WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.799 Hi, this is Rick Warren, Bible teacher of the Daily 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.719 Hope Broadcast. Did you know that because of Easter, your 3 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:08.320 past can be forgiven, you get a purpose for living, 4 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:11.160 and you can have a home in heaven. That's good news. 5 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.039 Where else can you get that kind of news? Nowhere else? 6 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:17.039 And did you know that at Easter, studies have shown 7 00:00:17.239 --> 00:00:19.719 people are more open to an invitation to go to 8 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:22.719 church than at any other time of the year. Don't 9 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:25.760 go to church by yourself, but bring somebody who doesn't 10 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:29.600 know Jesus Christ, a family member, a friend, a coworker, 11 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:32.600 a neighbor, a relative. And if you bring them to 12 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:35.079 that church service and they come to know Christ, You're 13 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:37.560 going to be making a friend for eternity. It'll be 14 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:41.399 the most important investment you can ever make in their lives. 15 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:43.520 And by the way, if they come to Christ, would 16 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:45.200 you let me know about it. I'd love to hear 17 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:47.840 that story that you brought somebody to Easter and they 18 00:00:47.880 --> 00:00:51.600 found Jesus. You can write to me Rick at Pastorrick 19 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:55.920 dot com. That's rickat Pastorrick dot com. I would love 20 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:58.479 to hear from you. God bless you and Happy Easter. 21 00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:05.480 Hello and thanks for joining us. Today on Pastor Rick's 22 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:06.280 Daily Hope. 23 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.400 This is the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren and 24 00:01:09.480 --> 00:01:12.439 today we are continuing in a series called the. 25 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:13.640 Miracle of Mercy. 26 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.200 Rick will show us how God's mercy can lift your guilt, 27 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:21.519 heal your wounds, and transform the way you live. Okay, 28 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:24.840 and here's part two of a message called Easter means 29 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:27.040 It's a new day of mercy. 30 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:30.400 So what happens if I ask God for mercy when 31 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.480 I've messed up? You might write this down. God's mercy 32 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:37.040 forgives me and frees me. He does two things. He 33 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.159 forgives me and he frees me. Forgiveness takes care of 34 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:45.480 my past guilt, and freedom gives me the power to 35 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:49.560 change in the future. I'm forgiven from my past, so 36 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:52.079 i can get on with my future. So many people 37 00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:54.719 are stuck in the past and they can't get on 38 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:58.799 the future because they can't let the past go. Jesus says, 39 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:00.799 I want to forgive you and I want to free you. 40 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.760 This is the very thing Jesus said he came to do. 41 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:08.080 And Isaiah sixty one, Jesus quotes this, I was sent 42 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:13.879 to announce freedom to all held captive and forgiveness to 43 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:18.199 all who've been imprisoned. Now he says freedom for captives 44 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:22.039 and forgiveness for those who've been imprisoned. Now, He's not 45 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:24.479 just talking about people in a little physical prison. He's 46 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:27.879 talking about the emotional prisons that we lock ourselves up in. 47 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:32.039 What holds you captive, what's got you locked up inside? 48 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:35.319 What has enslaved you, what has imprisoned you. Some of 49 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:37.800 you right now, in a crowd this size, you are 50 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:42.759 imprisoned with regret and you just can't forgive yourself over 51 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:44.599 that thing that happened in the past. And you're in 52 00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:48.280 a prison of regret, some of you over things you've done. 53 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:50.800 Some of you are in a prison of resentment over 54 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:53.759 things that people have done to you. And they hurt me, 55 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:55.240 and I'm never gonna let them go, and I'm never 56 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:56.000 gonna forgive them. 57 00:02:56.439 --> 00:02:57.840 And I'm never gonna let another. 58 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:01.280 Man get close to me because he hurt me, And 59 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:04.159 you're in a prison of resentment. Some of you are 60 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:07.240 in a prison of envy. How come my husband isn't 61 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:12.120 like her husband, how come my kids aren't like their kids? 62 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:14.000 And you're in a prison of envy. 63 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.520 Some of you are in a prison of worry, and 64 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:19.680 you worry constantly, and it makes you sick and tired, 65 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:21.639 and you get sick and tired of being sick and tired. 66 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:24.080 And some of you are in a prison of addictions 67 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:27.560 and secret sins and secret habits. 68 00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:30.520 What does Jesus have to say to all of this? 69 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.000 Look of the next verse John Chapter twelve, Jesus said, 70 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:38.120 I have come to save the world and not to 71 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:40.800 judge it. I love that verse. I've come to save 72 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:42.639 the world and not to judge it. You know what, 73 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:46.560 I want to be like Jesus. It's not my job 74 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:51.800 to judge the world. Jesus didn't. I came to save it. 75 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:54.319 My job is not to judge the world. My jodge 76 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:56.759 job is to point to the Savior. And there's only one. 77 00:03:56.840 --> 00:04:01.240 It's not me, it's not you, It's Jesus. Point to 78 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.120 him in that way. Now, let me be clear. There 79 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:06.159 is going to be a judgment day one day, no. 80 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:08.280 Doubt about it. Bible is very clear about this that. 81 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:10.840 At the end of time, every human being is going 82 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:13.199 to give account of their life before God at the 83 00:04:13.319 --> 00:04:17.360 judgment day. But that day is only for people who 84 00:04:17.399 --> 00:04:19.920 reject the grace and mercy of God. 85 00:04:20.360 --> 00:04:21.480 God doesn't want to judge you. 86 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:24.240 He wants to show you mercy, which is why Jesus 87 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:27.160 came to earth, which is why he offers you mercy 88 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:29.319 before the judgment day comes. 89 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:31.199 It is his nature to be merciful. 90 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:33.600 The only people are going to be judged on the 91 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:36.959 judgment day are the people who have rejected the mercy 92 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.680 of God. There's a verse in the Bible that says 93 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:41.920 mercy triumphs over judgment. 94 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:44.920 I'm glad for that verse. It means I'm not going 95 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:45.519 to get what I. 96 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:49.759 Deserve, and neither are you if you accept the mercy 97 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:55.199 of God. And so Jesus says, I want to show 98 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:59.800 you mercy now. Saddleback Church is literally filled with ten 99 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:03.199 and tens of thousands of people whose lives have been 100 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:08.439 radically changed by experiencing the mercy of God. I want 101 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:10.839 you to just hear one example, and I want to 102 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:13.600 introduce Nate, who's going to come and share here at 103 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:14.079 Lake Forest. 104 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:14.920 Would you give him warm and. 105 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:30.120 Welcome, Happy sir everyone. My name is Nate, and I'd 106 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.959 like to share with you how experiencing God's mercy changed 107 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.319 my life in so many great ways. Growing up, my 108 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:38.720 idea of God was that he was just a bully 109 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.240 with a stick, waiting to punish me when I failed. 110 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:44.839 I believe that my salvation was up to me and 111 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:48.120 I had the work to achieve it. I was raised 112 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:50.920 in a Midwest church, and any time the doors were open, 113 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:54.720 my family was inside. Yet our lives were vastly different. 114 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:59.199 At home, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse occurred. 115 00:05:59.240 --> 00:05:59.600 Often. 116 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:02.519 I felt the shame of being told I hate you 117 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:05.240 by my mother and the neglect of a father who 118 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:09.360 would not stop her from hurting me. This led to 119 00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:13.240 a pattern of escape, selfishness, and denial in my life 120 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:16.519 that I eventually took into my marriage. It was a 121 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:19.839 pattern of behavior. This pattern of behavior led me to 122 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:25.319 resent my wife and family. I eventually sought approval outside 123 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:27.160 of my marriage and I had an affair. 124 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:30.079 The guilt of what I. 125 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:33.199 Had done led me to celebrate recovery here at Saddleback Church. 126 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:35.920 Yet I was still just trying to keep my wife 127 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:40.600 from leaving me. I would eventually tell my wife about 128 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:43.040 my fair right before I deployed to Afghanistan with the 129 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:47.480 Marine Corps. While on deployment, I witnessed many horrors and 130 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:51.439 became very depressed and angry. The anger led to constant 131 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:56.279 fights with authority and eventually thoughts of suicide. I believed 132 00:06:56.279 --> 00:06:59.720 I was a failure as a husband, a father, and 133 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:03.600 now as a marine. As passer Rick just talked about. 134 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:06.240 I felt trapped and caught in a prison that I 135 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:10.879 had created, and I saw no way out. I sat 136 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:14.160 on my cot ready to take my life with pistol, 137 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.959 and God reached to me through a photo of my son. 138 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:22.199 I was not going to abandon him. I found encouragement 139 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.639 through a copy of The Purpose Driven Life sent by 140 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:28.000 a small group from Saddleback San Clemente. I read it 141 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.079 every day and God would speak to me through passer 142 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:34.279 Rick's words. When I got home, things were anything but smooth. 143 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:39.839 My issues with combat grew along with my consequences of 144 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:44.720 my infidelity. This eventually led to separation from my wife 145 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:48.759 and almost a divorce. I was a liar all my life, 146 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.920 and when I told my wife about being suicidal, she 147 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:55.519 just thought I was manipulating her. God used the time 148 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:57.959 of separation to show me the extent of his grace 149 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:01.519 and mercy. He showed me that his love was not 150 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:06.319 bound to my acts, but stood apart from them. That 151 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:08.839 he sent his son to die on a Cross in 152 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:13.399 spite of my sin. I had accepted Christ as a child, 153 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:16.480 but it wasn't until an adult at the bottom of 154 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.839 at the bottom of my barrel, that I understood and 155 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:26.000 accepted Christ in me. His forgiveness of my sin freed 156 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:30.199 me from all condemnation. I still struggle with doing what's right, 157 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.000 but now I have a new power that comes from 158 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:36.759 God's mercy. In closing, I'd like to say say to 159 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:39.360 you that no matter who you are or what you've 160 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:42.360 done or been through, God is waiting to show you 161 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:45.639 his mercy. He wants to forgive you from your past 162 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:48.919 and free you for your future. Just say yes to 163 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:51.919 Him today. Thank you for letting me share. 164 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:04.120 Now. 165 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:06.039 I don't know what you're ashamed of, but let me 166 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:09.159 show you how God responds to it, what Jesus does 167 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:12.639 when I mess up. Look at these next verses, Psalm 168 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:18.519 chapter eighty six. Oh Lord, you are so good and kind, 169 00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:22.919 You're so ready to forgive, so full of mercy to 170 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:26.399 all who ask your aid. If you come to God 171 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:29.159 with your habits and your hurts and your hang ups, 172 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.919 He's not going to scold you. He's going to save you. 173 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:36.720 It's good news. He's ready to show mercy. And even more, 174 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:39.279 look at this verse from the Bible Hebrews chapter four. 175 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:45.000 Jesus understands every weakness of ours. Well, you don't know 176 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:49.559 my weaknesses, but he does. Jesus understands every weekness of 177 00:09:49.559 --> 00:09:51.919 ours because he was tempted in every way that we are. 178 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:53.240 But he did not sin. 179 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.679 Jesus had the same temptations you and I do. He 180 00:09:56.759 --> 00:10:00.120 just didn't sin because he was God. So when ever 181 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.159 we're in need, we should come bravely before the throne 182 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:06.320 of our merciful God. That's a poetic way of saying, 183 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:09.120 you need to come with confidence in prayer and go, God, 184 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:11.519 I need help. Come before the throne of God, your 185 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:15.000 merciful God, God, I need your mercy. And you just 186 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:19.679 come confidently, and he says, there we will receive a 187 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:25.679 stern warning and a spanking. Oh that's the reviled substandard 188 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.840 perversion translation right there. He says, there, we will receive 189 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:34.200 what circle that word. We will receive mercy and find 190 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:38.519 what grace to help us in our time of need. 191 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:40.720 When you come to God and you've really messed up, 192 00:10:40.759 --> 00:10:41.840 and go God, I've messed up. 193 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:44.440 He's not stern, he's sympathetic. 194 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:47.360 This is going to change your whole view of God, 195 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:50.879 and it's why you don't need to run from him. Now, 196 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:53.159 that's just one of the ways you need to see 197 00:10:53.240 --> 00:10:54.679 God's mercy in your life. Let me give you a 198 00:10:54.679 --> 00:10:57.240 couple others. The second is when you get angry. Now, 199 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:02.000 almost all anger in our lives comes either fear or frustration. 200 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:04.279 Anger is a warning light that says you're afraid. 201 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:06.039 Are you frustrated? 202 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:09.840 And when you don't have all your needs met, you 203 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:12.039 tend to get angry. And the more needs that go 204 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:15.320 unmet in your life, the more angry a person you become. 205 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:17.840 So write this down. 206 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:22.039 The second thing, I need God's mercy when I'm missing, 207 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.559 when I don't have what I need, when I don't 208 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.960 have what I need. Now, the fact that life is 209 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:31.200 none of us have all that we need. None of 210 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:33.720 us have everything we need within ourselves. We're all finite, 211 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:37.480 we're incomplete, We're broken people with weaknesses. We all have 212 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:39.759 things we lack in life. You don't have all the 213 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.600 talents that you need, you don't have all the abilities 214 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:46.159 that you need. In fact, God did that intentionally. God 215 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:49.320 gave us different abilities so we would need him and 216 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:52.759 need each other. If you had everything to meet your 217 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:55.159 needs and yourself, you wouldn't need God, you wouldn't need 218 00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:57.720 other people. So you don't have all the abilities you 219 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:00.440 need in life. You just don't have them. On top 220 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:04.960 of that, we all have disabilities. Yeah, we're all disabled 221 00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:09.440 in different ways. You have some mental disabilities. You can't 222 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:13.080 think in certain ways that other people can mental disabilities. 223 00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:16.080 You have emotional disabilities, and that's and they keep coming 224 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:18.559 up over and over in your relationships, and you fall 225 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:20.559 on the same traps and you have the same arguments 226 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:24.080 in the same conflict because of your emotional disabilities. You 227 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:27.519 have physical disabilities. Have you noticed that your body isn't 228 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:33.759 perfect looked in the mirror lately? Your back doesn't always 229 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:37.799 work right. Parts other parts don't always work right. Yeah, 230 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:43.320 well so we're all we intentionally don't have it all 231 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:44.039 in ourselves. 232 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:45.240 Now. 233 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.639 This is because God wants us to be dependent. See, 234 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:51.279 in America, we think independence is the highest priority. 235 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:53.320 But dependence is not a bad word. 236 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:56.240 Dependence is just another word for trust, and trust is 237 00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:58.559 another word for faith. And God wants you to learn 238 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:02.080 to depend on him. Why it makes God happy? God 239 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.519 happy when we depend on it. It's just like if 240 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:08.200 you're a parent. You are happy when your children trust you. 241 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:11.480 You are happy when your children depend on you, because 242 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:14.000 it shows confidence in you. It shows that they believe 243 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.919 in you. You give him a promise, they believe you're 244 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:19.960 going to keep it. God gets joy out of having 245 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:23.279 us be dependent upon him. Now, if you don't depend 246 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:26.559 on God in your life, and you only depend on yourself, 247 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:29.679 you're going to have a pretty small life. You're going 248 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:32.039 to have a frustrated life because you don't have enough 249 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:34.120 in you to meet all your needs. You could not 250 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:39.320 possibly meet all your needs. So you grow up being frustrated, disappointed, 251 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:43.720 and angry because you can't meet all your needs. There 252 00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:47.679 are needs in your life only God can meet, and 253 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.720 you try to meet him, You're going to just be frustrated, angry, resentful, 254 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:55.399 and disappointed. Now, in John chapter five, we have another 255 00:13:55.440 --> 00:14:00.120 story of Jesus showing mercy to a disappointed man, and 256 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:01.360 the story goes like this. 257 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:06.279 In Jerusalem, near. 258 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.000 The sheep gate, there were many gates into the city walls, 259 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:11.240 and this one was called the sheep gate because that's 260 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:12.200 where the sheep. 261 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:13.919 Went in duh. 262 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:17.039 And near the sheep gate there was the pool of Bethesda, 263 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:21.120 which was surrounded by five covered porches. So there's this 264 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:24.200 pool and there's like a portico around it, a colonnade 265 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:25.399 around it. 266 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:27.480 Now, a large crowd. 267 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:31.879 Of all sorts of disabled people would lie by the pool. 268 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:33.879 And by the way, we are a crowd. A large 269 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:39.200 crowd of disabled people awaited live by the pool, waiting 270 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.360 for a miracle. 271 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:42.759 Now, there was a legend. 272 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:45.799 It wasn't true, but there was a legend that everyone, 273 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:49.159 once in a while, an angel would stir up the water, 274 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:52.399 and whoever was the first to get in the pool 275 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:55.639 in the water while it was still moving, would get what. 276 00:14:55.799 --> 00:14:58.679 They needed and be made whole. 277 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.600 So a lot of people blue sick. They're sitting by 278 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:03.840 this pool waiting for it to be stirred. Now, one 279 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:07.200 poor man had been waiting by the pool for thirty 280 00:15:07.320 --> 00:15:12.320 eight years. That's a long time to wait for a miracle. 281 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:16.000 He's been waiting for his unmet need to be met 282 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.759 for thirty eight years. What unmet need in your life? 283 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:22.960 Have you been waiting to see met for thirty eight years? 284 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:27.440 And you keep expecting somebody else to meet that need 285 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:31.279 or something else to meet that need, and it's not happening. 286 00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:34.039 What have you been waiting on to meet aug he's you. 287 00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:36.600 Know, if I could just get married, all my needs 288 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:39.559 would be met. Anybody want to give a testimony on 289 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:45.840 that one. Yeah, okay, well don't. This guy is clearly 290 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:50.360 I nearly lost control there. 291 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:50.639 Okay. 292 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:56.480 When this guy's disappointed, I mean he's upset, he's frustrated. 293 00:15:56.639 --> 00:16:00.279 He's been laying by this stinking pool for thirty eight years. 294 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:03.840 Why because he put his faith in something beside God. 295 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:05.519 And you're gonna always. 296 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:08.720 Be disappointed if you expect something else or someone else 297 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:10.679 to meet a need in your life that only God 298 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:11.120 can meet. 299 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:14.200 And he's just disappointed. 300 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:18.240 And imagine how discouraged he is, and how letdown he's 301 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:22.200 been laying by this pool for years. He has missed 302 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:24.559 most of his life. Imagine all the good things in 303 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:28.799 life he's missed simply laying by this pool. No wonder, 304 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:31.200 he's mad, No wonder, he's angry, no onody's frustrated his 305 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:39.080 needs aren't being met, and he's just so disappointed. What's 306 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:42.639 your secret disappointment? If we can do an X ray 307 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:46.559 on your heart, what would it reveal is your deepest 308 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:51.759 secret disappointment? Well, to be honest, Rick, I'm disappointed in 309 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:56.799 my marriage is not at all what I thought was 310 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:00.480 going to be, and I just settled for what it is, 311 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:06.440 and I'm disappointed in it, or maybe say, you know, 312 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:10.240 if I'm really honest, Rick, I'm disappointed in me. I 313 00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:12.359 thought by this time in my life i'd be further 314 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:16.440 down the road, but I'm not. And life has not 315 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.279 turned out the way I thought it was going to be, 316 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:25.480 and I am disappointed in me. I'm disappointed in a child. 317 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:33.519 I'm disappointed in my career. What does Jesus do with 318 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:38.720 your disappointments? With your secret disappointments? He responds with mercy. 319 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:43.200 This guy's been disappointed for thirty eight years, and here's 320 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:47.000 what Jesus does verse six. When Jesus saw this man 321 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:50.519 and he heard that he'd been lying there for such 322 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:54.200 a long time, he asked the man, do you want 323 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:54.960 to get well? 324 00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:56.839 Now? 325 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.759 This sounds like an obvious question here, doesn't it. 326 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:02.119 I mean, of course I want to get well. I've 327 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:03.119 been waiting for this. 328 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.000 I put my faith in this pool, and I've been 329 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.880 waiting for thirty of course, isn't it obviously he wants 330 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:12.440 to get well. No, it's not a lot of people 331 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:17.000 who are sick don't want to get well, because health 332 00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:21.839 means you have to change, and change is scary, and 333 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:24.839 health means I have to take on responsibilities. I can't 334 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:28.599 just blame other people. I can't just lay around. Health 335 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:31.839 means I've got a I've got new things that are 336 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:35.720 scary in my life. A lot of people don't want 337 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:38.680 to get well. Do you want to get well? Do 338 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:41.720 you want to get healthy in your relationships? Do you 339 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:44.640 want to get healthy with God? Do you want to 340 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.920 get healthy in your life? Do you want to get well? 341 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:50.920 I can't tell you how many people you know. As 342 00:18:50.920 --> 00:18:54.039 a pastor, I've probably counseled tens of thousands of people 343 00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:59.599 over the years about marriage, about their business, about bankruptcy, death, divorce, 344 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:00.960 and you name it. 345 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:01.759 I can't. 346 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:04.559 I couldn't count the number of people that I've talked 347 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:09.440 to who are in very unhealthy, very sick, very miserable 348 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:14.440 relationships and aren't willing to change. And I go, well, man, 349 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.720 why don't you just change? Well, Ricky, are you telling 350 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.359 me to divorce? 351 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.119 No? 352 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:21.079 No, no, I'm not saying that. I'm saying change you change. 353 00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:25.640 You can't change anybody else. Let's just settle that one. 354 00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:28.279 You will never be able to change. Anybody else. You 355 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:32.359 can't change anybody else. You can only change you. But 356 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:35.279 when you change you, it changes the equation in a 357 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:38.720 relationship and it forces change in the other person's life. 358 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.839 So you can't change them, but you can't change you, 359 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:44.759 and that will change the relationship. And when I say 360 00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:47.960 why don't you just do that, they start making up 361 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:52.519 all these excuses and start giving me rationalizations and start 362 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:57.240 blaming the other person for, you know, their problems. And 363 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.279 that's exactly what this guy did. Now, Jesus asks the 364 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:03.000 question do you want to get well? Straightforward question, yes 365 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:05.720 or no, and the guy doesn't give him yes. 366 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:06.160 Or no answer. 367 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:08.960 Here's what the guy says back verse seven, Jesus, you 368 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:11.960 want to get well? And the man says, Sir, I 369 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:15.039 have no one to help me get into the pool 370 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.640 when the water is stirred. 371 00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:17.839 He didn't ask that question. 372 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:23.359 While I'm trying to get there, somebody is all else 373 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:25.960 always gets ahead of me. Jesus didn't ask that. Now 374 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.720 see his angers coming out. He's missed out on all 375 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:31.960 this stuff. But notice what he does. He blames other people. 376 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:38.000 There's nobody to put me in the water. Who are 377 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:43.160 you blaming for your unhappiness? Who are you blaming for 378 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:48.119 your unhappiness? Well, if my husband, if my dad, who 379 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.240 you blaming? You are as happy as you choose to be, 380 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:56.160 because happiness is a choice, and if you're unhappy, it's 381 00:20:56.200 --> 00:21:01.079 your fault. Happiness is a choice. Nobody else can make 382 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:04.720 you or keep you happy. Happiness is a choice. I 383 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:06.880 think I've been in one hundred and sixty four countries, 384 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:08.599 and I spent a lot of time in little villages 385 00:21:09.240 --> 00:21:13.039 with the poorest of the poor people, and they're extremely happy. 386 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:13.279 Why. 387 00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:18.039 Because happiness is a choice, Who are you blaming for 388 00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:20.240 your unhappiness? And then not only did he blame others, 389 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:22.160 he resented the success of others. 390 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:24.200 He says, you. 391 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:27.000 Know, while I'm trying to get there to down to 392 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:28.960 the pool by the way, where are you trying to 393 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:32.319 get Where's the there that you're trying to get there? 394 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:34.400 While I'm trying to get. 395 00:21:34.119 --> 00:21:37.079 There that goal that you've got in your life, he says, 396 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:43.759 somebody else always gets ahead of me. Have you ever 397 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:48.119 felt that way? I just can't get ahead. Everybody else 398 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:51.359 gets ahead of me. Why did he get the promotion? 399 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:54.839 I should have got the promotion. Why'd she get engaged? 400 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:58.000 I should have got engaged. How come they're having a baby. 401 00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:01.640