Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Amazed But Not Affected - 10/18/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Amazed But Not Affected - 10/18/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to the [music] podcast of
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Meadows Baptist Church of Walnut Cove,
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North Carolina.
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We're so glad [music] you joined us
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today.
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If you enjoy today's message, be sure to
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subscribe, [music] follow, and share
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with your friends.
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Now, let's join Pastor Charlie [music]
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Branch
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with a word from God.
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>> Hey, man. Take God's word this morning.
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Turn with me to Mark's Gospel chapter 6.
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Mark's Gospel chapter number 6.
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Thank you for being in the house of the
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Lord. And I'm glad to be saved. Amen.
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Mark's Gospel chapter 6. You find your
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place. If you would, stand
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in honor and reverence to the reading of
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God's word.
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Mark's Gospel chapter 6.
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Try to give to you what the Lord has
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laid on our heart this morning.
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Bible says in verse number 1,
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"And he went out from thence." Speaking
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of Jesus.
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"And came into his own country."
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"And his disciples follow him."
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"When the Sabbath day was come, he began
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to teach in the synagogue."
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"Many hearing him were astonished."
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"Saying, 'From whence hath this man
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these things? And what wisdom is this
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which is given unto him?
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That even such mighty works that are
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wrought are wrought by his hands? Is not
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this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the
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brother of James and Joses, and of Juda
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and Simon? And are not his sisters here
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with us?'"
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"And they were offended at him."
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"But Jesus said unto them,
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'A prophet is not without honor,
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but in his own country,
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and among his own kin,
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and in his own house.'"
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"And he could there do no mighty work,
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save that he laid his hands upon a few
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sick folk,
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and healed them."
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"And he marveled because of their
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And he went round about the villages
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teaching.
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Father,
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I come before you this morning and I ask
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humbly for your help.
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God, I realize, Father, that we
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desperately need you.
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God, we can do nothing without you.
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And Lord, I don't want this to be just
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another social gathering.
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Lord, I don't want us to sit in here and
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fall asleep, God, at the preaching of
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your word, but Lord, I pray
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God, today that you'd give us an
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attentive ear.
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Lord, I pray, God, that you'd fill your
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servant, Lord, this morning with thy
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spirit. Give me unction and liberty, I
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pray.
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God, I realize, Father, the need of this
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hour, Father, is greater than our mind
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could ever understand. And Lord, I pray,
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please, God, that you would help us.
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God, that you would rend the heavens,
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Lord, that you would come down and meet
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with us this morning. God, that you
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would get glory that is deserved to your
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name. God, I pray, Father, for this
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text, Lord, you've given me to preach
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this morning. God, that you would help
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me to expound it properly. I pray, God,
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you'd help me to apply it, Father,
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principally in our lives, God, that we
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might benefit from it this morning. And
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God, I pray, Father, this morning that
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each heart would receive help from the
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word of God. Clothe us in our calling
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and hide us behind the cross. Help us to
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receive with meekness the engrafted word
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this morning. Lord, we sure love you.
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Thank you, God, for what you've done.
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Thank you for what you're going to do,
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but Lord, we thank you most of all for
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who you are. And Lord, we ask you,
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Father, in Jesus' name, please to help
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us now. We give you all the praise,
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honor, and glory. We ask it in Jesus'
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name again. Amen.
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You can be seated. Thank you
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for standing this morning.
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Mark's Gospel chapter number six begins
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a unique portion of our Lord's ministry.
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It is this chapter, as well as the
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emphasis of Matthew chapter number 10,
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that he is going to send out his 12
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disciples. We notice that later on in
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this chapter in verse number seven that
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he called unto him the 12. But it's
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interesting to me what seemingly in this
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text spurns his emphasis on sending out
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these men in verse number seven of this
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chapter is his rejection in verses one
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through six of this chapter. And I want
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to share with you this morning out of
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this text a thought the Lord laid on my
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heart. You notice in verse number two,
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there's a there's a phrase that's
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mentioned in verse two. It says, "When
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the Sabbath day was come, he began to
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teach in the synagogue and many hearing
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him were astonished." And then you
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notice in verse number five, the Bible
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says, "And he could do he could there do
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no mighty work."
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And I read that and I thought in my
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mind, I was like, "Man, what a paradox."
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What a what a troubling fact that these
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people were amazed by Jesus,
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but they were not affected by him.
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And I want to preach on that thought for
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just a little while this morning on
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amazed, but not affected.
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Amazed, but not affected. You see, this
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is where I believe much of the church in
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this day and time is. We've lost our
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wonder.
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We've lost our desire. And I want to say
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this, the truth is that those of us who
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are amazed, those of us who still glory
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in all that Jesus has done, all that he
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is, and the power that he has exhibited
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in our life, and we we've seen HIS
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PRESENCE, WE'VE WATCHED HIM MOVE, and
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we've enjoyed his goodness in our life.
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Though we are amazed by him, so many
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times we are completely unaffected
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by him.
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Let me ask you a real sobering question.
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When's the last time you heard a sermon
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and thought, "Man, I've really got to
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change something in my life?"
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You see, I the the truth is in my life,
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every time that I open this book, it
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reminds me that I've got a long ways to
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go.
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But the fact of the matter is in all of
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our lives this morning, if we've gotten
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to a place where we can say, "Wow, that
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was great preaching," but without
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saying, "Man, I really need some help."
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You say, "Preacher,
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how is that?" Well, the truth is
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preaching's really not as good as we
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think it is if it doesn't cause us to
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change.
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And I'd much rather people walk out of
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this church silent
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and not say anything good about my
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preaching,
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but it do something in your life
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and make a difference
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than you ever tell me I did a good job
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preaching.
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And you say, "Preacher, what are you
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saying all that for?" Well, I'm reminded
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in this text that this is Jesus.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, that
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comforts me a little bit.
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Cuz I know that if he could preach
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and he could teach
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and people said, "Man, that's amazing."
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But they were completely unaffected by
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it, that sort of changes my perspective.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, let's
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notice a few things by way of
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introduction this morning. I believe the
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Lord's orchestrated this service just
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for this reason. I hope that this
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message is sobering this morning and I
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hope that God will establish in our
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hearts the truth of his word that it is
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not meant just to challenge us, but it
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is meant to change us continually. We
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ought to ever be moving forward. We
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ought to ever be moving closer. We ought
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to ever be drawing nearer to Jesus and
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as we draw near we should be more like
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he is. I notice in our text just a few
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things by way of introduction. I see
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Jesus is home in verse number one. You
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say, "What do you mean?" Well, notice
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what the Bible says, "And he went out
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from thence and came into his own
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country. And his disciples follow him."
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Now, we know Jesus, we think about his
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nativity, he was born there in Bethlehem
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and just shortly thereafter he was born
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just a few days they would journey there
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from Bethlehem, the place of his birth,
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to Nazareth and that is where they have
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come to in this text. They are in
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Nazareth where Jesus was reared by his
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earthly father Joseph and his mother
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Mary in the text and Jesus has come
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home. Now, this is not the first time
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that Jesus has come home. The first time
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that he came home, Jesus was met with a
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very disagreeable group of people. And
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matter of fact, they wanted to kill him
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when he went there last time. But Jesus
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decides decides in this text that he's
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going to go back because we know that he
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come to seek and to save that which was
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lost. Somebody say amen. And so where
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there were lost people, Jesus was going
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to be found. And I notice in this text,
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the Bible says that he has come home.
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And we notice not only Jesus home in the
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text, but we notice the Jews hearing in
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verse number two. The Bible says, "And
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when the Sabbath day was come, he began
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to teach in the synagogue. And many
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hearing him were astonished." So Jesus
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has come home. And in the culture in
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this time period, these synagogues were
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present in almost every city. No doubt
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Nazareth it had a synagogue and all the
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locals would be there for the hearing of
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the word of God. And as his custom was,
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he's come back and he begins to teach.
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And no men would doubt the the the the
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divine nature of his teaching. Rabbi
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Nicodemus said it this way in John in
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chapter number three. He said, "Rabbi,
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we know that thou art a teacher sent
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from God." They knew clearly who Jesus
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was and all that he could do and had
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done. And what I see in this text is
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that they are hearing his word. And I
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want to say this, there's nobody that
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ever heard the word of Jesus and wasn't
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amazed.
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Amen. When Jesus preached, amen, and he
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gave his message, amen, this text he's
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proclaiming the message of the kingdom.
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There's been such a difference that he's
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preaching here in this chapter. He's
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expressing to them things that they have
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never seen before. You say, "How is
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that?" Well, notice in the hearing.
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Notice the descent that they mention in
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verse two. "And many hearing him were
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astonished saying, From whence hath this
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man these things?" They're saying, "Man,
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where is this coming from?"
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You ever heard something preached like
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that? Sometimes that's good, but
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sometimes it's bad. Amen. I don't know
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where that preacher got that. Amen. But
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they sometimes, man, you hear something
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and you say, "Man, man, I've never heard
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that before."
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You know what is fresh? Isn't it? Thing
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about Jesus, he puts the emphasis on the
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scriptures that none of the rabbis had
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ever seen before.
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It was descent from somewhere other than
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they had been. Amen. But I noticed this,
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not only the descent of his word, from
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whence hath this man these things? Where
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did it come from? But I noticed the
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difference. Notice what he says. And
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what wisdom is this which is given unto
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him? He's telling them things about the
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scriptures that they don't even know how
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to reconcile.
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They don't even know how to comprehend
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it. You say, "How is that, preacher?"
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Well, they didn't have the Holy Ghost
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inspiring their preaching. Amen. They
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didn't have a rabbi filled with the
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spirit of God to give them the word of
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God. But when Jesus gave them the truth,
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man, there was something different about
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it. And boy, don't you thank God for the
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night that you got saved when that
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gospel for the first time, amen. It
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wasn't just the same old story. If you
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was like me, you'd heard it all your
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life. But that night there was something
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different about it. Amen. Hey friend,
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WHERE DID THAT WISDOM come from? Man,
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I'm telling you when God pointed his
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finger into my heart and revealed to me
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I was lost, man, I knew there was
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something different about it because it
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had COME TO WHERE I WAS AT. AMEN. And
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you know what? That's what happens when
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conviction settles in. That message,
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amen, that seemed mediocre and general
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to you before, that gospel message that
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YOU'D HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, that
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night God pointed you out. Amen. Zeroed
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in on you. And Jesus did that very same
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thing to them that day. The message was
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different to them. But I want to say
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this, it was different because it was
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divine. Amen. Look what he says. And
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what wisdom is this which is given unto
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him, that even such mighty works are
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wrought by his hands.
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No doubt these people had heard all that
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Jesus had done.
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They had heard how that he had healed
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the sick. They'd heard how he made the
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blind see. They'd heard that his family
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had heard the fame of him.
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But the truth is we find even though
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he's home and
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they're hearing what he has to say,
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we're finding that he's hindered.
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Say, "What do you mean?" Well, notice
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verse five again.
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And he could there do no mighty work.
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Now, you see I'm interested in that
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thought because the truth is they were
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hearing Jesus.
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And just like you this morning, we come
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in week in and week out and we hear the
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word of God.
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But how many of us have been changed?
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How many of us have seen a miracle?
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How many of us have seen growth in our
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lives
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that's different or out of the ordinary?
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You know what I'm sick of?
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I'm sick of seeing normal Christianity.
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Cuz you know what normal Christianity
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is? It's not normal Christianity.
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You say, "Preacher, what in the world do
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you mean by that?" Well, I'm talking
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about American Christianity.
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Lazy, apathetic, complacent, not
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interested in doing anything. I'm
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talking about what we have deemed as
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normal. We hear the word
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and we're amazed by it.
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But we walk out the church exact same
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way we came in. You say, "Preacher, how
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is that?" Well, I want to give you three
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things this morning and I'll be done. In
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this text, you say, "What What do you
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mean they were amazed but not affected?"
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Well, when you look up that word
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astonished in this text, you look it up
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in your Webster's dictionary, it means
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literally the first definition of it is
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to fear.
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And when I read that, I thought to
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myself, "Man, I don't think of amazement
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as being afraid." But you know what? In
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this text, the imagery here is is that
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when they heard what Jesus said, it was
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so different from what they had heard
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before that it scared them.
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I think the number one reason our church
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is in this day and time, we're amazed at
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the preaching, we're amazed at the
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singing, we're amazed AT WHAT'S GOING ON
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in the house of God, but it never gets
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outside the doors. Number one, I believe
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it's because of fear.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, we
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hear what it can do and we see through
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THE EYE OF FAITH WHAT IT CAN DO, but
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we're afraid to actually put feet
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to those facts.
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, I'm
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saying we believe it or we say we do,
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but the truth is we are not employing
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the truths that we say we believe. You
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say, "What is that?" Well, we say we
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believe that Jesus died for the whole
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world.
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What are we doing to reach the world?
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You say, "What do you mean?" Well, we're
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afraid of what it might cost us.
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You see, these people knew Jesus. And
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I'll give you this this morning, this
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message going to move quickly. You see,
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they were afraid of his sayings. Notice
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that. When they in many hearing him were
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astonished. But I want to remind you,
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they've not seen Jesus do anything.
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Notice it in the text. It says, "He
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could do there no mighty work."
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So, they didn't see him do anything.
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They were just afraid by what he said. I
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think majority of the church in this day
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and time is afraid when real biblical
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preaching is set forth.
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They're afraid of the cost.
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They're afraid of what the cross might
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look like.
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Your cross is not your sickness.
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I I love you this morning. Your cross is
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not your bad relationship.
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You see, your cross is something
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that Jesus places on you. And what did
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we talk about last week?
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Every good gift, every perfect gift.
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Romans 8:28, we know that all things
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work together for good. If it's good in
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our life, if it's from him, it must be
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righteous.
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And we know that he gives us his cross.
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Jesus said Matthew 16:24, "If any man
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will come after me, let him deny
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himself, take up his cross." Who is that
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cross designated from? It's designated
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from Christ for you.
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So, Jesus, your cross is this, it is
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your service to him.
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And so, we are afraid
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what it might cost us. We're afraid of
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the cross that we would have to bear.
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We're afraid of the comfort that we
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would lose.
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Say, "What do you mean?" Well,
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Christianity is going to cost us
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a lot of our American niceness
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that we've become so accustomed to.
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The the blessings, you know, we're
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driving the $120,000 car with the tag
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that says blessed on the front of it.
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So, you get one to say it. I'm saying
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when we get invested, the truth is it's
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going to cost us some things.
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Say, preacher, is that not hitting you?
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It's hitting me all over. Truth is it
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hits all of us, doesn't it?
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I I would say that people are amazed but
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not affected because we're afraid.
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We have fear about what's being said. We
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know the truth. Amen. He said the truth
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shall make you free. We know the truth.
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Why does the truth not make us free?
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It's cuz we're not applying it.
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They were afraid They were They were
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fearing what he said. Notice this second
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of all, not only they feared what he
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said,
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I think their second problem I think our
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second problem this morning we could say
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is not fear, you know, and we're amazed
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but not affected because we're afraid,
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but we're also amazed but not affected
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because of familiarity.
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Say, what do you mean?
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Well, notice the text, verse number
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three.
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What did they say about Jesus? Is not
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this the carpenter,
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the son of Mary,
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the brother of James and Joses and of
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Juda and Simon? You see, Jesus has come
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home.
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He's come to where he spent 30 years of
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his life.
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This is where Joseph and Mary raised
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him. This is where Joseph, obviously
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according to the text, trained him to be
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a carpenter. This is where Jesus himself
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got a reputation of being a carpenter.
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Notice that, is not this the carpenter.
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Doesn't say the son of the carpenter.
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Said, is not this the carpenter?
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Jesus has a reputation of being a
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working man. I want to say that's a good
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reputation. Amen. But he was a lot more
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than that.
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Is not this the carpenter? You say, what
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does that illustrate? Well, notice this.
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What they're saying about Jesus is You
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see, the Jews were all about schooling.
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Now,
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I want to say this for for preaching
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this morning. I'm I'm all for schooling.
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Need a lot more of it myself. Amen. But
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I want to say this, we can never learn
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too much of the word of God. Let me ask
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you something. Did Jesus need any
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teaching?
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You see, the Jews, this local town, this
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local synagogue, the imagery here, you
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know, I one writer he was animating it
18:28
very well and he was talking about the
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local butcher and the local bricklayer
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and all the different things were there
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at the synagogue, you know, and they had
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heard the the priests that were trained
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at the school of the rabbis.
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Jesus didn't have any formal training.
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He was there preaching. They're like,
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man, we've never heard nothing like
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this.
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We've never heard any of those priests
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down there with the degrees at the end
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of their name
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as long as, you know, a mile.
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We've never heard them say anything like
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that. Matter of fact, they all say the
18:55
same thing.
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But Jesus comes in here, man, he's
18:58
saying stuff we've never heard. We just
19:00
don't know if we can trust that.
19:02
You say, what do you mean? I'm saying
19:03
they were familiar with this person, so
19:05
it hindered them
19:07
from seeing his power
19:10
in his preaching. They're saying, what
19:12
what does this boy know?
19:13
He don't have any schooling.
19:15
Notice that. Notice how they labeled
19:17
him. Is not this the carpenter? Yeah,
19:20
he's teaching the word of God to them,
19:22
but they didn't see him as an instructor
19:24
in the word of God. They saw him as just
19:25
somebody that they were around every
19:27
day.
19:28
And you know what that illustrates to us
19:30
the familiarity we cannot allow our
19:33
familiarity to the truth cuz we live in
19:35
the Bible Belt.
19:37
We know it inside and out, backwards and
19:40
forwards. I was thinking this morning I
19:42
was teaching on the rapture. I'm
19:43
thinking, man, everybody knows this
19:44
stuff what I'm talking about. I don't
19:46
need to talk about that. But the truth
19:48
is this morning our familiarity should
19:49
not hinder us from hearing the word of
19:51
God.
19:52
Hindered them.
19:54
You say, what do you mean? Well, there's
19:55
no schooling involved. They say, well,
19:57
Jesus didn't He He didn't go to the
19:59
school the divine school of Jerusalem
20:01
and get his doctorate's degree of
20:03
theology, amen.
20:05
I'm going to say this, it didn't only
20:06
say that there was no schooling, I also
20:09
said he's just nothing special.
20:12
What do you mean? You say, well, notice
20:14
it again in verse three. Is not this the
20:16
carpenter?
20:17
Carpenter, that's just a
20:20
normal old guy.
20:21
He's just like us.
20:23
You say, well, do you mean about that no
20:25
schooling?" Well, let's look back at
20:27
that again. I I don't want you to miss
20:28
this, okay? You say, "I don't I don't
20:30
see that in the carpenter." Well, notice
20:31
in verse two.
20:33
He said, "Many hearing him were
20:34
astonished, saying, 'From whence hath
20:36
this man these things?'" If he didn't go
20:37
to the school, where did he get taught
20:38
at that?
20:40
Where did he get this from?
20:42
He's just the carpenter. He's nothing
20:44
special.
20:45
We've watched him grow up. He's no
20:47
different than any of us. Notice this.
20:49
Not only there's no schooling and
20:51
there's nothing special, but think about
20:52
this, the near supposition of the text,
20:54
verse three, "Is not this the
20:56
carpenter?" What's the next phrase?
20:58
The son of Mary.
21:00
What did the Jews say about Jesus? That
21:02
he was born of what?
21:04
Fornication.
21:06
They all thought that Jesus, you know,
21:09
Oh, yeah.
21:10
That Mary down there,
21:12
she says her and Joseph hadn't ever done
21:15
anything, but Jesus just somehow
21:17
magically appeared.
21:19
And the whole neighborhood thought, you
21:20
know, well,
21:22
he's just like us. They're just sinners
21:24
just like us. You know what? They didn't
21:26
believe that.
21:28
Let me tell you something. You say, "How
21:29
does that fit with us?" Well, that's the
21:31
way the world looks at us.
21:32
>> That's right.
21:35
>> Especially when we live the way they do
21:37
out there.
21:37
>> Amen.
21:39
Amen.
21:40
>> They just say, "Well, if that's what
21:42
Christians are like, man, I'm
21:46
Let me bring you over into our arena,
21:47
though.
21:49
God really don't expect that of me.
21:52
He understands.
21:55
Man, church people say that week in and
21:56
week out. I think God set this service
21:58
up just like this for a reason. We We
22:00
say things like, "Well, the Lord's
22:02
merciful. There His mercies are new
22:04
every morning." And we'll praise Him and
22:05
thank Him for His mercies, but
22:07
when's the last time you thanked Him for
22:09
His correction?
22:10
>> Amen.
22:12
>> You see,
22:13
it's not the schooling, it's not Jesus
22:15
was more than school.
22:18
Matter of fact, He's the one that wrote
22:19
it down.
22:20
>> That's right.
22:22
>> What they were learning anyway, and
22:23
they'd messed it up themselves.
22:26
Not only that, he was beyond special.
22:30
And he was completely sinless in spite
22:31
of their suppositions.
22:33
You see, not only the near supposition,
22:35
but these known siblings that are
22:37
mentioned in verse three.
22:38
He says, "Is not this the carpenter, the
22:40
son of Mary, the brother of James and
22:42
Joses and Judah and Simon? And are not
22:45
his sisters here with us?"
22:47
They're all at the synagogue and Jesus'
22:49
sisters are there. Said history Jesus
22:52
had at least four brothers,
22:53
half-brothers, and two sisters. They're
22:56
saying, "Man, his sisters are right
22:57
there. Where did he come from?
22:59
They They grew up right here, right
23:02
around our feet."
23:03
You say, "Preacher, I still don't get
23:05
where you're going with this." Well, I'm
23:06
talking about familiarity.
23:09
We We We treat the Bible like it's a
23:10
storybook
23:12
from when we were kids.
23:14
You see, that's the way they viewed
23:15
Jesus.
23:17
They viewed him as just another little
23:18
feller they'd watch grow up under their
23:20
feet, just, you know, another
23:21
businessman now.
23:23
Let me say that book right there is
23:24
live.
23:26
>> Right.
23:27
>> And the way that you view that book
23:28
tells me the way that you view life.
23:33
Just because you know it I've And I Why
23:36
Why do I hear this excuse all the time?
23:37
"Man, preacher, I've read my Bible
23:39
through
23:40
time and time again."
23:42
You ask them about something, "Well, I
23:43
ain't never heard that."
23:46
Something don't connect somewhere.
23:49
Our seeming familiarity.
23:52
You say, "What do you mean seeming
23:53
familiarity?" Well, they thought they
23:54
knew Jesus.
23:56
But clearly they didn't know him at all,
23:57
did they?
23:59
The truth is we think we got it figured
24:00
out.
24:02
These people thought they had Jesus
24:04
figured out.
24:05
But you know what? They didn't know a
24:06
thing about him.
24:08
You know what'll be the best day in your
24:10
life? When you realize you don't know
24:11
nothing about him.
24:14
What you think you know, go back and
24:16
read it over again. You know what you'll
24:17
find out? There's a lot more to it than
24:19
you thought you knew before.
24:21
Jesus, see, our familiarity, it seems as
24:24
though we know him. It seems AS THOUGH
24:25
WE OBEY HIM, BUT THE TRUTH IS WE DON'T
24:27
REALLY KNOW him as well as we say we do.
24:30
Cuz if we did, we'd live a lot
24:31
different.
24:33
THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW JESUS, but it was
24:35
manifested in their life that they
24:36
really didn't know him.
24:38
They were amazed, but they were not
24:39
affected. The truth is, if they knew
24:41
Jesus was God in the flesh, friend,
24:43
they'd have been kissing his feet.
24:45
They'd have been bowing before him. The
24:47
fact that, man, Jesus, you come to your
24:49
hometown to talk to us when you ought to
24:51
be preaching to the world. And you took
24:53
the time to come back here and speak to
24:55
us. BUT THE TRUTH IS, THEY DIDN'T EVEN
24:57
CARE.
24:59
Matter of fact, they just wished he'd
25:00
shut up.
25:04
Familiarity breeds contempt. Remember
25:05
that.
25:07
They feared his sayings. They were
25:09
familiar, it seemed.
25:12
They were amazed, but not affected.
25:14
Because of their fear, because of their
25:16
familiarity. And then,
25:18
I'll give you this, and kind of already
25:20
alluded to this, but I think it was his
25:21
family situation
25:24
that made them amazed, but not affected.
25:26
You say, preacher, you've done dealt
25:27
with that. Well, let me roll that over
25:28
into this day and time.
25:31
The church
25:32
is amazed by what the Lord does, but not
25:35
affected just cuz we've been burnt by
25:36
each other
25:39
so many times.
25:41
We don't trust anybody.
25:43
We don't have confidence in anybody. I'm
25:45
preaching real good right now.
25:47
You listening to me?
25:49
We love, but we love at a distance.
25:53
Then people looked at Jesus and said,
25:54
man, we know that crowd.
25:56
We know Joseph. We know we we we know
25:58
what Jesus has done. We He's a good
26:00
businessman.
26:02
And the truth is, we look at each other
26:03
just like we're expendable.
26:06
And the truth is, this culture's taught
26:08
us to be that way.
26:10
Instead of allowing ourselves to get
26:11
hurt, you know what we do? We put our
26:13
guards up.
26:16
And this is what breaks my heart about
26:18
this,
26:20
because I've done it.
26:22
You say, what do you mean? Why, as a
26:23
pastor, people have come through this
26:25
church, and I look at them, I say, man,
26:27
they ain't going to make it long.
26:29
And you know what? Before long, they
26:30
don't.
26:32
They're out.
26:33
And I'm not broken-hearted over
26:37
You say, "What are you trying to say?"
26:38
I'm saying I'm amazed
26:40
by the the fact that they would come,
26:41
but when they leave, I'm not affected by
26:43
it.
26:48
Jesus got them in here. What am I doing
26:50
to help them stay?
26:53
Let me ask you something about your
26:54
life.
26:56
What is your family sheet I'm not
26:58
talking about your family. I'm talking
27:00
about the church part.
27:02
How does people
27:04
feel about you?
27:06
Let me ask you this, how do you feel
27:07
about people? You got bitterness in your
27:09
heart towards somebody else? The reason
27:12
we're amazed, but not affected, is
27:13
because we'll hear a sermon, "Man, that
27:15
helped me, preacher." But as soon as we
27:17
we don't even get through the door and
27:18
we remember that one across the room
27:21
that we've got a grudge against.
27:25
We remember that one across the room
27:27
that
27:28
Well, they preacher, they don't like me.
27:31
They don't they don't talk to me.
27:33
Preacher, they're not kind.
27:35
Truth is, man that hath three ends must
27:37
show himself friendly. You know what
27:39
that puts the responsibility on you?
27:42
If you think somebody's got a problem
27:43
with you, you go to them and ask them.
27:45
Instead of walking around soaking in it.
27:48
This truth is right here, the reason
27:50
they were hindered by Jesus is because
27:52
of what they thought of his family. More
27:55
than likely, that person probably ain't
27:56
got no problem with you.
28:00
You say, "How does that roll over into
28:02
this text?" Well, let me show you
28:03
something right here and we'll be done,
28:05
all right? Jesus gives them a precept in
28:07
verse number four. Jesus said unto them,
28:10
"A prophet is not without honor, but in
28:11
his own country and among his own kin
28:13
and in his own house." You know what
28:14
happens?
28:15
People who have gotten saved and gotten
28:17
right with God and the Lord has done a
28:19
work in your life, but there are people
28:21
who cannot and will not forget your past
28:24
for nothing.
28:26
And what happens is is they allow that
28:30
to deter you from being
28:32
what you could be.
28:34
You say, "What do you mean?" I'm saying
28:36
it was their perception of Jesus
28:39
that kept Jesus from doing anything good
28:41
in their life.
28:43
Let me ask you something.
28:45
Is your perception of somebody else
28:46
keeping that person being a blessing to
28:48
you?
28:51
You say, "Preacher, but I thought this
28:53
is Jesus." No, I'm talking about the
28:54
church.
28:56
Jesus can't bless you if you got if you
28:58
locked up with somebody else.
29:01
Jesus, you see, they didn't they had a
29:03
problem not with Jesus, but with
29:05
everything around him.
29:07
You know what that represents to us?
29:10
People don't have a problem with what I
29:11
preach, they have a problem with
29:12
everything around what I preach.
29:15
How you act, how I act, what I say, what
29:18
you say, how we look out there.
29:21
Why I'd believe what you say if you live
29:23
it.
29:24
>> Amen.
29:25
>> I'd believe what you'd say if you would
29:27
actually express it to the world.
29:30
>> Amen.
29:31
>> But we don't do that.
29:33
Jesus wanted to, but he couldn't because
29:35
they wouldn't accept it.
29:38
Notice what happens in verse number
29:40
three.
29:42
They asked, "Is not this the carpenter,
29:43
the son of Mary, the brother of James
29:45
and Joseph, and of Judah and Simon? Are
29:46
not his sisters here with us?" And
29:48
what's this phrase? And they were what?
29:51
Offended at him.
29:53
You say, "What does that mean?" Well, it
29:54
doesn't mean that they were, you know,
29:56
like, "Jesus, you offended me." No,
29:58
that's not what that means. It means
30:00
that they stumbled at him.
30:02
Because they were too busy looking
30:04
around.
30:05
You know how to fix all your problems
30:07
with somebody else?
30:09
You look up.
30:11
Quit looking at them.
30:14
Quit looking at the problems encircling.
30:16
I don't know why this has been a
30:18
redundant thing, but it just seems to
30:19
keep coming up. Quit looking at what
30:21
encircle, what encompasses, and start
30:23
looking at what the main purpose is. I
30:25
mentioned that this morning about
30:26
covenant theology in Sunday school, and
30:29
that is a damnable heresy.
30:32
To say that the purpose of human life is
30:35
the is mankind's salvation.
30:39
God didn't have to save us.
30:41
He saved us so we could give him glory.
30:43
The purpose of our life and and your
30:46
life and mine is to give him glory and
30:47
that's it.
30:49
But that is where this stuff comes from.
30:51
Because men get it in their mind, women
30:54
get it in their mind that we're worth
30:55
more than we really are.
31:00
And the truth is we're not worth the
31:01
lead it would take to kill us.
31:05
What comes down to your life and mine is
31:07
this, if Jesus is going to work in our
31:09
life, we're going to have to get beyond
31:11
amazement.
31:12
He's amazing. What he does is amazing,
31:15
but if you want real fellowship, if you
31:17
want REAL MINISTRY AT MADISON BAPTIST
31:19
CHURCH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET
31:20
BEYOND AMAZEMENT.
31:23
And get to a place where we're actually
31:24
affected.
31:26
You say, "What does that mean?" Well, we
31:27
love him number one and we're
31:28
brokenhearted for sinners.
31:31
Notice what happens in this text. You
31:32
say, "Preacher, what does that look
31:33
like?" Well, their their fear kept them
31:36
the say their fear of his sayings, their
31:38
familiarity, it seemed their family
31:40
situation
31:42
kept them from being affected by his
31:45
preaching.
31:47
But this is what describes and I I I saw
31:49
this this morning when I was close
31:51
finishing studying this and I thought,
31:52
"Man, that is so true."
31:54
Look what happens in the text and this
31:56
is why churches are satisfied.
32:00
And I hope that you will not fall out
32:01
with me on this, but give me your ear.
32:03
You listening? Somebody say amen. You
32:05
listening?
32:06
Notice what happens.
32:08
Verse five, he could there do no mighty
32:10
work.
32:12
But you know what? Jesus is still able
32:13
to work. Isn't he?
32:15
He always gets something done. Look what
32:17
happens in verse five.
32:19
He could there do no mighty work save
32:22
that he laid his hands upon a few sick
32:24
folk and healed them.
32:26
Well, thank God for the healing power of
32:28
Jesus.
32:29
But you know what the symbolism of a
32:31
dead church is?
32:32
That all he does is heal the sick.
32:37
They didn't want his word.
32:40
All he did was go around to a few
32:42
people, a few select people, and help
32:44
them.
32:46
You know why this church don't have
32:47
revival, why people are not getting
32:48
saved by multitudes? It's because
32:50
there's only a select handful of people
32:52
that really wants God to do something.
32:56
Say, look look at it in the text. Said,
32:58
all he could do is just a few heal, lay
33:01
hands on a few sick folk. You know what?
33:02
That's personal. I believe there's
33:04
people in this church have revival.
33:06
Personal.
33:08
I feel like I'm getting to live in some
33:09
of it. I'm seeing the best days of my
33:11
life with my wife, and I praise God for
33:13
it. But, you know what grieves me to my
33:15
core?
33:16
Is to see people that are amazed by the
33:18
truth, but they have refused to allow
33:20
him to work.
33:22
I don't want to just see sick people get
33:23
well in our church.
33:26
And I want you to be well. If you're
33:27
sick, praise God, I want you to get
33:29
better. Get what I'm saying. That is not
33:31
the primary purpose of the church.
33:35
I know this is blunt, but man, I'm
33:36
trying to tell you.
33:38
Our prayer request time should not
33:40
primarily be people who are sick or
33:42
hurting or something like that.
33:45
I know that's
33:47
I'm not trying to be tasteless. I'm
33:48
trying to tell you the truth. When's the
33:50
last time we wept over a lost soul?
33:53
We're amazed, but not affected. MAN,
33:55
THANK GOD FOR HEALING ME OF CANCER. WHAT
33:57
ABOUT THE SINNERS THAT'S IN YOUR FAMILY
33:59
LOST AND DYING WITHOUT GOD? THEY'RE IN
34:02
WORSE SHAPE THAN YOUR CANCER WOULD EVER
34:03
HAD YOU. IF YOU DIED WITH IT, YOU GO TO
34:05
HEAVEN ANYWAY.
34:11
Notice it in the text.
34:15
He could there do no mighty work.
34:18
Say that he laid his hands upon a few
34:19
sick folk and healed them. You know
34:21
what? Jesus walked away from this town
34:24
doing what in verse six? He marveled
34:28
because of their unbelief.
34:30
He's working in this church. He's
34:31
working in this place. There are things
34:33
happening.
34:35
But, what he wanted to happen
34:37
wasn't happening.
34:40
Do you realize that Jesus wants more for
34:42
this place
34:44
than just us coming in and
34:48
giving our prayer request,
34:51
getting on an altar and praying a
34:52
generic prayer,
34:54
asking God to heal them and and we've
34:56
seen him do it. I and I praise his name
34:58
for it. I'm not trying to belittle that,
35:00
but that's not the purpose.
35:03
How long's it been since we seen
35:04
somebody get saved?
35:06
Let me ask you, how long's it been since
35:07
you had a burden for somebody to get
35:10
saved?
35:12
What kept them from seeing
35:15
His word was that they were really
35:17
afraid of what's being said. And I've
35:19
seen it on your faces.
35:21
I've seen it, man. I preached stuff from
35:23
this book about trying to win people to
35:25
God and trying to live clean and holy
35:27
and I see the fear in your eyes.
35:29
I'm not trying to be ugly, but it's a
35:31
fearful thing. I get that. Say,
35:34
"Preacher, that's something we've never
35:35
done." Well, I I heard one man say it
35:37
this way. Let me tell you, if you're
35:38
going to see things you haven't saw,
35:40
you're going to have to do things you
35:41
haven't done.
35:44
They were afraid. Man, where did he get
35:46
those words at? I'm
35:52
They were afraid of what he said, but
35:53
they were just familiar.
35:55
They allowed what they thought they were
35:58
familiar with to keep them with who they
36:01
needed to be now from more familiar to.
36:05
Jesus took time to be with them,
36:08
but they did not allow Jesus to affect
36:10
them.
36:12
Would you all agree that we've Jesus has
36:14
took time to meet with us?
36:18
We have seen him move in this place
36:21
in mighty ways,
36:23
but I really believe the reason people
36:24
are getting not getting saved here is
36:26
because we're amazed.
36:28
And we'll lift our hands and praise his
36:29
name,
36:31
but we're really not affected.
36:35
Say, "What do you mean?" Well, it's the
36:36
family situation.
36:39
We've got so much trouble.
36:43
And I want to tell you this, I know more
36:44
about than any of y'all do.
36:46
I'm the pastor.
36:48
Sure we've had trouble.
36:50
You know what? I've been guilty.
36:52
I admit this to you first. I've been
36:53
guilty. I've
36:55
of allowing it to keep me from being
36:57
affected.
36:58
I thought, man,
37:00
I've been through all this, man. I
37:01
deserve to just sit back a little bit.
37:05
Don't look down at me.
37:07
You felt that way.
37:09
We go through all this junk and we
37:11
think, man, I just really I don't want
37:12
to do this again.
37:14
Cuz the family situation.
37:16
You know what? Them people that get out
37:18
of sorts with us, most of them probably
37:19
saved, too.
37:22
Some of them aren't.
37:25
But most of them probably are.
37:27
And you know what happens if we if we
37:29
allow that to get us out of fellowship?
37:32
You know what we've done?
37:33
We'll come in here and we'll be amazed.
37:36
But nothing's different.
37:39
You know what? I need to change.
37:42
You need to change.
37:44
We need revival.
37:46
I don't want him to just do a few
37:48
things.
37:50
I don't want him to just do, you know, I
37:52
don't want my I don't want when my
37:54
babies get older,
37:55
I don't want to wait
37:57
five or six years, seven years and and
38:00
they get saved.
38:02
I don't want to wait until they get
38:03
saved before any other young people get
38:04
saved.
38:06
I don't want to say, well, they're
38:08
saved, we're all right.
38:10
I don't want to say that.
38:13
I want to see other young ones get
38:14
saved.
38:15
And so when they're ready, all these
38:16
other young ones around them can show
38:18
them.
38:21
I don't want it to just be my four and
38:23
no more.
38:25
I don't want it to be us and nobody
38:27
else.
38:28
The only way that's going to happen is
38:30
if we get past amazement
38:32
and start actually applying
38:35
what the truth is
38:37
and putting it to work.
38:42
You say, what happened? Well,
38:44
he healed a few sick
38:47
But don't we believe
38:49
that what really matters about us is not
38:51
what people say?
38:53
It's not what we say about ourselves,
38:56
but what Jesus says about us?
38:59
Don't we believe that? Can I get a
39:00
witness? Don't we believe that more than
39:02
anything else what matters in our life
39:05
is not what anybody else says, but what
39:07
Jesus has to say?
39:09
And though he did some works there in
39:11
this town,
39:13
it says he marveled because of their
39:15
unbelief.
39:17
He could not understand.
39:19
Jesus understands everything.
39:21
But he looked at a crowd who would not
39:23
receive him
39:25
and said, "I just I can't understand."
39:29
Why?
39:31
How much more?
39:34
We have the Bible.
39:36
We have the Holy Ghost in our hearts.
39:39
They didn't have any of that.
39:42
Jesus looked at them. Wonder what I
39:43
wonder how he looks at us.
39:48
Child, I've given you my love and my
39:49
mercy and my forgiveness over and over
39:51
and over again.
39:53
But yet you you can't even find it in
39:55
your heart to forgive somebody else.
39:58
You can't even find it in your heart to
39:59
go to a center that Yeah, they spurned
40:01
you one time. Well, I'm kicking the dust
40:03
off my shoes and going on. That's what
40:05
Jesus said. And all that ain't what he
40:06
said.
40:07
He told his disciples that when he was
40:09
talking about the gospel of the kingdom.
40:10
You know how many times you go to
40:12
somebody that's lost? You go until they
40:14
get saved.
40:18
Because that's what Jesus did.
40:21
He went all the way to the cross.
40:24
>> [snorts]
40:24
>> And the truth about our life is
40:26
and I I
40:28
I was not intending this message to go
40:30
this way, but this what the Lord wants.
40:32
I want more than to be just amazed.
40:37
I want to be affected.
40:40
I want to be brokenhearted for sinners,
40:43
for families that fall apart. I want it
40:46
to break my heart not say, "I I you so."
40:51
I told you so.
40:53
Why Why does it not break our hearts?
40:56
God help us. Every head is bowed and
40:58
every eye is closed.
41:00
These altars are open. You can come this
41:02
morning.
41:05
Amazed, but not affected.
41:07
God help us.
41:12
I'll be the first to admit there's been
41:14
many days
41:16
where I felt "Lord, I just can't do
41:17
anymore.
41:19
I just can't handle somebody else
41:22
saying things. I I can't handle these
41:25
feelings, these emotions. Lord, I can't
41:26
handle it. I don't want to handle it.
41:28
I'm done with it."
41:32
And I've realized that
41:35
he'll still allow me to experience his
41:37
presence, and he'll still amaze me.
41:41
But that ain't getting the job done.
41:46
We need to be affected.
41:50
I want to ask you this morning. You say
41:52
"Preacher, I
41:54
Preacher, I admit
41:58
Preacher, I've struggled. I've been
41:59
hurt. Been hurt in church.
42:03
Preaching
42:05
I've watched God do some amazing things,
42:07
but preacher, I haven't been affected.
42:10
Hadn't changed me. I hadn't thought
42:12
after a sermon, man, I really need to
42:14
live differently.
42:15
Preacher, would you pray for me?
42:18
God help me.
42:20
Just be honest between you and God.
42:25
God sees that.
42:28
Anyone that helps, nobody's looking
42:30
around but me.
42:31
God sees those hands.
42:37
Truth is, about all our lives this
42:39
morning, we need more help than we could
42:40
ever admit.
42:46
Maybe you used to serve God. Maybe you
42:48
used to be faithful. Maybe you used to
42:50
be consistent.
42:52
And you could be counted on, but maybe
42:54
you've got to a place where
42:57
you're just not affected anymore.
43:01
I tell you he'll help you.
43:06
You see all of his brethren
43:09
there was a period in Jesus' life when
43:11
they rejected him, but
43:14
by the time it was said and done, his
43:16
half-brother James
43:19
wrote my favorite book in the Bible
43:22
telling us how that faith without works
43:24
is dead.
43:26
And he saw Jesus come to his hometown
43:29
and weep over those sinners that was
43:30
lost and give the gospel to them.
43:33
He saw that.
43:35
Rejected it, but after he ascended, boy,
43:37
James had a different story to tell.
43:45
Father,
43:47
Lord, would you help us today?
43:54
The heart I
43:56
I didn't expect it, Father, to turn to
43:58
the church as much as it did. Lord, I
44:01
and I appreciate that. I needed it.
44:04
>> [snorts]
44:05
>> But God, I also realize there's a world,
44:07
Father, that has an infatuation with
44:10
that name, Jesus, but Lord, they really
44:12
know nothing about it.
44:16
Lord, country singers and pop icons,
44:18
Lord, are
44:19
using it to make their millions cuz it's
44:21
somehow popular again in this country.
44:25
And God help us, Lord, it's because we
44:27
as the church have misrepresented your
44:28
name.
44:30
Lord, those worldly people think that
44:32
it's a name of prosperity and pleasure.
44:36
But God, you tell us that
44:39
there'll never be a crown until there's
44:41
a cross.
44:44
Lord, that there'll never be
44:46
rejoicing God until there's suffering.
44:50
And Lord, they want all of the
44:53
benefits of believing on without any of
44:55
the cost.
44:57
God, would you help us to represent you
44:59
well?
45:00
Lord, I'm thankful that you do save
45:02
sinners.
45:04
And God, they'll they'll you know,
45:05
they'll get in their circles and they'll
45:07
stand in their concerts and when the
45:09
name of Jesus is said, they'll shout and
45:11
try to be churchy.
45:13
But God, the truth is it ain't took them
45:15
off the bottle.
45:17
It ain't got them out of their
45:20
sexual immorality or off their drugs,
45:22
Lord.
45:24
That name ain't done anything for them.
45:26
They're familiar with it, Lord, but
45:28
they're really afraid of it.
45:31
God, would you help us to represent you
45:33
well?
45:35
And Lord, I pray for somebody here lost
45:36
this morning, God, that they would see
45:38
and know, Father, that we are serious.
45:40
It matters about this church.
45:43
Lord, that we want to be real
45:44
Christians.
45:47
God, I don't feel like, Father, that we
45:49
are ever what we should be.
45:52
God, I want to be closer to you today
45:53
than I was yesterday.
45:56
God, I don't want to come to church and
45:58
just come in to get out.
46:00
Lord, I want to come in to get in
46:03
and get help. Lord, I thank you for this
46:05
time. Thank you for the truth of the
46:06
word of God today
46:08
for helping us. So, we love you. We ask
46:10
it all in Jesus' name. God's children
46:12
say it.
46:13
Amen.
46:14
>> Thank you for joining our service today.
46:15
[music]
46:16
We'd love it if you join us in person
46:18
the next time you are able at Meadows
46:21
Baptist Church.
46:22
Our physical address is 2988
46:25
Stuart [music] Road in Walnut Cove,
46:27
North Carolina.
46:29
Our service times are Sunday school at
46:31
10:00 a.m., Sunday morning worship
46:33
[music] at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
46:35
worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
46:38
evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m.
46:41
For more information, visit us [music]
46:42
at meadowsbc.com.
46:45
Thanks again for tuning in.
46:49
>> [music]