WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.660 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:13.939 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:17.879 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:23.420 right in. I'm going to pray in this dimension. 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:45.649 Psalm 55. Verse 22. It says, cast your burdens 00:00:45.649 --> 00:00:54.310 on the Lord and he shall sustain you. Hallelujah. 00:00:54.609 --> 00:00:59.810 Does this sound like an instruction? Amen? Does 00:00:59.810 --> 00:01:03.259 this sound like an instruction to us this morning. 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:09.980 Cast your burdens. Do we have burdens? If you 00:01:09.980 --> 00:01:14.200 don't have a burden, you can sit down. But do 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:15.980 you know that you can even generate a burden 00:01:15.980 --> 00:01:22.359 now? Right? Amen? It says, cast your burdens 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:28.200 on the Lord. On who? On your parents? On your 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:32.579 pastors? Some of you, your body is overwhelming 00:01:32.579 --> 00:01:39.000 on us. You are meant to just share it with us, 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:44.980 but you are casting it on us. Hallelujah. The 00:01:44.980 --> 00:01:49.560 scripture says, cast your burden on the Lord 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:56.019 and he shall sustain you. He shall never permit 00:01:56.019 --> 00:02:00.769 the righteous to be moved. He will never permit, 00:02:00.969 --> 00:02:04.109 it's a promise of the Lord, that he will never 00:02:04.109 --> 00:02:08.469 permit the righteous to be moved. When we come 00:02:08.469 --> 00:02:10.150 to the New Testament, we will see where he says, 00:02:10.409 --> 00:02:15.330 for he cares for you affectionately. Cast your 00:02:15.330 --> 00:02:20.629 burdens on the Lord, for he cares for you affectionately. 00:02:22.289 --> 00:02:25.569 So I want you to just, whatever burden he came 00:02:25.569 --> 00:02:29.819 into this place with, Whatever body he came into 00:02:29.819 --> 00:02:33.180 this place with. Listen, God is here. God is 00:02:33.180 --> 00:02:35.879 in our midst. Hallelujah. One of the things that 00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:39.280 happened in this place, as the people of God 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.819 gather, is that God lifts up burdens in people's 00:02:41.819 --> 00:02:45.639 hearts. Amen. And that is what God has started 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:49.759 in this place. And God is lifting up burdens 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:52.060 in people's hearts. So I just want you to just 00:02:52.060 --> 00:02:53.719 communicate that thing that is a burden in your 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:57.610 heart. No matter how big it is. No matter how 00:02:57.610 --> 00:03:03.069 small it is. Take advantage of the move of God 00:03:03.069 --> 00:03:05.870 in our midst. The steering of God in this place. 00:03:06.490 --> 00:03:08.650 And communicate to God. Now open your mouth and 00:03:08.650 --> 00:03:13.129 speak to God. Open your mouth and speak to God. 00:03:13.789 --> 00:03:16.949 Speak to God. Speak to God. I want to hear somebody 00:03:16.949 --> 00:03:18.689 speaking to God concerning your circumstance. 00:03:24.110 --> 00:03:34.039 Speak to God concerning your circumstance. Speak 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:37.400 to God passionately concerning what is the burden 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:58.360 in your heart. Just like the woman in the temple 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:02.039 praying to God expecting a child, Praying to 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:04.759 God, I want you to just pray fervently concerning 00:04:04.759 --> 00:04:10.580 what the burden is. Concerning what the burden 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:16.639 is. Speak to God concerning that burden. God 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:20.680 is doing something in this hour. The power of 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:25.160 God is here to meet our needs. The power of God 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:29.360 is here to meet your needs. Speak to God concerning 00:04:29.360 --> 00:05:13.740 that thing. Make sure you're praying. Thank you, 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:32.920 family. concerning your family. Shalikapatusa 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:37.339 kata lapatusekitakaya. Ashalimbranasisketia. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:42.620 Alipranusakata lapranisketia. Mangapatusa kata 00:05:42.620 --> 00:05:47.379 kata kata kata kata. Ilaparusekata lambranasisketia. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:52.959 Mangapatusulupranusite. Ishalapusakaya. Mangapatia. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:58.680 Maripasusakata. Malapranisisekite. Ishalusakaya. 00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:10.639 Nevabisale, nevabisale, nevabisale. Speak to 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:12.980 God. Speak to God concerning that issue, concerning 00:06:12.980 --> 00:06:16.199 that matter, concerning that matter. God is interested 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:22.839 in your situation. The Bible says he will never 00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:25.300 allow the righteous to be moved. He will never 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:27.720 allow the righteous to be moved. Just speak to 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:30.160 God at this hour. Speak to God concerning that 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.759 matter in your family, in your life, in your 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.540 family, in your life, in your ministry, in your 00:06:36.540 --> 00:06:39.819 work, even in the practical part of your life, 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:44.500 whatever it is, whatever burden it is. Speak 00:06:44.500 --> 00:07:31.290 to God. Speak to God. . . . . . . . . Speak to 00:07:31.290 --> 00:07:52.209 God. That is why we are here. We are here to 00:07:52.209 --> 00:07:55.750 pray. That's what we do in the garden of the 00:07:55.750 --> 00:08:04.350 believers. We pray. We pray. We pray. Say, Lord, 00:08:04.389 --> 00:08:07.870 this is what is disturbing my heart. This is 00:08:07.870 --> 00:08:11.509 what is disturbing my heart. This is what is 00:08:11.509 --> 00:08:27.379 disrupting my peace. Father, we thank you, Lord, 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:29.600 that you are meeting our needs. Thank you, Lord, 00:08:29.620 --> 00:08:31.959 that you are meeting our needs. Thank you, Jesus, 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:34.960 that you are meeting our needs. You are meeting 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:37.919 our needs. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:40.320 Ghost. Thank you, Father, that you are meeting 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:43.259 our needs. Every practical need in this house 00:08:43.259 --> 00:08:47.039 is met in the name of Jesus Christ. Every practical 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:50.279 need in Christ is met in the name of Jesus Christ. 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:59.700 We shall never be moved. Hallelujah. Now, please, 00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:02.759 when you leave this place, make sure that you 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:07.879 live with a free mind. Hallelujah. Some of you, 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.559 if you come to church, as though you drop your 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:13.059 burdens by the door, and when you are leaving, 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:15.000 you pick it up again and you continue throughout 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:20.100 the week. Hallelujah. When you lay your burdens 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:24.080 before God, you leave it there. Amen? Leaving 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:25.759 it there simply means that you don't worry about 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.580 it. Leaving it there simply means that you trust 00:09:28.580 --> 00:09:31.399 God's ability to cater for your needs. Leaving 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.379 it there simply means that you trust God's ability 00:09:33.379 --> 00:09:37.159 to answer the desires of your heart. Hallelujah. 00:09:38.299 --> 00:09:40.240 So I just want to encourage you in this place, 00:09:40.379 --> 00:09:45.519 not only today, but continuously. inculcate the 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:47.860 habit of committing everything that disturbs 00:09:47.860 --> 00:09:54.980 your heart to God. And trusting that God is sufficient. 00:09:55.379 --> 00:09:57.679 You see, the reason for depression, the reason 00:09:57.679 --> 00:09:59.340 why someone will wake up and say, I'm depressed, 00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:02.519 is because you carry your problems so much on 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:07.539 your own head. And you forget that you have a 00:10:07.539 --> 00:10:09.679 God that is interested in every detail of your 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:15.240 life. Amen? So I want to encourage you that this 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:18.100 should be a habit that at no time, in fact, when 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:20.840 you catch yourself worrying, sometimes it happens 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:25.120 to me. Amen? I'll discover that I'm going out 00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:28.620 of order. Going out of order will mean that I'm 00:10:28.620 --> 00:10:32.679 not living in joy. Hallelujah. The spirit of 00:10:32.679 --> 00:10:35.379 God in you is a spirit of what? It's a spirit 00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:38.879 of joy. So at all times, the believer ought to 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.190 be full of joy. Regardless of whatever things 00:10:42.190 --> 00:10:43.950 that are happening in the external, we are not 00:10:43.950 --> 00:10:47.169 saying that challenges will not come. Amen? There 00:10:47.169 --> 00:10:49.669 is no promise that problems will not come. But 00:10:49.669 --> 00:10:52.629 even when problems come, the believer is stable. 00:10:53.070 --> 00:10:59.950 Hallelujah. Because we are sure that we are not 00:10:59.950 --> 00:11:02.529 without help. We are sure that God is our help. 00:11:02.710 --> 00:11:05.750 We are sure that God is able to rescue us in 00:11:05.750 --> 00:11:09.820 all situations. Hallelujah. So I want you to 00:11:09.820 --> 00:11:12.879 be encouraged by this. I want you to be encouraged 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:14.759 by this because I sense in my heart that a lot 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:17.559 of people have burdens in their heart. And I 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:20.639 trust that every burden is lifted up in Jesus' 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:23.539 name. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's have our seats. 00:11:23.659 --> 00:11:31.399 Let's have our seats. Matthew chapter 16. Matthew 00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:34.879 chapter 16. I want to welcome everybody to church 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:37.490 this morning. Turn to your left and right and 00:11:37.490 --> 00:11:39.409 welcome your brother, your sister, and say, You're 00:11:39.409 --> 00:11:43.070 welcome to church. If the face by your right 00:11:43.070 --> 00:11:45.490 or your left is new, say, What is your name? 00:11:46.009 --> 00:12:00.330 Ask the person's name. Amen. Matthew chapter 00:12:00.330 --> 00:12:10.049 16, verse 18 and 19. Matthew 16, verse 18 and 00:12:10.049 --> 00:12:13.269 19. I want to welcome those who traveled and 00:12:13.269 --> 00:12:16.870 are back. I can see some faces that have been 00:12:16.870 --> 00:12:19.850 away for a while and some couple of new students 00:12:19.850 --> 00:12:23.769 that have joined us freshly. You're welcome. 00:12:28.269 --> 00:12:34.669 Matthew 16, verse 18. And also I say to you that 00:12:34.669 --> 00:12:40.720 you are Peter. And on this rock I will build 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:46.399 my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:51.960 against it. Verse 19. And I will give you the 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:57.480 keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:02.399 bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:07.750 you loose on earth will be loosed where? In heaven. 00:13:07.870 --> 00:13:16.090 Hallelujah. So, we confirm that from the foundation 00:13:16.090 --> 00:13:25.509 of the world, God is building a house. God is 00:13:25.509 --> 00:13:29.490 doing something. God is working. God is building 00:13:29.490 --> 00:13:31.429 a house from the foundation of the world. From 00:13:31.429 --> 00:13:35.929 the inception of time, God is doing something. 00:13:37.610 --> 00:13:41.909 And that house is not a fiscal house, but it's 00:13:41.909 --> 00:13:44.350 something spiritual that God is doing. Hallelujah. 00:13:44.970 --> 00:13:48.769 That house is what we see as the family of God. 00:13:48.889 --> 00:13:51.389 That house is what we see as a church of God, 00:13:51.470 --> 00:13:55.429 that God intends to build a family of people. 00:13:57.909 --> 00:14:02.409 And all nations we saw shall flow to this house 00:14:02.409 --> 00:14:05.669 of God, to this family of God. The intention 00:14:05.669 --> 00:14:09.460 of God, is to have a people that are called His 00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:11.720 own. The intention of God is to have a people 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:17.340 who are called by His name. And this encompasses 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:24.200 all nations. All nations. The house of God, we 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:27.620 saw, will be constituted of people from every 00:14:27.620 --> 00:14:29.860 tribe of the nation. It doesn't matter where 00:14:29.860 --> 00:14:32.580 you're coming from. It doesn't matter your nationality. 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:35.080 It doesn't matter your skin color. It doesn't 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:39.490 matter your level of education, the intention 00:14:39.490 --> 00:14:43.409 of God is to have all nation in His house, in 00:14:43.409 --> 00:14:47.409 His family, the house of God. Every tribe, every 00:14:47.409 --> 00:14:51.350 race, every tongue, and of course, every gender. 00:14:51.529 --> 00:14:57.429 Two genders, the two genders. Hallelujah. Now, 00:14:57.450 --> 00:15:01.629 we saw that the Father's house is not just a 00:15:01.629 --> 00:15:05.639 building, even though we see in the In the writings 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:07.620 of the Old Testament scriptures, the writings 00:15:07.620 --> 00:15:11.419 of Moses and God's way of communicating to the 00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:17.039 prophets of old, we see fiscal buildings, constructions 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:21.399 of houses and of temples. We see when David wanted 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:27.080 to build a temple for God and then God executed 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:31.320 this plan through his son Solomon. And we see 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:33.799 when Moses came, Moses instituted the tabernacle. 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:38.080 And over and over and then we see the continuity 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:43.539 of that even to the time of Christ. And we see 00:15:43.539 --> 00:15:46.259 where Jesus Christ was speaking today to the 00:15:46.259 --> 00:15:49.779 disciples in Matthew 24 from verse 1 and 2 about 00:15:49.779 --> 00:15:53.519 the destruction of the physical temple. And we 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:57.259 say that the physical temple is actually God's 00:15:57.259 --> 00:16:02.799 way of communicating what he will do in the spirit. 00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:06.279 Hallelujah. That a physical temple is only a 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:10.059 representation. It is not the real thing. It 00:16:10.059 --> 00:16:15.059 is only a way of communication of God. That God 00:16:15.059 --> 00:16:17.639 is communicating his plan and his purpose. Let's 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:19.980 look at Matthew 24 once again to remind ourselves. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.120 And of course, for the interest of those who 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:26.879 are not here in the previous weeks. Matthew 24, 00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:34.340 from verse 1 to 3. Then Jesus went out and departed 00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:36.679 from the temple, and his disciples came up to 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:43.139 show him the buildings of the temple. So they 00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:45.340 were showing him the magnificence of the temple, 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:50.559 how glorious the construction is. And Jesus said 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:53.539 to them, Do you not see all these things? That 00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:56.740 is referring to the building. As surely I say 00:16:56.740 --> 00:17:00.100 to you, not one stone shall be left here upon 00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:06.359 another. that shall not be thrown down. Now, 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.259 as he sat on the mountain of olives, the disciples 00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:13.140 came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when 00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:16.660 will these things be? And what will be the sign 00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:20.819 of your coming and of the end of the age? And 00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:22.700 we say that the question that was asked in verse 00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:27.140 3 was concerning what Jesus Christ said in the 00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:29.779 previous two verses about the destruction of 00:17:29.779 --> 00:17:33.559 the temple. And in our stories, we saw that Jesus 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:39.940 Christ was telling them that the error of these 00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:43.180 sacrifices that are done in the temple will end. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:47.640 That the error of animal sacrifices, the error 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:50.680 of ceremonial washings that are done in the temple 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:54.299 will end. And God will introduce a new system. 00:17:54.660 --> 00:18:00.500 And this new system is what is called... It is 00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:02.720 actually what is eternal. It is what is spiritual. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.619 Hallelujah. And this new system that God will 00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:10.579 bring to be will be in the death and the resurrection 00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:13.299 of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ dies and is 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:16.380 rose again, he's going to usher in a new system 00:18:16.380 --> 00:18:19.799 of worship, a new system of interaction with 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:23.400 people. And we call this system the family of 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:27.509 God. We call this system... The kingdom of God. 00:18:27.650 --> 00:18:31.130 We call this new system the church of God. Hallelujah. 00:18:32.589 --> 00:18:39.190 And in Matthew 16 verse 19, we see Jesus similarly 00:18:39.190 --> 00:18:43.190 communicating the plan that he had. Let's go 00:18:43.190 --> 00:18:47.710 back to that Matthew 16 verse 19. He says, and 00:18:47.710 --> 00:18:49.890 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 00:18:51.049 --> 00:18:57.609 The keys of the kingdom of heaven. So we also 00:18:57.609 --> 00:19:01.369 saw from the scriptures previously that the house, 00:19:01.369 --> 00:19:04.529 that this house or this temple or this that God 00:19:04.529 --> 00:19:08.430 is building is also referred to as land, as a 00:19:08.430 --> 00:19:12.009 land. That is in God's way of communication to 00:19:12.009 --> 00:19:14.829 Abraham, he promised them a land, a people, a 00:19:14.829 --> 00:19:21.369 nation, to Isaac and also to Jacob. And we are 00:19:21.369 --> 00:19:25.609 able to see from Hebrews that this land, is a 00:19:25.609 --> 00:19:29.230 city, the city of God. The heavenly Jerusalem. 00:19:30.069 --> 00:19:33.390 Heavenly refers to something spiritual, not a 00:19:33.390 --> 00:19:35.430 physical Jerusalem, but a heavenly Jerusalem. 00:19:36.109 --> 00:19:38.349 Something that is not physical, but something 00:19:38.349 --> 00:19:42.549 that is spiritual. And we saw that this land, 00:19:42.710 --> 00:19:45.910 this heavenly Jerusalem, is also called the church 00:19:45.910 --> 00:19:51.109 of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11, verse 8. Verse 8. 00:19:52.549 --> 00:20:01.029 Hebrews. Yes. Hebrews 11 from verse 8 to 16. 00:20:01.329 --> 00:20:05.630 It says, By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was 00:20:05.630 --> 00:20:08.809 called to go out to the place which he will receive 00:20:08.809 --> 00:20:13.069 as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing 00:20:13.069 --> 00:20:17.549 where he was going. By faith, he dwelled in the 00:20:17.549 --> 00:20:21.029 land of promise. So what God promised was a land. 00:20:21.190 --> 00:20:24.759 What God promised was a country. By faith he 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:27.720 dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:31.019 country dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:34.619 the heirs with him of the same promise. So it 00:20:34.619 --> 00:20:37.240 means that the promise of God to Abraham is the 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:40.359 same promise that was given to Jacob, to Isaac, 00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:43.819 to Jacob, even to the children of Israel. For 00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:47.140 he waited. This is what Abraham waited for. This 00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:50.099 is what Abraham was promised. For he waited for 00:20:50.099 --> 00:20:54.849 the city which has foundations. whose builder 00:20:54.849 --> 00:20:58.890 and maker is who? It's God. That wouldn't be 00:20:58.890 --> 00:21:03.529 an earthly nation built by men. So what Abraham 00:21:03.529 --> 00:21:07.410 was promised was something spiritual, something 00:21:07.410 --> 00:21:12.910 that is built by God. By faith, Sarah herself 00:21:12.910 --> 00:21:15.690 also received strength to conceive seed, and 00:21:15.690 --> 00:21:21.529 she bore a child when she was past the age, because 00:21:21.529 --> 00:21:25.750 she judged him faithful, Who has what? Has promised. 00:21:25.829 --> 00:21:28.829 God has promised. And God is faithful. Therefore 00:21:28.829 --> 00:21:33.130 from one man and him as good as death were born 00:21:33.130 --> 00:21:38.130 as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, 00:21:38.450 --> 00:21:43.369 innumerable as the sun which is by the seashore. 00:21:43.789 --> 00:21:46.170 This wouldn't be the nation of Israel of today. 00:21:47.349 --> 00:21:50.210 Hallelujah. Because the nation of Israel today 00:21:50.210 --> 00:21:53.420 are not... are not as much as even Nigeria, where 00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:56.220 I come from. They're not even half of my country. 00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:59.559 So we can say that they are the fulfillment of 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:06.200 God's promise. Amen? So these all died in faith, 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:10.319 not having received the promises, but having 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:15.140 seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced 00:22:15.140 --> 00:22:18.359 them, and confessed that indeed they were strangers 00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:23.319 and pilgrims on earth. For those who say such 00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:26.339 things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.759 The word homeland here refers to a community. 00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:37.339 Hallelujah. It refers to a community. And truly, 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:40.539 if they had called to mind that country from 00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:43.500 which they had come out, they would have had 00:22:43.500 --> 00:22:47.900 an opportunity to return. But now they desire 00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:51.390 a better. Now the word better here, We always 00:22:51.390 --> 00:22:54.329 explain to you, it means something permanent. 00:22:55.130 --> 00:22:58.470 Amen? Beta here refers to something permanent. 00:22:58.849 --> 00:23:04.009 They desire something permanent. That is a spiritual 00:23:04.009 --> 00:23:07.289 country. Heavenly refers to what? Spiritual. 00:23:08.049 --> 00:23:11.789 Something spiritual. So, they desire something 00:23:11.789 --> 00:23:17.009 permanent. They desire a spiritual country. Therefore, 00:23:17.390 --> 00:23:20.980 God... It's not a shame to be called their God. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:26.220 For he has prepared a city for them. And we explained 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:29.000 this city on Wednesday. We said this city, what 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:34.599 does the word city refer to? Of course, from 00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:39.619 the Greek word polis, right? It means what? People. 00:23:40.619 --> 00:23:43.460 For he has prepared a people for them. For he 00:23:43.460 --> 00:23:47.450 has prepared a family for them. Alright? So the 00:23:47.450 --> 00:23:54.470 plan of God is what? It's a family. It's a family. 00:23:56.450 --> 00:23:59.369 Hallelujah. Let's jump to chapter 12, verse 22. 00:24:00.329 --> 00:24:12.250 Hebrews 12, 22. But you have come to Mount Zion 00:24:12.250 --> 00:24:18.380 and to the city to the family, to the community, 00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:24.519 to the country, to the church of the living God, 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:29.720 the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company 00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:37.700 of angels, to the general assembly and church 00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:41.079 of the firstborn, who are registered in heaven, 00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:46.740 to God the judge of all, To the spirits of just 00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:52.500 men made perfect. To Jesus, the mediator of the 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:55.859 new covenant and to the blood of the sprinkling 00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:59.839 that speaks better things than the blood of a 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:05.640 bell. Hallelujah. So we see that the culmination 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:08.759 of the explanation of all that God is doing or 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:12.500 what God will do is that he is establishing his 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:15.650 family on earth. what we call their household, 00:25:16.069 --> 00:25:26.470 what we call the church. Hallelujah. Now, the 00:25:26.470 --> 00:25:30.230 promise that God made to Abraham, to Isaac and 00:25:30.230 --> 00:25:34.130 Jacob, was also made to David. Now, let's look 00:25:34.130 --> 00:25:47.559 at David. 2 Samuel 7. 2 Samuel 7, verse 12. I 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:49.339 just want you to see the consistency of God's 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:54.420 plan. Once God says something, He ensured that 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:57.039 what? That that didn't come to pass. Hallelujah. 00:25:58.019 --> 00:26:01.079 And we saw earlier on in Psalms, He said that 00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:03.880 He will never allow, it is not in God's, it is 00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:06.920 not in God's attitude or culture to allow the 00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:10.519 righteous to be moved. Amen? It is not in God's 00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:13.519 character to allow the righteous to be forsaken. 00:26:14.299 --> 00:26:20.650 And God is committed to His words. The psalmist 00:26:20.650 --> 00:26:23.650 will say that since I was young and now I am 00:26:23.650 --> 00:26:27.630 old, I have never seen what? The sons of the 00:26:27.630 --> 00:26:31.849 righteous do what? Huh? Is he forsaking or begging? 00:26:33.930 --> 00:26:42.569 Begging for bread. Hmm? Okay. He has never seen 00:26:42.569 --> 00:26:46.549 the righteous forsaking. No, he sits. Doing what? 00:26:47.089 --> 00:26:50.490 Begging for bread. And you hear such kind of 00:26:50.490 --> 00:26:55.450 promise and then you say you are depressed. It's 00:26:55.450 --> 00:27:00.150 impossible because God is consistent. God is 00:27:00.150 --> 00:27:03.250 consistent in his promises. And all through scriptures 00:27:03.250 --> 00:27:07.710 we'll see the consistency of God. God's consistency 00:27:07.710 --> 00:27:12.190 goes beyond your own inconsistency. Because God 00:27:12.190 --> 00:27:18.470 is not dependent on you to take an action. Hallelujah. 00:27:19.789 --> 00:27:22.210 The idea of salvation is not because we requested 00:27:22.210 --> 00:27:27.490 for it. Amen. It was on a plan of man. Man never 00:27:27.490 --> 00:27:29.369 sat down and negotiated with God. Please God, 00:27:29.430 --> 00:27:31.690 can you come and die for us? Because we have 00:27:31.690 --> 00:27:35.250 a problem. No. God originated the plan for our 00:27:35.250 --> 00:27:39.430 salvation. And he designed the plan how it will 00:27:39.430 --> 00:27:44.289 be executed. And he alone executed it. Amen. 00:27:44.990 --> 00:27:48.609 So it was not, man never contributed in God's 00:27:48.609 --> 00:27:54.309 plan. of saving men because no one can do it. 00:27:55.630 --> 00:28:00.250 He became man so that he would die to save men. 00:28:00.349 --> 00:28:02.390 Hallelujah. Now let's go back to God's promise 00:28:02.390 --> 00:28:07.990 to David. It says, when your days are fulfilled 00:28:07.990 --> 00:28:13.710 and you rest with your fathers, I will set up 00:28:13.710 --> 00:28:17.630 your seed. Is this similar to what we see in 00:28:17.630 --> 00:28:23.779 Abraham? A seed, right? Similar to who? To Isaac, 00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:28.759 a seat. Similar to who? To Jacob, a seat. I will 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:32.859 set up your seat after you. Who will come from 00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:37.359 your body? And I will establish his kingdom. 00:28:38.819 --> 00:28:43.480 He shall build a house for my name. This seat 00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:49.839 shall build a house for my name. And I will establish 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:54.779 the throne of his kingdom forever. Hallelujah. 00:28:56.299 --> 00:29:00.519 I will be his father and he shall be my son. 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:04.400 If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with 00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:06.799 the rod of men and with the blows of the sons 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:12.519 of men. This part is concerning Solomon. Hallelujah. 00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:16.599 But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took 00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:34.140 it. Amen. Verse 16. Amen. The house is also the 00:29:34.140 --> 00:29:37.400 kingdom, right? Amen. The house is also the kingdom, 00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:46.740 right? Forever before you. Your throne shall 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:52.500 be established. How? Forever. And we see this 00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:57.400 promise also reiterated in 1 Chronicles 17. Another 00:29:57.400 --> 00:30:01.140 place where this promise was reiterated. 1 Chronicles 00:30:01.140 --> 00:30:07.599 17 from verse 11. 1 Chronicles 17 verse 11. 11 00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:11.759 to 14. And it shall be that when your days are 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:15.769 fulfilled. When you must go to be with your fathers, 00:30:15.970 --> 00:30:20.289 that I will set up your seat, that I will set 00:30:20.289 --> 00:30:23.750 up your seat after you, who will be of your sons. 00:30:24.329 --> 00:30:29.309 And I will establish his kingdom. And I will 00:30:29.309 --> 00:30:32.289 establish his kingdom. He shall build me a house, 00:30:32.430 --> 00:30:35.970 and I will establish his throne forever. Verse 00:30:35.970 --> 00:30:39.490 13, yes. I will be his father and he shall be 00:30:39.490 --> 00:30:42.529 my son. And I will not take my mercy away from 00:30:42.529 --> 00:30:45.650 him as I took it from him who was before you. 00:30:46.569 --> 00:30:51.190 And I will establish him in my house and in my 00:30:51.190 --> 00:30:54.769 kingdom forever. And his throne shall be established 00:30:54.769 --> 00:30:58.410 forever. Hallelujah. Now the mercy that God took 00:30:58.410 --> 00:31:03.230 away from Saul is actually the plan of God. Amen. 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:10.640 Hallelujah. Now, we'll find time to explain that 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:16.779 subsequently. Psalms 89. We're looking at how 00:31:16.779 --> 00:31:23.079 God declared the promises to David. Psalms 89 00:31:23.079 --> 00:31:33.000 verse 3. Psalms 89 verse 3. I have made a covenant 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:37.950 with my chosen. I have sworn to my servant David. 00:31:38.210 --> 00:31:40.390 What is the covenant? Let's look at it. Next 00:31:40.390 --> 00:31:46.970 verse. Your seat I will establish forever. Whenever 00:31:46.970 --> 00:31:50.190 you see God establishing the seat of David, you 00:31:50.190 --> 00:31:53.309 will see it is forever. Consistently, it is forever. 00:31:53.650 --> 00:31:57.890 And build up your throne to all generations. 00:31:58.849 --> 00:32:06.259 Hallelujah. To all generations. Sila. Now, if 00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:10.259 you are smart, you will ask this question. Today, 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:15.680 do we still see the throne of David in existence 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:22.859 today? Do we still see the son of David on the 00:32:22.859 --> 00:32:26.079 throne of David today as a physical kingdom, 00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:29.500 as a physical throne? Which means that what God 00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:32.660 was promising was not something physical. was 00:32:32.660 --> 00:32:34.599 something that is forever, something that is 00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:38.640 eternal, was something that is spiritual, but 00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:41.859 communicated using physical things. Hallelujah. 00:32:43.099 --> 00:32:45.460 Now from the promise, we would be tempted to 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:48.799 think, oh, that is Solomon, that is a promise 00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:51.579 of God. Similarly, the way we can easily think 00:32:51.579 --> 00:32:57.640 of Isaac as a promise to Abraham. This house 00:32:57.640 --> 00:33:00.220 of David, which is also called the kingdom of 00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:04.140 David, the Bible says, will last forever. The 00:33:04.140 --> 00:33:07.519 seed will also reign over the house of David 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:12.000 forever. Hallelujah. Now, the prophet Isaiah 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:14.599 will later give clarity about this seed of David 00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:16.859 that will last forever, that will reign forever. 00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:22.359 In Isaiah 9, verse 6 -7, we will see that the 00:33:22.359 --> 00:33:25.930 prophet clarified that this He's talking about 00:33:25.930 --> 00:33:34.589 the Messiah. Isaiah 9 verse 6. It says, for unto 00:33:34.589 --> 00:33:41.210 us a child is born and unto us a son is given 00:33:41.210 --> 00:33:44.210 and the government will be upon his shoulder 00:33:44.210 --> 00:33:48.809 and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, 00:33:48.809 --> 00:33:53.529 Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 00:33:56.170 --> 00:33:59.609 Verse 7. Of the increase of his government and 00:33:59.609 --> 00:34:02.349 peace, there will be no end. Which means that 00:34:02.349 --> 00:34:07.349 he is eternal. Upon the throne of David. Upon 00:34:07.349 --> 00:34:11.489 where? Upon the throne of David and over his 00:34:11.489 --> 00:34:16.250 kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment 00:34:16.250 --> 00:34:19.989 and justice from that time forward. Even forever. 00:34:20.329 --> 00:34:24.070 The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do what? will 00:34:24.070 --> 00:34:26.690 perform this. So, the prophet Isaiah clarified 00:34:26.690 --> 00:34:29.409 that this promise concerning the throne, the 00:34:29.409 --> 00:34:32.070 kingdom of David, the house of David, is actually 00:34:32.070 --> 00:34:34.670 the prophecy concerning the Messiah who will 00:34:34.670 --> 00:34:38.429 come and establish the kingdom, the house of 00:34:38.429 --> 00:34:43.730 David forever. Hallelujah. Also, in Luke chapter 00:34:43.730 --> 00:34:46.730 1 verse 32, we will see that when the angel appeared 00:34:46.730 --> 00:34:54.909 to Mary, he clarified his mission. Luke chapter 00:34:54.909 --> 00:35:05.110 1 verse 32. Luke chapter 1 verse 32. This is 00:35:05.110 --> 00:35:06.829 what the angel said to Mary. He says, he will 00:35:06.829 --> 00:35:12.510 be great and will be called the son of the highest. 00:35:12.550 --> 00:35:14.769 Talking about the baby that will be born. He 00:35:14.769 --> 00:35:17.550 will be called the son of the highest and the 00:35:17.550 --> 00:35:20.090 Lord God will give him what? What will the Lord 00:35:20.090 --> 00:35:23.130 God give him? He will give him the throne of 00:35:23.130 --> 00:35:28.489 his father, David. And he will reign over the 00:35:28.489 --> 00:35:34.250 house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, what 00:35:34.250 --> 00:35:36.909 will happen? There will be no end. So it therefore 00:35:36.909 --> 00:35:39.969 means that that seed of David that will reign 00:35:39.969 --> 00:35:42.369 over the kingdom, the throne of David, the house 00:35:42.369 --> 00:35:45.969 of David forever, is actually God's communication, 00:35:46.269 --> 00:35:49.150 God's communicating his plan of the coming Messiah. 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:56.699 who will reign forever. Hallelujah. Now, people 00:35:56.699 --> 00:36:01.480 also recognize Jesus as the son of David. Amen. 00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:04.699 It is important that we see in scriptures that 00:36:04.699 --> 00:36:06.780 not only did the angel pronounce Jesus as the 00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:09.559 son of David, but men who existed during that 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:13.199 time also understood by prophecy that this is 00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:15.960 the Messiah. And the scriptures have spoken that 00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:18.139 the Messiah will come in the lineage of David. 00:36:20.110 --> 00:36:22.730 That the Messiah will be called the son of David. 00:36:23.630 --> 00:36:27.349 That the Messiah will come and inherit the throne 00:36:27.349 --> 00:36:30.010 of David, the kingdom of David, the house of 00:36:30.010 --> 00:36:34.610 David. Let's look at an example. The blind man 00:36:34.610 --> 00:36:42.349 in Luke chapter 18 verse 38. Luke chapter 18 00:36:42.349 --> 00:36:51.159 verse 38. 38 and 39. And he cried out, saying, 00:36:51.500 --> 00:36:59.400 Jesus, son of Joseph, son of Joseph. But I was 00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:04.440 thinking Joseph was the father of Jesus. But 00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:07.920 he said, that means that the blind man had an 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:10.699 understanding of Jesus as prophesied by scriptures, 00:37:10.780 --> 00:37:15.119 that this is a Messiah. And this man, this Messiah 00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:18.610 is actually in the lineage of David. And he cried 00:37:18.610 --> 00:37:22.769 out saying, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on 00:37:22.769 --> 00:37:25.489 me. Meaning that the Messiah will come along 00:37:25.489 --> 00:37:29.869 with mercy. Alright? Have mercy on me. Then those 00:37:29.869 --> 00:37:31.889 who went before warned him that he should be 00:37:31.889 --> 00:37:35.710 quiet. But he cried out, out loud. Meaning that 00:37:35.710 --> 00:37:37.809 he didn't make mistakes. It wasn't a mistake 00:37:37.809 --> 00:37:39.769 that he called on the son of David. He cried 00:37:39.769 --> 00:37:43.090 out a second time, son of David, have mercy on 00:37:43.090 --> 00:37:50.260 me. Also the Canaanite woman, Matthew 15, 22. 00:37:51.179 --> 00:37:55.960 The woman from Canaan, Matthew. I think this 00:37:55.960 --> 00:37:59.579 woman is a gentile, right? I presume this woman 00:37:59.579 --> 00:38:01.119 should be a gentile. Maybe we'll look at it. 00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:06.619 And behold, a woman from Canaan came from the 00:38:06.619 --> 00:38:10.000 region and cried out to him, saying, Have mercy 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:15.579 on me, O Lord. Son of who? Son of David. Son 00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:19.320 of David, my daughter is severely demon -possessed. 00:38:19.380 --> 00:38:23.539 So she recognized Jesus as who? As the son of 00:38:23.539 --> 00:38:27.320 David, with whom will inherit the promise of 00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:29.840 the kingdom of David that has been prophesied 00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:37.280 in the scriptures. Matthew 21, verse 9. Matthew 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:46.750 21, verse 9. Then the multitude who went before 00:38:46.750 --> 00:38:50.110 and those who followed cried out saying, Hosanna 00:38:50.110 --> 00:38:53.670 to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes 00:38:53.670 --> 00:38:55.949 in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. 00:38:56.170 --> 00:39:00.510 So the crowd also prophetically envisioned Jesus 00:39:00.510 --> 00:39:04.650 as the Messiah and see him as the one who will 00:39:04.650 --> 00:39:09.690 inherit the throne or the kingdom of David. Hallelujah. 00:39:10.030 --> 00:39:16.690 Or the house of David. Amen. So similarly, we 00:39:16.690 --> 00:39:19.809 will see that the prophet Isaiah also prophesied 00:39:19.809 --> 00:39:22.409 about the keys of the house of David. We saw 00:39:22.409 --> 00:39:25.989 this on Wednesday. Isaiah 22, from Isaiah 22. 00:39:28.750 --> 00:39:38.849 Isaiah 22, verse 23. Then it shall be in that 00:39:38.849 --> 00:39:45.760 day, and I will call myself an Eliakim now. Eliakim 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:48.800 is actually a character in the scriptures. But 00:39:48.800 --> 00:39:52.420 prophetically, these words were not about Eliakim, 00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:55.500 but it's about the Messiah. Hallelujah. Because 00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:59.940 Eliakim is a type, it's a typology of Jesus. 00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:03.599 Just like Moses is a type of Jesus, just like 00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:08.800 some characters in the scriptures are a type 00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:12.780 of Jesus, but not Jesus himself. They represent 00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:15.809 Jesus. Hallelujah. Then it shall be in that day 00:40:15.809 --> 00:40:18.550 that I will call my servant Eliakim, the son 00:40:18.550 --> 00:40:22.789 of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your rope 00:40:22.789 --> 00:40:26.289 and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit 00:40:26.289 --> 00:40:33.909 your responsibility into his hand. He shall be 00:40:33.909 --> 00:40:37.389 a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and 00:40:37.389 --> 00:40:42.210 to the house of Judah. The key of the house of 00:40:42.210 --> 00:40:48.340 David. I will lay on his shoulder. So the key, 00:40:48.340 --> 00:40:51.579 right, will be laid where? On his shoulder. Do 00:40:51.579 --> 00:40:54.460 you sound like Isaiah chapter 9? The government 00:40:54.460 --> 00:40:58.380 on his shoulder. Power, authority. Key on his 00:40:58.380 --> 00:41:03.159 shoulders. Hallelujah. The key of the house of 00:41:03.159 --> 00:41:06.079 David, I will lay on his shoulder. So he shall 00:41:06.079 --> 00:41:11.500 open and no one shall shut. And he shall shut. 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:19.539 and no one shall open. I will fasten him as a 00:41:19.539 --> 00:41:23.840 pick in a secure place and he will become a glorious 00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:32.059 throne to his father's house. Do you read verse 00:41:32.059 --> 00:41:42.000 23? Yes, verse 23. So Eliakim, It's a foreshadowing 00:41:42.000 --> 00:41:47.639 of Christ. It's a foreshadowing of Christ. We'll 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:49.760 see this explained in Revelation 3, verse 7. 00:41:52.380 --> 00:41:58.780 Make a reference to this. Revelation 3, verse 00:41:58.780 --> 00:42:06.460 7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, 00:42:06.820 --> 00:42:12.340 write, This thing says he who is holy, he who 00:42:12.340 --> 00:42:16.260 is true, he who has the key of what? He who has 00:42:16.260 --> 00:42:18.139 the key of David. He's talking about the Messiah. 00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:23.380 He who has the key of David. He who opens and 00:42:23.380 --> 00:42:28.539 no one shuts. And shuts and no one opens. Talking 00:42:28.539 --> 00:42:34.059 about Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. So in Matthew 00:42:34.059 --> 00:42:38.480 18, 16 verse 19. We will see Jesus makes a promise. 00:42:39.480 --> 00:42:41.239 Let's go back to Matthew, our key scripture, 00:42:41.380 --> 00:42:46.739 Matthew 18 verse 19. Jesus makes a promise. And 00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:49.360 what is a promise? He made a promise. He says, 00:42:49.480 --> 00:42:53.119 I will give you. He's not saying take the key, 00:42:53.179 --> 00:42:55.679 but rather it's a promise. It's still a promise. 00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:59.460 He says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom. 00:43:00.099 --> 00:43:01.860 And for those that have been following us, he 00:43:01.860 --> 00:43:05.159 said these keys is not plural. It's translators, 00:43:05.219 --> 00:43:09.320 right? that made it plural. Okay? He says, I 00:43:09.320 --> 00:43:11.739 will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 00:43:12.119 --> 00:43:15.980 And whatever you bind on earth will be bound 00:43:15.980 --> 00:43:19.760 in heaven. And whatever you lose on earth will 00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:28.179 be loosed in heaven. And we noted that the church 00:43:28.179 --> 00:43:33.760 and the kingdom are synonymous. The church and 00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:38.989 the kingdom are synonymous. The kingdom of heaven 00:43:38.989 --> 00:43:45.329 is where God rules and reigns. The church is 00:43:45.329 --> 00:43:49.690 supernatural. The church is supernatural. Hallelujah. 00:43:51.250 --> 00:43:54.849 It's where God reigns. The church is not a social 00:43:54.849 --> 00:44:00.489 gathering. It's not a club. It's a supernatural 00:44:00.489 --> 00:44:05.050 reality. Hallelujah. All of us that are here 00:44:05.050 --> 00:44:08.510 belongs to a supernatural family. We belong to 00:44:08.510 --> 00:44:12.730 a supernatural family, meaning that we are spiritual. 00:44:15.110 --> 00:44:19.010 I want you to know that the keys, as mentioned 00:44:19.010 --> 00:44:24.269 in verse 19 of Matthew 16, is used, the word 00:44:24.269 --> 00:44:30.769 keys is used as a metaphor for access. The word 00:44:30.769 --> 00:44:35.449 keys is a metaphor. For what? For access. So 00:44:35.449 --> 00:44:39.210 what Jesus will be saying to Peter in this verse 00:44:39.210 --> 00:44:43.590 is that I'll give you the access to what? I'll 00:44:43.590 --> 00:44:46.329 give you the access to what? To the kingdom of 00:44:46.329 --> 00:44:49.849 God. I will give you the access to the kingdom 00:44:49.849 --> 00:44:52.469 of God. I'll give you that. What access is also 00:44:52.469 --> 00:44:56.130 authority. We've seen it previously. I'll give 00:44:56.130 --> 00:44:59.289 you the authority of what? Of the kingdom. I'll 00:44:59.289 --> 00:45:01.329 give you the access which refers to authority. 00:45:02.380 --> 00:45:10.820 We can use power. Amen? Keys is the word kleis 00:45:10.820 --> 00:45:17.559 in the Greek. K -L -E -I -S in the Greek. Which 00:45:17.559 --> 00:45:20.099 metaphorically can also be referred to as power 00:45:20.099 --> 00:45:25.219 or authority since the keeper of the keys, he 00:45:25.219 --> 00:45:28.599 who holds the keys, has the power or authority 00:45:28.599 --> 00:45:36.659 to open or to shut. Amen? So, Jesus made this 00:45:36.659 --> 00:45:40.280 promise to Peter. He says, and I will give you 00:45:40.280 --> 00:45:45.260 the keys. He will give the keys because he actually 00:45:45.260 --> 00:45:48.579 has it. Jesus will give the keys because he has 00:45:48.579 --> 00:45:58.619 the key. The key has been delivered to him. So, 00:45:58.719 --> 00:46:02.309 what will the key mean? We said it means access, 00:46:02.409 --> 00:46:05.670 right? It will enable Peter to do what? To open 00:46:05.670 --> 00:46:08.610 and close, will it? With a key, he'll be able 00:46:08.610 --> 00:46:11.610 to bind and also what? And also loose with a 00:46:11.610 --> 00:46:15.250 key, with the access. So when will this key be 00:46:15.250 --> 00:46:23.090 given? When will this key be given? Huh? When 00:46:23.090 --> 00:46:25.070 will this key be given? Because Jesus was making 00:46:25.070 --> 00:46:32.320 a promise. So this key, will be given in the 00:46:32.320 --> 00:46:37.420 resurrection of Jesus Christ. The key, Lord, 00:46:37.579 --> 00:46:41.519 is a promise that will be given when Jesus has 00:46:41.519 --> 00:46:45.619 died and he rose again. So the key is a product 00:46:45.619 --> 00:46:48.880 of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. If Jesus 00:46:48.880 --> 00:46:52.780 has not died, he can't hand over the key to Peter. 00:46:53.860 --> 00:46:58.159 Hallelujah. So the key is a product of Jesus' 00:46:58.400 --> 00:47:02.480 death. His burial and His resurrection. How did 00:47:02.480 --> 00:47:05.139 we come to this conclusion that is actually a 00:47:05.139 --> 00:47:07.340 product of Jesus' resurrection? When we look 00:47:07.340 --> 00:47:10.820 at the subsequent verses from Matthew 16, we 00:47:10.820 --> 00:47:12.679 discover that in the same line, Jesus went on 00:47:12.679 --> 00:47:15.460 to begin to speak about His death. Matthew 16, 00:47:15.519 --> 00:47:20.840 verse 21. Yes, yes, from verse 20, verse 21. 00:47:21.139 --> 00:47:25.500 Give me verse 21. Verse 21, yes. It says, from 00:47:25.500 --> 00:47:31.139 that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples 00:47:31.139 --> 00:47:35.239 that he must go to Jerusalem and do what? And 00:47:35.239 --> 00:47:37.820 suffer many things from the elders and the chief 00:47:37.820 --> 00:47:42.139 priests and scribes and be killed and be raised 00:47:42.139 --> 00:47:46.199 the third day. Then Peter, because Peter did 00:47:46.199 --> 00:47:50.059 not understand, he took Jesus aside and began 00:47:50.059 --> 00:47:54.320 to chasten him and began to rebuke Jesus, saying, 00:47:54.539 --> 00:48:00.590 far be it, God forbid. Far be it from you, Lord. 00:48:01.130 --> 00:48:04.610 This shall not happen to you. But how will you 00:48:04.610 --> 00:48:09.250 have the key? How will you have access to the 00:48:09.250 --> 00:48:14.530 kingdom if I do not go? Alright? But he turned 00:48:14.530 --> 00:48:18.349 and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan. Now, 00:48:18.389 --> 00:48:24.230 Peter is not Satan. Let's clarify this, alright? 00:48:25.090 --> 00:48:28.809 And then, We cannot prove that Satan entered 00:48:28.809 --> 00:48:37.610 Peter. Except we assume. Hallelujah. So, Satan, 00:48:37.809 --> 00:48:40.070 the word Satan, we've learned that it's what? 00:48:40.750 --> 00:48:44.949 It's opposition, right? It's a word for opposition. 00:48:44.989 --> 00:48:50.289 So, you can be a Satan in this context. I'm not 00:48:50.289 --> 00:48:54.329 saying you are the devil. And I hope that nobody 00:48:55.150 --> 00:48:58.690 is from the devil in this place. And I hope that 00:48:58.690 --> 00:49:00.869 all of us believe and we are from God. Hallelujah. 00:49:01.289 --> 00:49:04.110 So Satan, the word Satan here means opposition. 00:49:04.730 --> 00:49:07.449 Anything that is an opposition is a Satan. The 00:49:07.449 --> 00:49:11.969 word Satan is an opposition. So Jesus said to 00:49:11.969 --> 00:49:16.869 Peter, get behind me, the Satan. You are an offense 00:49:16.869 --> 00:49:20.429 to me for you are not mindful of the things of 00:49:20.429 --> 00:49:25.090 God, but the things of men. For the things of 00:49:25.090 --> 00:49:27.010 men. For it was necessary for the Christ to die. 00:49:27.369 --> 00:49:30.170 It was necessary for the Messiah to die so that 00:49:30.170 --> 00:49:33.690 he can hand over the keys of the kingdom to men. 00:49:33.789 --> 00:49:36.630 It was necessary that the Messiah must die that 00:49:36.630 --> 00:49:41.110 he will hand over the access to the kingdom to 00:49:41.110 --> 00:49:49.969 Peter, to men. Hallelujah. So we can ask again. 00:49:50.829 --> 00:49:54.369 Is this key a literal key or something spiritual? 00:49:55.969 --> 00:49:59.190 Huh? Spiritual? Is this talking of something 00:49:59.190 --> 00:50:01.929 spiritual? Oh, I wish we could have printed some 00:50:01.929 --> 00:50:04.789 keys today, Pastor Chidi. And then we can share 00:50:04.789 --> 00:50:10.730 in church today the keys of the kingdom. But 00:50:10.730 --> 00:50:15.090 then, it's talking of something spiritual, right? 00:50:15.849 --> 00:50:18.969 Something that is not physical, but something 00:50:18.969 --> 00:50:26.010 that is spiritual. Hallelujah. It is not material. 00:50:26.730 --> 00:50:30.610 So what did Jesus give at the resurrection? We 00:50:30.610 --> 00:50:32.610 concluded that this key will be given at the 00:50:32.610 --> 00:50:37.050 resurrection, right? So what is this key that 00:50:37.050 --> 00:50:42.150 Jesus gave at the resurrection? What is this 00:50:42.150 --> 00:50:45.050 key that Jesus gave at the resurrection? Not 00:50:45.050 --> 00:50:53.000 many keys. It's just one key. What did Jesus 00:50:53.000 --> 00:51:05.639 give at his resurrection? Any clue? Jesus gave 00:51:05.639 --> 00:51:10.159 us his spirit as a resurrection. Hallelujah. 00:51:10.980 --> 00:51:14.920 So the keys, or what we call the key, the access 00:51:14.920 --> 00:51:23.960 to the kingdom is actually the spirit. Jesus 00:51:23.960 --> 00:51:28.400 gave the spirit at the resurrection. John chapter 00:51:28.400 --> 00:51:32.719 14 verse 16. John chapter 14 verse 16 to 20. 00:51:32.800 --> 00:51:41.320 Let's look at it. And I will pray the father. 00:51:42.159 --> 00:51:46.380 That is before dying and rising from the dead. 00:51:46.820 --> 00:51:51.159 And I will pray the father. And he will give 00:51:51.159 --> 00:51:55.989 you another helper. In fact, this is the only 00:51:55.989 --> 00:51:58.449 thing that Jesus promised that he would give 00:51:58.449 --> 00:52:01.929 if he searched through all the scriptures. And 00:52:01.929 --> 00:52:05.849 I'll give you another helper that he may abide 00:52:05.849 --> 00:52:13.730 with you forever. The spirit of truth whom the 00:52:13.730 --> 00:52:16.909 world cannot receive because it neither sees 00:52:16.909 --> 00:52:20.869 him nor knows him, but you know him for he dwells 00:52:20.869 --> 00:52:27.539 with you and will be In you. And I will not leave 00:52:27.539 --> 00:52:33.519 you orphans. I will come to you. A little while 00:52:33.519 --> 00:52:37.300 longer. And the world will see me no more. But 00:52:37.300 --> 00:52:40.900 you will see me because I live. You will live 00:52:40.900 --> 00:52:45.280 also. At that day you will know that I am in 00:52:45.280 --> 00:52:52.219 my father. And you in me. And I in you. So before 00:52:52.219 --> 00:52:55.639 Jesus' death and resurrection, he promised the 00:52:55.639 --> 00:53:00.380 Holy Spirit. He gave the gift of the indwelling 00:53:00.380 --> 00:53:04.940 of the Spirit at the resurrection. So do we have 00:53:04.940 --> 00:53:10.219 the key of the kingdom? Amen? Does the believer 00:53:10.219 --> 00:53:14.219 have the access to the kingdom of God? Does the 00:53:14.219 --> 00:53:17.440 believer have the access, the authority of the 00:53:17.440 --> 00:53:20.940 kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven? Hallelujah. 00:53:21.530 --> 00:53:24.949 Do we have the authority of the church? Amen? 00:53:27.730 --> 00:53:30.469 The summary of everything Jesus gave at the resurrection 00:53:30.469 --> 00:53:34.650 is called the Spirit. We can accumulate everything 00:53:34.650 --> 00:53:40.909 and call it the Spirit. Pneumatica. Or is it 00:53:40.909 --> 00:53:44.630 pneumaticus, right? We can classify everything 00:53:44.630 --> 00:53:48.590 that Jesus did as what? As the Spirit. That is 00:53:48.590 --> 00:53:52.880 what he gave us at his resurrection. The indwelling 00:53:52.880 --> 00:53:57.739 of the Spirit in the believer. See, before Jesus 00:53:57.739 --> 00:54:02.739 died, and when he died and rose again, the only 00:54:02.739 --> 00:54:08.059 difference is that the Spirit lives in men. Amen? 00:54:09.300 --> 00:54:12.119 Because before Jesus died, miracles were done. 00:54:12.639 --> 00:54:17.159 Isn't it? Healings were done, isn't it? Jesus 00:54:17.159 --> 00:54:20.639 healed the sick. The apostles performed miracles. 00:54:20.659 --> 00:54:22.659 Even in the Old Testament, people performed miracles. 00:54:24.719 --> 00:54:29.219 Hallelujah. So, Jesus' death and burial and resurrection 00:54:29.219 --> 00:54:33.239 is not really what ushered in the miraculous. 00:54:34.539 --> 00:54:38.159 Amen? The miraculous has been in existence even 00:54:38.159 --> 00:54:42.719 before he died. Hallelujah. But remember, the 00:54:42.719 --> 00:54:46.219 miraculous is a pointer to the fact that the 00:54:46.219 --> 00:54:49.159 indwelling will happen. That the Spirit will 00:54:49.159 --> 00:54:51.980 live in men and men will perform the works of 00:54:51.980 --> 00:55:01.539 the Spirit. Hallelujah. So having the keys will 00:55:01.539 --> 00:55:04.099 enable the believer. When the believer has the 00:55:04.099 --> 00:55:06.539 keys, what will happen? The believer will be 00:55:06.539 --> 00:55:12.380 able to bind and loose. Hallelujah. So we have 00:55:12.380 --> 00:55:16.969 the keys, amen, of the kingdom. So we can bind 00:55:16.969 --> 00:55:20.750 and loose. Can we bind and loose? Right? So what 00:55:20.750 --> 00:55:24.070 does it mean to bind and to loose? Who can help 00:55:24.070 --> 00:55:29.849 us? Eh? I want someone randomly to just help 00:55:29.849 --> 00:55:31.769 us so we can cross this chapter. What does it 00:55:31.769 --> 00:55:38.869 mean to bind and loose? Eh? To what? I didn't 00:55:38.869 --> 00:55:47.190 hear. To imprison. Imprison who? Yes, to imprison 00:55:47.190 --> 00:55:55.730 people. Anybody from school in training center 00:55:55.730 --> 00:56:03.030 should not answer. Binding and losing. Matthew 00:56:03.030 --> 00:56:10.489 chapter 18. Let's look at one here. I was hoping 00:56:10.489 --> 00:56:11.889 we would have more time to explain this binding 00:56:11.889 --> 00:56:18.210 and losing. Anyway, Matthew 18. Verse 15 to 20. 00:56:21.309 --> 00:56:25.269 So we have the spirit in us. All right? We have 00:56:25.269 --> 00:56:29.949 the access to the kingdom. We have the key, the 00:56:29.949 --> 00:56:32.949 keys to the kingdom. So we have the ability to 00:56:32.949 --> 00:56:36.730 bind and to loose. Isn't it? We have the capacity 00:56:36.730 --> 00:56:40.670 to bind and to loose. Hallelujah. So Matthew 00:56:40.670 --> 00:56:44.590 chapter 18 verse 15. Moreover, if your brother 00:56:44.590 --> 00:56:48.949 sins against you, Go and tell him his fault between 00:56:48.949 --> 00:56:52.489 you and him alone. If he hates you, you have 00:56:52.489 --> 00:56:56.130 gained your brother. But if he will not hear, 00:56:56.489 --> 00:57:00.750 take with you one or two more, that by the mouth 00:57:00.750 --> 00:57:04.250 of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 00:57:04.889 --> 00:57:08.610 Verse 17. And if he refuses to hear them, tell 00:57:08.610 --> 00:57:11.429 it to the ecclesia, the church. But if he refuses 00:57:11.429 --> 00:57:15.090 even to hear the church, let him be to you like 00:57:15.090 --> 00:57:34.550 a heathen. Verse 19. Again, I say to you that 00:57:34.550 --> 00:57:39.150 if two of you agree on earth concerning anything 00:57:39.150 --> 00:57:42.969 that they ask, it will be done for them by my 00:57:42.969 --> 00:57:47.719 Father in heaven. For where two or three are 00:57:47.719 --> 00:57:53.400 gathered together in my name, I am there in their 00:57:53.400 --> 00:58:01.960 midst. Hallelujah. So we'll see from this, this 00:58:01.960 --> 00:58:06.239 connects with the key of David, right? Isaiah 00:58:06.239 --> 00:58:09.679 22, verse 22. And Revelation chapter 3, verse 00:58:09.679 --> 00:58:17.769 7. Showing authority. Jesus giving authority 00:58:17.769 --> 00:58:21.949 to the church, to his church, to act on the earth 00:58:21.949 --> 00:58:26.710 under heaven's backing. So I want you to know 00:58:26.710 --> 00:58:30.010 Matthew 18, 18 is related to what? Forgiveness 00:58:30.010 --> 00:58:32.429 and reconciliation. The context of the conversation 00:58:32.429 --> 00:58:37.269 here. You don't bind and lose people. Amen. Or 00:58:37.269 --> 00:58:40.989 this is not talking about spiritual forces. You 00:58:40.989 --> 00:58:42.929 bind and you cast. And people have read this 00:58:42.929 --> 00:58:45.690 scripture wrongly when they want to cast devils. 00:58:46.329 --> 00:58:49.690 They read this scripture, it's a misappropriation 00:58:49.690 --> 00:58:54.949 of scripture. Of course, we have authority to 00:58:54.949 --> 00:58:57.590 what? To cast out devils, right? But this is 00:58:57.590 --> 00:59:00.789 not a scripture for casting out devils. The context 00:59:00.789 --> 00:59:03.349 of the communication here is what? It's reconciliation 00:59:03.349 --> 00:59:06.849 of the brethren. The forgiveness that happens, 00:59:06.909 --> 00:59:11.170 the forgiveness. Hallelujah. So it is related 00:59:11.170 --> 00:59:13.150 to the forgiveness and reconciliation within 00:59:13.150 --> 00:59:18.219 the church. As the context suggests, it is not 00:59:18.219 --> 00:59:25.619 for cursing demons and spirits. So, let's briefly, 00:59:25.659 --> 00:59:31.719 as we close, examine Jesus' instruction at the 00:59:31.719 --> 00:59:37.920 resurrection as recorded in John 20. Remember 00:59:37.920 --> 00:59:41.019 I gave was a hint that the binding and losing 00:59:41.019 --> 00:59:45.280 is in relation to what? Forgiveness and what? 00:59:45.739 --> 00:59:49.219 And reconciliation. Binding and losing is in 00:59:49.219 --> 00:59:51.960 connection to what? Forgiveness and reconciliation 00:59:51.960 --> 00:59:57.880 of sins. This one we see is in relationship between 00:59:57.880 --> 01:00:02.059 brothers and sisters in the church. Amen. So 01:00:02.059 --> 01:00:04.739 whatever they bind and lose simply means whatever 01:00:04.739 --> 01:00:07.099 they've agreed concerning what offense has been 01:00:07.099 --> 01:00:10.659 done. Hallelujah. Now in John chapter 20 verse 01:00:10.659 --> 01:00:19.460 19. John 20 verse 19. Then the same day at the 01:00:19.460 --> 01:00:21.719 evening, being the first day of the week, when 01:00:21.719 --> 01:00:24.159 the doors were shut, where the disciples were 01:00:24.159 --> 01:00:26.719 assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and 01:00:26.719 --> 01:00:28.840 stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be 01:00:28.840 --> 01:00:32.780 with you. When he had said this, he showed them 01:00:32.780 --> 01:00:35.980 his hands and his side. Then the disciples were 01:00:35.980 --> 01:00:39.920 glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to 01:00:39.920 --> 01:00:43.360 them, Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, 01:00:43.440 --> 01:00:48.139 I also sent you. As the Father has sent me, I 01:00:48.139 --> 01:00:52.780 also sent you. And when he had said this, he 01:00:52.780 --> 01:00:55.380 breathed on them and said to them, Receive the 01:00:55.380 --> 01:01:02.519 Holy Spirit. The next verse. Now look at this 01:01:02.519 --> 01:01:06.539 statement very carefully. If you forgive the 01:01:06.539 --> 01:01:11.059 sins of any, what has happened? They are forgiving 01:01:11.059 --> 01:01:15.400 them. If you retain the sins of any, they are 01:01:15.400 --> 01:01:21.000 what? They are retained. Amen? If you forgive, 01:01:21.079 --> 01:01:24.280 but first of all, he breathed on them. Now, we're 01:01:24.280 --> 01:01:26.000 going to see, we know when the Spirit was given, 01:01:26.079 --> 01:01:29.159 right? In this text, we didn't see the Spirit. 01:01:29.900 --> 01:01:31.880 He breathed on them and he said, receive ye the 01:01:31.880 --> 01:01:34.159 Spirit. But we didn't see the record that they 01:01:34.159 --> 01:01:37.820 received the Spirit in this text. We'll see it 01:01:37.820 --> 01:01:41.280 later on in Acts. Hallelujah. But then, because 01:01:41.280 --> 01:01:45.159 of the spirit that they have, because of the 01:01:45.159 --> 01:01:47.000 gift of the indwelling of the spirit that will 01:01:47.000 --> 01:01:55.840 come, they can forgive anyone and then the person 01:01:55.840 --> 01:02:00.099 will be forgiven. And when they retain somebody's 01:02:00.099 --> 01:02:03.260 sin, that sin will be retained. And how does 01:02:03.260 --> 01:02:05.820 a believer forgive and retain sin? That's what 01:02:05.820 --> 01:02:08.860 we should be asking. How does a believer retain? 01:02:09.389 --> 01:02:14.809 and forgive sin. We've noted that the agency 01:02:14.809 --> 01:02:17.909 by which we have access to the kingdom of God 01:02:17.909 --> 01:02:21.150 is by the Holy Spirit within us. So how does 01:02:21.150 --> 01:02:27.809 a believer forgive and retain sin of men? By 01:02:27.809 --> 01:02:33.170 preaching the gospel. Amen? By preaching the 01:02:33.170 --> 01:02:39.300 gospel, men believe and are forgiven. When the 01:02:39.300 --> 01:02:42.280 believer who has the spirit of God in him, who 01:02:42.280 --> 01:02:44.760 has the access to the kingdom of God, preach 01:02:44.760 --> 01:02:48.079 the gospel and men believe, their sins are forgiven. 01:02:52.519 --> 01:02:55.599 By not preaching the gospel, we keep the sins 01:02:55.599 --> 01:02:59.840 of men. We return the sins of men by not preaching 01:02:59.840 --> 01:03:04.900 the gospel. And they are not forgiven. Hallelujah. 01:03:05.480 --> 01:03:08.710 It means, That the forgiveness that men will 01:03:08.710 --> 01:03:12.110 receive in this world depends on men. Do you 01:03:12.110 --> 01:03:15.250 know why? Because God has given the access to 01:03:15.250 --> 01:03:18.030 the kingdom to men. God has given the access, 01:03:18.190 --> 01:03:20.949 the authority of the kingdom of heaven to us. 01:03:21.090 --> 01:03:23.730 We the church, we have the access to the kingdom. 01:03:23.869 --> 01:03:28.550 So we have the responsibility of making men experience 01:03:28.550 --> 01:03:35.780 heaven. God shares with us the access. by which 01:03:35.780 --> 01:03:39.099 men will come into the house of God, the family 01:03:39.099 --> 01:03:41.440 of God, the household of God. Verse 23 means 01:03:41.440 --> 01:03:44.780 that the believer is the determinant by which 01:03:44.780 --> 01:03:50.719 the men are saved or not. The Christian is a 01:03:50.719 --> 01:03:53.860 determinant by which men are forgiven or not. 01:03:55.340 --> 01:03:59.920 Hallelujah. So if you as a believer is not preaching 01:03:59.920 --> 01:04:01.699 the gospel to the unsaved, what you're doing 01:04:01.699 --> 01:04:03.639 is that you are not releasing forgiveness to 01:04:03.639 --> 01:04:10.760 them. Amen? You're not releasing forgiveness 01:04:10.760 --> 01:04:16.539 to them. So, what have you been doing with the 01:04:16.539 --> 01:04:21.039 access that you have? What have you been doing 01:04:21.039 --> 01:04:23.440 with the authority of the kingdom that you have? 01:04:23.579 --> 01:04:28.699 What have you been doing with the access to the 01:04:28.699 --> 01:04:31.659 kingdom that you have? Are you acting like the 01:04:31.659 --> 01:04:34.159 Pharisees? Jesus said that the Pharisees, they 01:04:34.159 --> 01:04:39.010 themselves did not enter. Right? And they do 01:04:39.010 --> 01:04:42.170 not allow others to enter. That was Jesus' problem 01:04:42.170 --> 01:04:45.750 with the Pharisees actually. Because of their 01:04:45.750 --> 01:04:49.110 conduct, they do not allow others to experience 01:04:49.110 --> 01:04:53.449 the kingdom. Because of their irresponsibility, 01:04:53.510 --> 01:04:56.070 they don't allow others to see the knowledge 01:04:56.070 --> 01:04:59.050 by knowledge. They don't allow people to understand 01:04:59.050 --> 01:05:01.769 the kingdom. They themselves are not willing 01:05:01.769 --> 01:05:06.230 to understand because of their unbelief. And 01:05:06.230 --> 01:05:08.909 then people are not also. able to understand 01:05:08.909 --> 01:05:14.710 thereafter experiencing the kingdom. Hallelujah. 01:05:15.750 --> 01:05:18.789 Now we're going to see subsequently how we can 01:05:18.789 --> 01:05:21.789 exercise the authority of the kingdom. But what 01:05:21.789 --> 01:05:24.769 I want to show to you this morning for you to 01:05:24.769 --> 01:05:27.269 go on with an understanding that you should have 01:05:27.269 --> 01:05:31.230 is that you as the believer has the authority 01:05:31.230 --> 01:05:36.230 of the kingdom. And primarily, the authority 01:05:36.230 --> 01:05:40.010 vested on you is to bring others into the family. 01:05:41.130 --> 01:05:44.170 And whenever you don't preach the gospel, you 01:05:44.170 --> 01:05:46.369 are restraining men from receiving forgiveness. 01:05:47.969 --> 01:05:50.710 Whenever you preach the gospel and men believe, 01:05:51.110 --> 01:05:55.469 you are giving people forgiveness. Hallelujah. 01:05:56.150 --> 01:05:59.989 So I want you to say, I forgive sins. I forgive 01:05:59.989 --> 01:06:04.019 sins by preaching the gospel. I forgive sins 01:06:04.019 --> 01:06:08.519 by preaching the gospel. I bind and I loose by 01:06:08.519 --> 01:06:11.840 preaching the gospel. And men are brought into 01:06:11.840 --> 01:06:15.119 the kingdom. And men experience the forgiveness 01:06:15.119 --> 01:06:18.000 of God. I just want you to pray for yourself 01:06:18.000 --> 01:06:27.940 at this moment. And ask God to help you to be 01:06:27.940 --> 01:06:36.880 committed to the responsibility Paul would say 01:06:36.880 --> 01:06:39.039 that knowing the knowledge, having the knowledge 01:06:39.039 --> 01:06:44.019 of God, knowing the terror of God, we persuade 01:06:44.019 --> 01:06:46.320 men because we've known God, we persuade men. 01:06:47.219 --> 01:06:54.780 We plead with men. Having an understanding of 01:06:54.780 --> 01:06:57.780 God's love, we preach the gospel. Paul would 01:06:57.780 --> 01:06:59.960 say, what betides me if I don't preach the gospel? 01:07:01.679 --> 01:07:04.840 You have a responsibility. I have a responsibility. 01:07:05.000 --> 01:07:09.039 We all have a duty to preach the gospel to men, 01:07:09.199 --> 01:07:12.659 to bring men into the experience of the kingdom 01:07:12.659 --> 01:07:15.519 of God, to bring men into the experience of the 01:07:15.519 --> 01:07:17.900 forgiveness of God. You have a responsibility. 01:07:18.139 --> 01:07:21.699 And I want you to go into this week committed 01:07:21.699 --> 01:07:27.940 to this responsibility. Committed to this responsibility 01:07:27.940 --> 01:07:31.059 of telling men about the forgiveness of God. 01:07:31.500 --> 01:07:36.400 That God in Jesus Christ has forgiven sins. That 01:07:36.400 --> 01:07:39.800 God is no longer holding men accountable because 01:07:39.800 --> 01:07:43.219 he has crucified Jesus. He has crucified Jesus 01:07:43.219 --> 01:07:45.500 for our sins. Therefore, the debt of sin has 01:07:45.500 --> 01:07:47.500 been taken away. Therefore, when men believe 01:07:47.500 --> 01:07:50.780 they are forgiven, they are no longer responsible 01:07:50.780 --> 01:07:54.360 for sin because God himself has taken the responsibility 01:07:54.360 --> 01:07:58.340 upon himself and he has given us Jesus who died 01:07:58.340 --> 01:08:03.500 for our sins. If you are a partaker of this free 01:08:03.500 --> 01:08:06.320 gift, you have a duty. Because the salvation 01:08:06.320 --> 01:08:09.039 you receive comes with a responsibility. And 01:08:09.039 --> 01:08:11.719 the responsibility is to tell men about what 01:08:11.719 --> 01:08:16.300 you have received. The end goal is that you become 01:08:16.300 --> 01:08:21.039 a steward of this message. The message of the 01:08:21.039 --> 01:08:25.899 gospel. That men are safe. That men are forgiven 01:08:25.899 --> 01:08:30.310 of their sins. That is the plan of God. To populate 01:08:30.310 --> 01:08:33.689 heaven. That is the plan of God. To have more 01:08:33.689 --> 01:08:59.140 sons in the kingdom. Until next time, stay blessed.