Jubilee Community Church
Sunday Service
  • Reigning
  • Names Of God
  • You Love Me Anyway
  • Open The Eyes Of My Heart
  • Jesus Be the Name
  • Open The Scroll (Only You Are Worthy)
  • Praise Before My Breakthrough
  • Draw Me Close
  • Honey In The Rock
  • Made For More

  • The Responsibility That Comes After the Blessing

    PRIMARY SCRIPTURE READING

    LUKE 17:11–19

    Luke 17:11–13 ESV
    11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
    Luke 17:14 ESV
    14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
    Luke 17:15–16 ESV
    15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
    Luke 17:17–19 ESV
    17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

    INTRODUCTION — WHAT HAPPENS AFTER GOD ANSWERS?

    Church, I want to ask you something this morning.
    What happens after the miracle?
    What happens after the prayer you’ve been praying for years is finally answered?
    What happens after God brings your family back together?
    What happens after the marriage that was falling apart begins to heal?
    What happens after the child you’ve been praying for comes home?
    What happens after the doctor gives you a better report?
    What happens after God delivers you from something that had you bound for years?
    What happens when the financial pressure finally lifts?
    What happens when the door you’ve been knocking on finally opens?
    We spend a tremendous amount of time talking about what we need God to do.
    We pray for miracles.
    We fast for breakthroughs.
    We cry out for deliverance.
    We ask God to restore what has been broken.
    And there’s nothing wrong with any of that!
    Jesus Himself taught us to ask, seek, and knock.
    But I believe there’s a question we don’t ask nearly enough.
    WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT FROM US AFTER HE ANSWERS?
    Because there is something about human nature that troubles me.
    When we’re in trouble, we know how to pray.
    When we’re hurting, we know how to seek God.
    When our world is falling apart, we know how to find an altar.
    When we don’t know what tomorrow holds, we know how to call upon the name of Jesus.
    But sometimes, when the storm passes, something changes.
    The urgency disappears.
    The prayers become shorter.
    The hunger begins to fade.
    The commitment starts slipping.
    And the very blessing we asked God to give us begins occupying the place in our lives that once belonged to Him.
    WE WANTED GOD TO CHANGE OUR SITUATION, BUT DID WE ALLOW HIM TO CHANGE OUR HEART?
    I want you to hear something this morning.
    God is not just interested in getting you out of trouble.
    He is interested in bringing you into a relationship with Him.
    He doesn’t simply want to rescue you from the storm.
    He wants you to know the One who has authority over the storm.
    He doesn’t simply want to give you what you’ve been praying for.
    HE WANTS YOUR HEART!
    And that brings me to the title of this message:

    YOU GOT YOUR MIRACLE — BUT DID GOD GET YOUR HEART?

    1. TEN NEEDED A MIRACLE, BUT ONLY ONE RETURNED

    LUKE 17:11–19

    Let’s begin with the ten lepers.
    To understand this encounter, we need to understand what these men were experiencing.
    Leprosy in biblical times could refer to several serious skin conditions. Under the regulations of Leviticus 13 and 14, those declared ceremonially unclean were separated from ordinary community life until they could be examined and pronounced clean.
    Imagine what that meant.
    These men had lost more than their health.
    They had lost normal contact with their families.
    They had lost the ability to participate freely in community life.
    They lived with the stigma of their condition.
    They knew what it meant to be separated.
    They knew what it meant to be rejected.
    They knew what it meant to watch life continue without them.
    But one day, Jesus came through their region.
    And the Bible says:
    “And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
    Notice something.
    THEIR CONDITION HAD UNITED THEM IN DESPERATION.
    The text identifies the man who returned as a Samaritan. Whatever differences existed among these ten men, they shared a common need.
    They needed mercy.
    They needed restoration.
    They needed someone who could do what they could not do for themselves.
    And when Jesus came near, they cried out together.
    “JESUS, MASTER, HAVE MERCY ON US!”
    Church, isn’t it amazing how trouble can bring people to a place of prayer?
    People who haven’t prayed in years will pray when the doctor gives them bad news.
    People who haven’t been in church will cry out to God when their marriage is falling apart.
    People who have spent years running from God will call upon Him when their children are in trouble.
    And thank God that He is merciful!
    Thank God that He hears the cries of the desperate!
    Thank God that Jesus doesn’t turn away everyone who comes to Him in need!
    But watch what happens.

    THE MIRACLE CAME WHILE THEY WERE WALKING

    Jesus told them:
    “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”
    According to Leviticus 14, the priests had a responsibility to examine those who had been afflicted with skin disease and determine their ceremonial status.
    Jesus was sending these men toward the process of restoration.
    But here’s what I want you to notice.
    THEY HAD TO BEGIN WALKING BEFORE THEY SAW THE CHANGE.
    Luke says:
    “And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”
    Not before they started.
    Not while they were standing there debating.
    AS THEY WENT!
    There are times when faith requires obedience before visible evidence appears.
    Sometimes God gives you an instruction before He gives you an explanation.
    Sometimes you have to take the next step while you’re still waiting to see how everything is going to work out.
    And as these ten men walked, something miraculous happened.
    Their condition changed.
    Their cleansing became a reality.
    The thing that had separated them from society was being removed.
    Imagine their excitement!
    Imagine the possibility of going home!
    Imagine being reunited with family!
    Imagine the opportunity to embrace loved ones again!
    THEY HAD RECEIVED THE VERY THING THEY WERE CRYING OUT FOR!
    But then Luke records something that should challenge every one of us.

    ONLY ONE CAME BACK

    Verse 15 says:
    “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God.”
    Ten cried for mercy.
    Ten obeyed the instruction.
    Ten were cleansed.
    But only one returned to give thanks.
    And notice what he did.
    He didn’t simply say, “Thank You,” while continuing down the road.
    HE TURNED BACK!
    The Greek word translated “turned back” is hypostrephō (Strong’s G5290), meaning to return or turn back.
    His direction changed.
    He had been walking toward the priest.
    Now he was returning to Jesus.
    And when he reached Jesus, he fell on his face at His feet.
    He worshiped.
    He gave thanks.
    He glorified God.
    Now listen carefully.
    The other nine had received a genuine miracle.
    Jesus Himself confirmed that all ten were cleansed.
    But something was missing from their response.
    And Jesus asked:
    “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”
    Church, that question ought to shake us.
    JESUS NOTICED WHO DIDN’T RETURN!
    He noticed the one who came back.
    But He also asked about the nine who did not.
    Now the passage doesn’t tell us everything that happened to those nine men.
    It doesn’t tell us that they were eternally lost.
    It doesn’t tell us that their cleansing was reversed.
    And we shouldn’t add those things to Scripture.
    But it does tell us something important.
    JESUS EXPECTED GOD TO RECEIVE GLORY FOR WHAT HAD BEEN DONE.
    And only one returned to give it.
    APPLICATION
    I wonder how many people have stood in a church service and cried out:
    “God, if You’ll just bring my child home!”
    “God, if You’ll just restore my marriage!”
    “God, if You’ll just deliver me!”
    “God, if You’ll just give me another chance!”
    And God, in His mercy, answered.
    But after the answer came, the urgency to seek Him disappeared.
    The altar that once held their tears became a distant memory.
    The prayers that once filled their mornings and nights became occasional conversations.
    And the God they desperately needed during the crisis became someone they visited only when another crisis appeared.
    DON’T BECOME SO OCCUPIED WITH WHAT GOD GAVE YOU THAT YOU FORGET THE ONE WHO GAVE IT!
    Let me say it another way.
    DON’T LET YOUR ANSWERED PRAYER BECOME THE REASON YOU STOP PRAYING!
    The miracle should not move you away from Jesus.
    It should draw you closer to Him.

    2. THE GREATEST DANGER MAY COME AFTER THE BREAKTHROUGH

    DEUTERONOMY 8:10–18

    There’s something remarkable about the way God prepared Israel to enter the Promised Land.
    For forty years, they had lived in the wilderness.
    They had experienced hunger.
    They had experienced thirst.
    They had faced uncertainty.
    They had witnessed the provision of manna.
    They had seen water come from the rock.
    They had watched God sustain them in a place where they could not have sustained themselves.
    Every morning, they needed God’s provision.
    Every day, they depended upon His faithfulness.
    But now they were preparing to enter a land flowing with milk and honey.
    A land with houses they had not built.
    A land with vineyards and olive trees.
    A land where they would eat and be satisfied.
    And before they entered that land, God gave them a warning.
    Deuteronomy 8:11 ESV
    11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today,
    Notice the timing of that warning.
    God wasn’t warning them about forgetting Him while Pharaoh was chasing them.
    He wasn’t warning them about forgetting Him while they were trapped at the Red Sea.
    He wasn’t warning them about forgetting Him when they had nothing to eat.
    HE WAS WARNING THEM ABOUT FORGETTING HIM WHEN THEY FINALLY HAD EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED!
    Why?
    Because prosperity can reveal something about the human heart that adversity sometimes conceals.
    When you have nothing, you know you need God.
    When you don’t know where the next meal is coming from, you know you need God.
    When the doctor’s report is frightening, you know you need God.
    When your family is falling apart, you know you need God.
    But what happens when everything starts going right?
    What happens when the bills are paid?
    What happens when the children are doing well?
    What happens when your marriage is restored?
    What happens when the medical reports are good?
    What happens when the business is growing?
    What happens when you’ve finally received the thing you’ve been praying about?
    DO YOU STILL NEED GOD AS MUCH AS YOU DID BEFORE?
    The answer is yes!
    But the danger is that we may stop recognizing our dependence upon Him.
    Deuteronomy 8:17–18 ESV
    17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
    Notice where the problem begins.
    “THOU SAY IN THINE HEART.”
    The danger wasn’t simply what Israel possessed.
    The danger was what they began believing in their hearts.
    They could look at their prosperity and begin taking credit for what God had enabled them to accomplish.
    And that brings us to the heart of this sermon.
    GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES WITHOUT YOU ALLOWING HIM TO CHANGE YOUR HEART.
    You can have a restored marriage and still possess a rebellious heart.
    You can have financial prosperity and still possess an ungrateful heart.
    You can experience physical healing and still possess a spiritually indifferent heart.
    You can receive the very thing you’ve prayed for and still fail to surrender yourself to Jesus.

    THE DANGER OF SPIRITUAL AMNESIA

    There is a condition I want to call spiritual amnesia.
    It’s when we remember the blessing but forget the process God brought us through.
    We remember the new house but forget the nights we prayed for somewhere to live.
    We remember the restored relationship but forget the tears we shed asking God to heal it.
    We remember the victory but forget the battle.
    We remember the breakthrough but forget the One who brought us through.
    And eventually, we begin acting as though we arrived where we are by ourselves.
    Church, never forget where God found you!
    Never forget what He brought you out of!
    Never forget the doors He opened!
    Never forget the mercy He extended!
    Never forget the times He made a way when there seemed to be no way!
    THE SAME GOD YOU NEEDED IN THE WILDERNESS IS THE GOD YOU NEED IN THE PROMISED LAND!
    The location may have changed.
    Your circumstances may have changed.
    Your financial condition may have changed.
    Your family situation may have changed.
    BUT YOUR NEED FOR JESUS HAS NOT CHANGED!

    3. GOD WANTS MORE THAN YOUR GRATITUDE — HE WANTS YOUR OBEDIENCE

    JOHN 5:1–14

    Let’s go to the pool of Bethesda.
    John tells us about a man who had suffered with an infirmity for thirty-eight years.
    Thirty-eight years!
    Think about that.
    Thirty-eight years of limitation.
    Thirty-eight years of disappointment.
    Thirty-eight years of watching other people move forward while he remained in the same condition.
    Then Jesus came.
    And Jesus asked him:
    “Wilt thou be made whole?” — John 5:6
    The man began explaining his situation.
    He had no one to help him into the pool.
    Someone else always reached the water before him.
    But Jesus didn’t need the pool.
    Jesus didn’t need someone to carry the man into the water.
    Jesus spoke:
    “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”
    And immediately the man was made whole.
    What a miracle!
    Thirty-eight years of suffering ended through an encounter with Jesus Christ.
    But I want you to notice something.
    THE STORY DIDN’T END WHEN THE MAN STARTED WALKING.

    JESUS FOUND HIM AGAIN

    John 5:14 says:
    “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”
    Jesus was concerned about more than the man’s physical condition.
    He was concerned about his spiritual life.
    Now we need to be careful here.
    The Bible does not teach that every sickness is the result of personal sin.
    In John 9, Jesus specifically rejected that assumption concerning the man born blind.
    But here in John 5, Jesus gave this particular man a clear warning.
    HIS HEALING WAS NOT AN EXCUSE TO CONTINUE IN SIN.
    And that’s a word for the church today.
    God didn’t deliver you so you could willingly return to the bondage from which you were delivered.
    God didn’t restore your marriage so you could continue the same destructive behavior that nearly destroyed it.
    God didn’t give you another opportunity so you could keep making the same decisions that brought you into trouble.
    God didn’t bring you out of darkness so you could become comfortable living in it again.
    Romans 6:1–2 ESV
    1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
    Paul makes it clear.
    Grace is not permission to continue in sin.
    Grace is God’s unmerited favor, and that grace calls us into a transformed life.
    Titus 2:11–12 ESV
    11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
    Notice that.
    GRACE TEACHES US!
    It teaches us to deny ungodliness.
    It teaches us to live righteously.
    It teaches us to live godly lives.
    And that’s why I want to tell somebody this morning:
    YOUR DELIVERANCE WAS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT OF. IT WAS ABOUT THE LIFE HE WAS CALLING YOU INTO!
    God has something greater for you than simply escaping yesterday’s trouble.
    He wants you to walk in newness of life.
    He wants you to become a witness of His transforming power.
    He wants you to be a vessel of honor.
    He wants your life to reflect the One who delivered you.
    DON’T JUST CELEBRATE THAT YOUR CHAINS ARE GONE. MAKE SURE YOU’RE WALKING IN THE FREEDOM CHRIST GAVE YOU!
    Galatians 5:1 says:
    “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

    4. DON’T FORGET WHAT YOU PROMISED GOD WHILE YOU WERE WAITING

    1 SAMUEL 1:9–28

    I want to take you to the story of Hannah.
    Hannah knew what it meant to live with an unanswered prayer.
    She desperately wanted a child.
    Year after year, she experienced disappointment.
    The Bible tells us that her adversary provoked her.
    She wept.
    She struggled.
    And one day, she entered the house of the Lord and poured out her soul before Him.
    1 Samuel 1:10–11 ESV
    10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
    Hannah was asking God for something she could not produce through her own strength.
    She wanted a son.
    And she made a commitment concerning the child she hoped to receive.
    Then God answered.
    Hannah conceived.
    Samuel was born.
    The child she had prayed for was finally in her arms.
    Imagine that moment.
    After years of tears, she could hold the answer to her prayer.
    After years of disappointment, she could see God’s faithfulness.
    After years of waiting, she had received what she had asked of the Lord.
    But here’s where the story becomes so powerful.
    HANNAH DIDN’T FORGET HER COMMITMENT WHEN SHE RECEIVED HER MIRACLE.
    1 Samuel 1:27–28 ESV
    27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
    Hannah recognized that the child was a gift from God.
    And she honored the commitment she had made.
    She didn’t treat her vow as something that only mattered while she was desperate.
    She remained faithful after her prayer was answered.

    THE PROMISES WE MAKE IN TROUBLE

    Church, I wonder how many people have prayed prayers like these:
    “Lord, if You’ll just restore my family, I’ll put You first.”
    “Lord, if You’ll just bring my child home, I’ll serve You faithfully.”
    “Lord, if You’ll just deliver me, I’ll never turn back.”
    “Lord, if You’ll just get me through this, I’ll live my life for You.”
    And then God answers.
    The family begins to heal.
    The child comes home.
    The deliverance takes place.
    The crisis passes.
    And somewhere along the way, the promise gets forgotten.
    Let me ask you something.
    DID YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAID TO GOD WHEN YOU WERE IN TROUBLE?
    Because God deserves more than promises made under pressure.
    He deserves faithfulness that continues after the pressure is gone.
    Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 ESV
    4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
    Now understand something.
    We cannot bargain with God.
    We cannot purchase His blessings.
    And God does not owe us a miracle because we make Him a promise.
    His grace is not for sale.
    But if you have sincerely committed your life to Him, that commitment should not disappear when your circumstances improve.
    DON’T LET YOUR DELIVERANCE BECOME THE EXCUSE FOR YOUR DISOBEDIENCE.
    If you promised God you would serve Him, serve Him.
    If you promised to put Him first, put Him first.
    If you promised to surrender your life, surrender your life.
    Not because you’re trying to repay Him.
    You could never repay Him.
    But because you love Him.
    Jesus said:
    John 14:15 ESV
    15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
    LOVE THAT NEVER PRODUCES OBEDIENCE NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED.

    5. THE BLESSING WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO REPLACE THE BLESSER

    LUKE 12:16–21

    Jesus told a parable about a wealthy man whose ground produced abundantly.
    His harvest was so great that he didn’t have enough room to store everything.
    So he made a plan.
    He would tear down his barns.
    He would build bigger barns.
    He would store his goods.
    And then he would enjoy the security of his prosperity.
    Luke 12:19 ESV
    19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’
    But God said:
    “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…”
    Now notice something important.
    The problem wasn’t that the man had a good harvest.
    The problem wasn’t that his land was productive.
    The problem wasn’t simply that he possessed wealth.
    THE PROBLEM WAS THAT HE HAD BUILT HIS FUTURE AROUND WHAT HE POSSESSED WHILE NEGLECTING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
    Jesus concluded:
    “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” — Luke 12:21
    Church, this is a dangerous place to live.
    When the things God gives us become more important than God Himself, our priorities have become disordered.
    And it doesn’t have to involve money.
    Sometimes it’s a relationship.
    Sometimes it’s a career.
    Sometimes it’s a home.
    Sometimes it’s a business.
    Sometimes it’s a ministry opportunity.
    Sometimes it’s the very thing we’ve spent years praying for.

    WHEN THE ANSWER BECOMES THE DISTRACTION

    Think about this.
    A person prays for God to bless their business.
    God opens doors.
    The business grows.
    But now they’re so busy that they have no time for prayer.
    A family prays for financial stability.
    God provides opportunities.
    Their circumstances improve.
    But now their entire lives revolve around maintaining their lifestyle.
    A person prays for a restored relationship.
    God begins bringing healing.
    But once things improve, they stop seeking the Lord together.
    A parent prays for a child to return home.
    The child returns.
    But the spiritual commitments that were so important during the crisis begin fading.
    THE VERY THING THEY ASKED GOD FOR HAS NOW BECOME SOMETHING THAT COMPETES WITH GOD FOR THEIR ATTENTION.
    I want to be clear.
    God is not against you enjoying His blessings.
    First Timothy 6:17 tells us that God gives us richly all things to enjoy.
    But enjoyment must never become idolatry.
    And blessings must never become substitutes for the presence of God.
    Matthew 6:33 ESV
    33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
    Jesus didn’t say to seek the kingdom only until your needs were met.
    He said:
    SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
    Before the blessing.
    During the waiting.
    After the breakthrough.
    When things are difficult.
    And when everything is going well.
    GOD MUST REMAIN FIRST!

    6. AFTER DELIVERANCE, YOUR LIFE SHOULD BECOME A TESTIMONY

    MARK 5:1–20

    Let’s look at another man who received a tremendous miracle.
    The man living among the tombs in the country of the Gadarenes.
    This man was tormented.
    He was isolated.
    He lived among the dead.
    He had been restrained with chains, but he broke them.
    No one could tame him.
    The Bible says he cried out and cut himself with stones.
    What a picture of bondage!
    But then Jesus came.
    And everything changed.
    Jesus delivered him from the unclean spirits.
    And when the people came to see what had happened, they found the man:
    Mark 5:15 ESV
    15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
    “Sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind…”
    Think about that transformation.
    The man who had been living among the tombs was now sitting at the feet of Jesus.
    The man who had been uncontrollable was now at peace.
    The man who had been tormented was now in his right mind.
    ONE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHANGED HIS LIFE!
    But watch what happened next.
    The man wanted to go with Jesus.
    He wanted to accompany the One who had delivered him.
    And Jesus gave him a different assignment.
    Mark 5:19 ESV
    19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
    Don’t miss that.
    AFTER THE MIRACLE CAME THE ASSIGNMENT.
    Jesus sent him home.
    He was to tell his friends what the Lord had done.
    He was to testify about the compassion he had received.
    And verse 20 says:
    “And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.”
    The man became a witness.
    His past no longer had to be hidden in shame.
    His deliverance became a testimony of the mercy and power of Jesus Christ.

    GOD CAN USE WHAT HE BROUGHT YOU THROUGH

    Church, somebody needs to hear this.
    The battle you survived may become the testimony that encourages someone else to keep fighting.
    The restoration you experienced may become the hope another family desperately needs.
    The deliverance God gave you may become the evidence someone else needs that freedom is possible.
    The mercy God extended to you may become the reason someone else believes they can come home.
    DON’T BE ASHAMED OF WHAT GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT OF!
    You don’t have to glorify your past.
    You don’t have to celebrate the sin.
    You don’t have to share every painful detail publicly.
    But you can glorify the Savior who brought you through.
    Revelation 12:11 ESV
    11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
    The blood of the Lamb is central to our victory.
    And our testimony bears witness to what Christ has done.
    IF GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT, DON’T LIVE LIKE YOU’RE STILL BOUND!
    If He restored your family, let your home reflect His love.
    If He delivered you, let your life reflect His freedom.
    If He gave you another chance, use that opportunity for His glory.
    If He answered your prayer, don’t be ashamed to tell somebody who answered it.
    YOUR MIRACLE SHOULD BECOME A TESTIMONY, NOT JUST A MEMORY!

    7. GOD DOESN’T WANT TO BE YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACT — HE WANTS TO BE YOUR LORD

    PSALM 116:12–14

    Now I want to bring us to what I believe is the heart of this entire message.
    The psalmist asks a question that every one of us should ask after experiencing God’s goodness.
    Psalm 116:12 ESV
    12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?
    In other words:
    What can I give God in response to everything He has done for me?
    How should I respond to His mercy?
    How should I live after He answers my prayers?
    What does He desire from me?
    And notice the answer.
    Psalm 116:13–14 ESV
    13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
    The psalmist gives us a beautiful picture of grateful devotion.
    He will receive God’s salvation.
    He will continue calling upon the Lord.
    He will honor his commitments.
    He will acknowledge God publicly.
    HE WILL NOT ALLOW GOD’S GOODNESS TO BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR SPIRITUAL NEGLECT.

    THE RELATIONSHIP MUST CONTINUE

    Think about how some people approach God.
    When trouble comes, they pray.
    When sickness comes, they pray.
    When financial pressure comes, they pray.
    When family problems come, they pray.
    But when things are going well, their prayer life disappears.
    They treat God like an emergency service.
    Someone to call when everything goes wrong.
    Someone to rescue them from trouble.
    Someone to fix what they cannot fix.
    But church, Jesus Christ is more than an emergency contact!
    HE IS LORD!
    He is worthy of worship when the bills are paid.
    He is worthy of worship when the family is healthy.
    He is worthy of worship when the marriage is strong.
    He is worthy of worship when the business is successful.
    He is worthy of worship when there is no crisis.
    And He is still worthy when the answer hasn’t come.
    Habakkuk 3:17–18 ESV
    17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
    “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
    Habakkuk understood something important.
    GOD’S WORTHINESS DOES NOT DEPEND UPON OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
    We don’t worship Him only because He gives us what we want.
    We worship Him because of who He is.
    He is holy.
    He is righteous.
    He is merciful.
    He is faithful.
    He is the Creator.
    He is the Redeemer.
    He is the Savior.
    He is the King of kings and Lord of lords!
    And whether I’m walking through the valley or standing on the mountaintop—
    JESUS IS STILL WORTHY!

    8. WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?

    MICAH 6:6–8

    Now let’s answer the question that brought us here.
    What does God require after the miracle?
    What does He require after the deliverance?
    What does He require after the family reunion?
    What does He require after the prayer is answered?
    The prophet Micah gives us a powerful answer.
    In Micah 6, God confronts His people concerning their unfaithfulness.
    The people ask what they should bring before the Lord.
    Should they bring burnt offerings?
    Should they offer thousands of rams?
    Should they bring rivers of oil?
    They begin speaking about increasingly extravagant sacrifices.
    But God wasn’t looking for a religious performance to substitute for a faithful heart.
    Micah 6:8 ESV
    8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
    There it is.
    What does the Lord require?

    FIRST — DO JUSTLY

    The Hebrew word translated “justly” is mishpat (Strong’s H4941).
    It refers to judgment, justice, and the proper ordering of what is right.
    God expects His people to live with integrity.
    To treat others fairly.
    To do what is right.
    To honor their responsibilities.
    To walk in truth.
    If God restored your marriage, treat your spouse with love and integrity.
    If God restored your family, pursue reconciliation with honesty.
    If God blessed your finances, handle them faithfully.
    If God gave you another opportunity, do what is right with it.
    GOD DOESN’T JUST WANT YOU TO TESTIFY ABOUT YOUR MIRACLE. HE WANTS YOUR LIFE TO REFLECT HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

    SECOND — LOVE MERCY

    The Hebrew word translated “mercy” is chesed (Strong’s H2617).
    It carries the idea of steadfast love, covenant loyalty, kindness, and mercy.
    God wants His people to love mercy.
    Not merely receive it.
    LOVE IT!
    Think about that.
    We want God to show us mercy when we fail.
    We want Him to forgive us when we fall short.
    We want Him to be patient with us when we struggle.
    But how do we treat other people?
    Are we willing to forgive?
    Are we willing to extend compassion?
    Are we willing to show patience?
    Are we willing to help restore someone who has fallen?
    If God has shown you mercy, let that mercy flow through your life.

    THIRD — WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD

    This is where everything comes together.
    The Hebrew verb translated “walk” is halak (Strong’s H1980), a common verb meaning to walk or go.
    In biblical language, walking with God describes the continuing pattern of one’s life.
    This is not a momentary religious experience.
    It is a relationship expressed through daily living.
    Notice that Micah doesn’t simply say to visit God.
    He says to walk humbly with your God.
    Not just when you need something.
    Not just when you’re hurting.
    Not just when you’re desperate.
    WALK WITH HIM!
    When the prayer is unanswered, walk with Him.
    When the miracle comes, walk with Him.
    When the family is broken, walk with Him.
    When the family is restored, walk with Him.
    When you’re struggling financially, walk with Him.
    When you’re prospering, walk with Him.
    When you’re in the valley, walk with Him.
    When you’re on the mountaintop, walk with Him.
    HERE IS THE ANSWER
    GOD DOESN’T JUST WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE STORM. HE WANTS YOU TO KEEP WALKING WITH HIM AFTER THE STORM IS OVER!

    9. THE MIRACLE REVEALED HIS POWER — YOUR RESPONSE REVEALS YOUR HEART

    LUKE 17:17–19

    Let’s return to the ten lepers.
    Ten men cried out.
    Ten men were cleansed.
    But one returned.
    And Jesus asked:
    “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”
    I want you to think about that question.
    Jesus knew they had been cleansed.
    He wasn’t questioning His power.
    He wasn’t wondering whether the miracle had worked.
    He knew what had happened.
    But He was drawing attention to the response.
    THE MIRACLE REVEALED THE POWER OF JESUS.
    THE RETURN OF THE SAMARITAN REVEALED HIS GRATITUDE AND FAITH.
    And I want you to notice one final detail.
    Luke 17:19 ESV
    19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
    The Greek expression is hē pistis sou sesōken se.
    Literally, it means:
    “Your faith has saved you.”
    The verb sōzō (Strong’s G4982) can refer to saving, rescuing, healing, or making whole, depending on the context.
    All ten had already been cleansed.
    But Jesus spoke this additional declaration to the man who returned.
    Many interpreters understand this as pointing beyond physical cleansing to a deeper experience of salvation, although the passage does not explicitly describe the eternal destiny of the other nine.
    And that distinction is important.
    Because the greatest thing Jesus can do for you isn’t merely to change your circumstances.
    THE GREATEST THING HE CAN DO IS SAVE YOUR SOUL!
    What good would it be to have a healthy body but a heart far from God?
    What good would it be to have a prosperous business but no relationship with Jesus?
    What good would it be to have every earthly blessing but neglect eternal life?
    Jesus asked:
    Mark 8:36 ESV
    36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
    Church, hear me.
    DON’T BECOME SO CONSUMED WITH GETTING YOUR MIRACLE THAT YOU MISS THE GREATER MIRACLE OF KNOWING JESUS CHRIST!

    A CHURCH THAT WANTS HIS HAND BUT NOT HIS HEART

    REVELATION 3:14–22

    I believe there is a serious warning for the modern church in the message to Laodicea.
    Jesus addressed a congregation that believed it had everything it needed.
    Revelation 3:17 ESV
    17 For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,” not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
    Notice the contrast.
    They believed they were rich.
    Jesus said they were poor.
    They believed they needed nothing.
    Jesus said they were spiritually blind.
    They evaluated themselves by their outward condition.
    Jesus evaluated them by their spiritual condition.
    And that ought to concern us.
    Because it’s possible to have a full church building and an empty prayer life.
    It’s possible to have excellent music and little spiritual hunger.
    It’s possible to have impressive programs and very little personal consecration.
    It’s possible to know how to organize a church service while neglecting the One the service is supposed to glorify.
    And we must never confuse outward success with inward spiritual health.
    Revelation 3:20 ESV
    20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
    Jesus was calling this congregation to repentance and renewed fellowship.
    Think about the picture.
    A church that believed it needed nothing was being called to open the door to Christ.
    Church, I don’t ever want Jubilee Community Church to become so comfortable with religious activity that we lose our hunger for Jesus.
    I don’t want us to become satisfied with simply having a service.
    I want us to seek the Lord.
    I want us to love His Word.
    I want us to be people of prayer.
    I want us to walk in obedience.
    I want us to be sensitive to the Holy Ghost.
    I want us to see lives transformed.
    I want us to see families restored.
    I want us to see people delivered.
    But above everything else—
    I WANT JESUS CHRIST TO HAVE OUR HEARTS!
    Because the greatest tragedy would not be failing to receive everything we’ve asked God for.
    THE GREATEST TRAGEDY WOULD BE RECEIVING EVERYTHING WE ASKED FOR AND STILL FAILING TO GIVE OURSELVES COMPLETELY TO HIM.

    WHERE ARE THE NINE?

    Luke 17:17 ESV
    17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
    I want to close this morning where we began.
    With a question.
    WHERE ARE THE NINE?
    Where are the people who cried out to God when their lives were falling apart?
    Where are the people who promised they would serve Him if He would just give them another chance?
    Where are the people who begged God to restore their families?
    Where are the people who prayed for deliverance?
    Where are the people who said they would never forget His goodness?
    Where are the people who stood at an altar with tears running down their faces and promised God their hearts?
    And now that the crisis has passed—
    WHERE ARE THEY?
    Church, I don’t want to be one of the nine.
    I don’t want to be someone who receives the blessing but forgets the Blesser.
    I don’t want to be someone who experiences deliverance but refuses to walk in obedience.
    I don’t want to be someone who receives mercy but refuses to extend mercy.
    I don’t want to be someone who cries out for God’s help but becomes indifferent toward His presence once everything is going well.
    I WANT TO BE THE ONE WHO RETURNS!
    The one who turns around.
    The one who falls at His feet.
    The one who gives Him glory.
    The one who says:
    “Jesus, I know what You’ve done for me!”
    “I remember where You found me!”
    “I remember what You brought me out of!”
    “I remember the doors You opened!”
    “I remember the mercy You showed me!”
    “And Lord, I don’t just want what You can give me.”
    “I WANT YOU!”

    A CALL TO SURRENDER

    Maybe you’re here this morning, and God has answered a prayer you’ve been praying for a long time.
    But somewhere along the way, you’ve allowed your spiritual life to grow cold.
    You haven’t stopped believing in God.
    You haven’t necessarily walked away from church.
    But you know that the hunger you once had is not what it used to be.
    You remember when prayer was important.
    You remember when worship was more than a song.
    You remember when you couldn’t wait to get into the presence of God.
    You remember when your greatest desire was to please Jesus.
    But life happened.
    Responsibilities increased.
    The blessing came.
    And slowly, your attention shifted.
    I want you to hear something.
    JESUS IS STILL CALLING YOU CLOSER!
    He isn’t asking you to purchase His love.
    He isn’t asking you to earn His mercy.
    He’s calling you to respond to His grace.
    He’s calling you to surrender.
    He’s calling you to return.
    He’s calling you to walk with Him.
    And perhaps there is someone here who has never fully surrendered their life to Jesus Christ.
    You’ve prayed when you needed help.
    You’ve asked God to intervene.
    You’ve experienced His goodness.
    But you’ve never truly submitted your life to Him as Lord.
    Today can be the day that changes.
    The gospel calls us to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
    Acts 2:38 declares:
    “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
    God is not merely inviting you to receive a temporary blessing.
    He is calling you into new life through Jesus Christ.
    INVITATION
    If you know that God has been good to you, but you haven’t been giving Him your whole heart, this altar is open.
    If you’ve allowed the blessings of life to distract you from the One who blessed you, this altar is open.
    If you’ve made commitments to God that you’ve neglected, this altar is open.
    If you’ve been seeking His hand more than His face, this altar is open.
    And if you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, this altar is open.
    Don’t come because you’re trying to repay God.
    Come because you recognize His goodness.
    Come because you love Him.
    Come because you want your life to belong to Him.
    YOU GOT YOUR MIRACLE — BUT DID GOD GET YOUR HEART?
    Psalm 116:12 ESV
    12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?
    Lord, after everything You’ve done for me, what can I give You?
    I can’t repay You for Your mercy.
    I can’t repay You for Your grace.
    I can’t repay You for Calvary.
    I can’t repay You for salvation.
    I can’t repay You for every time You made a way.
    But I can surrender my life to You.
    I can love You.
    I can obey Your Word.
    I can worship You.
    I can serve You.
    I can walk humbly with You.
    And I can make sure that the blessings You’ve given me never become more important than Your presence in my life.

    CLOSING

    “I DON’T WANT TO BE THE PERSON WHO ONLY KNOWS HOW TO CALL ON JESUS WHEN I’M IN TROUBLE. I WANT TO BE THE PERSON WHO WALKS WITH JESUS WHEN EVERYTHING IS GOING RIGHT!”
    “I DON’T JUST WANT GOD TO CHANGE MY CIRCUMSTANCES. I WANT HIM TO TRANSFORM MY HEART!”
    “I DON’T JUST WANT A MIRACLE FROM HIS HAND. I WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE WHO HOLDS MY LIFE IN HIS HANDS!”
    And when God looks at my life, I don’t want Him to have to ask:
    “WHERE ARE THE NINE?”
    I want to be found at His feet.
    Giving Him glory.
    Giving Him thanks.
    Giving Him worship.
    AND GIVING HIM MY HEART!
    When the crisis is over, the prayers have been answered, and the blessings have arrived, will Jesus still have first place in your life?

      • Luke 17:11–13ESV

      • Luke 17:14ESV

      • Luke 17:15–16ESV

      • Luke 17:17–19ESV

      • Deuteronomy 8:11ESV

      • Deuteronomy 8:17–18ESV

      • Romans 6:1–2ESV

      • Titus 2:11–12ESV

      • 1 Samuel 1:10–11ESV

      • 1 Samuel 1:27–28ESV

      • Ecclesiastes 5:4–5ESV

      • John 14:15ESV

      • Luke 12:19ESV

      • Matthew 6:33ESV

      • Mark 5:15ESV

      • Mark 5:19ESV

      • Revelation 12:11ESV

      • Psalm 116:12ESV

      • Psalm 116:13–14ESV

      • Habakkuk 3:17–18ESV

      • Micah 6:8ESV

      • Luke 17:19ESV

      • Mark 8:36ESV

      • Revelation 3:17ESV

      • Revelation 3:20ESV

      • Luke 17:17ESV

      • Psalm 116:12ESV

Jubilee Community Church
jubileeministries31773@gmail.com
229-224-3359
http://jccministries.org
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