Untitled Sermon (8)

growing up I absolutely loved sports. My sophomore year, track was my thing, but believe it or not I did not run a single practice in my carrier, keep this in mind as this story continues. I threw javelin and that’s what i loved to do. Our team was really succeeding and it was looking like we were going to go to state, but before state of course we had to get past regionals. This was going to be one of the biggest track meets we had held at our school. Track is an interesting sport where you compete individually, but your points go towards your team as a whole.

we were having this team meeting before regionals and the coach was giving us the stats of the teams that would be coming and he said it is looking like we are going to need a few more points and so i am going to need some of you to run the 2 mile. i wish i could tell you the holy spirit led me to rise up to the occasion and do it but i was literally hiding behind people Truthfully I am sitting looking around at everyone on my team and recognizing that I am the only one on the whole track team that has not run a day at practice so I am thinking that I am safe from this. Next thing I know I hear, “SADIE”! The whole team laughed including myself thinking this must be joke. The coach through out the, “why do y’all think this is funny comment, and I think I pooped my pants.” I HAVE NOT RUN TWO LAPS AROUND THIS TRACK 2 MILES DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THE PLACE TO START! Regionals got here and here i am lined up with these .2 body fat freak of natures and there i am having a freaking panic attack. The gun shots and we took off. Around lap 6 the worst-case scenario began flying around the track. I was getting overlapped. Not just by one skinny 6-grader freak of nature but by every single person in this race. Which yes that is embarrassing, but what was really the kicker was the revelation of oh my gosh I am literally about to run the last lap by myself. I kid you not on that 7 lap I remember looking up at that beefing sun and saying LORD TAKE ME NOW. Right as I start the last lap and the shame is making my legs even heavier than they already were John Luke’s comes flying booming the song it’s the heart of a champion and runs the last lap with me and the crowd went crazy. Not a pity clap…they literally went crazy because what happened amazed them. Turn to mark 5

Turn to mark 5

turn to your neighbor and say this is about to get weird

Jesus heals a demon rocessed man

This is a very strange story it starts by telling of us of a man who was processed by demons. I know great story for a visitor in a church to share… anyways the man was the talk of the town. No one could even hold Him down In chains.

v 6 when he saw Jesus from a distance he ran and fell in front of him

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Jesus trusted Him with His story We let the idea of wanting people to see us as amazing stop us from sharing

its up to us to how we choose to tell it

The word amazing is an adjective that means strikingly impressive

The word amaze is verb that means to fill with astonishment

And this is where we get caught most of the time we want to strikingly impress someone with our success stories to modify peoples thoughts about who they think we are to build up our ego

But if we would live to amaze people with our redemption story to fill people up with the awe and astonishment of who HE Is it would build someone’s faith

Jesus wanted that man to understand that actually you need to know that by staying right here where everyone has SEEN who you are and where your coming from they are going to SEE something that will amaze them.

We let the idea of wanting people to see us as amazing stop us from sharing something with people that would amaze them

The word amazing is an adjective that means strikingly impressive

The word amaze is verb that means to fill with astonishment

Jesus wanted that man to understand that actually you need to know that by staying right here where everyone has SEEN who you are and where your coming from they are going to SEE something that will amaze them.

Jesus wanted that man to understand that actually you need to know that by staying right here where everyone has SEEN who you are and where your coming from they are going to SEE something that will amaze them.

Jesus wanted that man to understand that actually you need to know that by staying right here where everyone has SEEN who you are and where your coming from they are going to SEE something that will amaze them.

Jesus wanted that man to understand that actually you need to know that by staying right here where everyone has SEEN who you are and where your coming from they are going to SEE something that will amaze them.

And this is where we get caught most of the time we want to strikingly impress someone with our success stories to modify peoples thoughts about who they think we are to build up our ego

But if we would live to amaze people with our redemption story to fill people up with the awe and astonishment of who HE Is it would change build someone’s faith

Jesus wanted that man to understand that actually you need to know that by staying right here where everyone has SEEN who you are and where your coming from they are going to SEE something that will amaze them.

You know so many people in this day dont believe that God is a God of miracles… I think that is because we want people to see the part of us after the miracle and forget to tell them about the miraculous part

I am the walking evidence of a miracle and I bet everyone in this room who has watched the things that were dead in you miraculously come to life because of the miraculous resurrecting power of the cross would say the same thing!

We don’t want people to know about the first 7 laps BUT it was because of the struggle of the first 7 laps that made the 8th lap something people talked about. ITS AMZZING THIS MAN IS IN HIS RIGHT MIND BUT IT AMAZES BECAUSE HE WAS JUST NOT. ITS AMAZING THAT WAS ALIVE WHEN HE WENT BACK TO HEAVEN BUT IT AMAZED EVERYONE BECAUSE HE WAS JUST DEAD. ITS AMAZING THAT I AM ABLE TO TRAVE AND SPEAK ABOUT HOW GOD IS WITH A MICROPHONE BUT ITS AMAZING BECAUSE BEFORE JESUS I WAS FILLED WITH FEAR TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF ANYONE

We don’t want people to know about the first 7 laps BUT it was because of the struggle of the first 7 laps that made the 8th lap something people talked about. ITS AMZING THIS MAN IS IN HIS RIGHT MIND BUT IT AMAZES BECAUSE HE WAS JUST NOT. ITS AMAZING THAT WAS ALIVE WHEN HE WENT BACK TO HEAVEN BUT IT AMAZED EVERYONE BECAUSE HE WAS JUST DEAD

This church does so well is that they lead and share from the perspective of who makes this all amazing and what it does is when people who feel like there on their last lap, they feel like they are at the bottom of the barrel and they lost all their hope something rises us and says that’s what Jesus did for you maybe He can not that for me

When Jesus left I thought you know that’s funny to me. Because Jesus didn’t have to leave but Jesus recognized that of everyone in this town he could go after the one everyone’s talking about the one all eyes are on the one who is screaming in agony of pain and fear because when that man is changed from the inside out and is no longer screaming agony but processes faith with a sound mind everyone’s eyes are on him

You are only one encounter away from a story that will amaze someone

When God calls you He has already considered who you are and he is still calling you

You might be on the 7th lap right now and you’re huffing and puffing and the same people have been watching this struggle over and over and over again and you’re just about to give up but someone in here needs to know that you’re one encounter away… one name away from your story becoming amazing

You know I think about that last lap and how I was just about to give up but I came to encourage someone today that normally right when you’re ready to give up is right before your story is going to become amazing if you will just keep running

everybody say KEEP RUNNING

You keep running

“ YOU NEED TO THROW OFF EVERYTHING that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And RUN with PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us…”

“For I know the plans I have for you.... to give you a future and a hope.”

before the foundation of the world began he called you blameless in his sight and he knit you together in your mothers womb and breathed life into your very existence for such a time as this !

and if you will just keep trusting in the Lord HE will renew your strength and renew your power, and has promised that HE WILL lift up their wings and rise up close to God like eagles rising towards the sun, YOU WILL RUN ANS NOT BECOME WEARY, they will walk and not grow tired.”

The word amazing is an adjective that means strikingly impressive

The word amaze is verb that means to fill with astonishment

“But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength and renew their power, they will lift up their wings and rise up close to God like eagles rising towards the sun, they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired.”

And this is where we get caught most of the time we want to strikingly impress someone with our success stories to modify peoples thoughts about who they think we are to build up our ego

But if we would live to amaze people with our redemption story to fill people up with the awe and astonishment of who HE Is it would change build someone’s faith

DON’T STOP RUNNING BECAUSE YOU THINK YOUR REPUTATION IS RUINED

your redemption is going to outlive your reputation

moses almost stopped right before the 8th lap

you know someone who almost stopped running because he was no longer seen as amazing before his story actually became amazing

before the splitting red sea, before meeting with God on the mountain, before the the wilderness, before leading a generation out of slavery he almost quit because when his reputation went from being a prince to being a murderer but God came and met with him to remind him that before anyone called you anything i called you mine and made sure someone drew you out of the water because i needed you here for such a time as this and we have some territory to reclaim.

moses so many times we want to stop running because of our reputation but reputation cant change anything like redemption

exodus 3

there might not be a confidence right now but THERES A CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING SOMEONE ELSE IS RUNNING WITH YOU and that will come

keep running even if its only your father who believes in you.

last year i was in Mogadishu, Somalia and we were out surfing withs who had been rescued and one of the guys i just thought was incredible turns out that he was it wasn't until his dad came to the prison and said son i believe you are going to get better

before moses had anyone else running with Him he ran with God then brought Erin then it was every Israelite in Egypt …but the run started with God

you're one name away from your story becoming amazing