthew S5E5

Episode Date: June 28, 2026

What do you do when faith feels impossible? In Matthew 17, Jesus reveals His glory on the mountain before stepping into a valley filled with fear, suffering and doubt. Through the Transfiguration and the healing of a demon possessed boy, we are reminded that Jesus is greater than our circumstances and worthy of our trust. Faith isn't pretending to have all the answers or never struggling with doubt. It's bringing our honest hearts to Jesus and trusting Him even when life doesn't make sense. When we fix our eyes on Christ instead of our circumstances, we discover that what seems impossible for us is never impossible for Him.

Amen and amen. If you got your Bibles, I hope you do. We're going to be in Matthew chapter 17. You can tell about the weightiness of that testimony video to today. It's just going to be a little bit different. And if you're still coming in, welcome, I'm glad you're here. And if you're thinking, are we running extra late? Yeah, we started 922.

But I'm glad you're here. So glad you're here. But the reason that we shorten up the front end is because what we want to do on the back end. If you've been around for a minute, you'll see we've got anointing oil here. And I know that the text that we're going to do. going to look at is what do you do when you're living out the story that you would not have written for yourself? What do you do when your circumstances seem to be out of control? And Ben and Katie, who were in that video, they were here with us at 722 on Thursday night. I got to

spend some time with them. And they just talked about the faithfulness of God, even when their prayers aren't answered the way they wanted it to be. And so what we're going to do, we're going to walk through the text. This is actually, I think, the fourth time that I've taught through this. And so if you're an OG, if you've been around here for 10 years or so, we've heard this over and over and over. However, you've never heard this sermon today. And one of the incredible things about the Word of God is that it's living and active. And you can come back to the same text over and over and over because you're not just reading it, it's reading you. And listen, man, praise God in my family right now, things are really good.

I got a wife that loves me, two healthy kids that are walking with the Lord. Praise God. And maybe the last time we walked through this text, you were in a different season, but I know, I believe that every single time we come to this text, and that's what we do, we just walk through the Word that God is going to meet you right where you are, right when you are. And so what's going to begin to happen now in Matthew 17, and if you'll notice, you're like, hey, we skipped over some sections. What we're going to do is there's a bunch of sections in Matthew that I'm going to clump together in the fall as we launch Neighbors to Nations.

it'll make a ton of sense then. But one of the things that you'll see is that remember in Matthew chapter 4 when Jesus kicked this whole teaching ministry off, it said this. And from that day forward, he began to teach, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And what we're going to see today is that the kingdom of heaven has invaded the earth. Because wherever the king rules and reigns, then things are just different. In the kingdom of heaven, there's no sickness and depression and tears. and he's going to begin to give us glimpses of that.

And in Matthew chapter 10, if you'll remember a few weeks ago, Jesus commissions his disciples to heal the sick and to cast out demons and to cleanse the lepers and to raise the dead. Matthew chapter 17, it's going to start out awesome and then it's going to get real series. And then in about 47 minutes and 16 seconds, we're going to say if there's anybody here that needs prayer, we're going to do what the Bible says to do.

and in James chapter 5 the Bible says this is anyone among you sick or suffering then you should call the elders of the church and you should pray and anoint with oil confess your sins to one another that you may be healed and we're going to pray for healing we're going to pray that bodies will be healed that minds will be healed that marriages will be healed their prodigals will come home that demons will be cast out that addictions will be broken so just let me warn you that's what we're going to do okay and I know you charismatic You love it. You love a good anointing.

Baptist, relax. I know the only thing you've ever anointed is biscuits with gravy, but we're just going to, we're going to just do what the Bible says. Catholics, you don't even have a category for this, but it's going to be awesome, okay? Matthew 17, it starts out great.

Says this, and after six days, Jesus took with him, Peter, and James, and John, his brother, and led them up to a high mountain by themselves. Now, if you'll remember what we've been talking about all throughout the gospel of Matthew is that Matthew was a, he was born an insider, he becomes an outsider, he works for the Roman government, he exacts taxes from his own people to give him to Rome, and then Rome tyrannizes his own people. And then Jesus meets this outsider who they called

Levi, but Jesus calls it Matthew and says, come and follow me. And so when Matthew, post-resurrection against a write his gospel, he's trying to explain it to his Jewish brothers and sisters in such a way that the people would know that Jesus is the greater Israel, that Israel was chosen in order that the whole world would be blessed, that the whole world would know that the one true God said, his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. The problem is that Israel, like almost every organization, turns inward and they thought that they were just blessed to be blessed.

And so a part of what Matthew wants us to do, like I've got an impossible task, I've got to try to get your mindset into a first century orthodox Jewish mindset as you see this stuff. So the moment Matthew says after six days, Jesus took with him three named dudes up on a mountain to meet with God. If you grew up in like first century Hebrew school, like everybody that heard this, you would have understood that Moses took a few named guys up onto a mountain, Mount Sinai, and God showed up in a cloud. and this is what's happening, that Jesus is the greater Moses. Now, I know if you're brand new to Bible study and you've been studying the book of Matthew with us, you'll notice that oftentimes what Jesus does is he picks these three people to do all the cool stuff, Peter, James, and John.

Like when we get to the Garden of Gassimini in a couple of months, that Jesus goes to pray and he asks Peter, James, and John to come a little further with him to pray. When Jesus raises this dead little girl, he asks Peter, James, and John to come inside the room so they get to see it. And especially if you're kind of young, you're going to think, that's not fair. You want to jot this down. Fair is not a biblical value. God does what he wants with who he wants when he wants.

And he picks Peter, James and John. And a lot of commentators, you've heard me say this before, a lot of commentators will say, well, that's because Jesus picked favorites, and these were his three favorites. I don't agree with that. And here's why I don't agree with that. Because Peter, James, and John are the biggest screw-ups of all the screw-ups. Now, again, if you've been around Bible study, like, if you grew up in Sunday school, you're like, wait a minute, pastor.

But John is the disciple that Jesus loved most. And the Bible does say that, but only in the book of John, written by John. So, yeah, so according to me, I'm his favorite too. We'll see when we get to heaven. Here's why I think they're the biggest screw-ups. If you just back up to Matthew chapter 16, I'll preach it later this fall. they're coming fresh off of Peter rebuking Jesus, and Jesus looks at Peter and calls him Satan.

So listen, I know you still have trauma in your life because your kindergarten teacher told you weren't that smart, you got to go to therapy and all that. I understand. When the second person of the Trinity, God, the Son, calls you the devil, that's going to leave a mark. You understand what I mean? By the time we get to Matthew chapter 20,

James and John are going to send their mom to Jesus to make a power play so they can be the senior VP of Jesus Incorporated. These are the three biggest screw-ups of the bunch, which 1122, that's some really good news, is it not? That God is in the habit of using the most screwed-up people to turn the whole world upside down. And so I think these are the three that just can't be trusted alone. Jesus is at the bottom of the mountain.

He's like, I'm about to go up here on the mountain of Transfiguration. It's going to be super awesome. Why don't you guys just sit down the campfire and write worship? songs, whatever you're going to do. He's like, on second thought, Peter, James John, get in the truck, come with me. That's what's happening. Verse two, so get to the top of the mount. And he, Jesus, was transfigured before them.

We don't even know fully what this means, man. This is a metaphysical reality where Jesus puts on display his glory. I've got a friend of mine named Chris Brown, not the R&B artist back in the day that used to go to jail every other weekend, but he's a pastor over on the left coast at a great church called North Coast. Chris Brown says this, that the transfiguration is his divinity bursting forth through his humanity. That the actual miracle is not that Jesus is going to put on display his glory on top of the mountain. The real miracle is that for 33 years, the glory of God has been shrouded in humanity. and Jesus is transfigured before them,

and then Matthew is going to try to describe what this was like, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Luke says that his face was like lightning. You see, the Bible says in Psalm 104 that God closed himself in light. When you read the description of the ascended Christ in heaven, He's described as the brilliance of light. In fact, the book of Revelation says that in heaven, you don't even need the sun because Jesus is the source of light. And so there he is on the top of the mountain of transfiguration, and there's some sort of metaphysical thing where he begins to glow.

He begins to shine as bright as light. Verse three, and behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with him. Now here's why I have to explain these things. Because as 21st century evangelical Floridians and Jessup Georgians, we hear Moses and Elijah and you just stare at me. And I get it, I'm used to it, I do this every week, I'm a professional. But if you were a first century Jewish boy like Matthew and James and John, and you saw Moses just pop up out of nowhere.

Moses has been dead for 1,300 years, and he shows up on the scene. And then next to him, you see Elijah, who's been gone for 850 years. He didn't even die. He just got this fire Uber and just took a chariot up to heaven. And now he's sitting there. You would lose your ever-loving mind. Because these are like the superheroes of the Old Testament. I mean, this would be like if you're an 8-year-old boy, and there's Jesus talking to Batman and Spider-Man.

And you'd be like, what? And so there you are. The Bible doesn't say how it happens, but I don't know, like out of the ground, just here comes Moses, like a beard and staff and tablets. I'm like, I'm Moses. That's Moses. And then next to him, out of the ground, it's like, psh, and there's a guy with a beard and a name tag, says Elijah, I don't know, fire from heaven.

And they're talking with Jesus. This is a really, really big deal. In fact, Luke lets us know that what they're talking about, the Bible says that Moses and Elijah were talking to Jesus about his departure to heaven. Literally, in Greek, the word is Exodus, about Jesus's Exodus. Well, if you know what the Exodus is, if you're kind of in the gifted class, if you go all the way back to the book of Exodus, Moses receives this call from God to go to the Pharaoh and say, let my people go and 10 plagues come and the last plague is called the plague of the firstborn and Moses tells the people of God I want you to take a perfect spotless lamb and shed his blood and put the blood of a lamb on the doorpost of the house because the angel of death is coming

and he is going to pass over whoever has the blood of a lamb on the doorpost of their house and then what God does through this miraculous event is he transfers the people of God who were slaves in Egypt, and then he transfers them into the promised land, and that is what they are talking about. That Jesus is the Exodus. And not only this, if you still got hair left, this ought to blow it back. In Romans chapter 3, Paul says, by works of the law, no one will be justified in his sight, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. And the it that they bear witness to is this righteousness where somebody came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

What's happening on the mountain of transfiguration is the writer of the law, Moses, and the greatest of all the prophets, Elijah, are bearing witness to this alien righteousness that came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. The personification of the whole Bible is standing there on the top of the mountain and Jesus is as bright as the sun and the law and the law and the whole Bible is standing there on the top of the mountain and Jesus is as bright as the sun and the law and the world. The prophets are bearing witness to the Messiah who's come to save us. This is a really big deal. This is a really, really big deal. And I can tell by your golf clap, you don't get it. That's fine. This is the biggest of all big deals.

And so Peter, I love Peter so much. Sometimes people say, why you make fun of Peter so much? I'm not making fun of him. I love him because he's me. So Peter's standing back here. He's watching Jesus' faith. flashlight lightning. He's watching Moses and Elijah bear witness to this alien righteousness. And then Peter's like, this might be a good opportunity for me to say a couple words.

And Peter said, of course he did. And Peter says to Jesus, it is good that we are here. You know what main character syndrome is? You ever meet somebody that puts himself in the center of every story? you ever meet somebody you know what these are called these are called podcasters anyway um where everything in the world has to revolve around them this is what peter does peter is there with moses and elijah talking to the glorified jesus and he thinks you know what i want to let everybody know that i approve of the situation going on here lord it is good that we're here and then he keeps going and he says if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. In fact, Mark, we're going to jump over to Mark 9 in just a little while, and Mark

records these words that Peter says, Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tense, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Verse six, for he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Hey, listen, even if you don't want to, even if you don't know Jesus, you should write this down. When you don't know what to say, just don't. Just don't. Fellas, you ever say something dumb? No amends from any of the wives, please.

Okay, don't listen to this part. Guys, you ever say something dumb? Like, you open your mouth and as it comes, as the dumb leaves your head, you're like, oh, no. Like, I've been sitting in this meeting, and I know everybody thinks I'm an idiot, and I have confirmed all of their suspicions by the words that I just said. And so what do we do, boys? Oh, I said dumb words. I know it will work.

More words. It's not a good idea. It's not a good idea. Versailles says he was still speaking. Like Peter just can't shut up. He's like, no, seriously, I can make tents. Who wants a tent? You want a tent?

I mean, serious, what's your favorite color, Mo? I can put like a tarp over, a little rain guard. It's going to be awesome. We can stay here forever. Now, I think what's happening here, if I give Peter just a little bit of the benefit of the doubt is Peter finds himself in this incredible moment, this experience with the glorified Christ.

And he's like, this is awesome. I want to stay here forever. And listen, I get it, man. He's in this literally this mountaintop moment. And I'm going to confess, I love the mountain top moment. And I hope and pray you have all kind of mountain top moments. I hope and pray when you show up here on a weekend that you experience. The living resurrected Jesus Christ.

I hope you've had those moments. A whole bunch of us work really, really hard to try to remove all the distractions of the world. So that when we gather here in the name of Jesus and make much of the name of Jesus by word and worship, I hope you experience the living Christ. And I know some of you do. Some of you'll come up to me after saturated. And you'd be like, oh, pastor, saturated was so good. I was here every night.

Pastor, let's do 40 days of saturated. I'm like, no, you go kill us, no. Because moments matter, man. Moments matter. And shame on those people that try to diminish what the Bible calls the gathering of the saints. Because listen, man, at all of our campuses and watch it online, when we gather together as the body of Christ to make much of Christ in worship and word, then God manifests himself in a unique way. This is why we end the services the way we do, so you can come down here and get on your face before a holy God. Because what you need is not more information for me, what you need and what I need is a fresh encounter with the living God.

Because it changes everything, man. Everything. But here's the thing, we were not created to just sit and soak up on the mountain. Because Jesus ain't going to stay on the mountain. He's going to go down into the valley where the real ministry is. And in fact, man, if you love those kind of moments, I've got some really good news. This fall, beginning on August the 3rd, we're going to start this thing called Neighborhood Nights. And me and a team of worship leaders and a couple of the campus pastors, I'm going to come preach live at every single campus.

Everyone, from Orlando to Jessup and everyone in between. And what we're doing in these neighborhood nights, man, we're working really, really hard to help us have that kind of clarity of vision, that mountain top moment where we can encounter the, a living God because those moments change everything and we'll be laying out the direction of our church for the next two and a half years. And so check with your campus faster and be there. I want to meet you. I want to pray for you. And these moments matter.

But the reality is we don't stay in that moment forever. We meet with Jesus. We get all filled up so that we can go out into our regular lives down into the valleys that we live in so that we can be poured out for the sake of the gospel. Verse five, and Peter is still speaking. When behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, the voice of the cloud said, this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.

Listen to him. That's Greek for Peter, shut up. That's what that means. I don't know if you've ever realized this, but it's really hard to listen, especially to God when you're doing all the talking. You ever notice that? You ever pray like a dumb,

I know you have because I've been in group with you and we pray like dummies. We'll have this situation in our life and we're like, oh, we need to go to the Lord in prayer. And then our entire prayer time is zero hearing from God and it's 100% filling God in on all the details just in case you don't know. And we talk and we talk and we talk and we talk and we don't spend any time listening. And this is what's key. God says listen to him. I know some of you are walking through it right now, and a part of the reason you're walking through it

is because you're listening to the wrong voices. You've got to listen to Jesus. Too many of us listen to the world. Do not listen to the world. Because you know what the world is trying to do? The world spends billions of dollars a day to bait you down a road that's going to lead to only disappointment and then laugh at you

when you walk down that road. I mean, seriously, Some of you thought you bought a Buick because you were going to be cool as Matthew McConaughey. And you ain't. You buy in to what this world sells us. And then some of us listen to the enemy. Please don't listen to the enemy.

Why? Because he is a liar and all he speaks is lies. Because fear is a liar. And his native language is fear and condemnation. Because every single time you listen to the voice of the enemy, He always wants you to question at least three things in your life. The word of God, the worth of God, and the work of God. Like you'll be reading the Bible, and then God would have the audacity to say something that's a little offensive to you,

and then here comes the enemy, and he's like, did God really say, oh, I know that's what that word says, but that's not what it means. You do, you, boo. That's a lie. He wants you to question the word of God. And he wants you to question the worth of God. You ever get that voice that says, well, God, if you really love me, you'd take better care of me. Are you really worthy of my praise?

And the biggest one of all, he wants you to question the work of God. And you know what the finished work of God is? Is that Jesus died on the cross for you. And then the enemy wants you to be condemned. And he wants you to think that Jesus may have died on the cross for all those good church folks that you're sitting next to. But that didn't count for you. That is a lie of the enemy. And another voice that you listen to all the time, which is terrible,

is quit listening to you. You're the worst prophet in your own life. Has anybody lied to you more than you? Has anybody broken more promises to you than you? You've got to quit listening to you. Because here's the problem, man, when you just have some serious negative talk that does not align with the word of God,

if your mouth says it and your ears hear, your brain is going to believe it, and your heart's going to feel it, and that's dangerous. You've got to quit listening to you and you've got to start preaching to you. and what you've got to start preaching is the word of God. Listen to Jesus.

Let me ask you this. Are you more disciples by the world or the word? And if you spend all of your time, listen, man, if you spend 20, 30 hours a week listening to your favorite paid form news, there is no such thing as a free press anymore. It's all paid for it. And you spend all your time listening to those conspiracy theory podcasts, which listen, they're probably right, they're just early.

And you spend all of your time listening. to your little political echo chamber, and you give one hour a week to listen to the word, no wonder you're all jacked up because you're listening to the wrong voice. He says, this is my son in whom I love. Listen to him. Now, when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and they were terrified. You know where they're terrified? Exodus 19. But they look around and they're like, hey, wait a minute, we have seen this before. that God called Moses to consecrate himself. It took six days, and for all the people to consecrate themselves, and then God tells Moses

in Exodus 19, don't let anybody come up on this mountain or touch this mountain, for I am holy, and if you haven't been invited, I'm going to kill you. And I don't care if it's you or your wife or your servant or your parakeet. If you touch the mountain, it's over for you. And then Moses goes up on Mount Sinai, and the Bible says that a big cloud, see cloud, a big cloud descends, and God begins to spit it. out loud and give Moses the Ten Commandments. And now there's Peter and James and John,

and James and John are looking at Peter and be like, what have you done? You have screwed this whole thing up. Because this big cloud descends on them and says, shut up, behold my son and who mine please, listen to him and they think, we're dead men. And they fall on their faces thinking that they're about to get taken out. When the disciples heard of this, they fell on their faces

and they were terrified, verse seven, but Jesus came and he touched them saying, rise and have no fear. The most commanding thing in the Bible is that, fear not. In the King James version of the Bible, at least 366 times there's some version of do not be afraid, be anxious for nothing, be strong and courageous, have no fear. Why? I don't know about you, but I need every single day of my life, including leap year, to hear this, don't be afraid.

Why? Because perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 410 says this and this is love not that we love him but he first loved us and he sent his son as the propitiation for our sin. Propitiation means a payment that satisfies which means this if you put your faith in Jesus Christ he has paid the full penalty to satisfy the justice of God the law of God the holiness of God which means that God cannot be dissatisfied in you that's really really good news really good news and your sin doesn't define you Jesus does and so Jesus touches him and

He says, rise and have no fear. Verse 8. And when they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus alone. This is how you overcome fear. As you fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith. Listen, I know some of you are walking through some terrible situations. I get it. We're going to spend a lot of time on it here in a second.

But the difference between fear and faith is when you look into the future, who do you see has control? If you fix your eyes on Jesus, the author, and the perfector. That means the beginner and the finisher of our faith, and that's what will happen. You will begin to have faith because you'll know he's in control. If you look into the future and you think your circumstances are in charge, then you better tremble.

When they lifted their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Listen, man. Jesus is the one that when the wind and the waves are overtaking, he can say peace, be still, and they have to listen. Jesus is the one that takes care of the birds. And if he can take care of the birds, don't tell Peter, but you're way more valuable than the birds, and he's got you. Verse 9, and as they were coming down the mountain,

Jesus commanded them, tell no one the vision until the son of man is raised from the dead. Basically what Jesus says is, hey man, keep this to yourself until I pull off Easter because nobody's going to believe this anyway. And then the whole way down, the rest of the mountain, he basically just explains the gospel. Versus 10 in following, he lets him know that the Old Testament said Elijah was going to precede the Lord.

They're like, when's that going to happen? They're like, hey, that's already happened. He was John the Baptist. And then what I want to do is I want to hop over to Mark chapter 9. It's the same event. It's the same event. But Mark is just going to share some different details. Okay?

I don't call these things stories. These are not stories. And the reason I don't like to say Bible story is I don't want you to think flannel graph or veggie tales depending on your age group. This is an actual event. And sometimes Matthew and Mark and Luke and John, they'll show different details, but these are just different angles on the same event. It's like if you watch a football game and then later you see the highlights. Fox News or Fox Sports might show one set of highlights and ESPN might show a different set of highlights. But the game was the game.

And so he's describing the same thing. account, different details. And what's going to happen is they have this mountain top experience where Peter just wants to stay. And then they're going to walk down into the valley and they're going to walk into a mess. Pay attention to this. Often the mess comes right after the mountain top. Not just in our lives, in Jesus' life.

Do you know when Jesus got tempted by the devil for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert? It was right on the heels of his baptism. So the reason that you should pay attention to this, you might be on the mountaintop right now. Praise God, you should give him glory for that. But the valley's coming. And here's what happens in Mark, chapter 9, beginning in verse 14. And when they, that's Jesus, Peter, James, and John, and when they came to the disciples, they were at the bottom of the mountain. And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them.

And the scribes arguing with them, with the disciples. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw them, they saw them. Jesus, they were greatly amazed, and they ran up to him and they greeted him. And Jesus asked them, what are you arguing with them? What are you guys arguing about with them? And nobody's going to answer. It's like this, parents, you ever hear your kids like fighting in the playroom? They're screaming and yelling.

They're like, what are you all fighting about? Like nothing? We're just sharing prayer requests. You little liars? That's what's happening in here. They know they're in trouble, man. They know they're in trouble. Verse 17, and someone from the crowd, Matthew lets us know that it's a dad.

And someone from the crowd, this dad answers Jesus. Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams, and he grinds his teeth, and he becomes rigid. And so I ask your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able. But don't run by this too quick. And here's the thing. Here's the thing. Those of you, the group, you already know how it ends.

So don't jump to the end. I want you to sit in the dad's seat for just a second because here's the thing. This isn't a story, man. This is a real dad. This is a real guy, man. He's got a wife, got a kid, got a job, got a permanent address. His friends call him some nickname. Like, this is a real dad, just like you, just like me.

And he finds himself in a desperate situation. Because this kid is possessed and oppressed by the demonic. And he doesn't know what to do. And he's willing to do whatever it takes. Let me ask you, what would you do for your kid if they needed help? You would do whatever it takes, right? Whatever it takes. And then the dad begins to hear the miracle workers in Galilee.

The miracle workers hanging out by the Sea of Tiberius. And so maybe what if the stories are true? I mean, what if he really can walk on water and feed 20,000 people with a little lunchable? What if he really did resurrect a girl from the dead? Maybe if I can just get my boy to him, maybe he can do something. And here's how you know that he's in a desperate situation. I've said it 10,000 times. There ain't no pain like kid pain.

Amen, mammas and daddies? There ain't no pain like kid pain, man. And I get it. Like if you're a kid, you're young, you just got to have trust me on this one, all right? I mean, you just are. Listen, I get it. If you're a teenager, listen, I know you think you're awesome, you're not awesome. I know you think your parents are dumb, and the reason you think that is because you're dumb.

That's why. It's not your fault. You can't help it. You can't help. You're just young. And one day, when you get to be like 24, you're going to be like, my parents are really smart. They've always been smart. You're finally catching up.

That's what's happening. The reason that there's no pain like kid pain because there's no love like kid love, man. I mean, I love my wife. We've been married 26 years. I'm into her. I told you more than that, it'd make you uncomfortable, all right? I mean, I'm really into her.

And I thought I had maxed out the credit card of love that I have. And then we started having babies, mostly her, but I was there. I was involved. And when JP shows up on the scene, I'm like, what? I didn't, there's like a new gear, you know. My whole Bible began to change. All of a sudden, the prodigal son story, he ain't about the son anymore.

It's about the father in the heart of a father for his lost kid, amen. Everything begins to change. All of a sudden, John 316 means something different for God's soul, love the world he gave his only begotten son. I would give anything for my children. And then, amen, I've told you this before. And then we have the second one, again, mostly Gretchen, but I was there.

And I remember thinking, I couldn't ask anybody this, but I was like, uh-oh, am I going to be able to love the second one like I love the first one because I did not withhold any of the love. I gave all that I had to the first one. Am I got to have anything left for the second one? And then when Reagan Capri was born, seven pounds on the dot, the number of perfection according to the scriptures. And I held that little thing.

And then I began to realize, even though I gave all the love that I have to give to my boy, I still have all the love to give to my girl because love is in an exhaustible resource because God is love. There ain't no pain like kid pain because there ain't no love like kid love. And this dad has tried everything and he finds himself in an utterly desperate situation.

It's a powerless feeling to not be able to help your kids. Like in that video, the dad, Ben, says this. I remember feeling hopeless, Sometimes there's nothing I can do to help Anzley with this. I'm completely powerless for a dad. That's just the toughest thing.

The Bible says hope deferred makes the heart sick. When you find yourself in a hopeless situation. And so this dad hears the miracle workers coming to town and he thinks just maybe, just what if? What if he can actually do what I've heard he can do? What if it's true? What if he really can cast out demons and call him? the winds and the waves, and he shows up with his boy, and he's like, can I see Jesus? And the disciples are like, well, he's not here right now.

See the shiny thing up on the mountain? He's up there. He'll be back in a minute. And so he assumes, well, you're his disciples. You're the Talmudine. You follow in his footsteps, so maybe you can help. And the man's testimony is, but they were not able. And by the time Jesus comes out of the mountain, what happens is, instead,

of helping this man and his son in a desperate situation, they get into some kind of theological, religious denominational fight with the other church leaders. And let me tell you, it's such a sad picture of today's church. Listen, you've heard me say this before, man, I ain't got time to play church. I just ain't got time to play church. And so for all you keyboard warriors and Instagram grifters out there that want to just sit behind your desk and just be critical of every other church and how they're not doing it, it right. I ain't got time to fight with you because I'm here to preach the gospel and serve

you, the people of 1122. And so I got time to fight with people online. Daddy always says this, man, fighting online is like wrestling a pig. Everybody gets dirty and the pig likes it. I ain't got time for that, man. And this is what happens in the church. Everybody's so critical of what everybody else is doing. Listen, man, I did a video about this the other day. I'm just team Jesus. If you're on team, Jesus, I'm with you, and I want to celebrate everything that God is doing at your church, and I hope you would pray and celebrate what God is doing in this church. But not the disciples, man. They miss the whole mark, and Jesus is angry.

Verse 19, and he answered them, oh, faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Matthew says, he says, oh, fateful generation, oh, twisted generation. In Greek, that word twisted is where we get the word. perverted. You have perverted the mission of God. He's like, boys, what are you doing? Don't you remember in Matthew chapter 10? I commissioned you to heal the sin, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead. Well, here it is. What are you doing? And yet you have taken a good gift of God and you have perverted it. And now this boy and this dad is the one

that are dealing with the pain. And so Jesus says, bring him to me. He's talking to the disciples. He ain't mad at the boy in the dad. They're just collateral damage of the church not doing what it's supposed to do. He says, bring him to me. And they brought the boy to him, and when the spirit saw Jesus, immediately it convulsed the boy.

He fell on the ground and he rolled about foaming at the mouth. By the way, one of the things I find incredibly interesting in the scriptures is that the demons are always the first ones to recognize Jesus, and the religious are the last. You know why? Because the demons see him for who he actually is. The king of kings, the Lord of Lords. And the religious people can't see past their own traditions.

And it's the tradition of man that nullifies the Word of God. You know, one of the biggest criticisms that Jesus will get in the Gospels is this. The religious people go, why do you hang out with those people? And he said, what do you mean those people? Those people are why I came. And so listen, man, you show up to 1122. and it ain't quite as buttoned up as your last church. And like a little grimy, it's always going to be grimy.

If you're looking for Country Club church, you're in the wrong place. You're going to be highly disappointed. This thing is an ER for the sick. It is not a cruise liner to just try to entertain people, okay? And so we got all kind of different people with all kind of different junk. And it's led by somebody with all kind of junk in his life. And Jesus asks his father, how long has this been happening to him? And the dad says,

from childhood. Not birth. He didn't say from birth. There's Greek words for birth. He didn't say that. You know what this means? This mom and dad are just like you. If you've got kids,

you bring them home from the hospital, and you look at them, and everything's going good. They got all their fingers and their toes, and their little hair sticks up, and you smell them. A little baby, man, right? And you've got hopes and you've got dreams.

And they begin to progress, and they begin to recognize you, and make little words. No matter what you ask them to say, they say da-da first, because it's creation order. Then they begin to crawl, they begin to walk, right? And then one day in the life of this little boy, someone right, someone right. And you know how it goes. there's anytime there's two parents, there's always one, it's a hypochondriac, and every time the kid does something like, oh, he blinked, and your own WebMD, and you're like, ah, you know.

And then the other parent is like hopelessly optimistic. It's like, there's nothing. No, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. And then one day it's undeniable. And then it gets to the place where he says in verse 22, and it has often cast them into the fire and into the water to destroy him. Let me put this in the context.

If you ever come to Israel with me, take you to the Sea of Galilee. And guess what in the first century would be everywhere? They live by the Sea of Galilee. There's water everywhere. And they don't have microwaves and convection ovens. That means there's open flames all day, every day. So as soon as you finish cooking breakfast, you cook lunch, then you cook dinner.

And so here's what he's saying. Every step of my boy's life, the enemy has only been trying to steal, kill, and destroy my son. every step he takes he's either trying to throw him into the water or throw him into the fire and so in this place of utter desperation I need you to hear the desperation in the voice of the dad

and then he says but if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us why because if it's your kid it's us but if you can do anything the dad is just simply asking for a favor.

He's not trying to make a deal. There's no quid pro quo here. He doesn't come to and say, all right, Jesus, if I do my part, will you pay me back? Like if I support your ministry, how about that? If I make a large donation, then will you bless me? Or maybe if I show up the church three times in a row, maybe then will I be able to be blessed?

That's not what he says. He says, I got nothing to offer. but the desperation that I'm in. And Jesus, if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. And Jesus said to him, I don't think he's being snarky. He's just telling him the truth, if you can.

All things are possible for the one who believes. The way we say it around here, because we have an advantage over this man. If the tomb is empty, anything is possible. Verse 24, and immediately the father of the child cried out. Jesus says, out of the overflow of the heart and the mouth, speaks. So the first thing that comes out of his mouth is this prayer. I believe. Help my unbelief. I believe. I want to believe. I'm here. I think maybe you can. I'm kind of not sure.

I believe and I want to believe. And at the same time as I look around at my circumstances, if I'm honest, and I also got doubts, and I also don't believe, and I'm also not sure. Let me ask you, you ever been there? You ever have a prodigal kid? And you're like, what the heck, God? I know you're not supposed to preach like this. It makes you uncomfortable. That's all right. I don't care.

I ain't got time to play church. You're like, come on, Lord, what the heck? I raised them in church, and I prayed the prayers over them, and now they're gone. You ever go through an unwanted divorce? Like, I stood in an altar, and I promised, and I kept my part. And they didn't. What the heck? You ever have a loved one get canned?

I mean, explain that one to me, man. When good, godly people get cancer. That made no sense to me. I get it. We live in a broken world and God's in charge. I understand all that. But you ever having that place in your heart, I mean, you know, when Ben Williams or OG worship pastor goes down with brain cancer,

I'm like, what do you do? How do you give Christians cancer? If you let me be in charge, no Christians would get cancer, terrorists would get cancer. That's just how I would wire it, you know? you'd be like, I got a plan. I don't feel good. It's because you're a terrorist

and you've got cancer. That's how I would do it. That makes sense. You ever have your prayers not answered? Listen, man, sometimes I pray and see miracles. I mean, in the past few years, I prayed for Ben and Petey and Elizabeth and Amy and Tina, and every single one of them

were healed. Praise God for that. In fact, recently, there were two couples at our church that were struggling with infertility. And I prayed for Steph and Jeremiah and Danielle and Scotty, and the wives are sisters, and you know what, I'm praying that God would make a baby, and then about a few months later, 10 months or whatever,

they show up, and they go, here's what you prayed for. And I'm telling me, I'm getting old, so, like, I get all weepy, and put the men in menopause, and I'm like, oh, my, that's a baby. You know, I love it so much, man. And then sometimes you pray, and then feels like crickets. Have you do that? because listen, man, sometimes, sometimes, I got it all figured out for the Lord. You ever got it figured out for him?

I got it figured out. I'm like, Lord, say yes to this one. I know you can heal. I'm believing that you are. So come on through, Lord. I mean, let me walk into the hospital room and anoint with oil and say, in the name of Jesus, rise up and walk. And we'll walk through, Wolfson's Children's Hospital, and give testimony to Jesus.

And people come to you. Why won't you answer that prayer? I mean, one time in Copernium, you accidentally healed a lady. Like, who touched me? So if you can do that one on an accident, surely you can do this one on purpose. Come on, Lord. I believe. Help my own belief.

This might be the most honest prayer in the whole Bible. Here's what I want you to see. This man brings his true self to Jesus. I believe, kind of, sometimes. And I also don't believe at the same time. can you help me? And here's how Jesus responds. He does not say, depart from me,

oh, faithless one. And when you get your faith level up to big miracle level, then come back and see me, that's not what he does. He's going to hear the man's prayer. It says, when Jesus saw that the crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, you mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again. And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out. and the boy was like a corpse so that most of them said he's dead.

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose. This is the foreshouting of what's going to happen at Easter. And when he had entered at house, the disciples come up to him privately, and I would even say sheepishly. And I said, hey boss, why couldn't we cast it out? Now the Bible wouldn't say this, but I'll say this. Jesus is going to say, this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer. I didn't even see you pray it.

You didn't even try it. In Matthew chapter 10, I gave you authority to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, cast out demons and raise the dead. And yet, when you got right there, you didn't even pray. Let me ask you this, it's prayer for you a first response or last resort. Like if the Holy Spirit left your house, how long would it take you to notice? You're just trying to raise your family on good, moral, conservative principles, without the power of the Spirit of God.

You see, I think the point of the passage is this, that God doesn't reveal himself to us so that we can just sit and soak in the mountaintop experience, but he fills us up so that we can be sent and served down in the valleys where people need to help the most. And so maybe, I know, with the amount of people that show up here and listen, I know some of you are right where the dad is right now.

You've got a serious need. You got a prodigal kid. you got a financial situation you're struggling with infertility I hate that one man and I get it I get it we live in a broken world and all that stuff but I just it's such a head scratcher

for me I don't understand I know this is politically incorrect but welcome to 1122 I'm like Lord please help me understand this the most unqualified humans can't stop making babies and this sweet Christian couple over here just wants to make a little disciple

What are we doing? This is a good desire. Maybe some of you are lonely. And you know that Jesus is enough, but you just want to share your life with somebody. You want to join together in marriage to the glory of God. You doesn't seem to be answering that one, or you've got a health issue.

And you believe that scans coming up, and you're waiting for the results, and the circumstances kind of make you not believe, too. Or you're gripped with fear. you got an unbreakable addiction so what do you do about this man got a besetting sin you don't want to do the thing anymore

on a Sunday morning in church but Tuesday night by yourself it's the only thing you could think about and you're like Lord I believe but help my unbelief so what do you do Jesus says this God can only be

cast out in prayer what's really cool is the way Matthew ends it as Matthew records, the disciples say, hey boss, how come we couldn't cast it out? And Jesus says, because of your little faith, and you might think, well, that's all I got is just a little bit of faith. Jesus is going to say, perfect. That's all I need.

He says, because of your little faith, for truly I say to you, if you have faith like the grain of a mustard seed, you'll say to this mountain move from here to there, and nothing will be impossible for you. because it is not the amount of faith, see the dad in Mark 9, it is the object of your faith that matters. So a tiny little bit of itsy, bitsy, teeny, weenie, I believe, help me overcome my unbelief and the almighty, all-powerful, infinite God is infinitely more powerful than putting all of

your hopes and dreams and faith in the temporary circumstances of this world. So maybe that's you. Maybe you have a need. God already knows it. So what are we going to do? We're going to pray. and we're going to praise. James chapter 5.

James, the brother of Jesus. James don't play no games, man. I think it's because he grew up with Jesus. You know what I mean? When people ask Jesus a question, he'd be like, well, it's like a story of a farmer and some birds and, you know, they're like, what? So James is like, I'm just going to put this on the bottom shelf.

James says, is anyone among you suffering? Some of you are suffering, man. With physical issues, relational issues, mental issues, spiritual issues. Says, is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. So I'm going to ask for our prayer and anointers to come forward right now. Because this is what James says to do.

Then he also says this, anyone cheerful? Because listen, man, some of you are crushing it right now. Praise God. You don't have to come in here and be miserable. Just because other people are going through pain. Then he's got a word for us too. Let him sing praise. So as we close this service, we're going to have prayers and praisers.

That's what we're going to have. And everybody in the seats, we're going to lift our hands. And we're going to sing praises of prayer over all of the people that are being prayed for. Then he says, is anyone among you sick? And again, that could be physically, spiritually, relationally, financially, financially. So let him call for the elders of the church. So let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. That's why we do this.

I'm not a faith either. I'm just a Bible believer. The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. And that's what we're going to pray for. We're going to pray for healing. Heart, soul, mind, and strength.

So I would invite you to stand up. And if you know that you know that you're like the dad, regardless of your situation, and a temptation of the enemy is to think your deal is not a big deal as compared to somebody else's deal. Your deal is a big deal to God because you're a big deal to God. Anyone among you sick, anyone among you suffering, financially, relationally, physically, mentally, spiritually, then we are going to pray. And if you would have the faith of this dad, if you would have the faith the size of a mustard seed to come to Jesus and say, If you can, will you help us?

Then I'm going to invite you to pray. You can go ahead and start moving right now. And if you're not going to come forward, then you better sing with both hands up and tell your face to look like you're saved. And you better sing every single word of this with all that you've got because it matters more than anything. Our good and gracious heavenly, Father, God, we love you more than anything. And God, I thank you that you are the God that heals. And, God, we're not chasing miracles.

We're chasing the maker of the miracles. And Lord, may we be able to say it is well with my soul. And God, I pray that demons will be cast out. I pray that prodigals would be coming home. I pray that bodies would be healed. I pray that peace would rule and reign and fear and anxiety would flee. Lord, the enemy has no stake in this game because you rule and you reign. And I pray that we would experience the kingdom of heaven in this moment.

And I pray it in Jesus' name, amen. Won't you come?