Faith For It Conference - Pastor Jason Sides

This powerful message takes us deep into the heart of what it means to encounter Jesus not just as a miracle worker, but as the one who carries a message and mission that transforms everything. We explore the tension Jesus faced when crowds followed Him for miracles while missing His primary purpose—to preach the kingdom and ultimately die for our sins. Through the story of the leper in Mark chapter 1, we discover something profound: Jesus was moved with compassion even when interrupted on His way to preach. The leper's approach teaches us two essential keys to moving the heart of God—worship and faith. He worshiped by kneeling, and he made a faith declaration: 'If you are willing, you can make me clean.' This combination of worship and faith activates the compassion of God. What's breathtaking is that Jesus touched the leper before he was clean, before he was healed, while he was still in his unclean state. This is the gospel in miniature—God reaches us in our mess, not after we've cleaned ourselves up. The message culminates with Jesus declaring 'I am willing,' answering the deepest doubt of every believer: we know God can, but will He? Today, we're reminded that whatever we're believing for, God is saying 'I am willing,' and that afflictions are leaving suddenly, immediately, just as the leprosy left the man the moment Jesus spoke.