Participants: John Dinzey (Host), Jamie Kowlessar
Series Code: FDOF
Program Code: FDOF000008A
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00:17 Hello, and welcome to Foundation of Our Faith.
00:21 It's a blessing to be here once again 00:23 to hear the preaching of God's word. 00:25 My name is John Dinzey, 00:26 and it's a joy for me to greet you 00:28 and to tell you that during this hour 00:30 you've spent a good hour in a good place 00:33 to hear the preaching of God's word. 00:35 We are grateful, that we have had 00:39 three powerful messages with our evangelist 00:43 they comes to us, well form the city of Dallas, Texas. 00:47 He is currently youth pastor 00:49 at the City Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:51 I'm speaking about Pastor Jaime Kowlessar 00:55 and he is a person that loves the Lord. 00:59 You will notice that as you hear him preach 01:02 during this opportunity. 01:04 As the matter of fact, what I noticed is that 01:06 the Lord has blessed him with the ability to gather 01:10 or glean lessons from life's experiences 01:15 and brings that, connects that with the word of God 01:18 and I believe you will be blessed 01:20 and we encourage you to stay with us. 01:22 Pastor Kowlessar, studied his undergraduate studies 01:27 in Atlantic Union Collage continued studying 01:31 went to Andrews University 01:33 and received there his Master of Divinity, 01:35 and continues to study God's word 01:39 because he wants to be well prepared to preach God's word. 01:42 He is currently studying for his doctoral degree 01:46 in which he is focusing on social justice 01:49 and political activism. 01:51 And he is happily married to his wife, Carlene 01:56 and they thus far have been blessed 01:58 with two daughters, Katelynn and Amber. 02:01 And I could tell that he loves his family, 02:05 my wife gave him some dessert to taste 02:07 and he says "I wish my wife could taste this." 02:10 So he has his wife in his mind so we praise the Lord for that. 02:15 Just testifying of his love for you sister Carlene. 02:18 We are also blessed to have sister Sherice Tomlin 02:23 that is with us, actually Sherice Tomlin Bloomfield 02:27 that recently moved to Maryland 02:30 and stepped out in faith actually 02:33 and the Lord has blessed her there 02:35 to produce three CDs as part of her ministry, 02:41 and first one is "Without You Lord," 02:45 then "One Day," 02:47 and the last CD is "Just Like Heaven." 02:51 You'll notice when she sings, that she sings from the heart 02:55 wishing you to have a heart surrender to the Lord 03:00 and to draw you close to Jesus 03:02 as she sings a song that is entitled, 03:07 get my glasses here, "Without You Lord, 03:10 Without You Lord." 03:11 Shortly after that you'll hear the voice 03:13 of Pastor Kowlessar, 03:16 preaching the message for this time. 03:18 Before we continue, we'd like to invite you to pray. 03:21 And we have to ask the Lord's blessing 03:23 so if it's possible for you, I'd like to invite you to stand 03:26 those of you at home, in the hospitals, 03:30 prisons, wherever you maybe, 03:31 we encourage you to pray with us, let's pray together. 03:35 Our loving heavenly Father, 03:37 we come to You in Jesus name, and we bow before You, 03:42 we praise You, we thank You 03:45 for Your goodness and Your mercy 03:47 for thinking of us daily 03:49 and blessing us in so many ways. 03:52 We thank You that even the door of mercy is still open 03:55 and we pray that during this hour 03:58 people will be drawn to Jesus, people will be encouraged 04:02 those listening will receive encouragement 04:06 to go forward knowing that You are with them 04:09 and that You will never leave them nor forsake them. 04:11 We pray for Your Holy Spirit to be on Pastor Kowlessar, 04:15 bless him with Your Holy Spirit 04:17 and we pray for Your name to be glorified in all things 04:20 and we ask You for these blessings in the holy 04:24 and blessed name of Jesus, amen, amen. 04:27 You may be seated, we thank you 04:29 and we leave you with sister Sherice, 04:31 may God bless you. 04:46 Without you, Lord 04:50 I can't find my way 04:55 I need Your spirit 05:01 To guide me today 05:06 That's why, I now come to You 05:11 On when the need 05:16 Ask You Father 05:21 To lead me please 05:33 Without you, Lord 05:36 I can't make it 05:43 Without you, Lord 05:46 I can't take it 05:53 Without you, Lord 05:57 I can't go straight 06:02 Without you, Lord 06:07 I can't find my way 06:18 Lord, I need you to guide me 06:23 Help me to win 06:29 I can't fight much longer 06:33 This battle I'm in, no, no 06:39 That's why, I am calling you, Lord 06:43 So send Lord, send Lord, help 06:49 I can't do without Jesus 06:53 I can't make it, by myself 07:01 Without you, Lord 07:03 I can't make it 07:11 Without you, Lord 07:14 I can't take it no more 07:21 Without you, Lord 07:24 I can't go straight 07:30 Without you, Lord 07:37 You stay wherever I go 07:41 You protect me 07:45 Either in amidst 07:50 Of my enemies Lord 07:57 I love from my heart today 08:01 Lord badly-- 08:07 But I know that it starts 08:10 With in my soul 08:15 In my soul 08:24 I can't live 08:27 I cannot live without of You 08:30 Oh 08:32 oh, I cannot live without you, Lord 08:36 No, I cannot live without, Jesus 08:41 I cannot live without You 08:44 You are the air I breath 08:46 I cannot live without You 08:49 You are so precious to me 08:52 Can't live without Lord 08:54 Oh, no I cannot live 08:58 I cannot live without You, Lord 09:07 Oh, no, I cannot make it Lord 09:13 Oh, I can't 09:17 Take it no more 09:21 Without you, Lord 09:24 I can't go straight 09:30 Without you, Lord 09:34 I can't find my way 09:54 Praise the Lord, it's a good to know that 09:58 we have a GPS in the God, our Father that leads us 10:01 along life narrow way 10:03 and without Him we would not be alive, 10:05 without Him we can't even breathe 10:07 or move or have our being. 10:09 And so we want to thanks sister Sherice 10:11 for sharing that wonderful message through song. 10:14 Well, it's come down to this friends 10:16 as we engage in our last discussion 10:19 through looking at the word of God, 10:21 and praying that we can unpack this 10:23 and equip ourselves with His righteousness 10:25 so that we can pass the messages on to others 10:28 that are-- that would be with-- 10:29 that would be within listing to us within our vicinity. 10:32 I want to thank the viewers that are on TV land 10:35 and pray that they are blessed as well 10:37 by what we will be sharing on today. 10:40 So that means that I want to invite you 10:42 to take your Bibles as we go to the book of Mark 2:23-27 10:49 and in case you haven't realize by now, 10:51 but the book of Mark 10:52 is my favorite book in the Bible. 10:55 I read Mark over and over and over and over 10:59 and the Lord just keeps on showing me new things 11:02 inside of this wonderful little gospel. 11:04 And I'm biased, yes, that I would always read Mark 11:08 and I need to pick up the other books as well 11:10 but I just keep on getting attracted to the book of Mark 11:14 and so if you have 2:23-27, 11:18 I'll be reading and you'll be hearing 11:20 but I'll be reading from the New Living Translation 11:22 which isn't too far off from the KJV 11:25 but I believe that this translation 11:27 brings out some, some truths that 11:29 I would like to share with you. 11:31 And the Bible says, "One Sabbath day 11:33 as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, 11:36 his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 11:41 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, 11:44 'Look, why are they breaking the law 11:48 by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?'" 11:51 "Jesus said to them, 'Haven't you ever read 11:54 in the Scriptures what David did 11:57 when he and his companions were hungry?' 11:59 He went into the house of God 12:02 (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) 12:05 and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread 12:10 that only the priests are allowed to eat. 12:14 And he also gave some to his companions." 12:17 "Then Jesus said to them, 12:19 'The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, 12:25 and not people to meet 12:26 the requirements of the Sabbath.'" 12:29 And so the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath, 12:34 which are prayers this afternoon 12:36 I simply want to entitle our discussion 12:39 "Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game." 12:41 Let's pray, God Almighty, 12:44 we ask Lord that you may hide me behind Your cross 12:47 and that Your name be lifted up and that You would be glorified 12:51 and that we would understand 12:52 and know God that You are in charge of everything 12:55 that happens on earth and that happens in heaven, 12:59 so bless us Lord, as we look at Your word one more time. 13:02 We pray this in Your name Jesus Christ. 13:04 Amen. 13:06 Are you tired of games that people play? 13:10 Constantly, that there are always people 13:12 that will try to play games with you. 13:15 If a truth be told they can make you sick and tired 13:19 when you try to take yourself seriously 13:22 and there are always folks that want to mess with you. 13:25 So no matter who are, you'll find yourself 13:28 in somebody's game. 13:30 It was an old song if some of you might be 13:32 too young to remember it but the chores went like this 13:35 "games people play, night or day, 13:38 they are not matching what they should do 13:40 but they keep me feeling blue." 13:42 What the artist was trying to say was that 13:45 you always find people who will be playing games. 13:48 Folks will try to define you and by defining you 13:52 they will confine you into their little box 13:55 and try to keep you there. 13:56 You see there are games that always played 13:59 on different levels. 14:01 They are relationship games before you got together 14:05 and you were dating, it was cool and it was nice 14:07 and you thought that he or she was the best things 14:10 since crushed ice or they were the best thing 14:13 since slice of beard. 14:14 But later on you found out 14:16 that you were dating an actor or an actress. 14:19 As a matter of fact, they were so much 14:20 of an actor and actress that after the relationship 14:23 you should have ask them for an Emmy 14:25 or an Oscar award for all the drama 14:28 that they brought into your life. 14:30 And then they are victim games, 14:32 you know, the folks that will always make themselves 14:34 seem like something is wrong with other people 14:37 and nothing is ever wrong with them. 14:39 At all the time that they will find folks to think that 14:43 there is something wrong with everybody else in this world 14:46 but there is nothing wrong with me 14:48 and that they will always say that 14:49 "I always keep get into bad end of the stick, 14:52 I always end up in a bad relationship, 14:55 I always end up doing so-- 14:57 I always end up by somebody hurting me." 14:59 And I always say to people like that 15:01 you have to acknowledge that there is something 15:03 in mathematics called a common denominator 15:06 and if you find that in your relationships, 15:08 since you always keep ending up with bad things 15:11 there is a common denominator 15:12 in all of those equations, which equals you. 15:15 You know often times people would leave churches 15:18 and they leave churches to join another church 15:20 because they say "they don't like this church 15:22 or I don't like what this church is doing." 15:24 They may go to another church and then they find out 15:27 they don't like that church as well. 15:28 They may go to another church and another church 15:30 and then after they keep going to church after church. 15:32 I just have to stop and ask them 15:33 "have you looked at the role or at the church directory 15:37 or the names that are on that role?" 15:39 And they will say "yes, I have." 15:40 "Well, have you notice that on every church role 15:43 that you been through that your name is on every list." 15:46 So obviously, the problem is not with the church 15:49 the problem has to be with you. 15:51 You see most people when the play victim games, 15:53 they never want to take responsibility for themselves 15:56 and realize that they are the common denominator. 15:59 But then there is another game, 16:01 there are the games that played in society. 16:05 You see, I'll never forget when I use to play monopoly 16:07 with my older sister, and every time it felt like 16:11 I was going to win, every time I got to the victory lap 16:14 when I had got all my houses and brought up all the property 16:18 my sister would always come up 16:20 with a different rule to change the game. 16:23 As she would all of a sudden pull the rule out of her mind 16:26 and because she didn't want to lose 16:28 and because she play that game with me 16:31 then I would always end up losing. 16:32 And I remember complaining to my mother 16:35 and I would say "mommy, 16:36 every time I get close to winning 16:38 she keeps on changing the rules." 16:41 You see, I tell you that story 16:43 because society does the same thing as well. 16:46 Every time it seems like we are getting closer 16:49 to knowing the rules of society 16:52 somebody changes the laws on us. 16:54 Somebody pulls the law out and gets signed at the congress 16:58 and then we have to rearrange everything 17:00 just so that we could make it to the table. 17:02 Because every time you show up at your job 17:04 and you think you are making progress 17:06 somebody changes the game. 17:08 Whenever you get to the table and you are ready to order 17:11 and somebody changes the menu on you. 17:14 You see, you are not understanding 17:15 this like I need you to so I'm gonna preach this 17:17 the only way I know how to. 17:19 You see, every time when we look, 17:21 when people were trying to sign up for free healthcare 17:24 all of a sudden the servers were down. 17:27 Every time you try to show up to vote, 17:29 now you got to have a voter registration card 17:32 and a I.D. card and you woke up realize that 17:35 the place that you use to vote at, 17:37 you can't vote there anymore because somebody change 17:40 the location of the polling stations 17:43 and now you have to go to a totally different place. 17:46 Yes, these are the games that society plays, 17:49 "games people play, night and day, 17:52 there are not matching what they do 17:53 and they keep me feeling blue." 17:56 And in our text this afternoon, Jesus finds Himself in a game. 18:01 In a game that He didn't create, 18:03 originate, or initiate 18:06 but instead He has become a player 18:08 in a sick twisted scheme. 18:10 You see, Mark introduces us 18:12 into a social campaign of Jesus. 18:15 You see, Mark is an action book when you look at Mathew, 18:18 when you read the books of Luke and when you read John. 18:21 All of them especially Mathew and Luke, 18:23 they start off with Jesus' genealogy. 18:25 They going to His birth 18:26 and they go in to His up-bring a little, 18:28 but no Mark begins his gospel by singing 18:31 in the beginning of good news. 18:34 And Mark starts off hitting off 18:37 and talking about what Jesus is doing 18:39 and so Mark introduces us to Jesus as social campaign. 18:43 As a matter of fact, that text in Mark 1:1 18:46 is a very powerful text when it says 18:49 "This is the beginning of Good News" 18:52 when it says "beginning" 18:54 Mark is borrowing Old Testament language 18:57 where in Genesis it talks about 18:59 in the beginning God created the sun, moon and stars. 19:03 When we look at that word beginning, 19:05 beginning means that God is bringing order 19:08 where there is chaos and so when Mark borrows 19:12 that language in his gospel. 19:14 Mark is saying "here is Jesus, coming to this chaotic society 19:19 and He is going to bring order to our world." 19:22 As a matter of fact, when it says "good news," 19:24 good news is also translated as the gospel, 19:27 but the gospel can also be translated 19:30 as news of victory. 19:32 So here is Jesus bringing good news 19:36 of victory in a chaotic land 19:38 for people who have been oppressed. 19:41 And so here is Mark introducing us 19:43 to Jesus' social campaign, it is a campaign of action 19:47 and assault on the Jewish social order in Capernaum. 19:51 After he is baptized Jesus begins to work 19:54 and I like that because often times 19:57 we wait too long before we start putting people to work 20:01 inside of the house of God. 20:02 Sometimes, we wait and say that 20:04 "after someone is baptized that they have to be in the church 20:08 for three, four, or five, or seven years 20:10 before they can hold in office," 20:13 and that's absolutely ludicrous. 20:15 Because at the end of the day, 20:16 the best time to put people to work in the house of God 20:19 is the moment that they come out of that pool 20:22 when they are energized, refreshed, and vitalized 20:25 because they can do wonders for God. 20:28 But what happens instead in most churches 20:30 as that we tell them to sit down and to watch 20:33 and as longer they sit down and watch. 20:35 They start from sitting in the front pew, 20:37 they drift to the middle pew, 20:39 then they drift to the back pew, 20:41 and then they drift right out side of the door, 20:43 and then we are so caught up in ourselves 20:45 that we don't even realize 20:49 that these new souls have walked 20:50 outside of the house of God. 20:52 And so what we got to understand, 20:53 here is Jesus who after He is baptized 20:56 He goes out and He is empowering folk. 20:59 He is being the best that 21:00 He can be doing the work of God. 21:02 Mark shows Jesus, in action, He is not dormant or dead, 21:07 He is moving in active in 1:21-28 21:12 Jesus casts out a demon, then the next scene 21:15 Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law, 21:17 then in verse 32 the words says "That evening after sunset, 21:21 many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus." 21:26 And So Jesus healed many people 21:28 who were sick with various demons 21:31 and He casted out many diseases. 21:33 Then in verse 35 we read that Jesus preaches in Galilee. 21:37 He goes into the town he heals the man with leprosy, 21:40 tells him to go to the Synagogue 21:43 and to go and to show yourself to the priest 21:45 and then in 2:1-12 we read about 21:49 Jesus healing a paralyzed man and after he comes to Jesus 21:53 and the Bible says that 21:55 "they were in so much so many people at the house, 21:58 that he had to break up the roof 21:59 and be lowered down to be 22:01 in the presence of Jesus Christ. 22:03 And I love that story so much 22:05 because the man did not let the crowd detour him 22:08 from getting closer to Jesus Christ. 22:10 As a matter of fact the Bible is so explicit 22:13 and I'm reading into the text that the Bible says 22:16 "that his four friends and his paralytic 22:18 did extreme makeover home edition, 22:21 they broke up the roof and when they broke up the roof 22:24 they lowered him down in front of Jesus," 22:27 which tells me that in most of our lives 22:29 that there are things that are blocking us 22:32 from getting into Jesus Christ, 22:33 that we have to break those things up 22:35 in order to get closer to glory. 22:38 And so in 2:1, 12 "Jesus heals the paralyzed man." 22:42 And I love that verse, I love that text 22:44 because in that text the Bible informs us 22:48 that the man the paralytic did not come to Jesus 22:51 because he wanted to walk again, he came to Jesus 22:54 because he wanted his sins to be forgiven. 22:57 As a matter of fact, in The Desire of Ages, 22:59 I believe page 253, Ellen White calls 23:02 that paralytic the real prodigal son. 23:05 She says that "his life was embittered by remorse 23:08 because of the decisions he made 23:10 when he was a young man and now as a result 23:13 of his decisions he is paralyzed today." 23:16 So the reason why he runs to Jesus Christ 23:19 is because he wants to be forgiven 23:21 for the past that he has had. 23:23 He doesn't care about having his legs to do walk again. 23:26 He just wants to know that he is forgiven. 23:28 That's why when you read the text Jesus says 23:31 "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." 23:33 He is happy but then scribes and Pharisees are there 23:37 and they said "why does that this man 23:39 speak of blasphemies, who can forgive sins 23:42 but only God" and God looks at them 23:44 and He says "oh, I see that 23:46 you're trying to play me in a game, 23:48 you don't realize that the Son of Man 23:50 has power here on earth and power in heaven 23:53 to forgive peoples sins." 23:54 And so as a result of them talking about Him, 23:58 Jesus says "let me show you how powerful my words are 24:01 that I can forgive sins. 24:03 He says, Mr. Paralytic pick up your bed and walk." 24:06 And the Bible says that "the man picked up his bed 24:09 and walked out of that place as if he was never paralyzed." 24:12 Jesus just shut down the whole church in one second 24:15 by saying "whatever, I speak has power inside of it 24:19 because when I speak demons tremble, 24:21 when I speak borders divide, 24:23 when I speak things begin to happen, 24:26 and I can do whatever I want to do." 24:28 And so you would think that the scribes in the Pharisees 24:32 would understand and see the power 24:34 and the majesty of God in this story. 24:36 That they would leave him alone because at the end of the day 24:39 if I see that God can make somebody walk 24:43 I wouldn't question God or question what He does 24:46 or where He's from, I will just leave Him alone 24:48 and let Him do what He has do. 24:50 As a matter of fact, the story that always, 24:52 that always makes me laugh is a story of when Judas came 24:56 and they-- and Jesus was betrayed 24:58 and the Bible tells us that "Peter pulled out his sword, 25:01 and Peter went and cut the man's ear off 25:04 and then Jesus picks up the man's ear 25:06 and puts it back on his head." 25:08 Now right then and there, I would have said 25:10 you know what Jesus go ahead go home do what you got to do? 25:13 We ain't gonna crucify you, 25:14 we gonna leave this brother alone. 25:16 But you see that's what happens when you have a reprobate mind 25:19 that when you are so wrong in what you are doing 25:22 you begin to think that you are wrong is right. 25:26 And so here were these individuals 25:27 that thought their wrong was right, 25:29 that they had to bring Jesus in. 25:31 But that's another sermon for another day 25:34 when you invite me back, amen, hallelujah, thank you Jesus. 25:37 I'll enjoy that one myself. 25:38 But here in this text we see now Jesus is changing the game. 25:44 He is changing the Pharisaic rule. 25:47 The rules of the Pharisees that made it legal 25:49 to ostracized and marginalize the poor 25:52 because they were sick. 25:54 If they were sick, listen to me, 25:56 if they were sick they could not work 25:58 and since they could not work they did not have money 26:01 and if you had no money then you could not 26:03 purchase sacrifices to have your sins forgiven. 26:06 And therefore, if your sins were not forgiven, 26:09 you are cut off from the temple 26:11 which was essentially to mean that you are not a citizen 26:13 and you are not a human being. 26:15 You are a prisoner of society so when Jesus healed 26:19 and delivered people and he told them 26:21 to go back to the temple and to show yourself. 26:24 Jesus was changing the game 26:27 and a direct assault on the social order 26:30 and caste system because now these sick 26:33 and poor people had been reinstated into Jewish order. 26:38 And so that's why if you were cut off 26:40 and ostracized from the temple you had no reason for living. 26:44 And so here is Jesus ministering to these people 26:47 who are cut off from the temple 26:49 because it was in the temple that the laws were made, 26:52 it was in the temple that everything was done, 26:54 it was in the temple where you got 26:56 your sense of living and your sense of being, 26:59 but if you were sick you couldn't be in the temple. 27:02 As a matter of fact, you're reading this Bible, 27:04 you've read many times when Jesus would, 27:06 the time when Jesus walked into the temple 27:08 and He saw them exchanging money, 27:11 He saw them with the tables 27:12 and they were overpricing 27:14 inflating the prices of the sacrifices 27:17 and Jesus went and turned the tables over. 27:19 Because Jesus was saying "how are you selling, 27:22 what I'm giving away for free, 27:24 why are you making this so expensive 27:26 that poor people can't buy what they need 27:29 to have their sins forgiven? 27:30 And after Jesus flipped the tables 27:33 when you read in John what does Jesus do next? 27:35 He calls the poor, the sick, and the lame 27:39 to come inside of the temple. 27:40 Because obviously what the Jews were doing 27:43 was an injustice. 27:45 They were abusing the word of God, 27:47 they were charging usury to their own people, 27:50 they were collecting money of a poor people. 27:53 When the lady throws her might into the temple 27:56 the last of her money, 27:57 there was a condemnation in that text 27:59 because in that text the temple is taking poor people's money 28:03 and they are not offering services to these poor people. 28:06 And so here Jesus says, I'm come to change this, 28:09 I don't like what I see what's going on. 28:11 And in verse 22 Jesus gives His campaigns slogan 28:15 Jesus says "New wine calls for new wineskins." 28:19 And so this is His slogan that He is going to use 28:22 as he ministers in Capernaum. 28:24 He says "out with the old and in with the new." 28:26 This is a new society 28:28 and a new world with new trends 28:30 and therefore I've come to change 28:32 what you've created 28:33 because I'm gonna bring something new that blessed 28:36 and I'm gonna heal people where they are. 28:39 Because Jesus says "you got to do new things 28:41 when you have new people, new society." 28:44 As a matter of fact, 28:45 if I can illustrate this for you 28:46 maybe you'll understand a little better, 28:48 "amazing grace, how sweet, the sound 28:50 that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost 28:53 but now I'm found was blind but now I see" 28:55 it's a beautiful song a wonderful song 28:58 that all of us know probably verbatim 29:00 that we can say it off the top of our heads. 29:02 But that song is communicated to us 29:04 in different ways, you could communicate that song, 29:07 you can put it on in 8-track, you can put in on a record, 29:10 you can put it on a CD, 29:12 or you can put it in MP3 format. 29:15 And so what happens sometimes with the church 29:18 is that often times we are trying to do-- 29:22 We are trying to communicate a message 29:24 with a 8-track mentality in a mp3 generation. 29:28 And so what I mean by that 29:30 is that sometimes our message must never change 29:33 but our methods by which we communicate 29:36 our message has to change. 29:38 We have to find ways to communicate 29:40 this gospel in different and new life. 29:43 We have to take advantage of the worldwide web. 29:46 We have to take advantage of the cameras 29:49 and the things that we have because we do not live 29:51 in a 8-track generation anymore, 29:54 we live in a mp3 generation this day. 29:57 We live in a generation where people have computers 30:00 in their pockets, where they can get information. 30:03 As a matter of fact, we live in a world 30:06 that is so complex, that is so advance, 30:09 that if I say something that is incorrect 30:12 you can take out your phone, research what I'm saying, 30:15 and by the time I end this sermon 30:17 you can tell me "Pastor, you are absolutely wrong about 30:20 what you just said," 30:22 that's the society that we live in. 30:23 And so here Jesus is saying 30:25 "it's a new society, it's a new thing, 30:27 and again you have created I do not like it" 30:30 but as we look at this text we discover 30:33 that the Pharisees are not on the same team. 30:35 As a matter of fact, they want to keep playing 30:37 their old game. 30:38 Mark now tells us that Jesus and his boys 30:41 are walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath day 30:44 and as they are walking through the grainfields 30:46 they are breaking off heads of grains to eat 30:49 then the Pharisees say "why are they breaking the law 30:52 by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?" 30:54 Have you noticed that they are always people 30:57 that will always try to find fault 30:59 in everything that you do? 31:01 You always got folk that will go into nit-pick 31:03 and criticize you whenever you do 31:06 what they expect you not to do. 31:08 I mean, all day Jesus has been healing 31:11 and delivering people and now that He is walking 31:13 through some grainfields 31:14 and now that He is picking grain, 31:16 they are finding fault with that 31:19 and Jesus proceeds to answer their foolish question, 31:22 by taking them back to the book of Samuel. 31:24 He begins his vibrato by saying 31:26 "Haven't you ever read? 31:28 Or haven't you studied? 31:29 You call yourself scholars of the word of God, 31:32 you've memorized the Mishnah and all of sorts of things? 31:35 In other words like this Jesus saying 31:37 "if you don't know nothing, don't say nothing." 31:39 You always find that is those folks 31:41 that think they know everything 31:43 that always have something to say. 31:45 Most times it's the people that have no control 31:48 over their own life 31:49 but they always want to control your life 31:51 and have a job description of the way 31:54 that you are suppose to do thing. 31:55 Jesus says, "Haven't you ever read about 31:58 what David did when he and his friends were hungry? 32:01 That they went into the temple 32:03 and they ate sacred loaves of bread 32:05 and so why are you mad pointing the finger at me, 32:08 why are you getting down on me? 32:10 I'm only doing what has been done before." 32:14 And this is where I believe Jesus probably said to them 32:17 "don't hate the player, hate the game." 32:19 Fallback, don't try to attack me. 32:21 As I'll have to look up exactly what the phrase means, 32:25 you see the phrase means 32:26 "don't hate the player, hate the game," means 32:28 don't fault the successful participant in a flawed system. 32:32 Try instead to discern and rebuke that 32:35 aspect of its organization 32:37 which allows or encourages the behavior 32:40 that has provoked your displeasure. 32:42 Don't fault the successful participant 32:45 in a flawed system, don't dislike someone 32:48 for their actions consider instead the situation 32:52 that causes it and so here Jesus is saying 32:56 "look at, why we are doing? 32:58 What we are doing? 32:59 Then you would understand what is going on?" 33:02 Jesus is saying, "I'm only doing 33:05 what your ancestors have done, 33:06 I'm only mimicking what I've seen before. 33:09 My boys are hungry and they need food to eat, 33:12 and I refuse to let them starve on the Sabbath day 33:15 because you said that we cannot eat here." 33:18 So instead of Jesus stopping them 33:20 Jesus encourages them to keep on eating, 33:23 and as they keep on eating trample on the grain 33:26 and eat as much as you want 33:27 because yesterday is the Sabbath day 33:29 but you need to eat. 33:31 So you don't ever let what people say about you, 33:35 dictate what you do. 33:37 I'm gonna quote this urban scholar 33:39 and prophetic poet that I love to listen to every now 33:42 and then, his name is T.I., 33:43 and T.I. said, "never mind what haters say, 33:46 ignore them till they fade away." 33:48 I like that because I'm listening to him 33:49 because T.I. is saying, "don t ever waste your time 33:53 given major energy to minor people 33:56 because that's what people who hate you do. 33:59 they hate you for the fact that you are showing them up. 34:02 They are mad at you 34:03 because they can't do what you do, 34:06 so they make up things about you. 34:08 you can't do anything about it, 34:10 there are going to be people that are going to dislike you 34:13 just because you are a Christian, 34:15 there are people that are going to dislike you 34:18 because you don't smoke, you don't drink, 34:20 you don't curse, you don't laugh at certain jokes, 34:23 they are mad at you, you get Friday off 34:25 and you get Saturday off from work 34:27 they will just be mad at you, just accept it." 34:30 The Bible says "that the wheat and tares grow together." 34:34 Jesus says "if the world hates you, 34:36 just remember that it hated Me first. 34:38 Just understand that there will always be people 34:41 that will hate because what happens is this 34:43 is that a angry man will marry a angry woman 34:46 and they will have angry children 34:48 and so they will continue 34:50 to repopulate the earth angry people. 34:52 But God says "don't worry about them 34:54 days are there just to make you stronger." 34:56 Jesus says "don't waste your time 34:59 with meaningless rhetoric and discussion." 35:01 I don't have time to argue with you 35:03 because if I argue with you 35:05 then that it is wasting my time. 35:07 My Mother always told me "don't ever argue with a fool 35:10 because if you are arguing with the fool 35:12 most people that are looking on the outside 35:15 they don't know who is the fool, 35:16 they will think both of you are fools." 35:18 My mother said "always be calm a folk want to be ignorant 35:21 then by all means that's your choice be ignorant. 35:24 But I'm always going be me." 35:26 And so when people tell me mean things 35:28 and they say I don't like you, you don't look well, 35:31 I just say "thank you very much, 35:32 oh, I'm glad that you see that, 35:34 pray for me, I'm a work in progress." 35:37 Because when people yell at you 35:38 they expect you to yell back at them 35:41 but you are not suppose yell back at them 35:44 you are always suppose to keep your calm. 35:46 As a matter of fact Jesus says 35:48 "when somebody slapped you what do you suppose to do? 35:50 Turn the other cheek." 35:52 Now I was disturbed when I read that 35:54 because if you slap me the first reaction is 35:56 I want to slap you back. 35:58 I'm sorry, I don't know any other way to say it 36:00 but I understand now what Jesus was saying. 36:02 Jesus was saying "that you are engaging 36:05 impassive resistance and so what your actually doing 36:08 is that when you turned other cheek 36:10 you are taking matters back into your own hand 36:13 because when somebody slaps you 36:15 they expect you to slap them back 36:16 but if you turn to other cheek 36:18 and you give them that cheek to slap, 36:20 they will be caught off guard 36:22 and say what is going on here? 36:24 Why in the world you turning the other cheek? 36:26 It's the same thing when Jesus says, 36:28 if somebody tells you to carry their clove 36:30 one mile, carried an extra mile 36:32 that's because the person that asks you do it 36:35 is expect you to do it one mile 36:37 but when you carried the extra mile they are amazed, 36:40 they wondering what are you doing? 36:42 Jesus saying "take the power back in to your hands, 36:45 don't let people control you, 36:47 and dictate how you react to certain things. 36:50 Just because you are in shock infested waters 36:53 doesn't mean that you have to act shockish, amen." 36:56 "You don't have to be shocked like everybody else, 36:59 you could be a nice little guppy swimming in a pond 37:01 because you got Jesus as your Lord and Savior." 37:04 And so I love this Jesus doesn't stoop down 37:07 to their behavior but he lives up to it. 37:10 And so the Pharisees, 37:11 this text takes on to deeper meaning as well, 37:14 the Pharisees are not simply mad 37:16 that Jesus is doing this on Sabbath 37:18 but their indignation with Jesus is the fact 37:21 that they are eating the grain, they are trampling on to grain. 37:25 Jesus and his disciples are destroying 37:28 and eating the grain, 37:29 they are destroying and eating the product. 37:31 You're gonna get this as I break it down 37:33 they are destroying and eating their profits. 37:37 He is messing with their money and their investments 37:41 and he is touching their supply. 37:43 You see history informs us when you read or see this 37:46 and many of the other scholars and contemporaries of that day 37:49 that the Pharisees advocated local distribution 37:52 to ensure that provincial priest 37:55 receive their due of the grain. 37:57 So there was a lot of politics 38:00 and money involved in the grain. 38:02 Because there was lobbying 38:03 and political arena for those who grew the grain 38:06 and what was done with the grain was so important 38:09 because whoever was selling the grain 38:11 will be able to have more money 38:13 and so once you start messing with the folk's money 38:16 you'll watch them come after you 38:19 and so Jesus is messing with their profits 38:22 because the grain was suppose to be sold 38:24 and Jesus says "why are you harvesting 38:26 and keeping this grain from the people 38:29 that really need it 38:30 and so He intentionally tells them 38:32 to eat and trample on it." 38:34 He uses a story of David and his companion 38:37 as an example to show that the-- 38:39 told these Pharisees that David 38:42 and his companions were on a mission 38:44 and because they were on a mission they were hungry 38:46 and in 1 Samuel 21 David says 38:49 "The king has sent me on a mission 38:52 because the king has sent me on a mission 38:54 I have authority to eat this bread 38:56 and as well as my companions because we have a job to do." 39:00 Jesus refers to that story because Jesus is the-- 39:04 Jesus is the king on earth. 39:06 As the matter of fact, the king the father 39:08 has sent Jesus on a mission 39:10 and that mission is to redeem the world right now 39:13 to order to have strength and to bring authority 39:16 and to bring-- and to bring order 39:18 in this chaotic world 39:19 and so because the father has given Me permission 39:22 and all power here on earth 39:24 I will engage in civil disobedience 39:27 because the change has not come 39:28 and because I'm Lord of the Sabbath, 39:31 I'm giving my disciples permission 39:33 to trample and eat this grain 39:36 because I'm driven by the Father, 39:38 which is in heaven. 39:39 And so this text is powerful, it's deep, 39:42 because we got to ask the self the question 39:44 who are we driven by? 39:45 See, I use to drive a very nice car, 39:48 a very wonderful car. 39:49 I use to have a BMW, a nice black BMW. 39:54 I loved my BWM, it was my first child, 39:56 I have had my first child it was a BMW, 39:59 I'll say it today, I have two daughters now, 40:01 and I loved my BMW but my children are growing 40:04 and the strollers in the back seat take up all the space 40:07 and I can't drive that BMW anymore 40:10 and so I traded the BMW 40:12 in for a wonderful lovely Nissan Pathfinder. 40:15 And so now I'm in a Nissan Pathfinder, 40:17 but I have a whole lot more space 40:19 and I like my Pathfinder a lot 40:21 but the thing I like about the Pathfinder so much 40:24 and why I enjoy is how it handles on the road, 40:27 but the Sabbath that I went to church 40:29 with a Pathfinder so many people came to me 40:32 and it felt like they were feeling sorry for me 40:34 and they were saying "what happened to the BMW? 40:37 Where is the BMW gone? 40:39 What are you doing with the BMW? 40:41 Why are you in the Pathfinder?" 40:43 And they said "I'm sure you must feel 40:44 some type of way about driving a Pathfinder" 40:47 and I said to them at the end of the day," 40:49 a car does not make me who I'm, 40:51 it doesn't matter, what I'm driving 40:53 but what matter is who's driving me." 40:56 And so whether I'm in a Pathfinder 40:57 or if I'm in a BMW or if I'm in the Mercedes 41:00 or if I'm in a Chevy Nova or a Rabbit 41:02 or a Pinto or a Volkswagen Buggy. 41:05 God is driving me and God's given me a mission 41:08 because I'm always first class. 41:10 As a matter of fact, I remember 41:12 when I was flying to Huntsville, Alabama, 41:14 and I saw some of my friends in the airport 41:16 and they say "Kowlessar, 41:17 I know you sit in the first class." 41:19 I said, "no way, I'm not sitting in the first class, 41:21 I'm sitting in at the back of the plane." 41:23 I looked at them and I said "look 41:25 it doesn't matter where I'm on the plane 41:27 whether I'm in the front whether I'm in the back, 41:29 I'm always first class 41:31 because why I serve a first class God." 41:33 And so that's the way I think of myself, 41:35 I'm first class even if I don't have no money, 41:38 I am first class because I serve a God 41:40 who has a cattle on a thousand hills. 41:42 He is my daddy and He's driving me. 41:45 And so here I'm gonna ask the question, 41:47 what is driving you? 41:49 It's what driving you? 41:50 Are you driven to make a change in the life of others? 41:53 Are you driven to make changes in this world? 41:56 Are you driven by the same spirit 41:58 that's driving Jesus Christ? 42:00 Do you want God to put the foot on his accelerator of your life 42:04 and to drive you into some places 42:06 that will help you change the game that's in this world 42:09 because of economic distribution 42:11 and lack of sharing wealth 42:13 that the good only went to the greedy 42:15 and not to the needy. 42:16 You see, we got to hate the games that out there 42:19 when possessions are overpricing 42:21 people for medical care. 42:22 Hate the game that's out there, 42:24 that says because you live in a poor community 42:26 that you have to be subjected 42:28 to a subpart educational system, 42:30 hate the game out there, that says that 42:32 you are not beautiful that you are uneducated, 42:35 hate the game out there that wants to vilify 42:38 these undocumented children that are coming over to America 42:42 just for opportunity of better life 42:44 because I heard on the news that people are saying that 42:47 they want to start gangs 42:48 and that they want to sell drugs 42:50 but that's not the truth 42:51 we have a responsibility to them 42:54 because this message is right here is for America. 42:56 America, please remember that the very Bible 42:59 that you based your country on during the seventh-innings 43:02 stretch of every base ball game, 43:04 you sing "God bless America" 43:06 but the Bible says "if a stranger dwells 43:09 with you in your land you shall not mistreat him 43:12 but rather love him as yourself 43:15 for you were stranger in the land of Egypt," 43:18 that's in the Leviticus 19. 43:20 We are admonished to taking the stranger 43:22 for in as much as you have done it 43:24 to the least of these. 43:25 Christ tells us you did to Me that's Matthew 25 43:28 every major faith tradition on earth charged 43:31 His followers to treat others as we are ourselves 43:35 would wish to be treated. 43:37 Don't hate the player, hate the games in society. 43:42 And so if you would understand 43:44 why we are picking food you would not judge, 43:47 if you would understand why some of the people praise 43:50 the they do is because you don't know 43:52 what they been through. 43:53 There is always a story behind people's glory 43:56 because they have been through something else 43:58 because God teaches me no matter 44:00 how to turn things around 44:01 all things work together to good to them 44:04 that will call according to His purpose 44:06 and who love God. 44:08 As a matter of fact, I was blessed this afternoon 44:10 as we were having lunch 44:11 I had a slice of sister Idalia's cake. 44:14 Oh, what a beautiful cake it is. 44:16 As sister Idalia was breaking down 44:18 the process of the cake and the process of the cake 44:21 was quite amazing with the eggs and the, 44:24 and the flour and all these sort of things. 44:26 I've lost her after a while 44:27 when she was talking all the ingredients 44:29 that as I sat there I thought about 44:31 all the ingredients that go into a cake. 44:33 Now if you were to eat those ingredients separately 44:36 they would not taste good, if you eat a raw egg, 44:39 if you eat flour by itself, sugar might taste good 44:42 and all these sort of things 44:43 but when you put all those things together 44:45 inside of a bowl and you mix them all around 44:48 and then you put it inside of the oven 44:50 something beautiful comes of it and all I'm trying to say 44:54 is that all the bad that's in your life, 44:56 all the negative things that's in your life, 44:58 they are isolated they may not be good 45:01 but when you put them all together. 45:03 All things work together for good to them 45:06 that love the Lord who will call 45:08 a according to his purpose. 45:09 So don't look it all things bad 45:11 as if this is something not good, 45:13 but God is going to take all that stuff 45:15 put it in the furnace of a flections 45:16 and after about a hour so you gonna have 45:19 something beautiful but it only comes out 45:21 at those bad situations and so was the disciples 45:24 were picking grain and eating it 45:26 and as it was acceptable to them 45:28 we must understand that this text brings out 45:31 some other things that there was a scarcity of food 45:34 because poor people didn't have had enough food 45:36 and here is a grain full of food 45:38 and which draws my attention to that have you ever noticed 45:42 that you could drive in some areas 45:44 and that you'll never see a whole fruits markets, 45:47 central market, sprout or trader Joes, 45:49 have you ever noted that healthy choices 45:51 are inaccessible to people in low income areas 45:54 because studies have showed that in wealthy neighborhoods 45:57 they have three times more healthy food 46:00 than they do of low income areas. 46:03 This is totally unfair, because there are bills 46:06 now on the table of congress that are trying to address 46:10 the grocery gaps in America. 46:13 That in the grocery gaps of America 46:15 that people don't have access to organic food, 46:18 to healthy food, and so to these things and so. 46:21 All we have access to is to McDonalds, 46:24 fired chicken, ribs, and liquor. 46:26 But people want healthy food as well 46:28 and so Jesus is saying "we need to change these things 46:31 that are happing in society." 46:33 Then Jesus says "I'm the Lord of the Sabbath 46:36 and because I'm Lord of the Sabbath 46:37 I can do anything that I want, 46:39 and I'm going to make sure that my boy" see 46:41 see "that I'm gonna make sure that they have what they need 46:44 because God institutes the Sabbath 46:46 not as a day for us to simply feed ourselves 46:49 but a day to feed others as well 46:51 as a day not just simply isolate ourselves 46:54 but a day to invite others to enjoy 46:57 the blessing of this wonderful day." 46:58 God says "don't spend no money on my day 47:01 because I want poor and rich people to be equally the same." 47:05 Because if God allows us to spend money 47:07 some of us would go to the restaurant 47:09 eat all the food we can eat while poor would stand outside 47:13 and wait for us to come outside and bring food. 47:16 But God says "no, nobody spending money, 47:18 my day is a day of equal opportunity, 47:21 I want all of you to be at the same level. 47:24 I want all of you to share what you have 47:26 so that we can be all in my presence." 47:28 And so God understands 47:30 that we need servers on to Sabbath, 47:32 we need people who are willing to serve 47:34 as we begin to close this thing out. 47:36 I remember when was in collage and as I was in collage 47:39 I was so-- I was so mad one day 47:42 because the internet was down, the internet was down, 47:45 the internet was down you should be irate with me, 47:48 can you believe it? 47:49 The internet was down 47:51 and so I ran over to the IT office 47:54 then I said "do you know that the internet is down?" 47:57 and the man looked at me 47:58 and he said "yes, we know that internet is down, 48:00 that's because the servers are down" 48:02 and I said "what are servers?" 48:04 He said "if the servers are down 48:06 then the printer can't work 48:08 and then the internet can't work 48:09 and everything that we need to go on cannot work, 48:12 and so that's why the internet is down." 48:14 You see, we need the servers so that other things can work 48:18 and so I walked out of that office, 48:19 with a blessing right there. 48:21 You see, when the servers in the church are down 48:24 then the homeless will stay homeless, 48:25 then the hungry will stay hungry, 48:27 then the poor will stay poor, and what we have now 48:30 the servers are down in our church 48:32 and God is calling us to be servers in this world, 48:36 God is calling us to pick up the plough 48:38 and to put our hand to it to look forward 48:40 and never turn back 48:42 because I could help somebody as I pass along, 48:45 if I could cheer somebody with the a word of song, 48:47 if I could show somebody that they're traveling wrong, 48:50 then my living shall not be in vain, 48:53 and I don't know about you 48:54 but I don't want my living to be in vain. 48:57 I want to make a lot meaning out of this life 48:59 that God has given to me. 49:01 I want to take the time that God has afforded me to give 49:04 and make sure that is meaningful 49:06 so that somebody can have a better life 49:08 because that's what we are called to do. 49:10 So make sure that others that are outside 49:13 can make it home so that somebody 49:15 could come in to the fold of Jesus Christ 49:18 as I wrap this thing up 49:19 and as I get up out of your face 49:21 and then we begin to have our appeal and our prayer. 49:23 I'm gonna close it out with sports again 49:25 because you know I told you I'm sport fanatic, 49:28 I love to watching sports. 49:29 And may people may not realize this 49:32 but I like baseball a lot. 49:33 Baseball is my favorite game. 49:35 I'm a New York Yankee fan, don't through anything at me. 49:38 All right, that's okay. 49:39 But I'm going to save this illustration. 49:42 In the game of base ball 49:44 there is what's called the sacrifice fly, 49:46 now if you watch baseball 49:47 you know what the sacrifice fly is. 49:49 The sacrifice fly is when somebody stands 49:52 in the batters box 49:53 and they hit the ball in the air 49:55 because why somebody on third base 49:58 needs to make it home. 49:59 And so what the batter says, the batter says 50:02 "I am willing to sacrifice myself 50:04 and take myself out of the game 50:07 just so that the person on third base 50:10 could make it home." 50:11 I'm gonna repeat that one more time 50:13 "the batter steps into the box, 50:15 he does not care about his percentage, 50:18 he does not care about his batting average. 50:20 He does not care anything else 50:22 but the only thing he cares about 50:24 is making sure that person on third base makes it home. 50:28 Well, if you rewind over 2,000 years ago, 50:31 there was a great sacrifice fly by a man name, Jesus Christ. 50:35 When Jesus died on the cross, 50:37 he took a "sac fly" and sacrificed himself, why? 50:40 Because he saw some people that were on third base 50:43 that need to make it home and aren't you glad that 50:46 our Father sacrificed Himself gave up His life 50:50 so that I could make it home and so all I'm saying today 50:54 is that if Jesus sacrificed some things 50:57 then I can sacrifice some things in my life 50:59 so that somebody could make it home. 51:02 Because there's a girl out there 51:03 who is struggling with some issues 51:07 and she needs to make it home. 51:09 There is a young man, who is struggling 51:11 with identity issues 51:13 and he is depressed and he is hurting. 51:16 He's on third base, he needs to make it home. 51:18 There is a family out there 51:20 that does not have a meal to eat 51:22 and when they come to church that's the best meal 51:24 that they will get all week but they are on third base, 51:28 they need to make it home. 51:29 It depended upon us that we sacrifice what we have, 51:33 that we say "Lord, I give myself away. 51:36 I give myself away so that You can used, 51:39 take me, mold me, fashion me, 51:41 and shape me into what you intended for me to be 51:44 because I don't want my living to be in vain 51:47 and if that means getting arrested 51:49 so some people can it home then put the hand cuffs on me, 51:52 if that means taking a bullet so somebody could make it home, 51:56 then let me take the bullets, if that means me losing my job, 52:00 so somebody can make it home then let me lose my Job." 52:03 Because in the end when Jesus comes back, 52:06 I just want to hear those words, 52:07 "well done, thou good and faithful servant." 52:10 And to now into joy of the Lord that's why I'm here, 52:14 that's what I'm doing, and so my Sabbath, 52:17 is not simply a Sabbath that I'm gonna use for myself 52:20 but I'll pray that my Sabbath would change 52:22 that I would feed some people that are hungry 52:25 that I would go visit some people that are sick. 52:27 That I would go and hold the hands of some people, 52:30 who have never seen or know anything about our God 52:33 but I would take the church from this location 52:36 because at the end of the day 52:37 some folk won't come into our church 52:39 then it's our responsibility to take the church to them. 52:42 And so If that mean breaking up that piano and rolling it down 52:46 to West Frankfurt, we going out it down 52:48 at West Frankfurt and the parking lot of CVS 52:51 and we're going to have a good old time in CVS parking lot 52:55 and bring some folk home that are on third base. 52:58 Do I have a witness out there, 52:59 is there anybody that wants to bring somebody 53:01 to third base, do you realize that 53:04 if it was not for Jesus Christ, 53:05 if it was not for that person that handed you a track, 53:08 if it was not for that person that opened up a door for you, 53:11 you would probably still be on third base right now 53:14 but right now you are home and If you're home 53:17 then do the same thing for somebody else 53:19 because at the end of the day, that's what we are called to do 53:22 to bring people home. 53:24 And so I thank God for this text, 53:27 I thank god for this in indictment, 53:28 I thank God that he wrote this text 53:30 because I had to ask myself 53:33 how am I representing the Sabbath? 53:36 Am I just like the Jews who have created these laws, 53:40 rules, and regulations and made up 53:42 this little world to protect myself on this day 53:46 but I have to realize that the God that I serve 53:50 did more work outside of the church 53:53 then inside of the church. 53:55 When you study Jesus, Jesus spent most of His time 53:58 in the community than in the Synagogue. 54:01 As a matter of fact, when you read in Luke, 54:03 he got up to read his first sermon 54:05 was "I've come to heal the broken hearted 54:07 and setting the captives free" 54:09 and right after he read that sermon 54:11 they kicked him out of the church. 54:13 They kicked him out the Synagogue 54:14 and Jesus said you know what? 54:15 "Keep your Synagogue, 54:17 I'm going to minister in the community." 54:19 Most of the healing as a matter of fact 54:21 if not all were out in the community. 54:24 I'm most like Christ when I'm serving people. 54:29 It's not when I'm not sinning, 54:31 it's not when I'm coding text, 54:34 It's not when I'm memorizing this or doing that. 54:37 I'm most like Christ, when I serve people. 54:41 That's becoming Christ like, self sacrifice. 54:45 One of the hardest things for us to do 54:48 is to give up our will to do what we want to. 54:52 To wave our rights to have everything 54:56 and Jesus saying you become more than a conqueror, 54:59 now love this that this text more than a conqueror, 55:02 he just nailing all these things 55:03 you are more than conquerors to Him that love you first. 55:06 The word says "in order to be a conqueror 55:10 you must pillage communities knockdown kings, 55:14 and you must win wars, but in Jesus equation 55:18 the conqueror is the person who surrenders. 55:23 You see in the world surrendering is weakness 55:27 but in Jesus surrendering is greatness. 55:30 This is that's when you become more than a conqueror, 55:33 in this world when you apply for a job 55:35 they asks you what your strengths are? 55:37 And they say what can you do for us? 55:40 And then they may be ask you what are you weaknesses are? 55:43 And then ask you that because they want to know 55:44 if you'll be liability to our company 55:47 and based on your weaknesses they'll determine whether 55:49 or not you should be hired for the job. 55:52 When you walk into God's interview room, 55:54 God ask you what your strengths are? 55:56 And then He says "you know what? 55:57 I don't really care about that." 55:59 He says "what are your weaknesses?" 56:00 And then when God looks at the amount 56:01 of weaknesses you have 56:03 and if your weaknesses outweigh your strengths, 56:05 God says "you are over qualified 56:07 for this job come in work for me 56:09 because I took a stutter name Moses 56:11 and I used him to free the people of Israel. 56:13 I took 12 people who were fisherman uneducated, 56:17 a tax collector, they dregs of society, 56:20 and I use them to turn this world around." 56:22 You see it's your weakness that Paul says 56:25 that's when I made strong. 56:28 So that's God's world that we need to get in. 56:32 We have a desire to control and to be in charge, 56:35 but God says surrender 56:36 and watch me do great things inside of you. 56:39 Let's pray. 56:40 God almighty, we thank You so much 56:44 that by surrendering to You we can do amazing things, 56:47 help us Lord to remember, 56:49 that You are Lord of the Sabbath, 56:51 and You call us to use the Sabbath day 56:53 to invite others to enjoy it. 56:55 Because you want us to rest, 56:57 Pharaoh had to children of Israel working continently 57:00 and after You delivered them, You told them, 57:02 You reminded them to rest, so Lord we will rest in You, 57:07 but we know this rest is not a rest from witnessing 57:10 in a rest from delivering people form shackles. 57:13 So God almighty, we pray that 57:15 we would use our rest to energize us, 57:17 so that other people can enjoy your rest as well to see them, 57:21 to hug them, to hold them, to serve them 57:24 so that we can consider you can be glorify, 57:26 we thank you Lord for everything 57:28 and this we pray in Your name Jesus Christ, amen. |
Revised 2015-05-06