One translation says, from the dark power of
Satan, from Satan's kingdom to God's kingdom
because of the blood that Jesus shed. Wow, what
a God, what a God. His cross, his kingdom has
transferred us from darkness, from Satan, ho
ho, to the glorious kingdom of God. Would you
close your eyes and raise your hands and thank
the Lord? Go ahead and use your outside voice
as if you are shouting unto God a praise and
Thanksgiving for the cross today. In Jesus' name,
you may be seated as you have already heard two
weeks from today as we celebrate Easter Sunday.
We will be celebrating that we are grateful for
the cross of Jesus Christ. We are grateful for
the death. the burial and the resurrection of
Jesus Christ. We emphasize the cross in terms
of gratitude because we are living in a world
where the cross has just become another picture,
if you will, or a symbol of another holiday.
It's not as emphasized and even among Christians
at times, we lose the reality that the cross
has transferred us. from one kingdom to another
kingdom. In fact, if we would be honest, Christianity
seems to be more popular in some cases where
it does less to infringe upon our own life goals.
In other words, give me a little bit of Jesus
on Sunday, but let me live life my own way. And
so we clearly are a different kind of church
than that. And we promote a Jesus that is very
- very different than that. In fact, I rebuke
the spirit of this world that would try to come
into any church and convince us it doesn't take
all that. I think when you look to the cross,
you have to make a decision. Why in the world
would Jesus choose that particular pathway to
bring salvation to humanity? It must be that
there really are satanic forces in the earth.
must be dangers that come from the works of the
flesh. There must be a kingdom of darkness and
simultaneously there must be a kingdom of God
that is all about righteousness and peace and
joy in the Holy Ghost. There is a kingdom where
Jesus reigns and there's no sickness, no sadness,
and no sin. And so Jesus makes the journey to
the cross to rescue us from the kingdom of darkness,
from the kingdom of death, from the kingdom of
the devil into the kingdom where the servants
of the king joyfully worship him. And sometimes
people think they get a little bit out of control,
but they just know the cross, the savior, salvation
and the kingdom of God. It's why, it's why we
are who we are. Hebrews chapter nine says how
much more shall the blood of Christ who through
the eternal spirit offered himself without spot
to God cleanse your conscience from dead works
to serve the living God. When we celebrate that
the cross has given us access to the kingdom
of. We celebrate the privilege of serving a living
God. We celebrate the privilege of being a part
of his church that he purchased with his own
blood. Let me tell you something today. Jesus
wants us to be in his kingdom. Jesus wants to
reign as our king. But this permission or opportunity
that we have to be a part of the kingdom of God.
is by our true allegiance that we worship him
as Lord of everything. We used to say in the
good old days, we're not allowed to talk like
this anymore. If you're not Lord of everything,
you're not Lord at all. If you're not Lord of
every part of my life, then really you're not
the Lord of my life. Can I tell you church family
today, I stand thankful for the - as a representation
that Jesus gave his all so that you and I could
enter into the kingdom of God. And today I'm
reaching for another soul and I'm inviting you
to turn your back on the kingdom of darkness
and embrace the kingdom of Jesus Christ and say
with gratitude, thank you Jesus for giving me
access. To your kingdom. Amen as we enjoy the
kingdom of God, we must acknowledge it is just
a taste of the kingdom that is to come. We see
a little glimpse of the goodness of God in our
lives and oh, he keeps on blessing us, doesn't
he? But even with all of his blessings, there
are challenges, there are circumstances that
we kinda scratch our head and say, oh my goodness,
if I'm in the kingdom of God, I thought it'd
be a little bit easier than this, but the reality
is this, the kingdom of God is approaching. We
are going to see it in all of its fullness, but
in the meantime, we walk by faith and not by
sight, and all the while, we are looking around
at the kingdoms of the world, and they seem so
appealing. There's aspects of the kingdom of
this world that seems to draw at us, oh my goodness,
it seems like in the world there's this and that
and the other. But my brothers and sisters, this
is gonna sound like I'm a crazy old preacher,
but I confess to you, I believe the kingdoms
of this world are fake and phony and they will
crumble to the ground. And when this life is
over, the kingdom of God is still going to stand.
The kingdom of our Lord. and Savior Jesus Christ
in all of its fullness and all of its glory.
Praise God. Some of you have been bombarded by
the deception and the delusion that it doesn't
take all this, that we get a little bit fanatical
about some of this, but my brothers and sisters,
one step into glory, just one look upon his face
and everything is going to be processed quite
differently at that moment. I wish there was
someone that could agree with me that the word
of God stands forever true. Eye has not seen
nor ear heard nor has it entered into the heart
of man those things which God has prepared for
those who love him I know there's a tension in
our lives because the kingdom of God is now and
not yet and I want to experience that season
of life where the kingdom of God is in all of
its fullness, but until I I get there, I will
trust in his word. I will lean into his presence
and I will serve him as my king. Praise the name
of the Lord. I believe that Jesus is eager to
show us his kingdom in all of its fullness. I
believe that Jesus is eager to welcome us home
into his kingdom. And how many of you know sin
can never enter there? And so Jesus paid the
ultimate price. One writer said, you're not redeemed
with corruptible things like silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Jesus, a lamb
without blemish and without spot. One writer
said this, before we can begin to see the cross.
as something done for us. We must see it as something
done. by us, yet it is precisely through that
cross that we are brought into God's reign. Why
did Jesus go to the cross? He went because of
my sins. He went because of my flesh. He went
because of my humanity and everything about me
that would keep me into walking into the glorious
kingdom of God. The cross was because because
of me, my sins, my weaknesses, my failures, but
oh, because of his love, he paid the price. And
so even though the cross was hideous, the cross
is simultaneously glorious because now you and
I can enter into the kingdom of God and enjoy
the fullness of his promises for us. Praise the
name of the Lord. His cross was so ugly because
his kingdom is so beautiful. His cross was so
painful because his kingdom is so joyful. His
cross was so deadly because his kingdom is so
life eternal. And so a sacrifice had to be made
and a price had to be paid. And the cross is
so horrible because his kingdom is so glorious.
As you and I sit here today, is it possible for
us to even imagine? that we were destined for
the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of the devil,
the kingdom of death. And then can we pause and
can we say, oh, I'm so grateful. I know where
I was headed without Jesus, but now I know where
I'm headed because of him. I don't wanna look
at the cross and almost turn my face like some
people do when they read the Old Testament, all
the blood and all the sacrifice, they're almost
witch. that wasn't in the Bible. The reason why
that's in the Bible is because only the blood
of a spotless lamb can give us entrance into
the kingdom of God. I know we religious ourselves
enough so we get away from the darkness of our
own sin. But today I want to embrace the fact
that the cross was so ugly because my sin was
so real and leading me away from the kingdom
of life and peace. and joy in Jesus. And so why
don't you just throw up your hands for just a
moment and say thank you Jesus for the cross.
Thank you Jesus for the blood. Thank you Jesus
for the kingdom of God. Praise the name of the
Lord. Praise the name of the Lord. Praise God.
One writer said, Jesus's death is not merely
an example of love. It is the decisive act that
makes participation in God's kingdom possible.
The kingdom is entered, another writer said,
only because the king has born the judgment of
his people. One writer, and we see this in the
New Testament, he said, God commends his love
toward us. In that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us. Much more than having now
been justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him. There are aspects of
being a part of the kingdom of God in this season
of our lives, where we are fighting the spiritual
forces of darkness. that wanna destroy every
single human being, that at times when we put
our shoulder to the wheel, when we get yoked
up with Jesus and we serve him with all of our
hearts, there are challenges, there are struggles.
But oh, my brothers and sisters, could you look
to the cross one more time and whatever you're
doing to walk with the Lord, see the cross. Whatever
you're doing to obey his word, see the cross.
whatever you're doing to separate yourself from
a world of sin and all of the casual Christianity,
could you just thank the Lord for the cross and
say, you know what, it's not an easy road, but
it's a road that leads to the kingdom of God.
And if he was willing to take up a cross so that
I could make it all the way to glory, I'm gonna
serve him with gratitude. Oh, as you clap your
hands, could you lift your. Oh, go ahead and
think about it for just a moment. He shed his
blood. He shed his blood. Praise the name of
the Lord. In a very real sense, we were the enemies
of the kingdom of God. Every single one of us,
we were the enemies of the kingdom of God. But
now because of Calvary, we are the heirs of the
kingdom of God. I mean, that's pretty awesome
that we went from being the enemies of Christ,
now we're heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ.
Because of his sacrifice, because of his work
on Calvary, we are no longer the enemies of God.
We have access to the kingdom of God. And now,
right now, even though we do not live in the
fullness of the kingdom of God, because of gratitude,
we are his witnesses. Because of hearts that
are filled with thanksgiving, we are his representatives,
if you will. In fact, the scripture uses this
word, we are his ambassadors. We serve with gratitude.
We represent with gratitude. We are here today,
witnesses with gratitude. to Corinthians five,
for the love of Christ compels us because we
judge thus that if one died for all, then all
died. And he died for all that those who live
should live no longer for themselves, but for
him who died for them and rose again. That's
our response to the cross. I get to be in the
kingdom of God because he died for me. And so
out of gratitude, I will not live for myself.
I will live for him. I will not just pursue Christianity
on my own terms. I will get in the word of God
and I will say, Jesus, I wanna be a witness.
I wanna be a representative. I wanna be an ambassador
of the kingdom of God. Recently, I heard a testimony,
and I'll probably make it available to the church,
a young man by the name of Braden. He talks about
reaching a point in his life where he realized
there was a hole in his heart that only God could
fill. His family was very affluent in the community
where they lived. They didn't have much time
for church, so he didn't know much about God,
and he had enjoyed all the toys that come with
being a teenager from a wealthy home, a wealthy
family. But still as he was reaching the end
of his high school years, he realized he was
empty and desperate for God. He went to a school
and he decided in his classroom it was some sort
of inter -denominational school where people
came from various different backgrounds and faiths.
So as a young person he decided to go to every
church or every religious institution of every
single one of his schoolmates until he found
something that would fill the hole in his heart.
He said he did that he started going week after
week after week to all of the different places
Where they were going to find God thinking maybe
I will find God He said he got to every single
one of them He said sometimes he felt a little
something, but it didn't take care of the hole
in his heart He said in fact I wouldn't just
go and sit in the back row and then slip out
He said I'd go to the front row whatever they
were doing. I'd do it with all my heart And he
said I still didn't find what was missing He
said, there was one more student left, and he
said, I had saved her for last because I could
tell whatever Christianity she had tapped into,
they were fanatical. They were giving it 100%.
And she said, I was thinking if there was an
easier way to get God, I didn't want to go all
that way. But he couldn't find it in all those
casual Christian experiences. And so he asked
her, could I go to church with you? And you guessed
it, it was an apostolic church where they run
the aisles. where when they pray, they pray with
passion. When they worship, they worship with
all their hearts. And sure enough, he said in
that first service, he found what was missing
the whole time. He found what was missing the
whole time. He gave his entire heart to the Lord
He began to serve the Lord as fanatical as any
of them In fact his parents started to get nervous
because he was going to church every time the
doors were open He was going to prayer night.
He was going to midweek Bible study. He was getting
involved with the youth He was going to Sunday
and Sunday night. I mean it was just crazy Or
it was just what we all do Or at least what we
used to do and so sure enough His parents that
were very wealthy came to him and gave him an
ultimatum. They said, listen, we understand something's
changed in your life. And we are okay with that.
But you cannot be this committed to Jesus. We
know there's a destiny on your life. You have
potential to be very successful. And we're invested
in that. And we're not gonna just see you throw
your life away to something that could be a cult
or just some crazy fanatical group of people.
And they said, in fact, here's what we're gonna
do. If you'll just go to church on Sunday, we're
okay with that. But if you're gonna keep going
with that much intensity, you're no longer a
part of our house. You're no longer welcomed
in our family. And he said, you know, it was
quite a moment of decision there because a lot
of people going to church on Sunday is plenty.
But he said I had already seen Jesus and I couldn't
reject what I had seen My life had already been
changed by Jesus and I couldn't turn my back.
He said I told my parents I'm sorry, but I've
got to keep going to church. I've got to keep
going to prayer I've got to be there when the
doors are open I've got to be faithful to something
that's gotten a hold of my life and changed me
forever They gave him fifteen hundred dollars
and they kicked him out of the house and he lived
at the church Eventually, he overcame some of
those setbacks He went to medical school. He
ended up having his own practice, several practices
as far as well as being influential in the city
where he was a medical professional. And then
God started dealing with him again because he
realized there's still so many people out there
that have a hole in their heart. He walked away
not just from his family, but he walked away
from his medical career and now he preaches the
gospel every single Sunday somewhere. I'm not
saying God's calling all of us to do that, but
I am saying we need a fresh look at the cross
because we have made so many excuses for why
Christianity doesn't take all that. But what
I think the problem is, is that there is a spirit
in this world that's trying to keep people away
from the kingdom of God. And I'm begging you,
you're not gonna make it into the kingdom of
God unless you take up your cross and follow
Jesus. And so you've gotta look to the cross.
And you've got to say you know what though none
go with me still I will follow I see what Jesus
did for me He died for me. I'm gonna live for
him I'm gonna get myself yoked in to the will
of God and the work of God and the plan of God
and I'll tell you just one step into the kingdom
of God and you will not regret one prayer meeting
one church service one act of commitment and
loyalty to the word of My brothers and sisters,
it's his cross and it's his kingdom and it's
worth it. It's worth it. You say in Jesus' name.
Invite the musicians to come. Jesus is talking
about his own death and resurrection. Luke 9
and he says, I'm gonna suffer many things and
be rejected by the elders and chief priests and
scribes and be killed and be raised the third
day. And then he says, if anyone desires to come
after me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily and follow me. For whoever desires
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses
his life for my sake will save it. For what is
it to a man if he gains the whole world and is
himself destroyed or lost? Just because you sit
across the table from somebody That can say sweetly
it don't take all that doesn't mean they're right
and There is a spirit in this world that's reaching
for the next generation of missionaries and pastors
and preachers and deceiving them into thinking
You don't have to take up a cross. You can still
have a ministry. You can still be in the kingdom
of God. It is a lie from the pit of hell. And
you're being sucked into that deception. And
I'm begging you, it's his cross. It's his kingdom.
And this is a wonderful season to say, Jesus,
if you died for me, I'm gonna live for you. and
not on my terms. No way, not according to what
I want or what feels good to me. God forbid that
that's what he died for. I don't think that's
what he died for. I think he died for a few people.
Many are called, but few are chosen. That would
say, I'm gonna take up my cross and I'm gonna
follow him because his kingdom is worth every.
sacrifice. Can you say in Jesus' name? In Acts
chapter 14, and I close, the Apostle Paul and
Barnabas, they're preaching the gospel and the
Bible says in verse 22, this is Acts 14 and 22,
they're strengthening the souls of the disciples,
exhorting them to continue in the faith and saying,
We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom
of God. How does that sound in 2026? We must
through many tribulations enter into the kingdom.
Hey, whoa, whoa, time out. Jesus paid it all.
I'm good to go. We must through many tribulations.
enter into the kingdom of God. Well, what's your
tribulation, Brother Mark? What's your tribulation,
Brother Will? What's your tribulation, Brother
Javin? I don't know. I don't know the cross he's
gonna ask you to bear. I don't know the cross
he's gonna ask me to bear. All I've gotta do
is make a decision. If he carried a cross, I'll
carry a cross. But we have watered down Christianity
so much that if we let you know that it's gonna
take a little bit of serving and a little bit
of work, you're like, oh, no, no, no. There's
gotta be an easier option. That's a little bit
too intense, a little bit too heavy -handed.
It don't take all that. It took a crown of thorns
upon his head, and it took a spear in his side,
and it took nails in his hands and his feet.
Because he knew when my people go through their
own tribulations, they're gonna have to know
that I was tempted in all points like as them
but without sin. They're gonna have to know that
just because they suffered, I suffered. Just
because they go through weariness and all of
the efforts of serving me and it's not always
easy. But my goodness, the cross wasn't easy
either. I looked in Acts chapter 14 to try to
figure out what kind of tribulation, what kind
of sacrifice, what kind of cross was Paul talking
about? And so if you look at Acts 14 again, it
says that there were Jews from Antioch, Iconium,
they came to Lystra, and they persuaded the multitudes,
they stoned Paul, dragged him out of the city,
supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples
gathered around him, sounds like they had a prayer
meeting, he rose up and went into the city, and
the next day, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
That's where we were reading just before verse
21. And when they had preached the gospel to
that city and made many disciples, they returned
to Lystra, that's where they stoned him. and
Iconium and Antioch, that's where the people
came to stone them. And they just strengthened
the souls of the disciples and they said, you
know, you gotta continue in the faith because
we must through many tribulations enter into
the kingdom of God. So we got these people from
Iconium, Antioch, they head over to Lystra, they
get the crowd and are uproar. And they stoned
Paul, leave him for dead. And so he gets prayed
for. He gets up, he goes on to the next city.
So that's what we need to do. We need to go back
to those three cities. Because obviously we stirred
something up. And we need to let them know, hey,
there may be tribulation, but this is about the
kingdom of God. There may be persecution, but
this is about the kingdom of God. Oh, there's
somebody in this sanctuary. You want to live
for God that way. I know it's not everybody,
but there's somebody in this sanctuary. You want
to live for God that way, not because of Pastor
Harold Linder, but because you see a savior that
went to a cross and he shed his blood and something
in your soul says, my goodness, I'm supposed
to be an ambassador. Even if it kills me, I want
to reach out for the loss. I'm going to pray
for those that need to be saved. I'm going to
do something to build up the church. I'm going
to advance the kingdom of God. There may be tribulation,
but there's a Savior, and He has a kingdom. Would
you stand with me today? Praise the name of the
Lord. Praise the name of the Lord. Praise the
name of the Lord. Two weeks from now when I preach
about gratitude for the cross, you won't hear
much of this. Because a lot of people that come
on that Sunday, they only come twice a year,
Easter and Christmas. They're not ready for the
rest of the story. And some of you are probably
not ready for the rest of the story either, and
I apologize for kind of opening up the kingdom
of God in all of its fullness. But I am telling
you, there are some in this sanctuary, you're
ready for it. There's something beating in your
heart. that says there's a reason why he died
for me. There's a reason why he shed his blood
for me. And sweetheart, it's not so you can go
back to being worldly and dressing like the world
and looking like the world, painting your face
like the world. It's not for that reason. Are
you hearing what I'm saying? It's not so that
we can just become casual about our commitments
to the Lord, because my goodness, it feels so
good on Sunday. I want that, but I don't want
the rest of that mess. No, this is not that kind
of church. This is a kind of church where the
door is open wide for someone that will say I
know he died for me And I want to live for him
and I want to be an ambassador of a kingdom That
is so much better than anything in this world
And if I got to turn my back on some things It's
okay Because I'm not living for the kingdoms
of this world I'm living for his kingdom. Praise
the name of the Lord right where you're standing.
Would you take a moment and in your own way of
praying, would you surrender to the presence
of the Lord? If something in this message has
somehow connected with your spirit, then respond
right where you're standing. If nothing in this
message has really resonated with your spirit,
but you know that you have a passion for the
cross, right where you're standing, would you
just thank the Lord for Calvary? Would you just
thank the Lord for blood that was shed? For a
kingdom that is calling.