Michael Todd - Capacity Is Calling
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Turn to John 16:33. John 16:33. This word is going to be tight, and it’s going to be right. I’m going to get you out of here. But I have to deliver this word because some of you are very triggered after all that praising, after all that worshiping. One thing can happen after this that turns all that shouting into sinning. Do you all want to be honest? I don’t want to kill your joy, but I want to be real about it.
Okay, how many people have just finished reading the Bible, just finished praying, and then, not even 30 minutes later, you find yourself in some foolishness you aren’t supposed to be in? You’re watching something that has you feeling some type of way. You’re saying some things. Where’s the authentic church this morning? All right? Has anybody had a great Sunday morning and a wild Sunday night? Not on Sunday. Has anyone just finished telling your kids how much you love them, and then they do one thing—turn over one cup with liquid in it? Just one thing, and literally the whole tide can change.
It’s because what I have found is that many of us are living our lives very close to the edge. We don’t have much margin—watch this—for anybody’s mess-ups. If you don’t bother me, I’ll make it. And if I’m not late, I’ll make it. If you tell me my outfit is nice, I’ll make it. And if you lie to me when I tell you to be honest, I’ll make it. It exposes that as believers—I’m not even talking about people who don’t know God—I’m talking about people who have a Bible, listen to podcasts, worship to Elevation Worship.
Why are you so close to the edge? Why are you so triggered? Why are you so close to crashing out? Most of us have not taken a pause. Somebody say «pause.» We haven’t taken a pause for His presence to shine a light on what He needs to change in us. We are so ready for others to change that we will not say, «God, I know them, but what about me?»
In John, I see God being as real as He can be with His sons and daughters. He’s talking to His disciples and all the people at that time. I love this about Jesus because He does not want to bait and switch us. He doesn’t want to paint this picture that everything’s going to be perfect and everything’s going to be fine. «Don’t worry; I’m going to save you from everything.»
He says, «I’d rather tell you the truth so you can learn how to handle it.» And this is what He says: «I have told you these things so that you may have peace.» The whole reason God is about to say what He’s about to say in human form as Jesus is that He said the outcome is peace. But let me tell you the truth: in this world, you will have trouble. It could be said that in this world, you will be triggered. In this world, you will deal with trauma. He is being honest, watch this, so that we learn how to handle it. You cannot handle anything you’re not honest about.
Some of us won’t admit there is a problem, so we never deal with it. Some of you are so scared to go to the doctor because you thought that prayer healed you when you could actually be healed by something that God created to help you. But you don’t want to know the truth. «I bind high blood pressure in the name of Jesus.» You are still about to die, like I just because you bound it doesn’t mean those levels aren’t high. But you won’t be honest, so you would rather live in an illusion and delusion than be delivered.
So today, church, in week two of this triggered series, where we’re putting Christ in the middle, the center of our crash-out, I want to lay a little more foundation so you know what to do if you find yourself, watch this, in the middle of a crash-out, crashing out right now, or about to walk into a crash-out.
He says, «I’m telling you you’re going to have trouble, but take heart because I’ve overcome the world.» Write this down as a point: «Exposing the problem is a prerequisite to true peace.» You will never have true peace until we expose the problem. Right? You can keep going to those family gatherings and act like that uncle is not an issue, and nobody in the family is going to talk about it. We just say, «That’s just Uncle JJ.» We’ve excused it for years—after years—after years. But until there’s actual conversation about the problem, there won’t be any true peace.
Until you deal with the issues that you are feeling and the anxiety that you’re walking into when you walk into certain situations, you can act like you have true peace, but it’s not the one that God has given you. He’s saying the trigger is not supposed to rob your peace. The trauma’s not supposed to rob your peace. It’s not supposed to take it away. And that’s why we’re making this the premise of this entire series: «Unaddressed triggers usually lead to a crash-out.»
Some of you have been holding on for 32 years. You haven’t crashed out for 32 years, and you think for some reason that it will never happen because it hasn’t happened yet. Have you ever heard of a midlife crisis? That is also a crash-out. When you literally take everything you’ve been working for, building toward, and people—there’s an epidemic of men and women just leaving their relationships after 38 years of marriage. It’s like dang, you should stay to see what the end will be.
But they’re having these crash-outs and moments of losing it because it’s, watch this, unaddressed. Today I’m asking you what you are carrying that you’ve never addressed. You don’t have to tell me, but I have one more follow-up question: Is it heavy? Is it making you slower? Does it make you hesitate when it’s time for you to step into what God says? Do you have to drag some more stuff in?
Well, let me give you the promise of God in Matthew 11:28. It says, «Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary.'» That means full of toil, full of tension, full of back and forth. He said, «And those who carry heavy burdens,» meaning unwarranted thought patterns. How many of us have unwarranted thought patterns? Why am I even thinking that? Why am I even going down that trail?
I heard last night that a little kid in our church saw the lightning, and their parents had to convince them for tons of minutes that they weren’t going to die because they went down a whole trail of how that lightning was going to kill them in their house. And it may be trivial, but how many of us go down unwarranted thought patterns? «They don’t even like me!» They didn’t even know you were there!
Do you all understand what I’m saying? How many stories have we told ourselves? How many things have we disqualified ourselves from because of our own insecurities? God said, «If you’re doing all that stuff, come to Me, and I’ll trade you.» I will give you—say this word with me—it’s a four-letter word. Say, «Rest.»
«Rest! Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. That’s your mind, will, and emotions. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I’m going to give you is light.» So if you’re walking around heavy, God says, «Today I want you to trade with me.»
This week has been a week full of evaluation. For anybody who was here or watched last week’s sermon, how many people have been evaluating your triggers this past week? Yeah? We’re going to keep doing it for the next 9 or 10 weeks. I’m pushing the gas on this until somebody gets transformed. Okay. But this is the first point that I want to make to everybody in here: as you’ve been talking about your triggers all week and telling your kids, «Stop doing that because I’m triggered,» and some of you have been telling your co-workers and even your kids. My kids have been using it all week. «Dad, that triggers me.» Okay, cool. You listened to the message.
Let me say this: Everything is not a trigger. Now, I know I just introduced the concept last week, and I’m not going to tear the whole thing down, but I need us to bring some clarity. Everything is not a trigger.
My wife was talking, and she said, «Mike, some people aren’t triggered; they just have a pet peeve.» I was like, «Girl, you look fine when you start defining my messages as well.» And she said, «Like smacking—that is not a trigger. Smacking is a pet peeve, because a pet peeve is about preference. I would rather you not do that, but it’s not really attached to trauma.» Some of us have been asking God to deal with a pet peeve when He’s requiring maturity from you.
Let me say it like this: Many of the things you’re labeling a trigger are actually trivial. This isn’t a trigger; this is an exposing of your lack of emotional maturity. You’re not triggered; you just don’t have any room for anybody else to do something you don’t like. You are living with no capacity in your life.
So when they do something that is a different preference than you, it tips you over, and you’re triggered. No, you’re emotionally unstable. You don’t have any maturity. We can disagree on a movie. I know people who will crash out over the rating of a movie. «You didn’t think Black Panther was the best movie ever made?» No! This isn’t me. Don’t come for me in the comments. I’m not saying that. I’m just saying.
At the moment of a preference difference—because I have made no room for you to have a difference of opinion—my pet peeve causes division. So watch this: A pet peeve is just an invitation for me to emotionally mature. If they do something that is not my preference, I do not have to respond in a way that ruins my witness.
Hear what I just said: if what they do is not my preference, I do not have to respond. I can have the emotional and spiritual capacity to let you do that without it getting a rise out of me that ruins my witness. And many people right now are letting their preferences ruin their future purpose. Some of you need to scrub your entire social media accounts because somebody is going to pull them back up one day when you have another level of platform, and they will say, «January 6, 2002, this is what Jerry Heismeer said.»
And a moment ruins our witness for a lifetime. Pastor Mike, why are you saying this? Because there are real things we need to deal with, and they are the triggers. But please don’t get caught up on the petty because some of you have been saying all week, «I’m triggered.» Stop!
Is it really attached to trauma, or is that an opportunity for you to mature? Okay. All right. They don’t want to hear the real today, so I’m going to have to keep going.
Okay, Ezra 3:10. I’m going to share a story with you, and I hope it leads into the next layer of our transformation. It says, «When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and their trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaf with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord as prescribed by David the king of Israel.»
With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord, «He is good. His love toward Israel endures forever.» All the people gave great shouts to the Lord because the foundations of the house of the Lord were laid. But many of the older priests, watch this, and the Levites and family heads, the OGs who had seen the former temple—had seen what it used to be—wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid.
While many others shouted for joy, no one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sounds of weeping. Some were weeping, some were shouting, some were celebrating, others were crying. It said you couldn’t distinguish them because the people had made so much noise, and the sound was heard far away.
I want to start with this thought: Two things can be true at the same time. I’m trying to increase your capacity today. Two things can be true at the same time. Say it with me: Two things can be true at the same time. The OGs who had been in the promised land doing everything that God had called them to do were then taken out of their place of home and dragged to Babylon. They were there for 70 years and had to literally lose their language, lose their culture, lose their names, and conform to this new way of living.
They get freed and go back to the beautiful place they used to live in, but it didn’t look like what it used to look like. Do you all remember Solomon’s temple? It was so beautiful and so intricate, with certain types of wood and gold. It was so beautiful that when people came, it took their breath away. Now they’re coming back to a place that used to be a sign of beauty, and now the foundation is being laid again.
Follow me; I’m going somewhere. The young men who were born in captivity—Their parents and friends might have died in captivity in Babylon. This is the first time they’re free. So they come and see where Solomon’s temple was for the first time. This is the first time they’re able to celebrate without anyone holding them back. They are celebrating because it’s true!
What I’ve heard about all these years, I’ve never seen with my own eyes, but this is where my ancestors were. This is where David was and his son Solomon. This is beautiful. And one moment triggers two responses. Very good.
Have you ever been in a moment where everybody else’s response wasn’t your response? Have you ever been in a moment where somebody is shouting for joy while you are weeping about what used to be? I want to let you know that this is a principle that God wants to teach us about capacity. Because some were triggered to cheer, while others were triggered to cry.
Some were filled with celebration, while others were filled with sorrow. You want to see this in real time? Just turn on football today. When one of the teams scores, half the stadium is like, «Yea!» There’s a guy with a beer belly, he has his shirt off, and his team is painted on his chest, and on the other side, there’s a person going, «Oh, no.»
You can see it in real time, and what we hear on TV is just tears. Yeah, yeah. Some are crying, and some are filled with sorrow because two things can be true at the same time. And what I want you to know is that the goal of the Christian life, watch this, is to grow in our emotional capacity.
What if the OGs started crying and the young people were like, «What’s wrong with y’all?» «Man, shut up, bro! We made it out!» They had to have the capacity to celebrate and let their tears still fall. They’re the same people group, but they’re looking at something and it triggers two different emotions.
Please don’t let your celebration rob them of their tears. I’m trying to teach you all. If you all can read between the lines, I need you to know this is a word for our culture right now. Don’t let their tears rob you of your celebration because two things can be true.
That just went over everybody’s head. That’s why Romans 12:15—I’m about to teach this thing—says, «As believers, we should rejoice with those who rejoice…» I don’t even have to be happy about what you’re rejoicing about, but I have the emotional capacity to rejoice with you because my Christian life is not at the edge. I’m full enough to have room to rejoice with you.
I didn’t get the blessing, but you did. Glory to God! Thank you, Jesus. God, I know you’re on my street. I thank you that you’re doing a miracle, and that you have the emotional capacity to rejoice with those who rejoice.
And if you’re always mad that God blessed someone else, your emotional capacity is too small as a believer. And it says, «Don’t just rejoice with those who rejoice—watch this. This is going to take big boy draws.» Here we go. «Mourn with those who mourn.» I don’t have anything to cry about, but somebody I love, somebody I see… If you don’t see those children in the third-world countries out there begging for food and something in your heart is not broken, you don’t have enough emotional capacity.
«Well, that ain’t happening to me.» We need to pray, «God, break our heart for what breaks Yours.» Today, I want to let you know that your capacity is calling. Matter of fact, make that the title of the sermon: «Your capacity is calling.»
Some of you are ruining the calling of God on your life because you don’t have enough capacity. Wow! You would never talk to somebody who differs from you. You don’t have enough capacity.
That’s what’s killing Christians today—that you can’t sit across from somebody living differently than you and listen to their story for 15 minutes. You’re ready to interrupt them, prioritize them, or rebuke them. They’re just trying to tell you their story, and you have such little emotional capacity that now you’re angry, and it didn’t even happen to you.
They’re telling you why they don’t believe in God. They’re telling you why they have chosen same-sex marriage. They’re telling you why they drink or do drugs. And you’re getting infuriated. Why? Because you have low emotional capacity.
And the very person God has called you to, He has to rip you away from because you would do more damage in their life than bring healing because you have not expanded to the place where God could call you into a dark place so you could be the light.
I’m telling you, God is about to expand His church. I don’t know who I’m talking to today, but God is saying it’s time to—somebody say «stretch.» Stretch! How are we going to reach the world if we can’t stand them? How are you going to minister to someone if you can’t even take a picture with them?
You can’t even sit across a dinner table from someone. We’re crashing out because our emotional and spiritual maturity is so fragile. We don’t have the capacity to make room for their issues. I’m not even saying I want you to stay there. I am a living witness of what God can do to transform somebody’s life.
But I won’t even call you back because I can’t talk to them anymore. What God sent you in there to actually be the change agent—you’re getting so triggered, so mad, getting so frustrated.
I just want to show you that it’s time for you to stretch. Most Christians have this level of emotional capacity. I don’t know if you see this rubber band right here, but this is the rubber band that keeps my little daughter’s braids together. If y’all know anything about black girl magic, these rubber bands are the real MVP. Like, how does that stay together like that?
But the truth of the matter is, it’s very small. This doesn’t have much capacity, so when you come and you get triggered, and something little happens, it’s little, but it’s still really tight. If this is where you live, at the emotional capacity, when something real happens—when I really need to deal with an issue—nothing can happen except it breaks!
Y’all didn’t even see it. It was so small you couldn’t even see it. If this is the issue and I have to get it to here, it doesn’t matter how hard I try—y’all can’t even see it on the camera because as soon as I do it, it’s so small.
Most people are trying to raise their kids with this much emotional capacity. Trying to lead a church with this much emotional capacity. Trying to save their neighborhood with that much emotional capacity. Why can nothing be held together? It’s because you need to stretch. You need to increase your ability—watch this—to be moldable, flexible, and elastic around situations that you may not prefer.
Some of y’all may have just a little bit bigger. I don’t know if you can even see this. It’s a clear—it’s a clear rubber band because some of you try to hide how you really do stuff. Oh, y’all don’t know undercover Christians? Been at that job for 16 years and nobody knows you’re a believer. You haven’t prayed for anybody in 16 years at that job. Let your light shine, right?
So you same thing, and then what happens is some of us, you know, believe in the word and we start doing what God says, and we get a little more regular looking. This is about the standard size of a Christian life. We should be able to get around some papers. We should get around a poster or two.
And it works until God calls us to something bigger than what we’ve been used to. And that tension begins to make us a little more irritated. «Oh shoot! It used to work at my family church, but I don’t like big churches.»
«Is it a mega church? Oh, it must be a mess because it’s mega.» No! You need to know your capacity to deal with people and to communicate. At the family church, you can just do whatever you want to do. And that’s why they wanted you out of there.
And then you came here thinking you could do what you did over there here, and we don’t play like that. And now, «Oh, excuse me, it’s not mine!» You’re triggered because you haven’t learned that there are protocols and procedures and you need to talk to people and you need to forgive and you need to have grace.
And so as soon as somebody tries… I’m not even cutting it; I want y’all to see the blade isn’t even doing this. All it has to do is touch. Touch! «I love my church!»
And then some of us start reading the Bible and do the 21 days of prayer and fasting, and we stretch out a little bit. But there’s somewhere around this Christian walk where you start to get comfortable and you say, «Man, I’ve got enough to deal with most things.»
And then you get that diagnosis that actually challenges your faith. One of your kids stops serving God. Uh-huh. You were raised in church; you know the things of God. You’ve got oil stains all over your pillow. You all know what I’m talking about? Like, am I dying? What? Sorry, that’s my own trauma.
You could be in the middle of the night, having a sweet dream, and then suddenly—what is happening? And when it gets tight, crash out! Crash out! Crash out!
And some of us graduate. Now we’re leading others. That’s crazy. I was like, «Oh, you ain’t seen nobody stretch that far!» Isn’t it amazing when people actually have the capacity to deal with others? What I’m trying to show you is that all of us should be trying to grow in our ability to stretch because in this world we will have trouble.
Yeah, and He’s saying, «Could you handle it?» But then I saw this—God said, «What if I could get a church full of believers that could have this level of spiritual emotional elasticity—that you had enough to handle a situation that went from the top all the way to the bottom?»
What if you had enough grace not to just go that way? But what if—y’all ain’t seen nobody stretch out and be a real believer? But what if I didn’t have to give up and crash out when the situation got tight?
What if there were some believers who had enough emotional capacity to deal with other people’s faults, troubles, mess-ups, and shame? What if we matured and people could tell us to our face who they voted for?
Yes, sir! And it wouldn’t change the way you treated them. Oh, but you ain’t got no capacity for nobody else. As soon as you know who they voted for, you can’t fool with them anymore. «You know what they believe?»
No, they just told you who they voted for! Honestly, they don’t know any of the laws. The truth of the matter is, when you get in that voting box, you’re like, «Eeny, meeny, miny, mo.»
I know, I know! Governor Susan Singh did—He’s like, «You don’t know who that is?» Is that just me, or has anybody else just been like, «I like that name. I had an aunt named…?»
Okay. Write this down, I’m almost done. Emotional capacity is fueled by spiritual maturity. I’m going to say it again: Your emotional capacity—how much room you have for others—is based on how you let God grow you up. I mean, Jesus literally had enough emotional capacity to let a thief roll with Him.
If y’all knew Judas was a thing, He already knew what he was going to do when he was like, «Yeah, you can come.» «You can take care of the money.» Yes, sir! Yes, sir! You can’t stand somebody in your family taking $5 from you. You’d be like, «No! I can’t go to their birthday party. They owe me $676!»
No! Tell me! No! We’re not buying Junior a gift until their mama pays me back. It’s like dang! But do you know how much emotional capacity you have to have to share dinner? Use your connections to let them come in, take them into places with you, and you know they’re a thief?
He knew Peter was going to cut off an ear. «You’re making more work for me, Peter. You think you’re doing the right thing?» I’m going to do a whole sermon on it because God corrects Peter in the crash out, and some of us won’t be corrected.
He literally says, «Bro, I’m about to go to the cross. I’m sweating blood, and now I have to put the man’s ear back on?» Where’s your emotional capacity for the children you ask God for? You pray, «God, if you would just give me these kids, God, I’ll serve you! I’ll do this!»
And now they ask, «Mom! Mom! Mommy! Mother! Mom! Mother! Moms! Moms!» And how many moms said, «I’m changing my name»? I’m changing it! These are the ones you asked for!
Can I really tell you what we’re losing as a church because we’re letting our triggers control us? It’s the lack of emotional capacity in the church that is killing evangelism. Do y’all know what the Great Commission is? To go into all the world and do what? Make disciples!
You cannot disciple somebody you won’t even have a discussion with! So many of us are divided by what we don’t want to discuss that we are killing the one thing everybody needs. Jesus said, «Tell everybody the gospel! Tell them about Me!»
And it’s like us telling God, «Yeah, but I’m triggered by the way they think. I’m triggered by that little, you know, slang that they talk like when they start like clocking and they’re too little gangster. I don’t like all that.»
And it could be little things, like, «I feel unsafe!» Really? Do you feel unsafe, or are you uneducated? Some things aren’t about feeling unsafe. That’s lazy to say! You don’t know half of these young black dudes that look like thugs were raised in gated neighborhoods.
How do you know? I was one! Do you understand what I’m saying? All that they’re trying to do is culturally fit in. So the reason I could buy a platinum foo which was not cheap—some of you are dating myself—the flat, yes!
Y’all remember that fat Albert foo? Yeah! Come on! Don’t leave me up here! Y’all remember! The only reason—I may not be uneducated. You may not have an enough emotional maturity to say, «Oh, they’re still finding themselves.» I remember when I was searching.
I remember when my identity wasn’t in Christ yet. Oh God! So my question for everybody to go home and reflect on for real today is: Is your lack of emotional capacity shrinking your calling?
Is God going to have to disinvite you to rooms because the packaging of who’s in there does not fit the description of who you can connect with? Very good!
Is God going to have to say, «Uh-uh! Not Jen! It’s got to be all upper-middle-class white women because she won’t be able to connect with that young Latina who’s struggling because she just had a baby out of wedlock!»
Knowing that Jen had a baby out of wedlock, but the Louis and Gucci are covering it up now? Okay, it was 19 years ago, and their kids are now at private school, Jesus.
But how quickly do we forget that God puts us together in situations not because of where we are but where He sees us being and how He wants us to connect? And this is why I’m asking us as a church: it’s time for us to increase our capacity.
You’re so triggered by your own stuff that you won’t even be able to move past you to the real reason God placed us here for others. Do y’all hear what I’m saying to you? And so I’m telling you today: your capacity is calling.
This is my triggered phone. And this is my emotionally mature phone. Every time you’re triggered, you get to pick up one of these phones: You know what? Today is the day I got time!
«Hello! You cheated! I saw you out at the mall with another woman! I’m telling Pastor Natalie that you are low down, no good! I got video! I got receipts!»
Oh, I hope you—let me put this… Oh, y’all going to leave me up here by myself? That was edited for some of y’all! I can’t pick that phone up often, I’m telling you the truth!
'Cause if I pick up the phone and I act out of my flesh—uh-oh, my capacity is calling! These are both trigger phones! They both have the capacity to get a different response out of me. But if I pick up emotionally mature, «Hello, Pastor Michael! I seen you again at the mall! And I’m telling you right now: I got video! It’s in 3D! I bought the Meta glasses! I seen everything!»
«God bless you, ma’am! That is not the truth! And I would—I would ask—no, I–I understand what you what you think you saw. I understand. But please lose my number! No, no, no, no! I’ll tell Pastor Natalie myself that I was at the mall with her sister! No, no, thank you! No, no. Oh yeah, God bless you! Transform Church!»
I could have responded an entirely different way. Nothing out of that call ruined my witness. Who knows that she might be showing up here six months from now, broken and ready for transformation?
Do y’all hear what I’m saying? But your capacity is calling. Will you grow? Oh! Oh no! Hold on one second! «Hello? Hello! You’re a false prophet!»
Excuse me? You’re a false prophet! You’re leading people astray! You do not preach the Word of God! You are a liar! A manipulator! And let me just hang this phone up! I’m not even going to respond!
The only way I can put that phone down is if I’m answering this phone a lot more! Matter of fact, what some of y’all need to do is break that phone!
Pastor Mike, why? Because if I don’t even have the option to respond, and then watch this: This is going to be hard—no matter what they say.
«Okay? You’re a false prophet! You’re leading people astray!» Hey, man! All I’m trying to do is obey God. And I know you might not understand it, and I promise you I get some things wrong, but would you pray for me?
No, no, not later! Right now! It’s a lot of pressure! It’s a lot of eyes! Most Sundays I don’t want to do it. I didn’t ask for this; I was called to it. All I’m saying is your capacity is calling.
If I couldn’t handle the persecution, if I couldn’t handle the comments, if I couldn’t handle—all I need is just once a year to pick up the other phone and get it out of me—I’d be good!
So I’m going to end us with this: Hebrews chapter 6, verse 1, because your capacity is calling. Pastor Mike, why are you going this hard on this? Because you are forfeiting the next level of your promotion because you will not grow in emotional capacity.
God said, «I can’t put you there because as soon as somebody disagrees with you, you’re going to lose your witness.» Will you let me change the DNA of how you respond? Will you stop reacting because of the trigger and then respond in a way of transformation? Because you dealt with the trauma.
Hebrews 6:1: «Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward into what? This word—mature! Can we stretch out beyond this little, 'I’m a Baptist. I’m a Methodist. My family’s this'?»
Hey! Stop! The only way the Bible tells us that they will know that we are His is because of our love for one another.
Nothing does it look like any of us belongs to God, the way that we’re loving each other right now. Could it be because our emotional capacity and spiritual capacity—watch this—is too low for where God’s calling us?
Very good! One more scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:11, and I’m going to end with this. And next year I’m going to tell you what to do with it. But I felt like we just needed a little more understanding. It’s time for us to grow. It’s time for us to stretch. It’s time for us to mature.
It says, «When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child. I reasoned and responded like a child. But when I became a man, I had to make a decision to put the ways of childhood behind me.»
Very good, church! We have to mature so that we have the capacity to go to the places God has called us. I can’t tell you how many rooms I find myself in that nobody believes like I believe.
And they know I’m a pastor, and their countenance doesn’t change. I don’t encourage them to because I believe that God changes the authentic version of you. It’s funny to watch people like, «Oh, he’s a pastor.»
I’m like, «Bro, do what you do! I want you to be who you are so I can see the real transformation that God’s about to do in your life.» I know I’m in certain rooms because I was called there. I can handle people squirming in their stuff.
And I can’t tell you how many texts and calls I have because I had emotional maturity and the capacity to allow somebody to be where they are but not lose my conviction—not conform to their standards.
Oh! We’re going to this after this? No, no. I’m good, man. It was good to meet you. Here’s my number. Call me after! I’m not about to get tripped up. Jesus was hanging with sinners, but He wasn’t changed by them.
He was around them, but he was the change agent in those environments. But watch—He had the emotional capacity to be at Zaccheus’s house. He was eating a meal paid for with stolen money. Some of y’all couldn’t handle that!
Where is this? Where is this bread from? You know he’s a thief? You know he’s an unjust tax collector? Could you just have a meal with him? By the end of the meal, because Jesus’s emotional capacity went beyond race, went beyond religion, went beyond the cultural norms of the day, because He had capacity, He was able to see people transformed.
Jesus, what does it look like for you to make room for people’s faults? It’s a scripture I read last night. What was it? Was it Ephesians? What’s the one about making room for people’s shortcomings? Somebody find it for me real quick!
Ephesians 4, wasn’t it? Somebody give it to me from my Bible; I forgot my Bible. Get it, Charles! I want to read this because this, I think, was Ephesians 4 or something too.
Yeah, yeah, yeah! That’s what it was. This is how I’m going to end us because I just don’t want your rubber band to be so small.
Jesus, thank you for your conviction. It says, «Always be humble and gentle.» We could stop right there. Has your reactions and your responses been humble and gentle? Even if you know the answer, have you shut it up?
No! No! You know what I’m saying? Is it okay to be right, and it not be known? Can you be right and nobody knows? Sometimes that’s what humility looks like.
You don’t always have to say, «That’s what I was trying to tell you when you went out there the first time.» Be humble and be gentle. Then it says, «Be patient with each other.»
Oh my God! Making allowances for each other’s faults! When’s the last time you increased your capacity not for you, but for them? When was the last time you said, «God, give me more patience so I can deal with the people at my workplace»?
Not take me out of this workplace—that’s usually the prayer. «God, get me out of here.» And He said, «I called you there! I didn’t put you there for the money! I put you there for Michelle! Michelle was your assignment there!»
And that’s why the enemy always comes in to make you mad at Michelle because Michelle is your assignment. And you’re being messy and telling about her being out last weekend, and you’re being petty. Somebody’s getting convicted right now. I see you!
I’m not going to look at you; I’m looking straight right now. I see you in the back. But this is what I’m telling you: the assignment is getting forfeited because of the lack of our capacity.
This is really good! He said, «Make allowances for each other’s faults because of your love.» And then it says, «Make every effort.» How many efforts? One or two? EVERY effort to keep yourselves united in the spirit, binding yourselves together with—watch this word again—peace!
For there is one body and one spirit just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and one Father of all who is over all and in all and watch this—living through all.
I’m going to read it. «However, he has given each of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.» That is why the scriptures say, «When He ascended to the heights, He led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to His people.»
Notice that it said He ascended. This clearly means that Christ also descends to our lowly world. He comes to meet us in our crash-outs. And the same one who descends is the one who ascends higher than all the heavens so that He might fill the entire universe with His glory.
It’s time for us to grow, church! Maybe you’ve been letting your pet peeves rob you of your peace. Maybe it’s not that big of a deal that they’re smacking. Put on some headphones! Or maybe you just wait to eat!
No, I’m talking about practical things. I know I’m being really, but like maybe it’s just like, «Oh man, that’s really annoying.» And you can live your life being annoyed for just a little bit so that you can connect with somebody or keep peace in your home.
One of the biggest things that annoys my wife is when I leave the toilet seat up. You know I’ve got to—I’ve got to talk about it. I’mma talk about me, Natalie! I’m talking about me today, okay? That’s my issue.
And at first, when I first got married, I was like, «Just put it down!» Some of the guys are like, «Duh!» But I didn’t think about it from the other side. «I’m already close; I’m flushing.»
And how many times could just that small thing change the way somebody feels cared for this week? What if we just grew in our capacity just a little bit? I mean, if the standard of stretching is pray for our enemies—if that’s like—that’s the standard of God.
We going to admit today most of us ain’t there yet! Lord, but what if we just stretched out a little bit? What? Because I just want you to know all the stretching I did, it didn’t happen all at once.
It was a progression. And today, are we forfeiting our calling because we have low capacity? Today it’s time for us to stretch! Would you stand all over this place? God has a great calling for all of us!
And our calling requires that we don’t crash out all the time. We’re going to have to put Christ in the middle of it! So right now, if you know that you need to expand in your emotional capacity, would you lift both of your hands in the air? Come on, y’all! We about to go home!
But here it is: It’s me! So Father God, here we are! Another Sunday—not hiding from You, but asking for Your help—all around this world as people are watching this live and on rebroadcast, and as the people are in this room, God, I thank You that Your Holy Spirit is here right now increasing our ability to handle what is not always easy.
Father, Your word says that we make room or allowance for other people’s faults, shortcomings, issues, quirks, preferences, and, Father, that You would keep us in perfect peace in the middle of it. So in the name of Jesus, I thank You that in this place, we pray 2 Peter 3:9, and we remember that over our lives that, Lord, You’re not being slow in keeping Your promises as some would understand slowness.
But Father, You are being patient with us! Thank You for Your patience with us! Thank You that You didn’t just expect us to do what You told us yesterday! And every time we messed up, Father God, You threw us away! Thank You for Your grace that let us progress to the place we are today!
And God, I’m asking that You would let us remember Your grace as we deal with others. Increase my capacity to love—somebody say that! Increase my capacity to love!
Come on, say: Increase my capacity to forgive. Say «I’m sorry.» Say «I’m sorry!» Sheesh! God, let us be connectors of unity! Let us not be so triggered, Father God!
Let us put You in the middle of anything that even looks like a crash out so that we can increase our capacity! Hear me say this! Look at me real quick! We’re going home!
How much God can use you—this may be controversial to some, but I need you to hear me say this—how much God can use you in this lifetime is not up to God! It’s up to you!
If He would supply you with everything you need, if He would take you into the places and give you what you need, you still would have to say yes!
And so I know I titled this thing «Capacity is Calling,» but what if we said it like this: As you go home and meditate, «Your capacity is your call!» You want to grow? You can say, «God, increase my measure of faith!»
You want to go to another level? You can say, «God, I thank You that You make me more generous!» You want to be able to stop crashing out and cussing everybody out? «God, say, Father, put a bridle on my tongue so when I want to say this thing, Father God, I can say something that is uplifting.»
Your capacity—it’s your call! Stop blaming the man, culture, or your parents for what you do not have now! It may not have been your fault, but it is now your responsibility! It’s time to say yes!
Can I get one more big yes? Hallelujah! Before everybody starts leaving, listen to me! I need one minute! If you’re in this room and you’ve never said yes to Jesus, I need the church to start praying right now!
Father, I thank You right now that eternity is in the balance, and somebody’s about to say yes to Jesus! I don’t care where you are; I don’t care how broken you feel right now! I don’t care what you have done last night, yesterday, or what you’re planning to do tomorrow!
Today, Jesus Christ is here to save your life! He increased His capacity by stretching one arm on a cross and taking the other arm and putting it on the other cross! And He let people nail Him, accuse Him, and beat Him for our sins, so we could walk in freedom today!
All you have to do is say yes to what Jesus has already done for you! It’s the one decision that could transform your whole life! It took me from being a liar, a manipulator, somebody who was addicted to pornography, and having all types of confusion and mess in my life—and it transformed me—not into a perfect man, but a progressing man!
Who I am today is not who I’m going to be, but who I am is way better than who I used to be! And that’s because of one name! His name is Jesus!
Today, if you are in here—I don’t care how you got here, who bribed you to come—that’s a good friend, by the way—I don’t care how you are in here today! God wants to transform your life!
On the count of three, if you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior, whether you’re in this room, watching online, in the gym, or watching a rebroadcast on another day, God wanted this to find you right now because today is the day of your salvation. Amen. On the count of three, I want you to shoot your hand up in the air — bold, proud, and loud. One: God is about to transform your life. Two: You’re making the greatest decision of your life. Three: Shoot your hand up if you want to receive Jesus.
I see you! I see you! I see you! I see you! God sees you! Come on, the hands at home, Transformation Church! Let’s praise God! I see you, sister! Hey, listen, we’re going to pray this prayer as a family for the benefit of those who are coming to God. And if you have the capacity to just stretch your hand towards those people, you saw the hands raised around them and the hundreds that are online. And let’s pray this together. Say:
God, thank you for sending Jesus just for me. Today, I repent and I turn to you. I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again for my freedom. Here’s my life: change me, renew me, transform me. I’m yours forever. In Jesus' name, amen.