Your Move with Andy Stanley

Andy Stanley - Miracles: Then and Now (Part 3)

May 3, 2025 | 28:29

Your Move with Andy Stanley — to help people make better decisions and live with fewer regrets.

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Your Move with Andy Stanley | Andy Stanley - Miracles: Then and Now (Part 3) | May 3, 2025

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Andy stanley: hi everybody, welcome to "your move" where we
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Help you make better decisions and live with fewer regrets.
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I'm andy stanley and i'll be your guide.
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So, have you ever prayed for a miracle and felt like god had a
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"do not disturb!" sign on his door?
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Meanwhile, a friend of yours or maybe a not so friend of yours
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Got their miracle the same day, like same day delivery, and it
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Left you wondering, "what's the deal?"
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Is there like a promo code i missed?
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Well, if that's you, you are not alone.
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My friend joel thomas knows exactly what that feels like and
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That's why i have invited him to share his story with you today.
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You don't wanna miss this, stick around.
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♪♪♪
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Joel thomas: well, i'm thrilled to be continuing our current
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Series of "miracles: then and now."
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And if you haven't been with us, i'm gonna catch you up in just
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A second.
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But today i think you're gonna find something that you can
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Really relate to.
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The last two weeks we've been talking about a question that
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Lots of people wonder about.
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In fact, lots of people question themselves related to faith, but
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Just--really related to the reality of life.
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And that's this question here, is--do miracles really happen?
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And this is a question many of you have asked.
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And you wonder, you look around, you see certain things, and you
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Wonder, you know, "was that a miracle?
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Was god involved in that?
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Do miracle--should i pray for miracles?
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Does god even care?"
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So, i wanna talk a little bit more about this today because
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Some of the miracles you pray for, you believe they would
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Further god's purposes in the world.
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And sometimes you think, "god, if you would do this, it would
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Display your power, and actually that's true of the story that
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We're gonna unpack today.
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And in this story, truthfully, this story is so encouraging
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To me.
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Personally, because it makes me feel like i'm not crazy.
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There are--somebody else who dealt with this.
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I'm not the only one that was tempted to doubt god when he
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Didn't show up for me, when he didn't show up for me in the way
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I wanted him to.
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When god didn't show up for me in the way i needed him to, in
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The way that i thought he would, or the way i thought he should,
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As a good god.
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When god didn't show up for me, i doubted.
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And i'm not the first one, and you're not the first one, and
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You're not the first one who's dealt with this.
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In fact, someone jesus cared about, someone he was close to,
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A family member of jesus went through this very thing.
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So, here's the backstory.
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There was a king named herod, and this--he was a bad dude.
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And he was in control of basically all of palestine.
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He was appointed by rome to lead all of palestine and to be the
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King over that entire region.
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He was all about himself and his dynasty, preserving his dynasty.
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He had five--at least five wives.
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Now i just--i gotta start out real quick.
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There's all sorts of landmines that i can step on.
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So, if i say something stupid or offensive, i don't mean to.
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It's just that this is--you're gonna see in a second.
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This is a very difficult family to explain, but their family
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Dynamics are important to the story.
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So, herod, he had five primary wives and importantly, he had
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Seven sons.
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He had--actually had other kids with some of his other wives and
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And some cousins.
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Again, strange dude.
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But he had seven sons that were eligible to be the heir to his
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Throne, that were, you know, would be suitable for that.
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And right off the bat, he had two of his sons, aristobulus,
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Sorry, down here, aristobulus and alexander.
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He had these two sons killed.
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And the reason he had them killed is because he became at
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Odds with their mom, and he falsely accused her of adultery,
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And the sons were plotting to kill him.
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So, he executed them before they could kill him.
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So, there's two of these--two of the seven sons, out of the way
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Right there.
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Then he actually killed another one of his sons, antipater, and
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This is because he named him as the heir.
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He said, "no, antipater is gonna be the heir to my throne.
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He's gonna be the heir."
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And then he--they sort of had a falling out, and he's like, "you
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Know what?
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I changed my mind, he's not gonna be the heir," but before
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That word got out to the kingdom, antipater was plotting
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To kill his father so that he would get the kingdom.
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And when herod found out about that, he just had his son
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Executed for his plot to kill him.
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So, not off to a great start with him.
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So, he has another son, antipas.
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And antipas, herod antipas, he was a really bright son.
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In fact, he was one of the ones that a lot of herod's counselors
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Would say, "hey, this is the guy that should succeed you."
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So, what he did was he put him over the region of galilee.
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And in the process of this, there's another family member
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That was actually--in that time period, it was sort of unusual,
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But a--the female and their family began to become really
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Popular and her name was herodias.
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And herodias was really beautiful, had a dynamic
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Personality, and lots of people were drawn to her.
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And so, you know, there was a sense where she was sort of a
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Threat and antipas was, you know, the favorite at this
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Point, gonna take over potentially for herod,
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But he had a brother, his half-brother philip.
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So, you guys tracking with me so far?
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I know this is complicated.
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So, here's the deal.
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So, philip makes a power play.
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And philip decides he's gonna marry herodias, which is
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His half-niece.
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He's gonna marry her because she's popular in the family, and
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This might raise his stock to be the heir to the throne.
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They have a daughter named salome.
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Well, at one point, herod antipas, and his wife, and his
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Family are visiting philip.
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He's--they're visiting them at their house, and he decides,
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Like he decides he's fallen in love with herodias.
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And he decides he's gonna take her to be his wife.
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So, he steals his brother's wife, who's also his half-niece.
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They get married, they're--the daughter who's his grand niece
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Half-daughter, salome comes to live with them.
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And so, they come to galilee to live with him.
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And real quick, here's why i tell you this, this is the
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Family that's ruling over the people of god at this time
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In history.
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Doesn't that make you feel better about your family?
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I mean, honestly, i mean, i'm encouraged.
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I'm feeling like, "oh, gosh, we're pretty good," but this is
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The backdrop for the ministry that jesus is gonna step into.
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The--his personal ministry is gonna be under this rulership in
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The world.
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So, it's already challenging but as jesus comes onto the pages of
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The scripture, he comes onto the pages of the scripture announced
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By a guy named john the baptizer, who was actually
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His cousin.
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And god, we read in the scriptures that god selected his
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Cousin, john, to be the forerunner, to be the one that
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Goes ahead and tells people, "this is the king, this is the
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Messiah that was promised.
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This is the one we've been waiting for, he's here."
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And he starts calling people to repent and to believe in his
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Cousin as the messiah, as god's forever king.
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And jes--and john's preaching style, he was direct and he
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Was blunt.
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He was not worried about ruffling feathers.
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He did not care about hurting people's feelings.
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And so, this is why i tell you, john, you know, he's told people
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Jesus is coming.
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He even told some of his disciples to go follow jesus.
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In the midst of this, john finds out what's going on with herod
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And his family, and specifically herod antipas, and he's not
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Happy about it.
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And so, john decides he's gonna confront herod antipas, and it
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Does not go well.
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In fact, that's where we pick up the story.
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So, we pick up the story, "herod himself had given orders to have
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John arrested, and he had him bound and put into prison.
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He did this because of herodias, his brother philip's," i just
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Told you, "his brother philip's wife, whom he had married."
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Which it's like, "well, duh, so why is john in prison?"
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But john had been saying that--to herod, "it's not lawful
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For you to have your brother's wife."
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And so, herodias--i mean, he wasn't really bothered by that,
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But his wife, herodias, she nurged--she nursed a grudge
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Against john and she wanted to kill him.
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But she wasn't able to kill him because herod, he feared john,
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And he protected john.
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He knew, he knew that--he knew him to be a righteous and a holy
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Man, and he was afraid of what might happen if he killed john.
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And so, he just decided to put him into prison.
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So, john, jesus's cousin who got the whole jesus movement started
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In the beginning, he's rotting in prison essentially for doing
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His job.
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For doing what god wanted him to do, for upholding the law
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Of god.
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Meanwhile, jesus is out and about, and he's preaching, and
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He's healing, and he's doing all sorts of miracles, and he's gone
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On with his ministry.
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And seemingly he's forgotten john.
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He's helping samaritans, and romans, and tax collectors,
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And lepers.
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He's healing demon-possessed people, and other total
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Strangers, and his cousin, is rotting in prison.
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And "when john, who was in prison, heard about the deeds,"
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Not just the things that he was doing, but in relationship to
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The things he wasn't doing, specifically for him.
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"when john heard about the deeds of the messiah, he sent his
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Disciples to ask him, 'are you the one?'"
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Think about this, this is the one who told everybody he's
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The one.
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"are you the one who's to come or should we expect
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Someone else?"
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John, he's getting reports and it seems like just about
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Everybody who needs a miracle is getting one except him.
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And even more troubling for me, more puzzling for me, more
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Challenging for me, maybe one of the more most challenging things
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I've faced in my faith journey.
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Is what jesus does next because it--i've experienced it in
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My life.
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Jesus's response is puzzling at best to me.
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I mean, he doesn't scold john with an answer like, "hey, you
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Of little faith," or you know, rebuke him for it.
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And he doesn't free him either.
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This is how jesus replied.
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He said to john's disciples.
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He said, "go back and report to john what you hear and see."
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And he's gonna tell him some things in a minute,
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Some examples.
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But before i get to that, isn't it true that sometimes we're
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A prison?
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We're in prison to what only we can hear and see?
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I mean, john's in prison, but he's not just in prison because
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Of herod, he's not just in prison to herod, he's in prison
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To what he can hear and what he can see.
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And i've been in that same place myself.
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All i can see and all i experience is the pain and the
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Difficulty in the circumference right around me.
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And when that's all i can experience and that gets so
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Close, it's hard for me to see outside of my
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Immediate circumstances.
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And jesus says, "hey, i want you to go back to john.
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I know the situation he's in.
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I know the circumstances he's in.
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I know that he's in prison and i know that he's questioning.
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Here's what you--what i want you to go tell him.
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I want you to go tell him what you hear and see.
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I want you to tell him that, 'the blind are receiving sight,
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The lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf
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Hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is being
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Proclaimed to the poor.'
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Go tell john what's happening outside of the circumference
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Around him."
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Now this is counterintuitive and honestly, it might even
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Be insensitive.
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For some of you, you hear this and you think, "that
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Sounds offensive."
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But jesus wanted john to see a bigger picture regarding the
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Nature of his miracles, the nature of his deeds, the things
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He was doing.
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He didn't want john to have a circumstantial faith.
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He didn't want john's faith to be dependent on the
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Circumference, the circumstances that were right around him.
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And so, he sends back this message and says, "look up,
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Look out.
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Look at what's going on before you decide, i'm not the one or
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I'm not one who can be trusted."
00:11:48.092 --> 00:11:50.928
I read a book years ago called "the reason for god" by
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Tim keller.
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And in this book he addresses this very issue related to
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Jesus's miracles.
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And i love how he reframes the necessary part of jesus's
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Miracles or the necessary nature of jesus's miracles for us.
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And this is what he said.
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He said, "we modern people think of miracles as the suspension of
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The natural order," which we talked about.
00:12:14.919 --> 00:12:16.654
It is, it is that, it's the suspension or the temporary
00:12:16.654 --> 00:12:20.291
Suspension of what we expect or what's natural.
00:12:20.291 --> 00:12:23.527
"but jesus meant for them to be the restoration of the
00:12:23.527 --> 00:12:26.864
Natural order.
00:12:26.864 --> 00:12:28.232
The bible tells us that god did not originally make the world to
00:12:28.232 --> 00:12:30.968
Have disease, and hunger, and death in it.
00:12:30.968 --> 00:12:35.506
Jesus came--jesus has come to redeem where it was wrong and
00:12:35.506 --> 00:12:38.309
Heal the world where it was broken.
00:12:38.309 --> 00:12:40.044
His miracles are not just proofs that he has the power but also
00:12:40.044 --> 00:12:43.914
Wonderful foretaste of what he's going to do with that power."
00:12:43.914 --> 00:12:48.652
Don't miss my favorite part.
00:12:48.652 --> 00:12:49.987
"jesus' miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a
00:12:49.987 --> 00:12:54.258
Promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming."
00:12:54.258 --> 00:13:00.064
Jesus is saying, "look beyond your circumstances.
00:13:00.064 --> 00:13:02.900
Draw hope from what has happened, what is happening, and
00:13:02.900 --> 00:13:07.137
What will happen outside of what you can currently hear and see.
00:13:07.137 --> 00:13:13.143
There's more going on."
00:13:13.143 --> 00:13:15.045
And it's not because of john's circumstances aren't important
00:13:15.045 --> 00:13:19.516
To jesus.
00:13:19.516 --> 00:13:20.885
And it's not a reflection of jesus's value for john.
00:13:20.885 --> 00:13:24.488
As a matter of fact, the very next verse, look what
00:13:24.488 --> 00:13:26.523
Jesus says.
00:13:26.523 --> 00:13:27.925
He says that--after he sends john's disciples, the very next
00:13:27.925 --> 00:13:30.661
Verse, he says to the other people that are around him, he
00:13:30.661 --> 00:13:32.796
Says, "truly i tell you, among those born of women there has
00:13:32.796 --> 00:13:35.766
Not risen anyone greater than john the baptist."
00:13:35.766 --> 00:13:39.703
Your circumstances don't define how god feels about you or how
00:13:39.703 --> 00:13:45.242
God sees you.
00:13:45.242 --> 00:13:48.245
He sees you, and he loves you, and he cares about you.
00:13:48.245 --> 00:13:52.416
And your circumstances don't define how he feels about you.
00:13:52.416 --> 00:13:55.953
After all, he said, "john was the goat."
00:13:55.953 --> 00:14:00.824
And that settles the debate, by the way, it's not mike or bron
00:14:00.824 --> 00:14:03.394
It's john, okay.
00:14:03.394 --> 00:14:07.865
Some of you will get that later, somebody will tell you about it.
00:14:07.865 --> 00:14:10.634
Which when i think about the greatest, you know, jesus saying
00:14:10.634 --> 00:14:13.504
John's the greatest man he'd ever--that ever lived.
00:14:13.504 --> 00:14:16.640
And i know for some of you, you--somebody comes to mind.
00:14:16.640 --> 00:14:20.511
And for me when i think about the greatest man i ever knew was
00:14:20.511 --> 00:14:24.081
My dad.
00:14:24.081 --> 00:14:25.416
And when i was growing up, i idolized my dad.
00:14:25.416 --> 00:14:26.951
I loved my dad, he was a great man, he was fun, he was present
00:14:26.951 --> 00:14:32.156
At home.
00:14:32.156 --> 00:14:33.590
I loved how he loved my mom, and he prioritized our family, and
00:14:33.590 --> 00:14:37.127
I--it was so great.
00:14:37.127 --> 00:14:38.462
My dad was an athlete growing up and he loved athletics.
00:14:38.462 --> 00:14:41.832
He'd come to all of our sporting events, and coach our teams, and
00:14:41.832 --> 00:14:44.335
Be involved.
00:14:44.335 --> 00:14:45.669
And in my junior year, the--near the end of my junior year of
00:14:45.669 --> 00:14:49.073
High school, my dad started having some health problems, and
00:14:49.073 --> 00:14:51.976
He was having some back problems, and he started
00:14:51.976 --> 00:14:53.744
Losing weight.
00:14:53.744 --> 00:14:55.112
And he went in and the doctors were--got real concerned and
00:14:55.112 --> 00:15:00.217
They started doing a lot more tests and we found out that my
00:15:00.217 --> 00:15:02.419
Dad had renal cell carcinoma, kidney cancer.
00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:06.323
And it was late and it was--had spread through his body, and
00:15:06.323 --> 00:15:10.327
He--so all they had was some trial, they didn't have a lot of
00:15:10.327 --> 00:15:13.831
Treatments at that time, they went and did a lot of trials,
00:15:13.831 --> 00:15:16.934
And traveled around, try to get the best care and treatment
00:15:16.934 --> 00:15:19.870
They could.
00:15:19.870 --> 00:15:21.205
But we didn't know what was gonna happen.
00:15:21.205 --> 00:15:22.573
And i remember one time the elders from the church, from our
00:15:22.573 --> 00:15:25.142
Church, they came to pray for my dad.
00:15:25.142 --> 00:15:27.644
And at one point, the elders were praying for my dad, and one
00:15:27.644 --> 00:15:30.681
Of the elders saw me sitting off the side and i'm just watching
00:15:30.681 --> 00:15:32.783
What's going on.
00:15:32.783 --> 00:15:34.151
And he came over, and he sat down next to me, and he said,
00:15:34.151 --> 00:15:36.053
"hey, i can tell this is really hard for you and can i pray
00:15:36.053 --> 00:15:39.023
With you?
00:15:39.023 --> 00:15:40.391
Can i pray for you?"
00:15:40.391 --> 00:15:41.725
And i said, "yeah, sure, we can pray."
00:15:41.725 --> 00:15:43.093
And he said, "i want you to know there's this promise in
00:15:43.093 --> 00:15:44.728
The scriptures.
00:15:44.728 --> 00:15:46.096
And the promise, this--jesus made this promise, and he--and
00:15:46.096 --> 00:15:49.466
It says, "if you'll pray in my name, whatever you pray in my
00:15:49.466 --> 00:15:52.836
Name, if you'll ask for it, i'll give it to you."
00:15:52.836 --> 00:15:55.873
And he said, "so i want you to pray in jesus' name.
00:15:55.873 --> 00:15:58.542
Which i'll just say looking back it was--that was a terrible
00:15:58.542 --> 00:16:03.080
Interpretation of that scripture.
00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:05.015
He lifted it out of context.
00:16:05.015 --> 00:16:07.017
He did and the thing was--is i--he had good intentions, but
00:16:07.017 --> 00:16:10.354
He lifted out of context and that's not at all what that
00:16:10.354 --> 00:16:12.689
Verse is saying.
00:16:12.689 --> 00:16:14.024
The verses--it's really about if you'll pray in accordance with
00:16:14.024 --> 00:16:17.061
The will of god in jesus's name.
00:16:17.061 --> 00:16:19.563
That's what it's talking about if you read this story.
00:16:19.563 --> 00:16:20.998
But he was like, "if you'll pray in jesus's name," and i took him
00:16:20.998 --> 00:16:23.700
At his word.
00:16:23.700 --> 00:16:25.135
In fact, that day and everyday following, i prayed in jesus's
00:16:25.135 --> 00:16:31.475
Name that he'd do a miracle.
00:16:31.475 --> 00:16:35.512
And then he'd heal my dad.
00:16:35.512 --> 00:16:38.482
And he didn't.
00:16:38.482 --> 00:16:41.085
And my dad died.
00:16:41.085 --> 00:16:44.455
I was praying for a miracle and i didn't get mine.
00:16:44.455 --> 00:16:49.226
My dad died and a lot of my faith died with it.
00:16:49.226 --> 00:16:53.730
I began to doubt like john.
00:16:53.730 --> 00:16:56.600
But i doubted for years.
00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:59.837
I was a prisoner to what i could hear and what i could see.
00:16:59.837 --> 00:17:06.677
And that was dominated by the pain i was experiencing that was
00:17:06.677 --> 00:17:09.546
Right around me.
00:17:09.546 --> 00:17:10.881
And i know some of you have experienced that.
00:17:10.881 --> 00:17:14.017
I know some of you may be experiencing that right now.
00:17:14.017 --> 00:17:17.454
Some of you soon you're gonna be in that place.
00:17:17.454 --> 00:17:22.192
Here's what i want you to know, this story is so important
00:17:22.192 --> 00:17:25.662
Because john--jesus sent john's disciples back to him,
00:17:25.662 --> 00:17:30.033
Essentially saying this, "look, don't let your circumstances
00:17:30.033 --> 00:17:33.237
Keep you from seeing what's happening.
00:17:33.237 --> 00:17:35.439
Don't let your circumstances define what's true about me.
00:17:35.439 --> 00:17:40.344
Let me enter into and define your circumstances for you to
00:17:40.344 --> 00:17:44.648
Give you context."
00:17:44.648 --> 00:17:45.983
He starts, he says, "look back, you need to look back."
00:17:45.983 --> 00:17:48.051
Remember all that's happening.
00:17:48.051 --> 00:17:49.653
Remember all that you experienced.
00:17:49.653 --> 00:17:52.122
Remember all the miraculous things that led you to belief,
00:17:52.122 --> 00:17:55.192
To choose to follow, to choose to lead the way in the
00:17:55.192 --> 00:17:58.695
First place.
00:17:58.695 --> 00:18:00.097
Look out, look outside the circumference that's right
00:18:00.097 --> 00:18:04.034
Around you.
00:18:04.034 --> 00:18:05.369
Look at all the miracles that are happening.
00:18:05.369 --> 00:18:06.803
I know you're not getting the miracle you want right now, but
00:18:06.803 --> 00:18:09.139
God is still doing miracles around you.
00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:12.476
And after you look back and you look out, i want you to look up.
00:18:12.476 --> 00:18:18.415
And i want you to allow me to define your circumstances.
00:18:18.415 --> 00:18:22.953
I want you to allow me to walk with you through
00:18:22.953 --> 00:18:25.956
Your circumstances.
00:18:25.956 --> 00:18:27.324
I want you to allow me to do what i wanna do according to my
00:18:27.324 --> 00:18:31.728
Purposes at my discretion in your life.
00:18:31.728 --> 00:18:37.234
Miracles have happened.
00:18:37.234 --> 00:18:40.137
Miracles are still happening.
00:18:40.137 --> 00:18:42.806
And there are more miracles still to come.
00:18:42.806 --> 00:18:46.310
Don't lose hope in time.
00:18:46.310 --> 00:18:51.281
That's exactly how i gained perspective.
00:18:51.281 --> 00:18:53.483
I encountered something that helped me to look back.
00:18:53.483 --> 00:18:56.920
I had a friend years later i remember talking to about how
00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:01.325
Difficult this was for me, and i was still wrestling with
00:19:01.325 --> 00:19:03.660
My faith.
00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:05.028
And i was telling him that that i--it's just--it was a hard
00:19:05.028 --> 00:19:09.233
Thing for me.
00:19:09.233 --> 00:19:10.567
I lost my dad, i don't know that i've ever recovered, i don't
00:19:10.567 --> 00:19:12.369
Know that i'll ever recover.
00:19:12.369 --> 00:19:13.737
I--it's hard for me to trust god with big things in my life
00:19:13.737 --> 00:19:16.573
Because he let me down when i was trusting him for a miracle.
00:19:16.573 --> 00:19:21.111
And i remember that friend said to me, "man, i wish i had had a
00:19:21.111 --> 00:19:26.283
Dad like that."
00:19:26.283 --> 00:19:28.685
He began to tell me about the tumultuous relationship that he
00:19:28.685 --> 00:19:31.154
Was having with his dad, and the difficulty that had created in
00:19:31.154 --> 00:19:33.824
His life, and that he was living with.
00:19:33.824 --> 00:19:36.893
And that he didn't even wish his dad was here right now.
00:19:36.893 --> 00:19:41.632
And something happened inside of me.
00:19:41.632 --> 00:19:44.268
I began to realize that god had blessed me with a really
00:19:44.268 --> 00:19:47.471
Amazing dad.
00:19:47.471 --> 00:19:48.872
He was my hero.
00:19:48.872 --> 00:19:50.641
And i came to a place where i wouldn't trade the 17 years i
00:19:50.641 --> 00:19:54.344
Had with my dad for a lifetime with another dad.
00:19:54.344 --> 00:19:57.547
God had been really good to me.
00:19:57.547 --> 00:20:01.418
I came to faith through his influence.
00:20:01.418 --> 00:20:04.288
Most everything i learned about my--about being a dad, about
00:20:04.288 --> 00:20:08.058
Being a husband, about being a man, about being a follower
00:20:08.058 --> 00:20:11.461
Of jesus.
00:20:11.461 --> 00:20:12.796
I learned in the formative years of my life from an example i had
00:20:12.796 --> 00:20:16.433
Right in front of me for 17 years.
00:20:16.433 --> 00:20:19.102
I remember thinking about god's past faithfulness, and his
00:20:19.102 --> 00:20:22.939
Blessing to our family, and his grace, and my salvation.
00:20:22.939 --> 00:20:27.377
And that reminded me he's good, and he's faithful, and he can
00:20:27.377 --> 00:20:33.784
Be trusted.
00:20:33.784 --> 00:20:35.152
I just needed to look back beyond the certain circumstances
00:20:35.152 --> 00:20:38.155
That i was in the middle of right now.
00:20:38.155 --> 00:20:41.325
Then i was given something that i'd seen before but my mom gave
00:20:41.325 --> 00:20:45.462
Me an article that was written about my dad.
00:20:45.462 --> 00:20:47.831
It helped me to look outside, to look outside the circumstances
00:20:47.831 --> 00:20:51.335
That were right around me.
00:20:51.335 --> 00:20:52.803
And when my dad was sick, somebody from the newspaper
00:20:52.803 --> 00:20:56.340
Heard about it.
00:20:56.340 --> 00:20:57.708
Our church was a large prominent church in town, my dad was the
00:20:57.708 --> 00:20:59.843
Pastor of the church.
00:20:59.843 --> 00:21:01.211
And so, she wanted to interview him and my dad amazingly decided
00:21:01.211 --> 00:21:04.648
To take this interview with this reporter, but the headline of
00:21:04.648 --> 00:21:07.250
The article was this right here.
00:21:07.250 --> 00:21:08.618
It was fulton pastor--fulton was the name of the town we lived
00:21:08.618 --> 00:21:10.787
In, "fulton pastor willing for illness to be used by god."
00:21:10.787 --> 00:21:14.925
And there was a piece of this article that i lifted out, and
00:21:14.925 --> 00:21:19.496
I've carried with me, and i've gone back to a number of times
00:21:19.496 --> 00:21:22.065
Throughout the years.
00:21:22.065 --> 00:21:23.433
And this is what my dad said, this is before he passed away.
00:21:23.433 --> 00:21:26.002
This is when we weren't sure if he was gonna get his miracle
00:21:26.002 --> 00:21:28.672
Or not.
00:21:28.672 --> 00:21:30.006
We were praying for that.
00:21:30.006 --> 00:21:31.375
He was praying for that.
00:21:31.375 --> 00:21:32.709
He hadn't lost his will to live.
00:21:32.709 --> 00:21:34.077
He wasn't put--thrown in the towel, but he said this, he--in
00:21:34.077 --> 00:21:36.546
The article, she quoted him as saying this, "somehow god's got
00:21:36.546 --> 00:21:39.983
This marvelous plan and ability to bring triumph out
00:21:39.983 --> 00:21:42.586
Of tragedy."
00:21:42.586 --> 00:21:44.087
God isn't in the business of making mistakes.
00:21:44.087 --> 00:21:46.656
Well, we don't always logically have the ability to link tragedy
00:21:46.656 --> 00:21:50.394
And triumph or see how god brings good out of bad.
00:21:50.394 --> 00:21:54.598
I've seen it too many times in my life to deny it.
00:21:54.598 --> 00:21:57.467
What does it look like to go through a deplorable, difficult
00:21:57.467 --> 00:22:00.537
Time and to be really at peace about it?
00:22:00.537 --> 00:22:03.807
Not that i like it, not to say i'm glad i have this disease,
00:22:03.807 --> 00:22:07.677
But a lot of people are going through their own crises.
00:22:07.677 --> 00:22:10.814
It doesn't matter whether it's financial, or family, or
00:22:10.814 --> 00:22:13.717
Business, or emotional.
00:22:13.717 --> 00:22:15.752
The question is, can i live day in and day out with a sense of
00:22:15.752 --> 00:22:20.123
Serenity and peace?
00:22:20.123 --> 00:22:21.458
And i said to god, whatever that looks like, that's what i want
00:22:21.458 --> 00:22:28.365
To look like to people.
00:22:28.365 --> 00:22:31.101
I want people regardless of their beliefs, to know the
00:22:31.101 --> 00:22:34.404
Reality of a personal relationship with jesus christ
00:22:34.404 --> 00:22:36.706
And difficulties.
00:22:36.706 --> 00:22:38.308
In the challenges and the stretching times of life, it
00:22:38.308 --> 00:22:41.445
Makes all the difference in the world, what i believe about god
00:22:41.445 --> 00:22:45.182
And the personal ministry of god to me through christ on a
00:22:45.182 --> 00:22:48.852
Daily basis.
00:22:48.852 --> 00:22:51.054
That is my stamina.
00:22:51.054 --> 00:22:52.756
That is what sustains me.
00:22:52.756 --> 00:22:55.926
Ultimately, that looking back and that looking out led me to
00:22:55.926 --> 00:23:01.598
Look up.
00:23:01.598 --> 00:23:03.233
And i finally decided to sincerely pursue.
00:23:03.233 --> 00:23:07.103
And the answer to my, "why god?" question.
00:23:07.103 --> 00:23:10.207
I decided to look up.
00:23:10.207 --> 00:23:11.575
And to ask god to give me perspective surrounding my
00:23:11.575 --> 00:23:15.412
Father's death.
00:23:15.412 --> 00:23:17.180
To help me understand how anything good could come
00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:20.817
Through that.
00:23:20.817 --> 00:23:22.152
To understand what his purposes were in the world and for me.
00:23:22.152 --> 00:23:26.423
And he did.
00:23:26.423 --> 00:23:28.892
And i don't have time to tell you about all of that today.
00:23:28.892 --> 00:23:31.495
I'll just say if you're here today and maybe you're not even
00:23:31.495 --> 00:23:33.997
Sure about god, you're not sure if god can be trusted, or you're
00:23:33.997 --> 00:23:36.199
Not sure if god can be trusted in your circumstances.
00:23:36.199 --> 00:23:39.536
You should do this.
00:23:39.536 --> 00:23:42.372
You should look up, you should look to your heavenly father,
00:23:42.372 --> 00:23:45.976
Even if you're not sure there's a god out there, if you begin to
00:23:45.976 --> 00:23:49.913
Pray to a god you're not sure exists, you're gonna start to
00:23:49.913 --> 00:23:53.383
See him show up in your life, i promise you.
00:23:53.383 --> 00:23:55.552
And here's what you need to know, the solution to your
00:23:55.552 --> 00:23:57.888
Circumstances will not be found in the circumference around you.
00:23:57.888 --> 00:24:03.994
It won't be.
00:24:03.994 --> 00:24:05.629
Nor the strength to get through it.
00:24:05.629 --> 00:24:07.797
When you look up, what you're gonna discover is god
00:24:07.797 --> 00:24:10.967
Is speaking.
00:24:10.967 --> 00:24:13.403
It's a thing i discovered.
00:24:13.403 --> 00:24:15.872
When i looked up, i realized god is near, and he cares, and he
00:24:15.872 --> 00:24:23.213
Cares about me.
00:24:23.213 --> 00:24:25.482
And this, looking back, looking out, and looking up, these
00:24:25.482 --> 00:24:30.020
Things helped me tremendously to shift my perspective on god's
00:24:30.020 --> 00:24:35.025
Decision not to grant my dad, not to grant my family, not to
00:24:35.025 --> 00:24:39.429
Grant me the miracle we were praying for.
00:24:39.429 --> 00:24:44.634
I was disappointed that day.
00:24:44.634 --> 00:24:47.470
That early morning my mom came and woke me up and told me that
00:24:47.470 --> 00:24:51.474
My father passed the night before.
00:24:51.474 --> 00:24:53.577
I didn't see it coming.
00:24:53.577 --> 00:24:55.679
I thought god was gonna give us our miracle.
00:24:55.679 --> 00:24:58.949
I was disappointed.
00:24:58.949 --> 00:25:01.017
But you know who wasn't?
00:25:01.017 --> 00:25:03.920
My dad, his eyes opened to the glory of heaven.
00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:09.392
A fullness of life he had never experienced before.
00:25:09.392 --> 00:25:13.530
And i believe he heard the words, "well done, my good and
00:25:13.530 --> 00:25:17.934
Faithful servant."
00:25:17.934 --> 00:25:20.503
He experienced a miracle that day.
00:25:20.503 --> 00:25:25.375
His body was fully and finally healed forever.
00:25:25.375 --> 00:25:29.713
The miracle of his transition to heaven was far greater than the
00:25:29.713 --> 00:25:33.016
Miracle of him being healed on earth.
00:25:33.016 --> 00:25:37.954
Back to john for a minute.
00:25:37.954 --> 00:25:40.523
You know john's story, how it ended?
00:25:40.523 --> 00:25:43.059
He was eventually beheaded by herod because of a stupid
00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:47.530
Birthday request to a teenage girl.
00:25:47.530 --> 00:25:50.634
Her mom, herodias, told her to ask for john's head on
00:25:50.634 --> 00:25:53.336
A platter.
00:25:53.336 --> 00:25:55.672
And she got it.
00:25:55.672 --> 00:25:58.141
Jesus seemingly did nothing on behalf of the greatest man
00:25:58.141 --> 00:26:03.146
He knew.
00:26:03.146 --> 00:26:05.048
Jesus himself was eventually arrested, crucified, because of
00:26:05.048 --> 00:26:09.152
A handful of religious leaders that were threatened by him and
00:26:09.152 --> 00:26:13.123
God did nothing, seemingly.
00:26:13.123 --> 00:26:16.326
But in reality, he did everything.
00:26:16.326 --> 00:26:19.963
Because when jesus gave his life on that cross and paid the
00:26:19.963 --> 00:26:23.600
Penalty for our sin and death once and for all, and then
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Conquered the grave, what he made possible for us is the hope
00:26:26.536 --> 00:26:31.241
That one day, everything will be made right.
00:26:31.241 --> 00:26:36.079
John maintained his faith, jesus stayed the course, and from that
00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:40.450
Small corner of the world, a movement that has resulted in
00:26:40.450 --> 00:26:44.521
The miracle of everlasting life for billions of people
00:26:44.521 --> 00:26:49.893
Throughout history, for billions of people across the world now,
00:26:49.893 --> 00:26:54.330
Came into reality.
00:26:54.330 --> 00:26:56.199
So, when you feel like god's holding out on you, when you
00:26:56.199 --> 00:27:00.103
Feel like you don't get the miracle or haven't yet gotten
00:27:00.103 --> 00:27:03.606
Your miracle, it's my encouragement to you, look back,
00:27:03.606 --> 00:27:09.079
Look out, look up.
00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:12.649
God is not defined by just what you can hear and see in the
00:27:12.649 --> 00:27:18.388
Small circumference around you.
00:27:18.388 --> 00:27:20.557
He cares about it, he cares about where you are, but as you
00:27:20.557 --> 00:27:23.626
Look back, and you look out, and you look up, he will meet you
00:27:23.626 --> 00:27:26.830
In that.
00:27:26.830 --> 00:27:28.198
And you should hold on to the fact that your circumstances do
00:27:28.198 --> 00:27:32.602
Not reflect god's power, they do not reflect his presence, and
00:27:32.602 --> 00:27:36.639
They do not reflect his feelings about you or what you're
00:27:36.639 --> 00:27:39.843
Going through.
00:27:39.843 --> 00:27:41.177
He cares, he's with you, he loves you, and he will see
00:27:41.177 --> 00:27:48.384
You through.
00:27:48.384 --> 00:27:50.386
Andy: hey, everybody, thank you so much for tuning in.
00:27:50.386 --> 00:27:52.455
If you'd like to watch this episode again or share it with a
00:27:52.455 --> 00:27:55.291
Friend, head on over to the website at the bottom of
00:27:55.291 --> 00:27:57.393
The screen.
00:27:57.393 --> 00:27:58.762
The website is the best place for you to find other your move
00:27:58.762 --> 00:28:01.364
Episodes, access additional resources, and learn more about
00:28:01.364 --> 00:28:04.467
Our mission to engage culture with the teaching of jesus
00:28:04.467 --> 00:28:07.771
Because we're convinced following jesus will make your
00:28:07.771 --> 00:28:10.406
Life better and make the world a better place,
00:28:10.406 --> 00:28:13.143
And now it's your move.
00:28:13.143 --> 00:28:14.711
♪♪♪
00:28:15.145 --> 00:28:24.020
...
00:28:25.622 --> 00:28:29.010

Andy Stanley - Miracles: Then and Now (Part 3)

May 3, 2025 | 28:29

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