Discover Life Podcast I Episode 5: Can't Keep It to Myself

[00:00:00] Speaker A: I was in Florida during my vacation, and I. I saw an old friend. I actually surprised him. I went to his church, and they weren't expecting me. So when I saw them, they was a great reaction. It's the exact reaction I wanted, you know, just kind of that thing. But afterwards, after their service, I was in his office, and he goes, man, you know, do you realize it's been like 10 years that we haven't seen? And I didn't realize that. And. And though. Though we, you know, the reaction was great. He said something to me that. That kind got me. He says, hurst, I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd lost you. And I guess it's because, you know, we both just stopped reaching out to each other. He went through a lot in those 10 years. I went through a whole lot in those 10 years. And we heard about what was happening in each other's lives through other people, but it was not together. And it was kind of. Kind of weird. But it was really, really good to kind of just come back together and felt like we just picked up right where you left off. [00:01:00] Speaker B: Yeah, it is nice when that. When. When you have that. Because usually it's that random text. Yo, how come you're not texting me? How come you're not calling me? Yeah, I actually. I ran into somebody that I worked with. He actually took pictures at one of the extreme worships that we did here, and I haven't seen him in at least 10 years. And I. I was just on my way to visit one of the families from the church they live in somewhere up there in mass. I. I don't know the city. So I'm about 45 minutes away from my house, and I stop at a gas station to just grab some, and I just run into this guy at the gas station, and it was the same thing. It was just like. There wasn't like that. Sometimes you see somebody after a long time, it's like a little nervous energy, like, I don't know who you are. There was none of that. It was just like, yeah, what's up, man? [00:01:43] Speaker A: It's good to see you. [00:01:44] Speaker B: How's everything? Let's catch up, man. I saw some of your. I saw some of the stuff that you've been doing on online, and, oh, man, how's the podcast? And we just quickly connected again, and it was just like nothing had ever changed. [00:01:54] Speaker A: Yeah, you can't just. Just take for granted that the people you love are always going to be there. You know, you got to make that extra phone you got. Can't let 10 years go by. [00:02:04] Speaker C: It's important too, because like, there's sometimes like, you know, my brother. I was just talking to my brother today and he's like, oh, you know my nephew. Oh, he didn't, he doesn't call. I haven't called me in a long time. I said, he doesn't call anybody. And I said, and that's the reason why I call, because I want to make sure that my brothers know that I miss them and I love them. Even some friends that I have, I call them. I was like, man, it's a long time. I just had you on my mind. I needed a call. [00:02:29] Speaker D: One of my favorite episodes that we, we just did a few weeks ago was about relationships. Yeah, that was one of the ones that I really enjoy talking about it because I have friends. But you, when you guys talk about your friends, it's like, oh, this guy for. I know for 15, 20, 30 years. [00:02:48] Speaker A: Yeah, I got friends that are 40 years old. [00:02:51] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, I have some friends. Not. [00:02:54] Speaker A: You ain't that old. I've got people in my life that are older than know. [00:03:01] Speaker C: I have friends that, that I went to school with from kindergarten. [00:03:05] Speaker B: From what? Kindergarten? [00:03:08] Speaker C: Let me fix that. [00:03:11] Speaker A: That's why we have a great show today. Let's start it. Welcome back to a brand new episode of Discover Life. I'm Bishop Person Gonzalez, and I get to do this show with three of my best friends in the world. To my right, I got Pastor Axel. [00:04:02] Speaker D: What's going on, everybody? [00:04:04] Speaker A: To my left, I got Deacon Ellie. What's up? I always say, I say, ellie who? Elliot? You know, and then on the end, a cleanup hitter, Minister Lewis. [00:04:14] Speaker B: What's up, everybody? Bless you. [00:04:15] Speaker A: Have you ever had to hold on to a secret that's so juicy that you just. That you just can't tell anybody, can you? You know, I think everybody watching knows when you get a good secret like that, how hard it is to keep it to yourself. And a lot of people I know can't keep it. They gotta tell one person you don't want. [00:04:35] Speaker C: And the other thing is, like, you just don't want to slip because it's always in you. Like, oh my God, I just want to tell you. [00:04:40] Speaker A: I just want to tell you. Especially when they're really, really juicy. Well, today we're diving into a powerful theme that resonates deeply in our lives and throughout scripture. The necessity of sharing our testimonies. You know, your testimony is not supposed to be a well guarded secret. Your testimony is so that God could be glorified through your life. I, I like to tell people, you know, the reason why God's doing such great things in your life is that he expects that you won't be able to keep it to yourself. [00:05:12] Speaker C: Right. [00:05:12] Speaker D: And, and that's what we're going to explore today. We're going to explore those significant moments in life where, where we hit those milestones and we're compelled to share them. And whether it's a promotion or doctor's report. [00:05:28] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:29] Speaker D: I mean, those things are moments that we need to celebrate in life. [00:05:33] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, even with the, with the rise of social media. I mean, social media is the way that most people communicate things in life. Whether it's something deep, personal, or just the everyday stuff, whether eating breakfast or. This is the, the deepest thing I'm sad about or happy about. [00:05:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:50] Speaker B: But sometimes with social media and how you communicate through that, the messages can get diluted, even at whatever extreme. [00:05:57] Speaker A: I remember, I remember before social media, we would have to pick up the phone and it was a rotary phone when I was young. And you had to forever, but you couldn't wait. I mean, it's you getting somebody the news. And the worst thing is after you dial that whole thing, if you dial it right, you get a busy signal. Oh, you have to do it again. [00:06:19] Speaker B: I used to, you know what, just to, just to get on and have conversation. I used to get on chat lines. Anybody get on chat. [00:06:25] Speaker A: Wait a minute. Unlike the, the. [00:06:27] Speaker B: Yeah, you used to call the number. What, what do you want to talk about? Sports, this, that, whatever else you get on, you can have your, like, code name because nobody want to use their real name. But I remember just, you know, even that before social media, a way to just let it out. [00:06:40] Speaker C: Absolutely. Those are everyday moments that matter. But we want to focus today on those deeper stories of joy and transformation that truly deserve our attention. [00:06:51] Speaker A: We call it the joy of sharing. Right. The. This is, this is how we feel. God's done so much that how can we keep it to ourselves? So let's start by reflecting on the joy of sharing. Now, you. Who's watching us, you're probably. Chances are you're someone that's, that's, it's not foreign to church. You're probably familiar with the gospel and, and you know what it is to, to, to listen to somebody's testimony, to share your own testimony. So think back to a time when you experience something truly joyous. Now I'm talking about maybe it was the, that thrill of what you were talking about. Getting a. Remember. Couldn't wait to tell my. My brothers about my first kiss, you know. No, this is not scheduled, but how old were you? How old were you when you had your first kiss? Do you remember? [00:07:40] Speaker C: Oh, goodness. This is not good. It's not good. [00:07:43] Speaker A: We can't talk about this. [00:07:44] Speaker B: I was young. I was young. [00:07:46] Speaker C: I think I was about 10 years. No, I was young. [00:07:48] Speaker A: I was super young, too. [00:07:49] Speaker B: I was younger. I was like five or six. [00:07:52] Speaker A: I was in kinder care. Kindergarten. [00:07:53] Speaker C: Yep. [00:07:54] Speaker A: Wow. [00:07:54] Speaker B: Yep. I can't believe that girl. [00:07:57] Speaker C: Why'd you kiss me? Next subject. [00:08:01] Speaker A: But I remember coming home and telling my mom. [00:08:05] Speaker B: That's funny. [00:08:06] Speaker A: I told my mom and she said. [00:08:08] Speaker C: Yeah, you know, because I was just. [00:08:10] Speaker A: A little kid, but when big things happen, there's something about us. God created us for community, and we ought to want to share that with people. Right. [00:08:20] Speaker C: But it's something when. But something like that, you know, inside of you is like, exciting. Like, it's exciting. [00:08:26] Speaker A: So. [00:08:26] Speaker C: But it might be not for others. [00:08:27] Speaker A: Or even bad news. [00:08:28] Speaker C: Yeah, even bad news is even, you know, but it's. It's something that you have to express. [00:08:35] Speaker A: Yep. [00:08:35] Speaker D: And those are. Those are those significant moments that we just. It's naturally that we want to share them and. And we just want to just yell it out. [00:08:46] Speaker B: That inclination that we have to share is important for us to recognize both in the good and the bad, because in the good, it is for the benefit of others. And you possibly can tell more people, but just because it's something that you feel like you don't necessarily want to share or it's a more secret thing. The Bible tells us that that confession, being able to just share that with somebody else creates freedom and really will allow for somebody else to step into your life and help. [00:09:12] Speaker A: We. [00:09:12] Speaker B: We need to stay inclined to share. We just got to be discerning about it. [00:09:17] Speaker C: Yeah. Because those that you keep could be dangerous to your health or, you know, it's. It's not good to keep a secret because it tears into your life. It really does. [00:09:28] Speaker A: And when you're doing life in community, when you're doing life the way we live our lives, and if you're lucky enough to have one or two people that are important, when you share that news, you're inviting them into your happiness. You're inviting them into your sadness and your sorrow. But. And that's what good friendship is about. To be able to kind of share those moments, highs and lows, ups and downs, all these things. It becomes part of the process. [00:09:56] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. I Think that we have to. We have to remember that your sharing is about creating connection. It's not just about sharing details or information. It's about building connection. So when you share, keep somebody else in mind. Like even in choosing who it is that you want to share a specific thing with, especially those happy moments. I think, like you said that thing that came to you, and you're like, man, you can't share with your wife yet, but there's a reason why it came to you and because there's connection there. And so when you're talking even to married folks, right, if you're married, share that thing that happened at work with your wife or your husband, share that thing that happened with the kids, that sounds really silly and dumb, but really made your life like it just. It blew up your mind. Share it. Why? Because it builds connection. [00:10:40] Speaker C: Yeah. And that's where our testimonies come in. They're powerful and they could be uplifting and inspiring to those around us that they remind us that God is working in our lives and that his goodness is worth celebrating. [00:10:55] Speaker A: Because when we're. Because when we're sharing part of our testimonies, we're sharing part of ourselves with people. And, and that is the really good stuff, the gooey, chewy nugget, nougat stuff on the inside of the candy. That's. That's. Anybody could. Could. Hey, how you doing? Oh, nice to see you. And. But it's the good stuff that, that juicy stuff, the personal stuff. When you share that, you inspire others and then you share part of yourself with someone and it's an invitation for others to share their lives with you. [00:11:26] Speaker C: And people could be going. The testimony is important in the sense where somebody could be going through the same thing you was. And you have the answer for them because you can tell them about how God helped you to get through that. And they can have the same opportunity. [00:11:42] Speaker B: Or they, or they, or they gain the freedom to share because they thought that that was a detail they never wanted to. And then suddenly they hear you share it and they go, thank God somebody in this world can relate to what I've wanted to share. Now I can share. Can I share this with you back? And then they do it. I've been in conversations where I've shared the most intimate of details of my walk. And because they were shared, it opened up the floodgates for somebody to share. And it was such a necessary moment of breakthrough for that person that, that they didn't realize they need. And it was a God moment, a God moment where God could step in because you decided, you know what, I want to share the details of my life. [00:12:19] Speaker A: And in our kind of preaching, we have this call to proclaim. Right. And so we're called to proclaim the gospel. But some of the times, some of the hooks that we use are our personal stories, especially, you know, preachers, but people that share one on one understanding that you have a call to proclaim that puts a little bit of impetus on, on why I share. There's a reason why I share that's so good. [00:12:46] Speaker D: The Gospel of Luke, we see this story coming out to life, the call to proclaim when it. We focus on the life of John the Baptist. I mean, his story begins even before his birth. [00:13:00] Speaker A: That's right. [00:13:01] Speaker D: I mean, it's, there was news of him before him being out of the wood. So, and, and that divine announcement that his father Zechariah made, I mean, that's right. It's. We see this, this call to proclaim. It's, it's there. And, and, and we're all called to share this. [00:13:19] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. And then when Zechariah hears the news, he initially struggles with disbelief, but when he finally speaks, he proclaims a powerful truth about his son's future. Yeah, that's big. [00:13:31] Speaker A: For those of you that don't know the story, he, he, he hears from an angel that, that his wife Elizabeth is going to have a baby. That baby is John the Baptist. He doubts instantly he doesn't believe. And, and so as a punishment, God gives him a mute sentence. He can't speak. He can't speak. Boy, that's hard for a picture. That's hard for us to, to a call to proclaim, to have a moment. But sometimes in your moment of doubt, that's when we clam up. You don't need to be. You don't need to have an angel give you the sentence. You don't want to talk when you're going through the darkest parts of. There are seasons where you're quiet. But as you said, minister. But when the baby comes and he's allowed to speak, he doesn't just speak, he proclaims. He explodes with a message. Not just a regular message, it's not just a father's pride. He's been holding it in for so long, watching his wife's belly grow for nine months and not being able to say a thing about it. And finally, here it is in Luke, Luke 1:76, you, child, will be called the Prophet of the Most High. But he begins to acknowledge that John's role is God's plan. And it's a powerful reminder that we have purpose in telling our story. He finally tells his story, but with a prophetic edge. It's amazing. [00:15:01] Speaker C: Let us not Forget about Mark 16:15, where Jesus commands us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. This call is a reminder that we are meant to share our testimonies. Whether it's in the community, whether it's at your workplace, whether it's social media, there's a reason for your testimony. Your testimony has power that will help others that can't see it. But when you tell it, they feel like they've been there themselves. And they can actually take that and say, oh, wow, you've been to the same place I am. You know, you've been there. And I said, yeah. And we say, yeah. And we. Jesus was the one that helped us. [00:15:41] Speaker B: I spoke about this with somebody just a few weeks ago of the story of the man in the Gadarenes, right? It's like, okay, he sees Jesus. Everybody already has him written off as a certain way. He's done with. He's covered in demons. That's just what it's going to be. Jesus casts them all out. He's free. And then he's like, can I go with you? He's like, no, I got a better plan for you. Don't come with me. Just go. Go and go tell the people in these places where you are. And God does. If you're wondering where to speak it, speak it where God has you. Where does God have you right now? There's so many people that want to do more than what God is asking them to do. What did God ask you to do? Just go to the place that is known to you. Let the people see what you used to be and now what you are, and go proclaim there. [00:16:31] Speaker A: And because they knew who you were, your testimony is going to have all the more power because they're going to say, wasn't that the guy that was tied up? Wasn't that the guy that was a drug addict? Wasn't that the guy that couldn't be faithful to his wife? Wasn't that the girl that was. And all of that. A lot of us want to just when we get restored, we go, I can't stay here. Too many people know all of my junk. [00:16:59] Speaker B: This is the place to stay. [00:17:00] Speaker A: That's where the Lord Jesus in that story specifically tells him, I know you want to come with me, but I need you to stay here and let. And Just let people see the change that I've done in your life. [00:17:11] Speaker C: Don't. Don't be embarrassed of your story. Your story has power to change people's lives. [00:17:18] Speaker D: What you just said right now, it's so powerful. Bishop, the part where, where people think, you know, where God is restoring them, you know, oh, it's time for me to move on somewhere else where no one knows me. But that's not really the plan, and we see it here in this story. So sharing our faith doesn't always require those grand gestures, just your everyday life, your everyday things that happen in your life. You share those things and you'll see how powerful those things are, that it won't pack those around you. [00:17:50] Speaker C: That's right. [00:17:50] Speaker A: I kind of grew up in and out of the black church, and there's some things that I picked up while at the black church that I just can't let go. [00:17:57] Speaker B: You mean like. You mean like God? [00:18:03] Speaker A: And it's, it's not churches. [00:18:05] Speaker B: It's. [00:18:07] Speaker A: Part of. One of the things that I remember is that in. When you're telling a testimony, they get up and they say, I told myself I wasn't going to say nothing. Right? But then, but then they. But when I think about the goodness of God and what he's done for me, I just couldn't keep it to myself. And, and, and that dynamic, come on, when you really, really get into it, you might leave the house saying, I said I won't go and tell nobody. But when, When God gives you the opportunity. And I'm telling you what, this week is leading into. Easter. [00:18:44] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:18:45] Speaker A: Easter week. Right now. It's Holy Week. We're coming into Easter week. And I'm telling you, God is going to set you up to tell your story. You told yourself you weren't going to say nothing, but once God sets it up. That's right. How could you keep it to yourself? [00:19:03] Speaker B: See, this is, this is the reason why I've come to a place in my. In my worship, in my preaching, in my delivery, in the thing I'm most passionate about, which is the gospel, the message of the gospel, and what God has done in my life. I'm very unapologetic about my delivery. I actually had. I was invited to a church that I ministered at for years. An event was coming up that I usually ministered at, and I got a call and my buddy's like, hey, so we're not going to have you back this year. Oh, no, you're extra. [00:19:36] Speaker A: They told you that? [00:19:37] Speaker B: They told me that. [00:19:38] Speaker A: Hold on. Wait a minute. You've never told me this story. [00:19:39] Speaker B: We mean, I want to hear this. [00:19:41] Speaker A: Slow down. [00:19:42] Speaker B: Give me more details. I got some juice. [00:19:47] Speaker A: What is this? And the person. I think you did, too. [00:19:49] Speaker B: So the person's like, it's for that very reason that I bring you. However I'm working under obedience. So this year, we're just not inviting you back for this specific cause. And he kept apologizing. I said, why are you apologizing? I don't need an apology. I am not offended because I am not sorry for what God has done in my life. The way I deliver it comes from that place of. I look back every time I have a microphone in my. Every time I'm singing a song, a declaration, I'm looking back and going, I shouldn't be here. What God has done in my life causes me to proclaim the good news of Jesus in all that. In. In. In every circumstance that I can. And it's going to come out this way. And if I'm not for you, that's okay. But God did this. And this is how I know to show it. [00:20:35] Speaker A: Yeah. It's not the only way to share, but it's the way we know how to do it. [00:20:38] Speaker B: Yeah, it's. [00:20:39] Speaker A: It's how we do it and how. How we best express what God has done. Because who can stay cal about what God is doing? [00:20:48] Speaker B: It brings me to the story of David and the Ark of the Covenant. So he's got the Ark of the Covenant. He's in the process of getting it to where he wants it to be. It's not there yet. And yet he has to rejoice every seven. Every six or seven steps. I forget the exact number. Right. But when I think about that, He Himself declares and praises. And because of him, sharing his expression out loud, everyone does it. [00:21:13] Speaker A: It. [00:21:14] Speaker B: It's not just him. It causes the people around him to burst with praise. [00:21:19] Speaker A: Everyone except his wife. [00:21:23] Speaker C: Correct. [00:21:23] Speaker A: Correct that. [00:21:24] Speaker B: Right. But all of our wives would be praising. [00:21:28] Speaker C: She's too bougie for that. She hated his guts. [00:21:33] Speaker B: But I think really, for us even just being in the process, seeing God do something we don't, we can praise God so much more than we do because we're waiting for the end. And David understood the assignment. Yeah, David understood that if I can just take a few more steps in the right direction, I should stop right here and give God some praise. And that's that church. [00:21:56] Speaker C: That's that church. [00:21:57] Speaker B: Right. Give him praise along the way. [00:21:59] Speaker A: That's right. So we're talking now about the power of our testimonies. Understand that, that everything that God is doing in your life is so that you can tell somebody else. He doesn't want you to keep it a secret. Except for the guy we're going to talk about in a minute. [00:22:17] Speaker B: Well, let's go to scripture. So our testimonies are incredibly powerful. In Romans 1:16, Paul says, For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. And I will explain this quickly. The gospel is a thing and our testimony is another. However, they work together because the. It is through the gospel message that our lives are changed. And so with Paul saying, I am unashamed of the gospel, he's okay throwing all the dirt out there. He's okay throwing it all out there. That's why I love the way he's like, hey, listen, the things I want to do, I don't do. The things I don't want to do, I do. But I. But I can still share that because it is the gospel message that brings glory to all of it. [00:23:02] Speaker C: That's right. We're called to be bold in our proclamation of sharing our stories. It. It honors God and it serves as witness to his work in our lives. Holding your story back, who is it going to help? If you hold something that's important, something that's powerful, like he said when David, David just went, you telling your story is powerful. It honors God and he does it for a reason. So that you can spread the gospel so that they can see the evidence of what God is already doing in your life. [00:23:33] Speaker D: Every time we are ashamed of Sharon, I mean, when Paul says, for I am, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, that means there are people that are ashamed. He doesn't just say that for himself. He's sharing. He's saying there's people that are ashamed. And every time we are ashamed of sharing our testimonies and the things that God has done in our lives, we are making other people stop from sharing. Because every time we share, we kind of unlock somebody else to share. When they hear us say, you know, God delivered me from this, the other person's like, oh, I can share that. [00:24:09] Speaker A: I can. [00:24:09] Speaker D: You know, you just deliver somebody from being ashamed, and that's powerful. [00:24:13] Speaker A: Our testimonies are what opens the door for the sharing of the gospel. People that don't know God but know me are open to hearing stories about my life. [00:24:25] Speaker C: Yeah, right, right. [00:24:26] Speaker A: My friends at work, that they see me and they'll hear Stories about my life. If I lead with the gospel, I might shut them. They may not care. But if I tell them, you won't believe what happened to me. And then in my story, I tell and I believe God did this, this, this. And you go, really? And they go, really? Why do you think that? Yeah. And that. Boom, there's the door for the gospel right there. Why do you think God did that for you? [00:24:52] Speaker B: That is so good. [00:24:52] Speaker A: There it is. [00:24:53] Speaker B: Yeah. And the thing. The thing is too, when we're ashamed of sharing our testimony, there's two things happening. We're ashamed of telling people what we did, but we're also ashamed of telling them how good God was to what we did. So you can't not. Both of those happen at the same time. And the beauty in sharing your testimony is that you get to highlight God over you. And the way that you highlight God and the way that you lift up God is by lowering yourself. That's what a testimony is. It is the lowering of yourself for the raising of God. [00:25:24] Speaker A: And. And you got to remember that sharing your story is not just about sharing only the good. [00:25:30] Speaker B: That's right. [00:25:30] Speaker A: It isn't. Your testimony is not all good. As a matter of fact, people got to know that you were sick, so that when you say you're healed, they'll be able to say, yeah, he told me he was sick, you know. But sharing your testimony involves using your faith. Because. Because even when you're sharing the. The dark side, the downside, we're sharing our story with a bit of faith because we do believe that in the telling of our trials and our struggles, we don't stay there. But how are you still smiling? How could you be going through everything that you're going through? And you're still. I'd be crying. But. But why aren't you crying? And then I go, oh, I cried. Yeah, I've cried. But. But. But now's not that time for me. This is a time of season, of faith for me. [00:26:20] Speaker C: I'm just going to believe it's important to be authentic when we're sharing both our victories and our challenges. [00:26:28] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:26:29] Speaker C: It really demonstrates the faith in our journey, not our destination. Listen to that. It's the journey. The journey's not fast. The journey is step by step. As you go in your journey, you start to grow stronger in your faith. It's a. First of all, you're the step of faith anyway. And trusting that God is going to get you to the place where he designed for you. [00:26:52] Speaker B: Yeah. And sharing. We've Just got to be more aware of the fact that we should be sharing. We have to. We have to get ourselves to a place. Do it uncomfortable. If you're uncomfortable for the first time and maybe just do it a little, you don't have to go to the depths right away. You can test the waters with the people that are around. You say, you know what? I'm going to share this smaller thing. Hey, you know what? The other day I got really angry and it made me feel this way, man. I didn't want to, but this is exactly how it happened. And you test the waters with the people around you and see who it is that can be there and how. How much it does for you and that person to be open. And I promise you, you start sharing, you'll start realizing that that person has got a lot to share back in return. [00:27:33] Speaker A: That's right. So we're going to our fourth point. That really is. I can't keep it to myself. And this story In Mark, chapter one, verses 40 to 45, I think it's just tailor made. This is just tailor made for people and telling their testimonies. Because there's a real interesting piece in the middle of this story. But it really starts out with this leper who himself heard about Jesus. Somebody told him while he was living in his leper colony where only bad news gets exiled. Exiled being being sick and being with other sick people. That's all you got around you. And then all of a sudden, somehow somebody tells them, but there's this man named Jesus. So somebody testified, somebody was talking about what Jesus was doing. Got to him. [00:28:31] Speaker B: This is preacher. This is preacher town. Because right now, because you said something, I just wanted to shout for a second, there's a man that was sick. And then you said, but somebody testified. And he said, but there's a man named Jesus. Right? And I think that there's so many moments of our lives where we have an opportunity to say, but there's a man named Jesus. And instead we join the bandwagon of complaint. [00:28:53] Speaker A: Yes. [00:28:54] Speaker B: And we jump on this thing of like, I know, right? Isn't that thing so frustrating? Oh, my God. Isn't that thing. Why don't we jump in like this man did, that is sort of unnamed. And he just said, yes, but there's a man named Jesus. And we come into somebody's life proclaiming who Jesus is. To see the miracle happen in their life, man, we need to do that. [00:29:12] Speaker D: So this leper came to Jesus and he told Jesus, if you want to cleanse Me do it? [00:29:19] Speaker A: Yep. [00:29:21] Speaker D: And that right there. Jesus says, I'm willing. Be cleansed if you want. He wants. [00:29:27] Speaker B: He's already. [00:29:28] Speaker A: Come on. [00:29:28] Speaker C: Oh, that's it. [00:29:29] Speaker D: He already wants to. It's. It's us. [00:29:33] Speaker C: It's, it's, it's. It's that step of faith that he took and said, I know you can. [00:29:38] Speaker D: Right. [00:29:39] Speaker C: Are you willing to? And then Jesus is ready to do all that he wants to do if you want it. [00:29:46] Speaker B: That's interesting, though. He could have said other things, though, but he says, I am willing. He could have said, yes, okay, okay, I'm going to. I am willing. And he. I think what he was trying to show was, this is the posture of my heart. If you just come to me, I promise you I'm willing to do so. But sometimes you're just waiting for it to happen without asking. You're not asking the question. You're not coming to me in prayer. You're not. A lot of us sometimes will just live out this life, and we forget that there's intimacy to have with God that we have to go into prayer, that we have to know the persons of God, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. We can then see manifestations of him. If we don't know him, then we're not going to see manifestations. We got to ask. [00:30:29] Speaker A: It was somebody's testimony who put faith in his heart toward Jesus. And had he stayed with just, wow, there's a man named Jesus doing this stuff. Had he not gone to look for him, had he not gone, asked him, he would have not been healed. If you want to, you can cleanse me. Jesus says, I want to be cleansed. [00:30:52] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:30:53] Speaker A: And that's the word for any single person that's. That's sick, that's looking for a miracle. That. And, and whatever it is, your miracle, he's done it in our lives. Take faith. Take the courage to ask him. You're going to be surprised by his willingness to. To do it in your life. [00:31:12] Speaker B: But then comes the tough part. [00:31:14] Speaker C: Come on. [00:31:16] Speaker B: Jesus is like, yes, okay, so I'm willing. It happens. And then he goes, just don't go tell anybody. The greatest thing of your life has just taken place. And now what I want you to do is not tell anybody somebody's pregnant. Don't tell anybody. [00:31:35] Speaker D: Why does he do that? Why does he tell somebody? Go and share. [00:31:39] Speaker A: Yep. [00:31:40] Speaker D: You know, he tells that the woman at the, at the, at the fountain, go and, and share, you know, and then he tells somebody else. Yeah, keep it to yourself. [00:31:50] Speaker A: The reason in the bi. The verse tells us this story, does tell us. Jesus, this was toward the beginning of his ministry. He's not doing a whole lot publicly yet. [00:32:00] Speaker D: He's not ready yet. [00:32:01] Speaker A: He wasn't. He, in his mind, he still wanted to walk around with a little bit of. Of anonymity. He was still doing things. But. But after this miracle, the Bible actually says that. That then he had to move to the outskirts of the city where people came out by the droves. So this miracle blew him up. It blew up his spot. And. And it was God's time. But Christ himself, the man was like. [00:32:32] Speaker C: Give me some time. [00:32:33] Speaker B: Give me some time. [00:32:34] Speaker D: I'm still processing this. [00:32:38] Speaker A: But what do you do when you've been healed? What do you do when you realize, I'm home again, I'm back with my family. [00:32:48] Speaker D: Well, none of the ones he told does not say anything. Stay quiet. [00:32:52] Speaker A: That's right. [00:32:53] Speaker D: Do you see that? [00:32:55] Speaker A: But who can keep quiet? [00:32:57] Speaker D: Exactly. They couldn't. They couldn't. [00:32:59] Speaker C: It's interesting. [00:33:00] Speaker A: Is it a sin to disobey Jesus? Jesus. [00:33:03] Speaker D: Not on that. Not on that. [00:33:05] Speaker B: But here's. Here's what I'm thinking, right? Sometimes we're given instructions, and I think sometimes we're given instructions to see what we'll do, right? It's a testing ground. And maybe there was a preference for. For him to not share it, right? But it's almost like when Elijah tells Elisha, you follow me long enough, stay here, I'm going to keep going. He's like, nah, bro, I'm going wherever you're going. [00:33:25] Speaker A: Wherever you going, right? [00:33:26] Speaker B: And I think that for me, this sticks out as one of those moments is like. Like, I know I. I know I. I shouldn't, but if I do, I don't see a. I don't see problems happening here. I see the Lord being glorified. And I believe that the way he shared it wasn't for his glory. It was. It was to say, Jesus did it. [00:33:44] Speaker A: But. And the other thing is, everybody knew he was a leper. [00:33:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:33:49] Speaker A: How's he going to walk up to somebody say, what's up? [00:33:52] Speaker B: He'd have to stay in a broken place. [00:33:56] Speaker A: Healed body and broken mind. [00:33:59] Speaker C: But just imagine. Imagine getting to the spot, right? Imagine the joy that was being restored to the community because they're gonna. They don't see the spots no more. [00:34:12] Speaker B: How he can. [00:34:12] Speaker C: First of all, how he's not gonna say nothing. I gotta get a little excited because I don't care. [00:34:17] Speaker B: He can't say nothing. [00:34:18] Speaker C: He don't have no leper marks on him. [00:34:21] Speaker B: That's right. [00:34:21] Speaker C: He can't keep it to himself. Even if he was quiet, they were gonna see it. [00:34:25] Speaker B: When you're down for so long, you forget what it feels like to be free. [00:34:29] Speaker A: Yes. [00:34:29] Speaker B: And when freedom comes, sometimes just don't know what to do with freedom. And so it has to be shared. Come on, somebody that's watching online right now. You've been, you've been down, you've been out, you've been in a low place. And then God shows up in your life and you don't know what to do with it because it's unfamiliar. Freedom feels unfamiliar to a lot of people. But I want you to know that when Jesus comes into your life, something's going to happen. You're not going to know what to do with it. But I can tell you what to do. Share it. Go tell somebody that it happened. Go back to the place where people knew you one way and. And let them see you a new way. Because you're you. You're made into a new creation. And Christ. It's going to be amazing. [00:35:06] Speaker A: And people will say, but I don't know what to say. I don't know how to speak. I don't know. I'm not a preacher. I'm not. Listen, all this guy had to do is show up. [00:35:13] Speaker B: That's right. [00:35:14] Speaker A: Let him see it and let them see change in your life. That's your testimony? That's it. [00:35:20] Speaker C: Absolutely. [00:35:21] Speaker A: There's a powerful image when God does something. [00:35:25] Speaker B: Come on. [00:35:26] Speaker C: Oh, man. [00:35:26] Speaker A: Transformative in our lives. It's natural for us to want to. With people. [00:35:32] Speaker B: This is where the preacher says, this is not in my. [00:35:34] Speaker C: No, this is when you. This is where the Holy, Holy Ghost is stepping in. [00:35:42] Speaker B: Does anybody actually know where we are? [00:35:45] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:35:46] Speaker C: The power of image. [00:35:47] Speaker D: It's important to know that this man had been an outcast, living on the margins of society. [00:35:53] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:35:54] Speaker D: His healing wasn't just physical. It was a restoration of, of, of, of his place within the community. He was a cast out. And now, now he's back to where he belongs. And that's why he couldn't stay quiet. [00:36:10] Speaker A: I could talk about that. I think all of us have been through moments where, where for a minute we feel like, oh, did I miss my time? Did I miss my. My chance and man to realize that. That God has restored me. And he restored me right where I fell, right where everybody saw me. And God chose to restore me. Don't be apologetic about God's restoration. You could be apologetic about the mess up, but don't be, don't apologize about God's work in your life. [00:36:41] Speaker C: That's right. [00:36:42] Speaker B: If we share our stories, because every one of us, at least at this table, we know. And many of you have, have experienced a touch of God. And when you share your story, it can be the very beacon of light that somebody who has not yet experienced it or didn't realize they did it could be the thing they needed. And if you're watching this episode right now and you're a person that does not know it, this is you. You came upon the video. You do not know it. That's the reason why we're sharing what we're sharing today. And you're going to, if you stay connected, stay connected to the content, you're going to hear us share more and more about the experiences we've had in life. And I pray that through our transparency that you can find that same freedom. [00:37:19] Speaker C: And, and that's why we can't keep it to ourselves. We have a responsibility to share the goodness of God and the transformative power of his love. It's his love. He loves you so much. Listen, you can think that nobody loves you, but I tell you one thing. [00:37:36] Speaker A: Yes, sir. [00:37:37] Speaker C: Jesus loves you more than you could ever imagine. He doesn't leave us, he doesn't forsake us. His arms are always wide open, ready to receive you. If you get this today, he loves you with, with everything. You can't imagine the love, it's beyond our imagination. But he loves you that much that he calls you daughter or son. [00:37:57] Speaker B: That's right. [00:37:58] Speaker A: It's Easter week, it's coming. And the world is more open, more receptive to an invitation than any other time during the year, except maybe Christmas. But this is the time for all of you folks that go to church and you love your church and you want to see your church grow and you want to see your friends come to know Jesus. This is the time I promise you, your church, your pastors, that team has prepared a Sunday service that's going to be Christ centric, risen, resurrection power is going to be on display and your friends need to hear it. Tell your story, encourage people, get them to church. [00:38:40] Speaker C: Amen. [00:38:41] Speaker A: So as we wrap up up this episode, let's reflect on, on the power, the powerful message that we've shared. We got Zachariah, we've got this leper that God does this amazing stuff in their lives. And when Zechariah gets a chance to speak, he prophesies over his son. When, when the leper is healed, he can't help it and keep it to himself. God is calling us to use and share our testimony. Testimonies. [00:39:09] Speaker D: If you're feeling the pull of the Holy Spirit today, we encourage you to step out in faith just like the leper did. Whether you're burdened by struggles or bursting with joy, sharing can transform lives. [00:39:24] Speaker A: That's right. [00:39:24] Speaker D: Remember what Jesus said in the cross. He said, it is done. And when he said it is done, it is done. All he's asking is, do you want to? Because if you want to, he is willing. This is a good week to really, to really open your heart to Jesus like millions and millions will do. Amen. [00:39:51] Speaker B: I want us to make a commitment together. Let's make a commitment right now. If you're watching the commitment to share, share your story, I promise you that God did not intend for you to ignore exist in a silo by yourself, to experience life by yourself, and to go through the goods and the bads alone. He designed for us to be the body. We're many members of the same body and we're like a. We're a community, we're a family, and we should be able to share. So let's commit together to begin to share. As uncomfortable as it might be for some of you, start somewhere. We want you to share. [00:40:27] Speaker C: And remember, sharing your testimony can be a source of strength not only for you, but for others as well. You never know who might need to hear your story today. [00:40:39] Speaker A: As we conclude. Let us pray for you today. Father, we thank you and we glorify you for this podcast, this episode. Lord, we thank you for the testimonies that you've woven into our lives. Help us, Lord God, to be bold in sharing our testimonies and proclaiming your goodness to the world. You chose us. You did it for us. Now let us tell everyone for you. In the name of Jesus, Amen. [00:41:05] Speaker C: Amen. Amen. Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Discover Life podcast. Remember, your voice matters and your story is important. [00:41:13] Speaker A: Until next time, God bless you. [00:41:15] Speaker C: Remember to share, like and subscribe. Subscribe. [00:41:20] Speaker B: God bless everybody. [00:41:21] Speaker C: Bless you. [00:41:32] Speaker A: I hope that you enjoyed this episode of the Discover Life podcast. I'm here just to remind you that Easter's coming and if you don't already have a place to worship, come by Vida Church, 120 Prospect Street. We have our 10 o'clock service in English and our 1 o'clock service in Spanish. We're expecting a great move of God and I would love to see you at either one of those services. This. God bless you. We'll see you soon.