Allen Jackson - Jesus' Ministry (Part 1)

February 9, 2026 | 27:29

Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

#Miracles #Healing #Jesus #Ministry #Supernatural #Signs&Wonders #HandofGod #Focus #SeekGod #Freedom #Faith #Confidence #AllenJackson

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Jesus' Ministry (Part 1) | February 9, 2026

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Allen jackson: you know, around the world people are searching
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For truth and together we're doing our very best to help them
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Find it.
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When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
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Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
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Who are committed to strengthening the church and
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Sharing god's word through every available channel: television,
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Radio, podcast, books, bible studies, digital
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Resources, conferences.
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Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers, to reach new
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Audiences, and to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
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Have heard the gospel otherwise.
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Together we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
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Known right here at home and around the earth wherever god
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Opens the door.
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Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
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The day our king returns.
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You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
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At allenjackson.com/partner.
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♪♪♪
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Allen: i began a new study in the previous session talking
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About "miracles, healing, & you."
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And it's the "and you" part that's the most important.
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It's not intended to be a theoretical discussion or a
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Historical discussion, or even just a
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Theological representation.
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The idea is, our miracles and divine healing, do we imagine
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Those to be a part of our lives today?
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Or do we imagine that that stopped, or it was something
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That happened in antiquity, but it's not a part of our present
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World, that they've been replaced with academia and
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Learning and healthcare systems and-- there's a lot of confusion
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Or at least a lot of debate within the church about that, or
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That miracles are random or arbitrary and that we have no
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Role in them.
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Almost as if god were capricious, even punitive.
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And so that you certainly don't want to order your life around
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The belief in those things.
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Well, i want to walk through that with you for a session, or
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A few sessions, to see if we can gain some insight into that.
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My whole, you know, my life was changed when i was a boy.
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Most of you know the story on some level, but when i was 7, my
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Mom was diagnosed with cancer and told she had 6 months
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To live.
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Now, we went to church every week but we weren't christians.
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You know you can do that?
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It's like going to the gym doesn't make you an
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Athlete, right?
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Walking in the kitchen doesn't make you a chef.
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I mean, you get the idea, right?
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But we kind of assimilate, we put the two together, and so the
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Doctors told her she had 6 months to live.
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The minister-- or the church we went, my parents were the
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Youth leaders.
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They were in a large college town and there was a fashionable
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Church and the minister came to visit and he didn't believe in
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Heaven or hell.
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That was the '60s.
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The challenges in the church today are not new, folks.
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We've been building this for decades.
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But god's moving, he's changing it, he's bringing it to light.
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Well, they got on a plane to fly to mayo clinic where they were
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Scheduled for some really dramatic surgery and after 4
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Days of examinations and workups and the doctors came in and
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Said, "you know, mrs. jackson, you had cancer, there's
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No question.
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We have pictures of it and lab reports and-- but we've looked
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For 4 days and we can't find it.
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Go home and raise your babies."
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Well, on the flight there, my mom had said a little prayer
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That "before i die, let me know the truth that i can tell my
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Boys," there's-- i have two brothers, "whatever that truth
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May be."
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She didn't ask to be healed.
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She didn't even know that was an option.
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She didn't have any imagination of that.
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And some weeks after that she had a revelation of jesus.
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And that led to a transformation in our family.
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I knew george and betty bc.
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And to be honest, the transformation was so dramatic
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That as an 8-year-old, i walked in the kitchen and said,
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"something's happened.
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Can you tell me what's happened?"
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And they told me that they had met jesus and invited him to
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Come live in there.
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I knelt in the kitchen floor at 4811 jackson street in
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Hollywood, florida, and i began my own journey with the lord.
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And so people say to me they don't believe in miracles, and
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I'm saying, "well, i'm sorry for you."
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You know, that doesn't mean everybody i pray for gets better
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Or i get every outcome i want, but it isn't a theory to me.
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And we see enough supernatural involvement of god on a regular
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Basis in our life together as a community of people that it's
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Illogical and irrational to say it doesn't happen.
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But it would be arrogant and self-righteous to suggest that
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We control it.
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So what i wanna do is walk through the scripture with you
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Because what i really wanna do is commission you to go forth in
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The name of the lord and say let's pray, to take our faith
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Outside the walls of the church.
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I'm quite confident god would do more than he's doing if we would
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Simply invite him into circumstances.
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I assure you it's highly improbable god will engage in
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Your life if you don't invite him, if you have no intent of
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His participation.
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He doesn't kick the door in and force biblical values on you.
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We have to choose him.
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So that's the target of this.
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My whole notion of healing, i relaxed in it a great deal when
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It finally occurred to me that god designed our bodies to heal.
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My dad was a vet, so i grew up trailing around behind a
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Veterinarian and watching all that stuff that goes with that.
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And i was always captivated that you could have the most bizarre
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Injuries, 'cause i mean, horses and cattle can get into
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Some stuff.
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And with just a little bit of help, i mean, i'm not talking
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About sterile ors and people that would mask up and rubber
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Gloves and-- not that.
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You do surgery on a cow in the middle of a dusty field, or in
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The middle of a muddy hole where she's wallowed around
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All afternoon.
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And i mean, with just some modest care, they recover.
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God built us to heal.
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You cut your finger, you don't like whack it off and go, "i'm
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Gonna need a prosthesis."
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No, you get a band-aid, preferably one with like
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Flintstones on it, and you put it on there and in a couple of
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Days it'll be better.
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Well, the-- if you drop your phone and you break the screen,
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You don't put it in a dark place wrapped in a moist paper towel
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For 2 days.
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You have to replace it.
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So when we pray for one another, we're asking god to facilitate
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What he built us to do, because something's interrupted
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The process.
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Your prayers aren't going to overcome your
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Self-destructive behavior.
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That's why the bible warns us against some things like
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Gluttony or drunkenness.
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It says those things will diminish your health.
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Don't do them.
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But there's nothing beyond the-- we're not asking for something
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That's so bizarre.
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It shouldn't be so polarizing, in my opinion, amongst the
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People of god.
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I brought you a lot of scripture, but this is really
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Comes more from my heart because it's shaped from my experience
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With people.
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And i don't want to suggest to you that it's something
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We control.
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I've done funerals for people that, in my opinion, left far
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Too early.
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But having said that, we live in the midst of a community where
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The supernatural involvement of god is a part of our
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Routine habit.
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I do podcasts regularly with people that have stories to tell
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That only god could have orchestrated.
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So with that in mind, right, miracles and healing are a
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Consistent part of god's interaction with humanity, from
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The opening chapters of the bible to the conclusion.
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In the new testament, the supernatural was a very
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Important part of the invitation to follow jesus.
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I don't believe we're gonna make an impact for the kingdom of god
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In this generation without the expression of the power of god.
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Now god's miracles and healing doesn't eradicate suffering
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And hardship.
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It doesn't for our biblical heroes, it doesn't in the
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21st century.
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But we have to move from the dialogue regarding miracles and
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Healing to an expectation of god's involvement, and it seems
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To me that that's where we get stuck.
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We will have seminars and conferences and bible studies
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And curriculum, but we really lack the intent.
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So how do we do that?
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How do we bring down that barrier?
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Well, i can point you towards some simple things, but it
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Really has to do more with your determination.
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You'll need time with the word of god.
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If you're not reading your bible, you're not providing to
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Yourself even the platform for the imagination.
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And you want to do life with people who believe.
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If the people you spend your discretionary time with don't
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Believe god's involved in changing lives, what do you
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Think is going to encourage that with you?
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If you want to become a better fisherman, you're gonna hang out
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With people that like to fish, right?
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If you wanna be a better fisherman, you only hang out
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With people that hate fish, it's gonna be a high bar.
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Just gonna be you and youtube.
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Well, the same is true if you wanna live in the midst of god's
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Engagement, you're gonna have to fill some discretionary time
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With people who believe in that and are interested in that.
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You wanna cultivate the habit of prayer.
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Need to be-- consider a desire for the things of god.
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I'm not telling you there aren't things in the world or the
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Secular realm that aren't attractive or sought after, but
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A part, you have to at least begin with a part of your
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Ambition is for the things of god.
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And i think we've been-- those of us that sit in churches have
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Been largely absent this.
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We've been kind of invited to say the magic words, so you get
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Your conversion ticket, and then you can go be whatever.
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And i think the whole point of entrance into the kingdom of
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God, conversion, new birth, salvation, whichever label you
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Prefer, is that the things of god would begin to become more
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Valuable to you.
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And i think somehow from that constellation of things then
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Begins to emerge this idea that god will meet me, god will help
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Me, god will do things through my life, that it's more than
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Just about me getting my way.
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♪♪♪
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Allen: we have partnered with our friends tim and david barton
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To make available to you a two-volume set on
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American history.
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It's "the american story."
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And it focuses on the part of american history that's been
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Lost in much of our public education these days.
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It's god's engagement with this nation and how he brought the
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American story forward.
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Our nation is more than politics or republicans and democrats.
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It's god working in the lives of people to shape a nation that
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Had brought forth his purposes in the world.
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I believe it's an important part of our faith journey this year,
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And i believe the books will be a blessing to you.
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Female announcer: the 250th anniversary of our nation is an
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Request "the american story" with your gift of $50 or more at
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Allen: i'll start with your notes and those simple
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Scriptures that are really just a declaration that we've been
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Given permission to approach god.
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And you go, "what's the big deal on that?"
00:11:38.481 --> 00:11:39.882
Well, why do you think he would tolerate you?
00:11:39.882 --> 00:11:44.153
It takes weeks these days to get appointments with healthcare
00:11:44.153 --> 00:11:46.789
Professionals, and that's a pay for play situation.
00:11:46.789 --> 00:11:53.596
And i don't have anything that god needs.
00:11:53.596 --> 00:11:55.297
I can't bargain my way into an interview.
00:11:55.297 --> 00:11:59.435
I mean, i don't represent anything that is deficient in
00:11:59.435 --> 00:12:03.139
His realm of existence, so i have nothing to offer.
00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:06.008
The fact that he would grant me an audience is remarkable to me.
00:12:06.008 --> 00:12:10.946
But the bible says it completely differently in ephesians 3, this
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Is new testament: "in him," in christ, "and through faith in
00:12:14.083 --> 00:12:16.685
Him we may approach god with freedom and confidence."
00:12:16.685 --> 00:12:23.926
Are you kidding me?
00:12:23.926 --> 00:12:26.195
We can approach god with freedom and confidence, not arrogance,
00:12:26.195 --> 00:12:34.503
But confidence.
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"therefore, don't be discouraged because of my sufferings
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For you."
00:12:40.009 --> 00:12:41.343
Paul's writing, it's a prison letter.
00:12:41.343 --> 00:12:42.812
I'm going through some hard things in my life right now, but
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He said, don't be discouraged by my present inconvenience or the
00:12:44.947 --> 00:12:49.485
Injustice that's buffeting my life.
00:12:49.485 --> 00:12:51.854
He said, "we can approach god with freedom and confidence.
00:12:51.854 --> 00:12:55.024
There's a resolution to this.
00:12:55.024 --> 00:12:56.792
What i'm enduring is a temporary thing."
00:12:56.792 --> 00:13:00.663
So can we begin with this point?
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We've been given the invitation to approach the creator of
00:13:01.997 --> 00:13:05.367
Heaven and earth, the sustainer of all things.
00:13:05.367 --> 00:13:08.804
Why would we not?
00:13:08.804 --> 00:13:12.675
Took a flight a few months ago and one of the men i was
00:13:12.675 --> 00:13:17.246
Traveling with was a commercial pilot.
00:13:17.246 --> 00:13:21.684
And he came and got me out of my chair and he said, "allen, would
00:13:21.684 --> 00:13:23.919
You like to see the cockpit?"
00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:27.656
And i said, "i guess so.
00:13:27.656 --> 00:13:31.760
I mean, you know.
00:13:31.760 --> 00:13:33.762
I don't wanna sit in the chair or anything, but i mean."
00:13:33.762 --> 00:13:37.233
So off we went and i-- he stopped and talked to-- i don't
00:13:37.233 --> 00:13:39.902
Know what he said.
00:13:39.902 --> 00:13:41.270
I didn't see any money change hands, but they welcomed us in
00:13:41.270 --> 00:13:43.205
And the captain said, "would you like to sit in the chair?"
00:13:43.205 --> 00:13:47.176
Said, "absolutely.
00:13:47.176 --> 00:13:49.178
Can i talk on the microphone?
00:13:49.178 --> 00:13:50.546
I do that a lot."
00:13:50.546 --> 00:13:51.881
I'm like uh-uh.
00:13:51.881 --> 00:13:55.184
I thought it'd be so fun to say to the whole plane, "there's an
00:13:55.184 --> 00:13:57.186
Outline in the seat pocket in front of you."
00:13:57.186 --> 00:13:59.421
They were explaining all the things and he said, "would you
00:14:03.626 --> 00:14:06.061
Like to see where we take a rest?"
00:14:06.061 --> 00:14:07.396
It was an international flight.
00:14:07.396 --> 00:14:08.764
"would you like to see where we get to take a red eye?"
00:14:08.764 --> 00:14:10.499
"yeah, let's go, i'm in for the whole thing."
00:14:10.499 --> 00:14:15.738
I mean, that was kind of fun.
00:14:15.738 --> 00:14:17.740
But we've been given an invitation to address the
00:14:17.740 --> 00:14:22.778
Creator of all things.
00:14:22.778 --> 00:14:25.347
Why would we not do that?
00:14:25.347 --> 00:14:28.284
"well, i don't know how."
00:14:28.284 --> 00:14:29.618
Well, let's learn.
00:14:29.618 --> 00:14:32.154
Let's learn.
00:14:32.154 --> 00:14:33.889
The bible refers to us as god's children, and one of the things
00:14:33.889 --> 00:14:36.225
I enjoy the most at the church is all the little people.
00:14:36.225 --> 00:14:40.896
You know, i like it when they come in the church, the carpet
00:14:40.896 --> 00:14:42.765
Was designed, so there's like things for them.
00:14:42.765 --> 00:14:46.435
If you haven't noticed, they hop from spot to spot, and the spots
00:14:46.435 --> 00:14:50.806
Change and i mean, and, you know, their parents are trying
00:14:50.806 --> 00:14:55.010
To make them behave, so they'll-- you'll believe that
00:14:55.010 --> 00:14:57.279
They're always orderly and neat and freshly pressed, but most of
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:02.584
Us have been around kids long enough to know the reality
00:15:02.584 --> 00:15:04.687
Of that.
00:15:04.687 --> 00:15:06.055
But, you know, when they begin to walk and they stumble and
00:15:06.055 --> 00:15:09.091
They fall or they learn to talk and they're making sounds and
00:15:09.091 --> 00:15:11.627
Only their parents can understand them, there's no
00:15:11.627 --> 00:15:14.596
Rebuke in that.
00:15:14.596 --> 00:15:15.931
It's understood to be a part of maturing and growing.
00:15:15.931 --> 00:15:17.967
Well, you and i, we grow spiritually.
00:15:17.967 --> 00:15:22.237
No, not because of chronology.
00:15:22.237 --> 00:15:23.639
You can sit in church for 40 years and never change.
00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:27.943
But as we begin to grow spiritually, i don't believe god
00:15:27.943 --> 00:15:32.081
Rejects us because we're kind of uncomfortable with
00:15:32.081 --> 00:15:34.083
The arrangement.
00:15:34.083 --> 00:15:37.086
In fact, i think quite the opposite is true.
00:15:37.086 --> 00:15:40.856
I think all of heaven kind of leans in.
00:15:40.856 --> 00:15:42.524
"we've got one more saying something."
00:15:42.524 --> 00:15:44.193
I'll give you one more verse on that theme.
00:15:47.463 --> 00:15:49.631
Hebrews 4 says: "we have such a great high priest who's gone
00:15:49.631 --> 00:15:53.435
Through the heavens, jesus the son of god."
00:15:53.435 --> 00:15:55.337
Do you know jesus is your high priest.
00:15:55.337 --> 00:15:58.707
Do you know, the history of the church has been built with all
00:15:58.707 --> 00:16:01.610
These attempts to put people between you and god,
00:16:01.610 --> 00:16:04.113
Professional christians.
00:16:04.113 --> 00:16:06.181
And they have roles to play and things to do, but we're not
00:16:06.181 --> 00:16:08.650
Your intermediaries.
00:16:08.650 --> 00:16:10.753
You can talk to the boss.
00:16:10.753 --> 00:16:13.989
That's amazing to me.
00:16:13.989 --> 00:16:15.657
"let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
00:16:15.657 --> 00:16:17.559
We don't have a high priest who's unable to sympathize with
00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:19.895
Our weaknesses, but we have one who's been tempted in every way,
00:16:19.895 --> 00:16:22.531
Just as we are-- yet was without sin."
00:16:22.531 --> 00:16:26.001
See, a part of the story of the incarnation, jesus becoming one
00:16:26.001 --> 00:16:29.405
Of us, is he learned all the frailties that come with
00:16:29.405 --> 00:16:32.174
The flesh.
00:16:32.174 --> 00:16:33.742
He got tired and weak and buffeted by people, and it's not
00:16:33.742 --> 00:16:38.680
Some theory to him.
00:16:38.680 --> 00:16:40.015
He understands all of that, so he's able to empathize with us.
00:16:40.015 --> 00:16:43.652
But look at the next sentence.
00:16:43.652 --> 00:16:44.987
"let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so
00:16:44.987 --> 00:16:50.325
That we can receive mercy and find grace to help us."
00:16:50.325 --> 00:16:53.295
The next phrase, to me, maybe it's the most important thing.
00:16:53.295 --> 00:16:56.965
"in our time of need."
00:16:56.965 --> 00:16:59.168
See, i want to approach the throne of grace when i've got it
00:16:59.168 --> 00:17:01.303
All together.
00:17:01.303 --> 00:17:03.806
Do you do-- go to the doctor for a physical?
00:17:03.806 --> 00:17:06.942
How many of you train for your physical?
00:17:06.942 --> 00:17:11.113
When i show up for the physical, that's the healthiest day of
00:17:11.113 --> 00:17:13.415
My year.
00:17:13.415 --> 00:17:15.751
I leave that physical and i'm headed for baskin-robbins.
00:17:15.751 --> 00:17:17.586
I want one of every flavor.
00:17:17.586 --> 00:17:22.658
I know it's not right, but just bear with me.
00:17:22.658 --> 00:17:25.294
But i tend to think of that when i-- you're gonna present
00:17:25.294 --> 00:17:27.930
Yourself before the lord.
00:17:27.930 --> 00:17:29.264
"well, i gotta get my stuff together.
00:17:29.264 --> 00:17:30.632
I gotta get cleaned up, stand up straight, and get it all--" but
00:17:30.632 --> 00:17:34.103
The invitation says that we can present ourselves confidently
00:17:34.103 --> 00:17:37.339
Before the throne of grace, when we need the help the most.
00:17:37.339 --> 00:17:43.712
"god, i'm frightened or i'm angry or i'm stuck in a really
00:17:43.712 --> 00:17:47.916
Destructive habit or i'm at the end of my rope," or whatever the
00:17:47.916 --> 00:17:52.855
Circumstance is.
00:17:52.855 --> 00:17:55.624
We can come, he says, with confidence because we have a
00:17:55.624 --> 00:17:57.826
Great high priest who goes before us.
00:17:57.826 --> 00:18:01.363
Who's actually paid the price for us to be there.
00:18:01.363 --> 00:18:03.565
It's an amazing invitation.
00:18:06.702 --> 00:18:08.270
So when we pray, when we talk about miracles or divine healing
00:18:08.270 --> 00:18:12.107
Or the supernatural, we're not-- it's not presumptive, it's not
00:18:12.107 --> 00:18:15.177
Intrusive, it's not demanding.
00:18:15.177 --> 00:18:18.847
We've lived below the awareness of what scripture invites us to.
00:18:18.847 --> 00:18:23.352
Like that, i wanna take the balance of our time.
00:18:23.352 --> 00:18:25.053
We've been reading, we just finished matthew's gospel if
00:18:25.053 --> 00:18:27.256
You're doing the bible reading with us, and i hope you are.
00:18:27.256 --> 00:18:30.893
We just finished the gospel of matthew, so i wanted to take a
00:18:30.893 --> 00:18:33.495
Chapter from matthew.
00:18:33.495 --> 00:18:34.830
In fact, i put the whole chapter in your notes.
00:18:34.830 --> 00:18:37.366
It's unabridged.
00:18:37.366 --> 00:18:38.700
In fact, the little headings between it, those came right out
00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:40.736
Of the text i copied it from.
00:18:40.736 --> 00:18:43.105
Those aren't my insertion.
00:18:43.105 --> 00:18:46.074
And i think it's a unique chapter because it's a pivot
00:18:46.074 --> 00:18:48.911
Point in the narrative that matthew is presenting.
00:18:48.911 --> 00:18:51.880
Matthew's gospel begins with the birth narratives, the story of,
00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:55.751
Really from joseph's perspective, how jesus arrived
00:18:55.751 --> 00:18:59.054
And the whole bethlehem thing and the magi.
00:18:59.054 --> 00:19:01.323
We just did that.
00:19:01.323 --> 00:19:03.792
And then the opening chapters of that of jesus's ministry are
00:19:03.792 --> 00:19:06.962
Teaching episodes.
00:19:06.962 --> 00:19:09.231
Maybe the most famous of all jesus's sermons, the sermon on
00:19:09.231 --> 00:19:11.700
The mount, is recorded most completely in matthew's gospel.
00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:15.971
The beatitudes, you know, all of that.
00:19:15.971 --> 00:19:18.507
When you get to matthew chapter 8, matthew's presentation makes
00:19:18.507 --> 00:19:22.044
A dramatic, a drastic, pivot.
00:19:22.044 --> 00:19:25.614
And jesus begins to engage in the supernatural, in miracles,
00:19:25.614 --> 00:19:29.284
And in healing.
00:19:29.284 --> 00:19:31.553
And i don't think it's accidental in the narrative that
00:19:31.553 --> 00:19:35.057
Matthew is unfolding.
00:19:35.057 --> 00:19:36.425
We're not gonna study our way to greater freedom, and i'm an
00:19:36.425 --> 00:19:38.994
Advocate for learning, but we're not going to outwork the enemy.
00:19:38.994 --> 00:19:43.565
We will need the power of god to help us.
00:19:43.565 --> 00:19:47.236
And matthew begins to invite us towards it.
00:19:47.236 --> 00:19:49.438
I'm just gonna walk through it with you.
00:19:49.438 --> 00:19:50.806
I'm not gonna read the whole, i don't think i'm gonna read the
00:19:50.806 --> 00:19:52.941
Whole chapter.
00:19:52.941 --> 00:19:54.276
I'm pretty sure i'm not gonna read the whole chapter.
00:19:54.276 --> 00:19:56.778
But in chapter 8, in verse 1, it says: "when jesus came down the
00:19:56.778 --> 00:19:59.581
Mountainside, large crowds followed him.
00:19:59.581 --> 00:20:02.384
Then a man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said,
00:20:02.384 --> 00:20:04.753
'lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean.'
00:20:04.753 --> 00:20:08.690
And jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.
00:20:08.690 --> 00:20:11.994
And he said, 'i'm willing.
00:20:11.994 --> 00:20:14.396
Be clean!'
00:20:14.396 --> 00:20:16.965
And immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
00:20:16.965 --> 00:20:20.269
Then jesus said to him, 'see that you don't tell anyone.
00:20:20.269 --> 00:20:22.504
But go, and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift moses
00:20:22.504 --> 00:20:25.140
Commanded, as a testimony to them.'"
00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:27.909
Again, i don't think this is random or accidental.
00:20:27.909 --> 00:20:29.911
I think it's an important first step in beginning to imagine
00:20:29.911 --> 00:20:33.448
What god might do in your life or the life of someone else.
00:20:33.448 --> 00:20:36.218
We all get stuck on the question is, "well, what would god-- does
00:20:36.218 --> 00:20:39.955
God want to do?"
00:20:39.955 --> 00:20:41.323
How many times do we pray, "god, if it's your will.
00:20:41.323 --> 00:20:44.326
If it's your will," as if god has hidden his will, that we
00:20:44.326 --> 00:20:46.662
Don't know what his will is.
00:20:46.662 --> 00:20:48.930
We read it in the previous session in genesis chapter 1,
00:20:48.930 --> 00:20:51.266
When he gets to-- god gets to the end of creation, and the
00:20:51.266 --> 00:20:53.669
Pinnacle of creation is humanity.
00:20:53.669 --> 00:20:55.871
And he looked at what he'd created and he said, "it's
00:20:55.871 --> 00:20:57.572
Very good."
00:20:57.572 --> 00:20:59.608
He didn't go, "oh, we better try again."
00:20:59.608 --> 00:21:02.944
There was no diminishment in all of creation until sin
00:21:02.944 --> 00:21:08.050
Entered in.
00:21:08.050 --> 00:21:09.951
And here at the beginning of the supernatural miraculous ministry
00:21:09.951 --> 00:21:13.655
In life of jesus, matthew introduces us to this nameless
00:21:13.655 --> 00:21:17.826
Man who came and knelt before jesus.
00:21:17.826 --> 00:21:20.295
We don't really have any explanation.
00:21:20.295 --> 00:21:21.797
He said, "lord, if you're willing, you could make
00:21:21.797 --> 00:21:23.865
Me clean."
00:21:23.865 --> 00:21:25.667
How does he know that?
00:21:25.667 --> 00:21:28.370
He has some awareness, some insight, some report has
00:21:28.370 --> 00:21:32.207
Been given.
00:21:32.207 --> 00:21:33.809
"you have the ability, you have the authority.
00:21:33.809 --> 00:21:36.478
I don't know if you're willing to do it, but if you were
00:21:36.478 --> 00:21:38.613
Willing, my life could be different."
00:21:38.613 --> 00:21:40.182
He's a social outcast.
00:21:40.182 --> 00:21:41.817
He can't go to the market amongst the people without
00:21:41.817 --> 00:21:44.019
Signaling that he's unclean.
00:21:44.019 --> 00:21:47.556
"lord, if you wanted to, you could give me a normal life."
00:21:47.556 --> 00:21:52.527
And jesus says the most remarkable thing.
00:21:52.527 --> 00:21:56.932
"i'm willing.
00:21:56.932 --> 00:21:59.234
Be clean."
00:21:59.234 --> 00:22:01.970
And it says, "immediately he was okay," wow.
00:22:01.970 --> 00:22:10.345
Think his life was different?
00:22:10.345 --> 00:22:12.948
Do you think when he heard somebody say, "yeah, i don't
00:22:12.948 --> 00:22:14.783
Believe jesus is the real thing," think he had a response?
00:22:14.783 --> 00:22:21.256
I bet.
00:22:21.256 --> 00:22:22.958
But he answered a question that's relevant for every one
00:22:22.958 --> 00:22:25.227
Of us.
00:22:25.227 --> 00:22:26.628
See, i believe god wants his best for us.
00:22:26.628 --> 00:22:29.931
That doesn't mean i always live in the fullness of that.
00:22:29.931 --> 00:22:34.169
I don't.
00:22:34.169 --> 00:22:35.537
I believe, you know, jesus said, "my peace i give to you, not a
00:22:35.537 --> 00:22:38.340
Peace like the world has.
00:22:38.340 --> 00:22:39.908
My peace i give to you."
00:22:39.908 --> 00:22:41.243
Jesus gave me his peace.
00:22:41.243 --> 00:22:42.778
He was asleep in a little boat in the middle of a storm while
00:22:42.778 --> 00:22:45.647
The sailors that were with him thought they were gonna drown.
00:22:45.647 --> 00:22:49.384
That's peace.
00:22:49.384 --> 00:22:51.953
Standing before a roman governor that had the power to have him
00:22:51.953 --> 00:22:54.556
Crucified, and he wouldn't talk to him.
00:22:54.556 --> 00:22:58.393
And he finally looked at the governor, he said, "you would
00:22:58.393 --> 00:23:00.395
Have no authority over me unless my dad gave it to you."
00:23:00.395 --> 00:23:04.399
Chill out, o pompous one.
00:23:04.399 --> 00:23:08.236
That's peace.
00:23:08.236 --> 00:23:12.741
Jesus said we could have that.
00:23:10.939 --> 00:23:14.543
Confession: i don't live in the fullness of that 24/7.
00:23:14.543 --> 00:23:19.514
I get agitated or anxious or frightened or-- now, i believe
00:23:19.514 --> 00:23:25.787
God wants me well.
00:23:25.787 --> 00:23:27.155
It doesn't mean i live-- i've got a handheld microphone today,
00:23:27.155 --> 00:23:29.524
Because if i put that other one right up here, i'll
00:23:29.524 --> 00:23:31.159
Start coughing.
00:23:31.159 --> 00:23:33.662
I think that microphone causes coughs.
00:23:33.662 --> 00:23:39.468
So part of me was going, "you can't talk to those people about
00:23:39.468 --> 00:23:41.536
Miracles and healing when you're coughing."
00:23:41.536 --> 00:23:44.873
Well, i said, "watch me."
00:23:44.873 --> 00:23:48.143
But can we start with this point that when you come to the lord,
00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:55.317
Say, "lord, i believe i know what your best for me is.
00:23:55.317 --> 00:23:59.988
Help me understand how to live in that.
00:23:59.988 --> 00:24:03.792
Remove the doubt."
00:24:03.792 --> 00:24:05.494
Verse 5. again, the breaks in your notes are-- they're not in
00:24:09.698 --> 00:24:15.637
The text.
00:24:15.637 --> 00:24:16.972
When the text was written, there was no verse numbers or chapter
00:24:16.972 --> 00:24:18.673
Numbers; it was all just one running dialogue.
00:24:18.673 --> 00:24:21.343
We put all those other things in as reference points.
00:24:21.343 --> 00:24:23.945
"when jesus had entered capernaum, a centurion came to
00:24:23.945 --> 00:24:26.281
Him, asking for help.
00:24:26.281 --> 00:24:28.250
'lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and in
00:24:28.250 --> 00:24:30.552
Terrible suffering.'
00:24:30.552 --> 00:24:31.887
And jesus said to him, 'i'll go and heal him.'"
00:24:31.887 --> 00:24:35.557
Like, yeah, that's like me saying, "i'll come mow
00:24:35.557 --> 00:24:39.394
The yard."
00:24:39.394 --> 00:24:41.396
"'yeah, i'll go and heal him.'
00:24:41.396 --> 00:24:43.532
And the centurion replied, 'lord, i don't deserve to have
00:24:43.532 --> 00:24:47.235
You come under my roof.
00:24:47.235 --> 00:24:49.204
But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
00:24:49.204 --> 00:24:51.339
I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under
00:24:51.339 --> 00:24:53.875
Me, and i tell this one, "go," and he goes; and that one,
00:24:53.875 --> 00:24:55.644
"come," and he comes.
00:24:55.644 --> 00:24:57.012
And i say to my servant, "do this," and he does it.'
00:24:57.012 --> 00:24:59.614
When jesus heard this, he was astonished.
00:24:59.614 --> 00:25:02.317
He said to those following him, 'i tell you the truth, i haven't
00:25:02.317 --> 00:25:04.653
Found anyone in israel with such great faith.'"
00:25:04.653 --> 00:25:08.023
Let me pause there for a moment.
00:25:08.023 --> 00:25:09.357
This is a bizarre story.
00:25:09.357 --> 00:25:10.725
Now matthew's abutted both of these, a leper that comes to
00:25:10.725 --> 00:25:13.461
Jesus and said, "lord, if you're will-- if you're willing, make
00:25:13.461 --> 00:25:16.665
Me clean, lord."
00:25:16.665 --> 00:25:17.999
"i'm willing."
00:25:17.999 --> 00:25:19.334
And the very next presentation is a roman centurion.
00:25:19.334 --> 00:25:22.571
Now that's the most odd part.
00:25:22.571 --> 00:25:24.940
Jesus declines on more than one occasion any entreaties from
00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:29.110
People who aren't jewish.
00:25:29.110 --> 00:25:30.445
He said, "i didn't come for you."
00:25:30.445 --> 00:25:31.813
In fact, there's a woman begging for help for her child, and
00:25:31.813 --> 00:25:34.349
Jesus said, "i'm not gonna help you."
00:25:34.349 --> 00:25:35.951
And she said, "well, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall
00:25:35.951 --> 00:25:38.086
From the tables," and he said, "yeah, it's not my problem."
00:25:38.086 --> 00:25:40.922
But this roman centurion comes.
00:25:44.025 --> 00:25:47.062
He doesn't keep-- he's not keeping any of the rules.
00:25:47.062 --> 00:25:49.431
He's not-- nothing about him qualifies him for
00:25:49.431 --> 00:25:52.267
Jesus's attention.
00:25:52.267 --> 00:25:54.235
But even more bizarre than that, he came to jesus in public and
00:25:54.235 --> 00:25:58.640
Said, "i need your help."
00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:00.542
He's going to an itinerant jewish rabbi, he's a roman
00:26:00.542 --> 00:26:03.712
Centurion, he could have had jesus brought to him in chains.
00:26:03.712 --> 00:26:06.815
♪♪♪
00:26:06.881 --> 00:26:14.589
Allen: hey, this is not just the beginning of another year.
00:26:14.589 --> 00:26:17.125
This is the beginning of the 250th anniversary of our nation.
00:26:17.125 --> 00:26:20.895
This is a very special year.
00:26:20.895 --> 00:26:22.764
It's god's story.
00:26:22.764 --> 00:26:24.132
This isn't about national politics or economics or
00:26:24.132 --> 00:26:27.702
Chest thumping.
00:26:27.702 --> 00:26:29.037
This is an acknowledgement that god works in the history of
00:26:29.037 --> 00:26:31.606
People and nations.
00:26:31.606 --> 00:26:33.508
Well, most of us don't care a lot about history, so we
00:26:33.508 --> 00:26:35.510
Partnered with some of our good friends, wallbuilders tim and
00:26:35.510 --> 00:26:38.246
David barton.
00:26:38.246 --> 00:26:39.614
They have the best on this topic.
00:26:39.614 --> 00:26:40.949
It's a two-volume set on "the american story."
00:26:40.949 --> 00:26:43.451
It'll help us understand god's engagement in american history.
00:26:43.451 --> 00:26:47.989
We've lost most of this in our public schools and certainly in
00:26:47.989 --> 00:26:50.625
Higher education.
00:26:50.625 --> 00:26:51.960
We gotta start back with our families around the kitchen
00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:54.129
Table learning how god has been engaged with us so we can
00:26:54.129 --> 00:26:57.198
Imagine a future that includes god.
00:26:57.198 --> 00:26:59.834
Let's pray and ask for his help.
00:26:59.834 --> 00:27:01.903
Father, i thank you.
00:27:01.903 --> 00:27:03.271
I believe you have blessed our nation and caused us to
00:27:03.271 --> 00:27:05.106
Flourish, and i pray that this year you would open our hearts
00:27:05.106 --> 00:27:08.109
To what you have still ahead of us, that we might invite you
00:27:08.109 --> 00:27:11.946
Into our homes, our communities, and into this nation's future,
00:27:11.946 --> 00:27:15.450
In jesus's name, amen.
00:27:15.450 --> 00:27:17.452
♪♪♪
00:27:18.053 --> 00:27:18.053

Allen Jackson - Jesus' Ministry (Part 1)

February 9, 2026 | 27:29

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