Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000429
|
00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS: EXPERIENCE THE POWER,
00:08 WITH WALTER L. PEARSON JR. 00:11 (theme music) TODAY PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE 00:15 IS ENTITLED "PLAYING CHURCH." 00:18 (theme music) WP: I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO GO 00:27 TO THE BOOK OF FIRST PETER. 00:30 AND SHOULD I STALL WHILE YOU FIND FIRST PETER ? 00:35 I THINK YOU CAN DO IT FAIRLY EASY. 00:37 WELL, THE EASY WAY TO DO THAT, NAH, I WON'T TELL YOU. 00:40 TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY FOUND IT. 00:44 FIRST PETER, CHAPTER 2, AND LOOK AT VERSE 5, FIRST PETER, 00:49 CHAPTER 2, VERSE 5. 00:51 "YE, ALSO, AS LIVELY STONES ARE BUILT UP A SPIRITUAL HOUSE AND 00:58 HOLY PRIESTHOOD TO OFFER UP SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE 01:04 TO GOD BY JESUS CHRIST." 01:07 WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME ? 01:09 FATHER, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. 01:15 YOUR POWER, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, YOUR POWER THROUGH 01:18 THE HOLY SPIRIT IS REACHING AROUND THE GLOBE, AND 01:22 PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 01:26 WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE DRAWING PEOPLE TO JESUS CHRIST. 01:30 NOW, FATHER, WE ONLY ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. 01:35 WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT US. 01:37 IT'S NOT BY MIGHT. 01:39 IT'S NOT BY POWER. 01:41 IT'S BY YOUR SPIRIT THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING DRAWN. 01:44 SO, TONIGHT WE COMMIT OURSELVES ONCE AGAIN. 01:47 WE'LL FOLLOW WHERE JESUS LEADS IF YOU'LL SIMPLY 01:51 GIVE US YOUR GRACE. 01:53 THIS IS OUR PRAYER IN JESUS'S NAME, AMEN. 01:57 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE ARE PART OF A SPIRITUAL BUILDING. 02:02 I ENTITLED THIS MESSAGE TONIGHT "PLAYING CHURCH." 02:07 AND I DID IT INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE TONIGHT I WILL SHARE 02:11 WITH YOU MY BELIEF THAT IF SATAN CAN'T KEEP YOU AWAY FROM 02:18 CHURCH, HE WILL BRING YOU TO CHURCH BUT NOT LET YOU DO 02:24 CHURCH AS THE BIBLE SUGGESTS. 02:28 IN OTHER WORDS, I KNOW YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO WON'T 02:30 GO INSIDE OF A CHURCH. 02:31 I'VE MET PLENTY OF THEM. 02:32 THEY SAY, I WOULDN'T GO CLOSE TO A CHURCH. 02:34 AND I HOPE BY THE TIME I'M FINISHED TONIGHT THAT YOU'LL 02:36 UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MAY NOT BE THE GREATEST 02:39 DECISION OF YOUR LIFE. 02:41 BECAUSE THE FACT IS THAT AS THE TEXT JUST TOLD US, WE BECOME 02:46 PART OF A SPIRITUAL BUILDING. 02:48 IT'S AN INVISIBLE BUILDING BUT WHEN WE ARE ALL LINKED 02:52 TOGETHER IN CHRIST, WE ARE ACTUALLY THE BODY OF CHRIST. 02:56 WE BECOME THE CHURCH. 02:59 SO, IT MAY NOT BE THE GREATEST DECISION YOU EVER MADE TO STAY 03:03 AWAY FROM THAT ORGANIZATION. 03:05 BUT THERE ARE SOME FOLK WHO COME TO CHURCH AND THEN THE DEVIL 03:10 STARTS PLAYING LITTLE GAMES. 03:12 HE TRIES TO GET YOU AWAY FROM THE REAL MEANING OF CHURCH. 03:18 THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. 03:22 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT GOING TO 03:24 CHURCH IS A FASHION SHOW. 03:33 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT MAN LOOKS ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, 03:36 BUT GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. 03:39 SO, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST PEOPLE DRESSING WELL 03:45 TO GO TO CHURCH. 03:46 IN FACT, IF YOU SERVE GOD AND RETURN A FAITHFUL TITHE 03:49 AND AN OFFERING, HOW MANY KNOW THAT GOD WILL OPEN THE 03:52 FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN AND MIGHT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO 03:55 GET CLOTHES WITHOUT MONEY. 03:58 HE DOES THAT. 03:59 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD CLOTHES THE LILIES OF THE FIELDS. 04:04 AND IF HE MAKES THEM BEAUTIFUL, HOW MANY KNOW THAT HE CAN 04:06 MAKE YOU LOOK YOUR BEST ? 04:09 I THINK WHEN YOU COME INTO GOD'S HOUSE THERE 04:12 IS NOTHING WRONG WITH WEARING SOMETHING PRESENTABLE 04:16 TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE. 04:18 BUT YOU CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP IN IT. 04:21 THERE WAS A CHURCH THAT I PASTORED LONG AGO. 04:23 YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHERE IT WAS. 04:26 THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO TIMED HIS ENTRANCE. 04:33 HE WOULD WEAR A DIFFERENT SUIT EVERY SABBATH. 04:38 AND HE WAITED UNTIL I HAD JUST STOOD UP. 04:42 I WAS JUST FINISHED WITH MY TEXT, WHEN EVERYBODY'S 04:44 CONCENTRATION WAS ON THE BIBLE, AND THEN HE'D 04:48 MAKE HIS GRAND ENTRANCE. 04:51 I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DID IT EITHER--IT WAS AS THOUGH HE 04:53 WAS FLOATING DOWN THE AISLE. 04:56 AND JUST AS HE THOUGHT, PEOPLE WOULD TURN AND LOOK AT HIM. 05:00 AND THEY'D SAY, OH, HE NEVER WEARS THE SAME SUIT. 05:04 WELL, ONE DAY I HAD A TALK WITH HIM. 05:08 I TOLD HIM HOW I WAS NOT AMUSED. 05:11 I SAID, DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU COME IN THE SAME 05:14 TIME EVERY WEEK ? 05:15 HE SAID, OH, I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT. 05:19 I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS THE TRUTH. 05:20 WHAT DO YOU THINK ? 05:22 HE SAID, NO, I GUESS THAT'S JUST WHEN I COME IN. 05:25 I SAID, AND OF COURSE, WE ARE HAPPY, EVERY ONE OF US 05:28 IS HAPPY THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU DIFFERENT SUITS. 05:31 I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THEM FROM, 05:33 BUT HALLELUJAH. 05:35 IT'S JUST THAT WE DON'T COME TO CHURCH TO GET 05:38 EXCITED ABOUT YOUR CLOTHES. 05:41 WE'RE HERE TO PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS AND TO WORSHIP HIM 05:45 IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 05:49 NOW I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE 05:52 WHO, WHEN THEY HAVE CAUGHT A SALE, AND WHEN EVEN THEY ARE 05:59 SHOCKED AT WHAT THEY HAVE ON. 06:01 YOU CAN'T TELL, CAN'T YOU, BECAUSE THEY KIND OF. . . 06:05 WHEN THEY ARE EVEN SHOCKED, THEY WILL COME IN AND THEN 06:09 THEY'LL THINK OF SOMETHING, AND THEY'LL GO OUT. 06:13 AND THEY'LL COME BACK IN, AND THEY'LL REMEMBER 06:17 SOMETHING ELSE AND GO OUT. 06:18 WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO SOMEHOW, MAYBE I'M MISREADING, 06:21 I HOPE I'M NOT MISJUDGING, BUT IT APPEARS THAT WHEN 06:24 THEY DRESS IN A NORMAL FASHION, THEY CAN SIT DOWN. 06:30 BUT WHEN THEY THINK THEY'RE LOOKING REALLY GOOD, THEY GOT 06:32 TO MOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT. 06:34 I'M NOT MAD AT YOU. 06:36 I HOPE YOU FIND ANOTHER SALE. 06:38 I WISH YOU WOULD FIND A SALE WHERE THEY GOT SOMETHING FOR ME. 06:42 BUT WHEN YOU DRESS UP, YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF ATTENTION 06:47 IN GOD'S HOUSE. 06:49 JESUS IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. 06:55 I'VE MET PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO PURCHASE A NEW AUTOMOBILE. 07:01 AND YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T BRING IT IN. 07:05 THEY WOULD IF THEY COULD. 07:08 SO THEY HAVE TO SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW SOMETHING ? 07:11 I WAS REALLY, REMEMBER I'VE BEEN SAYING I GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU ? 07:15 COULD YOU COME OUT WITH ME NOW ? 07:18 I'VE GOT IT IN MY TRUNK, OKAY ? 07:21 AND THEN YOU GO OUT AND YOU SAY, WHERE'S YOUR CAR ? 07:24 OH, IT'S RIGHT OUT HERE. 07:26 AND THEY TAKE YOU. 07:27 HEY, YOU GOT A NEW CAR. 07:30 OH, THAT WASN'T THE REASON WHY I BROUGHT YOU OUT HERE. 07:36 THIS IS JUST SOMETHING TO GET ME FROM POINT A TO POINT B. 07:43 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL TAKE YOU HOME TO SEE THEIR HOUSES. 07:47 THEY WILL TALK ABOUT THEIR INCOME. 07:50 I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WHO TELL YOU HOW MUCH 07:53 THEY EARN ARE DISINGENUOUS. 07:57 BECAUSE IF YOU REALLY EARN A LOT OF MONEY, YOU DON'T 08:00 WANT THE WORD TO GET AROUND. 08:03 PEOPLE LIKE ME WILL COME AND BORROW MONEY FROM YOU. 08:08 WELL, IF GOD HAS BLESSED YOU, YOU MIGHT JUST WANT TO SAY, IF 08:11 ANYBODY SAYS, AH, I UNDERSTAND YOU EARN A LOT OF MONEY. 08:14 YOU OUGHT TO JUST SAY, GOD IS GOOD, GOD IS 08:17 GOOD, THAT'S ENOUGH. 08:18 WHAT DO YOU THINK ? 08:20 AND GOWILL LEAD YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED YOUR HELP. 08:22 NOW I'M SAYING SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE 08:25 COMICAL, BUT YOU KNOW THAT IT'S THE TRUTH. 08:30 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GET CAUGHT UP IN FELLOWSHIP. 08:35 THEY ARE SO CAUGHT UP IN FELLOWSHIP THAT IT WON'T STOP. 08:40 AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING ? 08:41 I EVEN PRAY SOMETIMES THAT MS. RIGHT AND MR. 08:47 RIGHT WILL MEET IN CHURCH. 08:51 I BELIEVE, LISTEN TO THIS CAREFULLY, EVERYBODY WHO'S 08:54 SINGLE, I BELIEVE THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF FINDING MS. 08:58 RIGHT OR MR. RIGHT RISES EXPONENTIALLY WHEN YOU 09:03 COME TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. 09:05 BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE WHO 09:08 BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST. 09:09 HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT YOU PAUSE FOR A 09:15 MINUTE IN YOUR CHASE. 09:19 PAUSE TO WORSHIP THE LORD. 09:22 BECAUSE HE CAN LEAD YOU TO THE RIGHT PERSON. 09:27 AND YOU OUGHT TO GIVE HIM THE RESPECT OF JUST TAKING 09:30 A BREAK FROM YOUR ACTIVITIES LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT PERSON, 09:36 AND PRAISE HIS NAME. 09:38 YOU'D BE SURPRISED. 09:39 HE CAN PULL YOU TOGETHER. 09:41 HE CAN BRING YOU TOGETHER IN THE PARKING LOT AT 09:44 THE WATER FOUNTAIN. 09:45 IT'S AMAZING WHAT GOD CAN DO. 09:48 GOD ARRANGES MEETINGS. 09:51 SO PUT HIM FIRST. 09:53 NOW, TONIGHT I WANT TO DO THIS. 09:54 I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CHURCH OUGHT TO REALLY BE ABOUT, 09:59 BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSIDE AND 10:02 WON'T COME IN, AND THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN, 10:06 BUT FOR THE WRONG REASONS. 10:08 FELLOWSHIP IS GOOD. 10:10 NICE CLOTHES--WONDERFUL. 10:13 NICE CAR--OKAY. 10:14 GOD GIVES THESE GIFTS. 10:17 BUT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER FOR WORSHIP, WHEN WE COME TOGETHER 10:21 IN GOD'S HOUSE, THERE OUGHT TO BE A REASON FOR IT. 10:24 AND THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO START OUT KNOWING 10:26 IS THAT THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH IS JESUS CHRIST. 10:33 SO, LET'S NOT PLAY THINKING THAT IT'S SOMETHING OWNED BY A 10:40 MULTITUDE AND IT MIGHT BE PUT FORTH AS A SOCIAL ORGANIZATION. 10:46 I KNOW THAT FELLOWSHIP IS WONDERFUL. 10:48 I ENJOY IT. 10:49 IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN LIKE CHURCHES WHERE 10:50 PEOPLE DON'T FELLOWSHIP. 10:52 I GO THERE ONCE, BUT SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO FORCE ME TO GO 10:55 BACK AGAIN IF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE JOY OF JESUS IN THEM. 11:00 I BELIEVE THAT WHEN JESUS IS IN YOUR HEART YOU FELLOWSHIP WITH 11:02 EACH OTHER, BECAUSE IF GOD IS MY FATHER AND YOU ARE IN 11:07 THE FAMILY OF GOD, YOU ARE ALREADY MY FAMILY MEMBER. 11:11 I MIGHT NOT HAVE MET YOU BEFORE. 11:13 I MAY NOT KNOW YOU, BUT IF YOU'RE IN THE FAMILY, 11:15 YOU'RE JUST ONE OF THE BROTHERS OR THE SISTERS. 11:18 BUT YOU CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP IN ANYTHING WHERE 11:22 JESUS IS NOT THE CENTER. 11:24 SO, THE BIBLE SAYS IN EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 5, WELL, I OUGHT TO 11:29 GET IT IN CHAPTER 1 FIRST. 11:30 LADIES, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND IN JUST A MOMENT WHY I'M 11:34 GOING TO TAKE IT FIRST FROM EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 1. 11:36 I'LL GO TO CHAPTER 5. 11:38 EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 1 IS WHERE I NEED IT FIRST. 11:40 AND VERSE 22, IT SAYS: "AND HATH PUT ALL THINGS UNDER 11:45 HIS FEET, AND GAVE HIM TO BE THE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS 11:50 TO THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY, THE FULLNESS OF HIM 11:54 THAT FILLETH ALL AND ALL." 11:57 SO THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH IS NOT THE PASTOR. 12:03 NOW, EVERY PASTOR REALLY KNOWS THAT. 12:05 I'LL TELL YOU, SOMETIMES PASTORS ARE TEMPTED. 12:09 I HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO THINK THIS IS MY CHURCH. 12:13 YOU KNOW, EVERY NOW AND THEN I LANDED IN A PLACE THAT I KIND OF 12:16 LIKED AND I'D KIND OF DRIVE BY THE PLACE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, SEE 12:21 MY NAME ON THE SIGN, YOU KNOW. 12:25 OH, THIS IS REALLY NICE. 12:28 THIS IS MY CHURCH. 12:29 WELL, NO--THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU SAY IT WHEN YOU'RE REALLY HAPPY. 12:31 YOU SAY, THIS IS MY CHURCH. 12:36 BUT THERE ARE DAYS WHEN SOME MEMBER WILL COME TO YOU WITH A 12:40 PROBLEM, AND YOU CAN'T SOLVE IT. 12:45 AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY VERY QUICKLY IS, JESUS, YOU ARE 12:49 THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. 12:52 I AM NOT IN CONTROL. 12:55 I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE. 12:57 THE CHURCH BELONGS TO YOU. 12:59 BECAUSE NOBODY HUMAN CAN SOLVE THE ISSUES THAT JESUS CAN, 13:05 AND HE CLAIMS THE CHURCH AND IS PROUD TO SAY THAT 13:10 HE'S CONNECTED WITH IT. 13:11 JESUS IS THE HEAD. 13:13 NOW, LET ME READ THAT ONE THAT THE LADIES MIGHT NOT 13:15 PARTICULARLY APPROVE OF. 13:16 IN FACT, WHEN I DO WEDDINGS, SOME OF THEM ASK ME NOT TO 13:18 PUT THIS ONE IN THE VOWS. 13:21 THIS IS EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 5, VERSE 23: 13:24 "FOR THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF THE WIFE, EVEN AS CHRIST 13:29 IS THE OF THE CHURCH AND THE SAVIOR OF THE BODY." 13:33 I HAVE LADIES WHO WILL SAY, PASTOR, COULD YOU PLEASE 13:35 LEAVE THAT OUT. 13:37 BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. 13:38 IF YOU MARRIED THE RIGHT MAN, YOU DON'T CARE WHAT TEXT YOU 13:42 READ OUT OF THE BIBLE. 13:45 BECAUSTHAT SAME THOUGHT PATTERN SUGGESTS THAT JUST 13:51 AS CHRIST WOULD GIVE HIS LIFE, DID GIVE HIS LIFE FOR THE 13:55 CHURCH, THE RIGHT MAN WOULD GIVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS WIFE. 14:01 AND IF YOU EVER FIND A MAN WHO IS IN CHRIST, 14:05 WHO'S NOT SELF-CENTERED, BUT CHRIST-CENTERED, NO TEXT IN 14:09 THE BIBLE WILL DISTURB YOU. 14:11 CAN I GET THE LADIES TO SAY AMEN ANYWAY ? 14:15 JESUS IS THE HEAD. 14:16 BUT THE NEXT THING THAT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND IS THAT IN THIS 14:19 HOUSEHOLD THERE ARE OTHERS. 14:21 SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THERE ARE ONLY REGULAR 14:24 MEMBERS IN THE CHURCH. 14:25 THE FACT IS THAT IN THIS HOUSEHOLD THERE ARE 14:27 OTHER MEMBERS. 14:28 THERE ARE ANGELS, THERE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, THERE IS JESUS, AND 14:35 DOUBTLESS THERE ARE UNFALLEN BEINGS IN OTHER WORLDS WHO 14:40 ARE ALL PART OF THE FAMILY. 14:43 CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING IN THE FAMILY WITH ANGELS ? 14:47 CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING IN THE FAMILY WITH JESUS 14:50 AS YOUR BIG BROTHER ? 14:52 CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING THERE WITH GOD THE FATHER, 14:55 WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT ? 14:56 WE ARE IN AN AMAZING FAMILY. 14:58 SO, I DON'T CARE WHAT FAMILY BROUGHT YOU HERE BY NATURAL 15:02 BIRTH, WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD, YOU 15:06 ARE IN A HIGH-CLASS FAMILY. 15:09 YOU HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES. 15:13 WHEN WE COME TO HIM, WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NO 15:18 LONGER REGULAR FOLKS. 15:22 IN FACT, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN INTO GOOD FAMILIES. 15:26 YOU KNOW, FAMILIES WITH WEALTH. 15:29 NOT RICHES. 15:30 WEALTH. 15:31 MONEY IS ONE THING. 15:33 RATHER CRASS, THEY SAY. 15:34 I HAVEN'T WORKED THAT HIGH YET, SO MONEY IS 15:37 STILL A BLESSING TO ME. 15:40 BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT'S CRASS. 15:44 WHEN YOU GET REAL, WHEN YOU ACCUMULATE REAL WEALTH, IT 15:49 CARRIES WITH IT POWER. 15:51 THEN YOU WILL LOOK BACK AND WONDER WHAT WAS YOUR 15:54 FASCINATION WITH MONEY. 15:56 I HOPE TO GET THERE ONE DAY. 16:00 BUT THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS MORE POWER IN THIS FAMILY 16:05 THAN MONEY CAN BUY. 16:09 AND WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, WHEN WE COME TOGETHER IN THE NAME 16:13 OF JESUS, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE FAMILY. 16:16 NOW, I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF PREREQUISITES 16:21 FOR GOOD CHURCH. 16:23 BECAUSE CHURCH IS NOT JUST A POWERFUL PREACHER. 16:27 THERE ARE POWERFUL PREACHERS EVERYWHERE. 16:30 I'VE DISCOVERED THAT IF PEOPLE COME IN TO A FELLOWSHIP BASED 16:35 ONLY ON THE ELOQUENCE OF THE PREACHER, THAT IT IS NOT 16:41 TRUSTWORTHY, BECAUSE THERE WILL COME ONE DAY, ANOTHER PREACHER. 16:48 THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER PREACHER. 16:51 SO IF THE ONLY THING THAT HOLDS YOU IN THE FELLOWSHIP IS THE 16:56 ELOQUENCE, THE MOVEMENT, AND YOU KNOW, WE ALL STUDY THAT 17:00 STUFF, TRYING TO LOOK MORE POWERFUL THAN WE ARE. 17:04 BUT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS THE POWER OF THE PREACHER IS JESUS. 17:10 IF IT'S ONLY THE WAYS AND THE METHODS, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER 17:14 PREACHER WHO IS MORE POWERFUL. 17:16 YOU'LL ALWAYS BE CHASING TO FIND THE GREATEST PREACHER. 17:21 THE CHURCH IS NOT BUILT ON THE ELOQUENCE OF SPEAKERS. 17:27 IF YOU ARE CAUGHT UP IN THAT, YOU WILL LIVE A HORRIBLE LIFE, 17:32 ALWAYS CHASING SOMETHING BETTER. 17:35 THE CHURCH IS BUILT ON THINGS THAT ARE FAR MORE SUBSTANTIAL. 17:39 LET'S BEGIN WITH MARK, CHAPTER 16, AND VERSE 15. 17:43 I'LL READ SOME OF THESE BECAUSE I HAVE FAR TO GO TONIGHT, 17:47 I WON'T READ THEM ALL, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU EACH ONE. 17:50 AND YOU SHOULD BE READY WITH YOUR PAPER AND YOUR 17:53 PEN TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T MISS ONE OF THEM. 17:56 MARK, CHAPTER 16, AND VERSE 15. 18:01 AND HERE IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: "AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YE 18:06 INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE." 18:12 THE FACT IS THAT THE CHURCH EXISTS PRIMARILY TO PROPAGATE 18:17 THE FAITH, TO TALK ABOUT JESUS. 18:23 JESUS DOES NOT NEED LAWYERS TO DEFEND HIM. 18:28 HE DOES NOT NEED JUDGES TO SPLIT HAIRS. 18:31 HE DOES NOT NEED LAW OFFICERS TO ENFORCE HIM. 18:36 HE ONLY NEEDS WITNESSES TO SAY WHAT JESUS HAS 18:40 DONE IN YOUR LIFE. 18:42 WE ARE CALLED TO BE WITNESSES, TO SHARE WITH OTHERS WHAT 18:48 JESUS HAS DONE FOR US. 18:49 YOU MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT SERMON THAT WE SHARED THE OTHER 18:53 NIGHT ON THE 2,300 DAYS. 18:57 BUT IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ONE DAY WHEN JESUS CAME INTO 19:01 YOUR HEART, IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE CHANGE THAT HAPPENED 19:05 IN YOU BECAUSE CHRIST BECAME YOUR ELDER BROTHER AND BROUGHT 19:10 YOU IN THE FAMILY WITH GOD AS YOUR FATHER, IF YOU CAN TALK 19:14 ABOUT THAT, PEOPLE WILL BE DRAWN TO JESUS BY WHAT YOU SAY. 19:19 I PROMISE IT WILL HAPPEN. 19:22 SO, THE MAIN REASON FOR THE CHURCH TO BE THERE, 19:24 IN FACT, IF YOU GO TO A CHURCH WHERE NOBODY IS BEING 19:27 DRAWN, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT CHURCH. 19:30 I HAVE BEEN TO CHURCHES WHERE THEY WERE HAPPY 19:34 WITH THE NUMBER THEY HAD. 19:37 IN FACT, I HAD A CHURCH BOARD TO TELL ME ONE TIME, AH, 19:42 PLEASE, DON'T BRING OTHERS. 19:47 AND A BELL RANG IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD. 19:49 I SAID, YOU KNOW SOMETHING, YOU'RE AT THE WRONG CHURCH. 19:51 THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR YOU TO BE. 19:53 BECAUSE THE ONLY THING I'M INTERESTED IN IS 19:55 BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS. 19:57 I THOUGHT WHEN I TOOK THIS JOB THAT THAT WAS 20:00 WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. 20:01 I THOUGHT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET THE TRUTH AND THE WORD OF 20:03 GOD AND PROCLAIM IT IN SUCH A CLEAR WAY THAT WHEN PEOPLE 20:07 HEARD IT THEY WOULD RUN AND SAY, CAN I GET IN ? 20:11 BUT IF I'M AT A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE SAYING, WE'RE VERY 20:13 COMFORTABLE, WE'RE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE 20:17 SIZE OF OUR CHURCH. 20:19 PLEASE DON'T DO ANY OF THAT THING CALLED EVANGELISM, BECAUSE 20:24 THEN WE'LL GET ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, NOT LIKE US. 20:28 AND THEY WILL COME AND DISTURB THE EQUANIMITY THAT WE ENJOY. 20:33 AND IT WAS NOT LONG AFTER THAT THAT I REQUESTED, AND 20:36 RECEIVED, A TRANSFER. 20:41 BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO PREACH ME SOME JESUS--WHAT DO YOU SAY ? 20:44 THEN, THE CHURCH IS HERE TO PROVIDE SPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP. 20:48 HEBREWS, CHAPTER 10 AND VERSE 25 SAYS, THAT YOU OUGHT NOT 20:52 FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLING OF YOURSELF TOGETHER. 20:55 I KNOW THAT IT MAY SEEM SIMPLER TO WORSHIP GOD ALONE. 21:03 NOW YOU GOT QUIET AND I UNDERSTAND IT. 21:05 YOU MAY THINK THAT'S A MOMENT WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO 21:07 BE DRAWN INTO A TRICK. 21:09 BUT I KNOW THAT IT'S COMPLICATED TO LIVE EVEN WITH THE PEOPLE WHO 21:14 THINK OF THEMSELVES AS SAINTS. 21:18 BECAUSE EVERYBODY WHO SAYS THEY'RE A SAINT, IS NOT A SAINT. 21:24 SOMETIMES YOU'LL BE SHOCKED AT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE 21:27 THOUGHT OF TO BE THE MOST RELIGIOUS ARE THE MOST 21:31 CAUSTIC WITH THEIR TONGUES. 21:34 THEY MAY NOT HAVE A WEAPON, BUT THEIR TONGUES HAVE 21:38 BECOME THEIR WEAPONS. 21:40 AND THEY CAN EVISCERATE YOU--STANDING RIGHT IN 21:42 THE LOBBY OF THE CHURCH. 21:46 AND SOUND HOLY WHILE THEY'RE DOING IT. 21:50 BUT THE FACT IS THAT GOD HAS SAID YOU OUGHT TO BE TOGETHER. 21:54 I BELIEVE THAT IN THE FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS THERE IS 21:59 A TENSION THAT HELPS US GROW. 22:02 MY WIFE AND I WERE CAUGHT IN A CERTAIN CITY. 22:05 WE HAD NO MONEY AND NOTHING TO DO, BUT WE WERE DRESSED 22:08 AND WE ONLY STOPPED THERE FOR A MOMENT AND WE WERE 22:10 GOING TO STAY OVERNIGHT. 22:11 AND WE WERE WONDERING WHAT SHOULD WE DO ? 22:13 WE HAD IN OUR HOTEL AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR A TRIP 22:18 THOUGH A DIAMOND FACTORY. 22:21 NOW, I FIGURED THAT WAS ONE OF THE SAFEST THINGS 22:23 WE COULD DO BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY. 22:25 AND WE DIDN'T WANT ANY DIAMONDS. 22:27 WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. 22:29 SO WE WENT AND DRESSED UP AND THEY PICKED US 22:31 UP IN A LIMOUSINE. 22:33 I GUESS THEIR ASSUMPTION WAS THAT WE WOULD PURCHASE DIAMONDS. 22:39 AND WE WENT THERE AND INSTEAD OF GETTING A DIAMOND, I GOT 22:42 A SERMON ILLUSTRATION. 22:45 ONE OF THOSE FOLK IN THE FACTORY SHOWED US THAT THE WAY YOU START 22:48 SHAPING A DIAMOND INTO THAT CONE SHAPE IS THAT YOU RUB TWO 22:53 DIAMONDS AGAINST EACH OTHER. 22:57 I SAID, WELL, WHY DO YOU DO THAT ? 22:59 HE SAID, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE HARD ENOUGH TO SHAPE A 23:04 DIAMOND THAN ANOTHER DIAMOND. 23:08 YOU SEE MY SERMON ILLUSTRATION COMING ON ? 23:11 SO I GOT EXCITED IN THERE. 23:12 IT WASN'T BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO BUY A DIAMOND, 23:14 I SAID, GOD IS GOOD. 23:16 THE REASON WHY GOD PUTS CHRISTIANS WITH OTHER 23:19 CHRISTIANS IS BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE IS HARD ENOUGH TO SHAPE US. 23:27 BUT WHEN HE PUTS US AGAINST EACH OTHER SOMETIMES AND IN 23:31 TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER SOMETIMES, AT THE MOMENT THAT YOU THINK 23:35 THINGS ARE GOING WRONG IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP, WHAT THE LORD 23:38 IS DOING IS USING ANOTHER CHRISTIAN TO HELP SHAPE YOUR 23:42 CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE AND MAKE YOU WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE. 23:46 BUT HE CAN'T SHAPE YOU WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT A DIAMOND. 23:50 I THINK I DID OKAY IN THE DIAMOND FACTORY. 23:52 WHAT DO YOU THINK ? 23:54 THEN THE CHURCH IS THERE ALSO TO RELIEVE HUMAN MISERY. 24:01 MATTHEW, CHAPTER 25--IF YOU BEGIN WITH VERSE 35 AND GO 24:05 TO VERSE 40, YOU WILL FIND QUESTIONS BEING ASKED 24:08 THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU. 24:10 JESUS SAYS, I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU DIDN'T VISIT ME. 24:16 I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU DIDN'T FEED ME. 24:21 I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU WOULDN'T GIVE ME DRINK. 24:24 AND SOMEONE ASKED WHEN DID WE SEE YOU IN PRISON ? 24:28 WHEN WERE YOU NAKED ? 24:30 WHEN WERE YOU HUNGRY ? 24:32 HE SAID, WHEN YOU SEE THE LEAST OF THESE, WHO ARE IN 24:37 THOSE SITUATIONS, IT WAS ME YOU WERE LOOKING AT. 24:42 THE CHURCH MUST ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF POVERTY 24:48 AND NEED, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT JESUS DID WHEN HE WAS 24:52 ON EARTH IN HUMAN FORM. 24:55 NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE IN GIVING TO EVERYONE WHO'S STANDING 24:59 BESIDE THE STREET WITH A SIGN. 25:02 YOU KNOW SOME OF THE RUMORS ABOUT THOSE FOLKS. 25:05 AND I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE 25:08 ORGANIZED THEN THAT. 25:10 YOU OUGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE FED ALL YEAR, 25:13 NOT JUST AT THANKSGIVING. 25:16 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE OF PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE 25:19 ENTITLED "PLAYING CHURCH." 26:24 Announcer: THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE BREATH OF LIFE. 26:26 PASTOR WALTER PEARSON HOPES TODAY'S PROGRAM HAS BEEN 26:28 A REAL BLESSING TO YOU. 26:29 TO ORDER CD OR AUDIOCASSETTE COPY OF THIS BROADCAST, JUST 26:32 CALL OUR TOLL-FREENUMBER, 877-BOL-OFFER. 26:36 THAT'S 877-265-6333, OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: 26:41 BREATH OF LIFE, P.O. BOX 97192, 26:44 WASHINGTON, DC, 20077. 26:48 THE CD OR AUDIOCASSETTE IS YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $5.00 OR MORE. 26:52 IF YOU'D LIKE TO PURCHASE A DVD OR VHS, JUST LET US KNOW 26:55 AND WE'LL SEND YOU AN ORDER FORM WITH A LIST OF ALL THE 26:57 BREATH OF LIFE PROGRAMS. 26:59 AGAIN, OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 877-BOL-OFFER, 27:04 877-265-6333. 27:08 OUR ADDRESS IS: BREATH OF LIFE 27:10 P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON, DC, 20077. 27:15 BE SURE TO TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABOUT THE BREATH 27:18 OF LIFE TELEVISION MINISTRY. 27:19 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GOD BLESS. 27:23 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS TEN INSPIRING 27:26 TIMELESS MESSAGES FROM WELL-KNOWN EVANGELIST 27:28 AND PREACHER C.D. BROOKS. 27:30 TO ORDER A DVD OR VHS, CALL OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER: 27:32 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:35 THAT'S 877-265-6333, OR YOU MAY WRITE AND 27:39 REQUEST AN ORDER FORM. 27:40 OUR ADDRESS IS: BREATH OF LIFE, 27:43 P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON, DC, 20077. 27:48 THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND SUPPORTING BREATH OF LIFE. 27:50 GOD BLESS YOU. 27:55 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-06