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so my topic for today is breaking news

breaking news and when we find in the

text we find Mary who was following

Jesus Mary magnet Magdalene not the

mother of Mary this Mary had an

encounter with Jesus in which he had her

exercised he she had seven demons that

was possessing her and after her

encounter with Jesus she became so did

that after she was delivered from those

seven demons that she dropped everything

and began following him she was

following him the Messiah recognizing

that there was a divine call on his life

and that because he had touched her that

there was a divine call on her life and

so she dropped out dropped it all and

began following Christ and she knew that

as the Jews and the Romans began to wage

war against him that because he was

Christ because he was the son of God

that eventually he was going to rise up

and he would prove to the Romans and the

Jews that they had it all mixed up and

he was the son of God and he wasn’t just

pretending and so she was waiting for

the moment in which Christ would be

vindicated when we find her in the text

however he has been crucified imagine

with me if you will you are riding and

dying with somebody right or die okay

Mary was Jesus Rider died and she’s

riding with him all the way to the cross

anticipating at some point probably that

he was going to come off of the cross

what what do you do when you are

expecting one thing to happen but it

never comes to fruition what do you do

when as a matter of fact it looks like

the thing that you were hoping for is

actually dying right in front of your

face

that’s where we find Mary and the text

not only has Christ been crucified he

has been placed in a tomb and this is

three days after the crucifixion three

days and a lot can happen in three days

certainly we know the end of the story

that he is resurrected but remove if you

will your knowledge and imagine yourself

as Mary not just with breaking news as

in current events but with the kind of

news that breaks you have you ever

received the kind of news that chips

away at your hope that chips away at

your soul that leaves you a little bit

broken

yeah breaking news comes to us all and

then that breaking we can’t help but

have parts of ourselves broken as well

we see it all the time and our phones

when CNN and alert goes off and we

recognize that what was supposed to be a

normal day for someone somewhere on the

other side of the world or perhaps right

around our corner just became

devastating news that breaks you now on

the first day of the week Mary Magdalene

went to the tomb early while it was

still dark and saw that the stone had

been taken away from the tomb then she

ran and came to Simon Peter and to the

other disciple whom Jesus loved and said

to them they have taken away the Lord

out of the tomb and we do not know where

they have laid him would you go back to

verse one I want to point out something

that I found pretty interesting in the

text so Mary is headed to the tomb she’s

headed to the tomb because in Jewish

culture when someone passes away you go

when you take oils and spices and you

anoint the body and so she knew though

that there would be a stone in front of

the tomb because when she got there and

noticed that this took that the stone

had been taken away she was shocked I

bet you that at this point

Mary had become she had come to a place

where she was beginning to ache

Becht rejection you see because up until

that point she was expecting hope she

was expecting that Jesus would get off

the cross she was expecting that he

would be vindicated at this point he’s

been crucified he’s buried he’s in the

tone in the tomb and now she’s wondering

what should I expect the reality is that

she was going to the tomb and hoping

that the stone would have been rolled

away although she knew she couldn’t roll

it away herself history tells us that

the stone that was placed in front of

the tomb was about 2,000 pounds have you

ever found yourself walking up to an

opportunity and going towards a door if

you will but in the back of your mind

you were hoping that the door really

wouldn’t be open you were knowing that

you were going to go through all of the

motions you were going to go to the

audition you were going to fill out the

application you were going to go on the

date but ultimately when it was time to

be vulnerable when it was time to train

when it was time to become better you

were hoping the door would be closed

because an open door also opens you up

to your own insecurities so now the door

is open to the tomb but does she really

have had what it takes to walk inside

the stone has been rolled away that’s

what she wanted but does she really have

what it takes now to go inside of the

tomb we pray that God would open doors

for us that he would roll things out of

the way that he would allow a path for

us to escape and then when it’s time to

take that escape it’s not always

packaged the way we thought because for

Mary who wanted the stone to be rolled

away she didn’t realize that she

wouldn’t be able to put oil on the body

because the body wouldn’t be there what

do you do when you are expecting things

to go one way and they do go that way to

a certain extent but then when it’s time

to take

that final step to go that extra mile

there’s nothing there to work with the

stone had been taken away from the tomb

so she runs to Simon and Peter and she

tells them she grunts – Simon Peter and

John and she tells them they’ve taken

away the Lord out of the tomb and we

don’t know where they have laid him

Peter therefore went out and the other

disciple and were going to the tomb so

they both ran together and the other

disciple outran Peter what is always a

race with some people just we can’t both

be at the red light you got an inch up a

little bit closer why and came to the

tomb first you know what I bet slowed

Peter down on his way to the tomb before

Christ died he told Peter that he was

going to deny him three times so while

they both left at the same time I bet

somewhere along the line Peter began to

realize that if Jesus was there and Mary

had somehow missed him that he was going

to have to answer to the fact that he

had denied him three times isn’t it

crazy how sometimes our past keeps us

from walking into the future because we

recognize that we may have to answer

some questions when we get there that

we’ve learned to bury and hide okay I’m

coming

so John gets there and he’s stooping

down and looking in saw the linen cloths

lying there yet he did not go in John

the disciple whom Jesus loved Stoops

down looks into the tomb but doesn’t go

in immediately when he recognizes that

the tomb is empty his hope his faith

then fails you would think because he

was the disciple whom Jesus loved that

when he saw that the tomb was empty that

something inside of him would rise up

and say this is the moment maybe now

he’s been resurrected this is exactly

what we were waiting for but instead he

is flooded and disappointment I want to

talk about the difference between love

and faith I can love you but I can’t

leave you I can love you love means that

I accept you for who you are faith means

but I also think you can become better

so yes he was the disciple whom Jesus

loved but did John have enough love to

have faith in God so much so that even

faith would dictate that even when my

circumstances don’t look like it’s

working out for my good because I had

faith in him I don’t believe that just

because the body isn’t there means he’s

not here anymore

surely he’s gone somewhere then Simon

Peter came following him so Simon Peter

finally catches up and decides he’s got

his speech ready for Jesus just in case

he’s there he’s probably going to start

like what had happened was

and then and then because I didn’t know

that there was time I like you Jesus I

thought cuz Jesus is like a common name

and oh Jesus be with hey Suz I was so

confused Simon Peter came following him

and went into the tomb and he saw the

linen cloths lying there and the

handkerchief that had been around his

head not lying with the linen clothes

not lying with the linen clothes but

folded together in a place by itself how

is it that all of the linen clothes were

just jumbled up on one part of the tomb

but there was one linen cloth that was

folded neatly by itself I submit to you

two questions why is it that it was

folded by itself and why is it that

Peter was the one who saw it

I reckon that the reason why it was

folded was because he wanted someone to

recognize that even though it looked

like he had been taken away that he took

the time to fold something before he

left that even though it looks like your

life is crumbling into pieces and that

it’s all falling apart that he’s left

something folded for you to remind you

that he’s yet there yet it’s interesting

because transition often looks like

chaos transition often looks like

confusion it doesn’t always make sense

it seems like everything is falling

apart and so you’ve got Mary and John

who believe that the body has been taken

away there’s nowhere for their faith to

go yet you have Peter the one who denied

Christ three times the one who was least

likely to to see Christ again the one

who thought for sure because of what

I’ve done because of what I’ve gone

through

he has no

use of me why is Peter the one who sees

the folded handkerchief perhaps when

Peter denied Christ three times he found

himself in the situation he never

expected have you ever been surprised to

something you did

but like you did it have you ever looked

back on something even like man I was

tripping like I surprised myself with

that Peter could not believe that he was

going to deny Christ three times he

couldn’t believe it but I mean can you

argue with Jesus like Jesus says you’re

going to deny him three times you think

it impossible and then life happens life

often places us in unexpected situations

and turns us into people we never

thought we could be and how we deal with

those moments is our true test of

character it’s not about the disciple

whom Jesus loved the most this story is

about Peter the one who denied him three

times the one who probably wanted to

exclude himself from destiny being told

that in spite of the fact that you

denied me three times I’m still going to

build my church on top of you that even

though your life hasn’t been perfect and

even though you’ve messed up and there’s

a laundry list of things that you could

have done better and should have done

right instead I still see hope inside of

you

why then is Peter the one who finds the

handkerchief I think it’s because Peter

had learned to not just look for the

things that you expect but to respect

the things that are unexpected in life

that even loss and breaking news has a

certain level of respect that gives you

two paths

on the road and that is to have faith or

to give up we see Mary and we see John

both stock never even taking the time to

go inside of the tomb but Peter who had

been fueled by his own mistakes who had

been fueled by his own desperation to

reconnect with the Jesus saw something

that no one else could see that means

it’s okay if you straight away a little

bit because your fuel to reconnect with

Jesus is going to open your eyes that

this religious relationship maybe could

not have afforded you that means that

there is yet a place for you that there

is a napkin folded in the corner of your

destiny and God is waiting for you to

stop pretending to be busy long enough

to take inventory of what you have left

so often we can be so consumed

especially in the city with looking busy

everybody’s got meetings this is the

most meeting ggest City listen

everybody is busy but not often do we

have a lot to show for our busyness

everybody is important but not often do

we have a lot to show for being so

important

perhaps destiny is reserved for the

people who are willing to slow down long

enough to look like they aren’t working

on anything to look like they’re being

outran I just believe right now that you

some of you have been dealing with

situations where you think that someone

arrived before you did but the reality

is they may have gotten there first but

they’re not going to stay there very

long because when you get there you’re

coming with a different mindset in a

different perspective

that you never would have had had you

not gone through your mist trials so

right now we’re going to go ahead and

thank God in advance for the arrival and

the process it took trust to get there

because we recognized we weren’t really

being slowed down we were being taught

how to look at things that I when we got

into the room we would see folded

napkins where everyone else all linen

cloths then when we got in the room that

we would have fresh ideas and fresh

creativity wherever you want us just

wanted to do the same old thing I’d

agree right now in the name of Jesus in

this moment that the Holy Spirit is

saturating this place right now that

chains are being broken off with you

right now their glory is filling this

place that you have not been denied you

have not been delayed that you are right

on time and a right on target and that

God is going to do a new thing through

you something he couldn’t do through

Mary something he couldn’t do through

John

but it took a Peter someone who had some

missteps someone who had denied someone

who looked like they had no purpose that

God was waiting on you to come into the

room that God was waiting for you to

walk into the tomb that he has a napkin

set aside with your name on it and if

you were there to stop outside of the

tomb that you’re going to miss the

greatest blessing of your life

time the difference between Mary and

John and Simon Peter was one step one

step that means you’re one step away

from your breakthrough that means you’re

one step away from your destiny that

means you’re one step from everything

turning around that means you’re one

step from being on the edge of amazing

and stepping into glory that you’re one

step away from who you always knew you

could be but doubt convinced you

otherwise if you believe that I just

want you to take one step just take one

step just let the enemy know right now

that you’re taking one step that you’re

walking away from who you used to be and

walking towards what God has called you

that you recognize others destiny down

inside of you still and all it takes is

one step Peter has the dirty is past if

everyone we see in the text he has the

least likely outcome of everyone we see

in the text how is it the one who denied

Christ three times was the one who saw

him first

how is it the one who didn’t look like

they had it all together was the one who

got the job how is it the one who didn’t

look like they had the income I had the

job still has their car still has the

ring how is it the one who doesn’t have

any ends to meet but some kind of way

God keeps on providing and he keeps on

leaving crumbs after crumbs after crumbs

you give me reasons you give me reasons

can we have a mama

worship Him for reasons right now you

give me reason after reason after reason

after we knocking after napkin

after napkin is folded for me that where

everyone else saw linen cloths that some

kind of way I saw a napkin that when the

stone was rolled away and some people

turn because they were afraid that they

wouldn’t have what it takes to walk into

the room that she ordered my steps but I

was in perfect alignment that I was in

the right place at the right time for a

breakthrough to happen for me I want to

know who’s willing to walk into the tomb

I want to know who’s willing to look for

the napkin I want to know who’s willing

to not let their circumstances dictate

their tomorrow because if we allow our

circumstances to dictate our tomorrow

we’ll find ourselves like John coming to

church every Sunday in love with Jesus

knowing he loves us but too afraid to

act on that love he never meant to harm

you or discourage you or disappoint you

and in fact what he meant was quite the

opposite he needed to prune you y’all

sit down I’m just talking and you get me

all fired up you could put the text back

up for me then the other disciple who

came to the tomb first went in also he

was a leader Peter was a leader the one

who was least likely convinced the one

who seemed to have it all together to go

into the tomb not when you walk into the

tomb you’re not just bringing yourself

your mother’s coming with you your

father’s coming your friends are coming

your relationship is coming and anybody

who can’t comment to the tomb needs to

stay outside of it anyway because we’re

two walkers in here

and he saw and believed some kind of way

in that moment what should have been a

tomb becomes a womb that what should

have been a dead thing a placer for

holding dead things now becomes a place

of faith being developed because we see

that John went from not believing and

outside of the tomb to inside of the

tomb and witnessing the napkin and now

he believes maybe I just want to

interrupt your regularly scheduled

program to tell you that the thing

you’ve been calling a tomb is actually a

warm that the areas in your life that

you thought were dead that you were just

about to give up on that the areas in

your life that you had counted out and

that other people said we’re never going

to make it was a place of development

and when you recognize that your tomb is

actually a wound you’ll stop mourning

what you think you lost and recognize

that there are destiny moments left for

you that your very breath is a promise

that God still has something for you

and because he still has something for

you it doesn’t matter what happened to

you doesn’t matter what they said

doesn’t matter what they believed it

doesn’t matter the lies you told

yourself all that matters is whether or

not you’re willing to open up the stone

open up the tomb and begin to search

yourself for pieces that God has left

behind I have to tell you that a one of

the most difficult times in my marriage

with your pastor was when I told him

that I felt okay I tell you the whole

story and I’m going to be faster than I

have Ultra Khan they were going to let

you go because we’re over time but

here’s the thing so some of you all know

you know I had

a teen mama had my son at 13 years old

and now I have a daughter with Petey and

it feels like everything is full circle

and so we’re walking into this

restaurant and as we’re walking into the

restaurant I see our oldest daughter

holding our baby girl Ella and just in a

moment I have this flashback of being 14

years old holding my son out with my

family and I think to myself man it must

have been really hard to be a teen mom

but sometimes we can become so consumed

with trying to make it look like we have

it all together that we rob ourselves of

the opportunity to truly heal and so I

was sharing this with Petey and I

thought you know I was just going to

tell him this and he told me you know

what that means that there’s still

something there that needs to be healed

and I was like you know how do i pastor

me okay I’ll pray about it

listen being married to manna God is

really something else okay

and so he tells me how did you feel when

you were that 14 year old girl and I

began to express to him some of the

feelings that I had and then just in

that moment the Holy Spirit just really

comes into the room and he was able to

interesting because God is not limited

to time he takes me back to being this

14 year old girl and in that moment

his spirit is healing all of this

brokenness and damage that I thought was

healed why do I say that because in that

moment when we were reflecting on that

time in my life I recognized that there

was a folded napkin there that I missed

that I was so afraid of having to

confront my truth that I wrapped myself

of the opportunity to see that God was

still in the places that I had buried

that God still had hope and he still had

promising the ability to heal that which

I had learned to conceal and as I

prepare to close I want to have an altar

call and if you don’t mind before you

say that this is what’s what happened

people are going to grab their purses

and go dashing out of the door and let

me tell you why I pray you will

reconsider that because we’re going to

have an altar call and someone’s going

to make the decision to step into their

tomb so that God can make it a womb and

I’m not sure what special is at

Starbucks or what time your brunch

reservation is but if you could not rob

them of this opportunity to have an

encounter with God that can develop

something in them that changes the very

trajectory of their lives I would be

most appreciative would you please stand

with me as I prepare to close

as I was discussing the text I had to

ask myself what is the main idea what is

the main subject of the text what is God

trying to tell us and it dawns on me

that Peter is the star of the text that

it wasn’t really the folded napkin like

I thought and it wasn’t the disciple

whom Jesus loved like I thought it

wasn’t even Mary Magdalene like I

thought it was Peter the one who had

denied Christ three times yet the church

would be built on him it was the one who

had to become so desperate and so broken

for a touch from God that it changed the

way he saw a life that it changed the

way he saw the tomb and I just believe

that there are people in this room have

been who have been looking at certain

areas of their life whether it’s their

past or their present they’ve watched

situations fall apart they watch

relationships go away they’ve been

dealing with bitterness and

unforgiveness and they’ve just learned

to conceal it and continue to live like

it’s not there and I just happened to

believe that there’s someone here who’s

ready to take that tomb and turn it into

a womb that you’re not exactly sure how

things are going to work together for

your good but you know that you love God

and you know that there’s a plan for

your life and and you just want to

believe that he can do something with

what you have left would you consider

meeting us at the altar would you

consider stepping taking that one extra

step coming that extra mile so that God

can have his way in your life in a

brand-new way Peter proves to us that

this is not about perfection this is not

about having it all together this is

about admitting that there’s something

inside of me that’s a little bit dead

and a little bit broken and my hope has

nowhere to go and I’m not exactly sure

and I don’t have all the answers but I

just

happen to believe that there’s still

hope for me and if God could do it for

Peter and maybe if God could do it for

FL if God could do it for PT that maybe

he would consider allowing me to open my

heart and to face the fact that

something getting me died years ago but

as you were speaking and as you were

expressing the word that I I felt a

heartbeat again that where there was a

tomb in my life the things that I

thought I was fine living with the

things that I was masquerading is okay

that as you were speaking I felt

something inside of me kick I think that

there’s still life inside of me and I

wanted to be developed so that I can

have access to all of who God is here’s

the reality that Mary and John could

have continued to have a relationship

with Christ even had they never

discovered the folded napkin but because

Peter saw the folded napkin and invited

them to see the folded napkin they had

access to another dimension of Christ

that they would have never seen what I’m

telling you is they were looking for

Christ’s body but what they found and

said was his spirit in the same spirit

that was in that tomb is available to

you right now in this moment and we

don’t invite you down to the altar to

masquerade your to embarrass you no in

fact it’s quite the opposite it is to

serve negativity and notice that it no

longer has its hold on you that when you

walk out of your space of comfort that

chains are being broken and strongholds

are coming down because you recognize

that there’s still something left inside

of you and no amount of shade can keep

your light from shining no amount of

shade can keep you from walking into who

God has called you to be unless you

allow it I want to know if there’s

anyone else who wants to join this body

of believers come out of your seat and

join us at the altar step out of your

comfort zone so that God can show you

your tomb

he can turn them into wombs and you

don’t have to pretend anymore

you don’t have to hurt any longer that

you can look back at yourself at 14

years old with the baby and still

recognize that God loved that broken

little girl too that God loved Peter

when he was denying him and he loved you

when you were in the middle of your mess

you’re never too far from the reach of

God you’re never out of his touch ever

but oftentimes we rob ourselves of an

opportunity to be held by God because

we’ve come to a place where all we

expect is rejection and right now I just

decree in the name of Jesus that we’re

going to shift our expectations not to

fit our circumstances but to fit the

word from God that we received that even

when we receive knows that our

expectations aren’t going to adjust in

our relationships that we’re not going

to settle for what we think we deserve

because if God gave us what we deserve

none of us would have a chance but

because he is so faithful and because

he’s committed to do exceedingly and

abundantly above all that we may ask or

think we’re going to allow God the

opportunity to blow our minds don’t just

give us what we ask for God give us what

you desire for us don’t just give us

what we want to God give us what we need

and no matter how that comes about it is

well in our soul pastor would you pray

for us that’s such a that’s such a

there’s such a glory on first lady I

don’t actually want you to prayer when I

lay hands while you pray so just seal

this word with prayer before we pray

just one more opportunity to join us the

word says that where two or three are

gathered in his name there he shall be

in the midst and because we are

expecting and believing that he will be

in the midst of this body of believers I

just see a wave of tombs transforming

into wounds as we steal this in prayer

and if you want to be a part of that

trance

Meishan I encourage you to come join us

by the God searches is only you can do

open our hearts to your truth and take

us back to those moments where we were

scared little girls and scared little

boys searching for hugs and embraces and

help us to recognize that there was a

folded napkin there help us to look at

the areas in our lives right now where

we are threatened to feel discouraged or

disappointed maybe things aren’t going

the way we expected but help us to

realize they’re going exactly how you

planned that you’re working all things

together for our good so father I thank

you for every tomb represented at this

altar because we know that because there

is a tomb that there’s also resurrecting

power and we just decree resurrecting

power right now in the name of Jesus

that they’re going to live again oh God

that a will is going to spring up inside

of them and as that will springs up that

they’re going to have new ideas and new

creativity and new hope and new desires

forgiveness right now in the name of

Jesus some of us are struggling to

forgive and struggling to move on not

recognizing that our unwillingness to

forgive is keeping us at bay that our

destiny cannot be fulfilled until we let

go of our past we think that by us being

bitter that we’re punishing the other

person but in fact destiny is being

withheld because only those who have a

clean hands and clean heart can approach

you O God so cleanse our hearts O God

until all we see is you and cleanse our

spirits O God until all that is left is

you if the relationship isn’t you break

it if the job isn’t you take it if the

opportunity isn’t from you remove it

right now in the name of Jesus all we

have them for is you O God we want to

know you in a new way oh God show us our

identity oh God show us that we haven’t

been rejected or abandoned but we’ve

been preserved O God then when we

thought we were isolated that it was

actually protection Oh God and so we

thank you for protection Oh God that we

were resenting

very thing that kept us from becoming

like all the others we saw fall off Oh

God but instead that you’ve chosen us to

walk this sometimes lonely road because

we have the strength to take it so show

us our own endurance Oh God show us our

own perseverance show us your strength

being made perfect in our weakness

father God in the name of Jesus I ask

that you would identify every folded

napkin in our life Oh God every promise

that is just an amen

every promise that we thought we lost Oh

God that it would just come flooding in

our lives i decree harvest right now in

the name of Jesus that there is a

harvest that awaits us Oh God and that

we won’t reject it we won’t walk away

from it but we’ll do whatever it takes

to reap the harvest you have for us and

because we recognize that harvest takes

work make us vulnerable Oh God

so vulnerable that all we have is you so

vulnerable that all we have is your

promise Oh God and that we’re okay with

that give us peace Oh God peace for our

destiny peace for our lives peace to

walk into tombs and not be afraid of

what we see and as we begin to see

things in a new way in a new light help

us to believe again not just for what we

expect but to believe in the unexpected

to recognize it every day is the Destiny

moment and that unexpected things can

happen to extraordinary people that

changes our lives I look forward to the

miracles represented at this altar Oh

God that you’re going to make a way out

of no way Oh God that bills are going to

be paid that doors are going to be open

all God that opportunities to grow are

going to happen that mentorship is going

to take place that we’re going to see

ourselves not who we are now but who you

called us to be five years from now that

we’re going to be laughing that we even

thought this was an issue because we

recognize that it was a setup Oh God and

so we thank you for breakthrough not a

breakdown we rebuke this fear to break

down right now in the name of Jesus

you have no place here the Earth may be

shaking around us and things may be

falling apart but our hope is on the

rock of our salvation Oh God but when

all things have passed away and all

things are going astray that we

recognize that you hold the world in

your hand so show us father Oh God show

us your world show us your word and let

that word take root in our lives and

produce fruit that says I’ve been with

them all along in Jesus name Amen

if you need prayer we have prayer to the

left pastor do you want to say anything

before we Wow let’s just celebrate God

for this moment happy Mother’s Day

you’ve mothered us your mother not just

those are here but but thousands thank

you so much we honor you and bless and

pour she’s got one more to do today so

we just bless and pour more into you may

the Lord bless and keep you may make his

face to shine upon you and be gracious

towards you may he lift up his

countenance over you and grant you

Shalom Shalom in Jesus name