1 00:00:29,939 --> 00:00:31,859 Brother Johnson, and he had video and. 2 00:00:31,859 --> 00:00:33,539 Then he'll be preaching to us tonight. 3 00:00:38,659 --> 00:00:41,099 Well, thank you guys for having us and thank you, Pastor, 4 00:00:41,099 --> 00:00:42,499 for giving us the opportunity. 5 00:00:42,499 --> 00:00:45,419 We were certainly excited whenever we were able to be able 6 00:00:45,419 --> 00:00:46,099 to come here. 7 00:00:46,659 --> 00:00:50,179 And so I think at this time, I'll probably just have the video 8 00:00:50,499 --> 00:00:53,139 played and then I'll come up and say a few more things and then 9 00:00:53,459 --> 00:00:54,779 we'll get into the message. 10 00:00:54,779 --> 00:00:55,319 So thank you. 11 00:00:55,389 --> 00:00:55,949 Thank you so much. 12 00:01:12,189 --> 00:01:17,589 Imagine a place where there is one way to go and it is the wrong 13 00:01:17,589 --> 00:01:17,949 way. 14 00:01:18,909 --> 00:01:23,159 And imagine a place where there is no other option. 15 00:01:24,599 --> 00:01:29,559 Imagine being in a location where there is virtually no witness 16 00:01:29,559 --> 00:01:31,239 of the true and living God. 17 00:01:32,519 --> 00:01:34,679 Such is the nation of Spain. 18 00:01:35,879 --> 00:01:39,839 Millions upon millions of people are in utter darkness in this 19 00:01:39,839 --> 00:01:40,199 country. 20 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:46,689 Europe used to be at one point the leader in world missions, but 21 00:01:46,689 --> 00:01:51,089 now most of the people are either Catholic or atheistic. 22 00:01:53,009 --> 00:01:57,889 A coldness to the gospel floats over the area like a disease. 23 00:01:59,649 --> 00:02:03,609 The Nathaniel Johnson family is determined to give the people 24 00:02:03,609 --> 00:02:07,009 of Spain a chance to hear the gospel. 25 00:02:18,609 --> 00:02:21,769 Hi, we are the Johnson family, sent out of Arden Road Baptist Church 26 00:02:21,769 --> 00:02:23,169 in Amarillo, Texas. 27 00:02:23,729 --> 00:02:27,329 My lovely wife, Millie, is a daughter of Pastor Erin Denson. 28 00:02:28,049 --> 00:02:31,249 From a young age, I have felt the calling of missions in my life. 29 00:02:31,729 --> 00:02:34,889 I surrendered to that calling at the age of 12, and I have endeavored 30 00:02:34,889 --> 00:02:37,609 to heed that calling through the taking of mission trips and by 31 00:02:37,609 --> 00:02:40,369 going to Heartland Baptist Bible College to prepare for ministry. 32 00:02:40,769 --> 00:02:43,289 Millie felt that call to missions during a mission trip in 33 00:02:43,289 --> 00:02:44,929 Spain at the young age of 5 15. 34 00:02:51,409 --> 00:02:56,369 Spain is a beautiful and historic country located in the southwestern 35 00:02:56,369 --> 00:02:57,409 portion of Europe. 36 00:02:59,009 --> 00:03:03,529 Spain's capital is Madrid, and the country has several other cities 37 00:03:03,529 --> 00:03:06,689 as well, with populations of a million or more. 38 00:03:07,889 --> 00:03:11,489 Spain at one point was really a leader of the world. 39 00:03:12,289 --> 00:03:16,889 During the age of discovery, Spain led the exploration of the 40 00:03:16,889 --> 00:03:17,489 new World. 41 00:03:18,369 --> 00:03:21,809 Today, Spain is part of the European Union. 42 00:03:22,129 --> 00:03:26,609 Spain's politics involve a king as well as a prime minister, 43 00:03:27,329 --> 00:03:29,649 and it is considered a democracy. 44 00:03:31,329 --> 00:03:35,369 Despite some relative freedom, there remains deep in the hearts 45 00:03:35,369 --> 00:03:40,039 of millions of Spaniards, the need of something other than the 46 00:03:40,039 --> 00:03:42,359 dead bones of Catholicism. 47 00:03:43,479 --> 00:03:48,439 Although many in Spain may not admit this, the influence of atheism 48 00:03:48,919 --> 00:03:53,919 as well as a sort of mushing together of other religions is beginning 49 00:03:53,919 --> 00:03:54,359 to grow. 50 00:03:55,319 --> 00:04:01,599 About 61% of Spaniards claim Catholicism as their religion, while 51 00:04:01,599 --> 00:04:05,269 35% adhere to no religion at all. 52 00:04:06,069 --> 00:04:10,229 Only 4% would claim to be for another religion. 53 00:04:10,469 --> 00:04:16,389 And of that 4%, only 1.6% are evangelical Christians. 54 00:04:17,749 --> 00:04:22,229 Despite its beauty and history, Spain is without a clear 55 00:04:22,549 --> 00:04:23,669 gospel witness. 56 00:04:24,149 --> 00:04:26,949 It is a nation starving to death. 57 00:04:27,669 --> 00:04:28,389 Spiritually. 58 00:04:30,909 --> 00:04:34,589 The city the Johnsons are praying about reaching is Valencia, 59 00:04:34,909 --> 00:04:39,149 a metropolis of two and a half million people on the eastern coast 60 00:04:39,149 --> 00:04:41,949 of Spain facing the Mediterranean. 61 00:04:42,909 --> 00:04:48,029 Despite being a prospering city with world class hotels, large 62 00:04:48,109 --> 00:04:53,349 museums and a myriad of things to do for tourists, the one thing 63 00:04:53,349 --> 00:04:58,109 Valencia lacks is is an independent Baptist church in the 64 00:04:58,109 --> 00:04:58,909 urban area. 65 00:04:59,709 --> 00:05:04,949 The Johnsons want to help correct this as the Lord provides 66 00:05:04,949 --> 00:05:05,789 and directs. 67 00:05:05,789 --> 00:05:09,869 The Johnsons will be traveling to Madrid to begin training under 68 00:05:09,869 --> 00:05:11,309 a veteran missionary. 69 00:05:12,029 --> 00:05:15,469 Our plan is to arrive in Spain towards the beginning of 2026. 70 00:05:15,949 --> 00:05:18,869 We will be working with and training under the veteran missionary 71 00:05:18,869 --> 00:05:20,269 Jack and Joy Loveday family. 72 00:05:21,879 --> 00:05:23,879 We will be helping there in the original church plant in the 73 00:05:23,879 --> 00:05:24,759 heart of Madrid. 74 00:05:24,919 --> 00:05:28,079 And we feel very burdened for saturating churches in the inner 75 00:05:28,079 --> 00:05:28,359 city. 76 00:05:28,919 --> 00:05:32,119 Our goals are to help in the church, enroll in language school 77 00:05:32,519 --> 00:05:34,039 and help in the camp ministry. 78 00:05:34,359 --> 00:05:39,239 Their camp ministry is most of the summer and has over 80 kids and 79 00:05:39,239 --> 00:05:41,719 teens from throughout the country every week. 80 00:05:42,039 --> 00:05:44,879 It is a great opportunity to minister and to meet other missionaries 81 00:05:44,879 --> 00:05:45,399 in the country. 82 00:05:46,289 --> 00:05:48,969 We also helped to help another missionary in the country start a 83 00:05:48,969 --> 00:05:52,009 brand new church in Leon, Spain during the tail end of our 84 00:05:52,009 --> 00:05:52,689 internship. 85 00:05:53,089 --> 00:05:56,129 We then hope to return to the States and raise ministry funds. 86 00:05:56,609 --> 00:06:00,209 And then after that we hope to return to Spain to start churches 87 00:06:00,209 --> 00:06:00,409 of. 88 00:06:00,409 --> 00:06:02,929 Our own like Valencia. 89 00:06:03,009 --> 00:06:07,129 There are cities all over Spain in desperate need of just an 90 00:06:07,129 --> 00:06:11,409 opportunity to be told of the deception of the Catholic Church 91 00:06:12,379 --> 00:06:17,659 and of the freedom found in Jesus Christ by God's grace. 92 00:06:17,979 --> 00:06:21,659 Nathaniel and Millie Johnson want to meet this need. 93 00:06:22,379 --> 00:06:24,139 Here is what you can do. 94 00:06:24,699 --> 00:06:28,259 We ask you to pray for us as we endeavor to reach Spain with the 95 00:06:28,259 --> 00:06:30,779 Gospel and for the glory of God. 96 00:06:32,059 --> 00:06:36,539 Many die in heathen lands. 97 00:06:36,699 --> 00:06:39,339 Many dine next door. 98 00:06:41,059 --> 00:06:47,539 Millions die who never heard the love of Christ before. 99 00:06:49,219 --> 00:06:56,739 They need someone to tell them that he died to take their place. 100 00:06:58,099 --> 00:07:04,099 They need someone to tell them of his mercy. 101 00:07:04,259 --> 00:07:05,459 Love in grace. 102 00:07:09,319 --> 00:07:11,559 Lord, take my heart. 103 00:07:12,759 --> 00:07:16,519 I place it in your hands. 104 00:07:17,079 --> 00:07:23,319 Lord, break my heart if that's what's in your plan. 105 00:07:24,679 --> 00:07:37,019 Whatever you have to do to take full control Lord, give me your 106 00:07:37,259 --> 00:07:42,619 heart for souls. 107 00:07:43,339 --> 00:07:57,339 Whatever you have to do to take full control Lord, give me your 108 00:07:57,819 --> 00:08:01,139 heart O for soul. 109 00:08:14,899 --> 00:08:18,539 I made that while I was still in college and so there's a few updates. 110 00:08:18,539 --> 00:08:21,939 We are planning on leaving towards the beginning of April or 111 00:08:22,099 --> 00:08:23,219 the end of April actually. 112 00:08:23,299 --> 00:08:24,619 We're just waiting on our visas. 113 00:08:24,619 --> 00:08:26,659 We're working on that right now. 114 00:08:44,419 --> 00:08:45,459 I think it's working now. 115 00:08:46,819 --> 00:08:47,699 Sorry about that. 116 00:08:49,059 --> 00:08:51,979 But as I was saying, so we are planning leaving towards the end 117 00:08:51,979 --> 00:08:52,419 of April. 118 00:08:52,659 --> 00:08:55,709 And if you just pray for us about our visas, you probably understand 119 00:08:55,709 --> 00:08:57,869 some of the bureaucracy and things that go in there. 120 00:08:58,109 --> 00:08:59,949 And so we've got everything turned in. 121 00:09:00,109 --> 00:09:01,189 Into Spain now. 122 00:09:01,189 --> 00:09:04,309 We have to turn in some things to the Houston consulate and just 123 00:09:04,309 --> 00:09:05,269 wait for that to be approved. 124 00:09:05,269 --> 00:09:07,989 And so we are looking for an apartment and things like that. 125 00:09:07,989 --> 00:09:09,749 The missionaries we'll be working with, they've been there 126 00:09:09,749 --> 00:09:13,109 for 43 years, so I think that's a testament to their faithfulness. 127 00:09:13,109 --> 00:09:16,469 And they started several churches and they run the camp ministry 128 00:09:16,469 --> 00:09:16,749 there. 129 00:09:17,229 --> 00:09:19,389 And the camp ministry, it's every other week. 130 00:09:19,789 --> 00:09:22,949 And they literally bring in all these teenagers and kids on the 131 00:09:22,949 --> 00:09:27,509 train system, and they bus them out there from there, and they 132 00:09:27,509 --> 00:09:30,189 have them there and they preach to them and they learn about 133 00:09:30,189 --> 00:09:30,949 the word of God. 134 00:09:31,029 --> 00:09:34,189 And many of the preachers that are taking over and starting churches 135 00:09:34,189 --> 00:09:37,149 that are nationals have gone up and grown up in that camp. 136 00:09:37,149 --> 00:09:38,469 And so we're really excited about. 137 00:09:50,159 --> 00:09:51,279 I think this is dying. 138 00:09:52,079 --> 00:09:53,119 I can just use this. 139 00:09:53,279 --> 00:09:54,239 I can just use this. 140 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:56,319 Be perfect. 141 00:09:56,319 --> 00:09:57,039 Sorry about that. 142 00:09:58,239 --> 00:10:01,279 And so if you would just pray for the camp ministry. 143 00:10:01,439 --> 00:10:06,439 And then also if you would just, you know, people ask us a lot 144 00:10:06,439 --> 00:10:08,879 of times, you know, well, what can we pray for you specifically 145 00:10:08,879 --> 00:10:09,199 about? 146 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,399 And of course, visa needs, financial needs, things like that. 147 00:10:13,399 --> 00:10:16,479 But really, I think that if you come across our prayer card or 148 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,189 you think of us, we want you to pray for the people of Spain, 149 00:10:19,429 --> 00:10:21,989 because me and my wife know where we're going to spend eternity, 150 00:10:22,389 --> 00:10:23,829 but the people of Spain do not. 151 00:10:23,829 --> 00:10:24,349 And if I. 152 00:10:24,349 --> 00:10:26,829 If I could put it this way, they're really living and dying without 153 00:10:26,829 --> 00:10:28,229 ever encountering the truth. 154 00:10:28,709 --> 00:10:32,989 The city we're planning on getting to, after we serve and learn 155 00:10:32,989 --> 00:10:35,509 the language, we will come back, have a few more meetings, renew 156 00:10:35,509 --> 00:10:38,549 our visas, and then we'll move everything down to Valencia. 157 00:10:39,029 --> 00:10:42,189 And you're talking about two and a half million people and not 158 00:10:42,189 --> 00:10:44,629 a single independent Baptist missionary in the city. 159 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:46,999 And we do. 160 00:10:46,999 --> 00:10:50,959 We found out about one church that we believe is preaching the 161 00:10:50,959 --> 00:10:54,359 gospel, but outside of that, we don't know of anyone. 162 00:10:54,919 --> 00:10:57,559 And so they need someone to go and tell. 163 00:10:58,119 --> 00:11:01,679 And if you think of it this way, if you go out in Fort Worth 164 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,639 area or in really most places in the United States, and you invite 165 00:11:04,639 --> 00:11:05,279 people to church, right? 166 00:11:05,279 --> 00:11:07,239 You give them a gospel tract and you say, hey, will you come to 167 00:11:07,239 --> 00:11:07,879 church with me? 168 00:11:08,359 --> 00:11:10,639 One of their first questions is, well, what kind of church do 169 00:11:10,639 --> 00:11:11,079 you go to? 170 00:11:11,079 --> 00:11:11,399 Right. 171 00:11:12,849 --> 00:11:14,689 Often I find that to be anyways. 172 00:11:14,929 --> 00:11:17,689 And it's because we, as Americans, we're accustomed to choosing, 173 00:11:17,689 --> 00:11:21,889 we're accustomed to different things and we understand that. 174 00:11:21,889 --> 00:11:26,289 But over there, the only choice really is Catholicism. 175 00:11:26,529 --> 00:11:29,529 And so if you go there and you hand someone a tractor, you invite 176 00:11:29,529 --> 00:11:31,329 them to church, they don't. 177 00:11:31,329 --> 00:11:34,129 They assume that the church you're talking about with Catholicism 178 00:11:35,249 --> 00:11:37,409 and outside of that, it's really atheism. 179 00:11:38,499 --> 00:11:40,699 And so we just want to give these people an opportunity. 180 00:11:40,699 --> 00:11:42,499 And you say, well, what's wrong with that? 181 00:11:42,499 --> 00:11:46,299 Well, the Catholic Church there and widespread, they teach 182 00:11:46,299 --> 00:11:49,699 work, salvation there, it's very sacrament based. 183 00:11:49,699 --> 00:11:53,299 And so they're all about, you know, you go into a church, you see 184 00:11:53,299 --> 00:11:56,619 people paying to have prayers made up for them and you see people 185 00:11:56,619 --> 00:12:00,539 paying to have literally holy water sprinkled on them as if that's 186 00:12:00,539 --> 00:12:01,539 going to change their life. 187 00:12:01,939 --> 00:12:03,859 But the only thing that's really going to change their lives 188 00:12:03,859 --> 00:12:05,219 is the person of Jesus Christ. 189 00:12:06,049 --> 00:12:09,689 And they believe in a person of Jesus, but they don't believe 190 00:12:09,689 --> 00:12:12,329 in the Jesus of the Bible because the Jesus of the Bible provides 191 00:12:12,329 --> 00:12:14,849 salvation once and for all. 192 00:12:15,009 --> 00:12:16,369 It's not something that we do. 193 00:12:16,529 --> 00:12:20,649 We accept him one time and then we're saved, right? 194 00:12:20,649 --> 00:12:22,689 And I mean, thank the Lord for eternal security. 195 00:12:23,409 --> 00:12:24,369 It's such a blessing. 196 00:12:24,369 --> 00:12:25,289 And they don't have that. 197 00:12:25,289 --> 00:12:26,129 They live in fear. 198 00:12:27,569 --> 00:12:33,089 Even the most diligent Catholic you will find if you ask 199 00:12:33,089 --> 00:12:35,329 them, dead to their face, they say, do you know that you'll spend 200 00:12:35,329 --> 00:12:36,369 an eternity in heaven? 201 00:12:36,629 --> 00:12:37,989 They would say, well, how could we know? 202 00:12:38,549 --> 00:12:39,509 How could we know? 203 00:12:40,949 --> 00:12:42,069 And that's sad to me. 204 00:12:42,229 --> 00:12:46,109 And so we just want to go and show them what the Bible says and 205 00:12:46,109 --> 00:12:47,509 see what the Lord's going to do about that. 206 00:12:47,749 --> 00:12:50,389 And so we're excited to be with you guys and we're excited to 207 00:12:50,469 --> 00:12:52,229 share a little bit about what's going on. 208 00:12:52,309 --> 00:12:54,949 It's a little bit of, I know it's a bummer it's Super Bowl Sunday, 209 00:12:54,949 --> 00:12:55,349 right? 210 00:12:56,069 --> 00:12:58,389 But last I checked, I don't think the Dallas Cowboys are playing 211 00:12:58,389 --> 00:12:58,789 in it. 212 00:12:58,789 --> 00:13:02,069 So we should be perfectly fine and not a problem at all. 213 00:13:02,429 --> 00:13:04,109 I told him earlier, I said, I'm going to have to keep looking 214 00:13:04,109 --> 00:13:06,309 back here and seeing if they're playing on the TV behind 215 00:13:06,309 --> 00:13:06,549 me. 216 00:13:06,549 --> 00:13:09,149 And so if I see all the eyes back there, I know what's going on. 217 00:13:10,189 --> 00:13:12,229 But no, I honestly, it's funny. 218 00:13:12,229 --> 00:13:14,189 I was talking to the missionary we'll be working with, 219 00:13:14,189 --> 00:13:17,549 I think it was yesterday or maybe Friday, and he was telling 220 00:13:17,549 --> 00:13:18,949 me, he's like, yeah, it's great over here. 221 00:13:18,949 --> 00:13:20,349 The super bowl is not until midnight. 222 00:13:20,349 --> 00:13:22,549 And so, you know, you get done with all your services and then you 223 00:13:22,549 --> 00:13:23,469 watch the Super Bowl. 224 00:13:23,469 --> 00:13:24,869 And I was like, well, that's neat. 225 00:13:24,869 --> 00:13:26,269 But honestly, I hate both teams. 226 00:13:26,269 --> 00:13:28,109 And so if they could both lose, that would be great. 227 00:13:28,269 --> 00:13:30,679 So we'll just hope for that, right? 228 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:31,999 And then we're going to have a great service. 229 00:13:32,319 --> 00:13:35,039 So if you turn your Bibles to Mark, Chapter five. 230 00:13:35,199 --> 00:13:36,479 Mark, Chapter five. 231 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:40,119 And while you're turning there, I want to share with you a 232 00:13:40,119 --> 00:13:40,719 quick poem. 233 00:13:40,799 --> 00:13:44,639 This doesn't necessarily have much to do with my sermon, but I 234 00:13:44,639 --> 00:13:48,039 think it helps us maybe catch a glimpse of the need for missions, 235 00:13:48,039 --> 00:13:48,319 right? 236 00:13:48,319 --> 00:13:50,759 And what's going on maybe in the world. 237 00:13:50,759 --> 00:13:54,199 And I look around and I see a church that, you know, you've got 238 00:13:54,199 --> 00:13:55,439 flags up and you've got. 239 00:13:56,219 --> 00:13:59,579 You've got missionary prayer letters and a church that loves missions, 240 00:13:59,579 --> 00:14:02,299 no doubt, and a church that understands what missions is about. 241 00:14:03,659 --> 00:14:06,139 And so I think you'll maybe understand and resonate a little 242 00:14:06,139 --> 00:14:07,019 bit with this poem. 243 00:14:07,179 --> 00:14:09,219 And it's called the Disappearing Missionaries. 244 00:14:09,219 --> 00:14:12,219 And we see it in Spain, but really we see it around the world 245 00:14:12,219 --> 00:14:13,739 and even in the United States. 246 00:14:13,739 --> 00:14:15,259 But it goes like this. 247 00:14:15,259 --> 00:14:18,739 Ten potential missionaries heard God's call divine One didn't 248 00:14:18,739 --> 00:14:22,389 count the cost and then there were nine Nine eager missionaries 249 00:14:22,389 --> 00:14:25,469 burdened about the world's fate One was convinced you're too 250 00:14:25,469 --> 00:14:29,069 old and then there were eight Eight studying missionaries learned 251 00:14:29,069 --> 00:14:32,429 to preach of heaven mom and dad said, not with my grandkids and 252 00:14:32,429 --> 00:14:33,349 then there were seven. 253 00:14:33,669 --> 00:14:37,148 Seven sincere missionaries headed for the sticks One couldn't 254 00:14:37,148 --> 00:14:39,189 raise his support and then there were six. 255 00:14:39,589 --> 00:14:43,469 Six anxious missionaries eager to arrive One got discouraged waiting 256 00:14:43,469 --> 00:14:45,429 on his visa and then there were five. 257 00:14:45,909 --> 00:14:49,599 Five idealist missionaries landed on foreign shores One suffered 258 00:14:49,599 --> 00:14:51,479 culture shock and then there were four. 259 00:14:51,799 --> 00:14:54,879 Four determined missionaries Busy as they could be One couldn't 260 00:14:54,879 --> 00:14:58,039 keep his marriage together and then there were three Three weary 261 00:14:58,039 --> 00:15:01,519 missionaries trying not to be blue One didn't return from furlough 262 00:15:01,519 --> 00:15:02,599 and then there were two. 263 00:15:03,079 --> 00:15:06,719 Two seasoned missionaries Praising God for what he's done One 264 00:15:06,719 --> 00:15:10,719 was called to glory and now there's only one One age missionary 265 00:15:10,719 --> 00:15:14,239 thanked the Lord for him his eyes fixed on Jesus he hasn't let 266 00:15:14,239 --> 00:15:17,689 the vision dim One lonely missionary his days of remaining 267 00:15:17,689 --> 00:15:20,049 shrink so few who will go and help him? 268 00:15:20,049 --> 00:15:21,929 Who will go will you? 269 00:15:22,729 --> 00:15:25,609 And it's very true in Spain and Europe and really across the 270 00:15:25,609 --> 00:15:25,809 world. 271 00:15:25,809 --> 00:15:28,289 And, you know, we try to keep in contact with the love days. 272 00:15:28,289 --> 00:15:30,249 And they said that often they're the sponsor. 273 00:15:30,249 --> 00:15:32,409 You have to have a sponsor if you get a religious visa in the country. 274 00:15:32,649 --> 00:15:36,209 And so a lot of missionaries come to them seeking sponsorship, 275 00:15:36,209 --> 00:15:38,329 not necessarily to even work with them, but just to get their 276 00:15:38,329 --> 00:15:40,089 paperwork approved to get into the country. 277 00:15:40,409 --> 00:15:43,729 And they said that they really stopped counting about 35 missionaries 278 00:15:43,729 --> 00:15:44,889 who have come and gone. 279 00:15:45,749 --> 00:15:48,789 And I'm not saying that all the reasoning is bad there. 280 00:15:48,789 --> 00:15:49,989 Obviously, the Lord moves people. 281 00:15:49,989 --> 00:15:50,869 I understand that. 282 00:15:51,349 --> 00:15:54,549 But I will say that there's a lot of people that don't stick with 283 00:15:54,549 --> 00:15:54,869 it. 284 00:15:55,029 --> 00:15:59,829 And I think the Lord definitely is happy when we're faithful 285 00:16:00,469 --> 00:16:01,829 to what he calls us to do. 286 00:16:01,909 --> 00:16:04,429 And the people of Spain need some people that'll go and just be 287 00:16:04,429 --> 00:16:04,869 faithful. 288 00:16:06,629 --> 00:16:09,029 And, you know, our heart really is any church we're in. 289 00:16:09,109 --> 00:16:12,459 We want to just burden people about the need of world missions 290 00:16:12,619 --> 00:16:17,579 and to burden young people to say that, you know, there needs to 291 00:16:17,579 --> 00:16:20,099 be another generation that rises up. 292 00:16:20,099 --> 00:16:22,099 We haven't seen a lot of missionaries our age that are on 293 00:16:22,099 --> 00:16:22,779 deputation. 294 00:16:22,939 --> 00:16:25,979 We've really ran only into maybe two that are about our age 295 00:16:25,979 --> 00:16:27,739 that are looking to go. 296 00:16:27,819 --> 00:16:30,259 And there's a lot of older missionaries that are coming off 297 00:16:30,259 --> 00:16:34,899 the field, and they need some new people to go and to try to fill 298 00:16:34,899 --> 00:16:38,299 in those shoes and to do what the Lord wants in their lives. 299 00:16:38,619 --> 00:16:40,379 And so I'd like to encourage you in that way. 300 00:16:40,379 --> 00:16:41,459 But Mark, chapter five. 301 00:16:41,459 --> 00:16:42,459 Mark, chapter five. 302 00:16:43,649 --> 00:16:48,289 And I won't be long tonight, obviously, so you can go watch the 303 00:16:48,289 --> 00:16:52,409 ball game, I guess, but I am going to take the time. 304 00:16:52,409 --> 00:16:57,169 We're going to be looking at 20 verses, and I don't know what 305 00:16:57,169 --> 00:17:00,089 you're willing and accustomed to doing, but if you would please 306 00:17:00,089 --> 00:17:02,089 stand for the honor and the reading of God's word, I will go 307 00:17:02,089 --> 00:17:03,569 ahead and read the verses. 308 00:17:03,569 --> 00:17:05,649 I think it's important that we get a sense of what's going on. 309 00:17:05,649 --> 00:17:09,239 But I will read super fast if you listen super fast, and we'll 310 00:17:09,239 --> 00:17:09,879 be on our way. 311 00:17:09,959 --> 00:17:10,959 And let's start in verse one. 312 00:17:10,959 --> 00:17:13,199 And they came over into the other side of the sea, into the country 313 00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:13,959 of the Gadarenes. 314 00:17:13,959 --> 00:17:16,239 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him 315 00:17:16,239 --> 00:17:20,279 out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit who had his dwelling 316 00:17:20,279 --> 00:17:20,959 among the tombs. 317 00:17:20,959 --> 00:17:23,519 And no man combines him, no, not with chains, because that he 318 00:17:23,519 --> 00:17:26,279 had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains 319 00:17:26,279 --> 00:17:28,919 had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. 320 00:17:28,919 --> 00:17:30,439 Neither could any man tame him. 321 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:33,639 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, 322 00:17:33,639 --> 00:17:35,399 crying and cutting himself with stones. 323 00:17:35,449 --> 00:17:35,609 And. 324 00:17:35,758 --> 00:17:38,838 But when he saw Jesus afar Off he ran and worshiped him and cried 325 00:17:38,838 --> 00:17:41,518 with a loud voice and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus? 326 00:17:41,598 --> 00:17:42,998 Thou son of the Most High God? 327 00:17:42,998 --> 00:17:45,198 I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not. 328 00:17:45,358 --> 00:17:48,038 For he said unto him, come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 329 00:17:48,038 --> 00:17:49,158 And he said, what is thy name? 330 00:17:49,158 --> 00:17:51,598 And he answered, saying, my name is Legion, for we are many. 331 00:17:51,758 --> 00:17:54,598 And besought him much that he would not send them away out of the 332 00:17:54,598 --> 00:17:54,878 country. 333 00:17:55,118 --> 00:17:57,718 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine 334 00:17:57,718 --> 00:17:58,078 feeding. 335 00:17:58,078 --> 00:18:00,798 And all the devils besought him, saying, send us into the swine 336 00:18:00,878 --> 00:18:02,398 that we may enter into them. 337 00:18:02,789 --> 00:18:04,429 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. 338 00:18:04,429 --> 00:18:06,949 And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine. 339 00:18:07,029 --> 00:18:09,629 And the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea. 340 00:18:09,629 --> 00:18:12,309 They were about 2,000 and were choked in the sea. 341 00:18:12,389 --> 00:18:15,109 And they that fed the swine fled and told it in the city and 342 00:18:15,109 --> 00:18:15,629 in the country. 343 00:18:15,629 --> 00:18:17,589 And they went out to see what it was that was done. 344 00:18:17,669 --> 00:18:20,269 And they come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil 345 00:18:20,269 --> 00:18:22,949 and had the Legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind. 346 00:18:22,949 --> 00:18:24,069 And they were afraid. 347 00:18:24,149 --> 00:18:27,029 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed 348 00:18:27,029 --> 00:18:28,869 with the devil and also concerning the swine. 349 00:18:29,389 --> 00:18:31,869 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 350 00:18:31,869 --> 00:18:34,269 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed 351 00:18:34,269 --> 00:18:37,669 with the devil prayed him that he might be with them, howbeit Jesus 352 00:18:37,669 --> 00:18:38,429 suffered him not. 353 00:18:38,509 --> 00:18:41,709 But saith unto him, go home to thy friends and tell them how great 354 00:18:41,709 --> 00:18:44,989 things the Lord hath done for thee and have had compassion on thee. 355 00:18:45,068 --> 00:18:49,109 And he departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great things 356 00:18:49,109 --> 00:18:51,709 Jesus had done for him and all men did marvel. 357 00:18:51,709 --> 00:18:52,349 You may be seated. 358 00:18:52,349 --> 00:18:52,909 Let's pray. 359 00:18:52,909 --> 00:18:54,389 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. 360 00:18:54,389 --> 00:18:56,149 Thank for the opportunity to come into your house, Lord. 361 00:18:56,149 --> 00:18:59,199 I just ask that you would allow your word to speak to us, Lord, 362 00:18:59,199 --> 00:19:01,679 and allow us to be sensitive to your spirit, because we know you 363 00:19:01,679 --> 00:19:03,679 want to speak, Lord, and you want to move. 364 00:19:03,679 --> 00:19:05,959 Lord, I ask that you be with all the missionaries around the world 365 00:19:05,959 --> 00:19:08,199 that are either having or have had services today. 366 00:19:08,519 --> 00:19:12,439 And I just ask that you would bless them and just be with all the 367 00:19:12,439 --> 00:19:15,599 missionaries that this dear church supports, Lord, and just be 368 00:19:15,599 --> 00:19:18,199 with the city of Hazlett, Lord, and the greater Fort Worth 369 00:19:18,199 --> 00:19:18,719 area, Lord. 370 00:19:18,719 --> 00:19:21,319 I just ask that this church would be a wonderful light to the 371 00:19:21,319 --> 00:19:24,619 community, Lord, and just help us all to do your part, your work, 372 00:19:24,619 --> 00:19:27,019 Lord, and just thank you for who you Are thank you for this day 373 00:19:27,179 --> 00:19:28,139 in Jesus name. 374 00:19:28,299 --> 00:19:28,939 Amen. 375 00:19:28,939 --> 00:19:33,099 And so, before we get into the message today, I would like to ask 376 00:19:33,979 --> 00:19:35,259 you all a question. 377 00:19:35,659 --> 00:19:39,179 And it's probably mostly for the gentlemen, if I were to assume. 378 00:19:39,179 --> 00:19:42,619 But how many of you would honestly say that you frequently 379 00:19:42,619 --> 00:19:43,419 lose things? 380 00:19:43,899 --> 00:19:44,939 Like, frequently. 381 00:19:46,539 --> 00:19:48,539 I would say that I frequently lose things. 382 00:19:48,539 --> 00:19:49,819 That would be my testimony. 383 00:19:50,219 --> 00:19:53,999 I would say that I frequently lose my wallet, probably most of 384 00:19:53,999 --> 00:19:54,279 all. 385 00:19:54,839 --> 00:19:57,239 And yeah, I'm notorious for it. 386 00:19:57,239 --> 00:19:59,359 And I will lose trackers. 387 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:00,199 You know, I've tried. 388 00:20:00,519 --> 00:20:03,719 I've tried the apple thingies, the airtags or whatever you call 389 00:20:03,719 --> 00:20:03,879 it. 390 00:20:03,879 --> 00:20:07,199 And the other one, I've tried them and usually, honestly, they 391 00:20:07,199 --> 00:20:09,799 don't even make it into my wallet before I've lost the packaging. 392 00:20:09,799 --> 00:20:12,839 And if they do make it into my wallet, then I'll just lose my phone 393 00:20:12,839 --> 00:20:13,799 and I can't track it. 394 00:20:13,959 --> 00:20:17,039 And so it's really a bad habit and it's a bad thing. 395 00:20:17,039 --> 00:20:19,319 And so one of two things usually happens when something gets 396 00:20:19,319 --> 00:20:19,959 handed to me. 397 00:20:20,189 --> 00:20:24,829 I will either A, hand it to my wife or B, I will lose it. 398 00:20:25,069 --> 00:20:26,869 So those are the two options, pretty much. 399 00:20:26,869 --> 00:20:30,669 And so maybe some of you resonate a little bit in that way. 400 00:20:31,469 --> 00:20:33,149 And, you know, people misplace things, right? 401 00:20:33,149 --> 00:20:35,589 If you had asked me in college, where I spent most of my 402 00:20:35,589 --> 00:20:38,389 time, I would love to say the library, because I was studious like 403 00:20:38,389 --> 00:20:38,669 that. 404 00:20:38,909 --> 00:20:40,749 But honestly, it would have been lost and found. 405 00:20:40,749 --> 00:20:41,509 That's the truth. 406 00:20:41,509 --> 00:20:42,829 That's where I spent most of my time. 407 00:20:43,949 --> 00:20:45,229 But people lose things, right? 408 00:20:45,309 --> 00:20:45,989 But how about this? 409 00:20:45,989 --> 00:20:48,669 If we take it a step further, how many of you would say that people 410 00:20:48,669 --> 00:20:51,669 sometimes misplaced priorities? 411 00:20:52,549 --> 00:20:53,509 It happens, right? 412 00:20:53,749 --> 00:20:56,829 If you had asked me when I was a kid, what would you rather, a frozen 413 00:20:56,829 --> 00:20:58,829 pizza or a steak dinner, I probably would have said a frozen 414 00:20:58,829 --> 00:21:00,949 pizza, because how many homeschoolers in here would say, 415 00:21:00,949 --> 00:21:02,229 man, that's like peak lunch. 416 00:21:02,549 --> 00:21:03,549 Okay, am I the only one? 417 00:21:03,549 --> 00:21:05,949 I guess so, anyways. 418 00:21:05,949 --> 00:21:07,749 But that was peak lunch for me. 419 00:21:07,749 --> 00:21:11,749 And so, you know, but to me, that would be a little bit of sense 420 00:21:11,749 --> 00:21:12,789 of a misplaced value. 421 00:21:12,869 --> 00:21:17,379 You know, obviously we know the steak's worth more, but if we 422 00:21:17,379 --> 00:21:20,619 take that out and we look at our society and it's not necessarily 423 00:21:20,619 --> 00:21:23,539 the message, but I'm trying to get us to a point, and we look out 424 00:21:23,539 --> 00:21:26,739 and we see people that, let's say, they value comfort over character, 425 00:21:26,739 --> 00:21:27,099 right? 426 00:21:27,819 --> 00:21:30,659 Or even, for instance, you know, there will be a lot of people 427 00:21:30,659 --> 00:21:32,819 that won't go to church on Sunday night because of a football 428 00:21:32,819 --> 00:21:33,179 game. 429 00:21:33,899 --> 00:21:37,339 And I think that would be that they're valuing maybe entertainment 430 00:21:37,339 --> 00:21:38,059 over church. 431 00:21:38,619 --> 00:21:41,499 And I'm not faulting anybody. 432 00:21:41,579 --> 00:21:42,859 We all do that, right? 433 00:21:43,019 --> 00:21:44,379 We misplace values. 434 00:21:45,109 --> 00:21:45,989 But I would say this. 435 00:21:45,989 --> 00:21:50,749 I would say that often if we look around in our own lives and 436 00:21:50,749 --> 00:21:54,949 in the lives of us, it's pretty important that we don't misplace 437 00:21:55,749 --> 00:21:58,149 where our relationship with Christ is, right? 438 00:22:00,389 --> 00:22:04,029 And I think a lot of people today have walked away from a relationship 439 00:22:04,029 --> 00:22:07,869 with God because they have misplaced values, which really have 440 00:22:07,869 --> 00:22:09,669 just turned into misplaced priorities. 441 00:22:11,199 --> 00:22:14,319 And me keeping track of my stuff is probably honestly a lost 442 00:22:14,319 --> 00:22:15,599 cause, right? 443 00:22:15,919 --> 00:22:19,119 But keeping track of a relationship with Christ is not. 444 00:22:19,999 --> 00:22:23,919 And so in this passage, if I could title it, and I usually don't, 445 00:22:23,919 --> 00:22:26,558 but I usually title it the Maniac Missionary, right? 446 00:22:26,719 --> 00:22:29,359 This is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. 447 00:22:30,159 --> 00:22:33,519 And we see, you'll see in the passage, I mean, this guy, he's a 448 00:22:33,519 --> 00:22:34,239 maniac, right? 449 00:22:34,399 --> 00:22:38,199 And later on, Jesus makes him and turns him into a missionary. 450 00:22:39,399 --> 00:22:40,679 And we see other things. 451 00:22:40,759 --> 00:22:44,239 We see, you know, a bunch of pigs that run into a water. 452 00:22:44,239 --> 00:22:46,119 There's a lot of neat things going on here. 453 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,439 But I think what we see a lot of is some people with misplaced 454 00:22:49,439 --> 00:22:49,959 priorities. 455 00:22:51,719 --> 00:22:54,599 And I think that will make sense soon. 456 00:22:55,079 --> 00:22:57,439 And first of all, you know, we have to realize that God's power 457 00:22:57,439 --> 00:22:58,679 trumps overall, right? 458 00:22:58,919 --> 00:22:59,799 And we see that. 459 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,159 And this passage also reminds us of who we are without Christ. 460 00:23:04,459 --> 00:23:07,699 And lastly, I believe it leaves us with some positive and 461 00:23:07,699 --> 00:23:08,779 negative examples. 462 00:23:09,019 --> 00:23:10,379 And I like examples. 463 00:23:10,459 --> 00:23:13,699 And I think this passage is one where we can look at and use 464 00:23:13,699 --> 00:23:17,579 it to kind of compare our own lives and see what we really prioritize. 465 00:23:18,379 --> 00:23:21,859 And so just for some background on the passage, we know 466 00:23:21,859 --> 00:23:24,379 that right before Mark chapter five is Mark, chapter four, right? 467 00:23:24,379 --> 00:23:25,739 And what happens in Mark, chapter four? 468 00:23:25,739 --> 00:23:27,979 Well, there's some parables at the beginning of the chapter, right? 469 00:23:28,059 --> 00:23:30,899 There's a parable of the sower and the seed being spread out on 470 00:23:30,899 --> 00:23:31,899 different grounds, right? 471 00:23:32,329 --> 00:23:33,969 And then there's the parable of the mustard seed. 472 00:23:33,969 --> 00:23:35,849 We know that the faith of the mustard seed. 473 00:23:35,849 --> 00:23:39,289 And then what happens is Jesus, ultimately, he purposes to 474 00:23:39,289 --> 00:23:44,489 go on to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is about 13 475 00:23:44,489 --> 00:23:46,049 miles long and 7 miles wide. 476 00:23:46,049 --> 00:23:48,449 So almost like a lake, like a large lake, if you think of it that 477 00:23:48,449 --> 00:23:48,729 way. 478 00:23:49,689 --> 00:23:51,689 And he takes some of the disciples. 479 00:23:52,249 --> 00:23:55,689 And, you know, a lot of these disciples are master fishermen, right? 480 00:23:55,769 --> 00:23:59,019 They know how to operate a boat, many of them. 481 00:23:59,019 --> 00:24:00,499 And yet they get on the water here. 482 00:24:00,499 --> 00:24:02,539 And we know that there's A pretty bad storm. 483 00:24:02,699 --> 00:24:05,259 And they're even worried about their life, right? 484 00:24:05,819 --> 00:24:08,539 And so here they are, they're on this water and it's a pretty bad 485 00:24:08,539 --> 00:24:08,859 storm. 486 00:24:08,859 --> 00:24:11,219 Usually it would take about two hours to get across if the day 487 00:24:11,219 --> 00:24:12,699 was clear and it was nice out. 488 00:24:12,779 --> 00:24:15,379 But because of the weather, it could have taken anywhere from four 489 00:24:15,379 --> 00:24:16,019 to eight hours. 490 00:24:16,019 --> 00:24:19,739 And so we're talking most of the night endeavor here to get across. 491 00:24:20,139 --> 00:24:25,859 And remember, they go and get Jesus and he literally says, peace, 492 00:24:25,859 --> 00:24:27,519 be still, right to the storm. 493 00:24:27,919 --> 00:24:31,679 And I think an important part that we know here is how do the disciples 494 00:24:31,679 --> 00:24:32,159 respond? 495 00:24:32,159 --> 00:24:33,039 What do they say? 496 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,919 They say, what manner of man is this, right? 497 00:24:37,039 --> 00:24:40,239 And I think Jesus here is showing what manner of man he truly 498 00:24:40,239 --> 00:24:40,559 is. 499 00:24:41,279 --> 00:24:46,479 And all this time he's giving these parables about faith, really, 500 00:24:47,039 --> 00:24:48,879 and then he kind of shows faith in action. 501 00:24:49,519 --> 00:24:52,319 And he's kind of trying to illustrate what faith is and what 502 00:24:52,319 --> 00:24:55,669 faith looks like in the disciples lives and of course, in 503 00:24:55,669 --> 00:24:56,389 the Lord's life. 504 00:24:56,789 --> 00:24:58,629 And so that brings us to verse one. 505 00:24:58,869 --> 00:24:59,629 And here they are. 506 00:24:59,629 --> 00:25:00,789 They crossed the sea, right? 507 00:25:00,789 --> 00:25:03,869 And it's been, you know, we only drove about five hours here 508 00:25:03,869 --> 00:25:04,909 from Amarillo, Texas. 509 00:25:04,909 --> 00:25:07,309 But you know, even after that, you're wore out, you're tired. 510 00:25:07,309 --> 00:25:09,269 And so they know that doubt they're tired, right? 511 00:25:09,349 --> 00:25:12,509 They probably stopped at, you know, 711 to get the last Red Bull 512 00:25:12,509 --> 00:25:13,989 or whatever on their way or whatever. 513 00:25:13,989 --> 00:25:16,149 But anyways, they get on the dock, right? 514 00:25:16,149 --> 00:25:16,789 They get out. 515 00:25:16,869 --> 00:25:19,589 And we know that immediately this man comes and meets them. 516 00:25:20,319 --> 00:25:21,599 And what do we know about this man? 517 00:25:21,599 --> 00:25:23,439 Well, we know he's not clothed properly. 518 00:25:23,599 --> 00:25:25,439 We know he has cuts all over him. 519 00:25:25,839 --> 00:25:27,999 And I lived in Oklahoma City for four years. 520 00:25:27,999 --> 00:25:31,239 And I can tell you this, when someone comes over me looking like 521 00:25:31,239 --> 00:25:34,479 this and they're running at me, my instinct is not to just stay 522 00:25:34,479 --> 00:25:35,399 there, right? 523 00:25:35,399 --> 00:25:36,719 Like I'm back in the car. 524 00:25:36,959 --> 00:25:39,759 And so I could just imagine if we do. 525 00:25:39,759 --> 00:25:42,399 And we have to remember these are real life events, these are real 526 00:25:42,399 --> 00:25:43,439 things that happened. 527 00:25:43,679 --> 00:25:46,359 And so here the disciples are here, they're probably a little worn 528 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:46,639 out. 529 00:25:47,219 --> 00:25:49,819 You know, Jesus was a man too, so he might be a little worn out, 530 00:25:49,819 --> 00:25:50,499 a little tired. 531 00:25:50,979 --> 00:25:53,019 And they're here and this man's running at him. 532 00:25:53,019 --> 00:25:55,299 And I could just imagine Peter saying, you know, Jesus, we can just 533 00:25:55,299 --> 00:25:56,099 get back in the boat. 534 00:25:56,179 --> 00:25:57,379 The water's fine now. 535 00:25:57,379 --> 00:25:58,779 We can go back to the other side. 536 00:25:58,779 --> 00:26:00,739 This is getting weird, right? 537 00:26:01,539 --> 00:26:03,939 But no, but Jesus had purpose to come here. 538 00:26:04,179 --> 00:26:07,419 And here this man is pictured and they had been binding him with 539 00:26:07,419 --> 00:26:07,899 fetters. 540 00:26:07,899 --> 00:26:09,379 They had been chaining him, right? 541 00:26:10,419 --> 00:26:12,379 And you might say, well, what does that mean? 542 00:26:12,379 --> 00:26:13,499 Or why are they doing that? 543 00:26:13,499 --> 00:26:16,499 Well, well, I think if we could apply it to today. 544 00:26:18,419 --> 00:26:22,739 They're trying to meet this man's spiritual needs with physical 545 00:26:22,739 --> 00:26:23,299 solutions. 546 00:26:24,259 --> 00:26:25,859 This man had a spiritual problem. 547 00:26:26,339 --> 00:26:28,379 I mean, he's possessed with devils. 548 00:26:28,379 --> 00:26:29,379 He has a sin problem. 549 00:26:29,379 --> 00:26:31,739 I mean, we have to remember this is a real guy. 550 00:26:31,739 --> 00:26:32,899 I mean, he had a real family. 551 00:26:33,619 --> 00:26:35,619 And he's in a desperate way, right? 552 00:26:36,019 --> 00:26:37,619 And in a desperate situation. 553 00:26:38,739 --> 00:26:43,379 And we look at today and all around, people around us are trying 554 00:26:43,379 --> 00:26:46,319 to meet their spiritual problems with physical solutions. 555 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:48,479 We see it in Catholicism. 556 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:53,999 We see it in people looking at money, at entertainment, at drugs, 557 00:26:53,999 --> 00:26:58,679 at alcohol, at works, all these things, trying to appease their 558 00:26:58,679 --> 00:27:02,159 conscience or trying to distract themselves from the fact 559 00:27:02,159 --> 00:27:03,919 that we all have a sin problem. 560 00:27:05,599 --> 00:27:08,559 And here this story is set up to understand just how difficult 561 00:27:08,559 --> 00:27:09,599 the situation was. 562 00:27:09,599 --> 00:27:11,499 I mean, you put yourself in this man's shoes. 563 00:27:12,369 --> 00:27:13,889 I mean, he needed help, right? 564 00:27:14,369 --> 00:27:16,969 He's a man with no hope, no direction, no future. 565 00:27:16,969 --> 00:27:19,489 And here Jesus comes and he meets this man. 566 00:27:19,649 --> 00:27:21,809 I find it, the wording in this passage is amazing. 567 00:27:21,809 --> 00:27:25,729 He meets this man's spiritual problem with a spiritual solution, 568 00:27:25,729 --> 00:27:26,129 right? 569 00:27:27,009 --> 00:27:28,649 He doesn't bind him with fetters. 570 00:27:28,649 --> 00:27:30,849 He doesn't chain him or handcuff him. 571 00:27:31,169 --> 00:27:36,129 No, he casts out the devils and really he saves this man's life. 572 00:27:36,929 --> 00:27:40,569 And, you know, he had been in the caves hollering and screaming 573 00:27:40,569 --> 00:27:42,209 all night and through the night. 574 00:27:42,789 --> 00:27:46,429 And I find it amazing even, and this is a side note, but I find 575 00:27:46,429 --> 00:27:49,749 it amazing that even the devils understood who Jesus was, 576 00:27:50,229 --> 00:27:52,309 that they confess that he's the son of God. 577 00:27:52,789 --> 00:27:56,349 And I find it kind of convicting in my own life that we 578 00:27:56,349 --> 00:27:57,269 look at the disciples. 579 00:27:57,269 --> 00:27:59,429 These are followers of Jesus, right? 580 00:28:00,389 --> 00:28:02,389 And they're flawed, they're humans. 581 00:28:02,789 --> 00:28:05,869 And yet they're asking themselves, what manner of man is 582 00:28:05,869 --> 00:28:06,149 this? 583 00:28:06,709 --> 00:28:09,549 And in some ways, the devils understood better than they did who 584 00:28:09,549 --> 00:28:09,999 Jesus was. 585 00:28:10,629 --> 00:28:13,269 Now, obviously, they didn't trust him or anything like that, 586 00:28:14,069 --> 00:28:16,869 but the disciples are learning, what manner of man is this? 587 00:28:17,589 --> 00:28:20,149 They're with Jesus while all this is happening. 588 00:28:20,229 --> 00:28:22,149 They see this conversation happening. 589 00:28:22,149 --> 00:28:25,589 They see what's going on, and they're learning who Jesus is and 590 00:28:25,589 --> 00:28:26,469 what he's about. 591 00:28:27,909 --> 00:28:32,709 And, you know, Jesus had more power than that of calming a storm. 592 00:28:33,109 --> 00:28:35,349 He had the power of the saving of a soul. 593 00:28:35,949 --> 00:28:38,309 And, you know, we all have head knowledges of Christ's power, 594 00:28:38,309 --> 00:28:39,949 but do we truly trust Christ? 595 00:28:40,509 --> 00:28:44,869 And I just imagine, and I don't want to be critical, I find 596 00:28:44,869 --> 00:28:48,109 it convicting in My life, if I think of it this way, if I were to 597 00:28:48,109 --> 00:28:52,069 put a sign up sheet in the back and I said, who would like to 598 00:28:52,069 --> 00:28:54,349 go back in time and watch Jesus calm a storm? 599 00:28:54,509 --> 00:28:55,789 Who wouldn't want to do that? 600 00:28:56,029 --> 00:28:59,429 I think we would have a line from here to there signing up for 601 00:28:59,429 --> 00:28:59,989 that, right? 602 00:28:59,989 --> 00:29:02,789 And you're a Baptist church, you understand volunteer sheets and 603 00:29:02,789 --> 00:29:03,709 sign up sheets, right? 604 00:29:04,069 --> 00:29:07,589 But at the same time, if I put a sign up sheet and this is for me, 605 00:29:08,229 --> 00:29:09,029 I need this. 606 00:29:09,189 --> 00:29:11,749 If I put a sign up sheet for there that said, who wants to go 607 00:29:11,749 --> 00:29:12,789 soul winning this Saturday? 608 00:29:13,109 --> 00:29:15,749 I would say less people would sign up and you would say, well, 609 00:29:15,749 --> 00:29:16,869 what's the connection there? 610 00:29:17,269 --> 00:29:21,509 Well, I understand that today Jesus might not calm a storm per 611 00:29:21,509 --> 00:29:21,789 se. 612 00:29:21,789 --> 00:29:26,029 He could, I mean he has the power to, but he is still doing the 613 00:29:26,029 --> 00:29:29,989 greatest miracle that he ever did and that's the saving of a soul. 614 00:29:30,069 --> 00:29:33,829 And yet we become so distracted and we become so caught 615 00:29:33,829 --> 00:29:37,999 up in the physical things of life, really, like, just like these 616 00:29:37,999 --> 00:29:40,239 people that were trying to meet this man's needs with physical 617 00:29:40,239 --> 00:29:42,919 solutions, we get caught up with the physical things of life 618 00:29:42,919 --> 00:29:45,799 and we forget that God still wants to change the lives in the 619 00:29:45,799 --> 00:29:46,839 community around us. 620 00:29:47,799 --> 00:29:50,839 And you know, God can save the most hopeless in our society. 621 00:29:51,399 --> 00:29:54,519 And God wants to use you to tell your family and your friends 622 00:29:54,519 --> 00:29:56,599 and your co workers about the Lord Jesus Christ. 623 00:29:56,759 --> 00:29:59,759 And I find it amazing here that, you know, it's the saddest 624 00:29:59,759 --> 00:30:00,279 part of the story. 625 00:30:00,279 --> 00:30:03,499 You see this great miracle happen, you're excited, you're fired 626 00:30:03,499 --> 00:30:04,979 up about what the Lord's doing, right? 627 00:30:04,979 --> 00:30:07,419 And then in verse 14 through 17, you know what we see? 628 00:30:07,419 --> 00:30:10,179 The people of Gadara segregate themselves from God. 629 00:30:10,499 --> 00:30:10,899 Why? 630 00:30:10,899 --> 00:30:13,459 Because they prioritize the physical over the spiritual. 631 00:30:13,459 --> 00:30:15,499 And you say, well, what do you mean, what's going on here? 632 00:30:15,499 --> 00:30:17,979 Well, the people come, they come to see what's going on. 633 00:30:17,979 --> 00:30:20,259 They see this man clothed and in his right mind, right? 634 00:30:20,659 --> 00:30:24,299 And they come here and I don't think, I don't think from the reading 635 00:30:24,299 --> 00:30:26,859 of the passage, and I can't say definitively, but if you look 636 00:30:26,859 --> 00:30:30,449 at it at the end of verse 14, and they went out to see what it 637 00:30:30,449 --> 00:30:32,809 was that was done and they come to Jesus and see him that was 638 00:30:32,809 --> 00:30:35,409 possessed of the devil and had the legion sitting and clothed in 639 00:30:35,409 --> 00:30:36,129 his right mind. 640 00:30:36,289 --> 00:30:37,049 And they were afraid. 641 00:30:37,049 --> 00:30:39,329 So yeah, the word afraid here, it carries the sense that they're 642 00:30:39,329 --> 00:30:41,329 in awe, they're in shock, they're amazed, right? 643 00:30:41,329 --> 00:30:42,769 They're amazed by what's happening. 644 00:30:43,329 --> 00:30:47,329 And I Don't see right there that they have a big problem with 645 00:30:47,329 --> 00:30:48,769 the fact that this man was healed. 646 00:30:48,769 --> 00:30:52,409 But if you look in verse 16, it says, and they that saw it told 647 00:30:52,409 --> 00:30:54,609 them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil. 648 00:30:55,199 --> 00:30:57,119 And also concerning the swine. 649 00:30:57,919 --> 00:31:00,959 And then look in verse 17 right after it talks about the swine. 650 00:31:00,959 --> 00:31:03,279 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 651 00:31:03,839 --> 00:31:07,599 And so, you know, here they are, they come to find Jesus. 652 00:31:07,759 --> 00:31:08,919 They see this man healed. 653 00:31:08,919 --> 00:31:12,039 And maybe they say this, well, I'm glad that the Lord's doing a 654 00:31:12,039 --> 00:31:12,639 work here. 655 00:31:12,879 --> 00:31:16,879 And then the people that saw what happened, they say, well, yeah, 656 00:31:16,879 --> 00:31:17,919 but at what price? 657 00:31:18,239 --> 00:31:19,279 At what expense? 658 00:31:19,999 --> 00:31:22,599 And then all of a sudden the people say, wait, this is gonna cost 659 00:31:22,599 --> 00:31:23,199 me something. 660 00:31:24,209 --> 00:31:25,569 I don't know about this Jesus. 661 00:31:26,129 --> 00:31:30,289 And you see what's happening here and we see it in our own lives. 662 00:31:31,169 --> 00:31:33,689 And they come down here and they're more concerned that they 663 00:31:33,689 --> 00:31:36,569 lost swine than they are gladdened that this man's spiritual 664 00:31:36,569 --> 00:31:37,329 needs were met. 665 00:31:38,449 --> 00:31:41,249 And they're more content to live with sin and swine than they 666 00:31:41,249 --> 00:31:44,849 are to live with the person who has to offer life and joy and 667 00:31:44,849 --> 00:31:45,249 peace. 668 00:31:46,529 --> 00:31:50,089 And if we look at our own lives, I understand many of you are 669 00:31:50,089 --> 00:31:51,569 saved and we're saved individuals. 670 00:31:51,569 --> 00:31:53,089 But how often do we rather. 671 00:31:54,049 --> 00:31:56,569 How often do we, rather than being driven to God for what he has 672 00:31:56,569 --> 00:32:00,329 to offer, we drive ourselves away from God for what we feel like 673 00:32:00,329 --> 00:32:01,409 we have to sacrifice. 674 00:32:03,169 --> 00:32:04,289 We do it all the time. 675 00:32:04,449 --> 00:32:06,049 We do it all the time in our lives. 676 00:32:06,609 --> 00:32:10,048 And could it be that we value the swine in our lives more than 677 00:32:10,048 --> 00:32:11,809 that of the saving of a soul? 678 00:32:12,849 --> 00:32:16,049 And I think there's a lot of application that can be drawn there. 679 00:32:16,049 --> 00:32:19,489 And I don't know many of you very well at all, but I just think 680 00:32:19,489 --> 00:32:20,709 that so quick we. 681 00:32:20,859 --> 00:32:23,699 We are to say, you know, we'll go to church and we want to see Jesus 682 00:32:23,699 --> 00:32:27,299 do a work and we'll even pray a prayer for the missionary and we'll 683 00:32:27,299 --> 00:32:29,619 pray a prayer for our neighbor and we'll pray a prayer for our co 684 00:32:29,619 --> 00:32:30,139 worker. 685 00:32:30,139 --> 00:32:32,619 But the second the Lord says, hey, it's going to cost you some 686 00:32:32,619 --> 00:32:35,459 time to go witness to your neighbor, or it's going to cost you 687 00:32:35,459 --> 00:32:37,659 some time to go witness to your co worker, or it's going to 688 00:32:37,659 --> 00:32:40,939 cost you a little money to go give to the missionary, the minute 689 00:32:40,939 --> 00:32:45,579 it costs us something, how quick are we to say, well, I don't 690 00:32:45,579 --> 00:32:49,189 know about that, and we wouldn't say it outwardly, but in 691 00:32:49,189 --> 00:32:51,909 the way we act and the way we withhold, we allow these things into 692 00:32:51,909 --> 00:32:53,549 our lives, these physical things in our life. 693 00:32:53,549 --> 00:32:54,909 And I find it amazing. 694 00:32:55,949 --> 00:32:58,029 It's no sin to own swine. 695 00:32:58,109 --> 00:33:02,709 Like, from what I understand, it's not that it was this great sin 696 00:33:02,709 --> 00:33:04,109 that they were the pig farmers. 697 00:33:04,429 --> 00:33:08,269 No, I think, you know, if you look at the passage, I wonder, why 698 00:33:08,269 --> 00:33:11,869 did Jesus let those devils go into this wine? 699 00:33:13,319 --> 00:33:15,559 He didn't have to grant them permission to do that. 700 00:33:15,799 --> 00:33:19,199 And so I just wonder if maybe he allowed them to do it to expose 701 00:33:19,199 --> 00:33:20,359 these people's hearts. 702 00:33:20,919 --> 00:33:23,719 And I think sometimes God allows these things into our lives 703 00:33:23,879 --> 00:33:27,879 to really expose our hearts and to show us that what we are doing 704 00:33:27,958 --> 00:33:31,479 is we're having misplaced values that have led to misplaced 705 00:33:31,479 --> 00:33:32,519 priorities in our life. 706 00:33:32,679 --> 00:33:35,239 And I wonder what would happen if Jesus walked through those back 707 00:33:35,239 --> 00:33:37,919 doors and said, I want to do a great work with your church, and 708 00:33:37,919 --> 00:33:40,199 I want to do a great work in this city, and I want to do a great 709 00:33:40,199 --> 00:33:42,199 work around the world through this church. 710 00:33:42,659 --> 00:33:43,779 But it's going to cost you something. 711 00:33:44,499 --> 00:33:45,539 How would we react? 712 00:33:46,339 --> 00:33:49,459 And I'm not saying it costs the same for everybody. 713 00:33:49,539 --> 00:33:52,779 For us, it's going to cost us moving across the world so that we 714 00:33:52,779 --> 00:33:55,219 can give these people an opportunity to hear the gospel. 715 00:33:55,539 --> 00:33:58,499 It costs everybody differently, but it costs something. 716 00:34:00,579 --> 00:34:03,539 And so often we're not willing to pay the price. 717 00:34:05,059 --> 00:34:09,749 And we'll say, you know, I'm fine with Jesus to be here, but I 718 00:34:09,749 --> 00:34:11,909 don't want him messing with my life. 719 00:34:12,869 --> 00:34:15,029 And that's really the way we live sometimes. 720 00:34:15,589 --> 00:34:18,669 And so the question I have for you today is, what is more valuable 721 00:34:18,669 --> 00:34:19,109 to you? 722 00:34:19,109 --> 00:34:21,949 The physical needs in your life or the spiritual needs in the 723 00:34:21,949 --> 00:34:22,869 lives around us? 724 00:34:23,749 --> 00:34:27,309 Because if we go out into the world and, you know, so often we'll 725 00:34:27,309 --> 00:34:29,989 see somebody that's sick, or we see somebody with a physical need, 726 00:34:30,149 --> 00:34:34,109 or we'll see, you know, in Spain, they don't have a lot of physical 727 00:34:34,109 --> 00:34:34,349 needs. 728 00:34:34,349 --> 00:34:37,919 Financially, they're usually fine, but they have a lot of spiritual 729 00:34:37,919 --> 00:34:38,199 need. 730 00:34:38,519 --> 00:34:42,119 And sometimes we're so quick to see the physical first, and we 731 00:34:42,119 --> 00:34:46,159 forget that every often everybody we're walking by, they 732 00:34:46,159 --> 00:34:47,039 have a heart within them. 733 00:34:47,039 --> 00:34:49,399 And they might look fine on the outward, but they have a heart 734 00:34:49,399 --> 00:34:51,919 within them that is darkened by sin. 735 00:34:51,919 --> 00:34:52,919 And they need a Savior. 736 00:34:54,679 --> 00:35:00,159 And so, you know, I find the sad part about it is often, you know, 737 00:35:00,159 --> 00:35:03,389 God will let you have the wrong priorities. 738 00:35:03,549 --> 00:35:05,509 He might send consequences into your life. 739 00:35:05,509 --> 00:35:07,109 But you know what the real problem is? 740 00:35:07,109 --> 00:35:10,109 You'll be left with a heart for swine and not for souls. 741 00:35:11,309 --> 00:35:13,749 And I don't know about you, but I don't want that to be said 742 00:35:13,749 --> 00:35:14,429 of my life. 743 00:35:15,869 --> 00:35:19,349 And it can be so easy to look at the world and to say, well, there's 744 00:35:19,349 --> 00:35:19,869 no hope. 745 00:35:20,189 --> 00:35:23,389 And you know, even in Spain there's really a battle going on 746 00:35:25,069 --> 00:35:28,279 between the Catholics and some of this liberal socialism that's 747 00:35:28,279 --> 00:35:28,759 coming up. 748 00:35:28,839 --> 00:35:29,599 And there's. 749 00:35:29,599 --> 00:35:31,319 I don't know if you follow the news, but there's a lot of things 750 00:35:31,319 --> 00:35:33,919 going on there and it can be easy to look at that man say, wow, 751 00:35:33,919 --> 00:35:36,119 there's really no hope in that situation. 752 00:35:36,519 --> 00:35:41,039 But really we have a hope within us and it's the furtherance 753 00:35:41,039 --> 00:35:44,279 of the gospel and God wants to use us to further the gospel. 754 00:35:44,759 --> 00:35:50,079 And so my question is, what do you have in your life that wedges 755 00:35:50,079 --> 00:35:54,679 you from fervently proclaiming what God has given you? 756 00:35:55,529 --> 00:36:00,129 And you know, an encouragement and a question that often has come 757 00:36:00,129 --> 00:36:02,729 that said, you might say, well, I just had too many people 758 00:36:02,809 --> 00:36:05,609 say no, I've had too many slam the door in my face. 759 00:36:05,689 --> 00:36:08,089 But if you look at this passage, if people were saying no 760 00:36:08,089 --> 00:36:10,089 to Jesus, they're going to say no to us. 761 00:36:10,649 --> 00:36:11,929 And they turned Jesus away. 762 00:36:11,929 --> 00:36:15,249 And if you look at verse 17, I find it amazing, the wording here. 763 00:36:15,249 --> 00:36:16,929 And they began to pray him to depart out of the coast. 764 00:36:16,929 --> 00:36:17,449 Verse 18. 765 00:36:17,449 --> 00:36:19,449 And when he was coming to his ship, he that had been possessed 766 00:36:19,449 --> 00:36:21,159 with the devil, prayed him that he might be with him. 767 00:36:21,389 --> 00:36:21,629 Him. 768 00:36:21,949 --> 00:36:23,229 You notice the difference there? 769 00:36:23,629 --> 00:36:27,149 Here this whole town is, they want him gone. 770 00:36:27,389 --> 00:36:30,829 And yet this man who's just been healed, he comes to Jesus and 771 00:36:30,829 --> 00:36:32,269 he says, I just want to be with you. 772 00:36:32,589 --> 00:36:33,549 And he departed. 773 00:36:33,869 --> 00:36:35,309 He prayed to go with him. 774 00:36:35,389 --> 00:36:36,589 And look what Jesus says. 775 00:36:36,589 --> 00:36:39,149 Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, go home to thy friends 776 00:36:39,149 --> 00:36:41,669 and tell him how great things the Lord hath done for thee and have 777 00:36:41,669 --> 00:36:42,749 had compassion on thee. 778 00:36:42,829 --> 00:36:45,589 And you know, sometimes I think we tend to over complicate 779 00:36:45,589 --> 00:36:50,279 things in our mind and what has God really asked of us? 780 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:53,959 And I think really it's like this man. 781 00:36:53,959 --> 00:36:56,199 You know, sometimes there's times in our life where we just, 782 00:36:56,199 --> 00:36:57,519 we really want to be with Jesus. 783 00:36:57,519 --> 00:36:59,879 We just wish we could get raptured out of here, right? 784 00:37:01,319 --> 00:37:03,919 But really Jesus has left us here with a purpose. 785 00:37:03,919 --> 00:37:04,519 And what is that? 786 00:37:04,519 --> 00:37:07,519 Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord 787 00:37:07,519 --> 00:37:09,879 hath done for thee and have had compassion on thee. 788 00:37:10,039 --> 00:37:11,159 And it starts there. 789 00:37:11,399 --> 00:37:13,559 And you know, I think it's great you learn the doctrines of 790 00:37:13,559 --> 00:37:16,119 the Bible and all these things, but really what you need 791 00:37:16,119 --> 00:37:19,309 to do is as you go out there and you tell people about the great 792 00:37:19,309 --> 00:37:20,949 things the Lord hath done for thee. 793 00:37:21,429 --> 00:37:23,869 And sure, they might have some questions that you might always have 794 00:37:23,869 --> 00:37:24,469 an answer to. 795 00:37:24,469 --> 00:37:24,989 And we should. 796 00:37:24,989 --> 00:37:27,269 We should study our Bible and we should be able to prepare to answer 797 00:37:27,269 --> 00:37:27,989 these questions. 798 00:37:28,229 --> 00:37:31,549 But at the same time, the Lord just asks you to start by simply 799 00:37:31,549 --> 00:37:32,709 going and telling. 800 00:37:33,349 --> 00:37:35,589 You know, it's not even that you have to be a missionary. 801 00:37:35,909 --> 00:37:39,029 Notice the group that he sent this man to go home to thy friends. 802 00:37:40,309 --> 00:37:43,709 You know, you have friends and probably family members that are 803 00:37:43,709 --> 00:37:46,099 out there and on their way to a devil's hell. 804 00:37:46,099 --> 00:37:51,059 And we say we believe in that, and yet we act as if we don't because 805 00:37:51,059 --> 00:37:55,419 we do so little and we're so unwilling to go out of our way to 806 00:37:55,419 --> 00:37:56,939 do anything for the cause of Christ. 807 00:37:56,939 --> 00:38:01,419 Often, and in some ways we might submit to the Lord, but often 808 00:38:01,419 --> 00:38:04,579 there's things in our life that we just don't give up to Him. 809 00:38:04,819 --> 00:38:08,499 And if I could put it this way, how silly would it be if this 810 00:38:09,299 --> 00:38:12,949 maniac, if you will, if he had gone to. 811 00:38:13,269 --> 00:38:15,669 If he had gone back up into the caves and he said, jesus, you 812 00:38:15,669 --> 00:38:16,869 know, I know you healed me. 813 00:38:16,949 --> 00:38:18,269 I know that you saved me. 814 00:38:18,269 --> 00:38:21,709 I know that you cast out these devils, but I'm just going to stay 815 00:38:21,709 --> 00:38:22,069 up here. 816 00:38:22,069 --> 00:38:23,949 I'm going to keep screaming and hollering, and I'm going to keep 817 00:38:23,949 --> 00:38:25,349 living the exact way I did. 818 00:38:25,669 --> 00:38:27,109 That would be pretty silly, right? 819 00:38:27,589 --> 00:38:29,269 That would not be smart, I don't think. 820 00:38:29,829 --> 00:38:33,029 But yet sometimes, and I know maybe not in the same extreme way, 821 00:38:33,189 --> 00:38:36,869 God will save us, and yet we act the exact same way. 822 00:38:37,499 --> 00:38:41,259 And I think sometimes that is a reason that keeps us from being 823 00:38:41,259 --> 00:38:42,539 able to proclaim the gospel. 824 00:38:42,539 --> 00:38:46,139 Because we go into work and we act the same way everybody else does, 825 00:38:46,539 --> 00:38:49,859 and we talk the same way they do, and we listen to the same things 826 00:38:49,859 --> 00:38:53,539 they do and we watch the same stuff they do, and we just try to 827 00:38:53,539 --> 00:38:54,099 blend in. 828 00:38:54,099 --> 00:38:57,939 And then maybe you get a conversation about church and you 829 00:38:57,939 --> 00:39:00,339 say, oh, yeah, I go to church, but you don't look any different 830 00:39:00,339 --> 00:39:02,459 than them and I don't look any different than them. 831 00:39:02,859 --> 00:39:05,699 And why would they want what we have if we don't have the joy 832 00:39:05,699 --> 00:39:08,139 of the Lord, if we're not trying to be like Christ? 833 00:39:08,379 --> 00:39:11,499 And Pastor talked about walking in his steps and being like 834 00:39:11,499 --> 00:39:11,819 Christ? 835 00:39:12,859 --> 00:39:16,299 And I think that is really a key to being able to be a witness. 836 00:39:18,299 --> 00:39:23,739 And, you know, the world needs people who see people before they 837 00:39:23,739 --> 00:39:24,299 see things. 838 00:39:24,779 --> 00:39:27,739 And we're so quick to just see the physical. 839 00:39:28,629 --> 00:39:32,669 And, you know, why would we go back to that which God has freed 840 00:39:32,669 --> 00:39:33,109 us from? 841 00:39:34,629 --> 00:39:36,629 God has freed us from so many things. 842 00:39:36,949 --> 00:39:39,029 And especially for young people, they just. 843 00:39:39,029 --> 00:39:40,829 They just want to go and experience the world. 844 00:39:40,829 --> 00:39:42,149 But God's freed you from that. 845 00:39:42,629 --> 00:39:43,749 Why would you do that? 846 00:39:44,389 --> 00:39:45,589 Why not serve him? 847 00:39:45,589 --> 00:39:47,589 Because there's a world out there who needs you. 848 00:39:49,029 --> 00:39:51,469 And so my favorite part of this story is if. 849 00:39:51,469 --> 00:39:53,589 And I won't have you turn there for sake of time. 850 00:39:53,589 --> 00:39:57,399 But if you were to look at this passage parallel in Luke, and 851 00:39:57,399 --> 00:40:00,079 you were to look to see what would happen, from what I understand, 852 00:40:00,079 --> 00:40:05,519 the research I have done, this region which they call Decapolis, 853 00:40:05,759 --> 00:40:07,039 it's these 10 cities, right? 854 00:40:07,039 --> 00:40:08,479 Gadara would have been one of them. 855 00:40:08,799 --> 00:40:12,079 And so it's these 10 cities on this side of the Sea of Galilee. 856 00:40:12,399 --> 00:40:15,919 And later on in Luke, Jesus comes back, and this is the same 857 00:40:15,919 --> 00:40:19,119 place where Jairus daughter is healed. 858 00:40:19,199 --> 00:40:21,919 And it's also the same place where, if we remember right, the 859 00:40:21,919 --> 00:40:25,249 woman is literally on her hands and her knees just touches 860 00:40:25,249 --> 00:40:26,169 the hem of his garment. 861 00:40:26,169 --> 00:40:26,409 Why? 862 00:40:26,409 --> 00:40:28,089 Because there's so many people around him. 863 00:40:28,889 --> 00:40:32,569 And I just wonder, you know, if you look in verse 20 and he departed 864 00:40:32,569 --> 00:40:34,929 and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus 865 00:40:34,929 --> 00:40:38,249 had done for him, and all men did marvel, you know what they see? 866 00:40:38,249 --> 00:40:42,689 They see a man who's genuinely changed, genuinely impassioned about 867 00:40:42,689 --> 00:40:43,609 the things of the Lord. 868 00:40:43,609 --> 00:40:47,209 And he takes his mission seriously. 869 00:40:47,609 --> 00:40:50,489 He takes what the Lord has left him to do seriously. 870 00:40:50,969 --> 00:40:53,649 And he goes and he tells people about the great things that 871 00:40:53,649 --> 00:40:54,569 Jesus have done. 872 00:40:54,649 --> 00:40:57,609 And people realize, what manner of man is this? 873 00:40:57,929 --> 00:40:59,129 He's the Son of God. 874 00:40:59,369 --> 00:41:02,329 He came to die for our sins, and they want to hear him. 875 00:41:02,809 --> 00:41:05,889 And so they come and then they gather around Jesus and they learn 876 00:41:05,889 --> 00:41:06,329 of him. 877 00:41:06,889 --> 00:41:09,809 And you know, just like the parable in chapter four, we have 878 00:41:09,809 --> 00:41:10,329 no idea. 879 00:41:10,329 --> 00:41:13,089 We have no idea who's all going to accept in Spain, but we 880 00:41:13,089 --> 00:41:15,609 just want to go and tell the great things that the Lord have done. 881 00:41:15,849 --> 00:41:17,769 And that's what the Lord wants you to do. 882 00:41:18,179 --> 00:41:19,859 And yet we have so many hookups. 883 00:41:19,859 --> 00:41:22,299 And I think a lot of our excuses really just stem from the 884 00:41:22,299 --> 00:41:25,699 fact that we prioritize the physical over the spiritual. 885 00:41:26,179 --> 00:41:27,859 Because we say, well, what will they think? 886 00:41:27,859 --> 00:41:29,579 Or, I don't know that I have time for that. 887 00:41:29,579 --> 00:41:31,379 Or, I don't know that I have the money for that. 888 00:41:31,699 --> 00:41:35,659 And yet God wants to do a great work through you in this church 889 00:41:35,659 --> 00:41:37,379 to see the Gospel furthered. 890 00:41:38,019 --> 00:41:39,619 And we all have a part in it. 891 00:41:40,099 --> 00:41:42,499 And, you know, we can witness the changing of a life. 892 00:41:43,299 --> 00:41:44,259 Isn't that amazing? 893 00:41:44,889 --> 00:41:48,529 We can see the transformative power of God in the people around 894 00:41:48,529 --> 00:41:48,889 us. 895 00:41:49,449 --> 00:41:54,729 And if I could end with this, I'm just gonna end with a quick testimony. 896 00:41:55,769 --> 00:41:59,009 And I just want it to be about the Lord and what he did. 897 00:41:59,009 --> 00:42:03,689 But I was probably about 14, 15 years old, and the Lord, you know, 898 00:42:04,489 --> 00:42:06,489 really, I want you to genuinely ask yourself, when's the 899 00:42:06,489 --> 00:42:08,169 last time you told somebody about the Lord? 900 00:42:08,649 --> 00:42:09,529 Like, think back. 901 00:42:10,009 --> 00:42:12,449 If we're having a hard time remembering when we even brought 902 00:42:12,449 --> 00:42:16,429 up the name of Jesus to somebody who is a stranger or somebody 903 00:42:16,429 --> 00:42:19,349 that we know needs him, I think that's probably a problem. 904 00:42:21,349 --> 00:42:24,149 And so, you know, the Lord had burdened my heart. 905 00:42:24,789 --> 00:42:27,069 You know, I wasn't telling people about Jesus like I should 906 00:42:27,069 --> 00:42:27,349 be. 907 00:42:28,149 --> 00:42:30,069 And so I was probably 14 or 15. 908 00:42:30,069 --> 00:42:32,589 I really felt like the Lord wanted me to be able to see someone 909 00:42:32,589 --> 00:42:33,349 saved, right? 910 00:42:33,589 --> 00:42:35,829 And so I took a mission trip to Belize. 911 00:42:35,829 --> 00:42:37,949 And you think of Belize as an island nation, right? 912 00:42:37,949 --> 00:42:40,869 Beautiful, but really a lot of poverty, a lot of physical need, 913 00:42:40,869 --> 00:42:42,309 but also a lot of spiritual need. 914 00:42:42,749 --> 00:42:47,189 And so we were there, and we drive up, we get dropped off, and 915 00:42:47,189 --> 00:42:50,509 we're on this dirt road, and there's this house. 916 00:42:50,829 --> 00:42:53,109 And so we go up to it, and it's this little shanty, if you will. 917 00:42:53,109 --> 00:42:56,749 It's like basically pallets and a tarp on the top, right? 918 00:42:57,389 --> 00:42:58,229 And we go. 919 00:42:58,229 --> 00:43:01,669 And there's not even really a door, but this little young man comes 920 00:43:01,669 --> 00:43:04,189 out, and he's probably about 10 years old, maybe nine. 921 00:43:04,349 --> 00:43:05,509 And his name was Jaden. 922 00:43:05,509 --> 00:43:08,109 And I said, hey, Jaden, would you like to come to church with us? 923 00:43:08,729 --> 00:43:10,089 They spoke English there and everything. 924 00:43:10,249 --> 00:43:11,849 So he said, yeah, sure. 925 00:43:11,849 --> 00:43:15,049 And so he came Thursday night, and he came Saturday for our youth 926 00:43:15,049 --> 00:43:15,329 rally. 927 00:43:15,329 --> 00:43:16,969 And then he came Sunday morning for our special. 928 00:43:17,529 --> 00:43:19,889 We were doing a kids program and, of course, a main service as 929 00:43:19,889 --> 00:43:20,169 well. 930 00:43:20,569 --> 00:43:22,649 And so we did the kids program. 931 00:43:22,649 --> 00:43:24,089 They did a salvation message. 932 00:43:24,168 --> 00:43:28,089 And he raised his hand that he wanted to accept the Lord, but he 933 00:43:28,089 --> 00:43:28,609 didn't go forward. 934 00:43:28,609 --> 00:43:29,569 You know, he was nervous. 935 00:43:29,569 --> 00:43:31,929 And so I went up to Jay and I said, hey, would you like to, you 936 00:43:31,929 --> 00:43:32,889 know, accept the Lord? 937 00:43:33,049 --> 00:43:33,729 He said, I would. 938 00:43:33,729 --> 00:43:35,819 So I took him through another Romans road. 939 00:43:35,819 --> 00:43:37,219 I had a little pocket New Testament. 940 00:43:37,299 --> 00:43:38,979 And he accepted the Lord right there. 941 00:43:39,299 --> 00:43:40,699 And I was so glad by that. 942 00:43:40,699 --> 00:43:43,859 But the thing that will always stick with me, it's not just that 943 00:43:44,979 --> 00:43:50,019 the Lord answered my prayer requests and, if you will, gave me 944 00:43:50,019 --> 00:43:52,499 the opportunity to do what I believed he wanted me to do. 945 00:43:52,499 --> 00:43:53,299 And that's what he'll do. 946 00:43:53,299 --> 00:43:54,059 He'll equip us. 947 00:43:54,059 --> 00:43:56,139 If he puts something on your heart, he's going to help you to 948 00:43:56,139 --> 00:43:56,899 accomplish it. 949 00:43:57,779 --> 00:43:59,579 And it wasn't just that. 950 00:43:59,579 --> 00:44:01,849 It was what happened right after. 951 00:44:02,009 --> 00:44:05,409 I had been getting Jaden fruit snacks, or not fruit snacks, like 952 00:44:05,409 --> 00:44:07,849 gummy bears from Albanese, like, all week. 953 00:44:08,409 --> 00:44:10,809 And he didn't know how to chew them, so he would just swallow them 954 00:44:10,809 --> 00:44:12,809 because he had never had, you know, they were poor, they didn't 955 00:44:12,809 --> 00:44:13,569 have candy like that. 956 00:44:13,569 --> 00:44:14,809 And so he was just swallowing them. 957 00:44:14,969 --> 00:44:17,008 And I said, hey, Jayden, would you like my. 958 00:44:17,008 --> 00:44:18,129 It was really my last packet. 959 00:44:18,129 --> 00:44:19,849 I said, would you like my last packet of gummy bears? 960 00:44:19,929 --> 00:44:21,049 And you know what he said to me? 961 00:44:21,049 --> 00:44:22,169 It'll stick with me forever. 962 00:44:22,489 --> 00:44:26,859 He said, brother Nate, why would I need gummy bears when. 963 00:44:26,929 --> 00:44:27,889 When I have Jesus? 964 00:44:28,929 --> 00:44:32,329 And you know what really immediately convicted me in the way 965 00:44:32,329 --> 00:44:36,849 that I live is so often I tell the Lord, in the way that I'm living, 966 00:44:36,849 --> 00:44:39,409 I say, why would I need Jesus when I have? 967 00:44:40,769 --> 00:44:44,529 And I don't think it's gummy bears, but I think that all of us, 968 00:44:44,529 --> 00:44:49,129 from the young people in this room to the elder, you know, we have 969 00:44:49,129 --> 00:44:51,929 these things in our life that we're basically telling the Lord, 970 00:44:51,929 --> 00:44:52,849 why do I need you? 971 00:44:52,849 --> 00:44:53,569 I have this. 972 00:44:54,089 --> 00:44:54,569 And you know what? 973 00:44:54,569 --> 00:44:58,249 We're left with a heart for the swine and not for souls. 974 00:44:58,569 --> 00:44:59,449 Thank you, Pastor.