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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000646A
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00:00 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:06 Sermon #B646 - We All Need to Be Adventrures and Pathfinders 00:21 Pastor Byrd: Matthew 18 verse number one, the Word of God says, "At the same time, 00:27 came the disciples unto Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 00:32 Jesus called a little child unto them, and set him in the midst of them and 00:37 he said, “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted.” Everybody say, converted, 00:45 and become as little children, ye should not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 00:49 Whosoever therefore shall humble themself as this little child, 00:52 the same as great in the kingdom of heaven, 00:54 and whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me, 00:57 but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, 01:02 it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, 01:07 and that he would drown in the depth of the sea." 01:13 Today, my simple challenge is we all need to be adventurers and pathfinders. Bless us now, Lord. 01:22 Speak for your servants here and forgive us of our sins. In the name of Jesus, I pray this for 01:28 and I ask these things, let everyone say, amen and amen. We all need to be adventurers and pathfinders. 01:36 All right. So Matthew 18 begins by picking up where Matthew 17 left off. 01:41 At the end of Matthew 17, if you read it when you go home, Peter is asked by the tax collectors, 01:47 whether or not Jesus pays taxes. They knew Jesus had not paid His taxes, 01:53 but because they were trying to discredit Jesus or catch Jesus in some type of wrongdoing 01:59 by any means necessary, they asked Peter, who was with Jesus, "Did Jesus pay taxes?" 02:07 Now, I like Peter. I know he had a big mouth but I like Peter. 02:11 Peter was the type of disciple I wish that I had around me 02:15 because Peter was what I call, "Ride or die for Jesus." Peter will cut off somebody's ear for Jesus. 02:23 Are you hearing what I'm saying? Peter was ride or die. I like Peter. Yes, he talked a lot, 02:27 but I liked him. So, Peter is going to cover up for Jesus by lying, 02:32 and so Peter says, "Yes. He pay his taxes." 02:36 When they get into the house, Jesus says, "Look, Peter, you don't have to lie for me. 02:41 Do you think the tax collectors collect taxes from their own children or from others?" 02:47 Peter responds, "From others." Jesus then says, "Then, their children are exempt. 02:53 They don't have to pay taxes." But Jesus says, "So we don't offend anybody. Go to the lake, 03:00 throw out your fishing rod, take the first fish you catch, open its mouth 03:06 and in the mouth of the fish, you will find a coin." Everybody say, coin. 03:10 “Take the coin out of the fish's mouth. Give it to the tax collectors 03:14 and it will be enough to cover my taxes and your taxes." 03:17 Now, to understand what's going on, the law said that everybody was supposed to pay temple taxes, 03:23 but the temple tax collectors were making poor people pay taxes, 03:28 but they weren't collecting taxes from their own children. 03:32 They exempted the children who were relatively well-off from paying taxes. 03:36 They same privileged children would grow up and show favoritism to their own children, 03:44 so it was a continuous cycle, and consider their children to be greater than the children of the Israelites. 03:51 So then, in light of Matthew 17, Matthew 18 begins, and the disciples come to Jesus 03:58 and asked Jesus, “Who is greater in the kingdom of God?” They knew Jesus came in the first place, 04:06 but they wanted to know after Jesus, who was next. 04:10 They had not really heard what Jesus had said to Peter, 04:12 so they were thinking just like the tax collectors. They were interested in worldly privilege. 04:19 They wanted Jesus' positions in the kingdom. They wanted to be know, who would be next? 04:26 These should not be strange to us because it was the disciples who would think this way, 04:30 because you will remember in the last supper, they wanted to know again, 04:34 who would be greatest in God's kingdom. Jesus rebuked them and you will remember, 04:39 He gave them the principle of washing one another's feet. 04:42 Let me comment here. I don't care if I'm first or last in God's kingdom. 04:49 I just want to be in God's kingdom. Do I have a witness in this place? 04:53 In Matthew 18, after the disciples asked Jesus who will be the greatest in His kingdom. 04:57 Jesus then, the Bible says, “Finds a child in the midst.” 05:01 Jesus tells the disciples that they must go back 05:05 and become like a child in order to inherit the kingdom of God. 05:09 Here Jesus says something similar to what he was saying to Brother Nicodemus in John chapter three. 05:14 When he told Nicodemus that in order to inherit to the kingdom of God, he had to be born again. 05:19 He had to be born what everybody. But Nicodemus with all his smarts, 05:24 with all his intellectual brilliance and philosophical depth, was confused. 05:30 How could he be born again? How could he become like a child? How could he be born again? 05:39 He didn't understand how it could happen. He said, "Jesus, how can a man be born when he is old? 05:46 How can he take his old matured self all the way back to a one celled embryo implanted in his mother's uterus? 05:55 How?" He said, "Can I go back?" Nicodemus said, “Yes Lord, I want to be born again. 06:01 Yes, Lord, I want to be new. But Lord, how can I go back?" 06:06 Jesus said, "You don't know what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about going backward. 06:10 I'm talking about going forward. I'm not trying to decrease you. I'm trying to increase you. 06:14 I'm not trying to reduce you. I'm trying to raise you. I'm not trying to subtract from you, 06:19 but I'm trying to add to you. You've got to become like a child. You've got to become like a baby. 06:25 You must be born again." 06:27 What Nicodemus didn't understand was that there was a double meaning to the Greek word Jesus used here in John chapter three, 06:33 when talking about being born again. The Greek word was Anothen. 06:37 Everybody say, Anothen. Come on. Say it like you mean it. 06:39 Say Anothen, which means being born a second time and being born from above. [Congregation: Yes] 06:49 But don't get it twisted, don't misunderstand Jesus. 06:52 Jesus wasn't saying only children will go to heaven. 06:55 What He was saying is we must become like children in order to go to heaven. 06:59 You all don't hear what I'm saying. We must become childlike. Now, you all know I'm young. 07:06 I didn't hear any amens. Let me try with DP. You all know I'm young.[Congregation: Amen] 07:13 That's why I love them. They know when to say amen. Let me try it for the church. 07:19 You all know I am young. [Congregation: Amen] 07:23 But I'm not as young as I used to be. I'm closer to 50 than I am to 40. 07:29 Are you hearing what I'm saying? My wife and I have a daughter, not a child, 07:34 but a daughter in college now. We have a junior in high school now. 07:39 Five years ago, we thought we were through but it still works, Hallelujah, somebody. 07:44 The Lord blessed us with a beautiful baby who's now five, now in kindergarten. 07:50 She is the joy of my life, the joy of my wife's life, the joy of our older two daughter's lives. 07:59 She's not a young adult. She's not a teenager, but she's a child. 08:04 Praise God for this wonderful child, Karissa, who has taught me so many things, 08:10 and reminded me of so many things. When Jesus talks about being like a child, being born again, 08:18 being childlike to enter into heaven. Through my child, through Karissa, she preaches to me. 08:25 I'm reminded through our life of what it means to be childlike. 08:30 I'm reminded number one that you've got to be humble. [Congregation: Amen] 08:33 A child is humble. Jesus said in verse four, "Therefore, 08:37 whosoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." 08:42 The disciples needed this lesson and so do we today. Humility, I'm preaching to myself now, 08:49 is something we have to work at. Being humble is not easy. Humility is not given to us. 08:56 We've got to work at it. Humility doesn't mean you think less of yourself. 09:01 Humility means you think of yourself less. [Congregation: Applause] 09:04 Somebody going to get that later. The Bible says, "Pride goeth before destruction. 09:10 A haughty spirit before a fall." It was pride that changed angels into devils, 09:17 but it's humility that makes men as angels. I want to throw this in. So often we talk about prayer. 09:23 We read Second Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name would humble themselves 09:28 and pray,” and we stop that, we stop there. We love to talk about praying, but God says, 09:34 “We not need not just pray,” but God says, “We need to humble ourselves.” 09:39 Many times, the reason God does not answer our prayers in the way we ask is not 09:45 because we're not praying, but because we're not humbling ourselves. 09:51 When we pray, humble yourselves therefore to the mighty hand of God 09:53 and He will exalt you in due time. Isn't it interesting that the Omnipotent, Omniscient 09:58 and Omnipresent Jesus didn't act all high and mighty, that the Holy One wasn't holier than thou, 10:04 that the one who knew it all didn't act like I know it all, 10:07 that the one who made the stars didn't keep his head in them? Humble yourself because if you don't, 10:11 God has a way of humbling you. 10:14 Number two I learned from Karissa, if you're going to be childlike, you got to learn how to forgive. 10:20 A child is forgiving. A child has a forgiving nature. 10:23 A child can't get upset with another child very long. That's why children, 10:28 when they get into it with each other, I've learned to back up out of it. 10:31 Someone get involved in children's stuff, leave it alone, let them work it out 10:34 because we'll get all upset. But then five minutes later, they have forgotten about it 10:38 and they've gone back to playing with one another. Children know how to forgive 10:43 and forget and move on. If we can't learn to forgive each other, 10:46 how do we expect God forgive us? I wish I had time. 10:49 Number three I've learned from Karissa, don't worry about tomorrow. Now notice, 10:56 I didn't say don't think about tomorrow. I said, “Don't worry about tomorrow.” 11:02 Why worry about tomorrow when tomorrow is not even here yet? At this moment, we are in the here 11:10 and the now. No matter what your past looks like, no matter how scary the future might seem. 11:18 If you choose to stop worrying and really focus on what is, 11:21 you will realize that your worries were in vain. 11:25 Yes. Think about tomorrow. Plan for tomorrow. Prepare for tomorrow. Practice for tomorrow, 11:34 but don't worry about tomorrow. God's got you. He's the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, 11:44 the beginning and the end. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, 11:49 so he's got tomorrow so don't worry about tomorrow. Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, 11:54 "Take no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself." 11:59 A child doesn't worry about tomorrow. Karissa could care less what's going on tomorrow. 12:04 Don't you worry about tomorrow? 12:07 But then number four I learned from children. In the words of Bobby McFerrin, "Don't worry, be happy." 12:17 A child is happy. We're talking about entering into the kingdom of God. You got to be like a child, 12:23 which means you got to be happy. 12:25 Be humble. Be forgiving. Don't worry. Be happy. That's why we all need to be adventurers 12:41 and pathfinders. Be obedient. Be pure. Be true. Be kind. Be respectful. Be sensitive. Be helpful. 12:52 Be cheerful. Be thoughtful. Be reverent. A pathfinder is to keep the morning what? Do my honest what? 12:59 Care for my what? Keep a level what? Be courteous and oh? Walk softly in the what? 13:06 Go on-- keep a song in my what? Go on God's what? [Congregation: Amen] 13:12 We all need to be like adventurers and pathfinders because except we become as little children, 13:21 we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. I'm almost done, but I got to finish the text. I'm almost done. 13:25 Jesus says in verse number six, "If anyone causes one of these little ones, 13:30 those who believe in me to stumble. It would be better for them to have a large millstone 13:34 around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." I love this. 13:41 If you mess with my children, Jesus says, "If you cause any of my children to lose their faith in me, 13:48 it would be better for you to have a rock tied to your neck, and you to be thrown in the sea." 13:55 Oh, I love me some Jesus right here. Jesus is not playing in the texts. 14:00 For those that think Jesus was docile and soft and submissive, you better think again. 14:06 The same Jesus that threw money changers out of the church is the same Jesus who says, 14:13 "If you mess with my children, you're going to be thrown into the sea with a rock tied to your neck." 14:20 [Congregation: Amen] 14:22 I like that. [Congregation: Preach] 14:24 Jesus was merciful, but Jesus was also militants. Are you hearing what I am saying? 14:33 I said Jesus was merciful, but Jesus was also militants. That's why I fret not myself 14:43 because of evildoers. God will cut them down like the grass. He will make my enemies my footstool. 14:50 Hallelujah, somebody. [Congregat ion: Amen] 14:53 Jesus says, "Don't cause my children to stumble. Don't cause my children to fall, 14:58 and that's all my children." Black children, white children, male children, female children, 15:07 young children, old children, new member children, season member children, college student children, 15:15 season church members children. We are all God's children. Beware of false preachers. 15:22 Beware of false teachers. It would be better to go to heaven, he says, “Keep reading the text.” 15:28 With one hand or one foot than to go to hell with both hands and both feet." 15:32 [Congregation: Amen] 15:34 He says, "It would be better to go to heaven with one eye than to go to hell with two eyes." 15:38 Jesus warns those who trouble God's church. He warns those who keep up mess in God's church. 15:44 He warns those who keep up discord in God's church. He says, 15:48 "False teachers will find their eternal future in hell whether it's wailing and gnashing of teeth." 15:53 He says, "So don't mess with my children, but rather invest in my children." 16:01 Because when you invest in something, you're preparing for the future. 16:07 Any financier will tell you, "Don't invest in stocks one day so that you will have a 16:12 return the very next day. But you invest in stocks today because you're preparing for the future.” 16:20 You all don't hear what I'm saying. Anybody know Warren Buffett? Do you know Warren Buffett? 16:25 I know of Warren Buffett 16:27 but I'm trying to get to know Warren Buffett so he can pay off that Family Life Center. 16:30 You all don't hear what I'm saying. 16:31 Warren Buffet knows something about money. He said, 16:36 "If you aren't thinking about owning a stock for 10 years, 16:41 don't even think about owning it for 10 minutes." He said, 16:44 "Because somebody is sitting in the shade today because somebody planted a tree a long time ago." 16:53 Adults, don't forget where you came from. [Congregation: Amen] 16:57 Many of the adults who are sitting right here today are Christians because a church invested in them, 17:08 when they were children. 17:10 Let me tell you something. We're all going to die. We all are terminally ill. 17:14 We just have different times. If we don't invest in children at Oakwood, this church is going to die, 17:22 too. So you have to invest in children, but investing in children comes with a cost. 17:34 According to investonmedia.com, the average cost of raising a child to the age of 18 in the 17:40 United States is $233,610, which is roughly $13,000 a year which is a little over $1,000 per child per 17:50 month. That's over a quarter, almost a quarter of a-- 17:54 that's over a quarter of a million dollars per child. 17:58 When a church commits to being a kid-friendly church, that comes with a cost as well. 18:05 But the good news is, we must become like little children. When we invest in children, 18:12 it also comes with a return. 18:16 The first practical return is that if we invest in children, the church will continue to survive. 18:22 But more than that, when we invest in children, we are investing in their eternities. 18:28 When we invest in children, we're investing in the kingdom. 18:35 We'll invest in houses that will get eaten by termites, 18:40 burned or blown away in a tornado or a hurricane. We'll invest in cars that will rust, break down, 18:50 and get crushed for scrap and metal. We'll invest in clothes that go out of style, get too small 19:00 or too big. 19:02 I won't need to take my house with me to heaven 19:06 because I've got a mansion with my name written all on it waiting for me. 19:13 I won't need to take my car with me to heaven because I'm going to take up wings 19:19 and fly from my mansion to your mansion. I won't need any clothes in heaven 19:26 because God already has a long white robe of righteousness waiting for me. 19:32 The things I spend my time and money here on Earth won't mean a thing in heaven. 19:38 But oh, when we invest in our children, it will count for eternity. 19:46 I'm almost done, told you I won't going to be long, 19:48 but somebody is not getting this so let me throw it in this and I'm going to sit down. 19:51 When you invest your money, you all know I'm a financier, I'm a business person. 19:56 When you invest your money, you're engaging in a certain amount of risk. Everybody say, risk. 20:04 Listen to me good. Risk means that your investments actual return maybe different than expected. 20:12 Risk includes the possibility of losing some or all of your original investment, 20:19 which means there's a correlative relationship between risk and return. 20:25 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 20:26 But the greater, the amount of risk that you take, the greater the potential return. 20:33 The reason for that is, investors need to be compensated for taking on additional risk. 20:41 You all don't hear what I'm saying. For example, any investor knows that a United States' T-bond 20:48 or treasury bond is considered one of the safest, risk-free investments an investor can make, 20:56 but when it's compared to a corporate bond, it provides a lower rate of return. 21:02 But a corporate bond, though riskier, provides a higher rate of return or payoff. 21:09 The reason for this is that a corporation is much more likely to go bankrupt 21:14 than the United States government. Are you hearing what I'm saying? So when you invest your money, 21:20 the investor or the bank is going to ask you, "Do you want low risk, moderate risk, or high risks?" 21:29 I'm here to let somebody know that when you become as a child, there's no risk in following Jesus. 21:38 There's no risk in being a disciple of Christ. There's only return. There's only reward. 21:45 The risk for you today is, are you willing to risk everything for the Lord? Somebody asked me one day, 21:53 "Why does it take everything to serve the Lord?" It takes your everything to serve the Lord 21:58 because it took Jesus everything to save us. It took His hands. It took His head. It took His heart. 22:06 It took His divinity. 22:07 Go with me to Heaven's divinity room over 6,000 years ago before the foundation of the world. 22:13 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost had a conversation in Heaven. 22:18 God knew that there would come a time when men would sin. God knew men would mess up. 22:23 So God asked God. [Congregation: Whining] 22:29 What if, they don't accept our sacrifice? What if, they don't accept our gifts? 22:37 What if, they don't accept our blood?" It's a risk. So low risk said, "Let's kill them 22:49 and let's start over." Moderate risk said, "Let's save the good ones and kill the bad ones." 22:58 But high risk said, "Jesus would have to go to Calvary and save everybody." 23:08 Jesus went to Calvary to save a wretched like you and me. They hung Him high. 23:17 They stretched Him wide. He hung His hand. For me, He died. But that's not how the story ends. 23:25 In three days, he rose again. High risk gives high return. 23:32 Are you willing to risk everything for the Lord? Are you willing to become childlike? 23:41 [Congregation: Yes] 23:43 In order to inherit the kingdom of God, are you willing to be born [music plays] again? 23:59 Because if you are, you got to become childlike. If you are, you got to become an adventurer, 24:13 you got to become a pathfinder. 24:16 [singing] Jesus went, to Calvary, to save a wretch, 24:31 like you and me. 24:35 [singing] Jesus went to Calvary. 24:40 to save a wretch-- 24:43 Like you-- 24:44 [singing] You and me, that's love. 24:57 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 25:01 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 25:06 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 25:08 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 25:14 Or, call us at (256) 929-646 25:22 [END] 25:26 [Music] 25:36 Our Breath of Life revival held in Kingston, Jamaica 25:39 was marked by standing room only attendance in the sanctuary of the Andrews Church; 25:45 But not just inside the church but outside the church, overflow seating to accommodate the crowd. 25:53 In fact, when the appeal was made on the culminating day of the revival 25:58 hundreds of individuals responded to God's call; making decisions to follow Jesus Christ. 26:04 We were also pleased to meet another minister of the gospel, Pastor Carl Brown, 26:09 who heard about Breath of Life and our ministry 26:11 and came to hear the word of God for himself. 26:15 Dr. Byrd has been really a dynamic, powerful, enthusiastic, might I say “Holy Ghost filled” preacher. 26:23 Who has really changed my perspective of seventh day adventist preachers. 26:29 Cause-- For the most part I think Dr. Byrd has been so different. 26:34 He has really gotten my interest and-- that word today was on point, it was just amazing. 26:41 Again, my perspective on the seventh day churches is changing; I must tell you. 26:48 Because even the atmosphere today, 26:51 that's not something I'd anticipated. I never knew it was like this. 26:56 It's been very amazing and I must express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for Dr. Byrd, 27:05 to come into Jamaica and allowing the Lord to use him in such a mighty way; He along with his team. 27:12 It's been refreshing, It's been a revival and I really appreciate him. 27:18 And I say Dr. Byrd, continue to allow the Holy Ghost to use you. 27:22 You are a force to reckon with, in this time and season. God bless you sir. 27:28 I am so blessed that Breath of Life is afforded the opportunity 27:33 to break down misunderstandings and misinterpretations about God's people. 27:39 In addition to connecting with Pastor Brown, 27:41 we were given the tremendous invitation by the president of the East Jamaica Conference, 27:47 to return to this wonder island country and share in an additional revival in the very near future. 27:54 But reality my friends is simply this, we cannot do this without you. 27:59 To help Breath of Life continue its mission of spreading this wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ. 28:05 Please share a gift with us today. Make your tax deductible gift payable to Breath of Life by mail, 28:11 at Breath of Life PO BOX 5960, Huntsville, AL 35814 28:17 Give us all call the number is 256.929.6460 28:23 Or you can visit us online at www.breathoflife.tv 28:37 Breath of Life Television Ministries is coming to the DMV. 28:41 Our Fall Revival be held at the Dupont Park Church, 28:43 3985 Massachusetts Ave SE, Washington, DC 20019. 28:47 We begin Saturday evening October 5th at 7 P.M. 28:51 and continue through Saturday October 19th. 28:54 We'll have special musical guest including 28:56 Lady Tramaine Hawkins, Jonathan Nelson and Maurette Brown-Clarke. 28:59 For more information the number is 256.929.6460, 29:03 or visit us online at www.breathoflife.tv |
Revised 2019-09-23