Download God`s Contagious Love - Downey Seventh

God’s Contagious Love
If you would, take out your sermon notes for today’s message. They are in your bulletin
there. You are going to need them. Today is the final message in a series of messages called
“Becoming A Contagious Christian.” Now we had six weeks together. We have been looking at this
together, meeting in small groups, and I know that many of you have lots of good stories to tell
because next week is Celebration Sabbath where you will be able to share with us what you have
learned in your small group, and share with us how it has impacted you and your family. We are
looking forward to that and that will be next week; next Sabbath.
If you would like to try a small group, and if you are not currently in a small group, there are
several groups that you could choose from. Here is Pilar and Phillip – just raise your hand. They are
in a group right there. You can ask them about a small group. Let’s see Von raise your hand. Von is
in a small group. I’m in a small group and there are many others. If you would like to come one
time and experience a small group, just talk to one of us after the service, and we will make that
happen for you.
Now today we are going to be drawing something on this board. You are going to be using
your sermon notes, and if you look at the sermon notes now, you look on the back of the sermon
notes because we’ve got front and back, we are just packed today we have so much going on, in the
back of your sermon notes you will notice that there is a vacant spot, a blank area. This is the area
reserved for you to make your drawing of what is called the bridge. Now for some of you, you have
already drawn the bridge illustration in your small group. How many have drawn that in your small
group? Let me see your hands. Yeah. Some of you have done that. Many of you haven’t and for
some this is going to be a review, and for others of you this is going to be your first time.
Now if you are sitting there thinking how does Pastor Mitch think these things up? We are
here to have a sermon not to do a drawing. I should have gone to fill in the blank but you are here,
and you are here with us. And I want to invite my friend Von to come on up – Von – and share a
couple of things with us.
Pastor: Now Von we are going to be doing the bridge today and I want to ask you a question.
Let me fix this for you a little bit. How did you feel about this whole Contagious Christian thing and
about drawing the bridge when you first learned that this is what we were going to do?
Von: Well I kind of thought it was silly. I was like really. There is a format on how to share
our experience with the Lord. I was like oh this is dumb.
1
Pastor: Now but subsequently do you have anything to tell us today about the bridge, this
very illustration?
Von: Yes.
Pastor: Yeah why don’t you tell us about that.
Von: So with all my rebelliousness I am still attending the six weeks of “How To Be A
Contagious Christian.” In the booklet they gave us they had us put people’s names down that you
would want to some day get the chance to share the Lord with. So I put my names in there. Then it
said to pick one person out of there. So I put my girlfriend Sabrina’s name on it. So then the last
week we learned how to draw the bridge.
So my friend Sabrina she is raised Greek Orthodox but she doesn’t really know a lot about
the Bible or she doesn’t really know what the Bible is. It was really interesting talking to her. It is
like she goes on all the holidays, on Christmas, and Thanksgiving, and the Greeks have something
called a Name Day. So she goes on her Name Day and stuff like that. I have known her since she
was 13 years old and she is in her early 30s now. So about that same time that I started becoming
friends with her was when I rededicated my life to the Lord.
So every now and then I would get a chance to say stuff to her but I am the kind of person
that when I was in the world I didn’t like people preaching to me. I didn’t like hearing about God so
I don’t like to try to push that on people but sometimes we would be exercising together and she
would ask me questions. Like raised in the home that she is raised in a lot of the Greeks read tea
leafs and she believes in Karma. We would be walking and she would see a white butterfly and she
would say that was her aunt so and so. I would never say anything against what she was believing
but then she would ask do you believe in that? So I would tell her well I believe in God, and I
believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and in there it says the dead know not anything, and it says
not to consult witches and mediums and stuff like that, and then she would just not say anything
anymore. So we had numerous conversations like that.
So different things have gone on in her life and she one day text me and had said to me that
we are going to have a really deep conversation because I feel like God is reaching out to me. So I
then got really nervous so I started texting everyone in my group saying pray for me because I had
lots of things to say to her but I wanted it to be the Holy Spirit. I wanted her to hear God and not
what I thought she should hear. There are so many parts of the story.
This is the interesting thing – she does yoga. And there was an article in the paper that
Christians shouldn’t do yoga and she had asked me if I heard about it. I told her no that I hadn’t. So
that night it just so happens that I was listening to Christian radio, and I was listening to Frank
2
Pastore, and it so happens that Frank Pastore’s friend wrote the article. So he was having people call
in and they were talking about whether or not they thought Christians should do yoga or not. So she
had gone to a yoga retreat because she is trying to find peace. She has a lot of turmoil in her heart,
and in her mind, and yoga talks a lot about tranquility, removing stuff out of your mind, and
meditating and stuff like that. One time she was telling me that she wanted to go on this yoga
journey to get communed with the Vortex. And I said to her why don’t you go straight to the man
who created the Vortex because I guess the Vortex is like the center of the earth. So anyway she
goes on her retreat and she comes back and she is feeling really happy and everything.
So she went to a christening for her nephew and she said that her priest was sitting next to her
and so she says to him, Father John, do we meditate? And she says he was like kind of leery and he
looks at her and he says we meditate on God’s Word, and we meditate sometimes when we pray to
God. So she says somebody gave me a Buddha, and she said his eyes got really big, and he says
what are you doing with that Buddha? Are you lighting incense with it? She realized that maybe
that wasn’t quiet the time to discuss that and stuff but she still felt like God had put the priest next to
her.
Then she decided she wanted to become a yoga instructor and so she goes to yoga class, and
this girl that is sitting next to her starts telling her that she is a Christian, and that she knows that yoga
has come from the Hindu religion, and that it is a religious act but that she has her own God, and that
she was going to put her God into the yoga. Then she thought that is really weird. Why is this girl
telling me that?
She is a flight attendant and one day while she was flying this lady started talking to her and
then just out of the blue told her I am going to pray for her and grabbed her hands and prayed for her.
She was like why would that lady do that?
Her dad for some reason told her to get these movies and the two movies were Ben-Hur and
The Ten Commandments. So she had watched those movies and then that is when she had texted me
to tell me that she had a lot of questions about God, and that she felt that God was reaching out to
her. So in our conversation later the way that she felt God was reaching out to her was the girl at the
yoga class, the lady on the plane, putting the priest beside her, and there had been conversations that I
tried to explain to her about the Holy Spirit and about how God works in our lives that things don’t
happen by coincidence. I tell her they are God coincidences. God arranges these things and stuff
like that.
When she came in later, I found out that she didn’t know that The Ten Commandments was
in the Bible but she was curious about them. So she says to me don’t laugh at me but does
3
everybody have the same Ten Commandments. She says I googled it. And I said what did google
tell you? And she says that she clicked it and the same thing came up. Thou shall not you know all
that. And she googled it again, and it came up, and she did it again, and it came up, and so her
conclusion was that everybody had the same Ten Commandments.
Anyways, in our conversation we were talking and she is telling me that I know that you felt
that everything that you had said to me that I wasn’t listening to you, and she said I could tell that
you were very frustrated, and I was. I always felt like Lord how is she ever going to get it? I was
praying for her. I put her on my list but it just seemed like it was so far from her ever understanding
who God was or anything like that. So as she is telling me the story, and about how she felt God was
drawing her to him, it was so hard for me just to not break down and just sob, and just cry, and think
oh Lord you are so great. It was just amazing to me. And it is funny how we know that God does
great things, and we pray for it to happen, and then when it happens I am like oh my gosh! Kind of
like in shock that he is actually moving. When she told me that she says I remember the things that
you tell me, and when other people say things, she says I will say my friend Yvonne said that or she
will call her friend Robert and tell her this is what Yvonne said and things like that.
Anyway, so as we are sharing she is telling me that she just felt this happiness and this joy,
and that she felt really giddy, and I told her that is the Holy Spirit. And another thing she told me
that when she went on her yoga retreat she came home and she had this prayer that she was praying
that was from a yoga book, and it was for healing. She repeated it 108 times in the morning and 108
times at night but she said after she did it she would feel guilty. And I told her that you were being
convicted by the Holy Spirit. So I tried to explain a little bit more about that and then I was
explaining to her about what Frank Pastore’s friend was saying was that true yoga comes from the
Hindu religion. They are praying to their Hindu god. That is where yoga came from but in the
exercise community people realized that it is a physical help and so they start doing it. So he was
saying that Christian people if they are doing true yoga, you are worshiping a Hindu god, and that we
shouldn’t be doing that. So he says they should really be calling it calisthenics instead of yoga. So
then she said that is what that girl had told me in the class. So then she decided she wasn’t going to
become a yoga instructor but that she still wanted to do the exercises and stuff.
Anyways, as she is telling me, and she says I want you to understand that the smile on the
face I can’t even explain it she says. She goes I am not laughing at the things you are saying she says
but I just have this joy in my heart. After she saw The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur, she said
she just like sobbed, and sobbed but she said it was like this freeing feeling. So she says I feel like
4
there is something else I need to do, and she kept saying that, and all of sudden what came to me was
that dumb diagram.
Pastor: You mean the one we are going to talk about today.
Von: Yes. So I said to her have you ever heard the phrase to be born again? And she said
yes. And then I tried to explain the story about Nicodemus and asking how do I be born again, and
so I have a paper towel in front of me so I turned it over, and it was blank, and so I put US, and I put
God. I drew the diagram, and I’m not even sure if I drew it right but after I drew it, she says that is
the cross. And I said yes, and I said and it bridges by Jesus dying on the cross, it bridges us back to
God. And I said what you need to do now is to profess outwardly to the Lord that you accept him as
your Lord and Savior, ask him into your heart, ask him to forgive your sins, and I said to her do you
want to do that? And she said yes. And right away I got fearful and thought I am going to grab my
friend and tell her you have to say the sinner’s prayer with my friend because I have never done it but
I thought no. God will help me. So we prayed the sinner’s prayer together and she accepted the
Lord.
Pastor: And you helped your friend.
Von: Yes. And I was resistant to do it.
Pastor: Can you give her an amen? By the way, the sinner’s prayer is I accept the Lord.
Forgive me for my sins. I want to follow Jesus. I want to dedicate my life to God. That’s about it,
isn’t it?
Von: Yes.
Pastor: It is very simple. There is nothing to it except dedicating yourself to God that way.
Von: Yes.
Pastor: Von you are amazing. God is good.
Von: Yes. God is good.
Pastor: All the time.
Von: All the time.
Pastor: God is good.
Von: Amen.
Pastor: Thank you Von. God bless you. That is excellent. So today we are going to have
some fun, and I am going to have a call to receive Christ today. We have folks in our church that
have heard me preach, and preach, and preach, and you have been here a long time, love you, but
now is the time to take the next step, and say not only am I going to say yes I believe what Pastor
Mitch is preaching, etc. but I am going to be a part of it. I am going to move ahead. And here is
5
what I am going to do – the reason the band didn’t sing the Thank You song today because they are
going to sing the Thank You song in just a few minutes. When they sing the Thank You song, I am
going to come down here, and those of you who need to come across the line and to give your heart
to the Lord fully, and say when you come across the line, you are saying I am going to be baptized. I
am going to follow the Lord. I don’t know where God is leading me but I will do it today. See
because a lot of us are going like I don’t know Pastor. I am not ready. I am not ready. Well guess
what? Nobody is ready but today is the day, and today is the time, and if you haven’t been baptized,
and if you haven’t given your heart to Jesus completely, you are going to come down this morning.
And so when they sing, I am going to be standing here, we are all going to be standing altogether like
this, and how many are feeling shy? Go ahead and raise your hand. Oh just two of us. That’s pretty
good. Nobody else is shy. Hey, we’ve got this made. Turn to your neighbor and say are you shy?
What do you think? See, we have to loosen up a little bit because this is like being at home. This is
like being with the family. This is the family here and so today is the day that I will guarantee you I
will be here. I will guarantee you I will ask you to stand up because we are all going to be standing
up anyway. We are all going to be standing up singing. So then I will be saying you guys that need
to follow Christ and come across the line come down here and meet me. And then you will come
down here, and you will meet me, and then we will have a brief prayer. We are going to sit over
here, all of you, and some are going to be sitting there. There will be so many people sitting here.
We will need two pews. Then when that is over, then when that is done, they will have a call for the
offering. I will dismiss the church, and then at that point we are going to gather up here. Mark and
Von are going to be with me. Any prayer warrior out there come on down and help me. We will
have a group here, and we are going to pray the sinner’s prayer, and help these folks come to Christ.
Is this a good idea? This is going to happen right here in your church. And if you need to rededicate
your life today, this is the day to do it also. So that is kind of the overview of what is going to
happen so get ready.
Now I am getting ahead of myself. I forgot to give you all the Becoming A Contagious
Christian. Today what is the title? This is “God’s Contagious Love” for us. We want to be a part of
this. This is big. Here is what is going to happen. I am going to show graphics like this, and then on
your sermon notes, take out your sermon notes now, flip it over, and you are going to write US, and
GOD just like this. You are going to see a full graphic. It is going to be progressive so that when
you are finished, you will have the complete diagram right there, and in addition to that, I am giving
you some Bible verses that go along with it. Do not feel like you have to draw the diagram and say
6
the same things I do. Don’t think that. You have to tell your friend about the diagram in your words.
Not my words.
So all of us are going to start off with drawing an US here okay. You with me everybody?
And on this side what do I do? This is GOD. Von this is what you drew, huh Von? Yes. So that’s
where we start. We are starting off right there. Now I am going to show you as we do our graphic,
and as it progresses, I am going to show you a Bible verse. Has everybody done this? Say amen.
Good.
Now you are going to see a Bible verse. Here it is. This is the verse that kind of goes along
with this. Now please read this verse with me okay. So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God he created him; male and female he created them. . . .God saw all that he had made,
and it was very good. . . .The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Genesis 1:27, 31; 2:25 (NIV)
So here we are, God has created us, and we are created how? Perfectly. Everything is
perfect. In fact, when God is finished creating he says it is not only good. It is how good? Very
good and that is the only time God says that. It is very good. And you need to know that when it
says that Adam and Eve were naked, it is not just about the physical form. It’s not about that really.
It’s really not about that. That’s a minor issue but they were naked in terms of their open relationship
to one another, and their open relationship to God. They had no fear. They had complete perfect
love for one another and for God. They shared everything and so they were completely exposed we
would say or naked. See what I mean? So it is not being about we are all naked. No. It is about the
condition of your heart because when Adam and Eve were created guess whose heart they had?
Whose image were they made in? God’s. They had God’s heart. Can you imagine that? God gave
them his heart in terms of I want you to be made like me. So God’s image is not just the physical
form. More importantly it is a condition of our heart, isn’t it? Really. It’s about who we are as
human beings, and how we relate to one another, and how we relate to God. That is what it means to
be made in God’s image, and so God created us this way. And we had a perfect relationship with
one another see, and a perfect relationship with God, and that is how it started off.
Here is our next graphic. Now everybody draw this graphic just like you see it. Now what
happens is sin comes into the world, and when sin comes into the world, it causes a disruption
between us and God, and it becomes a barrier. This is a barrier now and there is a great chasm
created because the human family have sinned. Now this makes good sense. Have you all drawn
this? Just say amen. Just draw that down. This is a barrier. That barrier happened because sin
entered the world.
7
Here is our scripture that goes along with it. Now please read this with me. Now the serpent
. . . said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The
woman said . . . but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the
garden . . . or you will die.’ “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. Genesis 3:1-4
(NIV)
Wow! There is a lot going on here, isn’t there? Did God say don’t eat from the tree in the
middle of the garden? Oh yes he did. In fact, in chapter 2 he said it before. Don’t eat there. Don’t
go there. Don’t touch it. And then, of course, the snake comes along in the form of Satan, and he
says did God really say that? Did he really tell you that? And, of course, the woman repeats it
verbatim. God said don’t eat. Don’t do it. And then what is the first lie that comes into the Bible?
You know what? You surely will not die. What a liar. It starts right from the beginning. The
serpent said to the woman, and so the woman went ahead, and that is what we call this barrier now
that has happened to us and Adam and Eve, and we know it disrupted their relationship. Adam and
Eve began to point the finger at each other. She is the one who brought me the fruit. And then she
says that snake is the one that did it to me and everybody forgets to take responsibility, and then they
begin to live the shamed based life. Everything they did was because of guilty conscience. And
everything they did was because they were driven by certain urges and needs, and they were
ashamed.
Now it not only disrupted the relationship between Adam and Eve, huge. They looked at
each other and the first thing they realized is what? What did they first realize? We’re naked. Now
was it their outward body? Was that the issue? No. No you guys. That is not. It is just a symbol of
a deeper problem. You know the openness they shared now was disrupted completely and now lying
is going to come into that relationship. Deceiving is going to come into the relationship and it
disrupted what God had originally given to them, and it corrupted them.
Now I love this part because it really is true. I need you to open your Bibles though. Open
your Bibles to Genesis, chapter 3. Do it quickly. Genesis, chapter 3, and I want you to look at
verse 8. Now it is not going to be on the screen now everybody so you can only see it in your Bible,
and I want you to find it in your Bible, and then you are going to read it with me. So this is how we
are going to use our Bibles today. Now in light of sin that entered the world, and by the way,
remember the definition of sin is basically I know more than God. I am smarter than God.
Remember God says do not eat of the tree in the middle of the garden? So what did Adam and Eve
do? I am smarter than God. I am going to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. That is the
8
definition of sin that we are working with here. It is rebellion against God. It is turning our backs on
God, and it is doing things that are just absolutely contrary to God’s Word.
Now are you in Genesis, chapter 3, verse 8? Say amen. Read verse 8 with me. Then the
man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of
the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
So what happened now to Adam and Eve and their relationship with God? What are they
doing? They are hiding. Friends they are hiding from God among the trees. Hey parents have you
ever had the kids hide from you? How is it going? Is it pretty rough to find them? Most of us can
see part of their body sticking out from wherever they are hiding or most of us know exactly the
places that they will hide. So can you imagine hiding from God? It is kind of funny, isn’t it? Adam
and Eve where are you? He knew where they were at. Hey, where are you guys? He knew exactly
where they were at. God knows everything. What were they doing? What were they doing? They
were hiding from God. Why? They were ashamed. This was a shame based life they are leading. I
am going to lead a shame based life. I am going to be filled with guilt and wrongful feelings all my
life, and that’s what was happening to them. And you know what is happening today you guys?
Listen. Sometimes we are trying to hide from God. We do it different ways. Don’t we? We try to
hide from God.
Now listen, this is why, you know I love you, right? Don’t I tell you every week I love you
guys? Don’t I give you a hug and a kiss? Well most of you. Some of you guys you are not getting a
kiss. That’s it. And then Evan comes up here and makes fun of me. Good Evan. Good job buddy.
Still working on Evan to be a Pastor. Alex you are next. All the guys. Where is Ethan at? Where is
Ethan? Another one of my men out there. Okay but the thing of it is you guys I love you that’s why
I am having a call to come forward. That’s why I do that because I know that when Jesus comes
which is soon, have you looked at the situation politically, and economically, and losing jobs and
stuff like this, turmoil in the world and war going on? It is because I love you that I know there is
only going to be two groups; the redeemed who love Jesus and given their heart to them, and those
who have not – the redeemed and those who haven’t given their heart to Jesus.
So I know that you guys believe in God but write this down. Do you have your notes ready?
Just write down James 2:19 because when you go to see James 2:19 it is going to say something like
this even the demons believe and tremble. Now even the demons believe and tremble means that
even the demons know what is coming. They know the train is coming and they are in the pathway,
and they tremble, believe me, but does it change their attitude? Do they change? No. Do they
believe and tremble? Yes. Do they change? No. See, by having a call today to come and receive
9
Christ, come down here with me as we are going to do in a minute, getting up out of your seat, scary,
coming down here you are making a statement saying I am not only a believer, I am doer. I am
going to be a part of this group because Jesus is coming soon and we believe that. Don’t you guys
believe it?
Now the Lord God we are hiding from the Lord God, a disruption in relationships between
Adam and Eve and God is totally a shamed based life now running around and hiding. Not being the
person you want to be. No. Everything is clocked and hidden, and then God extends another symbol
to Adam and Eve to express his love for them. See, this is called God’s Contagious Love. God loves
us and I will say that every week, and you guys get I am so tired of Pastor Mitch saying God loves
us. Well I am going to say it again. God loves us and it is the truth. Amen.
Now let me show you how God expressed his love to Adam and Eve. Do you have your
Bibles open? Say amen. Genesis 3, verse 21. Verse 21, Genesis 3:21. After everything had
happened and the sin entered the world and Adam and Eve were going to be cast out of that beautiful
garden that God had given them, this is what God did. In verse 21 read it with me. The LORD God
made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
Now prior to that what did Adam and Eve do when they found out they were naked? They
went for the fig leaves. Right? They must have been some pretty big ones because Adam and Eve
were big. Well nice figures but they were big and they are taking these fig leaves and trying to make
clothing for themselves. Again folks it is not about covering the outside of the body. It was more
about sort of covering their whole head and their whole countenance because now they were living
the shamed based life which is completely opposite of what they had lived before. They had never
experienced anything like that but when you turn your back on God that is the only reality you find.
So they got out the old fig leaves out and started covering themselves trying to hide their shame.
And so now I am going to ask you a question, a theological question. Ready? You have to
say yes. Yes. Okay. What was the first animal to die? First animal to die. Who said a lamb? Who
said a lamb? It doesn’t say in the Bible right there. All it says was that these were garments made of
skin but we know that there was a lamb slain for the foundation of the world. Don’t we know that?
Christ the Lord and we are going to hear about him in just a minute, and so God took his beloved
children and said give me those fig leaves and I am going to give you my righteousness. I am going
to give you my goodness as a symbol of what I am going to do not only for you, Adam and Eve, but
for the entire human family, see, and they put on the covering that God gave them.
Now here is our next drawing. See the arrows now everybody? Now I want you to go ahead
and draw arrows just like you see it on the screen here. Take your time and draw some arrows that
10
go just like this. I am going to make my arrows – see how – see how my arrow is going to go like
this? They start off here and then they abruptly go like this. See those are kind of the contoured
ones. I like these because it goes like that. You can draw it any way you want. And I want to show
you a scripture that goes – did everybody get to draw this? Say amen. Did you all get that okay?
Now let’s look at our scripture, and let’s read our scripture, and talk about it now. It says
this. [As they ate the forbidden fruit] please read it with me . . . they realized they were naked; so
they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves [and] they hid from the Lord.
Genesis 3:7-8 (NIV)
So here are the things they are doing. They are hiding from God. They are afraid of God.
They are getting the fig leaves and sewing them together trying to hide themselves from the shame
they feel. And today in the society we live in right now we are still doing this. Did I say we? Yes, I
said we because here is what we do. See the big question today about this bridge illustration is how
do we get to heaven? How do you get to heaven? Let me ask that question. Go ahead. What is the
answer to that? Jesus said I am the way, the truth and what else? The life. No one comes to the
Father except through me. Jesus is the only way. Amen. But we find that people, if we ask people
even ourselves sometimes, see I think this, what I am going to be saying here is what sort of sustains
people from coming across the line, and saying not only do I believe in God I am going to serve God.
This is what causes – this is kind of a chasm for some people. This is what happens. Hey, I am a
good person. I don’t cuss. I pay my taxes. I am good. I don’t hate the guy next door even though
he won’t give me back my tools. So based on my goodness I think God is going to take me to
heaven. Is God going to take him to heaven? Not on that basis. That basis goes down. Well how
about this one up here? Hey, I am really loving. I love everybody. Love, love, love, love
everybody. Anybody out there to love? I am going to do it right over here. Is that good enough to
get into heaven? No. That ain’t going to make it. So down it goes down here see. And so you can
just keep them going. I think good thoughts about people. I like the Pastor. I like you. I like your
dog. I like everybody. I’m just good plus hey, I have never been to jail. Never, never been to jail.
One time. Thank you Lord. Except that one time. I am not going to talk about that one. But so hey,
I am like one of the angels in heaven you know. No. That’s a zero. That goes down. You kind of
see where I am going with this. There is no way for human beings to reach God unassisted. Human
beings are totally unable to by their merit, by their own goodness, by their own righteousness, by
their right doing to reach God.
Now see here is the other thing that happens with folks that go I believe in God. I believe
Pastor. Well do you want to come and get baptized and come across the line? Well you know what?
11
I got to get a few things right. I got to straighten out a few things. When I straighten out a few
things, then I am coming over. I am coming across the line. Guess what? Do you have the power to
get from here to there? Do you have the power? No. If you don’t have the power to get from here to
there, you don’t have the power to straighten out your own life. You cannot straighten that curve
back up over to here. You don’t have the resources. Well I am going to stop drinking, and when I
stop drinking, I am going to do it. I am going to stop smoking then I am going to do it. I am going to
stop doing some other stuff too, and it is that other stuff that is probably worse than the drinking, and
the smoking, and the drugs. Do you know what I am talking about? So that’s why I love you guys.
And that’s why today is the day. That’s why I am telling you again. I am going to keep reminding
you because I am going to have a call, and I am calling your name. You know who you are. You
need to come forward, and you need to say I am making a statement for the Lord. And you may say
in your own heart I don’t know why I am doing this. You are doing it because you love Jesus and
because this is your day today.
Now I want to continue on with our drawing and so far everybody okay? Let’s go to the next
graphic. Here is the next one. Now this one what you do is you write the word “death” down here.
And you need to write it, if you can, in capital letters so you have the word DEATH right down there.
Now when Adam and Eve are in the garden, the Lord says do not eat of the tree in the middle
of the garden or what will happen? You will die. So that is where we are getting this concept of
death. Now here is the question. Here is the question. Did Adam and Eve die immediately when
they ate of the fruit? No, they did not. No, they did not. Well then we are going to say well wait a
minute. If God said if you eat of the fruit in the midst of the garden you shall surely die, and then
they didn’t die, we have to think about this. The death that he is talking about includes more than
just physical death like we know it. We know what physical death is, don’t we? Every single person
here has lost a loved one. Amen. Haven’t we lost loved ones and friends in accidents, and in
disease, things like that, haven’t we? We know what death is like. We deal with it a lot and here in
our church we do. But God was not talking just about death like that. He was talking about the death
that will happen to people during the what is called executive judgment when Christ has all people
aligned in front of him, and he says the righteous shall be righteous still, and the filthy will be filthy
still, and there are only two groups. And when they die, this is the eternal separation from God, the
eternal death. They are not burning in hell. Let’s get that squared away. They are not burning in
hell somewhere. Burning, burning, burning and suffering because if they did, remember what I said?
If you got a hell where people are burning then they are waking up, and they burn some more, they
wake up, and burn some more, guess what? They have eternal life. It is not a good and pleasant life
12
but it is eternal, isn’t that true? The Bible teaches that only one group receives eternal life, and that is
the redeemed. They are the ones who received eternal life. Those that are not redeemed do not
receive eternal life, and so the death we are talking about here is a complete separation from God
which we know nothing about even those who hate God are living under God’s goodness right now
but at some point when they die, it is complete separation from God, and they are gone, and their
memory is gone, and that is bad enough.
Now let me go to a scripture here. Here is our next scripture. Want to read it with me? For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but
to save the world through him. John 3:16-18 (NIV)
So God had a plan. Now you don’t have a red marker but I do. So this is what you do. You
get a line between these two. Go ahead and draw this line in right now. Draw it in. And then you
draw this right down here. Can you all see that? For God so loved the world that he gave his one
and only Son, that whoever believes in him should have what? ever lasting life. Here is the life giver
right here. This is the life giver; Christ the Lord. He is the only one who can bridge the gap between
us, the sinner, and God Almighty, Christ the Lord, and I put in also that is John 3:16. I also included
John 3:17 which sometimes we forget about. And this is what we need to share with your friends.
See the last part of it. For God did not send his Son into the world to do what? condemn the world,
but to save the world through him. God didn’t send his son to condemn the world but to do what?
But to save the world but people are afraid of God, and they hide from God even now. Maybe some
of us have been hiding from God that’s why I am having this program. That’s why I am having this
call to come forward and receive Christ today because he didn’t come to condemn us. He came to
save us. What a difference that is, isn’t it? Praise the Lord. It’s so good. Okay so is everybody
good with this?
Alright the next thing we are going to do now is we have the cross which is right here. We
put this in, and this cross is representative as I said of our Lord Jesus Christ who bridges that gap. He
is the only one who can do it. Here is a scripture that goes with it. Now would you read this with
me? But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment
that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
This is an amazing scripture you guys. He was pierced for our transgressions, remember. He
took the nails probably in the wrist area right here because that would hold his body up, and he was
crushed for our iniquities. No broken bones but the weight of sin pushing down upon him took all of
his life out of him, and the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and so it is by his
13
wounds that we are healed. Isn’t that an amazing scripture? Isaiah 53:5. You should read the whole
chapter.
Now because of what Christ our Lord did he actually died not only physical death. We know
that he died, didn’t he? The Bible tells us that the Lord died, and that they came around to break his
legs but they found that he had already deceased. He was dead. So they didn’t break his legs. They
took his body down from the cross, and they wrapped it, and they put it into a tomb because the
Sabbath day was coming. They rolled the stone over the tomb. Isn’t that what the Bible teaches us?
And then on the Sabbath day what did he do? He rested. That speaks volumes to us and why we are
here today. This is the day. He rested. And then on the third day what happened? Resurrection.
And the thing about the resurrection is that when our Lord Jesus Christ is on this cross he not only
died the physical death, the death for us, but more importantly he died what is called the second
death. And the Bible says blessed and holy is him who has no part in the second death, and that is
the righteous because Christ the Lord has paid the price, and he died the second death. Remember
the second death is eternal separation from God. And so for Christ the Lord when he was hanging on
the cross there he cried out My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Because he was feeling
the crush of the second death being separated from his Father, and that is what took his life. So for
Christ the Lord and us there is no second death. Yeah we may die. We may die but I will tell you
what, when Jesus comes the party starts. When the Lord comes, we are resurrected. We are not
concerned about that first death. It is the second one we are concerned about.
And then this is what your drawing should look like now. Now if your drawing looks like
that, just say amen. You okay on this? See where I am going? Now here is our next scripture. Lead
us into our next one. Read this with me okay. You see, at just the right time, when we were still
powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Wait a minute. For who? the ungodly. Guess who that is.
Us okay. Good. Go ahead. Continue. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a
good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)
Isn’t this amazing that our God didn’t die for the good guys? He didn’t die for the righteous.
He didn’t die for the pure. You know why? There aren’t any because all have fallen short of the
glory of God. There are none righteous no not one. And your righteousness is as filthy rags. Isn’t
that what the Bible teaches? So our God came and died for the ungodly. That doesn’t mean hey,
great, let the good times roll! We are going to stay ungodly because that is what God died for. We
are all in the same area; our friends out there, and the friends in here. We are all ungodly but now we
14
recognize it, and we say I want a Savior because I want to cross from where I am at to where God is
at. That’s what I want to do now.
Now that is going to lead me to this next one. Now I want you to draw a picture of a stick
guy. Watch my stick guy first. The stick guy here, legs, arms go down like that okay. Here is your
stick guy. Over here same kind of thing. This time though it is praise the Lord right here. Do you
ever see me go like this when we are singing? That is praising God. That is really the Biblical way
of praying and praising God. That’s why I’ve got him over here.
Now lets talk about this in a minute. See if we are here, we believe that God is real. Amen.
I don’t think there is a person – if you went out on the street, you might be surprised though, if you
went out on the street, and if you believe in God, most people, maybe about 80% or more, maybe
higher than that, would say if we said do you believe in God? They would say yes. In an email you
get that feeling huh. If you have co-workers, if you have neighbors, and you say do you believe in
God? You know what they are going to say. Yes. And so that puts us over here. Over here is my
James scripture; James 2:19. James 2:19. Even the demons believe and tremble. So now we need to
move from here over to here. So go ahead and draw that line across. Now everybody okay so far on
this graphic? Here we go. The question is how am I saved? Here is the answer. Would you read
this with me? [The jailer asked] “What must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord
Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.” Acts 16:30-32 (NIV)
So I am saying here not only do I believe there is a God but I am going to be in his hands. I
am going to move across the line, and I am going to be a part of what God is doing. Now don’t be
sitting there thinking about oh man, I have to give up drinking, smoking. I have to give up. . . Don’t,
don’t be thinking about that because you know what? You probably don’t have the power and the
resources to give up anything. That’s why you need to come across the line but when you come
across the line, it is not like you’re perfect because you are not. Okay do you got that? So if you
show up, I came across the line Pastor three weeks ago, and I am still having trouble smoking. Do
you know what I say? You’re in the right place brother. God bless you. And in four weeks you
come back and you know what? I have been struggling with drinking. You’re in the right place
brother. Get in here. Listen to the sermon. We love you. You’re going to heaven. That’s what I am
talking about. This is not oh man. I can’t do all this. I can’t give up all this. No, you cannot. That’s
correct. You cannot give up anything because you don’t have any power. You don’t have any
resources. You’ve got zero. So that’s what you say.
What I am saying is that you know you get on the team. You get on the team and you say
hey, Pastor can I play? And I go no. You’re on the fence. Why? Because you have to learn a little
15
bit. Do you want some more? Can I play? No. If you have to play, you’re on this court believe me.
And by the way, I want to say this because I think you guys know what it is. Do you know what it is
to get a substitute in the game? Play basketball and now we have to substitute. We all know what
that means, don’t we? Player comes out. Player goes in. Correct? The team plays. Do we still have
a team on the court? Are there still five players on the court? Do we substitute? Yes, we do. Christ
the Lord is our substitute. And when it is really time to play, the substitute stands up for us because
when your name is called in the judgment, Christ stands up in your place. You don’t stand up.
Christ stands up and he says something like this. You know what? I died for Mitch Williams.
Otherwise I am not getting in; nothing. I am zero. See what I mean? He died for you. He named
your name because your names are written on his hands, on the palms of his hands. Amen. He
knows your name, and we sing that song here. Let me see where I am at.
Okay, now it is time for us to do something. You got your piece of paper? I want you to
write on here if you understand this, I want you to say I understand this like that. If you understand
this, on that piece of paper, I want you to write on there I understand this. Go ahead. Write it down.
Now if we just understand it, we are still on this side so we need to move over here and you say I
receive. I receive it. This is when you say I receive it into my heart. This is going to be life. Are
you perfect? When you come up here and receive Christ, are you perfect? I want to tell you
something. When you receive Christ because Christ is accepted, you’re perfect. Do you know why?
Because he declares you that. It is kind of like yeah but look at my hands and feet Lord, and the
Lord goes don’t worry about it. If I say you are clean, you are clean. That’s what coming across and
giving yourself to Christ really means.
So this is where we are at now. Now I am going to ask the band to come up. Come on up
band, and hey, Edwin and Ethan come on up you guys. Help me. Take this thing and put it down
here so we can see. Now what we are going to do is sing the song. This is what I am going to do.
We are going to sing the Thank You song and remember that the Thank You song is the song that
thanks somebody because you are in heaven. This is the Thank You song we are going to sing. And
it is during this song now that I have those who are wanting to come forward, and be here, and stand
here with me. I want you to do that. I want you to come forward. I want you to cross over the line
from a believer to one of the team players, from a bench sitter out here, to give your heart to Christ.
And if you’re a guest in our church, praise the Lord. Come on down. We accept guests. So the band
is ready. Lets all stand up. We are going to sing this song standing now. [Congregation singing
Thank You song]
16
I am so glad for every person who has come here today. Who is taking a stand for Jesus? I
am going to ask you a question. I am going to say if you are baptized, praise the Lord, and if you are
not baptized, we are going to set the date which will be next week because we are having a baptism
but why shouldn’t we baptize everybody in the church. Amen. We just want to have prayer, and
when I say amen to the prayer, everybody just come up here. I just want you to sit in the front
because we will be praying after the service. I just want you to take these rows right here. And we
are going to rejoice what God is doing. Isn’t it good to be in church today? Praise God. This is
really, really where it is at. Let’s pray together shall we.
17