Dharius Daniels - What Ever Area You Are Ignorant In You Will Suffer In

Okay, now this is Wednesday. We’re right in the middle of something called Holy Week, and as we conclude this fire-started Wednesday night teaching and celebrate this Wednesday of Holy Week, I felt it was important and imperative that I merge the two. There’s a scripture I want to read in Matthew chapter 27, verse 45, and I want to teach you something tonight. I am so passionate about teaching us—that’s why I’m carving out time to do this. I’m going to tell you why: it’s because I’m passionate about teaching. I know firsthand the pain that comes with ignorance. Somebody put this in the chat: whatever area you are ignorant in, you will suffer in. I wish I had like a sound effect machine or something so I could press a button. No, whatever area you’re ignorant in, you will suffer. This is why the Bible says people perish for lack of knowledge.

Now listen to this; this is really interesting: when Hosea says, «My people perish for lack of knowledge,» he was not talking to people who were simply uninformed; he was talking to people who were misinformed. Why do you say that, Pasadena? Because right after Hosea says, «My people perish for lack of knowledge,» he says, «And because you’ve rejected knowledge, you’ve rejected me.» He’s saying to the people, he’s saying to the priests that the people are perishing because they’re not being exposed to accurate information. They’re not being exposed to truth. They’re being exposed to things that sound good but are not sound; and if it’s not sound, it’s not solid; and if it’s not solid, it cannot be trusted. It’s dangerous to build our lives on truths that cannot be trusted.

I know what it’s like to have good intentions; I know what it’s like to want to get it right. I know what all that’s like, whether it’s resources, relationships, or your calling. I know what it feels like to deal with inconveniences and unexpected obstacles because I was simply uninformed or misinformed. Because whatever area you’re ignorant in, you’re suffering, and I want to talk to you about something that I think is a key and critical ingredient if you’re going to live a life on fire. Remember, don’t please miss this: when we get better spiritually, everything gets better. Everything doesn’t get perfect, but everything gets better. Remember, the most important part of your life is your spiritual part; what the core is to the body, your spirituality is to your life.

So we want to have spiritual health, which means we have zealous fire—an intimate, vibrant, passionate relationship with God that results in a contagious, countercultural, and commemorative life. That’s where we want to be spiritually. In order to do that, you need patience. Somebody put a clapping emoji in the chat right there so we can act as if we were in service. We’re not in service; you’re in the office, but I believe we would have clapped on that one. We need patience. You know why? Because it takes fire starters; it takes longer to start some fires than it does others.

So in Matthew chapter 27, I want you to see something because Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to live a life on fire. Like this Holy Week is also called Passion Week; we reflect on rejoicing in the passion of Christ. So he’s the ultimate example of a life on fire. He’s a powerful picture of what it means to live with passion, but I want you to see something. I want you to see what he modeled and demonstrated that I think many of us, myself included, struggle with a bit: it’s patience. If this is coming down your street already, I want you to put it in the chat; it’s the truth for me.

Watch this: Matthew 27:45: «From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? ’ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?» Now, there’s something that I think is going to seem small but is incredibly significant. I want you to see this: «From noon until three in the afternoon.» So I want you to see here what’s happening. This particular part of Matthew describes to us an encounter and experience in the life of Jesus where he is being wrongfully accused, unjustly convicted, and sentenced to Roman capital punishment, which is crucifixion.

So he is hanging on a cross. I want you to see, though, that he didn’t just get nailed to a cross; he hung on the cross for a period of hours. Some say that it wasn’t just from 12 to 3; some say it was actually longer than that. But instead of arguing about those details, what we do know is that he’s on this cross for hours. So here’s my question: I know Jesus had to die; I understand the significance of his death, but here’s my question: why did he have to hang there so long? So here it is. I want you…