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- [00:00]
Robert Madu
Social dallas has never been built on talents of individuals or on personality, but on a person whose name is Jesus. He's in this room. And you need to know that he loves you. He loves you so much. And he's not a distant God. He's a God that is close. And he's here now. So, Father, we lift you up today. We thank you for your word that says if you would be lifted up, you would draw all men and women to you. So, Father, we thank you for these four years. But, God, for the next four decades, and until you crack the sky and come back to get us, we will keep this posture of our hands lifted and our voices raised, singing, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy is the Lord.
- [01:03]
Unknown Worship Leader
God Almighty Worthy, worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain before the.
- [01:10]
Robert Madu
Foundation of the earth. Jesus, be exalted in this place. But if you're new to social, we're a church that is planted. That's our word for this year. We have a word every single year. Our word this year is planted. It comes straight out of Scripture. And we've been declaring this verse every single Sunday of 2025. And we ain't going to stop on our birthday. Come on, can we read it with some birthday energy? Come on. Psalms 92. Let's read it. Verses 13, 15, with uplifted voices. 1, 2, 3. Those who are planted shall flourish. They shall steal. They shall be to declare He.
- [02:02]
Unknown Worship Leader
You sound good.
- [02:03]
Robert Madu
You sound good. And then one more scripture that we'll be teaching from today. And then you can sit down. That's for the people who are new. And they're like, do they ever sit down and stop singing? We do after this verse. Mark, chapter two. Starting at verse number one. Perhaps one of my favorite passages of Scripture, it's found in Matthew and in Luke, but I love Marky Mark's version. And it says, a few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. And so many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door. And he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. And since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus. After digging through it lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith. Huh? He saw it. I didn't know you could see faith. He said to the paralytic son, your sins are forgiven. Now some teachers of the law, AKA the haters, were sitting there thinking to Themselves. Why did this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone? Immediately, Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts. And he said to them, why are you thinking these things? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven. Or to say, get up, take your mat and walk. But that you may know that the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins. He said to the paralytic, I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all this amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, we have never seen anything like this. Can you say amen? It's verse three for me. Verse three for me. Can you put verse three up there? Yeah. Some men came bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. On this fourth birthday, I want to preach to you. Not long, just using this as a title. Thank. Thank God for the four. Thank God for the four. Come on. Would you look at your neighbor? Whichever one you like the best. Come on, get in their space. Just tell a neighbor, thank God for the four. That neighbor was stuck up. They didn't want to talk to you.
- [04:58]
Unknown Worship Leader
Come on, find another neighbor. They must not have been your four. Find somebody else. Say other neighbor on this birthday. Thanking God for the four. Give God one more hand clap of.
- [05:13]
Robert Madu
Praise, Father, speak today. Amen. You may be seated in the presence of the Lord. Thank God for the four. Whoo. Social famous. Have to be honest with you on this birthday and tell you that four feels good. I'm telling you, four feels real good. One of the funny things that I've done since the inception of Social Dallas is to compare the age of our church in direct correlation to the stage of a child's development. And it's been quite funny and accurate to look at the parallels. For instance, I remember our newborn stage when we were just a newborn church, y'all. You've seen a newborn before. They cute. They little, cute little and messy and emotional and crying all the time. I remember those days at Granada Theater. We were cute, little and messy and it was a smell up in Granada Theater. I remember our newborn phase. It was cute. And you don't know when a newborn is hungry or whether just having a breakdown. I remember our newborn stage.
- [06:35]
Unknown Worship Leader
I remember when we turned one.
- [06:38]
Robert Madu
Woo. You ever seen a one year old? One year old is just getting their legs up under them. Got that Bambi walk and they're moving just a Little bit. And I remember our one year birthday, we were moving a little bit and it's scary to watch a one year old move because they'll find a way to wobble close to a coffee table and you're like oh my goodness, you are one step away from being out of here. I remember that season of our church. I remember when we were one, we were just, just moving, just getting started. I remember we turned 2. Have you ever had a 2 year old? You know they have a phrase for the twos.
- [07:14]
Unknown Worship Leader
Terrible twos. I remember when I heard, I said we're not gonna speak that over our children. No, they will not be terrible.
- [07:20]
Robert Madu
They're gonna be terrific twos. The devil is a lie. It's a reason.
- [07:24]
Unknown Worship Leader
It's a reason why they're called terrible twos. Woo. I'll be honest with you, year two almost took me out.
- [07:31]
Robert Madu
That's when our church started getting a wheel. And you how it is when a 2 year old, that's when they'll look at you right in your face and.
- [07:36]
Unknown Worship Leader
Say no right after you tell them something.
- [07:40]
Robert Madu
It's crazy. In the two year old stage, it seems like there's a meltdown every single.
- [07:44]
Unknown Worship Leader
Day when you're two. I remember year two and then woo.
- [07:49]
Robert Madu
Year number three. You ever had a three year old? Three year olds are interesting. That's when they start to talk more. They talk a lot. In fact they're always asking questions that their brains are developing so they get real inquisitive. It's a million questions every single day. When you are three years old.
- [08:06]
Unknown Worship Leader
Where are we going? Why? How come? Why do we have to do that? Where's that at? What is that? Who? What? Asking questions.
- [08:13]
Robert Madu
You know, we asked questions when we were three. We asked some questions, we asked some.
- [08:16]
Unknown Worship Leader
Questions like do you see what we've got?
- [08:19]
Robert Madu
An unshakable kingdom.
- [08:21]
Unknown Worship Leader
And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He is actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn and he won't quit until it's all cleansed.
- [08:40]
Robert Madu
God himself is my three.
- [08:47]
Unknown Worship Leader
Those of y'all who are new, you're.
- [08:48]
Robert Madu
Like, what in the world is all that that happened at three years old.
- [08:52]
Unknown Worship Leader
We were unshakable at three.
- [08:54]
Robert Madu
See when you turn three years old.
- [08:55]
Unknown Worship Leader
You start getting your voice, you start knowing who you are and you start asking the right questions.
- [09:01]
Robert Madu
I remember, I remember year three and here we are standing in year four. OOH Four feels good. Because when you're four, you're not just walking. How many know, you can run at four, you can jump at four, you can catch at four. You got more of your coordination when you're four years old, you still might fall down, but you get back up again real quick when you're four years old. And when you're four, you move from surviving to thriving, y'all. We are four years old today, and we are stepping in to what is going to be the greatest season that our church has ever seen. Thank God for the four. Thank God for the four. And if you're a student of the word of God, you know that numbers, not all numbers, but how many know there are certain numbers in the Bible that carry weight, that carry meaning, y'all. Four is one of those numbers. Four, biblically, is a number that speaks to completion. It speaks to wholeness. It also speaks to God's divine order in creation, especially in the earth. That's what you see when you see the number four. It speaks to God's brilliant divine order in creation and especially in the earth. That's why you can't have a world without the four elements. Come on, somebody. Earth, wind, fire. Don't forget the last one. Water. I'm making sure you knew. I thought you was going to stop at the band. Earth, wind, fire, water. Four elements that make up the earth. You take away one of those elements, you do not have existence. You need all four. Thank God for the four. When you look at the cardinal directions, if you're going to go anywhere, you're going to either go north, south, east, or west. Four directions in the earth. I look at the directions, north, south, east, and west. I think it spells out N, north, E, east, W, west, S for the south, spells out the word news, because that's where the good news of Jesus Christ needs to go. It needs to go from the north to the south, to the east and to the west. Four is a critical number. It speaks to what God is doing in the earth. If you don't believe me, look at your Bible. Go all the way to the back. In the Book of Revelation, chapter number seven, whenever John gets a vision, verse number one, look at what he says. It says, then I saw four angels.
- [11:26]
Unknown Worship Leader
Standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds, so they did not blow on the earth.
- [11:32]
Robert Madu
Or the sea or even any tree. Talking about the power of four, maybe I went too far and I got to back that thing up biblically to the book of Genesis. Do you remember what happened on the fourth day of. Of creation? Let's just read it. Genesis, chapter one, verses 16 through 19, says God made two great lights. The greater light to govern the day, that's the sun. The lesser light to cover the night, that's the moon. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth to govern the day and the night and to separate light from the darkness. Hmm. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, and there was the.
- [12:11]
Unknown Worship Leader
What?
- [12:12]
Robert Madu
The which day? The which day? On the fourth day, God created the sun, the moon, and the stars, right? That what your Bible says.
- [12:25]
Unknown Worship Leader
So if he created the sun, the moon, and the stars on the fourth.
- [12:27]
Robert Madu
Day, that means there were three days.
- [12:31]
Unknown Worship Leader
Of complete darkness, right?
- [12:34]
Robert Madu
No, because the first thing God said was let there be.
- [12:41]
Unknown Worship Leader
He said, let there be light, but doesn't create the sun or the moon or the stars until day number. So that means your God is so good. He really didn't need the sun and the moon and the stars for the light, because his word already spoke the light. On day one when he said, let there be light. Do you realize that light was shining just from a word from God? And he waited till day four to create the sun, the moon, and the stars. But on day one, when he said said let there be light, light showed up. And he said, I'll take care of the sign later. But how many know whenever your God speaks something, it has to come to pass. You don't need a sign for it to come to pass. If he speaks it, it will be. So let me tell you why some of y'all ain't shouting right now. It's because you are waiting for a sign from God to start moving out in faith. But that is the elementary level of faith. You know, you're really moving in faith when you say God. You ain't gotta give me a sign. You ain't gotta send me a text message. I trust your that when you speak something, it'll show up. Because if a light can show up without sun, moon, or stars, then surely every word that God has spoken over my life, every word that God has spoken over this church, how many are thankful it is going to come to pass because God said so? I wish somebody that knew the power of God's word would just take a praise break right there. You got to start shouting before you see a sign. You got to start shouting as soon soon as you get the word from God. I didn't wait till y'all started showing up till we started Social Dallas. I would have been waiting a long time. We stepped out and planted this church.
- [14:23]
Robert Madu
As soon as I got a word. And look at the sign. Catching up to the word. Look at your God, who's so awesome. On day one, he's like, let there be light. And then on day four goes, oh, yeah, let's put a sun and the moon and some stars up there, too. Why put the sun and the moon and the stars up there? Because we need those to mark the seasons. How many seasons is it? Ooh, spring, summer, winter, fall, spring, summer, winter. Thank God for the four. Four seasons. Some of you are about to give up right now because you are in one season. But you cannot get the full picture of something until you see all the seasons. See, the problem with our culture is we judge things when we see it in one season. And that is as crazy as looking at a tree in winter and saying.
- [15:28]
Unknown Worship Leader
Oh, it must not be any life. All I see is branches. I'm just gonna write that tre off. Come back in the spring. Come back in the summer. And the same tree that looked like it had no life will be brimming with life. That's why you ought to give God praise. Sometimes when people walk away from you in one season, you judge me by winter. But, baby, come back in spring, you're gonna see something that's different than what you saw. Don't try to put me in one season. God's not through with me yet. He's still doing something. Something on the inside of me. Somebody thank God that he works with you in different scenes. Thank God for the fourth. Thank God it's not all summer. Can you imagine in this Texas heat?
- [16:14]
Robert Madu
My Lord, Thank God that we get different seasons. Thank God for the four. You need four to get the full picture. Four gives you the. Ooh.
- [16:28]
Unknown Worship Leader
Now I know why we got four.
- [16:29]
Robert Madu
Gospels, even though we have one Jesus. Because we can't get the full picture unless we got all four.
- [16:37]
Unknown Worship Leader
Now, I know why.
- [16:38]
Robert Madu
You take a mug shot and they have you go. Some of y'all can relate. Don't tell nobody.
- [16:44]
Unknown Worship Leader
Everybody welcome.
- [16:45]
Robert Madu
Just. But they have you.
- [16:52]
Unknown Worship Leader
We gotta get the full picture of who you are. We don't. No, we need the full four pictures. That's why we needed the four Gospels.
- [16:59]
Robert Madu
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
- [17:03]
Unknown Worship Leader
To get the full picture of who this savior is, I need to see him in Matthew because he is the king in Matthew, fulfilling every Old Testament prophecy. Letting them know your king has finally come. I need the full picture of Mark letting Me know that he is the suffering servant. And he did not come to be served. He came to serve. I need the picture of Luke who lets me know he is the Son of Man and he can feel what you feel and he knows what you're going through. I need the picture of John, who lets me know he's not just the Son of man. Don't get it twisted. He is the Son of God. And in the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. And the Word was with God. All things were made by him. And without him was not anything made that he has been made. In him was life. And the life was the light of man. And the light shined in the darkness. But the doctors couldn't comprehend it. This is our God. He wasn't just a good man, he was a God man. God in flesh, walking among. You need the full picture.
- [18:10]
Robert Madu
You need the full picture to know who this Savior is. And so we're in the Gospel of Mark today. I love Mark. You heard me say it before. He is my favorite of the four gospel writers because he's the shortest. Amen. And homeboy skips Christmas goes to full grown Jesus. And the theme of the Gospel of Mark is Jesus. And so when we get to our text today, already in Mark chapter two, Jesus is in action, walking, healing. His first miracle he does according to Mark's gospel. One of the first miracles is in the synagogue. A dude is in the synagogue, demon possessed. And Jesus shows up and says, hey.
- [18:56]
Unknown Worship Leader
Chill out, come out of here.
- [18:59]
Robert Madu
Which made me think, how long was the dude in the church, demon possessed.
- [19:04]
Unknown Worship Leader
Showing up to service, bound every single day until the real power of God showed up and he finally got set free. You know, the enemy don't mind you.
- [19:14]
Robert Madu
Coming to church as long as you.
- [19:15]
Unknown Worship Leader
Stay bound and stuck in your cell. But when the real power of God shows up and you get set free.
- [19:21]
Robert Madu
That'S when hell gets nervous. So in Mark chapter, are y'all bored yet? So in Mark chapter two, the Bible says that Jesus has been traveling, he's been preaching, he gets to a certain house in the city, if you will, of Capernaum. Capernaum. Capernaum. Y'all. I have preached this text before and I skipped this city. Capernaum, however you want to say it. Capernaum. Capernaum. I wonder if they call the city cap. That would be an appropriate term because I forgot that In Matthew chapter 11 there are only three cities that your God condemns, if you will. He says, woe to three cities, chorison and Capernaum and Bethsaida. There are three cities in your Bible that Jesus was like, yo, I'm done with y'all. Woe unto you. Can you imagine not loving Jesus saying.
- [20:27]
Unknown Worship Leader
I'm sick of these three cities.
- [20:30]
Robert Madu
Read it when you get to the crib.
- [20:31]
Unknown Worship Leader
Can you imagine? Can you imagine?
- [20:32]
Robert Madu
You know, we're the church, in case you didn't know, we're the church that put God loves Dallas. You ever seen that billboard? That's us. Can you imagine if we flip the script? It was like, God can't stand Frisco.
- [20:46]
Unknown Worship Leader
God is annoyed with Oak Cliff. God is perturbed with Highland Park. Can you imagine if we put. Look, God, he condemns three cities, of which Capernaum is one of those cities.
- [21:03]
Robert Madu
Why in the world would he say, woe to Capernaum, where this miracle took place? I'll tell you why. Because in those three cities, he did the most miracles, he manifested his power the most. And they still had unbelievable.
- [21:16]
Unknown Worship Leader
In spite of him doing the most.
- [21:18]
Robert Madu
Miracles, they were stuck in their unbelief.
- [21:21]
Unknown Worship Leader
And refused to believe that he was the son of God. Isn't it interesting that you can be in close proximity to miracles and still have unbelief in your heart? Isn't it crazy that you can see God do the supernatural and still do the impossible and still in your heart go, no, he can't do that. I don't believe so. Jesus essentially said, I'm done with y'all because I can work with anything. But I cannot work with unbelief. I cannot work with somebody that is committed to not believing what I'm going to do. And that's why I came to tell somebody, if you gonna guard anything, guard your faith in God, guard your belief in his ability to do the impossible. Come on. I came to tell you today, know what? The enemy's attacking. The enemy is not after your car. He don't know how to drive. The enemy's not after your body. You know know what he's after? He's after your faith. He's not after your house. He don't need a house. He's after your faith. Because he knows if he can get the car to break down enough, he knows if your house can start falling apart enough. He knows that if the sickness can get into your body enough, and if it makes you go, oh, God can't do the impossible, then he got you. But I dare somebody, in spite of what you're going through, to say, God, I still believe you anyway. I might not see it yet. But it's not changed my perception of who you are. I still believe you're able.
- [22:45]
Robert Madu
That's why Jesus prayed for Peter. He said, peter, you gonna jack up? Satan wants to sift you as wheat. But I'm praying for you that. Watch this. Your faith does not fail. He didn't say, I'm praying for you that you won't fail. He said, I'm praying that your faith would not fail. And so it's interesting that Capernaum, where Jesus did so many miracles, was the one city that he had to condemn because they refused to believe. But shout out to the one house that was in the city. Whoo. Elbow the person next to you, say, it's in the house. It's in the house. It's in the house. One more labor. I gotta get some more water.
- [23:24]
Unknown Worship Leader
Tell em it's in the house. It's in the house.
- [23:29]
Robert Madu
Shout out to the one house in the city that said this city is.
- [23:35]
Unknown Worship Leader
Not going to speak for my house.
- [23:38]
Robert Madu
The climate of the city does not have to be the climate of my house. I can have a different atmosphere in my house that is contradictory to the city in which I live. Matter of fact, I believe that the climate of my house can go out and actually affect the city I'm in. So all of a sudden they're in this house. Historians believe it's Peter's house. And I can see it. Jesus just pulls up to this house and he sits down to rest in this house. Birkenstock's hurt, been casting out a lot of demons, healing a lot of people. And he sits down in this house to rest and watch this. Within minutes of him sitting in this house, the whole place is full, jam packed with people everywhere. Watch. Because his presence came to rest in a house. I love it. Because he hadn't done a miracle yet. He hasn't done a sign or a wonder. But just the fact that he walked into a house and sat in that house, all of a sudden people started showing up with expectation because the presence of Jesus sat in that house.
- [24:52]
Unknown Worship Leader
How many know? Before he showed up it was just a house.
- [24:55]
Robert Madu
But when he showed up, it became.
- [24:57]
Unknown Worship Leader
A house of presence, a house of. I'm trying to tell you who we are as a church. This is a church that believes the power is not in a preacher named Robert Madu. It's not in some worship singer. The power that you feel in this house is because Jesus said, I know it's Texas Trust Theater, but I inhabit the praises of my people and I hear some praise coming out of Texas Trust theater. And I gotta show up in that house and I gotta sit down. Because I will sit down in a place where I am worshiped. I will sit down in a place where I am welcomed. I think that's why you came today. Let's be honest. You didn't come from a food truck. You didn't come just to get a birthday gift. I think you came to social today because you knew his presence would be in this house. And when his presence shows up, Come on, somebody. Something is going to happen. It's birthday. Can we take one more praise break? Would you praise God like you want his presence just to come rest in this house? That's the only way you can get a miracle is if his presence shows up. His presence. Oh, I refuse to do church without his presence.
- [26:09]
Robert Madu
If his presence doesn't show up, this is a TED Talk. If his presence doesn't show up, we just singing songs off the screen like it's Christian karaoke. But when his presence shows up, anything is possible. Hear me, anything is possible. And I love that he just sits down in a house. And the place got jam packed. It was crowded. You ever been to a crowded space? It's annoying. It'll inconvenience you. True story. I can't make this up. God always confirms the message before I preach it. Last night my amazing daughters were in their school play in their school play. And I'm a good dad. You know, I got their flowers and so I showed up. I left the house an hour before the play. Y'all said, I'm gonna get there and we'll be on time. Only problem is this school play was in Arlington last night. A few miles from AT&T Stadium last night. Some of y'all telling on yourself right now. And I'm driving there and I'm seeing.
- [27:22]
Unknown Worship Leader
All of these cars. Are this many people going to the school play? Why am I sitting on I20 for several minutes? Bumper to bumper traffic just to go to a. How many kids are in this school only to find out K Dot was down the street.
- [27:44]
Robert Madu
K Dot is another name for Kendrick Lamar. He is a rapper who you might be aware of just trying to help everybody. It was jam packed and it made me think of this text today. Have you seen the mayhem of a crowd? People everywhere. I don't know what the hygiene was like but can you see them all packed in this place on top of each other? The Bible is clear.
- [28:08]
Unknown Worship Leader
That's why I like Mark's version. They're in even room outside the Door.
- [28:12]
Robert Madu
Of this house, they're all standing, and I can see Jesus. He's just sitting, letting him get all packed in. And you know what they're thinking, what's he gonna do? He gonna do something. You know, he good. You know, he probably gonna take some mud and rub it on somebody's legs. That's lame. I don't know. Yeah, he does that stuff. Girl, what else does he do? Girl, he'll take spit. Spit? Spit? Yes, spit. Put it in your eyes. That's nasty. I know, but the dude can see. I mean, can you see? Can you see him?
- [28:43]
Unknown Worship Leader
They are sitting, waiting, trying to figure out, what is this dude about to do.
- [28:49]
Robert Madu
He's gotta do something. It's amazing how people come into his presence and they want him to perform. Do something. We here. Do something. Some of you came to church like that today. Do something.
- [29:01]
Unknown Worship Leader
I'm here.
- [29:03]
Robert Madu
Had to sit all the way up in the balcony.
- [29:04]
Unknown Worship Leader
I'm here.
- [29:06]
Robert Madu
Do something. You know what trips me out? Even in worship? Oh, I didn't like the worship set today. As if worship is for you.
- [29:13]
Unknown Worship Leader
We didn't come to worship you. That's not my favorite today. It's not my style, really.
- [29:19]
Robert Madu
Not your style? I'm sorry. I didn't know worship was about you. And they're waiting. It's my birthday. I can do what I want. And they're waiting. What is he gonna do? What is he gonna do? And I can see him. He's a great communicator, the greatest to ever live. So, you know, he let the tension sit, and he stands up and they're like, oh, he's moving towards a sick person. He's like, calm down. And the Bible says, hear me, that Jesus. Oh, I love it. Preached the word to them.
- [29:58]
Unknown Worship Leader
That's it.
- [30:00]
Robert Madu
Preached the word of God, the living words. Started preaching the written word. He just preached the Word to them. If the Word was enough for Jesus to preach, I think it's enough for us today.
- [30:19]
Unknown Worship Leader
Let me just set some stuff straight.
- [30:21]
Robert Madu
Here, since it's our birthday and some.
- [30:22]
Unknown Worship Leader
Of y'all are visiting.
- [30:23]
Robert Madu
You came again for Easter. We're so glad that you're here. Can I just let you know this is a church that wholeheartedly believes in.
- [30:30]
Unknown Worship Leader
The power of proclaiming the infallible, incorruptible, everlasting, unchanging, immutable word of God. Can I tell you there's something about the Word of God being preached in the presence of God that will transform your soul. Some of you don't even realize what the Word is doing over your life. Those of you that actually stay planted, you don't even know that the Word is doing something on the inside of you. And you wonder why you can't turn up in the club like you used to. You wonder why there's some friends you used to roll with and now you're looking at them like, are you for real? How in the world did I talk to you? Is this all y'all want to talk about? Girl, we 35. You still trying to get Bible service. Isn't it something deeper that we should be stepping into? You know what that is? That's the word of God. It's getting on the inside of you. And there is power in the Word. I'm telling you, the Word works. It'll work it if you're working.
- [31:28]
Robert Madu
He preached the Word to them.
- [31:32]
Unknown Worship Leader
I want to make a confession.
- [31:33]
Robert Madu
As confetti is falling at our birthday.
- [31:37]
Unknown Worship Leader
As a four year old church, there's.
- [31:39]
Robert Madu
Some stuff you gonna have to wait on us to get.
- [31:42]
Unknown Worship Leader
Where's the youth group? It's coming. Where's more discipleship class? It's coming. Where's this program and that program? It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. But can I tell you one thing? I can guarantee anytime you show up on a Sunday morning, you gonna get. You're gonna get the word of God. I'm gonna preach this Bible cause I know the power that is in the Word. I know it seems like this is a point I should move on from, but you need to know we are living in a culture where everybody ain't preaching the word. They preaching they cute stories. They preaching their political ideology. They preach in psychology and self help. And they wonder why there's no change in the people that they're preaching to. Because pop psychology ain't gonna change your life. Self help ain't gonna change your life. I need more than self help. I need a savior who has power in his Word to transform my soul. Oh, thank you, Jesus, for your word. Your word. It is a life.
- [32:44]
Robert Madu
It is a lamp unto my feet. It is a lamp unto my path. I've hidden it in my heart so I won't sin against him. I need his word. It's the only weapon I got. When the enemy is coming to me with all kinds of temptation, I gotta.
- [33:00]
Unknown Worship Leader
Hit him with the word. I'm just taking the script from Jesus. You gotta hit the devil with something. It is written. It is written. It is written. Now it was tweeted, now it was podcast. It is written and the reason some of you don't see the change outside of you, it's because you never got the word in you. But I came to tell you, if you get that word in you, there's some things that Del has been beating you up with that you'll see him run away from cuz he can't handle the word.
- [33:27]
Robert Madu
There's power in the Word. So Jesus preached the word. I wish the Bible had a little play button you could hear the audio. Don't you wish? I wish I could have heard his style. I wish I could have heard the style of Jesus preaching. Wouldn't that been cool to know how did he preach? The only thing we really get about his style of preaching is that he spoke with one. As one who had authority. I wish we could have got a style. I think he didn't give us his style of preaching on purpose. Yeah, so you wouldn't get caught up in the style. We were just talking since it's our birthday. I will also make sure from this pulpit that you'll hear the word. But I'm going to introduce you to different styles of preaching. As long as they preach in the Word, lean in and get the word that they're preaching. I love calm preachers that preach the Word and they just stand in one spot and they say, I wanted to share with you today what the Lord has placed in my heart. How many of you know that the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Isn't it great to know that the shepherd cares and that you lack nothing as long as he guides you?
- [34:32]
Unknown Worship Leader
If it's the Word, I'm with you. I like those preachers.
- [34:35]
Robert Madu
I got a friend that's coming to the fall. He's like, are you sure? I said absolutely. Come and be you. And he a different style. That's not him. He needs like a Hammond B3 organ behind him. He'll preach the same text. He'll be like, the Lord is my.
- [34:49]
Unknown Worship Leader
Shepherd, I shall not want. I want to thank God today that as long as I got the shepherd, I got everything I need. Look at your neighbor and say, neighbor. Y'all sound like you have an asthma attack between these words, neighbor. You know why I lack nothing? Cause the shepherd's leading, the shepherd's guiding. The shepherd's taking me in the place I need to go. I'm so glad that the good shepherd will leave.
- [35:27]
Robert Madu
Y'all leave me alone. It's my birthday. It's my birthday. It's my birthday. Sometimes we don't even not matter of fact, not Sometimes, a lot of times we won't even tell you who the guest preacher is because I don't want you coming. Not that we can't honor different speakers, but I want you coming to go, oh, so and so coming. All right, I got a word from them. You don't know who God is going to use to get the word to you come expectant and ready to receive. So we got a house of presence because his presence is showing up. We even got a house of proclamation because he's preaching the word. But then we also got a house full of people, which sounds like an amazing thing if you're already in the.
- [36:14]
Unknown Worship Leader
House.
- [36:16]
Robert Madu
If you already got your seat and you walked in. This is amazing. Look at all the people. But isn't it funny that the people that were attracted by the presence also became a problem for somebody who was outside of the house? There was somebody outside of the house that was trying to get to Jesus who needed a miracle, but he couldn't get to Jesus because of the people, and the people came because of his presence. Isn't that the church? Somebody asked me, what's your favorite thing about pastoring, people? Somebody asked me, what's the one thing you can't stand about pastoring? You said it. You said it. People, people. And so you can look at this paralyzed man who's on the outside and.
- [36:59]
Unknown Worship Leader
Go, hey, man, I know it's a crowd, but yo, pull the woman with the issue of blood. Press your way through. How? Or maybe you can say, like, hey, Zacchaeus, he had a crowd of people too, man. Climb a tree.
- [37:12]
Robert Madu
How? And it's funny to me that the same people that were amazing answer to the presence of God that drew them there were the same people who were a problem to a man who was paralyzed. The Bible is clear. They couldn't get to him because of the crowd. The crowd. And y'all know me, whenever I preach a text, I gotta feel the text. I gotta know what it's like to put my feet in the psychological shoes of the person in the text. And so often I'll be sermon prepping and PT will walk in the room and I'll be doing stuff like that. Like, what are you doing? I said I'm studying. Leave me alone. Because I want to know what it's like to see your legs but not be able to use them. I want to know what it's like to be defined by your issue. Have you ever noticed that in your Bible that every time we meet a person with an issue, rarely do we get the person's name. We always get their issue attached to who they are. So it's the woman with the issue of blood. What's sister girl's name? I'm asking when we get to heaven for real.
- [38:42]
Unknown Worship Leader
As many times as I preached about.
- [38:43]
Robert Madu
This woman pressing through the crowd. What was her name? Tabitha. What was her name? I'd like to know. There's a man with a withered hand. What was his name? We don't get their names. All we get is their issue connected to their identity. And I tell you, if you're not.
- [38:58]
Unknown Worship Leader
Careful, the enemy will make you think that your issue is your identity. He'll make you think that you are defined by what you did or defined by a dysfunction. And I just came to tell you on our birthday, the devil is a liar. Don't ever let people identify identify you with your issue. Because if you are in Christ, how many are thankful that you can be a brand new creature? I don't have to be defined by my disability. What is this dude's name in the text?
- [39:29]
Robert Madu
We don't get it. We just get that he's a paralytic man. And here he is stuck in one place looking at legs that don't work. Hear me? There are no hoverounds, there are no wheelchairs. He would stay stuck. Come on, y'all, it's birthday. Can we be real? Have you ever felt stuck? Have you ever felt like you were in the same place, in the same position watching everybody else pass you by? And I got the strange suspicion there are some of you, that if we looked at your life spiritually, this is exactly how you would be. Spiritual paralysis. Stuck thinking there's nobody that I can count on. So I may as well resort to the fact that this is all that life has to offer. And if I was the enemy, I would keep you stuck. And I would make sure you would stay in isolation and never call out to anybody to help you. And I would make you think that people are the problem. And because there's a crowd stopping you from getting to Jesus, that you can't get to him. If I was the enemy, I would have you so stuck in church hurt that you never come to another church again and you never fight for community. I would have you deconstruct all the way down to the level of hating institutional church and people and just angry at everybody and say, forget the whole thing, it's a joke. If I was the enemy, I would keep you in isolation and keep you stuck. But I came to tell you, if you ever Want to get unstuck, you ought to do something that I think is powerful, because the same people that were in the way, the same issue that blocked him was the same issue that helped him. God will use people in the church to even heal your church hurt. Isolation doesn't help you. That just makes you more lonely and sad. You need to find the right people. If I were you and you felt just like this and you were stuck and you want to resort to isolation, I came to tell you, don't do it. You need to open up your mouth and say, God, I need some help.
- [41:47]
Unknown Worship Leader
I need community. I need somebody to help me. I need help, God, I can't be in isolation. Oh, here comes some help. Somebody in this place. Would you just shout, help? God, help me.
- [42:03]
Robert Madu
Wait a minute. Y'all just stand right here? Yeah.
- [42:09]
Unknown Worship Leader
Isn't that crazy? I yelled, God, help.
- [42:14]
Robert Madu
And he sent people.
- [42:19]
Unknown Worship Leader
God, I need help, not them.
- [42:25]
Robert Madu
God's going, that's how I help you through people. Have you isolated yourself so much that you're rejecting the very help from God through people? You just gonna be. You're just gonna say, all men are horrible. Really, Boo Boo. You're gonna be single a long time.
- [42:53]
Unknown Worship Leader
Oh, that's how our women are.
- [42:55]
Robert Madu
No, that's the crazy Jezebel you dated. But that's how we do it.
- [43:00]
Unknown Worship Leader
We categorize a whole. Ah, the church is corrupt. No, that's the one you were at.
- [43:04]
Robert Madu
Find a healthy one, not a perfect one.
- [43:07]
Unknown Worship Leader
There are no perfect ones.
- [43:10]
Robert Madu
But look at the help that came in four. Thank God.
- [43:16]
Unknown Worship Leader
For.
- [43:23]
Robert Madu
If these four never showed up, this man would have never gotten into the presence of Jesus. And I am fighting. Hear me. For somebody in this place to call out to God to find your four, find your people. And I'm fighting in this place to tell somebody, let's be the church, and let's be the ones who are willing to carry other people. You want to know what Social Dallas is about? As the worship team joins me. Just the band, let me give you a visual picture of what Social Dallas is about. Watch. Okay, now I'm ready. Hold on, hold on, hold on. You know, we had straps on this. I told him, take the straps off. You got to live by faith. I'm pausing, but I'm preaching. Because sometimes the greatest act of faith is to be vulnerable enough to let people carry you. To be vulnerable enough.
- [44:53]
Unknown Worship Leader
To not fight it.
- [44:56]
Robert Madu
To say, all right, all right. And I know. I hear you. Please hear my heart. I am not dismissing church hurt at all. Because some of you did and you got dropped. But are you going to live the rest of your life like this? Not when there's a savior in a.
- [45:18]
Unknown Worship Leader
House.
- [45:24]
Robert Madu
While he's preaching and the house is packed. He knows that you're on the outside praying for an opportunity to get up. Cause you're sick of being stuck. So I'm praying for somebody today who needs to have the faith of surrender to say, all right, I'm gonna trust you. I'm praying for somebody today that needs to have the faith for somebody else to get whole.
- [46:03]
Unknown Worship Leader
Don't miss that in the text.
- [46:05]
Robert Madu
When Jesus saw their faith, the collective.
- [46:10]
Unknown Worship Leader
Faith, you only got faith for you. You only got faith for your blessing. We got to break this narcissistic, self saturated culture. Why don't you got faith for your child to come come back home and be safe? Why don't you got faith for your neighbor that you haven't spoken to to get set free from alcoholism? Why don't you got faith for your co worker?
- [46:29]
Robert Madu
Got faith for a city that needs a revival and needs to not be stuck in religion. And so here we go. I trust. Go ahead. Ooh. Thank you, Lord. Yeah. Yeah. You wanna know what social Dallas is about?
- [46:51]
Unknown Worship Leader
This is what we about right here. Woo.
- [46:53]
Robert Madu
Come on.
- [46:54]
Unknown Worship Leader
You know how much I weigh? Y'all move a little bit. I want you to see. Oh. Can you imagine what it took for them to carry this dude all the way up some stairs, up a roof and cut a hole? Put me down. Put me down. Yeah, right here.
- [47:11]
Robert Madu
Whoo.
- [47:13]
Unknown Worship Leader
Y'all good? Can you imagine? They almost passed out, just moving from there to here. I wonder what it took to have the tenacity to not just carry the dude, but then to have the strategy to say, I'll do whatever it takes. I'll tear the roof off. Can I tell you, if you got tear the roof off friends, you got the wrong circle. You got the wrong friends. I don't need people that see me stuck on the ground and say, nah, it's fine. No, I need some friends who say, we gonna get you in the presence of Jesus. I might not be able to make you get up, but I'll get you in the presence of the one that can. Oh, can I declare over Social Dallas? We will be a church that will do whatever it takes to get people in the presence of a savior that can cause people to get us tear the roof off. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes. And if you're struggling with the passion.
- [48:16]
Robert Madu
To do it, let me tell you what God and life will do. God will make sure in your life. Go down there, Jeff. Lay down. Come on. We ain't gonna lift. But I just want him to see. God will make sure in your life that you always have a season where you don't have the strength.
- [48:40]
Unknown Worship Leader
Your turn, Clinton. God will make sure that you always have a season where you say, I can't do anything. I need somebody. Go ahead, Walt. Your turn. God will make sure that you always have a season where you're saying, I need community. I need somebody else. Come on, pj. Your turn. God will make sure that you always have a season where you can't do anything but say, I need somebody to pray me through. I need somebody to help me find God, because I can't. I don't care how spiritual you are. I don't care how many scriptures you know. I promise you, you going to hit a season where you going to need somebody. Help me get to Jesus.
- [49:21]
Robert Madu
Thank you. Y'all can go. Y'all can go.
- [49:25]
Unknown Worship Leader
Thank God.
- [49:28]
Robert Madu
For the four.
- [49:30]
Unknown Worship Leader
Thank God.
- [49:33]
Robert Madu
For the four. Remain standing if you can. These four tear the roof off. They interrupt Jesus sermons. How many know when somebody comes through a roof? It's time to close. Close the message down. I want you to see something. Stay with me. What are the first words from the Savior to this paralytic man? Let's not even do the first words. Let's do the first word he says to him. Son.
- [50:14]
Unknown Worship Leader
Son.
- [50:16]
Robert Madu
You don't believe me? Read your Bible when you get to the crib. This is the only place in scripture where Jesus says son to somebody he's about to heal. Why in the world does this paralytic man need to hear the word son? Because in that culture, when you were paralyzed, the responsibility of you going from place to place was on your family. Your family was supposed to be the one when you were paralyzed and made sure you could move from place to place. So the fact that these four unnamed friends showed up, as beautiful as it is, it's a picture that in all likelihood, this man's family, when they saw maybe when he was born paralyzed. He's not worth us spending any time. We'll just leave you to the side. And some of you know what it's like to feel that pain of not having family who was there for you and left you stuck. And you want to tell me you don't need the church no more than ever. You need a community.
- [51:31]
Unknown Worship Leader
You need a new family in the family of God where everyone is welcome at the table. Jesus knew this man needed his identity restored because how many are thankful that when your mother and father reject you, God will accept you? He will make sure you know that.
- [51:50]
Robert Madu
You'Re his child's son. Your sins are forgiven. You know, he had to be thinking, appreciate it. But that really wasn't my prayer request. A prayer request wasn't for my sins to be forgiven. A prayer request was for these legs. That's why you got to thank God for the prayers he didn't answer because he knows what you need. He knows that the deepest human problem lies in the human heart. And what good is it for me to deal with your suffering if I don't deal with your sin? You don't need a new house. You don't need a raise. You need to be forgiven. And you ought to thank God sometimes for the prayers he didn't answer because he knows what you need. And he knew that this man, although he had the power and would cause him to raise up, he knew that this man needed healing on the inside and needed to be forgiven. Can we thank God that there is only one person that is qualified to say, you are forgiven of your sins, and his name is Jesus. He says, you're forgiven when he says you're forgiven. The haters in the room, he's blaspheming is what they thought. The Pharisees, he's blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?
- [53:29]
Unknown Worship Leader
You telling on yourself in your hating. He is God. So much God, he says, all right, you don't think I'm God. You don't think he's really forgiven. I will show you that I have.
- [53:41]
Robert Madu
Authority on earth to forgive sins.
- [53:43]
Unknown Worship Leader
And I want to pause right there on this birthday and tell somebody, I don't know what you're facing, but it is not bigger than our God. How many are thankful that God has all power and all authority in his hand? He looked at that man and looked at the hating Pharisees and teachers of the law. He said, so you may know that I got authority so that you may know that I truly can forgive sins. Let me make sure that you see that his legs on the outside are proof positive of the healing that I did on the inside, because that's how good your God is. He will heal you from the inside out. So he looks at that man and says, I tell you, get up. Take your mat and go home. And can I tell somebody on this birthday, this is your birthday gift. You about to get up from every single thing that the enemy thought you were stuck in. You gonna get up from worry. You Gonna get up from depression. You gonna get up from the words that other people spoke over your life. This is your moment to get up and walk in everything that God has for you. Somebody give him the best praise that you got. Hey, what you think he sung? You think he's saying something? When he got up, you think he had a little song in his spirit? I can see him because I love it.
- [55:01]
Robert Madu
Jesus said, I'm gonna give you a six step program on how to get up.
- [55:04]
Unknown Worship Leader
No, I gave you a word.
- [55:06]
Robert Madu
Now respond to the word that you heard and get up.
- [55:10]
Unknown Worship Leader
Can you see that man getting up? Can you see him walking? What do you think he started singing? I don't know. Maybe he's saying, you pick me up, turn me around, place my feet on. I thank the master. Heal my heart with the worship team. Change my name forever. I thank the master. Are there any three people at the Texas Trustees? Anybody thankful that hell lost another one? And another one, and another one and another one? Anybody testifying that he changed your name?
- [56:18]
Robert Madu
We gonna sing it again. All the people that rush to the.
- [56:23]
Unknown Worship Leader
Parking lot, they gonna miss the food.
- [56:24]
Robert Madu
Trucks and they gonna miss the real.
- [56:25]
Unknown Worship Leader
Close of the message. Ah.
- [56:28]
Robert Madu
Because before service they said, hey, PR when the four leave, do you want them to take the stretcher with them?
- [56:41]
Unknown Worship Leader
And I thought about it.
- [56:42]
Robert Madu
I said, well, it is yellow bright. I said, yeah, they can take it.
- [56:48]
Unknown Worship Leader
And then just before I got up.
- [56:51]
Robert Madu
I called Rachel, our amazing production director, over. I said, hey.
- [56:56]
Unknown Worship Leader
I said, rachel, never mind.
- [56:58]
Robert Madu
Tell them the four to leave it there. There's a method to my madness. Because you know what Jesus said to.
- [57:07]
Unknown Worship Leader
The dude after he got up, got.
- [57:08]
Robert Madu
Up, got up out of somebody knows the word. He said.
- [57:16]
Unknown Worship Leader
Take your mat.
- [57:22]
Robert Madu
And go home.
- [57:28]
Unknown Worship Leader
And the dude had to be thinking, jesus, I'm good. I don't need that yellow thing anymore. He said, no, I need you to carry, carry your mat. This is critical because I know how far you live and I need everybody that saw you when you were paralyzed. They need to see you carrying the thing that you're used to being laying on. I came to tell somebody on our birthday, don't forget your mask. Don't forget your testimony. Don't get saved and start acting. Bougie. You better remember where God brought you from. You better remember what God did in your life. Come on, let's declare it. Get up, get up, get up, get up, get up, get up, get up, get up.
- [58:18]
Robert Madu
Thankful for the goodness of Jesus. Hear me? That's not just hype. He's called us out of Darkness into his marvelous light. And hear me today. If this reality of being forgiven and healed is not in your life, it is available today. These aren't just stories for us to read and go, oh, that's cool. He did it for him. No, he can do it for you, too. That's what he paid the price for. Do you realize when he said, your sins are forgiven, he knew what it was going to take for his sins to be forgiven. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Means Jesus knew. In order for your legs to get up and walk, and in order for you to walk in your wholeness and be forgiven, my legs will have to be pinned to a cross. Have to stretch me wide. And I think the greatest birthday gift will be for somebody in this place today to respond to this Savior who loves you so much. Maybe you want to stay in isolation. You're like, forget the church. And I can't. But today, God's showing you you need community. You need somebody. I'm telling you, I would rather trust some people who might drop me and trust God to take care of it than to stay stuck in paralysis and isolation. Thank God for the four. I'm up here today because of some people who were my four who believed in me before there was ever a social Dallas who poured into my life. I've had seasons where I'm like, God, I can't do anything but lay here. Shout out to pastor Michelle, the best kids pastor in the world. It's birthday. I can do what I want. We launched this church in 2021. I remember the year 2020 being in the deepest, darkest depression of my life. Didn't want to get out of the bed, crying every single day and then feeling bad about being depressed because I'm the dude that gets up and says who and encourages other other people stuck in the house in a pandemic. And Pastor Michelle, before she was our kids pastor, sends a text, says, hey, I know you and Taylor are in the house and it's a lot with your three kids. Could I come over? I said, it's a pandemic.
- [61:22]
Unknown Worship Leader
She's like, I don't care.
- [61:26]
Robert Madu
She says, can I come over and just watch the kids and let y'all get a break? I will never forget that moment because I needed it. I was the man laying on the mat. And to think that God even knew then that social Dallas would be here and that she would be our kids pastor impacting the next generation.
- [62:05]
Unknown Worship Leader
Thank God for the four.
- [62:08]
Robert Madu
We're not a perfect church, but Man, I want this to be a place that's safe and people can go, man, I can come in paralyzing. Somebody will go through the inconvenience of carrying my weight. It's not convenient to carry a dude up some stairs and cut a hole in the roof. It's not convenient for servant leaders to get up at 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning in 14 different venues in four years set up. But there are the four. So just in this moment, I'm going to ask if every head could be bowed and eyes could be closed because we're going to do what we've always done to give somebody an opportunity to respond to Jesus today. If you're in here today and you say, hey, P.R. i've never given him my life, man, this is a great day because you can have a for real birthday. You don't have to get yourself together to come to him. He's a savior. You can come just as you are. So with heads bowed and eyes closed, if that's you and you say, hey, P.R. i need to give him my life today. Maybe you need to rededicate your life to him. Would you lift up your hand high enough and long enough to where I can see it? Yeah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. I see hands all over this place in the balcony. Yes. Thank you, God. Thank you for responding to this Savior who says, son, daughter, he'll give you a new name. He will change your name. That's not just lyrics to a song. He will change you from broken to whole, change you from depressed to joy. I can't promise you it's going to happen overnight, but keep sticking with it in every season. Watch the word do a work in you. Anybody else? Thank you, God. I want us to pray this as one big family. We're all going to pray it, but especially those of you who responded. Would you say this from your heart? Just say this. Say, jesus, I need you, Lord, today. This is my moment. The roof is open. I'm in your presence. And I'm stuck, stuck in my sin. I can't get myself out. I need a savior. So, Jesus, today I respond, thank you so much for living the life that I was supposed to live, for dying the death that I was supposed to die. You took my place. So from this moment forward, all of me is yours. I give you my heart, give you my mind. I give you my soul. I am forgiven. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Oh, come on. If you meant that prayer and you're grateful can we really give God a praise for the real birthdays in the room?
- [65:35]
Unknown Worship Leader
No, I'm talking about, I saw so many hands. Can we give God praise for the.
- [65:38]
Robert Madu
Real birthdays that are in the room too? You prayed that prayer. Hear me tell today. First of all, the best thing you can do is just keep showing up. You don't have to be at this church. Find you a church. I recommend this one. Find you a church and keep showing up. Because we say all the time, you keep showing up, you keep showing up, you keep growing up. We'd also would love for you to text life to this number on the screen that lets us just follow up with you. We want to be your family. We want to be your four. And. And I just want to say on behalf of my wife and my kids who I think are like side stage are going to come. Can y'all come on out? We gonna, we gonna end this thing right? The ones who give the most. Come on, y'all.
- [66:29]
Unknown Worship Leader
Y'all can do better than that.
- [66:30]
Robert Madu
This is the Mado crew.
- [66:32]
Unknown Worship Leader
It's a big deal for them to come out.
- [66:36]
Robert Madu
We want to say thank you so much, so much for coming to celebrate our fourth birthday.
- [66:42]
Unknown Worship Leader
You ain't got to rush out.
- [66:43]
Robert Madu
We got food trucks, we got all.
- [66:45]
Unknown Worship Leader
Kinds of things outside. We got a gift for you if.
- [66:47]
Robert Madu
You didn't get your SD home keychain. Make sure you get your keychain. What else? You want to write that 25 million.
- [66:55]
Unknown Worship Leader
Dollar check so we can move in next week?
- [66:57]
Robert Madu
We got giving kiosk all throughout the building. But we're so glad that you came to celebrate our birthday today. And guess what?
- [67:07]
Unknown Worship Leader
We're four now. We're four. So there's only one more thing to say before we turn up and praise. Happy birthday, Social Teller. I said happy birthday, Social. Dallas. Come on, y'all. We love.