1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,600 I want to read today from the book of Romans chapter one 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:08,600 and verse 16, a message that God placed upon my heart. 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:15,160 And this afternoon, I just want to be sensitive 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,040 to the Holy Spirit. 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,800 I may not get through every point in my message 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:26,800 because my goal today is not to finish the sermon, 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,740 but it is to minister and to share 8 00:00:34,740 --> 00:00:38,560 what God needs me to share. 9 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,400 So we want to move with whatever direction God wants us to. 10 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,520 But amen. 11 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,400 In Romans chapter one and verse 16 and 17, 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,700 the apostle Paul writes these words, 13 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:55,700 for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 14 00:00:56,700 --> 00:01:00,700 for it is the power of God to salvation 15 00:01:01,580 --> 00:01:04,020 for everyone who believes, 16 00:01:04,020 --> 00:01:08,640 for the Jew first and also for the Greek, 17 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,700 for in it the righteousness of God 18 00:01:11,700 --> 00:01:15,100 is revealed from faith to faith. 19 00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:21,100 As it is written, the just shall live by faith. 20 00:01:22,180 --> 00:01:24,700 I'm going to preach today on this simple thought, 21 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:27,740 faith from start to finish. 22 00:01:27,740 --> 00:01:28,780 I'm gonna invite you to pray with me 23 00:01:28,780 --> 00:01:30,300 right there where you are. 24 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:32,740 Church, friend, let us pray right now. 25 00:01:32,740 --> 00:01:34,060 God, we love you today. 26 00:01:34,060 --> 00:01:37,940 We thank you for the way that you have already demonstrated, 27 00:01:37,940 --> 00:01:41,780 expressed and poured out your love among us, God, 28 00:01:41,780 --> 00:01:45,460 through the demonstration of your power, your spirit, Lord. 29 00:01:45,460 --> 00:01:49,180 We await the testimonies of the miracles 30 00:01:49,180 --> 00:01:51,660 that have already been dispatched. 31 00:01:51,660 --> 00:01:53,800 We thank you, Lord, for the great worship 32 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,280 that you've allowed us to participate in today, God, 33 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,980 knowing that this worship even outdoes 34 00:02:00,980 --> 00:02:03,140 the worship of the angels, God, 35 00:02:03,140 --> 00:02:05,340 because we are a redeemed people 36 00:02:05,340 --> 00:02:07,980 with a testimony of salvation. 37 00:02:07,980 --> 00:02:11,420 God, now I pray that you would speak to us today, 38 00:02:11,420 --> 00:02:13,660 anoint our hearing, our understanding, 39 00:02:13,660 --> 00:02:16,740 give us spiritual ears. 40 00:02:16,740 --> 00:02:19,920 Now that the hearts have been tenderized and prepared, 41 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:22,500 let this seed of the word fall on good ground 42 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:24,740 and let it be received with gladness 43 00:02:24,740 --> 00:02:27,500 and anoint these lips of clay, God, 44 00:02:27,500 --> 00:02:29,780 that I might preach this word with fervency 45 00:02:29,780 --> 00:02:31,640 and urgency this afternoon, God. 46 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:33,380 Let your name be glorified. 47 00:02:33,380 --> 00:02:37,860 In all of this, God, we say in Jesus' name. 48 00:02:37,860 --> 00:02:41,260 Someone say in Jesus' name. 49 00:02:41,260 --> 00:02:42,100 Amen. 50 00:02:42,100 --> 00:02:42,920 God bless you. 51 00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:45,340 You may be seated in the presence of the Lord. 52 00:02:45,340 --> 00:02:50,100 Last week, I did something that I have not done 53 00:02:50,100 --> 00:02:51,860 in a long time. 54 00:02:51,860 --> 00:02:54,000 How many of you wanna know what that is? 55 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:59,000 I drove a gas-powered car for a long road trip 56 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:05,140 to Anaheim for our national convention. 57 00:03:05,140 --> 00:03:06,740 With the heavier traffic, 58 00:03:06,740 --> 00:03:11,740 I opted for the quick refuel over waiting 59 00:03:13,180 --> 00:03:16,700 to stop at a charging station with my Tesla. 60 00:03:16,700 --> 00:03:19,420 So I want to apologize for Elon Musk. 61 00:03:20,500 --> 00:03:22,640 You know, he's doing a lot of other great things, 62 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,100 but I did not drive his car 63 00:03:25,100 --> 00:03:28,460 because I just wanted to get to my destination. 64 00:03:28,460 --> 00:03:31,680 And as big as of a tank that I had, 65 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,820 I knew that one tank wouldn't last me 66 00:03:35,820 --> 00:03:37,180 the entire trip. 67 00:03:37,180 --> 00:03:42,100 I still had to stop along the way to gas up 68 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:47,100 so that I could keep going and reach my destination. 69 00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:49,220 It was very important. 70 00:03:49,220 --> 00:03:52,340 Had a big gas tank, but I still had to stop 71 00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:56,020 and put gas in the tank to meet there. 72 00:03:56,020 --> 00:03:58,420 I don't know if any of you have a story or two 73 00:03:58,420 --> 00:04:00,420 when you thought you had enough gas 74 00:04:00,420 --> 00:04:02,460 to get where you needed to go, 75 00:04:02,460 --> 00:04:04,900 but turns out you didn't. 76 00:04:04,900 --> 00:04:08,500 And maybe you had to call AAA, right? 77 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:12,900 Or a tow truck or a family member. 78 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:15,700 And one of the things about running out of gas, right, 79 00:04:15,700 --> 00:04:19,580 is it's got nothing to do with the mechanics of the car. 80 00:04:19,580 --> 00:04:22,340 It's got nothing to do with whether, you know, 81 00:04:22,340 --> 00:04:24,260 the temperatures are right and the conditions. 82 00:04:24,260 --> 00:04:28,180 It's just got everything to do with you gauging 83 00:04:28,180 --> 00:04:31,820 how much gas you have and when you should put gas. 84 00:04:31,820 --> 00:04:34,500 So it's really all up to the driver, you know? 85 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:37,140 And so I'm looking across and I see the shame 86 00:04:37,140 --> 00:04:39,100 coming over some of you right now. 87 00:04:39,100 --> 00:04:40,500 Here say, that was me, pastor. 88 00:04:40,500 --> 00:04:43,180 I just did that one time and I ran out of gas. 89 00:04:43,180 --> 00:04:46,100 I thought there was something wrong with the car. 90 00:04:46,100 --> 00:04:49,420 And it turns out I just didn't put enough gas 91 00:04:49,420 --> 00:04:50,780 to get to my destination. 92 00:04:50,780 --> 00:04:52,820 Well, I need to let you know today, friend, 93 00:04:52,820 --> 00:04:57,060 that faith works the same way. 94 00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:02,060 Everyone needs a feeling and a refilling of faith 95 00:05:02,060 --> 00:05:06,420 in order to make it to the end. 96 00:05:06,420 --> 00:05:09,460 The journey of faith or the journey of life 97 00:05:09,460 --> 00:05:14,460 begins, spiritually speaking, with that initial fill up. 98 00:05:14,460 --> 00:05:16,220 You know, before you go on that road trip, 99 00:05:16,220 --> 00:05:17,860 you stop at the gas station, 100 00:05:17,860 --> 00:05:20,100 you get that initial fill up, right? 101 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:21,300 Fill it up to the brim. 102 00:05:21,300 --> 00:05:22,420 And I don't know if you're like me, 103 00:05:22,420 --> 00:05:24,180 but I keep pulling on that trigger, 104 00:05:24,180 --> 00:05:26,100 even when it keeps clicking back at me. 105 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:27,940 I got anybody else like that out there? 106 00:05:27,940 --> 00:05:29,860 Just one more click, just click, click, click, click. 107 00:05:29,860 --> 00:05:31,700 I just gotta know. 108 00:05:31,700 --> 00:05:34,180 I just gotta know that it's full. 109 00:05:34,180 --> 00:05:35,900 And sometimes it gets so full, 110 00:05:35,900 --> 00:05:39,460 then you pull the gas hose out, 111 00:05:39,460 --> 00:05:42,020 and then a little bit of gas starts spilling out at the end. 112 00:05:42,020 --> 00:05:43,900 You go, uh-oh, put too much. 113 00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:46,500 But I'd rather have that problem 114 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:49,660 than to feel like I didn't fill it up all the way. 115 00:05:50,780 --> 00:05:53,980 And faith works like that when you first get saved. 116 00:05:53,980 --> 00:05:56,740 There's that initial infilling 117 00:05:56,740 --> 00:05:59,220 of the Spirit of God in your life, 118 00:05:59,220 --> 00:06:01,100 that infilling of fresh faith 119 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:03,420 when we come to Christ and are saved. 120 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:08,420 But as we progress, we need to be refilled, 121 00:06:08,660 --> 00:06:12,380 growing and progressing and advancing in faith 122 00:06:12,380 --> 00:06:14,020 and in righteousness, 123 00:06:14,020 --> 00:06:18,340 trusting in God's power to carry us forward. 124 00:06:18,340 --> 00:06:20,220 People, you need to know, 125 00:06:20,220 --> 00:06:24,940 people do not quit because they want to quit. 126 00:06:24,940 --> 00:06:27,740 They don't give up because they want to give up. 127 00:06:27,740 --> 00:06:30,140 They don't stop, spiritually speaking, 128 00:06:30,140 --> 00:06:32,260 because they just want to stop. 129 00:06:32,260 --> 00:06:37,260 They stop because they run out of gas, out of faith. 130 00:06:38,100 --> 00:06:40,900 No one plans on quitting. 131 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:42,620 No one plans on backsliding. 132 00:06:42,620 --> 00:06:43,460 No one says, you know, 133 00:06:43,460 --> 00:06:46,140 this will be a good year to backslide. 134 00:06:46,140 --> 00:06:47,700 This will be a good year to just, you know, 135 00:06:47,700 --> 00:06:51,500 just start shying away from the things of God. 136 00:06:51,500 --> 00:06:55,460 No, it's something that just happens gradually 137 00:06:55,460 --> 00:06:59,220 as we are not ensuring that we are being refilled 138 00:06:59,220 --> 00:07:00,100 with fresh faith. 139 00:07:00,100 --> 00:07:03,180 And so this is the idea that I want to hold 140 00:07:03,180 --> 00:07:05,740 in your mind today as we look at these words 141 00:07:05,740 --> 00:07:09,140 from the Apostle Paul after he greets the believers in Rome, 142 00:07:09,140 --> 00:07:10,700 which a few weeks ago, 143 00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:13,500 I did a whole series on chapter eight in Romans, 144 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:15,980 and I'll probably keep revisiting this powerful book 145 00:07:15,980 --> 00:07:17,820 for all the things that it has to say. 146 00:07:17,820 --> 00:07:21,380 But Paul transitions to the very heart of his letter 147 00:07:21,380 --> 00:07:26,380 here in verse 16 by declaring the power of the gospel 148 00:07:26,380 --> 00:07:28,900 as our fuel of faith. 149 00:07:28,900 --> 00:07:31,420 And you may ask today, somebody here may ask, 150 00:07:31,420 --> 00:07:33,020 and you may be surprised, 151 00:07:33,020 --> 00:07:35,100 even though we say this word often, 152 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:36,300 what is the gospel? 153 00:07:36,300 --> 00:07:38,940 You may be surprised that not everyone knows what that is. 154 00:07:38,940 --> 00:07:42,380 The gospel, someone say the gospel. 155 00:07:42,380 --> 00:07:43,220 Amen. 156 00:07:43,220 --> 00:07:43,940 How about we say that again? 157 00:07:43,940 --> 00:07:45,420 The gospel. 158 00:07:45,420 --> 00:07:50,420 The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. 159 00:07:50,420 --> 00:07:55,420 It is that God who came to earth to die on the cross, 160 00:07:56,540 --> 00:08:00,780 for our sins and was buried in a tomb 161 00:08:00,780 --> 00:08:04,740 and resurrected three days later with the promise 162 00:08:04,740 --> 00:08:08,340 that one day he would return for his people. 163 00:08:08,340 --> 00:08:09,860 That is the gospel. 164 00:08:09,860 --> 00:08:13,020 The gospel is that Christ came for us. 165 00:08:13,020 --> 00:08:21,020 The gospel is God's grace personified or exemplified in Christ. 166 00:08:21,340 --> 00:08:24,100 It is love poured out. 167 00:08:24,100 --> 00:08:25,260 Amen, somebody. 168 00:08:25,260 --> 00:08:28,260 It's mercy reaching down. 169 00:08:28,260 --> 00:08:32,660 It's healing through his nail scarred hands. 170 00:08:32,660 --> 00:08:37,500 That is the gospel that he was wounded, as Isaiah said, 171 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:41,740 for our transgressions and that he was bruised 172 00:08:41,740 --> 00:08:46,260 for our iniquities and that the chastisement of our peace 173 00:08:46,260 --> 00:08:49,700 was upon his shoulders but by his stripes. 174 00:08:49,700 --> 00:08:51,380 We are here. 175 00:08:51,380 --> 00:08:56,380 That is, how many of you today are thankful for the gospel? 176 00:08:56,460 --> 00:08:58,580 Come on, let's clap our hands today, amen. 177 00:08:59,740 --> 00:09:02,820 Thank God for the gospel. 178 00:09:02,820 --> 00:09:05,620 The gospel is the good news. 179 00:09:05,620 --> 00:09:09,500 It is the message of Jesus Christ 180 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:12,140 that for God so loved the world, 181 00:09:12,140 --> 00:09:14,820 he gave his only begotten son. 182 00:09:14,820 --> 00:09:18,020 Whosoever believes in him should not perish 183 00:09:18,020 --> 00:09:20,740 but have everlasting life. 184 00:09:20,740 --> 00:09:23,860 That is the gospel in a nutshell 185 00:09:23,860 --> 00:09:27,660 and it is the power of God unto salvation. 186 00:09:27,660 --> 00:09:31,940 And Paul was so unshaken in his conviction 187 00:09:31,940 --> 00:09:36,940 that the gospel, that primary message of Christ, 188 00:09:36,940 --> 00:09:41,940 was indeed the power of God to save, to sanctify 189 00:09:43,740 --> 00:09:47,820 and to sustain us through every stage 190 00:09:47,820 --> 00:09:50,020 of the Christian journey. 191 00:09:50,020 --> 00:09:52,460 It is what fuels our faith. 192 00:09:52,460 --> 00:09:53,620 It is the gospel. 193 00:09:53,620 --> 00:09:58,620 Let me tell a new saint or an older saint today, 194 00:09:59,460 --> 00:10:04,460 let me tell you that you never outgrow your need 195 00:10:04,620 --> 00:10:06,380 for the gospel. 196 00:10:06,380 --> 00:10:07,860 Hallelujah somebody. 197 00:10:07,860 --> 00:10:12,860 You never outgrow or move beyond your need for the gospel, 198 00:10:15,220 --> 00:10:18,700 whether it's in the beginning of your Christian walk 199 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:21,500 or at the end of your Christian walk, 200 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:24,220 when Jesus finally calls us home, 201 00:10:24,220 --> 00:10:28,340 you need the power of the gospel 202 00:10:28,340 --> 00:10:31,580 to provide that fuel of your faith. 203 00:10:31,580 --> 00:10:34,780 And I want to walk you through this afternoon 204 00:10:34,780 --> 00:10:35,900 a few of those steps. 205 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:37,820 And I already put out my disclaimer 206 00:10:37,820 --> 00:10:39,700 that I may not get through all of them, 207 00:10:39,700 --> 00:10:41,980 but we'll see, we might get through them. 208 00:10:41,980 --> 00:10:45,220 Because the first is the most important. 209 00:10:45,220 --> 00:10:50,220 Let us begin with the first level of faith that we need, 210 00:10:50,420 --> 00:10:55,420 which is saving faith, which is a faith to begin, 211 00:10:56,140 --> 00:10:57,460 saving faith. 212 00:10:57,460 --> 00:11:00,060 Someone say saving faith. 213 00:11:01,220 --> 00:11:05,740 Because Paul said it is for it is, excuse me, 214 00:11:05,740 --> 00:11:10,740 the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. 215 00:11:14,340 --> 00:11:18,420 And so what I need today is to preach for a few moments 216 00:11:18,420 --> 00:11:21,020 about the power of the gospel. 217 00:11:21,020 --> 00:11:22,540 I need to preach. 218 00:11:22,540 --> 00:11:26,740 The Holy Ghost will not allow me not to preach this today. 219 00:11:26,740 --> 00:11:27,580 Why? 220 00:11:27,580 --> 00:11:30,860 Because there are some today who have yet to give 221 00:11:30,860 --> 00:11:33,780 their whole lives to Jesus. 222 00:11:33,780 --> 00:11:37,620 And you need to understand the power of the gospel. 223 00:11:37,620 --> 00:11:40,700 I must preach the gospel to you today 224 00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:45,340 because you have been feeling the tug of God 225 00:11:45,340 --> 00:11:47,540 in your heart, in your life, 226 00:11:47,540 --> 00:11:50,900 to give your life fully to Jesus 227 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:55,660 by being baptized in the glorious name of Jesus, 228 00:11:55,660 --> 00:12:00,660 and then being sealed with the infilling of his spirit. 229 00:12:00,660 --> 00:12:03,900 And God has been working on you, 230 00:12:03,900 --> 00:12:06,980 and you have been hearing and feeling 231 00:12:06,980 --> 00:12:11,940 and experiencing this divine call of God 232 00:12:11,940 --> 00:12:14,580 to give your heart to him. 233 00:12:14,580 --> 00:12:17,700 And that tug that you feel in your heart, 234 00:12:17,700 --> 00:12:21,140 some of you have been feeling it for a while now. 235 00:12:21,140 --> 00:12:24,460 You have been feeling it for some time now. 236 00:12:24,460 --> 00:12:29,460 That tug that you feel is the tug of the gospel. 237 00:12:29,460 --> 00:12:32,900 It is the power of God to salvation 238 00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:37,900 that has been tugging, that has been pulling on your heart, 239 00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:42,980 convicting you of your sin and your life 240 00:12:42,980 --> 00:12:45,780 and your path saying, come unto me, 241 00:12:45,780 --> 00:12:49,620 all you who are weary and heavy laden. 242 00:12:49,620 --> 00:12:52,700 And as Jesus said, I will give you rest. 243 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:56,740 Take my yoke upon you, for my burden is light. 244 00:12:56,740 --> 00:12:59,020 My yoke is easy. 245 00:12:59,020 --> 00:13:02,260 Oh, this is the tug of the gospel 246 00:13:02,260 --> 00:13:04,500 that somebody has been feeling. 247 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:07,060 And I believe today that as I speak, 248 00:13:07,060 --> 00:13:09,500 someone under the sound of my voice 249 00:13:09,500 --> 00:13:11,740 has been right on the edge. 250 00:13:11,740 --> 00:13:14,780 I'm talking about right on the verge. 251 00:13:14,780 --> 00:13:19,780 You're just inches away from making that lifelong decision 252 00:13:19,980 --> 00:13:23,460 to make Jesus your Lord and Savior. 253 00:13:23,460 --> 00:13:26,940 And I just come today under the inspiration 254 00:13:26,940 --> 00:13:31,500 of the Holy Ghost to tell you that this could be the day. 255 00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:32,900 Woo, hallelujah. 256 00:13:32,900 --> 00:13:37,900 This could be the day that you give your heart to God 257 00:13:38,180 --> 00:13:42,340 and respond to the glorious gospel 258 00:13:42,340 --> 00:13:47,340 and say, Lord, I accept what you did for me on the cross. 259 00:13:47,660 --> 00:13:50,660 I accept that you shed your blood 260 00:13:50,660 --> 00:13:55,660 to wash away every ounce and inch of sin in my life. 261 00:13:55,660 --> 00:14:00,660 And I want to God, I want to make heaven my everlasting home. 262 00:14:02,980 --> 00:14:06,500 I have come today under the inspiration of God 263 00:14:06,500 --> 00:14:09,260 to get down into somebody's heart 264 00:14:09,260 --> 00:14:13,380 and tell you that there is no other day like today. 265 00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:18,180 This is the day that the Lord has made 266 00:14:18,180 --> 00:14:20,980 and I will rejoice and be glad. 267 00:14:20,980 --> 00:14:24,780 This is the day, the Bible says, of salvation. 268 00:14:24,780 --> 00:14:29,180 And so for those of you here, or perhaps even watching 269 00:14:29,180 --> 00:14:33,140 that have been contemplating, giving your life to Jesus, 270 00:14:33,140 --> 00:14:36,660 can I tell you, you may know parts about the church. 271 00:14:36,660 --> 00:14:39,140 You know parts about city life. 272 00:14:39,140 --> 00:14:41,140 You know parts about the ministry. 273 00:14:41,140 --> 00:14:43,220 You know things about the songs. 274 00:14:43,220 --> 00:14:45,540 You know things about what you feel. 275 00:14:45,540 --> 00:14:49,260 You know here, you've heard a little here and a little there. 276 00:14:49,260 --> 00:14:51,140 And I've come to tell you today 277 00:14:51,140 --> 00:14:55,340 that God is calling you to get all the way in 278 00:14:55,340 --> 00:14:59,300 and experience that love and that grace. 279 00:14:59,300 --> 00:15:02,620 I see, I get excited when I think about this. 280 00:15:02,620 --> 00:15:07,620 Then you know for yourself that God is everything 281 00:15:08,940 --> 00:15:11,980 that he said he was, that he's a, 282 00:15:11,980 --> 00:15:14,700 how many of you know he's a good God today? 283 00:15:14,700 --> 00:15:19,700 And Jesus came for you to save you, 284 00:15:22,260 --> 00:15:26,180 to save you from your sin, to save you from your past, 285 00:15:26,180 --> 00:15:28,260 to save you from hell fire, 286 00:15:28,260 --> 00:15:30,380 to deliver you out of your depression, 287 00:15:30,380 --> 00:15:33,660 to deliver you from the clutches of the enemy, 288 00:15:33,660 --> 00:15:38,660 to swoon my Lord and to deposit his glory in your life. 289 00:15:41,380 --> 00:15:43,500 This is why he came. 290 00:15:43,500 --> 00:15:47,580 He didn't come just for you to become a good moral person. 291 00:15:49,100 --> 00:15:50,940 There's a lot of people out there friend 292 00:15:50,940 --> 00:15:55,940 that are good moral people, but that are going to hell. 293 00:15:56,300 --> 00:15:57,860 Uh oh, is it okay to say that? 294 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:01,860 Because if you don't have Jesus, 295 00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:04,500 all your morality and all your ethics 296 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:07,220 and then you can be an outstanding citizen, 297 00:16:07,220 --> 00:16:09,140 a model citizen even. 298 00:16:09,140 --> 00:16:13,620 And if you don't have Jesus' name on your life, 299 00:16:13,620 --> 00:16:16,980 then you have no hope of salvation, 300 00:16:16,980 --> 00:16:21,980 but because there is no other name given among men, 301 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:26,340 whereby we must be saved, it is the name of Jesus. 302 00:16:26,340 --> 00:16:27,700 Whoo, hallelujah. 303 00:16:28,980 --> 00:16:30,740 How many of you know his name today? 304 00:16:32,260 --> 00:16:34,460 It is the name of Jesus. 305 00:16:34,460 --> 00:16:36,180 And so we can know a lot of things. 306 00:16:36,180 --> 00:16:38,860 We can know the lyrics of the songs. 307 00:16:38,860 --> 00:16:42,540 We can know that brother or that sister and this and that. 308 00:16:42,540 --> 00:16:46,660 But the question is, is your name written 309 00:16:46,660 --> 00:16:49,100 in that book of life? 310 00:16:51,260 --> 00:16:52,340 I wanna pray right now. 311 00:16:52,340 --> 00:16:54,020 Father, I thank you Lord Jesus 312 00:16:54,020 --> 00:16:56,500 for what you're doing in this place today. 313 00:16:56,500 --> 00:16:57,980 I'll invite everyone to close your eyes 314 00:16:57,980 --> 00:17:00,900 because somebody right now in the middle of this message, 315 00:17:00,900 --> 00:17:02,820 God is speaking to them. 316 00:17:02,820 --> 00:17:05,460 God is dealing with their hearts. 317 00:17:05,460 --> 00:17:06,300 God is calling. 318 00:17:06,300 --> 00:17:08,780 You see, this thing we call salvation 319 00:17:08,780 --> 00:17:10,820 is a serious matter. 320 00:17:10,820 --> 00:17:14,740 We are talking about the difference between heaven and hell. 321 00:17:14,740 --> 00:17:16,180 We are talking about the difference 322 00:17:16,180 --> 00:17:18,580 between judgment and freedom. 323 00:17:18,580 --> 00:17:22,780 We are talking about the difference between life and death. 324 00:17:22,780 --> 00:17:25,140 And it's a serious, and somebody is right there. 325 00:17:25,140 --> 00:17:27,220 So I'm just praying, somebody help me pray. 326 00:17:27,220 --> 00:17:29,540 I pray in the name of Jesus. 327 00:17:29,540 --> 00:17:31,940 If there's a woman in here, a young person, 328 00:17:31,940 --> 00:17:34,860 a young man, a young lady, somebody in this house, 329 00:17:34,860 --> 00:17:39,780 a man who is contemplating giving your life to Jesus, 330 00:17:39,780 --> 00:17:42,980 right now in the name of Jesus, 331 00:17:42,980 --> 00:17:47,060 I claim your soul for the kingdom of God. 332 00:17:47,060 --> 00:17:49,140 Some of you have been convinced 333 00:17:49,140 --> 00:17:51,380 that this thing does not belong to you. 334 00:17:51,380 --> 00:17:54,100 You've been convinced through the lies of the enemy 335 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:56,260 that if you give your heart to the Lord 336 00:17:56,260 --> 00:17:59,820 and you're baptized in Jesus' name, that you will fail God. 337 00:17:59,820 --> 00:18:01,700 Well, welcome to the club. 338 00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:04,180 We all fail God at some point, 339 00:18:04,180 --> 00:18:09,100 but God is rich in mercy and he's everlasting in grace. 340 00:18:09,100 --> 00:18:12,700 And if you would just surrender today, hallelujah, 341 00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:16,820 God will hold you up and you're gonna make it. 342 00:18:16,820 --> 00:18:19,780 Come on, let's give God some glory. 343 00:18:19,780 --> 00:18:23,820 Come on, somebody help me give God some glory, hallelujah. 344 00:18:23,820 --> 00:18:27,380 Oh, all you gotta do is repent of your sins. 345 00:18:27,380 --> 00:18:30,420 All you gotta do is repent of your past. 346 00:18:30,420 --> 00:18:32,180 And when you repent, 347 00:18:32,180 --> 00:18:37,180 the Bible says that all of heaven rejoices. 348 00:18:37,580 --> 00:18:41,260 When just one sinner, woo, hallelujah. 349 00:18:41,260 --> 00:18:44,040 You know, we think heaven breaks out in a party 350 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:45,660 when a hundred people come to the Lord. 351 00:18:45,660 --> 00:18:47,660 And you know, I'm thankful to God for that. 352 00:18:47,660 --> 00:18:50,220 How many of you have seen those videos in the mission field, 353 00:18:50,220 --> 00:18:54,420 Africa, Ethiopia, Philippines, where thousands of people, 354 00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:57,180 and we think that maybe only heaven rejoices over that. 355 00:18:57,180 --> 00:19:00,820 Can I tell you, all heaven breaks out in celebration 356 00:19:00,820 --> 00:19:04,140 when just one person, woo, my God. 357 00:19:05,140 --> 00:19:09,180 Oh, when just one person comes before the Lord 358 00:19:09,180 --> 00:19:13,900 and repents of their sins and says, I want Jesus. 359 00:19:13,900 --> 00:19:16,020 Oh, heaven throws a party. 360 00:19:16,020 --> 00:19:19,420 Let me tell you, heaven throws a party. 361 00:19:19,420 --> 00:19:21,220 And you know, right now, 362 00:19:21,220 --> 00:19:22,860 can I work on this a little bit more? 363 00:19:22,860 --> 00:19:25,480 Right now, the balloons are getting ready 364 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,260 to drop in heaven. 365 00:19:27,260 --> 00:19:30,300 Confetti's getting ready to drop in heaven. 366 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:32,740 The band of heaven is waiting for the cue. 367 00:19:32,740 --> 00:19:34,180 Hoo, my Lord. 368 00:19:34,180 --> 00:19:36,980 The angel choirs are getting ready. 369 00:19:36,980 --> 00:19:38,820 The St. Michael's getting ready. 370 00:19:38,820 --> 00:19:41,020 They're all getting ready with bated breath. 371 00:19:41,020 --> 00:19:42,300 You know what they're waiting for? 372 00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:46,300 For one of you today to say, all right, preacher, 373 00:19:46,300 --> 00:19:47,820 I've heard enough. 374 00:19:47,820 --> 00:19:50,780 I'm ready to give my life to Jesus. 375 00:19:50,780 --> 00:19:53,180 And then God will turn to the band 376 00:19:53,180 --> 00:19:57,020 and the orchestras of heaven and say, let it rip. 377 00:19:57,020 --> 00:19:58,260 Hallelujah. 378 00:19:58,260 --> 00:20:00,620 Because one more, I wish somebody 379 00:20:00,620 --> 00:20:02,380 would get excited about that. 380 00:20:02,380 --> 00:20:05,140 Oh, if we would celebrate more, 381 00:20:05,140 --> 00:20:07,380 if we would praise more, 382 00:20:07,380 --> 00:20:10,100 maybe God would do it more. 383 00:20:12,460 --> 00:20:14,780 Hallelujah, Jesus. 384 00:20:14,780 --> 00:20:16,660 I'll get excited today. 385 00:20:16,660 --> 00:20:18,220 And this is what you need to know. 386 00:20:18,220 --> 00:20:21,420 Now, Paul, Paul, he deals with something 387 00:20:21,420 --> 00:20:22,500 that this is gonna help you 388 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:24,900 because I could just keep on and on and on 389 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:26,140 getting excited and you know, 390 00:20:26,140 --> 00:20:27,460 just spitting at you here today. 391 00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:28,540 I don't wanna do that, okay? 392 00:20:28,540 --> 00:20:31,540 Listen, I can keep going on and on in my excitement, 393 00:20:31,540 --> 00:20:33,860 but you need to know that Paul addresses, 394 00:20:33,860 --> 00:20:36,060 he exposes probably the one thing 395 00:20:36,060 --> 00:20:39,140 that keeps people from that next step. 396 00:20:39,140 --> 00:20:41,980 And he exposes the issue of shame. 397 00:20:41,980 --> 00:20:43,860 You see, this is this one enemy 398 00:20:43,860 --> 00:20:45,660 because there are certain enemies. 399 00:20:45,660 --> 00:20:48,860 There are fears and enemies and hurdles, 400 00:20:48,860 --> 00:20:51,860 hindrances keeping you from that next step. 401 00:20:51,860 --> 00:20:54,780 And Paul exposes shame as one of the biggest enemies 402 00:20:54,780 --> 00:20:57,860 of saving faith when he declares, he says, 403 00:20:57,860 --> 00:21:02,860 for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. 404 00:21:05,780 --> 00:21:09,860 Now, what do you think the opposite of not ashamed is? 405 00:21:10,820 --> 00:21:12,060 Right? 406 00:21:12,060 --> 00:21:15,620 And the opposite of not ashamed is obviously unashamed. 407 00:21:15,620 --> 00:21:19,220 Or excuse me, the opposite of ashamed is unashamed, right? 408 00:21:19,220 --> 00:21:21,900 The opposite of not ashamed is ashamed. 409 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:24,860 And so that's a very easy thing to comprehend. 410 00:21:24,860 --> 00:21:27,740 And so when he's saying that I am not ashamed, 411 00:21:27,740 --> 00:21:29,740 this statement confronts an issue 412 00:21:29,740 --> 00:21:33,860 that some might feel on the edge of that decision. 413 00:21:33,860 --> 00:21:37,740 When he says that, he confronts the shame 414 00:21:37,740 --> 00:21:42,740 that some people might feel in response to the gospel. 415 00:21:45,100 --> 00:21:48,700 We get excited about this and we can clap ourselves happy 416 00:21:48,700 --> 00:21:50,220 all the way to the end of the service 417 00:21:50,220 --> 00:21:53,900 and not realize that some people are still being held back. 418 00:21:53,900 --> 00:21:54,980 Why? 419 00:21:54,980 --> 00:21:55,800 Shame. 420 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,980 Let me help you understand what's at work here. 421 00:21:59,980 --> 00:22:02,980 In the original context of this verse, 422 00:22:02,980 --> 00:22:07,720 Paul addresses two groups of people in this line, 423 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:12,420 two groups of people who are struggling to believe Christ 424 00:22:12,420 --> 00:22:14,500 and get baptized. 425 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:18,620 And the first were a religious group, the Jews. 426 00:22:18,620 --> 00:22:21,460 He said, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 427 00:22:21,460 --> 00:22:23,540 for it is the power of God to salvation 428 00:22:23,540 --> 00:22:25,460 for everyone who believes. 429 00:22:25,460 --> 00:22:27,180 And then he mentions these two groups, 430 00:22:27,180 --> 00:22:30,340 the first for the Jew first. 431 00:22:30,340 --> 00:22:33,540 And he mentions the Jews because for the Jews, 432 00:22:33,540 --> 00:22:36,900 this whole idea of a crucified Christ 433 00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:40,980 was just contrary to their thinking about a Messiah. 434 00:22:40,980 --> 00:22:43,520 And in another place in scripture, 435 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,700 that the whole idea of the gospel of God coming down, 436 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:49,780 dying on a cross was just antithetical. 437 00:22:49,780 --> 00:22:53,380 It was just, it clashed with their whole view 438 00:22:53,380 --> 00:22:56,660 of what this promised Messiah was supposed to be. 439 00:22:56,660 --> 00:22:59,240 And the Bible calls it a stumbling block 440 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,580 that Christ, the gospel was a stumbling block 441 00:23:02,580 --> 00:23:05,020 for the Jew, for the religious people. 442 00:23:05,020 --> 00:23:06,700 Now these were the people that were waiting 443 00:23:06,700 --> 00:23:08,140 for the Messiah to come. 444 00:23:08,140 --> 00:23:11,420 And yet they just couldn't quite grasp, 445 00:23:11,420 --> 00:23:14,940 they couldn't quite accept that this hope 446 00:23:14,940 --> 00:23:19,100 that they had been waiting for was a man 447 00:23:19,100 --> 00:23:22,980 who died a horrific death on a cross. 448 00:23:22,980 --> 00:23:25,020 And even though he rose three days later, 449 00:23:25,020 --> 00:23:28,280 this whole concept, they struggled. 450 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:30,140 It was a stumbling block for them. 451 00:23:30,140 --> 00:23:34,980 It was shameful that their savior, 452 00:23:34,980 --> 00:23:39,980 the hope of their life was nailed naked to a cross. 453 00:23:40,180 --> 00:23:43,020 It just, they couldn't, 454 00:23:43,020 --> 00:23:47,820 they just couldn't understand how that was the answer. 455 00:23:47,820 --> 00:23:51,740 How that could be what they have been waiting so long for. 456 00:23:51,740 --> 00:23:54,180 And the second group were the Greeks. 457 00:23:54,180 --> 00:23:57,820 The Greeks had a bit of a different struggle than the Jews. 458 00:23:57,820 --> 00:24:01,660 The Greeks were a bit more cultured in their, 459 00:24:01,660 --> 00:24:06,660 they had these humanistic philosophies, intellectualism, 460 00:24:07,380 --> 00:24:09,780 they were very secular, very cultured. 461 00:24:09,780 --> 00:24:14,460 And so the idea of a savior or of a God 462 00:24:14,460 --> 00:24:17,820 that came down and died a criminal's death 463 00:24:17,820 --> 00:24:20,860 and the horrific event that it was 464 00:24:20,860 --> 00:24:25,740 just did not fit their paradigm about a God 465 00:24:25,740 --> 00:24:28,980 with all the different pantheon of gods that they had. 466 00:24:28,980 --> 00:24:31,140 They just couldn't fit this Jesus 467 00:24:31,140 --> 00:24:33,220 in the middle of all of that. 468 00:24:33,220 --> 00:24:37,020 And so I want you to see, now I can dig into more of this, 469 00:24:37,020 --> 00:24:39,860 but I just want you to see how both of these groups, 470 00:24:39,860 --> 00:24:42,780 the religious and the non-religious, okay? 471 00:24:42,780 --> 00:24:44,860 The ones who kind of grew up in church 472 00:24:44,860 --> 00:24:47,420 and the ones who were completely unchurched, 473 00:24:47,420 --> 00:24:48,820 those are the terms I'm using. 474 00:24:48,820 --> 00:24:51,300 The ones who had a religious background 475 00:24:51,300 --> 00:24:53,500 and the ones who had a secular background. 476 00:24:53,500 --> 00:24:56,500 And Jesus came to save both of those groups, 477 00:24:56,500 --> 00:24:59,380 but both of those groups were kind of like stuck 478 00:24:59,380 --> 00:25:00,900 where they were. 479 00:25:00,900 --> 00:25:03,940 And they were troubled on receiving this message 480 00:25:03,940 --> 00:25:07,380 of the gospel and taking that next step in faith. 481 00:25:07,380 --> 00:25:08,220 Why? 482 00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:10,020 Because of shame. 483 00:25:11,020 --> 00:25:12,340 Because of shame. 484 00:25:12,340 --> 00:25:15,140 Shame over what this message read. 485 00:25:15,140 --> 00:25:18,580 Shame over the fact that if I believe in this, 486 00:25:18,580 --> 00:25:20,100 what is it gonna say about me? 487 00:25:20,100 --> 00:25:23,900 If I put my hope in this, if I trust in this message, 488 00:25:23,900 --> 00:25:26,900 if I trust in this Jesus, you know, 489 00:25:26,900 --> 00:25:30,140 this thing that is so counter-cultural, 490 00:25:30,140 --> 00:25:34,220 so counter-intuitive, so against the grain 491 00:25:34,220 --> 00:25:36,900 of what I think I know about life 492 00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:40,380 and about the afterlife and about all of these things, 493 00:25:40,380 --> 00:25:44,580 if I put my faith in this man who died on a cross, 494 00:25:44,580 --> 00:25:47,820 you know, can I deal with that kind of shame? 495 00:25:47,820 --> 00:25:50,580 And these are the questions they were asking. 496 00:25:50,580 --> 00:25:52,700 You know, am I good enough even? 497 00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:55,180 It might've been the shame of not feeling good. 498 00:25:55,180 --> 00:25:57,380 As somebody here today, hear me, 499 00:25:57,380 --> 00:25:59,500 I say this with all sensitivity, 500 00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:02,620 your struggle is that you don't feel good enough 501 00:26:02,620 --> 00:26:04,940 to be an apostolic Christian. 502 00:26:04,940 --> 00:26:07,780 I don't know if I can be like all these other people. 503 00:26:07,780 --> 00:26:09,300 I don't know, mmm, my God. 504 00:26:09,300 --> 00:26:13,260 And that's the same feeling that one who goes to the gym 505 00:26:13,260 --> 00:26:15,860 for the first time and starts comparing themselves 506 00:26:15,860 --> 00:26:20,220 to a bunch of, you know, triathlons and decathlons, 507 00:26:20,220 --> 00:26:22,340 and you're saying, well, I don't know if I can be like that. 508 00:26:22,340 --> 00:26:26,420 Well, they have been working at that for a long time 509 00:26:26,420 --> 00:26:28,380 and you're new to the gym, 510 00:26:28,380 --> 00:26:31,660 but that ought not to stop you from signing up 511 00:26:31,660 --> 00:26:36,660 because if you sign up, God will work in you too, amen. 512 00:26:37,020 --> 00:26:38,980 But you're struggling with that shame. 513 00:26:38,980 --> 00:26:40,860 I don't know if I can dress like that. 514 00:26:40,860 --> 00:26:42,820 I don't know if I can live like that. 515 00:26:42,820 --> 00:26:45,220 Hey, those are the lies of the enemy. 516 00:26:45,220 --> 00:26:47,580 Don't feel like you're not good enough. 517 00:26:47,580 --> 00:26:50,740 No, you are worthy and you are good enough. 518 00:26:50,740 --> 00:26:53,260 Otherwise, God would've never came. 519 00:26:53,260 --> 00:26:55,660 He never would've died on the cross. 520 00:26:55,660 --> 00:26:56,620 Do I have a witness? 521 00:26:56,620 --> 00:26:58,420 Come on, help me out today, church. 522 00:26:58,420 --> 00:27:00,660 He never would've went up Calvary. 523 00:27:00,660 --> 00:27:03,180 He never would've shed his precious blood 524 00:27:03,180 --> 00:27:05,900 if he didn't think that you were worth it today. 525 00:27:05,900 --> 00:27:09,780 So let me just tell you right now, you are worth it. 526 00:27:09,780 --> 00:27:12,180 And if you would give your heart to Jesus, 527 00:27:12,180 --> 00:27:13,220 you're gonna make it. 528 00:27:13,220 --> 00:27:14,740 Come on and clap your hands. 529 00:27:14,740 --> 00:27:19,740 Shame over bad things that you've done. 530 00:27:21,780 --> 00:27:25,220 I don't know, is God gonna set me with my baggage 531 00:27:25,220 --> 00:27:27,180 that I have with the things that I've said? 532 00:27:27,180 --> 00:27:29,220 There's been times, pastor, you don't know the times, 533 00:27:29,220 --> 00:27:31,020 I've cursed God in my past. 534 00:27:31,020 --> 00:27:33,620 I've blasphemed, I've said things I can't unsay. 535 00:27:33,620 --> 00:27:37,060 I've done things, I've believed strange things about life. 536 00:27:37,060 --> 00:27:40,980 And I was into witchcraft or I was into sorcery 537 00:27:40,980 --> 00:27:42,940 or I was into astrology. 538 00:27:44,140 --> 00:27:46,700 I would read my horoscope and I don't know it. 539 00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:50,540 I've got all this religious and spiritual baggage. 540 00:27:50,540 --> 00:27:52,820 I'm not sure, I grew up in a different faith 541 00:27:52,820 --> 00:27:57,060 and all of these things might be the case for you. 542 00:27:57,060 --> 00:27:58,540 But you need to understand today. 543 00:27:58,540 --> 00:28:00,060 Is it okay, can I preach like this? 544 00:28:00,060 --> 00:28:02,780 I mean, I preach to the safe folks every single Sunday 545 00:28:02,780 --> 00:28:04,740 and some of y'all don't even act safe sometimes, 546 00:28:04,740 --> 00:28:06,540 hallelujah, but you gotta come back for next week. 547 00:28:06,540 --> 00:28:07,860 Hallelujah. 548 00:28:07,860 --> 00:28:09,940 Can I preach to somebody here today? 549 00:28:09,940 --> 00:28:12,420 And don't worry because if it was your son and daughter 550 00:28:12,420 --> 00:28:15,940 that hadn't been baptized, you'd wanna keep on going, pastor. 551 00:28:15,940 --> 00:28:17,540 Come on now, somebody. 552 00:28:17,540 --> 00:28:21,020 There's somebody here right now that's right on the edge. 553 00:28:21,020 --> 00:28:22,740 And if it was your daughter or your son, 554 00:28:22,740 --> 00:28:24,220 you'd be like, Tom, Pat, you better keep preaching 555 00:28:24,220 --> 00:28:25,540 this thing until it's done. 556 00:28:25,540 --> 00:28:27,860 And I'm here to tell you, what about the bad stuff? 557 00:28:27,860 --> 00:28:29,620 You know, God considered all of that 558 00:28:29,620 --> 00:28:31,180 and yet He still came for you. 559 00:28:33,260 --> 00:28:35,900 The Bible says while we were yet sinners, 560 00:28:37,420 --> 00:28:41,180 Christ didn't wait for you to get godly before He saved you, 561 00:28:42,060 --> 00:28:43,860 even though some of you think He did. 562 00:28:44,660 --> 00:28:46,660 He didn't wait for you to get godly. 563 00:28:46,660 --> 00:28:48,620 He didn't wait for you to get righteous. 564 00:28:48,620 --> 00:28:53,620 While you were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. 565 00:28:56,300 --> 00:28:58,300 Say, I'm not godly enough. 566 00:28:58,300 --> 00:28:59,540 I'm not righteous enough. 567 00:28:59,540 --> 00:29:04,540 That's okay because God will give you His righteousness. 568 00:29:06,420 --> 00:29:07,780 Somebody clap your hands today. 569 00:29:07,780 --> 00:29:11,060 Let's give God some praise. 570 00:29:14,060 --> 00:29:18,500 Say, well, the shame, the shame, the shame. 571 00:29:18,500 --> 00:29:20,180 The shame of embarrassment. 572 00:29:21,660 --> 00:29:25,580 I don't know if I can face my family members if I do this. 573 00:29:25,580 --> 00:29:26,420 What are they gonna say? 574 00:29:26,420 --> 00:29:28,260 What are my coworkers gonna think about me 575 00:29:28,260 --> 00:29:30,060 if I'm one of those Jesus people? 576 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:33,780 If I'm one of those tongue talkers? 577 00:29:33,780 --> 00:29:35,980 You know, if they're gonna start sending me 578 00:29:35,980 --> 00:29:40,340 all the little memes and little reels on Instagram, 579 00:29:40,340 --> 00:29:42,340 of all the weird Pentecostal stuff. 580 00:29:42,340 --> 00:29:44,340 They say, oh, so you're one of these now. 581 00:29:45,660 --> 00:29:47,660 All this stuff, I'm gonna have to deal with it. 582 00:29:47,660 --> 00:29:50,580 I'm gonna have to hear it all Christmas long. 583 00:29:50,580 --> 00:29:52,060 Oh, you're one of them now. 584 00:29:53,380 --> 00:29:55,220 And so the shame of it. 585 00:29:55,220 --> 00:29:57,060 Oh, I'm gonna have to face my family reunion. 586 00:29:57,060 --> 00:29:59,540 I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb. 587 00:29:59,540 --> 00:30:03,220 Everyone's gonna go, everybody's Catholic, and here I come. 588 00:30:03,220 --> 00:30:04,700 Everybody's this, or everybody's that, 589 00:30:04,700 --> 00:30:07,020 nobody's religious at all, and here I come. 590 00:30:07,020 --> 00:30:08,900 I don't know if I can deal with that shame, 591 00:30:08,900 --> 00:30:11,500 that embarrassment, that rejection. 592 00:30:12,940 --> 00:30:17,460 Can I tell you that it might be difficult at first, 593 00:30:17,460 --> 00:30:19,340 I'm not here to paint this pretty picture for you, 594 00:30:19,340 --> 00:30:24,340 that it's just gonna be easy, but it will be worth it. 595 00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:26,980 Why? 596 00:30:26,980 --> 00:30:28,100 You say why, why? 597 00:30:28,100 --> 00:30:33,100 Because the grace of God, because of his love in your life, 598 00:30:33,660 --> 00:30:37,020 God will give you the strength to stand there. 599 00:30:37,020 --> 00:30:37,860 Whoo, my. 600 00:30:39,540 --> 00:30:42,820 Say whatever you want, say whatever you want. 601 00:30:42,820 --> 00:30:45,220 People might turn on you at work, might turn on you here, 602 00:30:45,220 --> 00:30:46,780 say, but I don't know if I can do that. 603 00:30:46,780 --> 00:30:51,020 I'm not, listen, today God is saying to you, 604 00:30:51,020 --> 00:30:52,780 take that next step of faith, 605 00:30:53,820 --> 00:30:56,540 and watch me work in your life. 606 00:30:56,540 --> 00:31:01,140 My advice to you today, as I get ready to close here today, 607 00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:05,460 my advice to you today is to take your focus 608 00:31:05,460 --> 00:31:06,760 off of everyone else. 609 00:31:08,180 --> 00:31:10,060 Now, I'd like to apply this to everybody today, 610 00:31:10,060 --> 00:31:11,940 no matter what stage of faith you're at. 611 00:31:11,940 --> 00:31:13,300 You may be past saving faith. 612 00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:15,940 I've been serving the Lord for 25 years, 30 years, 613 00:31:15,940 --> 00:31:17,860 50 years, praise God. 614 00:31:17,860 --> 00:31:20,660 You may have gotten baptized when Paul did, I don't know. 615 00:31:20,660 --> 00:31:23,480 Wow. 616 00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:27,620 We can all go to another level. 617 00:31:29,060 --> 00:31:30,620 We can all grow in righteousness. 618 00:31:30,620 --> 00:31:32,740 We can all grow in faith. 619 00:31:33,980 --> 00:31:35,700 But there's somebody here today. 620 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:38,060 In fact, I want us to close our eyes one more time. 621 00:31:38,060 --> 00:31:39,060 Thank you, Jesus. 622 00:31:40,380 --> 00:31:42,900 Brother Rick, if you can come on up here and play. 623 00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:44,500 Something, hallelujah God. 624 00:31:44,500 --> 00:31:49,500 There's somebody here today that needs to take that next step. 625 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:52,720 Pastor, I didn't know you were gonna put us 626 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:53,620 on the spot like that. 627 00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:58,620 Well, it's not me, it's the Lord, because God loves you. 628 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:03,800 You can get baptized before this year is over. 629 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:10,440 You can give your life to Jesus, start the year clean, 630 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:15,440 clean, redeemed, with your sins washed away. 631 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:19,900 Ah, hallelujah. 632 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:24,920 Father, I pray right now over this congregation, Lord. 633 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:26,400 There's somebody right now today, Lord, 634 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:28,440 who in a few moments is gonna come to this altar. 635 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,000 We're gonna pray with them, God, 636 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:32,880 who wants to give their life to you. 637 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:39,120 Or is at least ready to learn about what we believe, God, 638 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:41,200 so that they can. 639 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:44,720 But right now, God, there is some shame. 640 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:46,840 There may be other things, Lord. 641 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:47,800 There may be other things. 642 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:51,640 There may be other fears or questions or doubts. 643 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:56,580 But that's all right, God, because even Thomas doubted. 644 00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:00,480 Even Thomas wasn't 100%. 645 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,240 And even Thomas was honest enough to say, 646 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:09,240 Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief. 647 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,080 And Lord, you didn't reject him. 648 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:13,300 You didn't tell him to get lost, 649 00:33:13,300 --> 00:33:16,280 come back after you've grown a little more. 650 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:20,000 No, God, you received him, God. 651 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,880 And Lord, I know that there's different stories 652 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,400 and backgrounds here today, Lord. 653 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,520 Even if just one today would respond, God, 654 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,280 I'm asking you, Holy Spirit, somebody pray with me. 655 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,560 God, touch that person's heart. 656 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:34,360 Touch them right now, Lord. 657 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:35,200 Work. 658 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:40,200 Oh, God, work on them today, Lord. 659 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:44,280 Oh, God, it's not the will of God 660 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:46,400 that any man should perish, 661 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,400 but that all should come to you, God. 662 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,880 That all should come to salvation. 663 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:53,840 It's not your will that one person 664 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,000 leave this place today, God, 665 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,400 undecided about their future, 666 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:00,960 undecided about their destiny, God. 667 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,120 It's not your will, Lord, 668 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:05,320 that one person leave today 669 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:08,600 and not receive the gift of God, 670 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:13,000 the gift of salvation in the name of Jesus. 671 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:14,520 Oh, God, I thank you. 672 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:16,160 Let's just stay in the spirit right now. 673 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:21,040 There's a sweet, sweet spirit that is in this place today. 674 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:23,500 Oh, hallelujah. 675 00:34:23,500 --> 00:34:25,000 As we continue to pray, church, 676 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,160 I'm inviting you to continue praying with me right now. 677 00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:30,240 Just stay with me if you can in the spirit. 678 00:34:30,240 --> 00:34:32,760 And I'm gonna call those up right now. 679 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,080 There's at least one here today. 680 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:35,680 The Lord already showed me who you are, 681 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:38,680 but I can't force anyone to do this. 682 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:40,120 There's at least one today. 683 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:41,560 I need you to come right now, 684 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,880 and I need you to stand at this altar. 685 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:47,560 If you want what I have preached today, 686 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,720 if you want this Jesus, 687 00:34:49,720 --> 00:34:51,300 if you want more of God, 688 00:34:51,300 --> 00:34:53,680 if you want to be saved, 689 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:56,760 I didn't ask you if you want religion. 690 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:59,560 I didn't ask you if you just wanna join a church. 691 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:03,080 If you want to be saved, 692 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:06,400 if you are unsure of your salvation, 693 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:10,720 you are unsure whether you are truly saved or not, 694 00:35:12,100 --> 00:35:13,200 don't look to your neighbor, 695 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:16,780 don't look behind you because God's talking to you, 696 00:35:16,780 --> 00:35:18,560 and he wants you to come. 697 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:19,800 He wants you to come. 698 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:21,560 And all we're gonna do today 699 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:23,760 is we're gonna surround you with prayer, 700 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,280 and we're gonna ask God to fill your faith. 701 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,360 Ooh, hallelujah, to fill your faith.