SM150118/The Whole Story

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org. The title of my messages all story from Matthew chapter 9 everybody likes a good story. You know the best stories in book form in movie form. I want to have a clear plot in a character you can relate to. For the story to connect there needs to be conflict and then resolution. If you of the film without any conflict.

It's not his impacting is one that has it and then ultimately resolution you find the person you relate to an ark euro overcomes his adversity. Our hero vanquishes her phone or what ever and maybe there's even a surprise ending. You know Hollywood makes a lot of films and sometimes I do it a test screening before an audience to get a reaction in a more than one occasion because of the negative reaction of the audience excreted. They will rewrite the end of the film and reshoot it so it will have an ending, the people will like and someone pointed out an article I wrote things that are true in every movie as I rented this list. I thought this is absolutely true.

Things that are true in every movie printed the ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place. No one will ever look for you there right and you could travel to any other part of the building without difficulty. I mean only films abusing where the bad guys are common in our hero is a give her a place to hide the baggage break-in and the heroes gone and they look around the granting leave is always in the ventilation system always condemn.

They never think to I just forgot you know that's not good to say that I'm just in a movie way, you never think that. Okay, here's another thing that's true of every movie when you're in a movie in France of its impairments. Every window has a view of the Eiffel Tower. No matter where you are embarrassed, always in view of the Eiffel target is the one when anyone goes to the market in a movie and they're leaving with their grocery bag. There's always a loaf of French bread sticking up absolutely mandatory loaf of French bread next move. You see when someone comes out of the market. You tell me if that's not true there's another thing in movies.

All bombs are conveniently fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readouts so you know exactly when it's going to go off right and then our hero must figure out what wire do I clip there usually red and blue. Okay, here's another one when there's a fight scene study of martial arts are involved. All of the enemies will patiently wait to attack you so you fight this guy, and they're all like this are just waiting my turn by turn I realized that all just jump the guy to get beat up and go down within movies everyone white searcher there's another one in movies bad guys can spray machine gun fire everywhere. They will never kid a hero.

Not one wound. He will be grazed by a bullet that just hit objects.

Another thing, but our hero can hit a bad guy at 100 feet or hundred yards with a five shot revolver that happens the fire 30 times juveniles that the boom boom boom boom boom there still cities await there's only five bullets and that you can't do that.

That's movies but then there's life, there's our life and it doesn't always work out like a movie. I'll tell you one guy whose life was like a movie was ready to be made into a movie was Louis separating the made the film about his life corrected by Angelina Jolie unbroken company of his son broke it did like it was good for now. Some were critical because they said they should put his conversion in the film, and I agree with that. They allude to in toward the end of the story. I thought the film accurately followed the book unbroken written by Laura Hildebrand but what I really liked is the fact that when they release it on DVD in the faith market they're going to include the hour long interview I did with Louise Embury in it and we tell the rest of the store so that's a good thing for life you live. We don't have lives as exciting as Louis, but we have a life and we have a story and it's in play some 90% since we spend our years is a tale that is already told the biblical way of saying your life is like a book. Your life is like a movie you may be at the beginning of your story, you may be at the middle of your story, you may be at the end of it, but it's all about you. You're the featured character.

You're the star of the film if you will.

And in this story we are all living called life. There are unexpected twists and turns to bed.

We can't reshoot the ending. Sometimes as we know, like the way it's going. Imagine how Joseph felt good story when he was in a prison.

I mean, a story started fantastic. I resume good beginning. You know, raised by his father, but she is brothers were jealous of them and they turn on them and they sell them as a slave. The next thing you know Joseph is living in an Egyptian prison after he's been falsely accused of raping a woman. Ironically, the woman he resisted when she made sexual advances toward him mid story he might've thought this is not going well.

Got are you paying attention within your fast forward and you get to the end of the story and it turns out very well as he is made, the second most powerful man in all of Egypt. Look at Joe mid story almost calamities came upon him when he lost his animals and his workers. The worst of all, his own children. He might've thought this is the end of my life.

This is the end of my story, but he was mid story to. As I've said before, the problem was. Job never read the book of Job.

He didn't know what was going on behind the scenes in the spiritual world as God was conversing with angels and the devil himself.

Joseph never read read the book of Genesis. He didn't know how the story ended. But here's what you need to remember about your story. There is an author and his name is Scott.

Here's what you need to know about your movie. There is a script and it was written by the Lord himself in. Here's also what you need to know it's going to end well. It is good and well Greg you're wrong because I know people whose lives ended miserably. I'm saying if you are a child of God, your life will end well and I'll explain that statement in the moment here before us in Matthew are two powerful stories interwoven together in Scripture.

The characters in these stories want to man the other a woman cannot be more different, but they both needed the same thing or should I think they both even the same person.

One was a poor helpless broken discourage woman. What a serious health problem. She spent all of her money on doctors to no avail. She effectively was hopeless. Number two, we have a man who is very important. Contrast of the woman he was high while she was low he was powerful she was pitiful he was in demand, she was not. His name is gyrus. The woman is unnamed, but his story is about his daughter dying her story is about a health condition that was getting worse and here's something to remember about life, tragedy levels, social topography, which means it doesn't matter how poor you are or middle class or the wealthiest person around all that money can't fix your problem when hardship kits or sickness hits in this message them and answer the following questions were to sickness come from number one number two. Why does God allow it every three does God still healed today and number four. Lastly, why doesn't God heal everyone all right.

So let's read together now going to Matthew chapter 9 starting with verse 18 while he spoke these things to them, behold, the ruler came and worshiped him, saying, my daughter is just I become a leader can enter and she will live. So Jesus arose and followed him, as did his disciples when suddenly a woman order flow of blood for 12 years came from behind touch thing him of his garment, for she said to herself, if only I can touch his garment.

I'll be made well.

But Jesus turned around and when he started, he said, be of good cheer daughter, your faith is made you well. The woman was made well from that hour when Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the flute players in the noisy crowd wailing. He said to them, make room for the girl is not dead she sleeping they ridiculed him. But when the crowd was put outside. He went in and took her by the hand and the girl arose 12 years to very important number in the story. 12 years.

This woman had been in poor health. 12.

Here's this young girl had lived on this earth, so the little girl had 12 years of relative happiness in this woman had experience 12 years of pain, rejection, and tears, but in the same afternoon. Both of their lives were dramatically changed. One of these people was a wealthy leader of the ruler of the synagogue's name was gyrus's daughter suddenly fell ill and he sought out Jesus to touch her and he bowed before the Lord, pleading with Christ for his help.

But while gyrus had Jesus until they were headed back to his home interruption takes place and it's this woman who has her difficulties. You know when time is of the essence in interruption is unwelcome, but we need to understand that sometimes those interruptions are divine appointment, so you're on your way somewhere this very important going to get others in interruption.

Why is this happening. Did you ever stop and think God was in it. Did you ever stop and think that he was wanting to do something for you or through you. You see disappointment is his appointments so we need to understand that God is sovereign which means he is in control and that he will guide the steps of the righteous man, and the righteous woman. I would think a little bit first about gyrus and his daughter mentioned she was only 12.

She was probably his only child, because no other children were garment mention, so she was daddy's girl. She was in the very flower of her womanhood and Jewish culture. A girl became a woman at 12 and boy became a man at 13, so here's a young girl with her whole life ahead of her and she gets very, very sick. In fact, I was realizes my little girl is dying. I'm sure he called in the finest doctors and they were unable to do anything for her and he heard about Jesus, and somehow he reasoned in his mind. If I can get Jesus to my daughter everything's going to be fine.

So is God.

Christ, he's got God in human form. Following up, Lord Québec. I have and suddenly this woman stepped in it in interruption. Mohican said excuse me, I'm the role of the synagogue, you're not, no cuts man ever stand aligns with cuts in front of you, or there's one person in line in front of you and then their buddies show up all 20 of them so you're like in the line. Your move back the spark in a role happy because he said that he could've played his power car, but he did not do that. He waited on the Lord and you know he loved his daughter as a special bond between a father and a daughter.

It's been said a girl's first love is her daddy and her dad was there to protect her. Her dad was there to provide for her. She felt secure in his presence. And when he heard that his daughter had died. He probably thought it's my fault I failed.

I should have done Jesus or sooner. I should have paid more attention. It's all because I blew it. I messed this stop was in the case at all to to hear the news.

Your daughter is dead. Your son is dead is the worst thing a parent can ever hear you have actually been with two fathers when they had the doctor tell them their daughter had time I was there in the room with them and just to look at their face and the devastation and think what would you say what you do. It's just so horrific and we heard the news that our son had died. There's just no way to wrap your mind around that. It's just like your world ended in that moment like you are dropped into a black hole of despair. You can even imagine going on. After hearing news like that and I'm telling you, you can even imagine what it's like unless it happens to you. I thought I had a sense of it. Seen in others lives.

I realized I did not and so to hear your daughters that here's gyrus check out Jesus. It's all good working to get home, please get in touch.

My daughter and this woman interrupts and slows things down and know these guys goes out nevermind gyrus.

Your daughter is dead. But Jesus anymore and I love what Jesus did he look the gyrus. He said don't be afraid only belief that's awesome. Maybe you're in a situation right now that scary things are unchanged.

Jesus is saying don't be afraid only believe I'm here with you, you're not alone, and then gyrus patiently wait as the Lord deals with this woman and reminds us that Scripture says some 48, one that God is a very present help in times of trouble.

He is there for you and he is there to touch you and is there to provide for you. So what is gyrus duty weights is weights is not going to rot. He's not going to say anything and Jesus touches us woman and then they get up and gone back to his house.

This may have been a test for gyrus and if it was, he passed his test with flying colors.

You know, we can grow very impatient. I don't know about you but I can be an impatient person. I'm the guy who if I'm in the laying on the freeway and in what one lay next to me is going a little faster. I'm the guy changing light on the guy in the supermarket that I'm checking out I'm looking for the shortest line. I'm actually walking through counting okay.

I think this is the line I'm the guy who cannot bring a hot pizza home without eating one or one quarter of which is not acceptable to have a pizza next to you and not pizza you know, it's hard to because pizzas are not the best thing doing when you're driving are the some foods are good for driving you know, not a pizza and have to look that thing up and be grounded in the greases trip and on your wrist. It's hard you're burning your mother and I vineyard getting grease all over your interior horrible. On the personal and I'm waiting for an elevator will push the button and then you go back and push, push, push, push, by the way, that doesn't work. Elevator comes when it comes but gyrus was a patient man, are you patient person. Sometimes we grow impatient with the Lord will say Lord willing to provide a husband or a wife for me. When even open the door of ministry for me, Lord, how will you and let that person get away with that sin. Hey Lord what you had to come back and judge this world that shakes its fist at you and then sometimes will foolishly take things into your own hands and only make them worse.

Listen, God does not ask for our understanding of his ways and timing. He asked for our trust and from gyrus he got it. What about you God says in Isaiah 55. My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways. As the heavens are high above the earth sure my thoughts about your thoughts in my ways above your ways. But listen to this is delays are not necessarily his denials say that again is delays are not necessarily his denials, so maybe God will say no today.

Maybe you will say no tomorrow but is going to say yes on Thursday whether the following to just hang in there and be patient and wait on the Lord. So here they are the make and the way along and this woman appears and and she somehow reasoned if I can touch the hem of his garment, I will be healed order to get that from Jesus never said that sort. I don't think anybody else did. She didn't even say P touches me. I'll be healed.

Jesus don't even have to touch his hand or his face. I just touch just the edge of that rope. He wears and by the way the Jewish rabbis and that time would have a little bit of blue trim on the bottom of the associate that I can just touch the blue trim. I'll be healed. So Jesus is walking along and everyone's pushing and pulling and making a lot of noise and dust is everywhere and is making his way to this crowd.

You know in Culver City stuck to this who touched me, who touch and everyone touched up everyone know it's different.

He says I perceive the power is gone out of me, who touched me. The crowd parts.

There's this woman I was that cool.

Oh Jesus didn't want to rebuke her. He wanted to commend her as this was amazing faith. What was her condition was hidden from her. She bled constantly some kind of a hemorrhage for 12 years. Blood would not stay in her body and the stigma and humiliation of such a thing was second only to leprosy when a woman was in that time of the month. She was not allowed to go into the temple and worship because she was declared ceremonially ceremonially unclean, but her problems over this was not that this was another condition where she just couldn't keep blood in her body that people would Sears it well you are not coming into the synagogue.

You are unclean, get out of here.

We don't want your kind here, so this poor girl.

She spent all of her money on doctors she has nothing left.

Her condition is getting worse. She doesn't even have the comfort of friends in the synagogue, which was not only the spiritual but was also the social center of Israel, so she just isolated Jesus, I can touch Jesus. I know I will healed… Answer one of those questions I raised earlier when it got even allow sickness and we really why what here's the big picture. Answer all sickness is a result of sin. I'm not saying your particular sickness is a result of your personal sent. I think all sickness is a result of sin were told over and Romans 512 that sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin in this way death came to all men because all sin not only sickness and death came to one person came to all people see if Adam and Eve are not eaten of the forbidden fruit. We would never be set if Adam and Eve and not eaten of the forbidden fruit.

We would never grow old.

If vitamin E had not eaten of the forbidden fruit. I would have a full head of hair. It's just a curse on all humanity. Having said that, there can be times when there is actually a connection between personal sin and sickness done nothing all that is.

But it can be what I say that one on one occasion Jesus healed a paralytic manager burning up and said son, your sins are forgiven you interesting is healing of physical condition within is getting to the root and says in your sins are forgiven to another ill man.

Jesus says in John five. See your well again I'll stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. So sometimes sin to be a result of is usually sometime sickness can be a result of your onset nonlimiting the other side of that is our Simon over.

Sometimes the word faith. Theology who would say if you're sick, it's because of sin, and if you're not healed it's because you lack faith and if you had enough faith you would be help that is wrong. There are times when godly men and women are sick and it's allowed by God for a bigger purpose, the great apostle Paul experienced sickness. He called it his thorn in the flesh, so there are times God allows it. But there are also times he feels it. There is a promise of healing. In the book of Isaiah we read in Isaiah 53 of Christ. He was taken up for our infirmities and carried our sorrows. We consider them smitten by God, and afflicted. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought our peace was upon him. Listen to this by his wounds we are healed. In the New Testament book of first Peter. Peter quotes the same verse in the word he uses for wounds is a verb in the Greek that always speaks of physical healing.

So the thing is, God can heal. So why are some of the still sick my answer may surprise you. Maybe because in your baby because you haven't asked God to heal you and James for two says you have not because you ask not to be as simple as that.

Here you're the stillness of God. The doctors and and I don't everything and there's a place for doctors and there's a place for medicine and there's a place for surgery of God can certainly work through doctors and nurses such but you've got all the doctors have been able to help you have you actually just going to gotta take Lord would you heal me right now. That's what this woman did. She spent all her money and doctors that we could help her.

She set up. I can touch the Columbus Carmen, I know I will be healed, so she touched up. Sometimes he will say well if you're not healed immediately. You need to just claim the healing will occur at times God just doesn't get the healing and there are times he will also make sure you ask in the Lord will bless you and he will touch you, according to his perfect will.

I believe it is entirely appropriate to come with limited faith and ask God for help.

The Bible tells a story of Amanda. What child was demon possessed. He wanted Jesus to deliver his child and he said, Lord, I believe. Then he said, help my unbelief. That's on over there in Mark May 24. I love that. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Thomas De Smet with as much faith as I have what I believe but which is only grow in my faith so you can pray a prayer like that, you know, sometimes people will say I wish Jesus would touch me, but I don't feel his touch be like this woman went out to touch him. Don't just think about him touching you.

You reach out and touch him get through the crowd of unbelief in the busyness of our schedules and see if I can just touch him. I know I will be healed because he always has time for his children, so God changed her. Here's a thing I really love about this in Mark's gospel we read these words, the woman fearing and trembling knowing what it happened. Newark fill number for them and she told him the whole truth. So Jesus says to touch me. I did and she told him the whole truth or another translation puts it this way, she gave him the whole story of that's why I get the title to my message whole story. She laid it out. You think Jesus was a good listener think Jesus was no checking Instagram when she talked her texting a friend, John remembered bring the fish no you don't think Jesus was a very good listener and the cutest full attention when you talk to and he took it all in because he cared about her, and he was moved and then he said to her, be of good cheer daughter, your faith is made you well in the Bible says she was may well from that hour so she's gloriously healed.

That's fantastic. Great outcome for back to gyrus. He's watching this all happen, but it was go to your house so Jesus and gyrus are walking and then you hear that music and back in those days in the first century, their funerals were being affairs.

A lot of wailing and in music and and so they come into this house. The daughter is dead.

It's just such a bleak scenario and Jesus makes his announcement.

She's not dead, she's only sleeping the so-called whalers. The mourners turn on him and begin to ridicule him and you know what he did.

He said all y'all get out of here. Get out here every one of you take your crummy instruments with you to go why did he do that because when there is an environment of unbelief that can really quench the Holy Spirit that we read Jesus could do no mighty work in his own town of Nazareth because of on belief she unbelief is the thief that often robs us of what God wants to do in our lives.

So having cleared the riffraff out of the room Jesus turns his attention to the young girl by the way she's already in glory. She's on the other side and he says to her little girl arrives or another translation. I love this little lamb took a nickname little lamb arrives in her eyes begin to flutter and she's looking at Jesus. Even Jesus says arrives you're coming your rising.

I don't care where you are here Lazarus in the tomb three days. Lazarus come forth herein, the fourth man. They brought this girl back.

Can you imagine the joy in the heart of gyrus to see his daughter alive again so there's a lot of choose, we can learn from the store and we can wrap it up now number one if you ever need reach out to Jesus Devon need right now. Then reach out to Jesus listener that that woman for that matter gyrus had not sought Jesus out there problems most likely would've remained. It was because they saw Jim humbling themselves and believing they were touch you need his healing touch.

Today, for you or for a loved one, pray about it and asked the Lord to intervene call out to him. God says in Jeremiah 33 three: me and I will answer you. Also, you great and mighty things would you do not know you need help in a personal crisis reach out and touch.

Maybe it's not a child but it's a marriage that's dying receive the power he will give to you the restoring number two. Your story is not finished yet.

Maybe at the midway point, sort of like Job and his story are Joseph and historic is not making sense.

Listen your story is not finished yet it still on folding so you need to wait on the Lord God always finishes what he begins. It started badly for gyrus got even worse. But what appeared to be the worst day of his life ended up being the best day of the slide can turn things around like this is horrible got I got I think that's not even paying attention know he's paying attention. The stories unfolding, watch the Lord work is story is still being told in Jesus intervene and gave her, and gyrus a happy ending. Also, number three, if we trust in Christ. Our stories will all have happy endings. Your story is going to have a happy ending that some of your thing, you know Greg, you're wrong. There is I know people of Jesus in their story didn't have a happy ending.

They died of cancer or there were killed in an automobile accident or some other thing happen. War was God, then where is your happy ending. Now I didn't say there would necessarily be a happy ending honor. But I guarantee when you get to heaven it will be a happy ending. You will live happily ever after honor perhaps as well. But that's up to God. But until that date. We need to just trust him, just as Job did not know his story or Joseph did not know his story. I've never read the story of Greg. I'm in the story, but I don't know how to scan in but I know there's a script I know there's a director I know there's an author and I know there is a finisher. That's true of you to so would you come to Jesus right now. Maybe your ending is gyrus knew that death was drawing near and near to his daughter. He felt as though he could occur at any moment. So we sought out and found Jesus. That's true of you, even the Jesus heals you to break this to you will still not gyrus daughter. I know how old she became. She died the woman with the usual blood she die. Lazarus was raised from the dead he die because everyone dies.

David said there's but a step between me and death.

You don't days gone by. They would write over documents, especially where they're keeping a record of their finances. Memento Mori memento mori I one of them being admitted. Think of death.

Why would you write that to give you perspective so you're looking at your bank balance you will have got so much money. Oh yeah memento mori what is that mean for me just understand you won't have it forever, and so spend your money wisely live your life well because everything comes doing it now when I see think of death. I don't mean dress head to toe in black and can address or you don't be really morbid.

The press all the time. I wanted time to time my diadem I die die die die I'm in a go shop for my tombstone, want to be around a person like that. So what is it mean to think of death that meets our perspective. Why, because only those who are prepared to die are really ready to live is what it means to think of death as a Christian I think you want them in a.I don't know when that is. But I know when I die I will go to heaven.

So were talking about a win-win scenario. So until that day.

I'm seek to glorify God with everything I say and do when that day comes, I'm ready to. That's the way Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain. Do you have that hope only the person who can say to live is Christ can then say to die is gain.

Everybody else they don't want to think about it they don't want to talk about it, they won't even use the D word one the expired well.

They passed on me they died young, disappointed unto a man once to die, and then comes the judge. That's what the Bible says we as Christians we have that comfort. So we have hope for. Listen, you have that hope because your life it's passing your story is being told. I want your story to have a happy ending.

If you believe in Jesus, it will. There might be some of you here who have never actually asked Jesus Christ to come into your life to be your personal Savior and Lord, I want to give you an opportunity to do that as we close now, there might be some others to walk with the Lord at one time but you've gone astray. You made some bad decisions you've read the consequences of those decisions and it's time for you to recommit to him again. The closing prayer to give you an opportunity to have your sins forgiven and change your eternal address and have a happy ending. Ultimately, or if you fallen away to get this sorted out today and recommit your life to Christ. Let's all pray father, thank you for your word.

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to this earth and living that perfect life and then dying on the cross and rising again from the dead.

Now we pray for those that are here those that are watching those that are listening. We pray that you will help them to see their need for you. We pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince them of their sin and bring them to yourself or has about an our eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today Greg I want Jesus in my life. I want my sins forgiven. I want to be certain when I die I will go to Kevin pray for me right now. I want Jesus affect your desire would you raise your hand up and I'll pray for you raise your hand up you want Jesus Christ in your life you want him to forgive you of your sin. Raise your hand up Iraq and see it published.

You publish to anybody else. Bless you.

God bless you. You guys watching the video screen. Raise your hand up. I can't see you, but the Lord does. This is between you and the Lord by raising your hand, it's a profession of faith. Jesus says if you will confess me before people confession before my father and the angels in heaven's a razor get up I want to I want Jesus.

Anybody else wherever you are, wherever you're watching razor in bless each one. What I had just about maybe some of you would say I have fallen away from the Lord. I push them out of my life and I've read some consequences of bad decisions I've made. I want to come back to Jesus. Would you pray for me. If that's your desire. If you want to return the Jesus Christ, would you raise your hand and we pray for you, plus a bless wherever you are, wherever you watching razor hand up you want to come back to Jesus Christ. Raise your hand. Now the bless all of you now for all of you that a razor can to commit your life to Jesus or to come back to Jesus. I want you to stand your feet right now, stand up, stand your feet wherever you are, stand up in him and lead you in a prayer. Don't be embarrassed.

Stand up to me if you mean this'll do it stand up, stand up anybody else lead you in this prayer that you pray out loud you're not the only one standing, others are standing.

Stand now stand anybody else stand your feet encompass all of you standing on lead you in a simple prayer I would ask that you pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray pray this prayer out loud right where you are after me. Okay, pray this with me now Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner but I know you are a Savior who died on the cross and shed his blood for all of my sin I discern from my sin. Now I choose to follow you from this day forward you my Savior and Lord be my garden friend.

Thank you for accepting me in Jesus name I pray, amen