The Gospel: A Divine App or a Divine Rescue?

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Good morning, everybody.
[00:05:10] How we doing?
[00:05:11] Merry Christmas.
[00:05:12] Let's stand together.
[00:05:13] Yeah, give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:05:14] We're so glad you're here with us.
[00:05:16] It's Christmas season.
[00:05:17] If you can hear me in the lobby, come on in.
[00:05:19] It's time to worship.
[00:05:20] Aren't you glad to be in the house of the Lord this morning?
[00:05:23] Yes, it's going to be a great day.
[00:05:25] We get to join with all of heaven, all creation in singing with the angels that he's here, that he's come to rescue us.
[00:05:32] Yeah.
[00:06:00] Let's sing together.
[00:06:52] Yes, strength.

[00:07:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Come to Bethlehem and sing

[00:09:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
All right, all right.
[00:09:01] Well, good morning, church.
[00:09:03] Are you excited to be here today?
[00:09:04] All right, well, go ahead and have a seat.
[00:09:07] Let somebody know you're glad to see them as you do.
[00:09:12] And welcome to Christ Community Church.
[00:09:14] If we haven't gotten the chance to meet yet, my name is Garrett.
[00:09:17] I am one of the pastors here.
[00:09:19] And on behalf of our senior pastor, Pastor David, our entire staff and team, welcome to Christ Community Church today.
[00:09:26] We're so honored that you join us today.
[00:09:28] For our first Sunday in December as we continue our Christmas series and celebrate Jesus' birth here in the month of December as we look forward to Christmas.
[00:09:39] If this is your first time worshiping with us, we're so honored that you would come and join us today.
[00:09:45] On the seat back pocket in front of you, you'll see a couple of different cards.
[00:09:48] The blue one is our Connect card.
[00:09:50] If this is your first time, if you would just honor us by taking a few moments and filling out that card with your information.
[00:09:56] Take it with you to the Connect booth.
[00:09:58] It's right across the lobby.
[00:09:59] It's the black booth right across the lobby.
[00:10:01] Somebody will meet you there.
[00:10:02] And in exchange for that card, we just have a gift we want to give you as our way of just saying thank you so much for joining us.
[00:10:08] The Church family, could you help me make our first-time guests feel welcome today at church?
[00:10:12] We're so glad that you're here.
[00:10:15] and if you're curious about our mission and vision here at Christ Community Church it's right there in our name we exist to see people come to know Christ to love through community and live as the church and everything we do reflects that and represents that and so you'll see a couple of different things on your news and note sheet but also i want to highlight one event that happened last night and that was picture perfect christmas
[00:10:35] And so first off, if you were here and made that event possible, thank you so much for doing that.
[00:10:42] It was incredible, and I got to wait a table, which was harder than it looked.
[00:10:48] Waiting tables, all of my table, their drinks were a little bit empty because I like to talk too much, but that's okay.
[00:10:55] That it was a fun, fun event.
[00:10:56] Pastor Michael told me before first service that we had over 300 people come through to our auditorium to be served and fed and take pictures with Santa and get a family photo.
[00:11:07] And so that was absolutely incredible to be a part of that.
[00:11:10] And it's great to be a part of a church that is so present in the community, isn't it?
[00:11:14] And a couple of different things that are going on as we celebrate the holiday season here at Christ Community Church on the News and Notes sheet.
[00:11:22] First, we have our Impact Youth Christmas Party that is coming up on Wednesday night.
[00:11:26] And so that's going to be a super fun event.
[00:11:28] If you are a teenager, know a teenager, you can show up to that event.
[00:11:33] It's going to be absolutely incredible.
[00:11:34] It's so cool.
[00:11:35] Nick and the youth team have been planning that for a while now.
[00:11:39] And so that's going to be just a fun night.
[00:11:41] But during that night, they're going to invite them back to
[00:11:43] We're gonna hear about Jesus in the month of January, so you wanna be a part of that event.
[00:11:48] Also, Christmas Sunday is gonna be December the 21st.
[00:11:53] And just go ahead and start planning and praying about who it is that you would like to invite to be a part of that service on the 21st.
[00:12:02] Because people are the most receptive and open to being invited to church two times a year, around Christmas and around Easter.
[00:12:10] And so around Christmas is we look forward to the coming of Jesus, celebrating the coming of Jesus the first time, right?
[00:12:18] People are going to be open to an invitation and a personal invitation is the number one way to get people in church.
[00:12:24] We could do all the marketing things in the entire world, put it on Facebook and on Instagram.
[00:12:29] and so on.
[00:12:45] I'm going to read a scripture really fast, and before I get there, I'll just mention that our giving is an act of worship.
[00:12:51] We talk about it now, even though we don't pass a bucket.
[00:12:54] Just to remember that it is an act of worship as we give.
[00:12:56] So whether you give online, whether you give in the giving boxes in the lobby, just know that as you do, it is worshiping the Lord as well.
[00:13:04] This is a verse from Romans 1, verse 20.
[00:13:07] It says this,
[00:13:08] Paul's writing and he says forever since the world was created people have seen the earth and sky through everything God made they can clearly see his invisible qualities his eternal power and his divine nature so they have no excuse for not knowing God it's all it's so cool to me that God's power is evident all around us but during this season we celebrate God's presence coming to earth to be with us God in Jesus's name one of his names is Emmanuel which means God with us
[00:13:38] and it's a reminder that though his power is evident all around us he is the God who has from the beginning of time in the garden and all the way through eternity in heaven with him the God who has wanted to be with us and if you walked into this place today and you're like man i can see God's power evident around me i can see God moving in other people's lives i can see God moving in this church service through worship and all around me but i don't know where God's moving in my life i want to just remind you today
[00:14:06] God is the God that wants to be with you not just with us in general but with you specifically would you bow your heads and close your eyes and pray with me Jesus thank you so much that during this season we get to celebrate you coming to earth and everything that that represents for us thank you that you did not stay in heaven
[00:14:29] Thank you that you came to earth because you valued a relationship with us, your people.
[00:14:33] And so God, as we look forward to this season and this time of celebrating that, let us remember that it is through you that we can have a relationship and access with God.
[00:14:43] We pray that your presence would be here in Jesus today.
[00:14:47] We pray that you would move like only you can in this room.
[00:14:50] We pray that we would walk out different people than we walked in because we encounter a living God.
[00:14:54] And we give you the glory ahead of time for what we're believing you for in Jesus' name.
[00:14:57] And everybody said?

[00:15:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:15:00] He's with us.
[00:15:01] He's here.
[00:15:02] Let's worship Him.
[00:15:15] Go tell it on the mountain Over there we've been waiting for
[00:15:26] The King of our salvation Born on this day our Savior Christ the Lord Go tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere That we can be forgiven
[00:15:56] The Savior of the world is born.
[00:16:22] Emmanuel, God with us.
[00:16:22] Emmanuel, King Jesus.
[00:16:22] The Savior of the world is born.
[00:17:00] Emmanuel God with us Emmanuel King Jesus The Savior of the world is born Go tell it on the mountain This baby born of virgin birth The ruler of all nations

[00:17:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
The glory of our God has come to earth And Emmanuel, God with us Emmanuel, King Jesus The Savior of the world

[00:18:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
We have this hope in Christ Jesus.
[00:18:47] If you're feeling hopeless this morning, He's here.
[00:18:48] Let's fill our hearts with joy.
[00:18:49] A starry night, a newborn King Hark the herald angels singing, Holy
[00:18:58] The God who three in one displayed His glory Glory Behold Him Come and behold Him Joy to the world

[00:19:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
He is the Son of God

[00:20:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Is Him now here to dwell?

[00:20:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Let us pray.

[00:21:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Voice, Tidiness,

[00:23:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
It's so good to be in the house of the Lord this Christmas season.
[00:23:07] I'm so thankful that you're here.
[00:23:08] If you're a first-time guest, welcome.
[00:23:10] We hope you feel at home.
[00:23:12] The presence of the Lord is here and I love Christmas.
[00:23:16] and I love the joy of Christmas but also realize that there's people in this room and across the live stream or this year may be a little different for you maybe you're walking through some very difficult times maybe you're like my family and I where we're still grieving the loss of a loved one this year and the first season of not having them weighs heavy that's part of our human emotion right and I love the fact that Christ came to earth
[00:23:42] And he put skin on and flesh on so he could feel what we feel and experience what we experience.
[00:23:50] And I'm so thankful that even through the sorrow and the grief that we have this promise and this hope that Christ loves us.
[00:24:00] and that if we trust in Him as Savior, as Lord and King, then life on this earth ends, but our eternal life has just begun.
[00:24:09] And I'm so thankful that we have the opportunity that we can choose to worship even when we're struggling.
[00:24:17] So maybe you came in this morning, maybe you got in a fight with your spouse on the way here, please don't raise your hand.
[00:24:22] Maybe your kids are acting crazy like kids do around the season because they've had too much sugar.
[00:24:27] It's okay.
[00:24:29] You're here.
[00:24:30] And so what I want us to focus on this Sunday and the Sundays ahead in December is not getting too caught up in the nostalgia of Christmas, like where we associate it with Santa Claus and Christmas trees, and that's great.
[00:24:43] I love Santa Claus.
[00:24:44] He's awesome.
[00:24:45] But we ought to celebrate our Savior's birth.
[00:24:49] And really, when we come in these doors, come with hearts ready to engage with Him because He's worthy.
[00:24:58] and there's no other reason we gather, there's no other reason we're here.
[00:25:02] We get the opportunity today to sing to the Holy of Holies.
[00:25:06] We get the opportunity as he's seated on the throne where he intercedes for you and I to give praise and glory and honor to him and join with all of heaven and all of the angels singing holy forever.
[00:25:35] Held within a manger the Son of God arrived The One who would be called Immanuel The promise was delivered into a virgin bride The One who would be called Immanuel
[00:26:02] Is the highest your name Is the greatest your name Stands above them all And all thrones and dominions All powers and positions Your name stands above them all And the angels cry
[00:27:14] The Messiah, our God, is with us now And the angels cry

[00:28:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
All powers and positions in your name

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
His name is powerful.
[00:30:35] In His name, there's healing.
[00:30:39] In His name, there's salvation.
[00:30:45] There's nothing that stands against our Lord, our King, and He's on your side.
[00:30:53] Your name is the highest.
[00:30:57] Your name
[00:30:59] is the greatest your name stands above them all and all thrones and dominions all powers and positions your name stands above them all every voice come on your name your name is the highest is the highest your name
[00:31:29] is the greatest.
[00:31:31] Your name stands above them all.
[00:31:38] And all thrones and dominions, all powers and positions.
[00:31:46] Your name stands above them all.
[00:31:51] And the angels cry.
[00:31:53] And the angels cry.
[00:31:58] Holy, all creation cries Holy, you were lifted high And holy, and holy forever Hear your people sing
[00:32:31] Holy, you will always be Holy, holy forever
[00:32:56] Jesus, may that be the cry of our hearts this Christmas season, Lord, that we will reflect you, the God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, that is sovereign over every throne, over every dominion, over every power you reign, Lord Jesus.
[00:33:17] May that be our anthem this season.
[00:33:19] May we, as you tell us in your word, be the light of the world.
[00:33:23] Lord, you are the life, the light, our salvation, the one and only true living God.
[00:33:31] Lord, we celebrate you.
[00:33:32] We thank you for coming to rescue us, to make a way when there was no other way.
[00:33:38] God, we love you.
[00:33:40] May that be evident.
[00:33:43] Today and in the days ahead, as we celebrate your birth, Lord Jesus, we say thank you.
[00:33:49] Can we just say thank you to him, church?
[00:33:51] Thank you, Lord Jesus, in all God's people's name.
[00:33:55] Amen.

[00:33:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Amen.
[00:33:57] As you're being seated, tell the person next to you, I'm so glad you're here today.
[00:34:01] Jesus Christ, the Son of Man
[00:34:25] We've got some great things planned.
[00:34:33] If you go to our Church Center app, you can see all the different stuff for Christmas.
[00:34:37] We have a candlelight service that's planned on the 21st.
[00:34:40] We have an old-fashioned, traditional Christmas carol hymn sing.
[00:34:44] And then every day for this series we have little devotionals, little Advent devotionals that I've written to go along with what we're talking about this week.
[00:34:56] So our series is called His Name Shall Be Called.
[00:34:59] And we're seeing how Jesus is the greatest gift.
[00:35:02] We're seeing who he is because he is the greatest gift of all time.
[00:35:07] And so last week we talked about how he fulfilled the prophecy from Isaiah that he was Emmanuel, God who came to be with us so that he could deliver us.
[00:35:17] He could deliver us from sin and darkness and death.
[00:35:20] Today we're going to start the second set of prophecies from Isaiah chapter 9.
[00:35:24] It says...
[00:35:24] His name shall be called, if you know it you can say it out with me, Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[00:35:35] That's right.
[00:35:35] And so we're going to look over the next four weeks at each of those titles and then Sunday through Saturday there will be these little devotionals.
[00:35:43] You can find those on the app, on the Church Center app, also online on social media stuff.
[00:35:49] but if you're a tactile person you want to take these with you there's some outside it's a little arts and craft project you you cut it and fold it and my cutting skills are like that of a preschooler but I was still able to do it it's completely crooked but it still is a readable so make sure that you grab those on your way out as well as a little ornament to hang on your tree all right well let's go to the Lord in a moment of prayer would you pray with me as we open God's Word we believe
[00:36:18] The Bible says we don't have to do anything to make God's Word come alive.
[00:36:24] It's already alive.
[00:36:26] And Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit is the one who will lead us and guide us into all truth.
[00:36:33] And so as we open His words and we open our hearts, would you just pray that the Holy Spirit would wash over your mind and your heart today?
[00:36:42] That He would take the precious words of Jesus
[00:36:47] And that he would speak directly to you.
[00:36:48] He's so personal.
[00:36:51] That he would speak the exact thing that you need to hear in this moment.
[00:36:55] That it would be an intentional meeting between you and the God of the universe who loves you and cares for you.
[00:37:03] And that he would transform you in whatever way he wants.
[00:37:11] Father, we're so grateful for your word.
[00:37:12] We're so grateful for Jesus, the one who came to save us.
[00:37:17] Lord, today we pray that your Holy Spirit would take your word as it's proclaimed out loud, wash it over every heart, mind, and soul in this house and in every house watching on the live stream.
[00:37:28] Lord, we pray that you would have your way in us and that you would accomplish your will through us.
[00:37:33] Lord, we believe that you are going to have an encounter with people in this place today and that we're going to leave changed because we've met with your Spirit.
[00:37:43] In the name of Jesus and all God's people said, Amen.
[00:37:46] Amen.
[00:37:47] Amen.
[00:37:47] So today we're talking about Jesus as the wonderful counselor.
[00:37:52] Now I want to have you imagine with me, what if somebody created an app?
[00:37:58] There was the everything app.
[00:38:00] I know Elon's talked about it.
[00:38:02] I know other people have talked about it.
[00:38:03] The everything app.
[00:38:05] But it was the everything app for anything that you would ever need about life and advice.
[00:38:11] Can you imagine what people would value that app at?
[00:38:16] Just think of it in this way.
[00:38:18] What if you had access, any business owners in the house or entrepreneurial people,
[00:38:25] What if you had access to the greatest business minds of all time that at any point you have any business question you can just open this app and you can tap and right away you are going to be connected to
[00:38:40] The Warren Buffets, you're going to be connected to whoever business people you like.
[00:38:45] Mark Cubans, whatever.
[00:38:46] And in that moment, they're going to give you timely advice that is exactly for your individual business.
[00:38:53] I wonder what business owners would value that app at.
[00:38:57] What about if you were a person who's married?
[00:39:00] Any married people in the house?
[00:39:02] Right?
[00:39:02] Like the holidays can get rough sometimes, can't they?
[00:39:05] You've got to get a witness.
[00:39:06] In the house, right?
[00:39:07] Like there's times where it stirs up little tensions in marriage.
[00:39:11] What if in this app, this everything app, you had access to the top marriage therapists of all time?
[00:39:19] Literally, they were the ones who wrote the book on how to have the best, most successful marriage, the most intimate of communication, and then at a moment's notice, 24-7,
[00:39:31] You're able to access them as your counselor, your therapist, and they have ultimate knowledge about this topic.
[00:39:38] I wonder what married people would value that app at.
[00:39:42] Any parents in the house?
[00:39:44] Any parents in the house?
[00:39:45] Three of you?
[00:39:45] Fantastic.
[00:39:46] Alright, some of you are like, I don't know.
[00:39:49] Like, yeah, can you imagine an everything app as a parent?
[00:39:54] That at every phase of parenting, like how many of you know, like you just don't know what you don't know as a parent, right?
[00:40:00] Like, I mean, you start out thinking you know everything as a parent and then you have children.
[00:40:06] And then you realize how much you really don't know.
[00:40:09] But at any moment as a parent, you could access experts for toddlers or experts for eight-year-olds or experts for tweens or experts for...
[00:40:18] Your teenagers, you can access experts for your grown and gones because you're still parenting even when they're out of your house, right?
[00:40:26] In some ways, like could you imagine what that would be like?
[00:40:29] What would that app be valued at if you had instant access to the greatest of the greatest wisest experts at any moment in any point in time that wanted to connect with you as an individual
[00:40:43] and you can say, I just want to be a great parent and so I have this question and there was wisdom just like that at a moment's notice.
[00:40:51] What would that be valued at?
[00:40:53] Anybody dating in 2025?
[00:40:58] Nobody's willing to admit it.
[00:40:59] All right, we'll move on.
[00:41:00] What if you had relationship experts that was available at a moment's notice?
[00:41:05] What if it was a doctor, a concierge doctor?
[00:41:10] Who had access to 24-7 individual care.
[00:41:16] And this doctor was an expert in all fields.
[00:41:18] You could access any specialist at any point, at any time.
[00:41:24] They had all the diagnostic tools that were available on the planet.
[00:41:28] There was no limit to the resources.
[00:41:30] I wonder what that kind of app would be valued at in today's culture.
[00:41:34] This is a little glimpse of the idea that it's talking about when it says Jesus is the wonderful counselor.
[00:41:45] Jesus is the wonderful counselor.
[00:41:48] In the Hebrew in Isaiah 9 when it talks about wonderful, it literally means the supernatural.
[00:41:53] He's the one who has all ability.
[00:41:55] There's no situation where he's not able.
[00:41:58] There's no situation where he doesn't have the power to accomplish something.
[00:42:02] This word for counselor, it literally means the one who gives direction, wisdom, advice, and healing.
[00:42:10] So I want you to imagine that this Jesus, he's the wonderful counselor.
[00:42:15] And he is available at any moment, at any time.
[00:42:19] to you it doesn't matter if it's about parenting he's the god of the universe he's the father of all creation it doesn't matter if it's about health things he's the one who intricately knit your body together he's the great physician who knows every single thing there is to know about your body and he has instant access to direction and wisdom and the ability to heal it doesn't matter if it's something financial guess what he's the one who made every single thing there is
[00:42:49] It's all His.
[00:42:50] He owns it all.
[00:42:52] And in an instant, He can give you direction about what to do with business.
[00:42:57] If you're in relationships and you want to know what true friendship should look like, look at the God of the universe who's always existed eternally.
[00:43:05] One God in three persons.
[00:43:07] Perfect union between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[00:43:12] He's the one who's the wonderful counselor who doesn't just want to keep wisdom to Himself.
[00:43:18] But he is the wonderful counselor who freely opens himself to every single person who would dare to access him to say I am the one who wants to give supernatural direction, guidance, wisdom, and healing.
[00:43:37] He's a wonderful counselor.
[00:43:39] And I think that it showcases Jesus as the wonderful counselor.
[00:43:43] In Mark chapter 5, we're going to start with verse 25.
[00:43:46] This is one of my top 10 favorite stories in all of the Bible.
[00:43:51] I know I say that every week, but this is true.
[00:43:54] I promise.
[00:43:55] I promise.
[00:43:55] This is one of my top 10 favorite stories.
[00:43:57] I love this.
[00:43:58] And if you have your notes today and you want to see Jesus as the greatest gift, you want to know who he is, he is the wonderful counselor.
[00:44:06] Jesus is the wonderful counselor who gives supernatural guidance, supernatural wisdom, and supernatural healing.
[00:44:15] He is the wonderful counselor.
[00:44:16] Look at what it says, Mark 5, verse 25.
[00:44:20] And there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for how long?
[00:44:24] How long does it say on the screen?
[00:44:26] Twelve years.
[00:44:28] Twelve years.
[00:44:28] 12 years this woman has been suffering she's been suffering physically but she's also been suffering emotionally and she's been suffering spiritually because of this condition for 12 years now in our culture we read this and we're just saying oh that's that's a terrible situation to have to deal with an issue of blood for 12 years can you imagine ladies being on your cycle 12 years straight
[00:44:52] Every day, 365 days a year, like this is her life.
[00:44:57] But in that culture, it meant something even greater than what it would in ours.
[00:45:02] She was considered to be unclean because she had a perpetual cycle.
[00:45:08] And so here's what that meant.
[00:45:10] That she was considered unclean, so guess where she couldn't go?
[00:45:14] She couldn't go to the temple.
[00:45:16] So for 12 years, she could not worship God because she was considered unclean.
[00:45:22] Here's what it also meant.
[00:45:24] She couldn't touch any person.
[00:45:27] Because if she touched you, she was unclean and it would make you unclean.
[00:45:33] If she touched you, you would have to go and ceremonially wash to make yourself clean and then you would have to offer sacrifices just because you had touched her.
[00:45:43] So I want you to imagine this.
[00:45:45] Here's this woman and for 12 years she's not had a single touch.
[00:45:52] Not a single person to put her hand around her shoulder and say, we love you, we're praying for you.
[00:45:57] I know this is an incredibly difficult season.
[00:45:59] You've been going through this incremental disease and it's getting worse and worse for 12 years.
[00:46:04] Not a single person was able to give her a hug.
[00:46:09] Can you imagine how starved for affection she might have felt?
[00:46:13] But it wasn't just that.
[00:46:15] It wasn't just ceremonially that she was considered unclean.
[00:46:18] She was ostracized from all of society.
[00:46:21] Any place that she would go, she had to call out like she was a leper.
[00:46:26] You know, in the movies, when a leperous person is walking around, they have to shout out, We're unclean, unclean!
[00:46:33] And then, like, the crowd parts, right?
[00:46:35] Because nobody wants to touch the leper and get leprosy.
[00:46:38] So somebody who is ceremonially unclean in this way, wherever she went, if she went to the market, if she went to, you know, Walmart neighborhood market, right?
[00:46:47] Like whatever it is, wherever she goes, any place, she has to shout out and let people know in advance, Hey, by the way, don't get near me.
[00:46:57] I'm unclean.
[00:46:58] What do you think that does to somebody's mental self?
[00:47:02] That for 12 years, every place she goes, every person scatters.
[00:47:08] Not one person will touch her.
[00:47:10] Not one person wants to be around her.
[00:47:13] Can you imagine how hopeless she must have felt in this condition?
[00:47:17] Look at what it says, verse 26.
[00:47:19] And she had suffered what?
[00:47:21] What's it say right there?
[00:47:22] She had suffered what?
[00:47:23] Much.
[00:47:24] Under what?
[00:47:26] Many physicians.
[00:47:27] And she had spent how much?
[00:47:29] All that she had.
[00:47:30] And she was no better, but she grew worse.
[00:47:33] This word suffered, it literally means that she had undergone failure.
[00:47:38] Physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional suffering.
[00:47:43] Every doctor that she went to had no wisdom to figure out what was going on with her.
[00:47:49] Every place that she went, there was no guidance.
[00:47:52] There was no therapy.
[00:47:53] Nothing worked.
[00:47:55] Have you ever seen somebody who's going through a progressive disease?
[00:47:59] Where it just gets worse and worse and there's nothing that they're able to do to stop it?
[00:48:04] Have you witnessed somebody be overcome with the symptoms of ALS or Alzheimer's or whatever it might be?
[00:48:11] Listen, she had gotten worse over the 12 years.
[00:48:14] It was worse at year 12 than it was at year 1.
[00:48:18] Can you imagine the pain that she felt?
[00:48:19] The isolation?
[00:48:20] The shame?
[00:48:21] Like every single thing.
[00:48:23] She's just looking for anybody that could give any bit of guidance.
[00:48:27] What can I do?
[00:48:28] Any bit of wisdom?
[00:48:29] Any bit of healing?
[00:48:30] Just so I can get a hug from my niece and my nephew again.
[00:48:33] Like I just want to be a part of family events again.
[00:48:36] Some of you are like,
[00:48:37] No family events for 12 years.
[00:48:41] No, but she wanted it by then, right?
[00:48:44] Like in this moment, she just wants connection.
[00:48:47] She wants any person to reach out and be able to hug them and touch them and all this.
[00:48:52] Can you imagine?
[00:48:54] And here's what's crazy.
[00:48:55] She spent every dime she had and then she only got worse.
[00:49:01] Now, how many of you have ever had a parent or a family member or a friend
[00:49:06] Who's going through terminal cancer?
[00:49:09] Anybody in the house?
[00:49:10] Now, if they came up with a medicine and they said, here's the medicine, but it's unbelievably expensive.
[00:49:18] You have to give everything that you have, but there's a cure that's waiting at the end of this.
[00:49:23] They'll be cured.
[00:49:24] How many of you would sell everything you have?
[00:49:26] Yeah, of course.
[00:49:28] In a heartbeat, right?
[00:49:30] It would be worth giving everything you have to be cured, to be healed.
[00:49:35] But she had given everything she had to every guru, to every doctor, for every oil and every sample, every single thing.
[00:49:44] Nobody could figure out what was the cause.
[00:49:47] Nobody could figure out how to help her with her pain.
[00:49:51] Nobody could figure out how to make it stop.
[00:49:53] Nobody could figure out how to connect her with people again.
[00:49:57] And she just got worse and worse and worse.
[00:49:59] Can you imagine how depressing that would be?
[00:50:03] And in the midst of this, she hears about the wonderful counselor.
[00:50:08] Now, look at what it says, verse 27.
[00:50:10] Look in your Bibles.
[00:50:10] Don't miss this.
[00:50:11] Look at what it says.
[00:50:12] She had what?
[00:50:13] What does it say?
[00:50:15] Heard the reports about who?
[00:50:17] Jesus.
[00:50:18] Circle that in your Bible.
[00:50:18] She heard the reports...
[00:50:20] What reports had she heard?
[00:50:23] If you look earlier in the book of Mark, you can just flip back a couple of pages and you'll see the reports that she heard about Jesus.
[00:50:30] She heard that Jesus had healed a paralyzed man, not based on his faith, but based on the faith of his friends.
[00:50:37] She heard that Jesus also looked at the paralyzed man and forgave his sins.
[00:50:42] Like spiritually forgave him and made him clean from the inside out.
[00:50:47] Healed his physical problem and his spiritual problem.
[00:50:51] She had heard that Jesus had gone to Peter's house and his mother-in-law was at death's door.
[00:50:58] But he reached out
[00:50:59] and he touched her and then she got up and was making biscuits that night.
[00:51:03] She heard how everybody in the whole town of Capernaum, anybody with sickness, anybody with disease, anybody who was oppressed by demons came to that house and that night every person that he prayed for, that he spoke to, that he touched was set free.
[00:51:20] She hears about that.
[00:51:22] She also hears this one story and I think this is the one report that set her off.
[00:51:26] She hears a report about how Jesus came and he met a leper.
[00:51:34] Somebody who was unclean.
[00:51:36] And this leper came up to Jesus and he threw himself at Jesus' feet.
[00:51:42] And he looks at Jesus and he says these words.
[00:51:44] Here's what he says.
[00:51:45] Don't miss this.
[00:51:45] He says, If you are willing, I know you can make me clean.
[00:51:54] And Jesus looks at the person that nobody is supposed to touch.
[00:51:59] He looks at the person who's ceremonially unclean.
[00:52:02] He looks at the person who's supposed to call out in the crowd, unclean, unclean.
[00:52:07] He looks at that person and he says, I'm willing.
[00:52:11] Be made clean but he doesn't just say it with his mouth he reaches his hand out and he touches the leper but instead of the leper turning him unclean he actually makes the leper clean she hears this and she's like so you're saying there's somebody who's willing for me to touch them
[00:52:36] For them to touch me where I could be made clean there's supernatural wisdom there where it doesn't matter the disease and it doesn't matter the affliction he somehow has this unbelievable knowledge and guidance and wisdom that he can somehow bring healing in his touch and he's not afraid of people who are unclean like he actually makes them clean by his touch by his word
[00:53:06] She hears that and she's like, I'm going.
[00:53:08] I've got to find this wonderful counselor.
[00:53:12] And in the midst of that moment, look at what she does.
[00:53:15] She had heard the reports about Jesus.
[00:53:16] Now look at what she does.
[00:53:18] Read this out loud with me.
[00:53:19] And she came up where?
[00:53:22] Behind him in the crowd.
[00:53:25] She's not shouting out.
[00:53:27] She's willing to elbow her way through the crowd.
[00:53:30] She's like, if they're unclean, they're going to have to take a bath and make sacrifices.
[00:53:33] I don't care.
[00:53:34] I've got to get to Jesus.
[00:53:36] I've got to get to him.
[00:53:37] He's the wonderful counselor.
[00:53:40] Look at what it says.
[00:53:41] And she touched his... What?
[00:53:44] What did she touch?
[00:53:45] His garment.
[00:53:47] She touches his garment.
[00:53:48] Now, here's what's so amazing about her faith.
[00:53:52] Here's what's so incredible.
[00:53:53] This had never happened before.
[00:53:55] Jesus had spoken to people and they had been healed.
[00:53:58] Jesus had touched people and they had been healed.
[00:54:02] But here's what she thinks.
[00:54:04] What happens if I touch something he touched?
[00:54:10] Maybe I don't even have to touch him.
[00:54:11] Maybe he doesn't have to touch me.
[00:54:15] Maybe if I just touch what he touched.
[00:54:18] Every Jewish rabbi at that point wore something called a tallit.
[00:54:23] It was a prayer covering.
[00:54:24] Anybody ever get told when you were a young person in church, you better take your hat off when you pray so that you're reverend in church, right?
[00:54:31] Like, did anybody ever tell you that?
[00:54:33] Like, you just tell them, well, actually, Jesus wore a hat, right?
[00:54:38] So the rabbis, they would cover their head when they prayed because they wanted to show humility.
[00:54:43] And so as they prayed with their tallit on, at the end of the prayer shawl, there were these cords, and they were called the tzitzi.
[00:54:53] And in the tzitzi, what they would do is every morning they would put the prayer shawl over their head and they would take the tzitzi, they were the cords, and you remember the verses in the Old Testament that says, bind my word on your hands, on your head, on your lips, right?
[00:55:12] They would take the tzitzi and they would wind it in between their fingers and the cords, as they wound them between their fingers, they would remind God of the promises he made to his people.
[00:55:24] So they would pray and they would touch the tzitzit.
[00:55:28] And so this woman, think of the faith of this woman.
[00:55:32] She believes Jesus is so powerful.
[00:55:35] I don't have to say anything in the crowd.
[00:55:38] I just need to get close to Him.
[00:55:41] I don't even have to have Him touch me.
[00:55:45] He doesn't have to even speak to me.
[00:55:47] I don't even have to touch Him.
[00:55:49] I can just touch what He touched.
[00:55:52] And look at what it says.
[00:55:54] Look at the faith of this woman.
[00:55:56] Verse 28, For she said, If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.
[00:56:04] The faith of this woman about Jesus being the wonderful counselor.
[00:56:10] There's power in his touch.
[00:56:11] There's power in his voice.
[00:56:12] There's power in his ability and wisdom and all the things.
[00:56:16] But I don't even have to touch him.
[00:56:18] I can just touch what he touched.
[00:56:21] And in that moment, she grabbed
[00:56:25] The hymn of his garment.
[00:56:27] Look at what it says.
[00:56:28] This is amazing.
[00:56:29] Verse 29.
[00:56:30] Would you read this out loud?
[00:56:31] And immediately the flow of blood, what?
[00:56:34] Dried up.
[00:56:35] And she felt in her body that she was, what's this word?
[00:56:40] Healed of her disease.
[00:56:42] You know when you're sick and all of a sudden you're better?
[00:56:45] Like you just know it, right?
[00:56:47] And for 12 years she had been intimately acquainted with the pain of her body.
[00:56:53] She had been intimately acquainted with every moment of suffering.
[00:56:58] In fact, when it talks about suffering, it actually uses the word like torment, suffering, whip, scourge.
[00:57:05] This was the disease and the effect the disease had on her.
[00:57:09] And in an instant she knew she was healed.
[00:57:13] She was healed now here's what's crazy if you want to jot this down this word for healed isn't just meaning what was broken is fixed the other doctors couldn't even diagnose her they didn't know what was wrong and they certainly couldn't fix it but this word for healed it actually means restored and made whole see here's what's so amazing about our wonderful counselor like he doesn't just know what's broken
[00:57:42] He can fix what's broken and then he can put in place what never existed and was always missing.
[00:57:51] Like this is how powerful he is.
[00:57:53] It's not just that she was healed and it stopped.
[00:57:57] It's that she was given a brand new operating system where she was totally restored, totally well.
[00:58:08] What an amazing, wonderful counselor is he.
[00:58:12] She was healed of her disease.
[00:58:15] Look at what it says, verse 30.
[00:58:17] And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately he turned around in the crowd and he said, Who touched my garments?
[00:58:26] And the disciples said, you see the crowd pressing in, and you say, who touched me?
[00:58:30] And he looked around to see who had done it.
[00:58:31] Like, there's a huge crowd of people pressing in around Jesus.
[00:58:34] He's like, who touched me?
[00:58:36] Oh, he touched me, and all the joy.
[00:58:38] No, that's an old song.
[00:58:39] Sorry, my bad.
[00:58:40] No, but he said, who touched me?
[00:58:41] And the disciples are like, somebody get Jesus a sun kiss.
[00:58:45] Like, he's a little too hot out here.
[00:58:48] He's been out in the sun too long.
[00:58:50] Everybody's touching you, Jesus.
[00:58:51] What do you mean?
[00:58:52] And he says, no, this touch was something different.
[00:58:56] This was a touch where power went out from me.
[00:58:59] Power to heal.
[00:59:00] And he looked around and he made an uncomfortable moment.
[00:59:04] And he's looking and he's not moving on.
[00:59:07] And he waits.
[00:59:09] And I want you to see what this woman does.
[00:59:11] Look at what it says.
[00:59:12] Verse 33.
[00:59:14] But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, how did she come?
[00:59:18] In what?
[00:59:19] What's it say?
[00:59:19] Fear and trembling.
[00:59:21] And she fell down.
[00:59:22] This is prostrating herself in worship.
[00:59:25] Down before him.
[00:59:25] And she told him what?
[00:59:28] The whole truth.
[00:59:30] She told him the whole truth of her story.
[00:59:33] Jesus, you know my whole story now.
[00:59:38] I was in shame for 12 years.
[00:59:41] Literally, I haven't been able to give anybody a hug.
[00:59:44] I've been socially isolated.
[00:59:46] I've been spiritually abandoned.
[00:59:49] I had no person who was willing to touch me.
[00:59:52] And I heard about your story.
[00:59:54] I heard how you have wisdom that even our doctors don't have.
[00:59:58] I heard how you have direction, how you have ability.
[01:00:02] To heal and to cleanse and I just believed that even if I just touched something you touched I believed in that moment you would welcome me and that you would heal me and that's exactly what happened You fixed what was broken and then you put back what was missing and now I'm totally well Her shame became her testimony in front of everybody in that crowd, right?
[01:00:25] Because Jesus wasn't afraid to touch the unclean person
[01:00:28] He's the wonderful counselor who longs to give you supernatural guidance and wisdom and healing.
[01:00:37] In the midst of this moment, look at what it says, verse 34.
[01:00:40] And he said to her, I love this reaction from Jesus.
[01:00:42] These are literally the only words of Jesus in the whole story.
[01:00:44] Look at what he says to her.
[01:00:45] Just read out, what's he say?
[01:00:48] What does he say, verse 34?
[01:00:49] And he said to her, daughter.
[01:00:52] He looks at her as a dearly loved daughter.
[01:00:57] Can you imagine the difference that she felt in that moment?
[01:01:02] For 12 years she had been a pariah.
[01:01:06] She had been untouchable.
[01:01:09] And in that moment he looks at her and he says, You're a daughter that's fully known and fully loved.
[01:01:18] Fully loved by me and fully loved by my father.
[01:01:22] You're a daughter
[01:01:25] Can you imagine how that offset the 12 years of having unclean?
[01:01:30] I'm not worthy of anyone's touch.
[01:01:32] Unclean.
[01:01:33] You've got to stay away.
[01:01:34] He's like, you're mine.
[01:01:37] I love you.
[01:01:39] What a wonderful counselor.
[01:01:42] He says, your faith has made you what?
[01:01:46] Well.
[01:01:47] Go in peace and be good.
[01:01:50] Healed of your disease.
[01:01:52] You know what was supposed to happen when an issue of blood dried up after an extended season of sickness in that way?
[01:01:59] The woman was supposed to wait eight days.
[01:02:02] Then she was supposed to go to the temple and make two different kinds of sacrifices.
[01:02:07] And then the priest was to declare her healed.
[01:02:12] And Jesus says, we don't operate that way anymore, babe.
[01:02:18] I'm the wonderful counselor.
[01:02:20] And he looks at her and the second that she touches him, he says, you are cleaner than you've ever been.
[01:02:29] You're healed.
[01:02:30] This word for healed is a whole different word for healed.
[01:02:33] It's not just that he fixes what was broken.
[01:02:35] And it's not just that he restores what should have been there all the while.
[01:02:40] This word for healed literally means to operate at peak healthiness.
[01:02:45] Sound.
[01:02:45] Totally sound.
[01:02:47] He looks at her and He's the one when other people don't even know how to diagnose.
[01:02:53] He's the one that knows it all and sees it all.
[01:02:56] He's the one when other people are afraid to touch because it's too messy and it's too involved and it's too complicated.
[01:03:02] He welcomes the touch and He says,
[01:03:05] I have infinite guidance and infinite wisdom and infinite ability to heal.
[01:03:11] He's the one who looks at her and says, I'm going to make it whole again.
[01:03:15] I'm going to fix what wasn't even there to start with and I'm going to make you an example of health.
[01:03:22] You know he can do that with relationships?
[01:03:25] You know that he can do that with your mind?
[01:03:27] You know that he can do that with your body?
[01:03:29] He is the wonderful counselor.
[01:03:34] He's the wonderful counselor.
[01:03:37] I wonder today, where is he asking you to still reach out for his touch?
[01:03:45] Maybe it's something you gave up praying for months ago, weeks ago, years ago.
[01:03:52] Maybe you prayed for five years and then you stopped.
[01:03:56] There's some of you that are experiencing things physically.
[01:04:00] And I want you to know, even where the doctors can't figure out what's going on,
[01:04:05] Jesus is the wonderful counselor there's still times where he heals people I was talking to somebody after the first service and she said this this story means so much to me when I was a teenager I was in a car accident and I was paralyzed from the neck down and she said I'm looking at her as she's walking around and she said I told the Lord I'll accept whatever my fate is
[01:04:34] and I'm okay with being paralyzed but please still let my mind work and she said as she stayed in that hospital they had already called her parents and said that she had died in the car wreck they were just looking for her body they found the body found her and found out she was actually paralyzed because she had gone through the car and as she laid in that hospital bed and the doctor said she would be paralyzed forever the Lord touched her
[01:04:59] and she was able to even do 5ks and things after that because the Lord made her well he's still in the ability to heal now he doesn't always heal there are times where like the Apostle Paul I begged the Lord three times would you take this thorn out of my flesh and the Lord looked at him and said
[01:05:23] my grace is sufficient for you my power is made perfect in your weakness you depend on me so there's some things that i'm teaching you in the struggle you could never learn if things were totally great but he tells us to ask he tells us to still believe to still reach for the hymn of his garment
[01:05:49] There's some of you in the house today that you don't need physical touch from the Lord, but you need an emotional touch from the Lord.
[01:05:57] Your mind is so mixed up.
[01:05:59] Maybe it's messages that people have said.
[01:06:01] Maybe you feel isolated and untouchable.
[01:06:04] Like nobody would really want to know the real me.
[01:06:06] Nobody would want to get involved with that mess.
[01:06:09] And I want to tell you, have you heard the reports of Jesus?
[01:06:13] He's the wonderful counselor and He's waiting for you to come into the crowd.
[01:06:18] He's waiting for that moment where He looks at you and says, You're my daughter.
[01:06:23] You're my son.
[01:06:25] There's some of you spiritually that you need that touch from Jesus where you say,
[01:06:30] I don't know that I could ever have a relationship with God.
[01:06:33] You don't know what I've done.
[01:06:34] And He would say to you, I've already taken care of everything you've done.
[01:06:39] On the cross I paid for every wrong thing you've ever done.
[01:06:42] So I beat sin on the cross and I beat death, hell, and the grave by coming back to life.
[01:06:48] and I'm here right now ready to extend a touch of welcome to you where you can have forgiveness for everything you've ever done in a relationship with God as your heavenly father all you have to do is reach out for the hem of his garment there are others of you in the house that you need some relational healing maybe there's stuff between you and your child maybe there's stuff between you and a spouse maybe there's stuff between you and an aging
[01:07:19] And there hasn't been connection for years.
[01:07:25] maybe this is the year maybe this is the time who not the Lord may say wait but he tells us to ask do we believe that he's still able he's the wonderful counselor he longs to give you wisdom some of you as a parent i just don't know what to do i don't know how to get through listen he is the loving father he's the wonderful counselor
[01:07:51] who can whisper to you in James chapter 3 it says if any person needs wisdom about anything in their life
[01:08:00] Just ask and as long as you don't doubt, He promises that He'll give you wisdom for that specific situation.
[01:08:06] Do you need wisdom about dating?
[01:08:08] Do you need wisdom about what career?
[01:08:10] Do you need wisdom about how to organize your finances?
[01:08:12] Do you need wisdom about relationships?
[01:08:15] Do you need wisdom about your body?
[01:08:16] Do you need wisdom about whatever?
[01:08:19] He is wisdom incarnate and He is available at any moment for you to reach out and touch the hem of His garment.
[01:08:29] Wonderful Counselor.
[01:08:30] How many times do we have access to Him and we just don't even approach?
[01:08:37] This is a moment for us to reach out this Christmas season and recognize Him for who He really is.
[01:08:46] Would you bow your heads with me this morning?
[01:08:48] Let me just ask you, there's some of you in the house that you are at a place where you need prayer physically.
[01:08:54] You need prayer physically.
[01:08:56] And if that's you,
[01:08:58] and you would just say I maybe the doctors don't have the diagnosis or maybe they do but it it doesn't sound good maybe you're in the midst of something debilitating like this woman and you know that everyday pain and you would say I don't know if he'll say yes or if he'll say wait but I just want to ask him I want to ask him as the wonderful counselor if that's you would you just slip up your hand I want to pray for you in just a minute yeah okay
[01:09:27] There's others of you relationally in the house today.
[01:09:31] Maybe you feel alone and isolated.
[01:09:36] Maybe you feel unclean, untouchable because of something that's going on in your life.
[01:09:45] Maybe relationally you've got some barriers between you and a child, or you and a spouse, or you and a parent, or you and a friend.
[01:09:53] And you need the wonderful counselor
[01:09:57] Maybe this is the moment where he says, don't stop, don't stop praying.
[01:10:03] He may say, wait, but he may say, yes.
[01:10:07] If you need prayer from the wonderful counselor, relationally, would you just lift up your hand while he's looking around?
[01:10:13] I'm going to pray for you.
[01:10:16] Relationally, yeah.
[01:10:21] Yeah.
[01:10:21] What about emotionally?
[01:10:23] Emotionally, some of you, you need...
[01:10:26] that emotional message where he looks at you and he reminds you of who he says you are not who that person who was a terrible a terrible dating partner said you were not the person that your mom said you were not the person that your dad or your friend or the one who betrayed you said you were but you need to hear who Jesus says you are that one moment where he says daughter
[01:10:52] Stacked up against all the times that she was called unclean.
[01:10:59] Maybe you're battling depression, maybe you're battling anxiety, but you need some emotional touch from a wonderful counselor.
[01:11:07] Just lift up your hand right now if that's you.
[01:11:14] For those of you that need spiritual healing,
[01:11:16] I want to tell you, Jesus is longing for you to reach out.
[01:11:21] He did everything to reach out to you.
[01:11:24] But you have to receive His gift of salvation.
[01:11:28] You have to have faith that He is who He said He is.
[01:11:31] He is the wonderful counselor who wants to be your Savior.
[01:11:35] He wants to rescue you.
[01:11:36] And today, if you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, would you just tell Him, I want to know you like that.
[01:11:43] I want to know you deeply, personally, intimately, as the wonderful counselor.
[01:11:50] Would you just tell Him that?
[01:11:52] If you just pray that, would you just slip up your hand?
[01:11:54] I just want to celebrate with you.
[01:11:59] Make sure you fill out that little response card that's on the seat back in front of you.
[01:12:03] Put your name and address.
[01:12:04] Take that to the booth across.
[01:12:06] It says, I pray to accept Christ.
[01:12:08] And we have a booklet we want to give you about what you do now that you started this journey with a wonderful counselor.
[01:12:13] I'm so excited for you.
[01:12:15] Just with every head bowed and every eye closed, I'm going to invite our Elder of the Week, Adam Tapper, to come up and say a prayer over each of those situations.
[01:12:23] He's going to pray for those needing physical healing.
[01:12:27] We would reach out and say, God, we know you're able.
[01:12:29] We know you can.
[01:12:31] If you're willing, make us clean.
[01:12:35] We're going to reach out for the hem of His garment relationally.
[01:12:39] We know you're able.
[01:12:41] We know you can.
[01:12:42] If you're willing, make that relationship whole.
[01:12:46] Fix what was broken and restore what was never there to begin with.

[01:12:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Emotionally make us whole again he's going to pray for us let's all pray together would you just extend your hands in front of you any one of those who ask for prayer extend your hands and adam's going to pray for us thank you pastor father we come humbly before you this morning and we thank you that you are good not because of anything that that you've done for us or will do for us but you are good simply because it's who you are and we are so grateful and we love you lord
[01:13:23] Father, in this fast-paced world where it's so easy to move from one thing to the next thing to the next thing, Lord, I first pray that you would help us to remember all the ways throughout our lives that you have touched us, that you have come through, that you have answered prayer, that you have brought healing.
[01:13:39] Just like the woman with the issue of blood, Lord, before she came, she first said, I know he can because I've seen him do it.
[01:13:47] And Father, knowing that you are able and that you are faithful, we come to you today and we ask for healing and restoration.
[01:13:54] Lord, physically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually, God, I just pray that you would touch all of the needs in this room because you know exactly where we're hurting, just like you met her exactly where she was in her time of need, Father.
[01:14:09] And Lord, as we wait in anxious anticipation, Father, I pray that we would feel your presence and we would know that you are with us and we would stay close to you as the Apostle Paul did.
[01:14:22] Lord, you are good, you are holy, you are faithful.
[01:14:25] We love you and we pray all these things in your name.

[01:14:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Amen.
[01:14:31] We hope you have a great week.
[01:14:33] As you're leaving, make sure you pick up the devotions for this week.
[01:14:35] They start today.
[01:14:36] You can also find them online.
[01:14:39] If you're an Instagrammer, you can go to Pastor David Teague on Instagram.
[01:14:43] I'm putting them up every week.
[01:14:45] But make sure you do these as a chance to just pause for five minutes and remember who Jesus is this week, all right?
[01:14:51] Go in the favor of the Lord, grab you some hot cocoa, make your devotionals, get you a Christmas ornament, invite somebody to come back with you next week.