Embracing a Limitless Life Through Faith in Jesus

In today's sermon, we delved into the theme of living a "Limitless Life," focusing on removing the constraints we often place on how we perceive Jesus. We explored the profound impact of our perceptions on our interactions and relationships, not just with technology or creatures like snakes, but fundamentally with Jesus Himself.

We began by discussing how our views shape our engagement with the world around us, using personal anecdotes about fear of snakes and the evolution of technology to illustrate these points. This led us to the central question of the sermon: How do we see Jesus? I emphasized the necessity of stripping away the limits imposed by our fears, societal norms, and personal biases to truly understand and experience Jesus in His fullness.

Throughout the sermon, we revisited the story of the rich young ruler from the Gospels, who saw Jesus merely as a good teacher rather than the Messiah and provider he truly is. This story served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of underestimating Jesus' role in our lives, highlighting how such perceptions can lead to profound losses, not just materially but spiritually.

We also examined how historical and cultural contexts, like the fear-driven religious teachings of the 1990s, can skew our understanding of Jesus. These teachings often painted Jesus as a figure to be feared rather than loved and engaged with on a personal and transformative level.

In a powerful moment, we discussed the need to challenge our views and expand our faith, particularly in areas where we might feel limited or constrained. By doing so, we can begin to see Jesus not just as a historical figure or a distant deity, but as an active, loving, and transformative presence in our lives.

As we moved towards the conclusion, I called on everyone to reflect on their own perceptions and to actively seek a deeper, more authentic relationship with Jesus. This involves trusting Him fully in all aspects of life, including our finances, where we often feel most vulnerable. By redefining our understanding of giving not as a loss but as a sowing of seeds for future blessings, we open ourselves to the limitless possibilities that faith in Jesus offers.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **Perception Shapes Reality**: How we view Jesus fundamentally affects how we interact with Him. If we see Him only as a historical figure or a distant deity, we limit our experience of His power and presence in our lives. By expanding our view to see Him as actively involved in every aspect of our existence, we can truly live a limitless life. [01:43]

2. **Fear as a Barrier to Faith**: Often, our fears dictate our engagement with faith. By choosing to see Jesus through the lens of trust rather than fear, we can overcome barriers that prevent us from fully embracing His role as our provider, healer, and savior. This shift in perception is crucial for deepening our faith. [27:27]

3. **Cultural Influences on Our View of Jesus**: Our understanding of Jesus can be heavily influenced by the culture and era we live in. Recognizing and questioning these influences can help us see Jesus more clearly as the consistent, loving figure portrayed in the Bible, rather than through the distorted views often propagated by society. [35:16]

4. **The Importance of Personal Experience**: Engaging with Jesus on a personal level transforms our theoretical knowledge into a lived experience. This personal connection is what turns faith from a concept into a guiding force in our lives. [42:27]

5. **Living a Truly Limitless Life**: To live without limits, we must first see Jesus without limits. This means actively removing any preconceived notions or cultural biases that restrict our understanding of who He is and embracing a relationship with Him that permeates every aspect of our lives. [49:53]

**Chapters:**

0:00 - Welcome
01:43 - Viewing Jesus Without Limits
08:58 - How Perceptions Shape Interactions
19:42 - The Power of Belief in Jesus
27:27 - Overcoming Fear with Faith
35:16 - Cultural Distortions of Jesus
42:27 - Personal Experience with Jesus
49:53 - Invitation to Limitless Living

### Bible Study Discussion Guide: Living a Limitless Life

#### Bible Reading
1. **Acts 1:6-7**: "So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.'"
2. **Matthew 19:16-22**: The story of the rich young ruler who asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life and went away sorrowful because he had great possessions.
3. **Mark 9:21-23**: "And Jesus asked his father, 'How long has this been happening to him?' And he said, 'From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.' And Jesus said to him, 'If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.'"

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the rich young ruler's initial perception of Jesus, and how did it limit his response to Jesus' instruction? [25:14]
2. How did the disciples' question in Acts 1:6 reveal their limited understanding of Jesus' mission? [15:35]
3. In Mark 9:21-23, what does Jesus emphasize as the key to experiencing His power and miracles? [19:42]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of the rich young ruler illustrate the danger of seeing Jesus only as a "good teacher" rather than the Messiah and provider? [25:14]
2. What cultural or societal influences might have shaped the disciples' expectations of Jesus in Acts 1:6-7? How can similar influences affect our understanding of Jesus today? [10:49]
3. In Mark 9:21-23, Jesus challenges the father's faith. How does this passage encourage believers to expand their faith in specific areas of their lives? [19:42]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you see Jesus only as a historical figure or a distant deity? How can you begin to see Him as actively involved in every aspect of your existence? [01:43]
2. Fear often dictates our engagement with faith. Identify a specific fear that has been a barrier to your faith. How can you choose to see Jesus through the lens of trust rather than fear? [27:27]
3. Think about the cultural and societal influences that have shaped your understanding of Jesus. What steps can you take to ensure that your view of Jesus is based on the Bible rather than distorted views propagated by society? [35:16]
4. Personal experience with Jesus transforms theoretical knowledge into a lived experience. Share a moment when you felt Jesus' presence in your life. How did that experience change your faith? [42:27]
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of seeing Jesus without limits. Identify one preconceived notion or cultural bias you have about Jesus. What practical steps can you take this week to challenge and remove that limitation? [49:53]
6. The rich young ruler saw giving as a loss rather than sowing seeds for future blessings. How do you view giving, especially in areas where you feel most vulnerable, like finances? What changes can you make to see giving as an act of faith and trust in Jesus? [42:27]
7. Jesus told John's disciples to look at His works rather than their situation. How can you apply this principle in your life when facing hardships and difficulties? What specific actions can you take to focus on who Jesus is rather than your current circumstances? [33:17]

This guide aims to help your small group delve deeper into the sermon’s message and apply its teachings to their lives, fostering a more profound and limitless relationship with Jesus.

Day 1: Expanding Our View of Jesus
Perception shapes our reality, especially in how we view and interact with Jesus. If we limit Him to just a historical figure or a distant deity, we restrict the profound impact He can have in our lives. By broadening our perception to see Jesus as actively involved in every aspect of our existence, we open ourselves to a life filled with His transformative power and presence. This shift in perception allows us to experience a truly limitless life, where every interaction with Him enriches and deepens our faith. [01:43]

Bible passage: Ephesians 1:17-19 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe."

Reflection: What specific aspect of your life today needs a renewed vision of Jesus' active presence?

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Day 2: Overcoming Fear with Faith
Often, our fears dictate our engagement with faith. By choosing to see Jesus through the lens of trust rather than fear, we can overcome barriers that prevent us from fully embracing His role as our provider, healer, and savior. This shift in perception is crucial for deepening our faith and experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus offers. Embracing trust over fear allows us to step into the roles that God has designed for us, free from the constraints that fear imposes. [27:27]

Bible passage: 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Reflection: Identify a fear that has been holding you back in your spiritual journey. How can you begin to address this fear with trust in Jesus today?

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Day 3: Questioning Cultural Distortions
Our understanding of Jesus can be heavily influenced by the culture and era we live in. Recognizing and questioning these influences can help us see Jesus more clearly as the consistent, loving figure portrayed in the Bible, rather than through the distorted views often propagated by society. This day encourages us to sift through cultural and historical layers to rediscover Jesus in His true essence, fostering a more authentic and profound relationship with Him. [35:16]

Bible passage: Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."

Reflection: What cultural influence might be distorting your view of Jesus, and how can you begin to peel back these layers to understand Him more authentically?

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Day 4: The Power of Personal Experience
Engaging with Jesus on a personal level transforms our theoretical knowledge into a lived experience. This personal connection is what turns faith from a concept into a guiding force in our lives. Today, we focus on nurturing a personal relationship with Jesus, allowing His teachings and presence to influence our daily decisions and interactions. This deep, personal engagement with Him is essential for a vibrant and active faith. [42:27]

Bible passage: James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Reflection: Reflect on the last time you felt a personal connection with Jesus. What steps can you take today to deepen that relationship?

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Day 5: Embracing a Relationship Without Limits
To live without limits, we must first see Jesus without limits. This means actively removing any preconceived notions or cultural biases that restrict our understanding of who He is and embracing a relationship with Him that permeates every aspect of our lives. Today, we are called to redefine our understanding of giving, not as a loss but as a sowing of seeds for future blessings, opening ourselves to the limitless possibilities that faith in Jesus offers. [49:53]

Bible passage: Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: What is one preconceived notion about Jesus that you need to let go of in order to embrace a limitless relationship with Him?

Just the words that are coming across the pulpit, God, but what you're saying individually to each and every one of us. We believe that our hearts are fertile ground, God, so let your seed be planted on fertile ground today. God, we're not worried about tomorrow, we're not worried about later, we're not worried about next week or yesterday. We are focused in this moment here to hear from you. In Jesus' name, amen.

All right, okay, so we've been in this series called "Limitless Life: All In." We're talking about living a life that's all in. None of this half in, half out. No, we're saying living a life that represents Jesus in every area and being fully committed to Him. We're in week three of this series. In the first week, we talked about some of the things that can hinder us from living this lifestyle. Had a great conversation with my godmother here, and we dove into the things that hinder us from living this life.

The past two weeks, we've talked about the why. The why behind this. It's easy to talk about what we're doing, but why are you doing it? And making sure that your why is correct through and through. Because it's easy last week to say why on the outside, but what does the inside look like? And this week, I want to turn towards our vision, taking the limits off of the way that we see things, and talk about being limitless in the way that we see Jesus. Taking the limits off of the way that we see Jesus.

All right, I want to talk about the why. Are we ready? All right, if you are watching online, welcome. Dive in, say something in the chat, and we're going to dive into this. Taking the limits off of the way that we see Jesus. How we fundamentally view something shapes us. How we view something fundamentally shapes us. It shapes the way that we engage with it. It shapes the way that we think about it. It shapes the way that we feel about it.

How we view something fundamentally shapes us. As an example, my wife does not like snakes, okay? It is a problem. My sons cannot draw snakes. They cannot talk about snakes. My wife doesn't want to see a commercial with snakes in it. If there's a show that I'm watching and a snake happens to appear on the screen, I need to change the channel because she wants nothing to do at any point in time with snakes.

We were at our former church in Madison, California, and I was inside the building, in the front of the building, and I heard my wife scream. She had parked next to the fence, and on the other side of the fence was a parsonage. There was grass there, and she had parked really close to the fence. I heard her scream, and like a good husband would, I ran out of the church to see who had assaulted my wife, to see who had possibly hit her with the car, to see if someone maybe had been uncomfortable and said something that she didn't agree with because I heard her screaming from the church.

So I run out, and I ask her, "What happened? Who is it? Tell me, show me." She says, "I saw a snake." I said, "Okay, all right, I'm gonna put my big boy pants on. Where is it? Show it to me. I'll figure out something. I didn't throw something at it. I don't know. Whatever we got to do, we'll get rid of the snake because we know we don't want anything to happen to you."

I go over there, and I'm like, "Where is the snake?" And I'm looking, and I'm looking for a snake. I'm looking, you know, maybe a little cobra, a rattlesnake maybe, a python, something, and I'm looking for it, and I see the snake, and it's probably about, um, it's probably about that big, about that long, about that big. But the way that she views snakes, it didn't matter what size it was. How we view things shapes us.

Now, take Robert Irwin, for example, a gentleman by the name of Robert Irwin. Some of you may know who he is. Some of you may not. Y'all remember Crocodile Dundee? Yeah? All right, this is his son, and his son is ten times worse than him. Now, how does he view, oh, when he sees a snake? It's different. It's different when he sees a snake. When he sees a snake, he's like, "Oh, crikey, look at this here. Would you look? Isn't this a beaut? Oh, look at her. Look at her," and he begins talking about how the snake sheds and how its head is moving, and he's excited to go to the snake, and he's going to position himself in a way so he can, I don't know why, but so he can pick up the snake and he can begin moving with the snake and telling us all the different features about the snake because the way that he views snakes is different.

So the way that he interacts with snakes, the way that he views them, his encounter with the snakes is different. Same thing, but the way he sees it is different. So the way that he moves with it is different. The way that he thinks about a snake is different. The way he feels about a snake is different.

Now, I am one of the ones that is very fortunate to be able to grow up in an era of time where when I was little, there were rotary phones. Yeah. Right? And then it went from rotary phones to these big phones that will be the size of your face. Looks like you're talking into a book right to where we are right now. And so for me, when it comes to electronics, I am one of the ones, I got to have them all. I got to have the things. I got it because I'm always looking to expand the capabilities of what we have.

And when it comes to cell phones, my seasoned saints, they are a little bit different. Nobody in here. That was first service. Nobody here. I already know. I already know. But some of our seasoned saints, they see the phone as a communications device. Yeah. To make phone calls. That's it. Can it make, that's all they want to know. Can it make the call? Because that's how they see this little device that's in their hands because they remember what it did was it made calls.

Now, people of my generation and a little older and a little younger generation, because I want to make sure nobody's offended, but we see phones differently. We relate to them differently because we understand that the world is at our hands in this little device. Any question that I've thought of, random things, I can ask it and I can get the answer. If I want to play a game, I can do that. If I want to watch sports, I can do that. I can do all of these things.

And so the way that I relate to technology and my cell phone is different than those who were before me. So the way that I engage with it is different. The way I think about it is different. My feelings are different. Same things, but the way I view it makes the difference.

How we see a thing affects how we engage with it, how we think about it, and how we feel about it. And the question that I want to pose today is how do you see Jesus? How do you see Jesus? And what I believe for a lot of us here today is we have to take the limits off of the way that we see Jesus. We have to remove the boundaries. We have to remove the lid that we've placed on the way that we see Jesus.

When we look at who we perceive Jesus to be, what is it based on? When you look at who you perceive Jesus to be, what is it based on? Is it based on an idea of him that we have created in our minds? Is it based on tradition that has been passed down from great grandmama to grandmama, from grandmama to mom to mom to me? Is it based on tradition? Is it based on family? Is it based on culture? Is it based on what people have led us to believe? Or is it based on his character exemplified in the word of God? What is it based on? Because that will make all of the difference. That is going to make all of the difference.

In the early, well, let's say, yeah, in the early 90s, I grew up in the South Bay. I grew up in the South Bay. I grew up in the South Bay. I grew up in the South Bay. I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and we are in a part of the world that they call the Bible Belt. I don't know why they call it that. That's what they said when I got there, all right? They call it the Bible Belt. And in the Bible Belt, in the early 90s, there was this period of time where if you went to any church in the South, if you walked around long enough, you would see and hear somebody preaching a message similar to this.

Um, hell is hot. You don't want to be there. Okay. There was another one. Uh, you would see this sign that says there is no fire escape in hell. Every message, every Sunday, every week, it didn't matter where you went to church on the North, South, East, and West. They were talking about hell and you not wanting to be there and making sure that you don't go to hell. Everything, every week, it was about that.

Now that was the early 90s. As you move on a little bit later and into, you know, '94, '95, '96, '97. I know some of these, praise God, bless your heart. If you don't want, don't even know about this time period. Uh, '96, '97. Uh, there was this other thing that came out. Um, and this was, uh, talking about the rapture. Let me tell you parents, I'm gonna say this for every child that's around my age that's here. If you made your child watch "Left Behind," you are cruel. That is what we call cruel and unusual punishment. There was this movie that came out "Left Behind" and it talked about the rapture, and every youth ministry, every church, every parent was making their kids sit down and watch that movie every time, every year. It didn't matter. You was watching it.

I think there was a part in there where somebody got beheaded, and we were kids, and we was watching this. Like, no, you sit here and you watch this. But what happened as a result of this time period of our life, it affected the way that we view Jesus. It affected the way that we view Jesus. What do you mean, pastor? Well, the way that we related to Jesus was based in fear. It was based in two facts. We don't want to be left behind, and we don't want to go to hell. That was it. It was based in that we would wake up, and if our parents were gone and the house was empty, we would wake up and we would wake up and we would wake up. The house was empty. We like, "Oh man, I got left behind." You look at you hope. And then once you saw somebody walk in, you'd be like, "Oh, thank you. Thank you."

But that's how we related to Jesus. We saw Jesus as a person that was angry and that was sending people to hell. And if we didn't do everything right, we would be left behind. And both of these instances, that's how we related to Jesus. And in turn, it was how our relationship was with Jesus. It's how we engaged with him. Our thoughts and our feelings towards Jesus were based on that. We had this preconceived notion based on our surroundings and our experiences about who Jesus was. And we related to him as such.

However, we're not alone. This happened in the scripture. This happened in the Bible. There were several places where people had preconceived notions about Jesus and about who he was, about what he should look like, about what he was going to do when he arrived, what his arrival meant, and his responsibility. And as a result, just like us, it affected their ability to receive from him, and it affected their ability to receive his message.

Acts chapter one, and we'll start in verse six. It says, "So when they had come together, they began asking him, saying, 'Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?' And he said, 'No, I'm not restoring the kingdom to Israel.' But he said to them, 'It is not for you to know periods of times or appointed times from which the Father has set by his own authority.'" The disciples asking him now is the time. Is this when you're going to do it, Jesus? This when you're going to get us what we're supposed to be?

Matthew five, Matthew five, verse 17, Jesus is talking and he says, "Don't think that I came to do away with or undo the law of Moses or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill."

Matthew chapter 13, a couple of chapters over, Jesus is at his hometown, and he's talking, he's doing his thing, he's preaching. And they say, "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? Are not his brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas, and his sisters, aren't they here? Aren't they here with us? Where did this man get this wisdom and power? Where did he get it from?"

See, some of his disciples limited him to a political leader that would set him free. That's what they saw him as. They saw him as somebody who was going to get rid of Roman rule, and the Jews were going to take over, and they were going to be back on top. That's all they saw Jesus for. The Pharisees, the guys who were in charge in that time, they limited him to, "He's just a troublemaker. He's just a blasphemer. He's nothing to worry about." His family and his neighbors limited him to just the carpenter's son. And as a result of those limits that they placed on him, they could not see Jesus for who he fully was.

Even Martha, Martha couldn't see him as a resurrector. She says, "Jesus, if you would have been here..." Saul couldn't see him as the Messiah. He's going from town to town, executing Christians because of what they believe, because he couldn't see him as the Messiah. And Thomas, Thomas, who was there, who heard all of the things that Jesus said, who saw the things that Jesus did, who heard Jesus say what he was going to do, he still could not see him as the risen Lord. Their view of Jesus was limited until they experienced his power firsthand.

When they exercised their faith in him, they expanded their view of him. Please get this. When they exercised their faith in him, they expanded their view of him. When they exercised their faith in him, they expanded their view of him.

So if there is an area in your life where you can't see him, then I would challenge you to expand your faith in that area and change the way that you see him. How do you see Jesus? How do you see Jesus?

Mark chapter 9, verse 21. Jesus is here, and he's healing, he's doing his thing. He's going around healing people, and he runs into this family, and this family has this boy. The boy has this spirit that he's been battling with. In verse 21, Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he answered him, he says, "It's been happening since childhood. The demon has thrown him both into the fire and into the water intending to kill him. But if you, if you, if you, if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

And Jesus says, "You say to me, 'If you can?' All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts in me." Jesus says anything is possible for those who believe. I can, anything is possible for the one who believes and trusts. Here we go, anything is possible for the one who sees me as such. Jesus was telling the father that if you can see me as a healer, I can be a healer. He says, "If you see me as a restorer, I can be a restorer." He says anything is possible for he who placed no limits on who I am.

But when we place limits on Jesus, we limit what he can do in our lives. If you see Jesus as little tiny Jesus in your pocket, you can just go to whenever you want to, and whenever a situation is too hard, you just pull a little baby Jesus out your pocket, and you just rub him and ask a little baby Jesus, "Could you please help me, Jesus?" And then you pray and you cry, and you might even come to church because you need little baby Jesus. And then when everything gets good, you just put little baby Jesus right back in your pocket, and you can do anything, anything you want to do.

I was watching an interview the other day by an artist named Kanye West, and I have no idea whether he was in his right mind or not during this conversation. It's 50/50. But he said something, and they asked him about his belief, and they say, "You made this album called 'Jesus is King,' and you traveled and you toured and you made these songs, you had this Sunday worship service, and you were having church, and people were coming to Jesus by massive numbers. Where are you going to go, and where are you going to go, and where are you now?"

And his response was, "You know what? I got a problem with Jesus." I said, "Come on, Kanye, please help me out here. Please tell me you're not gonna say something crazy." And as in Kanye fashion, he says, "You know, I got a problem with Jesus, you know, 'cause I prayed for some things, and he didn't show up." And I said, "There it is right there." Your relationship with Jesus was based on what he could do for you. Your relationship with Jesus was based on him doing for you, not what he already did for you.

'Cause apparently, him dying on the cross for you wasn't enough. Him waking you up and literally giving you the breath to breathe every day wasn't enough. But again, it's based on how we see him. Because here's the thing: you can keep limiting yourself to what you're doing, but you can't keep limiting yourself to what you're doing, but you can't keep limiting yourself to what you're doing, Jesus, in your life. And right where you limit him is right where he will stop. That's right. Well, because he can go no farther than you will allow him to go.

Matthew 19. Matthew 19 is a story that we know very well. We've gone over it a couple of times, but it's still good, so we're gonna keep going over it. "Behold, a man," starting in verse 16, "and behold, a man came up to him saying, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?' And he says, 'Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want eternal life, keep the commandments.' He said to him, 'Which ones?' Duh. And Jesus said, 'You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. Bear false witness. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.' The young man said, 'All these I have kept. What do I still lack?'

And Jesus said to him, and I imagine he looked at him and smiled, what a bless your heart smile, and said, 'If you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me.' Verse 22, he says, 'When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.'

The interesting thing about the rich young ruler was that he came to Jesus and he believed that Jesus had the knowledge to tell him how to receive eternal life. But what we see is that he had placed a limit on Jesus. He limited Jesus to being just a good teacher. See, that's the same thing. If you run into a Muslim, this is the same problem that they have. They believe who he was, excuse me, they believe he existed, but not in who he was. They will tell you who he was, and they will tell you who he was, and they will tell you who he was. "Oh, we believe that he was here. We just believe he was a good teacher." Same problem that the rich young ruler had. He didn't see Jesus as the Messiah.

Not only that, when he found out what it took to get eternal life, he went away sorrowful. Why? Not only because he had great possessions, but along with not seeing Jesus as the Messiah, he didn't see Jesus as a provider. He did not see Jesus as a provider. Here we go. He felt that by doing what Jesus asked him to do, he would be losing too much. He felt that by doing what Jesus asked him to do, he would be losing too much.

"I can't love like you've called me to love because I'm losing too much. I can't give like you tell me to give because I'd be losing too much. I can't walk, live how you tell me to live according to the word because I'd be losing too much." And let me remind you that anything you lose for the kingdom of God, anything you lose for the kingdom of God will be restored. Guess what? Some of them things you need to lose anyway. Some of the stuff you need to lose anyway.

"I can't have a right relationship with this guy or with this girl because I'm afraid that if I do it the way that the Lord has called me to do, that I'm gonna lose them." Then you need to lose them. He was afraid that if he did it the way that Jesus asked him to, he would be losing too much. Again, how do you see Jesus? In what ways have we limited the way that we see Jesus?

It is so important as believers, as Christians, as close followers of Jesus here in this city, in this time, at this church, that we don't put limits on the way that we see Jesus. I imagine that when we do that, and then when we do that in our life and we come and walk in this building on Sunday, he's like, "Huh, you're sitting in a miracle." Yeah, every time that you walk through the doors, you're sitting in a miracle. Something that has, should be no reason that it happens. It should be no reason that you're sitting there. It should be no reason that you have that, and you're sitting in it, yet you limit me.

We have to remove those limits that we've placed on him. If we want to see healing, then we must see him as a healer. If we want to see provision, we must see him as a provider. If we want to see our marriage restored, we have to see him as a restorer. We can't allow tradition or society or unbelief to dictate who Jesus is in our life. We can't relate to him based off of what culture says. We can't relate to him based off of tradition. We can't relate to him based off of fear, and we cannot relate to him based off of unbelief. We limit his ability to move in our life.

Luke 7, Luke 7, verse 18. Luke chapter 7, verse 18. The disciples see where I'm at? Yeah. Oh, John the Baptist is here. The disciples of John reported all these things to him, and John calling two of his disciples sent them to the Lord to him, and he said to him, "This is what I want you to know about the life that you..." Lord, to him saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

Now John the Baptist, he sent his disciples to say, "Are you the one, or should we look for another?" And I had I been his disciple, I would have said, "John, ain't you the one that told us he was the one? John, you baptized him, and before you baptized him, you said he is the one. Wait a minute, John, when you baptized him, didn't you see the spirit ascending like a dove, and you heard the father say, 'This is my son in whom I am well pleased?' John, what is you talking about?"

But I wasn't a disciple, so let's continue with the story. And when the men had come to Jesus, because Jesus is doing his thing, in a couple of verses before this, we see Jesus raising a widow's dead son. John the Baptist has sent us to you. They're talking to Jesus, and they say, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

And in that hour, he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and what you have heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the good news preached to them."

Jesus was talking to the disciples, and he said, "Go tell John to not look at me based on his situation, but look at me based on who I am." Because sometimes we allow what we are going through to dictate how we see Jesus. When we encounter hardships and difficulties and valleys and trials, we let that determine how we see Jesus. Sometimes we allow our feelings to dictate how we see Jesus. When the outcome wasn't what we like, when the prayer didn't get answered how we felt it should have been answered, when we felt that it should have been this and it wasn't that, then we dictate how we see Jesus and how we relate to Jesus based on that.

And sometimes we allow fear to dictate how we see Jesus. "What if I never get the healing that I'm looking for? What if my marriage never turns around? What if my financial situation never gets better? What if?" And so we relate to him based on that fear, and we don't want to go all in. We don't want to get too close. We don't want to get too committed. We don't want to do that. Why? Because what if? What if I commit my life? What if I commit my finances? What if I commit my marriage and my resources and the way I live, and it doesn't turn around? So I'm not going to do it because there's a fear there.

And all the while, Jesus is telling us, like he told John's disciples, "Don't see me based off of where you are. See me based off of who I am. Take the limits off of the way that you see Jesus." And how do we do that? If we recognize that we are there, we recognize that we've limited him. How do we take the limits off of the way that we see Jesus?

We do so by making a point to stop seeing him, stop relating to him, stop engaging with him based on our situation, based on what society says, based on our fears. We must see Jesus based on who the word says he is and the consistency of his character. And anything that does not line up with that, we cannot accept it as true.

Anything that does not line up with the character of God and the word of God as it pertains to Jesus, we do not accept it as true. The enemy has been using the same tactic since the beginning of time. In the beginning, there was Adam and Eve, and Satan came and said, "Who is God? This God that you're serving, is he who you say he is? He said, because he knows that you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

The enemy's trick was to get Adam and Eve to doubt who God was. Then Jesus comes on the scene, and the Holy Spirit ascends. He goes into the desert, and he uses the same trick. And he says, "Who is God? He says, 'Yeah, you're the son of God. Why don't you just cast yourself off the side of this mountain? Doesn't the word say that you won't dash your foot against the stone?'" Getting Jesus to doubt who he was, the same trick.

And here we are 2,000 years later, and it is the same thing. Getting us to doubt who Jesus is. Getting us to doubt who Jesus is in our lives. We have to resolve to not be distracted and see Jesus fully for who he is and who he's always been since the beginning of time.

Hebrews 12 says, "Looking away from all that will distract us. Looking away from your past. Looking away from the traditions. Looking away from what people said. Looking away from your feelings. Looking away from your fears and your doubts. Looking away from everything that will distract us and focusing our eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith. The first incentive for our belief and the one who brings our faith to maturity. Who for the joy of accomplishing the goal set before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, revealing his deity, his authority."

Here we go. And the completion of his work. Today, I just want to encourage you to remove the blinders that have limited our view of Jesus. We've been walking around with this boxed-in perspective, constrained by what we've been taught, influenced by our past experience, and shadowed by our fears and our doubts. But I want to remind you today that Jesus is more than just a figure in the Bible. He's more than a painting on your wall or a cross hanging in your car.

He is the living, breathing embodiment of God's love and power in our lives. He's not just a healer. He's your healer. He's not just a provider. He's your provider. He's not just a way maker. He's your way maker.

So we go today, please leave here with a renewed vision of who he is, allowing him to have access fully in every part of your life. Do not be the rich young ruler. Don't go away sorrowful because you couldn't expand the way that you see him. Exercise your faith in that area.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Let's see him in all of his ways. Let's see him in all of his magnificence, unbounded by our limitations, and let that vision transform every area of our life. Because when we see Jesus for who he is, there is no limit to what he can do through us.

This is why it is imperative that we live a life all in, that we live a limitless life. Because we serve a God that is limitless.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, and we thank you for this word. Thank you for speaking to us today, God. Thank you for challenging us to change the way that we see you, to take the limits off, the boundaries off, the blinders off, and let you have full access in every area of our life. You are Lord. I thank you for that. Thank you for that. And today, we see you fully for who you are.

And anytime we encounter a situation or we encounter the enemy that chooses to limit who you are, we recognize it and we accept it as a lie. You are God, we thank you for it. In Jesus' name.

I'm going to have the ushers come forward at this time. And for me, I know one of the ways that I had to remove the limits off of the way that I saw Jesus was as it pertained to my finances. I'm like, "God, you know how much my check is. You gave me the job. You know what I'm working with. You know the bills. You know my checking and my savings."

So, Lord, you're going to have to... He says, "But do you trust me, though? Because you talk about faith in every other area. You talk about removing the limits in every other area, but there's a limit in this area. How do you see me?" Because the rich young ruler believed that if he gave, that he would lose. But in me, when you give, you gain. And he challenged me to change the way that I see giving.

Instead of looking at it as an opportunity for me to give, I'm going to give something and not have it anymore. He said, "It's an opportunity for me to sow a seed and reap a harvest." So today, I challenge you in the same area. If we're taking the limits off of the way who he is, we have to do so here. I say, "God, I trust you in this. I remove the limits off of the way that I see you in this."

And I don't look at that as an opportunity to lose, but I look at it as an opportunity to sow. Because if you took care of me then, you can take care of me now.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for those as we prepare to give, God. That we wouldn't give out of guilt and that we wouldn't give out of habit and that we wouldn't give out of compulsion, but that we would be cheerful givers who hear from you on what we are to give.

So God, right now, in the next few seconds, I ask you to speak to the hearts of your people. What is it that you would have us to give? Speak, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. God, I thank you that even in those few seconds, we heard from you on what we should give. And we move so out of faith and out of obedience and out of being cheerful. In Jesus' name.

There are a couple of ways that you could give here up on the screen, the seat, the offering envelopes on the seat, the pocket in front of you, the QR code, you can use that. Or if you're watching online, you can text the word GIVE to 833-879-0161. Our ushers, you can prepare to give at this time.

And do me a favor, as those buckets pass, would you go ahead and stand as they lead us in worship?

Do you all deserve? Would you stretch your hand for your seed?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to sow into the kingdom. We believe that our finances are a resource. It is a seed that you've given us. And we believe that Limitless Church is good ground, and so we make a decision, God, to sow it on good ground. And as such, we command our seed to go, to grow, and to multiply.

God, I thank you for those who gave today, God, out of their obedience and their faith, God. God, I thank you for those that wanted to give but didn't have it but had the heart to give, God. Those who gave out of the little that they have, God, thank you. Thank you for their seed today. We command it to multiply and do exactly what you've called it to do. We honor you with our seed. We thank you for it in Jesus' name. Amen.

If you're here today, very quickly, our altar team is going to come up to the left. If you have not made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then I want to offer you that opportunity, though. The way that you take the limits off of the way that you see Jesus is by making him Lord. The first step to taking the limits off is by making him Lord.

The Bible says, if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus, you shall be saved. So the idea of saying, "Hey, I have come to the end of myself. I recognize that I need Jesus." And if you have never made Jesus your Lord, then I want to offer you that opportunity. If you have never made him Lord of your life, then today is the day of salvation. Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow, not next week, not next Sunday. Today is the day.

And secondly, if you're here today, you said, "Hey, I made him Lord years ago or months ago or however the time is, and I know that I have not been living a life according to his will. I've not been living my life in a way that honors him, and I want to recommit my life to him." Then we want to pray for you and offer you that opportunity today.

I said at first service that I imagined him like the prodigal son and his father. And he sees him coming down, and he just runs to him with open arms, ready to receive him, hugging him. And he's there. He's never moved. He's been right there waiting for you.

And so if you're here today and you want to make Jesus Lord of your life, then I want to offer you that opportunity today. If you're here today and you want to make Jesus Lord of your life, or you want to recommit your life to him, my altar team is going to be right here to the left-hand side. If I could get some altar workers up here.

Make the decision today because tomorrow is not promised, and we know that all too well. Today is the day of salvation. Today.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "How we fundamentally view something shapes us. It shapes the way that we engage with it, think about it, and feel about it. How we view something fundamentally shapes us." [01:43](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



2. "When it comes to electronics, I am one of the ones, I got to have them all. I'm always looking to expand the capabilities of what we have. And when it comes to cell phones, we see phones differently. We relate to them differently because we understand that the world is at our hands in this little device." [08:58](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



3. "Anything is possible for those who believe. Jesus says anything is possible for the one who believes and trusts in me. Anything is possible for the one who sees me as such." [19:42](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



4. "We must see Jesus based on who the word says he is and the consistency of his character. Anything that does not line up with that, we cannot accept it as true." [35:16](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



5. "Today, I just want to encourage you to remove the blinders that have limited our view of Jesus. We've been walking around with this boxed in perspective, constrained by what we've been taught, influenced by our past experience and shadowed by our fears and doubts." [38:08](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



### Quotes for Members

1. "Taking the limits off of the way that we see Jesus. How we fundamentally view something shapes us. It shapes the way that we engage with it, think about it, and feel about it." [01:43](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



2. "How do you see Jesus? And what I believe for a lot of us here today is we have to take the limits off of the way that we see Jesus. We have to remove the boundaries, the lid that we've placed on the way that we see Jesus." [08:58](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



3. "It affected the way that we view Jesus. What do you mean pastor? Well, the way that we related to Jesus was based in fear. It was based in two facts. We don't want to be left behind and we don't want to go to hell." [13:55](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



4. "If you took care of me then, you can take care of me now. Heavenly Father, I thank you for those as we prepare to give, God. That we wouldn't give out of guilt and that we wouldn't give out of habit and that we wouldn't give out of compulsion, but that we would be cheerful givers who hear from you on what we are to give." [42:27](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)



5. "The first step to taking the limits off is by making him Lord. Bible says, if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus, you shall be saved. So the idea of saying, hey, I have come to the end of myself, I recognize that I need Jesus." [49:53](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)