Escape Room | Easter | Pastor Scott Thomas

Hello, hello, friend. My name is Clotty

and I want to welcome you to Free Life

Chapel where we help you discover and

live the free life in Christ. I'm so

glad that you decided to tune in with us

online today. But hey, whenever you get

a chance, come visit us in person. We're

located in Central Florida and waiting

on you and your family. I'm so glad that

you tuned in. Check this message out.

>> Few years ago, uh I did something uh I I

went to this, maybe you've done this

before, went to an escape room. Anybody

ever been to an escape room before?

Where are the folks that you paid to get

locked into a room by yourself? You paid

for that, right? Who does that? I mean,

they they they you pay money, they lock

you in, and they say, "We'll come see

you in an hour." If I was smart, I would

have laid down and taken a nap because

that would have been the best hour of my

life. I'm sure no one's going to bother

me. But but the goal of the escape room

is once you're in there is to figure out

the clues that they don't tell you. You

just got to go in, take it all in and

try to start figuring out this and that

and put this together and oh that

connects here and so oh that's a code

for what and then you start punching in

digits and and then bing and something

opens and you got a key and what does

that open and it takes you a series of

those discoveries to actually find the

key that ultimately lets you open the

door and get out. What's harrowing is

they've got a clock on the wall that is

counting down and like I paid for this.

My blood pressure is going up right now

just because a clock is going down and

and and I'm I'm watching the clock we

when when we were in there the clock

gets down to about 10 minutes and I like

I raised my voice. Okay, let's go. WE

GOT TO FIND THIS KEY. I MEAN IT'S IT'S

AMAZING what starts to and and and this

team we're like we're we're looking.

We're scrambling and and it counts down

to two minutes like are you serious? And

come to find out later, we were on our

last clue. We had done so good. But we

we we go over, we get this code. We go

over and we're punching in on the little

digits on the door to open it up. And

then you hear

it's like and and we're just 10 n EIGHT

PUNCHING HIM AGAIN. And we're trying.

And then this little beep of rejection.

It was soul crushing.

It hit. We were stuck. We weren't

getting out.

And a few minutes later, a 17-year-old

laid down their phone from social media

and walked up on the outside and opened

the door in order to allow the adults

inside out, granted freedom to us. We

said, "Thank you." And he mocked us as

we left the room. It was it was

horrible. It was a horrible situation.

the the escape room. When I think back

to it, it's it is so much like the life

you and I are living today. We're trying

to solve the puzzle. We're trying to

figure stuff out. H how can I how can I

work through and figure out how to get

over this anxiety that keeps on running

my life? I I'm looking for the code to

fix relationships.

Where is that piece that that missing

piece of the puzzle that's going to help

me parent properly in this situation?

And we can search and we can be looking

where we we can try better habits and

and and and and I I'm just going to make

more money and and where's the code so

that I can get a new view on life and

all we keep hearing is

I'm trying stuff because I mean they

said on Tik Tok it would work

and it's so frustrating to be stuck. I'm

talented. You're educated. We have

resources. We have friends. We We have

careers that are running,

but we have no answers. And I'm stuck in

this situation. Nothing is working. Oh,

the career might be clicking, but maybe

the marriage is dipping. Like, like if

you looked at one area of my life, you

would think I had it all together. But

if people really knew

>> right

>> what was going on, cuz we've gotten

really good. We've gotten really good at

putting really nice hats on messed up

minds. We've gotten really good at

making sure the filter is just right to

make sure people think I'm living my

best life and people are envying you,

not even realizing you would trade lives

with them right now if you had the

opportunity. We're just on this low-key

frustrated like it's just it's just

boiling right below the surface. I

should be further than this right now. I

should be doing better than this right

now. It's so frustrating to feel stuck

in there. And then and then here's what

really hits is as you've been doing this

for a few years like me, you then

quickly discover that the real struggle

isn't career. It isn't money. It isn't I

need a new house. No, the real struggle

is in your head and it's in your heart.

It's no longer exterior. It's interior.

This is really where the hell kicks in

in your life. I I these things out here

can change. But but when it's not right

here, when it's not right here, man,

that is when things are really really

tough. And when you and I get to that

place right there, the frustration comes

because we cra can't crack the code to

lasting peace. Oh, I breathed deep on

that vacation, but I had to come home,

so it wasn't lasting. It was quick and

then it was gone. I I don't have real

joy. I mean like like the ice cream cone

was good for like five minutes, but then

the lasting joy is gone. Deep deep

healing. Not a band-aid to just get me

through today, but I mean where I am

good and nothing can rock me. Nothing

controls me emotionally. That that level

of healing. I I can't get out of this

room of shame. I can't break out of this

thing of fear. I should be further and I

should try, but I just can't. I keep

buckling.

It's called a tomb.

You're you're not in an escape room.

You're actually in a tomb. A tomb is a

rough place. It's it's the ultimate

locked room. It's it's the ultimate it's

the undisputed, undefeated champion.

It's the final enemy. It is escape proof

that that's exactly what the tomb is. No

one gets out. Nothing lives inside. It's

just that place that is dead because

there's no access to the outside and

everything is on lockdown.

I know what this is like personally.

Maybe you can relate with at least a

piece of this. But this is why we're

here today. This is why we're here

celebrating Resurrection Sunday. Because

on Good Friday, the clock hit zero and

it looked like Jesus's escape room went

to a tomb. They called it a tomb that

they put him in. But the truth is, the

enemy is cheering. We got him. We killed

the son of God. It's over. It's done.

They thought that the tomb was on

permanent lock. It was done. But Jesus

had told those cats, he said, "Listen,

three days later, you put me in the

ground. 3 days later, I'm bouncing back.

You can't keep me down. And and some of

them didn't believe, some did, some

didn't. But he told them that was going

to happen. And so this young lady named

Mary, one who loved Jesus, one who had

been impacted by Jesus, she goes to the

tomb on day three to check on Jesus, to

just go and be by the tomb. And when

Mary turns the corner, she sees that the

stone is rolled away. And there's a

dagon angel sitting on top of that

stone.

Y'all, can we talk in Pulk County today?

There ain't nothing right about seeing

an angel sit in front of you, right?

>> Oh, we can look in the rearview mirror

of 2,000 years through stained glass and

church stuff and go, "Amen. Kiss my

grits. THERE'S AN ANGEL SITTING IN FRONT

OF ME. I AM du n done. I am out of here.

I'm crawling out of the place." AN ANGEL

SITTING THERE. MARY RUNS AROUND AND

THERE'S AN ANGEL SITTING THERE AND THE

ANGEL TALKS BACK TO HER. And here's what

he said. In Mark 16:6, he said, "Don't

Mark 16:6

be afraid. I know you're looking for

Jesus the Nazarene, the one they nailed

on the cross. He's been raised up. He's

here no longer. You can see for yourself

that the place is empty."

That's great news right there. That that

that that's an amazing episode. Jesus

Jesus was buried in a tomb, but he broke

the code to this undefeable place of

death. and downgraded it from a tomb to

an escape room. You see, a tomb is a is

a difficult place. A tomb is where

things are dead, things are over, things

are stuck, things are done. But an

escape room has a door. It has an exit.

It means it's temporary. You're on the

way out. You're in right now. It's

frustrating, but you're coming out of

this thing. Would you turn to someone,

tell them, "I'm coming out of this

thing." Just tell them, "I'm coming out

of this thing." Yes, you are. Yes, you

are. And the reason you are is because 2

2 Timothy 1:10

Timothy 1:10 says this. Jesus destroyed

death and through the gospel has brought

life and release from death into full

view. In other words, because of what

Jesus did on the cross, put him in the

grave. He just Airbnbed that thing. He

didn't need it. He didn't turn up put in

a mortgage on that on that grave. You

understand? I just need it for a couple

of days. I'm leasing this thing. And

three days later, he bounces back. And

because he did that, he brings life and

release. He can open the door to that

place in your life that seems that you

can't get out of. He holds the key to

it. Now there's no more dead living. As

believers, there's no more empty heart,

no more empty hope, no more empty

dreams.

This is good news for you and I. That's

what we're celebrating today. But I want

you to understand something.

You and I are facing the same

circumstances that Jesus did when they

buried him. We are facing the same. In

fact, it is scary how similar, how

detailed the things that you and I are

facing today are exactly what Jesus

FACED. AND I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART

THIS IS WHY THE BIBLE records specific

details that you and I can go, "Dang, me

too." Here's what the Bible says in

Matthew chapter 27.

Matthew 27 · chapter mention

Take a guard, Pilate answered, go make

the tomb as secure as you know how. So

they went and made the

>> secure by putting a

>> steel

>> on the

>> stone

>> and posting the

>> guard.

>> They were afraid Jesus was going to come

back. And if wouldn't come back, then

maybe disciples would go steal his body.

And we can't have that. So we're going

to keep him on lockdown. We'll put him

in a tomb. We'll put a stone over the

the opening. We're going to put a seal,

the Roman seal on top of that. And then

we'll put guards on the outside. Ladies

and gentlemen, a tomb, a stone, a seal,

and a guard are exactly what you're

dealing with today in your life. It is

exactly what is trying to hold you

hostage and keep you from living your

best life. And I want you to hear me

today. Let's talk about the tomb.

The tomb isn't a hole in a rock. It's

the framework of faith.

It's the framework of faith. In fact, I

would just kind of put it this way. It's

how well you handle your BS.

Your belief system. Your belief system

is really important that you get your BS

right. Tell somebody get your BS right.

Get your BS right. It's okay. It means

belief system. You can do this. You can

do this. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Shake. Stretch. Let it roll. Yeah. It's

okay. You got to get your belief system

right. A tomb. A tomb IS ALL ABOUT YOUR

BELIEF SYSTEM. WATCH THIS. WATCH THIS.

WATCH THIS. IF YOU BELIEVE JESUS IS JUST

a nice historical figure who taught

really good stuff and did really good

needs, good deeds, then then then what

you've done is you built an inescapable

tomb that cannot sustain life. You are

stuck. It's over. If all he is was a

good man, not a savior and a deliverer,

then you are done. you if you were

attempting life without God, you're

trying to answer questions that's above

your pay grade.

>> Life is beyond your ability to plan. Oh,

we throw this word out called security

as if we got it on lock. But you and I,

we talk about our fiveyear goals, our 10

year goals, our two-month goals, and

they're cute. They're nice, but I

promise you, heaven and hell laughs. Oh,

isn't that so cute? Because you and I

don't know what next month holds. You

don't know what next year holds. It

takes one text message to rock your

world and undo every plan you've got.

That's how fragile life is. But we stand

back and act like that we can just run

this and it's good. And I'm not mad at

us making plans. We need to go towards

things and we need to set some things in

motion. But ladies and gentlemen, do not

get it twisted. Life is fragile and

beyond my ability to control. That's why

it is really important that you've got

your hand in the hand of the one who is

controlling every step in your future.

and you know everything is going to be

all right.

THE THE CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE WITH THIS

ALL THE TIME. Our BS goes sideways all

the time. We believe Jesus can save the

world. We just don't think he can heal

our marriage.

>> I I believe Jesus can work miracles for

all them. I believe in everything he

said in the Bible, but but Jesus can't

do nothing with my teenager.

>> We We really watch because our belief

system is off. We lock him down. And I

need you to hear something. This is a

key to life that you and I need to keep

imprinted. In fact, you might want to

tat it somewhere on your body. It's a

good one. Tat it where you can see it.

Here's the key. Your life will never

outgrow the size of your God.

If you keep God small in your life, then

your life is going to be limited for the

rest of your life. That's good.

>> But if you make God large and in charge

and know he's able to do exceeding

abundantly above all you could ever ask

or think, then I promise you, life is

going to take on a whole new look for

you. Your hope is going to be alive.

Your joy is going to be alive. You're

going to get your try back again.

>> We got to make sure it's strong.

Ephesians 3:20, I just quoted it. We

Ephesians 3:20

love that verse. My God is able to do

exceeding abundantly. Ha above all I can

ask or think. HA. LIKE WE LOVE TO preach

that and we love it in church. We'll

quote it. People will post it. It's all

good. But can I tell you another verse

that's also in the Bible that goes with

that? Matthew chapter 9 says this.

Matthew 9 · chapter mention

According to your faith, let it be done

to you.

>> So God makes promises, but until you and

I get our BS right and we begin to

activate who he is, I've got no reason

to expect anything great.

>> If I don't believe, I'll get everything

I'm believing for. If I do believe, I

will get because he's a promisekeeper

and he works with me. But I've got to

put my trust and faith in him. When I

stop believing, if I get it sideways,

I'm locked into a tomb. The second thing

that happens when I get my BS wrong, it

puts a stone in the way. Keeps me from

walking out of the situation. You know

what a stone is? It's self-inflicted

wounds.

Those are the worst. Somebody can hit

you and and that's bad. But when you do

it to yourself, anybody been so hungry,

you were eating so fast that you bit

your own lip. Anybody ever bit your own

lip before? Okay. Is that not just the

most rid I get mad. I get mad when I

bite my jaw or my lip because Okay, I

should I'm 58. I should know better by

now. I should have this chewing thing

down. I'm eating my own face while I'm

eating this taco. That is not good.

You ever tripped over nothing?

And then we look back to see nothing

and try to blame it on something.

No, you just looking ridiculous right

now. That's all that was. That that that

that's Yeah, we we we've all been

Anybody ever stubbed your toe?

>> Oh, yes. That is the worst. My wife has

this this thing. She stubs her toes

regularly and it's horrible. I feel bad

for her, but it is the funniest thing.

When Cindy stubs her toe, she doesn't

jump and dance and run. Cindy does the

stinky leg. SHE LIKE, "AH." I mean, she

got that thing going up.

>> SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS ARE THE I'LL PAY

FOR THAT LATER. SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS

ARE THE WORST. WHY DO WE HAVE THEM?

BECAUSE DEAD THINKING PRODUCES dead

results.

>> DEAD THINKING, THE SELF-INFLICTED

consequence of not believing God, not

trusting God. I got to trust in

somebody. If it's not him, I'm trusting

in me. I'm tr. And so when I BEGIN TO DO

THAT, DEAD THINKING produces two tons of

consequences rolled in front of my life.

And I've got to deal with that right

there. And usually those consequences,

they they become evidence that give me

reason to stop believing in the miracle

power of Jesus to turn this situation

around. You see, excuses are this an

alibi that makes us feel good about

living inside of mediocrity. And we get

so good at telling giving excuses that

we no longer search for the answer.

>> And I back up and I defend myself with

why that's not working or well that

that's not for me and I'm just not this

and I got too much going on. And we

throw the excuses out. The whole time we

have turned what should just be a room

into a tomb.

And instead of fighting to get out, we

start decorating the walls.

I start trying to settle in and make it

comfortable instead of seeing it as a

place that I've got to escape. So, I

start making excuses for the marriage.

Well, it's just always going to be this

way. It's how we are. Well, he had a

rough upbringing, so that's why he does

that. And so, you take stuff that you

never should have taken. We roll with

stuff that we should be pushing back on,

but we just settle in and we just

decide, well, I deserve it. Or, my mom

was this way. My grandmother was this

way. I guess I'm going to be this way,

too. And we stop believing for more,

reaching for more, expecting more,

praying more. And we just settle in and

we say, "This is how it's going to be."

Oh, we post really good on social media,

but that's not really how we're

thinking.

>> No, we got a lot of filters we're going

through.

We settle

>> when we when that when that real thing

hits us in that moment, the

consequences,

what what's really going on with us now

is the real enemy, the real thing that

cripples us, the real pain in our life

is this. It's emptiness. Amen.

>> Life takes scoops out of your soul

>> and you got these hollow places that you

can't fill in with anything. You can't

laugh hard enough to fill that in.

You can't go on a vacation long enough

to fill in that empty spot because if

you stayed on that vacation, that empty

spot would go with you. That that that

that those scoops out of your soul. AND

THEN WE THEN WE TRY EVERYTHING TO FILL

IN THE EMPTY PLACE. WE try everyone and

everything. It is crazy. We have tried

IT ALL TO FILL the empty spot in with

ourselves. I HAVE TOO. JUST THINK BACK

TO WHO YOU ACTUALLY DATED.

>> Think back to who you almost married.

WE WE WE RUN AFTER JOBS. WE GO AFTER

THINGS. IF I COULD JUST GET MONEY, IF I

COULD GET THIS MANY FOLLOWERS on social

media. WE START SETTING ALL THESE THINGS

TRYING TO FILL that empty spot and we

keep COMING UP EMPTY. THINK ABOUT THE

PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE actually asked

advice from.

They can't afford to pay attention, but

you're taking financial advice from them

on how they should handle the money. SO,

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

>> That's what we're reduced to when we're

empty. We're searching for anything. Do

you know why? Because the goal at this

point is to numb the pain.

I stop looking for answers. I just need

to feel good. What's that? When's the

next party? Do they have some strong

drink there? What's in the Kool-Aid? I

need it now. I start looking for for the

next high. I run from this to run to

that if I can just make it to the

weekend. And we start bouncing for these

things. But then all of a sudden, the

consequences are building. We got a debt

of regret that we can't pay off. A

trauma that you've been through that you

can't think your way out of. We're

buried in these heart issues. And now

we're afraid to trust God. And the truth

be known that the evidence that's in our

face that's blocking our way out says

even if you wanted to leave, you can't

move the weight of what you've done,

you're stuck in it for the rest of your

life. Learn to deal with it. That is the

lie of hell in your life. And Jesus came

to reverse that lie and tell you that

where there was once death, I stuck life

inside there. That's why Jesus had to be

buried in a tomb because he knew one day

your situation was going to be in a tomb

as well. So when he rose from the dead,

he left a residue of resurrection power

inside of that tomb so that when you got

there, you would know it hurts, but it's

not over. My best days are still ahead

of me.

>> Here's what I want you to understand.

A room without an exit is a tomb.

And a tomb is only where you put dead

stuff.

You were made for more than that.

Proverbs chapter 23 says this, "For as

Proverbs 23 · chapter mention

he thinks within himself, so is he."

Many of you have heard it put this way.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

In other words, my BS produces

decisions.

>> Cuz how I think about and look at God

determines how I see and look at myself.

>> That's good. And if I see him as as

victorious and able, then I know that

I'm more than a conqueror through Jesus

Christ. I will come through these

situations. But if he was just a good

guy and has no real power and no

authority to lead my life, then I am

stuck and I've got to be my own God and

I'll start making decisions like Adam

and Eve tried to do it on their own and

then they live making excuses and

blaming everything and everybody around

them. No, we can live different.

Whenever we begin to see oursel

different because I see him different,

that changes things. It moves us in then

then to the seal. The seal, this is this

is an important one here because again

the seal was a religious legalism and a

cultural opinion that that seal that

that you see that was on the emperor's

ring. And whenever what they did was was

was they when they rolled the stone in

front of the tomb, they then poured a a

little a little line of of of of red wax

and he would put the impression of his

ring inside of that wax so that if

anybody broke that wax by moving the

stone, you have actually dear declared

war against Rome itself. You broke our

back. You called us out. We will come

after you. And that's exactly what

happens when culture and religion that

legalism begins to jump on your back. It

feels like a battle that you're not able

to fight. And so instead of taking it

on, I just succumb to it and I just live

down to its expectation instead of up to

the promise of what God has for me. It

calls out that sin debt. It calls out

that social shame. It tells us you're

not qualified for a miracle. Your

family's been jacked up for as long as

you can remember. You're just going to

continue the legacy. And that seal, it

comes in, it builds a ceiling on our

life to tell us, you have capped out.

It's not going any further. You're not

fit for the mold of rescue. You're not

fit for the mold of miracles and success

and advance. Just get used to it. This

is as good as it's going to get. You

forgiven. I doubt it.

This is what the seal does for you and

I. The good news is this. If that seal

couldn't hold Jesus, then it can't hold

you either.

>> This is this is the the amazing thing

that we HAVE THE PROMISE. COLOSSIANS

Colossians 2:14

2:14 says this, he erased the

certificate of debt, nailing it to the

cross. So when religion wants to put its

seal on you and say, "You're done. It's

over. You can't make it." You can look

back to religion and tell them, "There

is therefore now no condemnation for

those who are in Christ Jesus. I've been

forgiven, not because I'm good, but

because Jesus is good, and because he

did all that on the cross, three days

later, got up from that grave. That same

resurrection power that raised Jesus

from the dead is alive in me as well.

And you can lay down for the rest of

your life if you want to, but I'm

getting up and getting about it. I was

made for more than today.

We got to know these things for oursel.

The fourth and the final thing is this.

The guards.

You know what these guards represent for

you and I?

The guards are these voices in your head

and in your life that are fighting to

keep you locked down.

You know what I'm talking about.

friends, family, exes.

Oh, let me get back to this because I I

guess we didn't go over well. And how

about this one? The internal accuser.

Oh, I've had some people in my life that

that that their conversation with me,

they don't really want me coming out of

this situation because if I come out of

this, then they're going to look bad

because they didn't. And so, they will

talk to me about where I am instead of

where I'm supposed to be. And if you've

got people that are always talking about

your past and never your future, you

need to find a new friend group. You You

need to delete some digits out of your

phone and find those who can speak life

and hope. You need some folks to look at

you when you acting crazy and talking

some stupid stuff. You need some folks

to look at you and call you out and say,

"You're made for more than that. God's

hand is on your life. We can do this

together. Do not stop. Do not quit.

Don't stop. Get it. Get it. LET'S GO.

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED IN OUR LIFE. AND WE

GOT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO MAKE SURE

THAT THOSE VOICES ARE NOT SPEAKING day

in and DAY OUT. BUT THE OTHER VOICE WE

GOT TO DEAL WITH IS THE VOICE IN YOUR

HEAD.

>> It's your voice. BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE

NEGATIVE folks will leave you at 8:00 AT

NIGHT, BUT BETWEEN 8 and midnight, you

jumped on your own back and you're

chewing yourself up as to how you're a

failure. It's never going to work. Man,

I'm a fraud. I failed in that and I

failed at that. I'm never going to try

this. And and we our voices are so heavy

on us. I'm pretty sure that hell so many

demons in hell are on that like that

they're getting paid for sitting around

because we're doing a good enough job by

ourselves but jumping our own back. And

I NEED YOU TO GIVE YOU A BREAK. I need

you to get off of your back and stop

chewing yourself up and being heavy on

you and talking about why it's wrong and

why you're never going to be good enough

because that's not the opinion of

heaven. THE BIBLE TELLS ME WHILE WE WERE

STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us in

your jacked up, tore up, messy self. He

said, "And I'm going to love the hell

right out of your life. That's exactly

why I'm dying. I can handle you. Other

folks might not be able to handle your

future, but Jesus can." And you got to

GET THE RIGHT VOICES IN YOUR LIFE AND

speak over yourself. Voices determine

choices, AND YOU GOT TO MAKE sure you

got the right ones talking to you. You

see these guards? These guards, they're

intimidating

because it makes us afraid to walk out

of the tomb because those guards, those

voices, they criticize day in and day

out. And I don't want to have to deal

with them. But I want to remind you, the

guards are only assigned to protect

what's dead.

If you step out talking, I promise you,

they will squeal, hit the ground, and

faint. Just like they did when Jesus

came out of the tomb. When you stand up

and you tell them, "I know who I am in

Christ. He paid a price for me for me to

have the abundant life, not life. Life

more abundant. I'm getting sprinkles on

my ice cream." Do you understand? It's

life more abundant. There's new levels I

can live at. When you go there, I

promise you, those voices will begin to

exit your life. The moment you come

alive in Christ, those voices lose

authority to speak or to direct your

life. Revelation 12 says this, "The

accuser of our brothers and sisters has

been thrown down."

That voice that is always

like all that stuff going on.

Jesus defeated that voice. Jesus made

that voice a liar.

And do you know that the actual you

you've heard of this guy named uh what's

his name? Satan.

I'm not talking about your

brother-in-law. I'm talking about in the

Bible to go. Satan.

Do you know the word Satan in the

original language literally means

accuser?

That's what he does. He lives to accuse

you. To keep pulling your past up, to

keep busting. Can I tell you how you

outlive your past? You stop talking

about it.

Stop rehearsing it. Stop talking about

what failed, what blew, what did what.

Stop it. The enemy wants to bring it up

and you got to be able to speak back to

him and shut that mess down. The

accuser, Jesus threw him to the ground.

So, let me begin to finish with this.

One thing I forgot to tell you about the

escape room is while I was in there

working, trying to get out before the

17-year-old let me out

is sometimes while we'd be in there

working, we would hear this. Good job.

Did you say that? I didn't say that. Who

said that? I don't like that because I

don't think I'm doing a good job.

The game master at escape room had

cameras in the room watching us. There

was a little speaker

and he was complimenting

our advance.

You're looking in the right place. Thank

you.

One time we were working like crazy and

stuck and here's what he said. You're on

the wrong side of the room.

He changed my direction.

My focus was a mess.

>> I stopped wasting time because the game

master was talking to me. I couldn't see

the game master. I didn't even know if

he was there until he started talking to

me. But when he started talking, he

brought encouragement. He brought

answers. He redirected my life. And now

I begin to move closer to the answer. I

need you to know that Jesus is your game

master. That's why he's called Emmanuel,

God with us. You might not be able to

see him. Oh, but baby, he is watching

what's happening in your life. And if

you get your BS right, you'll start

hearing his voice talking to you and

redirecting your life and helping you in

that dating situation. It's not even a

relationship. It's a situation. He'll

help you in your home. He'll help you

with your kids, your finances, your

health, your hopes, your dreams. Get you

laughing deep again. Heal you from the

INSIDE OUT. THAT'S WHAT THE GAME master

does. He's watching you. SO ON EASTER

SUNDAY, you need to understand this. The

game master didn't just find the key.

Jesus didn't all of a sudden just, "Oh,

look what I found." Jesus stepped in and

shattered the system of the tomb. And he

downgraded the tomb into an escape room.

A tomb, you're done. An escape room,

there's a way out. There are STRUGGLES

THAT YOU AND I are going to go through

in life, but they're not tombs for us to

lay down and die in. There are things

for us to keep fighting and working with

the game master and trusting him and get

a community around me and keep moving

and watch eventually that door will

open. Here's what you got to know. The

tomb could not contain Jesus and your

faith in Jesus changes everything. When

the BS is right, your life is right.

NUMBER TWO, THE STONE was rolled away.

And that tells me that the evidence of

your mess, the weight of your mess, of

the evidence of your failure, it can be

rolled away. Jesus says, "I have thrown

away the sin. I have no memory of it as

far as the east is from the west. I have

separated that." That is not WHO YOU DID

IT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHO YOU ARE. What you

did, NOT WHO YOU ARE. DON'T GET IT

TWISTED. THEN THE SEAL WAS BROKEN. I

LOVE THIS. for Jesus to come out. He

broke the seal of religion and broke the

seal of that cultural cancel mindset.

Jesus did not come to cancel you. He

came to cancel your sin debt. Do you

know that's what he does? He lifts

people. HE DOESN'T PUT THEM DOWN. And

the guards, they fell like dead men when

he came out. And your critics have been

silenced

because the victory's already been won.

We just need you to take the podium so

he can put the ribbon around your neck

and realize that you are more than a

conqueror through Jesus Christ. Would

you stand to your feet in this room

today?

Can I tell you something today?

Easter is not about Jesus finding a way

out of the tomb.

It's where he dismantled it

and he actually redefined it, downgraded

it from the tomb to a room.

You don't have to live in a tomb for the

rest of your life. He can put a door on

that and show you the code to get out.

And that's what I want to talk to you

about today.

Anybody have the problem like I do? Like

if you put me in a room where it's dark

and there's a nice movie on, I'm

probably going to go to sleep. Anybody?

Anybody just kind of like, have you ever

fallen asleep in a place you should not

have fallen asleep?

>> I'm not talking about your car. I'm

talking about like, you know, hopefully

in front of you with some people and and

and what is it that we do when we

what do we ask? Was I asleep?

You know why we do that?

When you're asleep, you don't know

you're asleep.

It's only when you wake up that you

realize you were actually asleep.

When I was growing up,

I enjoy my sleep.

>> I I I do now. I did as a kid. As a kid,

when I was asleep and my mom was waking

me up for church or school, I'm in my

own little world and I'm hearing

And it was irritating.

The pillow is right. The covers are just

right.

The the voice was irritating.

And then eventually as it kept talking,

I began to hear Scott. Yeah. I Oh. Oh, I

know that voice. That's Mama's voice. I

I I I I recognized and it was more clear

now than it was then. And then

eventually I heard MY NAME SCOTT THOMAS.

IF YOU DON'T GET OUT OF THAT BED, I'M

GOING TO SEND YOU TO MEET JESUS. LIKE

THAT THAT KIND OF NEXT THING.

She called my name and now I'm awake.

Here's what I'm trying to tell you. When

when you hear the good news, even though

it's good news, even though that voice

was from somebody that I loved, when I

first heard it, it was irritating. It

was calling me out of a place that I

wanted to be.

>> I was comfortable. I was unconscious.

I did not know that I wasn't even awake.

But that voice started waking me up and

it made me start listening. Even though

I was half in and half out, I began to

listen. And then I heard her call my

name. Someone who loves me is calling my

name right now. And when I heard my name

called, it made me wake up and get my

life going. I want you to understand

that's salvation. When I first got

saved, the message was irritating at

first. It's like, I'm enjoying my life.

I'm enjoying my party. I'm enjoying this

stuff. Just leave me alone. I wasn't

enjoying nothing. I was in a tomb and I

had decorated the walls. But eventually,

that voice began to wake me up. I didn't

even know I was asleep. I DIDN'T KNOW

LIFE COULD be this good. I DIDN'T

REALIZE THE JOY, THE HOPE, the peace,

the happiness was actually available

until I heard him call my name and then

bam. Was I asleep? Yes. But now you're

alive. Come on, Scott. Let's do some

life together. That's what transitioned

for me.

I want to give you THE CHANCE TODAY, IF

I CAN PUT IT THIS WAY. I'M NOT THROWING

ELBOWS. I'M NOT HATING on you. I've been

there, done that. I'm just encouraging

on what I want to give you a chance to

wake up cuz Jesus is going to call your

name today. Jesus is going to call your

name today. I want you to bow your heads

all through this place. All of you in

the lobby, I want you to bow your heads.

You watching online, I want you to

listen to me. I'm talking to you as

well. If you're here today and you say,

"Scott, I need Jesus to to take control

of my life. I've been living stuck in

this tomb too long. I need a door put on

this that I can come out. I'm not going

to live it successful every day of my

life. I'm not going to live it

perfectly. I'm going to screw up, make

some mistakes. I'm going to fall down. I

got issues I'm dealing with." with. And

Jesus says, "I understand that." That's

I'm not asking for perfection. I'm just

asking you today to step across the line

from you to me. I'm asking you to go

from unconscious to conscious. Wake up.

Let me call your name and give you some

direction. I've got life and life more

abundant waiting on you. And then we do

it inside this community today.

With every head bowed, every eye closed,

I want to give you the chance to say yes

to Jesus. On the count of three, if

you're saying, "Scott, I want Jesus to

take the control of my life. I want to

give him me. I want him to take away all

my past. Give me a brand new start." On

the count of three, shoot your hand in

the air. 1 2 3 Right now, where are you?

Hold them right there. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 33 31 32 33 34 35

36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 56 47 48 49

50 51 52 53 54 55 6 7 58 59 60 61 62 63

64 65 6 7 Okay, 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76

78 79 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91

92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 121 that I'm seeing. You can put your

hand down right now.

All you who put your hand up, look at

me. I love you. I get you. I'm right

there with you. I'm living a daily life

of repentance. Always asking Jesus to

get this stuff right. None of us have it

all together. We've all got issues.

We're all jacked up in some area of our

life. But Jesus is the one who makes

this life possible. AND WE DO IT INSIDE

A COMMUNITY. You're going to be all

right. You're going to MAKE IT. THIS IS

NOT JUST A FUN MESSAGE. THIS IS

SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU LIFE AND HOPE.

You're going to change. I want everyone

to pray this prayer. Everybody pray this

prayer. Say, "Jesus,

>> Jesus,

>> I give you all of me.

>> I give you all.

>> The good, the bad, the ugly.

>> I'm tired of my tomb.

>> I'm ready for the room.

>> Wake me up.

>> Call my name.

>> I receive you.

>> As my Lord.

>> As my Lord,

>> my Savior.

>> My Savior.

>> Forgive me for my past.

>> Take it all away.

>> You're mine.

>> And I'm yours.

>> I'm yours. in Jesus name. AMEN. AMEN.

COME ON AND PUT THOSE HANDS TOGETHER

TODAY.

Let's go.

Yes. Yes.

Oh man, if you could HEAR THE CRYING

GOING ON IN HELL RIGHT NOW. HELL THOUGHT

HE had some of y'all on lock now. Yeah.

GET KEEP HIM OUT OF THAT CHURCH. YOU

WENT THROUGH SO MUCH HELL JUST TO GET to

church today. Wasn't even supposed to be

here. Didn't have plans. Your shirt's

not ironed. It doesn't even matter right

now. You got HERE TO HEAR SOME HOPE.

He's waking you up because the rest of

your life is the best of your life. And

we're excited today for where you're

headed. This is so good. Father, thank

you for your hope that's alive in this

room and for a hope that's real. IT'S

NOT HYPE. IT'S HOPE. It's real. It's

lasting in every situation. And I pray

for this entire room, all those in the

lobby, those watching online right now,

that God, you would let let them feel

the embrace of your love and the

struggle and the difficulty and the pain

and and and the and the doubt and the

all that we deal with. God, would you

let us remind us that you love us and

that you're here for us. If our BS has

gotten gone sideways, remind us and pull

us back into a line that we're going to

focus on you and trust you again with

the rest of our life. You're good.

You're faithful. You're full of love, no

condemnation. And so today we thank you

for victory for turning tombs into rooms

and then giving us the code to walk us

out because you are the one who owns the

keys to death, hell, and the grave. So

whatever we're facing, you own the key

to let us out. So today we say thank you

for full freedom in Jesus name.

Everybody shout amen one more time.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. That's what's

up.

>> We hope this message encouraged you. For

more encouraging messages, visit our

website, freelifechapel.org.

Until then, have an awesome day.