What He Wants | Judah Smith

Here's the premise I want to work from tonight. And that is um what what does God want from you? Like I'm sure by now like you wouldn't be at the Sabon Theater. We even have some people in the balcony. You wouldn't be in the balcony at the Sabon Theater tonight if you didn't at some point somewhere at some time ask the question, "What am I here for?"

Like what what what's the purpose? What am I here for? like what's what's the whole reason I exist? Translation, what does God want from me? What does God want from me? Now, this leads me to uh uh grand, hilarious, comical conversations I've had growing up in church. Now, I don't know why it is this, and you may not know this about some of us Christians, but Christians, just like kind of the sports pundits, we love to bottom line what Christianity is.

Like, have you ever heard anyone say like, "Football is a game of inches." You're like, "Oh, I All right, cool." You know, golf is about a ball and a hole. And you're like, "Is that wow?" Okay. People who bottom line life, life is to be loved or not to be loved.

You know, whatever. We love to kind of Well, you know, we do that with Christianity. I've sat with so many different people over the years and they'll say, you know, Christianity is simple. Christianity is obedience. That's all it is. obedience. And you know, you're an intern or a college student and you're like, you're sipping coffee with this gray-haired Christian and you're like, "Wow."

Obedience, it's all that matters. Christianity, I tell you what Christian is. Two words, spiritual disciplines. I don't care what anybody says. You want to know what Christianity is all about? Prayer. Prayer. I have lost track of how many people have sat with me and told me, "You want me to just set the record straight?"

You know what it really is about, right? It's about being loved. Christianity, it's about being loved. So, if you're like me and you've grown up around spirituality and church and preaching and singing and and and all of that, you you you start to wonder what what does God want from me?

Now, some of us have grown up in different pockets of society and culture and subcultures. And so, a lot of us have been raised in environments where we believe that achievement is what God wants. And and and by the way, that also makes you uh American. Um, we think God wants uh like like there was this growing up and I still believe in it, but there's this whole movement of like God's going to call you.

And so in environments like this, we'd say God God's going to call some people tonight. And people would be like, "Is it me? Am I going to get called? He's going to call some lawyers, some doctors, some dentists, some baristas." Like there's some occupations the preachers would never say.

I'm not going to say them, but I could and we could have a good laugh for 15 minutes. But it was always kind of the same list tonight. Young people, you want to be called by God, right? And by the way, I like all this. I'm not saying this is bad.

I'm just telling you what would happen. And and kids would raise their hand and sometimes we'd have testimony night. We had the kids come up on stage and we'd say, "Now, now, Billy, what did God say to you? He told me I'm going to be a dental hygienist." you know, like he never would say that, but you know, he'd be like, "I'm gonna be a preacher."

Like, "Oh, that's good, Billy. It's a good next, Germaine. Germaine, what did God tell you you're going to be? I'm going to be a fireman for Jesus." Yeah. And without knowing it, we reinforce to everyone that, "Oh, what he wants from you is a career. What he wants from you is to accept the calling for a career."

As if. As if. as if God is in heaven flanked by angels going, "Oh, finally Germaine got the news. I need him to be a dentist desperately." Did you hear? Yeah. No. Sarah's in. No. Sarah is going to be a real estate agent for me. Are you serious?

Yeah. Oh, yeah. It's all happening. All of my plans. Now, I'm not saying, Sarah, that God doesn't want you to sell some real estate, baby girl. I'm not saying that, but that's not why you're here. That's not why you're here. I know. I know. Don't get too mad.

But even Kobe, Michael, LeBron, they're not God doesn't want basketball from them. It's awesome. I I want basketball from them. desperately. Don't give I didn't I don't I don't know if I clarified that. This isn't about what I want. This is about what God wants. Now remember, I didn't say what does God need from you for he needs nothing.

What does he desire from you? What does he want from you? Now, here's the good news. Here's the good news. What he wants, you already have. And that's the good news. I'm not going to tell you what it is yet, but you're going to figure it out pretty quick. what he wants from you, you already have.

Now, now, why? Why would I bring up this sermon? Why is it relevant? And why is it important? Well, a couple of reasons. First of all, if you've ever been in a frustrated, emotional state, which I'm going to share with you in a moment that I currently am in, this message will soo your soul and be a ministry to you.

But second of all, second of all, second of all, if you're not interested in wasting days and hours and weeks and months of your life, this message could be a great aid to you as well. Like if you're disinterested in, how should I say, whirling about this life, wasting time and energy on thinking that what you can give God is an extraordinary resume, then perhaps you'll be set free.

And per chance, possibly through a message like this, you will discover that contentment is right under your nose and you can sit at it and enjoy it. That what God wants ultimately from your life, you already have it. And if you will accept it and give it, perhaps you'll experience transcendent peace beyond your current circumstances.

Now, if I could, I would do a uh uh like a like a occupation revival service and every job you wanted, I'd have you come up and I'd lay hands on you and instantly you would get the job. Now, that would be pretty awesome. And some of you like, should we try it?

I'll think about it. simply like it wouldn't hurt though and I'm like that's a good point and I'm not mad at people who do that but but your occupation has its place and I think it's adorable and so does God but what he wants from you is what I want to talk to you about.

Have you ever had a relationship that has gotten exacerbated? Have you ever had a relationship you're just exhausted with? like you feel like you have given them your best self and it's not enough. You ever gotten to that place in that relationship where you finally say, "What do you want from me?

What do you want from me?" Now, if you have been married two months, it hasn't happened yet. If you've been married two years and it hasn't happened yet, count your lucky stars. But if you've been married as long as I have been married, it means over the course of 25 years, that little emotional thing has happened more times than you could possibly count.

Chelsea has asked me to help clean the garage, make her a coffee in the morning, and approve of of of her YouTube channels that take us to Europe. She's constantly watching places to go in Europe and YouTube and she wants my undivided attention to affirm the beauty and the majesty of these videos.

Babe, look look. It's another one. It's it's it's a it's amazing. So, after I have made her coffee and made the bed, this isn't every day, but some days. And and you ever have one of those in marriage? Don't get it twisted. Some of you think marriage is all about these big massive moments that are the undoing of your marriage.

Not true. Not true. Not true. It's always the little foxes that spoil the vine. That's an old scripture. And anyway, so but it's always the little stuff. It's always It's like a lack of eye contact for two and a half weeks. And finally the spouse snaps and says, "I'm Where are you?"

Right? It's the weirdest stuff. It's like you get her coffee every morning, but you forgot how she likes it. And a week later, she's like, "Really?" And you're like, "I got you coffee." She's like, "This isn't even the coffee I like." And I was like, "At what point were you going to tell me your last name was Hotton?"

You know what I mean? ((applause)) But I've been there so many times and I've literally said it. Hey, what do you want from me? Which is to say, I've given you everything I got. Doesn't seem like it's enough. So, what do you want from me? You ever had one of those days?

We checked into the CEK International Airport yesterday and the man who checked us in, his particular station was open. I said, "Sir, are you available?" He said, "I guess." So I felt like coming out here tonight since this is my job and say, "I guess I feel like preaching."

I said, "Oh." I said, "Oh." I said, "Okay." Under my breath, I said, "Help me, Jesus." He said, "How many bags you checking?" My wife said, "Well, how many are free?" He said, "How many bags you checking?" My wife, this is happen a lot. She said, "Well, it depends on how many bags are free.

He didn't like that. He didn't like people. He didn't want to be helpful. He didn't like checking bags. He didn't seem to like airports. He didn't seem to like airplanes. But he took a job with Alaska Airlines. That makes zero sense to me. That's like me standing up here saying, "I get embarrassed.

I don't like crowds. I don't like microphones. And I hate public speaking. Get another job." Right? I went >> and I'm just standing there and I'm like, "This can't be." So, my big infraction for the moment was, you know, now, please forgive me if you work for the airlines.

You know, I love you, but you know, it's a work in progress. I've been trying to forgive you for like since 1988 when I got lost in the Atlanta airport and Delta Airlines. You did not care. But, you know, they don't Israel, they don't even tag your bags anymore, dog.

Did you know this? I didn't serious. I didn't know this cuz I usually just carry on, right? I'm not even trying to check bags, but we had a lot of bags are coming home from, you know, we got golf club stuff. So, so we check in and he says, "How many bags?"

And Chelsea said, "How many are free?" He said, "Five." I said, "Okay." Which is a lot of bags for free, by the way. Which means we got status. All right. You know what it is. And so he said, "Here's your first tag." I said, "What are you giving the tag for me for?"

He said, "Put it on your bag." And I thought to myself, "No, you didn't, airlines. Now you don't even tag the bags we pay for. I paid for three extra bags. By the way, when he said the number, I threw up a little bit in my mouth because it's like this is a racket.

I just paid another $350 to three more bags. It's crazy. So now I'm I'm I'm I'm tagging my own bags, right? And it says peel here. So I'm peeling it and I'm taking I know. I know. I have a great life and I'm blessed. I get it. Okay.

Don't you judge me. Don't you judge. Some of you got really upset at your barista this morning because they did not put the right foam in your coffee. So, don't you judge me. Okay. So, I'm putting the little sticker on and I I put the bag on. I put the two.

He goes, "No, no, no, no, no, no. One bag at a time." I didn't say it, but I wanted to say it as passionate as I say it to my wife of 25 years. What do you want from me? Like, I don't even work for your airlines. Chelsea killed him with kindness.

He never knew the difference. I forgave him. And I think we honestly won him over. And he was like, "Okay, that'll do it. Have a great flight." And I'm like, "Okay, I forgive you." And I won't say his name. But you ever just been in a season where you're like, "Nothing I do is enough."

You ever been one of those seasons? It's like whether it's the coffee shop, whether it's the airport, whether it's just it's just tension. A friend of mine said the other day, "Everybody's on edge, bro. And it did, you know, it's it's not that profound, but it kind of is.

Everybody's just kind of bristling and agitated and annoyed. Everybody's just like, "What do you want from me? What do you expect from me?" Right? We we we have a technology now where we can make people an absolute villain for the wrong word and the wrong statement and the wrong look and the wrong facial expression.

And we we are all just a little bit exacerbated. We're all just a little bit exhausted. We're all just like, "No." And then and then we get environments like this and preachers like me without even knowing it because we mean well we want to help but now we need to tell you that God God is a little bit annoyed with you as well.

And then we start saying things like and when is the last time you prayed? And you think to yourself I can't remember. When is the last time you read your Bible? When is the last time? And without even knowing it, we lump and load upon you again all the things we believe God wants from you.

Now, if you are an overachiever and you're a type A and you're a very driven person, you wish I preached a little bit more like that. And I don't blame you for that because you are a rare breed, friend. And go get you an intense preacher. But for the rest of us abstract, random, hurting, tender souls who are built like flowers, I really am.

I am as fragile as China. As fragile as a flower, fine China. I mean, I am like I just get my feelings hurt a lot, which is so annoying. Do you ever just get annoyed at who hurts your feelings? Sports broadcasters on a broadcast not hurt my feelings.

Say things about people I love and I'm like, that hurts my feelings. I forgive him, you know. Anyways, that's beside the point. I'm excited to give you what Christianity is all about. Judah, you just made fun of those guys. I know, but the difference is I'm right and they're wrong.

Okay, so what does God want from you? Let's start in Psalms 51. This guy named David has just killed a man so that he can have his wife. Now, here's the caveat, which is crazy. He already has 700 wives at home. Dang. You know what I mean? This guy has a problem.

Okay. Like he got 700. But the one he can't have, he's got to have it. He's got to have her. Okay. So, he kills the husband and then like this prophet by the name of Nate or Nathan like tricks him into this combo and he's like, "You're the guy."

And David's like, "Ah." And then David's like, "All right, I'm I'm a nightmare." And he writes this poem. Literally, going through the motions. I'm jumping and just reading two verses. Going through the motions doesn't please you. Listen now. Listen, listen. This is thousands of years ago. A flawless performance is nothing to you.

I learned God worship when my pride was shattered. Period. Heart shattered lives ready for love. Don't for a moment escape God's notice. Heart shattered lives ready for love. Don't for a moment escape God's notice. Heart shattered lives ready for love. Don't for a moment escape God's notice. heartshattered lives ready for love.

Don't for a moment escape God's notice. Wow. Before I go any further, if you are in some way, shape, or form going through one of the most painful, difficult, challenging chapters, weeks, months, or moments of your life, do not underestimate what you can experience with God right now.

Now, I heard sermons like this when I was your age, because I look at some of you 21 year olds, and if you're not 21, the work you got done is so amazing. You look 21. You know what I mean? This just where it is. So, I know where I'm preaching tonight in the hills of Beverly.

So, you look 21. So, you know what I mean? But I thought when I was in a shattered state, I needed to get through it and past it. I discovered something. I believe I'm an artist. I like art. Did you know historically most of the art that is transcendent that has lived beyond an age and an era?

Do you know when it was do you know when it was written and shaped and painted and sculpted and in a shattered state and season? So I want you to know there's beauty to be had right now if your heart is in pieces. I mean, pieces. Now, if you're like me, when Humpty Dumpty breaks, I just like, "Somebody put him back together again."

But I'm here to tell you, before Humpty Dumpty gets put back together again, something beautiful is about to happen. I really mean that. Something beautiful is about to happen. Now, where does that lead us? That leads us to one of the most controversial h scenarios and vignettes in all of the Bible.

And I'm so excited to introduce you to this. By now, I'm sure you've heard of it, but it is a scene of Jesus hanging on the cross. For those that don't know, Jesus was killed by Roman crucifixion. For those that also don't know, thousands and thousands and thousands of people were killed by Roman crucifixion.

Now, if you know anything about Roman crucifixion, it is where we derive the word excruciating. Excruciating is literally a derivative and a descriptive word that comes from the ancient torture of Roman crucifixion. Now if you understand Roman crucifixion, it was in many ways a political statement. It was to there was to be a thief or a criminal or a crook or a revolutionary that was against the powers of Rome and the establishment of Rome.

And so what would Rome would do is they would hang that particular uh h perpetrator on the tree and it was to be public. It was to be a display. This might sound crude and crass and too much for you, but there were no movie theaters in Rome, but there were crosses.

Crosses became a theatrical experience. I know that sounds bizarre and it sounds insane, but literally people would put on their calendars a crucifixion. And they would go to the crucifixion in some way, sadistically, to be entertained. But they would also go and they would what would seep into their soul is that Rome is powerful and you don't want to mess with Rome.

So by the time Jesus is up for a mock trial, the his own people persuade Rome that he's a threat. And if you know the story, he is hung between two revolutionaries. Two men we believe to be a problem for the power of Rome. They were probably not too dissimilar to Barabus if you know that story.

And so these two criminals were flanking Jesus, hung on their own cross on either side. Now that is important for a number of reasons. First of all, Rome is trying to make a political statement. It should be noted that even Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection, it was shrouded and attempted to be used in a political manner.

It was wild. There was so much tension and so much to be said. Now, these two men that will flank Jesus will end up historically being incredibly debated, but also a beautiful portrait, if you ask me, of kind of mankind and humanity as we see it. Now, it should be noted, Roman crucifixion was death by suffocation.

Contrary to maybe what you thought, it wasn't a loss of blood. It was blood filled your lungs and then you would suffocate. It would take hours sometimes in the case of Jesus some six hours. Now while Jesus hangs on the middle cross he will stay he will say seven potent statements.

Why is that important? Because to speak when hanging on a cross was there it is excruciating. Excruciating. So if you're going to talk from a cross, you can read stories historically. Whole family members would come to speak with a family member of theirs that was a thug that was being crucified and and and and the thug and the criminal could just couldn't muster the power to even respond.

There's too much agony and too much pain. Now I say that why? Because in a moment you're going to see both men on either side of Jesus go through the excruciating exercise of speaking which is to say they want to talk. This is not filler. This is not small talk.

Listen closely. These men are compelled to say what they're about to say. They are moved deeply to say what they're about to say about the man on the middle cross. It says in Luke chapter 23, one of the criminals hanging on the cross next to Jesus, listen now, kept ridiculing him, saying, "What kind of Messiah are you?

Save yourself and save us from this death." The criminal hanging on the other cross rebukes the man, saying, "Don't you fear God? You're about to die. We deserve to be condemned for just being repaid for what we've done. But this man, this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, 'I beg of you, my Lord Jesus, show me grace and take me with you into your everlasting kingdom.'

And Jesus responded and said, I promise you this very day you will enter paradise with me. Now in this scene, we can discover what God actually wants from us. I bring you good tidings of great joy. In this scene, it is impossible for either one of these criminals to go get a job.

It is impossible for either one of these criminals to go do any charitable act whatsoever. In fact, it becomes incredibly apparent to any of us tonight that both of these criminals will die where they are pinned. So, this is it. At this point, if what the man on the middle cross who claims to be and declares himself to be God in the flesh and proves it to be so, for in three days he will rise again and he will levitate in the clouds and he'll be seen by over 1500 people to prove that in fact he was God.

He he never once will bring up what they need to do. So what God wants from you has nothing to do with what you do. >> Now that's going to be difficult for you to absorb for the rest of your life, friend. So everyone was just cool with that.

But good luck with that because for the rest of your life, that statement right there will be a wrestling match between you, your ego, your soul, your brain, and your body, which keeps telling you every day that you are who you are because of what you do and accomplish and what people or how people respond to what you do and what you accomplish.

I did not feel like preaching tonight. One of the main motivators for preaching tonight is that if I didn't, what you would think about me and that's a fact. We're Thank you. I appreciate that. We're I love you, too. We But that's just our wiring. If I don't do what people expect me to do, I don't want people to be mad at me, so I want to do it.

Now, ultimately, love went over and I want to be here. And I'm excited to share this message with you because it's really impacted and changed my life. But I'm going to say it again. What God wants from you has nothing to do with what you do. Now, what he wants from you can dramatically affect what you do, but it's not what you do at all.

And that's not a catchy way of indirectly saying that God needs you to do anything. I'm just saying they're connected. And to smart people, they'll understand that. Now, no, no. If you look at this scene and maybe you're like me and you hear we'll call this guy over here the ridiculer and we'll call this guy over here the rebuker.

He rebukes the ridiculer which again this is excruciating exchange. This guy over here says he kept ridiculing Jesus. Now, if you grew up in church and you grew up on a flannel board and all that jazz back in the day and it was Sunday school and the teacher would put Jesus and then the two thugs on a cross and he'd say, "Now, this one ridiculed him and this one believed in him."

And every Sunday school teacher would be like, "Which criminal do you want to be, little buddy?" I'll be like, "I want to be that guy." You know, I believe in Jesus. How could he not believe Jesus is right there hanging on the cross for his sins? But hold on a second.

This guy makes a lot of sense to me. Now I'm being dead serious. This guy over here sounds like me a lot of the time. You ever been in so much pain you wonder where God is? You ever been in so much pain you ask yourself, why won't God fix this?

You ever been in so much pain? By the way, I highly recommend God can handle praying crazy prayers. Now, some of us can't handle hearing you pray some of them crazy prayers, but God can handle it. Like, you might not want to do that in a group. I got so many funny jokes I can't even say them because they include cussing.

But cussing prayers are some of my favorite over the years. You know, when somebody just came into community, they don't really know and they're like, and we just say the devil. We go we we ain't we got nothing to do with you, dirty m devil. You know, and you're like, "Go get him.

Go get him, Tiger. Let them know, you know, you ain't wrong." So God can handle your crazy prayers, your cussing prayers, all that. Everybody just relax. Okay. So, but but I think I can relate with this guy. For instance, here's his logic. It's very simple. His logic is, "Oh, so you're God.

So, you're God. You're God, but you're in the same spot I'm in. You're God, but you let people pin you to a tree you apparently made. So, you're God." Listen what it says. He's so in indignant. He's so agitated that even though it's agonizing, he keeps ridiculing him.

That's how overwhelmed with anger and rage. This man is well and truly beside himself. He's like, "Are you serious, bro? You think you're God? This looks nothing like God. Rome looks like God. You don't look like God. If you're God, why don't you save me? If you're God, why don't you cure me?

If you're God, why don't you heal me? If you're God, why don't you restore me? If you're God, why don't you open doors for me? If you're God, won't you give me a job? If you're God, won't you fix my marriage? If you're God, why did my dad?

Where's my mom? If you're God, now if you've never talked like the other criminal, you're a drone >> and Elon planted you here. That's all right. We're glad you're here as well. You look you really you look lifelike though for the and 21 for the rest of us.

Well, that's just that's life. My voice memo guy this week. Great man, sweet man, kind man. Got six weeks to live. Tumors filling his belly all over the place. They opened him up and closed him back up and could do nothing. and said, "Live out your days as best as you possibly can."

Oh, so you're God. Then why don't you fix this? You're God. Why don't you? So this guy, I would say you could sum him up by saying, "Why me? Why me? Why Why don't you help me? Why don't you intervene for me?" And remember, he feels this deeply, and that's why he's saying it.

Now, this other guy who I did a little research. Who am I kidding? Chat GPT did a little research for me and from best we can tell. Don't believe any of the preachers now. I did some deep research. Dog, you type that thing in to GPT. 10 seconds later, you got Anyways, um they probably work together.

They're probably revolutionaries together. They're probably buddies, ironically. And yet, they couldn't see Jesus more differently. Now, listen to the other one. And he says, he says, "Man, are you serious, man? Are you serious?" He said, "We deserve this. It's what we did, bro. But this man has done nothing wrong."

And then listen. He says something. I'm begging you. Listen to this. Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, show me grace and take me with you into your everlasting kingdom. Now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages and backgrounds, in what world do you say to the man hanging next to you on a cross, "Hey, when this is all over, can you take me into your eternal, all knowing, all powerful kingdom in which you rule and reign?"

I think if we're honest, most of us are over here going. You talking to this guy? You talking to this guy? So, here's where I stand. When a story like this is preached, often times without knowing it, people like me tell you to be like which criminal? The one that gets into plegates. now be him.

And all of us collectively without knowing it, even subconsciously, we're like, I'm going to be him. I believe. I believe. But I don't think that's how it happens. Because if if this is if somewhere in here we discover what God wants, here's my issue. Why didn't both of them get it?

First of all, one doesn't get it and the other gets it. Furthermore, why does one of them get it? And how does he get it? How does he know what he knows? And so I have come to a very simple conclusion. This is not profound. Some like, wait, this is going to be crazy.

Not really. Faith in scripture literally means divine persuasion. It occurs to me that they literally call him the other criminal. The other criminal who believes somehow someway by the providence and grace of God saw Jesus for who he was. Now keep in mind historically we know that Jesus is so pulverized and such a mess that you cannot tell if he is male or female or if he is an animal or a human.

He is a mess. And the other disciple has an encounter. Now, here's where we discover what God wants. This is my favorite part. So, the other disciple says, "Can you remember me and can you take me into your everlasting kingdom?" And listen now, listen to the words of Jesus and um answer me this.

Is he happy? Is he happy? and somebody can come play the piano. I know 34 minutes none of you thought I was about to close. And maybe I'm not, but the piano sounds nice. Now I'm getting ready. I'm getting ready. Ally, I'm getting ready. I'm getting ready. Ally, listen to Jesus.

I promise you this very day you will enter paradise with me. I promise you on this very day, you'll enter paradise with me.

Translation: Jesus is really happy. Perhaps you can't see it, but I know he's smiling. It's a bloody smile. It's a mangled smile. It's a beaten smile. But he says through the agony, "I promise you this very day you will enter paradise with me." And so the pundits and the philosophers and the theologians have debated throughout the corridors of history and through the centuries.

Translation: Because if the thief on the cross can get into the kingdom, then we've made it far too easy. For they have not been able to go to church or pay their tithe or do any charitable work. It can't be that easy. And yet it is. It's the reason I'm still preaching. >> You know what God wants from you?

Translation: The same thing he got from the last few moments of thief on the cross. He wants He wants you. But he wants the broken you. The scripture in Psalms 51 has been translated in a multiplicity of different ways. But one of the ways it's translated is a broken and a contrite spirit.

Translation: These God you will never deny. Which is to say God is near to those not who have broken hearts but those who recognize that they have broken hearts. If you're here and you're wondering if you'll ever have a season with a broken heart, your heart is already broken because you think that we're broken, friends.

Translation: Every one of us broken. You ever picked up a toy and it don't work anymore? It like a little a little fire engine and it goes That's every human that's we're broken. We're, you know, the Bible says you're born broken. Do you know that? You're born broken. What's the brokenness?

Translation: You tend to want to serve yourself even at the pain of others. Get out of the road. Can you believe they voted for man? I hate I can't stand. Born broken. You know what God wants? Spiritual disciplines. Those are great. Obedience. It's better than sacrifice, but it's not what he wants.

Translation: It's not what he wants. What he wants is when all you want to do is say, "Why me?" But you recognize how blessed you are even to be here and you turn your why me into remember me. Would you remember me? I'm on your mind. What would you say if a friend said, "Hey, can you voice memo my buddy?

Translation: He's about to die. His belly is full of tumors. They given him weeks to live. Pastor, could you send him a prayer?" Yeah. and all of a sudden life just what is this? Well, a couple of things I can learn from my story tonight. This isn't home, but we're going to be home.

Translation: And what he wants from us is I believe in divine healing. And make no mistake, I've seen tumors healed before, but I've seen people who got supernaturally healed and then they still die of old age. Life is still short anyway you slice it. What does God want? A sparkling, dazzling career that gathers the masses and makes the millions.

Translation: I think it's cool. That's not really what God wants. You know what he wants? He wants the real you. That just says, um, I'm a nightmare. Like, I'm broken, God. And I need you. Heartshattered lives ready for love. What a tough message to absorb. You mean to tell me the zenith of what God wants from me is a heart shattered life ready for love.

Translation: That's it. That's the mountaintop. That's the zen. That's the peak. That's it. And so here's what develops. I really think the two criminals are the two parts of you and me if I'm honest. Cuz I got both of these criminals in me, dog. And this attitude over here that says, "God, where are you?

Translation: What do you want from me? I'm exhausted. Why don't you step in? Why don't you change stuff? Where are you, God? And perhaps you came under those feelings and sensations tonight. Come on, God. Show up. And there's an exhaustion there. And there's a weariness there. And all I can tell you is to to develop this attitude, don't manufacture it.

Translation: But I'm just hoping God will will give it to you and work it in you tonight in this environment. In a moment, we're going to sing with with Ally and Israel. And God can do it for you. Don't fake it, but receive it. And suddenly, here's what happens.

Translation: This happens in my life when I give God what he really wants, which is not that entitled, indignant, selfish, self-absorbed, self-focused my life, my career, my things, my bank account approach. And he starts to melt my heart and soften my soul. And all of a sudden, and I'm done.

Translation: I'm done. And this is what happened to David, but I'm done. And there's a whole another part of this message, but I'm going to end right here. Do you wonder what happened to the other criminal? Because the way he describes Jesus is one of the most beautiful descriptions of Jesus we have in the whole Bible.

Translation: He says, "This man has done nothing wrong. We deserve this. He doesn't deserve this." And then if you if you know the scene of the cross, uh Jesus is given mock titles. Very rarely is Jesus ever called by his name. But he says, "Lord Jesus, show me your grace and take me with you into your everlasting kingdom."

Translation: And this is what I think can happen to you tonight. You can go from, and I'm not saying you're crazy. If God is God, why are you going through this? If God is God, why didn't he fix this? Can God fix it? He can. Why won't he? I don't know.

Translation: But if you stay here, friend, you're going to get more tired, you're not going to get the answers you want. Mystery is always going to be mystery. Don't let the pundits tell you they got the they don't. There's things going on in this world ain't no answers to.

Translation: It's cause and effect, but there's mystery all around us. I wanted to voice memo that man and tell him all the tumors are going to be gone when this prayer gets over, but probably not. So you can live in that. Listen to me. I know what I'm talking about.

Translation: You can live in this thing. What do you want from me, God? What about my job? What about my marriage? What about my kids? What about all this pain? Where are you? I gave you my whole life. What do you want from me, God? If you're God, why don't you fix this?

Translation: People like me will tell you, "You better change your attitude." I'd like to tell you, you need to ask him to change your attitude for you because that's what he did for the other criminal. And somehow this guy, how does he see through the bloody mess to see him for who he really is?

Translation: Grace, divine persuasion. So we move to this man and what do you have over here? Tender, soft, understanding that he's done some dumb things and it's caused him a lot of pain. It's almost as if he seems to say, "It's got nothing to do with God. I'm an idiot and I've done some dumb stuff, but you're perfect."

Translation: And one is asking all the questions. Not bad. I'm not mad at that. It just doesn't work. And it's ultimately not what God wants. This man, he's enough to say, "Will you remember me?" And um Jesus says, "I will." and he seems to be thrilled with the thought that um I'm on his mind and I'm his.

Translation: How much longer does the pain last a while? Does he still die? Yeah. Is he still embarrassed hanging on a cross? Yeah. Life happens. But everything changed. everything changed. So, um I've been doing this so long. I've had all kinds of different desires um that I've walked into a message with.

Translation: God, I I want to preach this message and fire to come down and consume everyone. Not like literal fire, that's weird, you know, but like weird stuff I thought when I was a young preacher. Let fire just consume everyone. It's like, wait a minute, that's that's bizarre. I wanted everyone for this to happen or that to happen, but I think tonight I think tonight um um have you ever been in a funk that you can't get out and you're just agitated and you can't shake it and you're so disappointed and you're so sad and you're so bummed.

Translation: And I think that either this works or it doesn't because um sometimes the pain is so much you're just upset. You're just upset and you're just disappointed. And my dream tonight and my desire tonight and my prayer for you is that as Ally and Israel come and and the team, y'all can come out and stand with me if you want to.

Translation: You don't have to if your name's Hotton or Hton. Um, but that maybe, just maybe, you would soften tonight and you would let him do what only he can do. For some of you, um, you're going to forgive again. For some of you, you're going to you're going to say, "Okay again.

Translation: For some of you, you're going to say thank you for the first time in a while, cuz there hasn't been a lot to be thankful for. But perhaps you're starting to see things you can be thankful for. Hearts shattered lives ready for love. He'll always be there. What's interesting to me is both of these men, David and the other criminal, kind of at the end of it all, their plea is be with me.

Translation: David says, "Don't you leave me cuz I can't live without you. I can't live without you. And more than anything, man, I want you to know the nearness and person of Jesus. And he can do for you what no logic can do, no answers can do, a miraculous healing can't even do what his friendship and person and presence can do.

Translation: And so if tonight you have a heart shattered life ready for love, then you can give God what he wants more than anything.