What a God 2.16.25
◦ “Who thought I’d find You at the lowest place. Who thought You’d feel me in the crowd. Who knew You’d make good of my mistakes. You’re nothing like I thought You were, You’re better.
What a God, what a God. What a God, what a God.
I thought You’d show up for perfection. What kind of God
looks for the lost. They say it’s over for a sinner. But You say, “No it’s not, no it’s not”
✓ The Healing of the Ten Lepers Luke 17:14-19 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you whole!”
◦ Praising God with a Loud Voice and He threw himself at Jesus’ feet!
◦ Only one comes back. He is overwhelmed. Some would say he was too much and over the top.
◦ Don’t judge my praise until you know what it’s all about! (Until you know what I’ve been through)
◦ “You Don’t Know the Cost” by CeCe Winans.
◦ Leper- considered unclean, undesirable, rejected, alienated from the commonwealth ofn Israel. They are not the people you want to be around.
◦ Underline this verse in your Bible: Luke 17:14 “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”! It’s one step from Hole To Whole!
✓ The first step in being whole is showing your true self. STEP OF AUTHENTICITY! - the most difficult step
◦ Social Media- you can put filters on but inside you can still broken
◦ It’s a mask with a smile. Making people think there is nothing wrong with me or my family or my life but we can still have these shameful situations.
✓ The Greek word for shameful is αἰσχρός (aischrós). It can mean disgraceful, dishonorable, or morally offensive. In ancient Greek texts, it was often used to describe actions or behaviors that were considered socially or ethically unacceptable.
◦ It’s an ugly messy. We don’t know how to deal with it. What happens then is the enemy uses it to steal kill destroy.
✓ John 10:10, where Jesus says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
◦ The enemy uses this and will use it against you. He wants to destroy you. We then begin to disconnect.
✓ Hebrews 12:2 (NIV):“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
◦ “Despise the shame!” He took on the shame so we don’t have to!
◦ We’re not excusing the shame, but His GRACE is bigger than your DISGRACE!
◦ What A God! What A God!
◦ He took on the revolting messy things in my life.
◦ God is bigger than your deepest secret, darkest night, your disgrace, your drug problem, your self medication, your pain, and your scandals,
◦ HE STILL WANTS YOU!
✓ Luke 15:11-32 (NIV) – The Parable of the Prodigal Son 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his
servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.26 So called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’28 “The older
brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the
fattened calf for him!’31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
◦ “He came to himself.” How do I face the Father that I failed??? I know I broke His heart.
◦ I have failed you as a son. I’ve sinned agains you and against heaven. Notice that the Father comes out to meet him…Not scorn him…because He still wanted him despite the issues.
◦ He runs out to Him! He doesn’t point out his flaw
◦ Stop running away from what God wants to do in your life.
◦ Stop running away from what God has purposed you to do!
✓ HE STILL WANTS YOU!
✓ Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. In Luke 22:31-34, Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows. Peter’s three denials First denial (Luke 22:56-57) – A servant girl recognizes Peter, but he denies knowing Jesus. Second denial (Luke 22:58) – Someone else accuses him of being with Jesus, but Peter denies it again. Third denial (Luke 22:59-60) – Another person insists Peter was with Jesus, but Peter swears he does not know Him. Immediately, the rooster crows.
✓ When Rooster crowed…Jesus was looking at Peter.
✓ Luke 22:60-62 (NIV): 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown
me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
◦ Peter went away and wept bitterly! He didn’t just cry but He Wept Bitterly!
✓ Mark 16:1-8 (NIV): “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him
◦ Don’t Be alarmed! He Has Risen!
◦ “But go, tell his disciples AND PETER, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
✓ “DISCIPLES AND PETER” Peter thought he lost his place but Jesus was letting him know that He still had a plan for his life!
◦ It’s almost as if Jesus rose from the dead with Peter on His mind!
◦ His last real look at someone was at the one who denied Him. When He rose from the grave it was like we need to let Peter know I STILL LOVE HIM!
◦ WHAT A GOD!
◦ Now we understand the leper. Why he was loud and praising God so radically. When you experience that love and grace and forgiveness you can’t help to be loud and praise Him…we were all once the prodigal and leper because He saw something in us that we didn’t see in ourselves.
◦ You just don’t know what He’s done for me! You just don’t know what I’ve done! BUT HE STILL LOVES ME!
◦ WHAT A GOD