Hello, and welcome to Foundation of Our Faith. 00:00:17.82\00:00:20.98 It's a blessing to be here once again 00:00:21.01\00:00:23.03 to hear the preaching of God's word. 00:00:23.06\00:00:25.11 My name is John Dinzey, 00:00:25.14\00:00:26.49 and it's a joy for me to greet you 00:00:26.52\00:00:28.23 and to tell you that during this hour 00:00:28.26\00:00:30.31 you've spent a good hour in a good place 00:00:30.34\00:00:33.53 to hear the preaching of God's word. 00:00:33.56\00:00:35.92 We are grateful, that we have had 00:00:35.95\00:00:39.18 three powerful messages with our evangelist 00:00:39.21\00:00:42.97 they comes to us, well form the city of Dallas, Texas. 00:00:43.00\00:00:47.75 He is currently youth pastor 00:00:47.78\00:00:49.21 at the City Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:00:49.24\00:00:51.77 I'm speaking about Pastor Jaime Kowlessar 00:00:51.80\00:00:54.99 and he is a person that loves the Lord. 00:00:55.02\00:00:59.05 You will notice that as you hear him preach 00:00:59.08\00:01:02.47 during this opportunity. 00:01:02.50\00:01:04.11 As the matter of fact, what I noticed is that 00:01:04.14\00:01:06.27 the Lord has blessed him with the ability to gather 00:01:06.30\00:01:10.27 or glean lessons from life's experiences 00:01:10.30\00:01:15.15 and brings that, connects that with the word of God 00:01:15.18\00:01:18.29 and I believe you will be blessed 00:01:18.32\00:01:20.34 and we encourage you to stay with us. 00:01:20.37\00:01:22.78 Pastor Kowlessar, studied his undergraduate studies 00:01:22.81\00:01:27.36 in Atlantic Union Collage continued studying 00:01:27.39\00:01:31.37 went to Andrews University 00:01:31.40\00:01:33.03 and received there his Master of Divinity, 00:01:33.06\00:01:35.71 and continues to study God's word 00:01:35.74\00:01:39.05 because he wants to be well prepared to preach God's word. 00:01:39.08\00:01:42.92 He is currently studying for his doctoral degree 00:01:42.95\00:01:46.73 in which he is focusing on social justice 00:01:46.76\00:01:49.81 and political activism. 00:01:49.84\00:01:51.95 And he is happily married to his wife, Carlene 00:01:51.98\00:01:56.10 and they thus far have been blessed 00:01:56.13\00:01:58.20 with two daughters, Katelynn and Amber. 00:01:58.23\00:02:01.17 And I could tell that he loves his family, 00:02:01.20\00:02:05.08 my wife gave him some dessert to taste 00:02:05.11\00:02:07.32 and he says "I wish my wife could taste this." 00:02:07.35\00:02:10.83 So he has his wife in his mind so we praise the Lord for that. 00:02:10.86\00:02:15.16 Just testifying of his love for you sister Carlene. 00:02:15.19\00:02:18.96 We are also blessed to have sister Sherice Tomlin 00:02:18.99\00:02:23.42 that is with us, actually Sherice Tomlin Bloomfield 00:02:23.45\00:02:27.14 that recently moved to Maryland 00:02:27.17\00:02:30.53 and stepped out in faith actually 00:02:30.56\00:02:33.12 and the Lord has blessed her there 00:02:33.15\00:02:35.15 to produce three CDs as part of her ministry, 00:02:35.18\00:02:41.11 and first one is "Without You Lord," 00:02:41.14\00:02:45.76 then "One Day," 00:02:45.79\00:02:47.48 and the last CD is "Just Like Heaven." 00:02:47.51\00:02:51.72 You'll notice when she sings, that she sings from the heart 00:02:51.75\00:02:55.12 wishing you to have a heart surrender to the Lord 00:02:55.15\00:03:00.45 and to draw you close to Jesus 00:03:00.48\00:03:02.15 as she sings a song that is entitled, 00:03:02.18\00:03:07.53 get my glasses here, "Without You Lord, 00:03:07.56\00:03:10.14 Without You Lord." 00:03:10.17\00:03:11.41 Shortly after that you'll hear the voice 00:03:11.44\00:03:13.51 of Pastor Kowlessar, 00:03:13.54\00:03:16.59 preaching the message for this time. 00:03:16.62\00:03:18.31 Before we continue, we'd like to invite you to pray. 00:03:18.34\00:03:21.36 And we have to ask the Lord's blessing 00:03:21.39\00:03:23.30 so if it's possible for you, I'd like to invite you to stand 00:03:23.33\00:03:26.38 those of you at home, in the hospitals, 00:03:26.41\00:03:29.98 prisons, wherever you maybe, 00:03:30.01\00:03:31.95 we encourage you to pray with us, let's pray together. 00:03:31.98\00:03:35.86 Our loving heavenly Father, 00:03:35.89\00:03:37.93 we come to You in Jesus name, and we bow before You, 00:03:37.96\00:03:42.65 we praise You, we thank You 00:03:42.68\00:03:45.24 for Your goodness and Your mercy 00:03:45.27\00:03:47.46 for thinking of us daily 00:03:47.49\00:03:49.59 and blessing us in so many ways. 00:03:49.62\00:03:52.47 We thank You that even the door of mercy is still open 00:03:52.50\00:03:55.77 and we pray that during this hour 00:03:55.80\00:03:58.40 people will be drawn to Jesus, people will be encouraged 00:03:58.43\00:04:02.68 those listening will receive encouragement 00:04:02.71\00:04:06.59 to go forward knowing that You are with them 00:04:06.62\00:04:09.11 and that You will never leave them nor forsake them. 00:04:09.14\00:04:11.66 We pray for Your Holy Spirit to be on Pastor Kowlessar, 00:04:11.69\00:04:15.11 bless him with Your Holy Spirit 00:04:15.14\00:04:17.75 and we pray for Your name to be glorified in all things 00:04:17.78\00:04:20.90 and we ask You for these blessings in the holy 00:04:20.93\00:04:24.00 and blessed name of Jesus, amen, amen. 00:04:24.03\00:04:27.94 You may be seated, we thank you 00:04:27.97\00:04:29.51 and we leave you with sister Sherice, 00:04:29.54\00:04:31.38 may God bless you. 00:04:31.41\00:04:32.59 Without you, Lord 00:04:46.30\00:04:50.00 I can't find my way 00:04:50.03\00:04:55.13 I need Your spirit 00:04:55.16\00:05:01.22 To guide me today 00:05:01.25\00:05:06.39 That's why, I now come to You 00:05:06.42\00:05:11.26 On when the need 00:05:11.29\00:05:16.42 Ask You Father 00:05:16.45\00:05:21.24 To lead me please 00:05:21.27\00:05:26.22 Without you, Lord 00:05:33.82\00:05:36.45 I can't make it 00:05:36.48\00:05:43.73 Without you, Lord 00:05:43.76\00:05:46.50 I can't take it 00:05:46.53\00:05:52.50 Without you, Lord 00:05:53.79\00:05:57.00 I can't go straight 00:05:57.03\00:06:02.63 Without you, Lord 00:06:02.66\00:06:07.02 I can't find my way 00:06:07.05\00:06:12.91 Lord, I need you to guide me 00:06:18.32\00:06:23.78 Help me to win 00:06:23.81\00:06:29.12 I can't fight much longer 00:06:29.15\00:06:33.89 This battle I'm in, no, no 00:06:33.92\00:06:39.82 That's why, I am calling you, Lord 00:06:39.85\00:06:43.57 So send Lord, send Lord, help 00:06:43.60\00:06:49.09 I can't do without Jesus 00:06:49.12\00:06:53.01 I can't make it, by myself 00:06:53.04\00:06:58.53 Without you, Lord 00:07:01.76\00:07:03.93 I can't make it 00:07:03.96\00:07:11.14 Without you, Lord 00:07:11.17\00:07:14.02 I can't take it no more 00:07:14.05\00:07:21.24 Without you, Lord 00:07:21.56\00:07:24.61 I can't go straight 00:07:24.64\00:07:30.05 Without you, Lord 00:07:30.08\00:07:37.35 You stay wherever I go 00:07:37.38\00:07:41.04 You protect me 00:07:41.07\00:07:45.19 Either in amidst 00:07:45.22\00:07:50.20 Of my enemies Lord 00:07:50.23\00:07:57.34 I love from my heart today 00:07:57.37\00:08:01.37 Lord badly-- 00:08:01.40\00:08:07.04 But I know that it starts 00:08:07.07\00:08:10.03 With in my soul 00:08:10.06\00:08:15.49 In my soul 00:08:15.52\00:08:20.57 I can't live 00:08:24.28\00:08:27.01 I cannot live without of You 00:08:27.04\00:08:30.21 Oh 00:08:30.24\00:08:32.41 oh, I cannot live without you, Lord 00:08:32.44\00:08:36.61 No, I cannot live without, Jesus 00:08:36.64\00:08:41.67 I cannot live without You 00:08:41.70\00:08:44.27 You are the air I breath 00:08:44.30\00:08:46.93 I cannot live without You 00:08:46.96\00:08:49.28 You are so precious to me 00:08:49.31\00:08:52.34 Can't live without Lord 00:08:52.37\00:08:54.90 Oh, no I cannot live 00:08:54.93\00:08:58.94 I cannot live without You, Lord 00:08:58.97\00:09:05.23 Oh, no, I cannot make it Lord 00:09:07.14\00:09:13.30 Oh, I can't 00:09:13.33\00:09:17.76 Take it no more 00:09:17.79\00:09:21.50 Without you, Lord 00:09:21.53\00:09:24.62 I can't go straight 00:09:24.65\00:09:30.20 Without you, Lord 00:09:30.23\00:09:34.55 I can't find my way 00:09:34.58\00:09:39.36 Praise the Lord, it's a good to know that 00:09:54.50\00:09:58.04 we have a GPS in the God, our Father that leads us 00:09:58.07\00:10:01.24 along life narrow way 00:10:01.27\00:10:03.39 and without Him we would not be alive, 00:10:03.42\00:10:05.60 without Him we can't even breathe 00:10:05.63\00:10:07.65 or move or have our being. 00:10:07.68\00:10:09.61 And so we want to thanks sister Sherice 00:10:09.64\00:10:11.06 for sharing that wonderful message through song. 00:10:11.09\00:10:14.10 Well, it's come down to this friends 00:10:14.13\00:10:16.08 as we engage in our last discussion 00:10:16.11\00:10:18.97 through looking at the word of God, 00:10:19.00\00:10:21.16 and praying that we can unpack this 00:10:21.19\00:10:23.50 and equip ourselves with His righteousness 00:10:23.53\00:10:25.56 so that we can pass the messages on to others 00:10:25.59\00:10:28.01 that are-- that would be with-- 00:10:28.04\00:10:29.23 that would be within listing to us within our vicinity. 00:10:29.26\00:10:32.66 I want to thank the viewers that are on TV land 00:10:32.69\00:10:35.73 and pray that they are blessed as well 00:10:35.76\00:10:37.86 by what we will be sharing on today. 00:10:37.89\00:10:40.73 So that means that I want to invite you 00:10:40.76\00:10:42.82 to take your Bibles as we go to the book of Mark 2:23-27 00:10:42.85\00:10:49.75 and in case you haven't realize by now, 00:10:49.78\00:10:51.49 but the book of Mark 00:10:51.52\00:10:52.63 is my favorite book in the Bible. 00:10:52.66\00:10:55.85 I read Mark over and over and over and over 00:10:55.88\00:10:59.65 and the Lord just keeps on showing me new things 00:10:59.68\00:11:02.24 inside of this wonderful little gospel. 00:11:02.27\00:11:04.86 And I'm biased, yes, that I would always read Mark 00:11:04.89\00:11:08.75 and I need to pick up the other books as well 00:11:08.78\00:11:10.81 but I just keep on getting attracted to the book of Mark 00:11:10.84\00:11:14.08 and so if you have 2:23-27, 00:11:14.11\00:11:18.26 I'll be reading and you'll be hearing 00:11:18.29\00:11:20.18 but I'll be reading from the New Living Translation 00:11:20.21\00:11:22.67 which isn't too far off from the KJV 00:11:22.70\00:11:25.55 but I believe that this translation 00:11:25.58\00:11:27.14 brings out some, some truths that 00:11:27.17\00:11:29.24 I would like to share with you. 00:11:29.27\00:11:31.03 And the Bible says, "One Sabbath day 00:11:31.06\00:11:33.32 as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, 00:11:33.35\00:11:36.42 his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 00:11:36.45\00:11:41.76 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, 00:11:41.79\00:11:44.82 'Look, why are they breaking the law 00:11:44.85\00:11:48.44 by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?'" 00:11:48.47\00:11:51.96 "Jesus said to them, 'Haven't you ever read 00:11:51.99\00:11:54.53 in the Scriptures what David did 00:11:54.56\00:11:57.24 when he and his companions were hungry?' 00:11:57.27\00:11:59.96 He went into the house of God 00:11:59.99\00:12:02.25 (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) 00:12:02.28\00:12:05.46 and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread 00:12:05.49\00:12:10.92 that only the priests are allowed to eat. 00:12:10.95\00:12:14.30 And he also gave some to his companions." 00:12:14.33\00:12:17.71 "Then Jesus said to them, 00:12:17.74\00:12:19.74 'The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, 00:12:19.77\00:12:25.03 and not people to meet 00:12:25.06\00:12:26.81 the requirements of the Sabbath.'" 00:12:26.84\00:12:29.15 And so the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath, 00:12:29.18\00:12:34.43 which are prayers this afternoon 00:12:34.46\00:12:36.66 I simply want to entitle our discussion 00:12:36.69\00:12:38.99 "Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game." 00:12:39.02\00:12:41.77 Let's pray, God Almighty, 00:12:41.80\00:12:44.39 we ask Lord that you may hide me behind Your cross 00:12:44.42\00:12:47.49 and that Your name be lifted up and that You would be glorified 00:12:47.52\00:12:50.98 and that we would understand 00:12:51.01\00:12:52.17 and know God that You are in charge of everything 00:12:52.20\00:12:55.68 that happens on earth and that happens in heaven, 00:12:55.71\00:12:59.34 so bless us Lord, as we look at Your word one more time. 00:12:59.37\00:13:02.49 We pray this in Your name Jesus Christ. 00:13:02.52\00:13:04.52 Amen. 00:13:04.55\00:13:06.25 Are you tired of games that people play? 00:13:06.28\00:13:10.16 Constantly, that there are always people 00:13:10.19\00:13:12.70 that will try to play games with you. 00:13:12.73\00:13:15.79 If a truth be told they can make you sick and tired 00:13:15.82\00:13:19.01 when you try to take yourself seriously 00:13:19.04\00:13:22.04 and there are always folks that want to mess with you. 00:13:22.07\00:13:25.30 So no matter who are, you'll find yourself 00:13:25.33\00:13:28.21 in somebody's game. 00:13:28.24\00:13:30.11 It was an old song if some of you might be 00:13:30.14\00:13:32.82 too young to remember it but the chores went like this 00:13:32.85\00:13:35.86 "games people play, night or day, 00:13:35.89\00:13:38.55 they are not matching what they should do 00:13:38.58\00:13:40.51 but they keep me feeling blue." 00:13:40.54\00:13:42.91 What the artist was trying to say was that 00:13:42.94\00:13:45.19 you always find people who will be playing games. 00:13:45.22\00:13:48.64 Folks will try to define you and by defining you 00:13:48.67\00:13:52.29 they will confine you into their little box 00:13:52.32\00:13:55.30 and try to keep you there. 00:13:55.33\00:13:56.87 You see there are games that always played 00:13:56.90\00:13:59.38 on different levels. 00:13:59.41\00:14:00.98 They are relationship games before you got together 00:14:01.01\00:14:05.00 and you were dating, it was cool and it was nice 00:14:05.03\00:14:07.84 and you thought that he or she was the best things 00:14:07.87\00:14:10.85 since crushed ice or they were the best thing 00:14:10.88\00:14:13.31 since slice of beard. 00:14:13.34\00:14:14.40 But later on you found out 00:14:14.43\00:14:16.16 that you were dating an actor or an actress. 00:14:16.19\00:14:19.35 As a matter of fact, they were so much 00:14:19.38\00:14:20.75 of an actor and actress that after the relationship 00:14:20.78\00:14:23.63 you should have ask them for an Emmy 00:14:23.66\00:14:25.35 or an Oscar award for all the drama 00:14:25.38\00:14:27.99 that they brought into your life. 00:14:28.02\00:14:29.97 And then they are victim games, 00:14:30.00\00:14:32.26 you know, the folks that will always make themselves 00:14:32.29\00:14:34.49 seem like something is wrong with other people 00:14:34.52\00:14:37.76 and nothing is ever wrong with them. 00:14:37.79\00:14:39.82 At all the time that they will find folks to think that 00:14:39.85\00:14:43.30 there is something wrong with everybody else in this world 00:14:43.33\00:14:46.28 but there is nothing wrong with me 00:14:46.31\00:14:48.35 and that they will always say that 00:14:48.38\00:14:49.79 "I always keep get into bad end of the stick, 00:14:49.82\00:14:52.45 I always end up in a bad relationship, 00:14:52.48\00:14:55.01 I always end up doing so-- 00:14:55.04\00:14:56.97 I always end up by somebody hurting me." 00:14:57.00\00:14:59.23 And I always say to people like that 00:14:59.26\00:15:01.28 you have to acknowledge that there is something 00:15:01.31\00:15:03.41 in mathematics called a common denominator 00:15:03.44\00:15:06.35 and if you find that in your relationships, 00:15:06.38\00:15:08.45 since you always keep ending up with bad things 00:15:08.48\00:15:11.03 there is a common denominator 00:15:11.06\00:15:12.70 in all of those equations, which equals you. 00:15:12.73\00:15:15.76 You know often times people would leave churches 00:15:15.79\00:15:18.61 and they leave churches to join another church 00:15:18.64\00:15:20.84 because they say "they don't like this church 00:15:20.87\00:15:22.64 or I don't like what this church is doing." 00:15:22.67\00:15:24.56 They may go to another church and then they find out 00:15:24.59\00:15:26.97 they don't like that church as well. 00:15:27.00\00:15:28.41 They may go to another church and another church 00:15:28.44\00:15:30.46 and then after they keep going to church after church. 00:15:30.49\00:15:32.60 I just have to stop and ask them 00:15:32.63\00:15:33.96 "have you looked at the role or at the church directory 00:15:33.99\00:15:37.36 or the names that are on that role?" 00:15:37.39\00:15:39.28 And they will say "yes, I have." 00:15:39.31\00:15:40.52 "Well, have you notice that on every church role 00:15:40.55\00:15:43.24 that you been through that your name is on every list." 00:15:43.27\00:15:46.56 So obviously, the problem is not with the church 00:15:46.59\00:15:49.38 the problem has to be with you. 00:15:49.41\00:15:51.68 You see most people when the play victim games, 00:15:51.71\00:15:53.75 they never want to take responsibility for themselves 00:15:53.78\00:15:56.84 and realize that they are the common denominator. 00:15:56.87\00:15:59.78 But then there is another game, 00:15:59.81\00:16:01.69 there are the games that played in society. 00:16:01.72\00:16:05.14 You see, I'll never forget when I use to play monopoly 00:16:05.17\00:16:07.83 with my older sister, and every time it felt like 00:16:07.86\00:16:11.02 I was going to win, every time I got to the victory lap 00:16:11.05\00:16:14.93 when I had got all my houses and brought up all the property 00:16:14.96\00:16:18.68 my sister would always come up 00:16:18.71\00:16:20.41 with a different rule to change the game. 00:16:20.44\00:16:23.35 As she would all of a sudden pull the rule out of her mind 00:16:23.38\00:16:26.79 and because she didn't want to lose 00:16:26.82\00:16:28.63 and because she play that game with me 00:16:28.66\00:16:31.32 then I would always end up losing. 00:16:31.35\00:16:32.94 And I remember complaining to my mother 00:16:32.97\00:16:35.17 and I would say "mommy, 00:16:35.20\00:16:36.25 every time I get close to winning 00:16:36.28\00:16:38.70 she keeps on changing the rules." 00:16:38.73\00:16:41.71 You see, I tell you that story 00:16:41.74\00:16:43.26 because society does the same thing as well. 00:16:43.29\00:16:46.10 Every time it seems like we are getting closer 00:16:46.13\00:16:49.46 to knowing the rules of society 00:16:49.49\00:16:52.31 somebody changes the laws on us. 00:16:52.34\00:16:54.88 Somebody pulls the law out and gets signed at the congress 00:16:54.91\00:16:58.26 and then we have to rearrange everything 00:16:58.29\00:17:00.68 just so that we could make it to the table. 00:17:00.71\00:17:02.84 Because every time you show up at your job 00:17:02.87\00:17:04.95 and you think you are making progress 00:17:04.98\00:17:06.90 somebody changes the game. 00:17:06.93\00:17:08.57 Whenever you get to the table and you are ready to order 00:17:08.60\00:17:11.80 and somebody changes the menu on you. 00:17:11.83\00:17:14.65 You see, you are not understanding 00:17:14.68\00:17:15.75 this like I need you to so I'm gonna preach this 00:17:15.78\00:17:17.84 the only way I know how to. 00:17:17.87\00:17:19.49 You see, every time when we look, 00:17:19.52\00:17:21.52 when people were trying to sign up for free healthcare 00:17:21.55\00:17:24.55 all of a sudden the servers were down. 00:17:24.58\00:17:27.18 Every time you try to show up to vote, 00:17:27.21\00:17:29.64 now you got to have a voter registration card 00:17:29.67\00:17:32.50 and a I.D. card and you woke up realize that 00:17:32.53\00:17:35.85 the place that you use to vote at, 00:17:35.88\00:17:37.80 you can't vote there anymore because somebody change 00:17:37.83\00:17:40.94 the location of the polling stations 00:17:40.97\00:17:43.17 and now you have to go to a totally different place. 00:17:43.20\00:17:46.42 Yes, these are the games that society plays, 00:17:46.45\00:17:49.74 "games people play, night and day, 00:17:49.77\00:17:52.13 there are not matching what they do 00:17:52.16\00:17:53.87 and they keep me feeling blue." 00:17:53.90\00:17:56.21 And in our text this afternoon, Jesus finds Himself in a game. 00:17:56.24\00:18:01.63 In a game that He didn't create, 00:18:01.66\00:18:03.87 originate, or initiate 00:18:03.90\00:18:06.03 but instead He has become a player 00:18:06.06\00:18:08.12 in a sick twisted scheme. 00:18:08.15\00:18:10.62 You see, Mark introduces us 00:18:10.65\00:18:12.77 into a social campaign of Jesus. 00:18:12.80\00:18:15.09 You see, Mark is an action book when you look at Mathew, 00:18:15.12\00:18:18.20 when you read the books of Luke and when you read John. 00:18:18.23\00:18:21.12 All of them especially Mathew and Luke, 00:18:21.15\00:18:23.20 they start off with Jesus' genealogy. 00:18:23.23\00:18:25.71 They going to His birth 00:18:25.74\00:18:26.95 and they go in to His up-bring a little, 00:18:26.98\00:18:28.93 but no Mark begins his gospel by singing 00:18:28.96\00:18:31.71 in the beginning of good news. 00:18:31.74\00:18:34.70 And Mark starts off hitting off 00:18:34.73\00:18:37.02 and talking about what Jesus is doing 00:18:37.05\00:18:39.44 and so Mark introduces us to Jesus as social campaign. 00:18:39.47\00:18:43.06 As a matter of fact, that text in Mark 1:1 00:18:43.09\00:18:46.75 is a very powerful text when it says 00:18:46.78\00:18:49.03 "This is the beginning of Good News" 00:18:49.06\00:18:52.70 when it says "beginning" 00:18:52.73\00:18:54.33 Mark is borrowing Old Testament language 00:18:54.36\00:18:57.57 where in Genesis it talks about 00:18:57.60\00:18:59.80 in the beginning God created the sun, moon and stars. 00:18:59.83\00:19:03.84 When we look at that word beginning, 00:19:03.87\00:19:05.81 beginning means that God is bringing order 00:19:05.84\00:19:08.70 where there is chaos and so when Mark borrows 00:19:08.73\00:19:12.23 that language in his gospel. 00:19:12.26\00:19:14.11 Mark is saying "here is Jesus, coming to this chaotic society 00:19:14.14\00:19:19.30 and He is going to bring order to our world." 00:19:19.33\00:19:22.05 As a matter of fact, when it says "good news," 00:19:22.08\00:19:24.53 good news is also translated as the gospel, 00:19:24.56\00:19:27.74 but the gospel can also be translated 00:19:27.77\00:19:30.07 as news of victory. 00:19:30.10\00:19:32.76 So here is Jesus bringing good news 00:19:32.79\00:19:36.20 of victory in a chaotic land 00:19:36.23\00:19:38.96 for people who have been oppressed. 00:19:38.99\00:19:41.33 And so here is Mark introducing us 00:19:41.36\00:19:43.62 to Jesus' social campaign, it is a campaign of action 00:19:43.65\00:19:47.71 and assault on the Jewish social order in Capernaum. 00:19:47.74\00:19:51.75 After he is baptized Jesus begins to work 00:19:51.78\00:19:54.93 and I like that because often times 00:19:54.96\00:19:57.16 we wait too long before we start putting people to work 00:19:57.19\00:20:00.99 inside of the house of God. 00:20:01.02\00:20:02.71 Sometimes, we wait and say that 00:20:02.74\00:20:04.72 "after someone is baptized that they have to be in the church 00:20:04.75\00:20:08.13 for three, four, or five, or seven years 00:20:08.16\00:20:10.88 before they can hold in office," 00:20:10.91\00:20:12.98 and that's absolutely ludicrous. 00:20:13.01\00:20:15.08 Because at the end of the day, 00:20:15.11\00:20:16.37 the best time to put people to work in the house of God 00:20:16.40\00:20:19.83 is the moment that they come out of that pool 00:20:19.86\00:20:22.50 when they are energized, refreshed, and vitalized 00:20:22.53\00:20:25.50 because they can do wonders for God. 00:20:25.53\00:20:28.09 But what happens instead in most churches 00:20:28.12\00:20:30.19 as that we tell them to sit down and to watch 00:20:30.22\00:20:32.98 and as longer they sit down and watch. 00:20:33.01\00:20:35.09 They start from sitting in the front pew, 00:20:35.12\00:20:37.33 they drift to the middle pew, 00:20:37.36\00:20:39.18 then they drift to the back pew, 00:20:39.21\00:20:41.11 and then they drift right out side of the door, 00:20:41.14\00:20:43.50 and then we are so caught up in ourselves 00:20:43.53\00:20:45.81 that we don't even realize 00:20:45.84\00:20:49.05 that these new souls have walked 00:20:49.08\00:20:50.46 outside of the house of God. 00:20:50.49\00:20:52.37 And so what we got to understand, 00:20:52.40\00:20:53.84 here is Jesus who after He is baptized 00:20:53.87\00:20:56.63 He goes out and He is empowering folk. 00:20:56.66\00:20:59.39 He is being the best that 00:20:59.42\00:21:00.55 He can be doing the work of God. 00:21:00.58\00:21:02.56 Mark shows Jesus, in action, He is not dormant or dead, 00:21:02.59\00:21:07.65 He is moving in active in 1:21-28 00:21:07.68\00:21:12.61 Jesus casts out a demon, then the next scene 00:21:12.64\00:21:15.39 Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law, 00:21:15.42\00:21:17.82 then in verse 32 the words says "That evening after sunset, 00:21:17.85\00:21:21.80 many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus." 00:21:21.83\00:21:26.03 And So Jesus healed many people 00:21:26.06\00:21:28.42 who were sick with various demons 00:21:28.45\00:21:31.15 and He casted out many diseases. 00:21:31.18\00:21:33.65 Then in verse 35 we read that Jesus preaches in Galilee. 00:21:33.68\00:21:37.40 He goes into the town he heals the man with leprosy, 00:21:37.43\00:21:40.90 tells him to go to the Synagogue 00:21:40.93\00:21:43.00 and to go and to show yourself to the priest 00:21:43.03\00:21:45.67 and then in 2:1-12 we read about 00:21:45.70\00:21:49.55 Jesus healing a paralyzed man and after he comes to Jesus 00:21:49.58\00:21:53.73 and the Bible says that 00:21:53.76\00:21:55.14 "they were in so much so many people at the house, 00:21:55.17\00:21:58.05 that he had to break up the roof 00:21:58.08\00:21:59.90 and be lowered down to be 00:21:59.93\00:22:01.69 in the presence of Jesus Christ. 00:22:01.72\00:22:03.63 And I love that story so much 00:22:03.66\00:22:05.69 because the man did not let the crowd detour him 00:22:05.72\00:22:08.67 from getting closer to Jesus Christ. 00:22:08.70\00:22:10.73 As a matter of fact the Bible is so explicit 00:22:10.76\00:22:13.51 and I'm reading into the text that the Bible says 00:22:13.54\00:22:16.10 "that his four friends and his paralytic 00:22:16.13\00:22:18.49 did extreme makeover home edition, 00:22:18.52\00:22:21.52 they broke up the roof and when they broke up the roof 00:22:21.55\00:22:24.62 they lowered him down in front of Jesus," 00:22:24.65\00:22:27.09 which tells me that in most of our lives 00:22:27.12\00:22:29.78 that there are things that are blocking us 00:22:29.81\00:22:32.27 from getting into Jesus Christ, 00:22:32.30\00:22:33.80 that we have to break those things up 00:22:33.83\00:22:35.85 in order to get closer to glory. 00:22:35.88\00:22:38.07 And so in 2:1, 12 "Jesus heals the paralyzed man." 00:22:38.10\00:22:42.90 And I love that verse, I love that text 00:22:42.93\00:22:44.85 because in that text the Bible informs us 00:22:44.88\00:22:48.45 that the man the paralytic did not come to Jesus 00:22:48.48\00:22:51.69 because he wanted to walk again, he came to Jesus 00:22:51.72\00:22:54.82 because he wanted his sins to be forgiven. 00:22:54.85\00:22:57.20 As a matter of fact, in The Desire of Ages, 00:22:57.23\00:22:59.25 I believe page 253, Ellen White calls 00:22:59.28\00:23:02.31 that paralytic the real prodigal son. 00:23:02.34\00:23:05.55 She says that "his life was embittered by remorse 00:23:05.58\00:23:08.81 because of the decisions he made 00:23:08.84\00:23:10.61 when he was a young man and now as a result 00:23:10.64\00:23:13.49 of his decisions he is paralyzed today." 00:23:13.52\00:23:16.40 So the reason why he runs to Jesus Christ 00:23:16.43\00:23:19.74 is because he wants to be forgiven 00:23:19.77\00:23:21.95 for the past that he has had. 00:23:21.98\00:23:23.44 He doesn't care about having his legs to do walk again. 00:23:23.47\00:23:26.26 He just wants to know that he is forgiven. 00:23:26.29\00:23:28.41 That's why when you read the text Jesus says 00:23:28.44\00:23:31.22 "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." 00:23:31.25\00:23:33.86 He is happy but then scribes and Pharisees are there 00:23:33.89\00:23:37.26 and they said "why does that this man 00:23:37.29\00:23:39.24 speak of blasphemies, who can forgive sins 00:23:39.27\00:23:42.03 but only God" and God looks at them 00:23:42.06\00:23:44.85 and He says "oh, I see that 00:23:44.88\00:23:46.53 you're trying to play me in a game, 00:23:46.56\00:23:48.20 you don't realize that the Son of Man 00:23:48.23\00:23:50.25 has power here on earth and power in heaven 00:23:50.28\00:23:53.32 to forgive peoples sins." 00:23:53.35\00:23:54.91 And so as a result of them talking about Him, 00:23:54.94\00:23:58.39 Jesus says "let me show you how powerful my words are 00:23:58.42\00:24:01.79 that I can forgive sins. 00:24:01.82\00:24:03.10 He says, Mr. Paralytic pick up your bed and walk." 00:24:03.13\00:24:06.27 And the Bible says that "the man picked up his bed 00:24:06.30\00:24:09.05 and walked out of that place as if he was never paralyzed." 00:24:09.08\00:24:12.41 Jesus just shut down the whole church in one second 00:24:12.44\00:24:15.72 by saying "whatever, I speak has power inside of it 00:24:15.75\00:24:19.09 because when I speak demons tremble, 00:24:19.12\00:24:21.54 when I speak borders divide, 00:24:21.57\00:24:23.92 when I speak things begin to happen, 00:24:23.95\00:24:26.34 and I can do whatever I want to do." 00:24:26.37\00:24:28.90 And so you would think that the scribes in the Pharisees 00:24:28.93\00:24:32.32 would understand and see the power 00:24:32.35\00:24:34.30 and the majesty of God in this story. 00:24:34.33\00:24:36.57 That they would leave him alone because at the end of the day 00:24:36.60\00:24:39.85 if I see that God can make somebody walk 00:24:39.88\00:24:43.62 I wouldn't question God or question what He does 00:24:43.65\00:24:46.16 or where He's from, I will just leave Him alone 00:24:46.19\00:24:48.46 and let Him do what He has do. 00:24:48.49\00:24:50.24 As a matter of fact, the story that always, 00:24:50.27\00:24:52.81 that always makes me laugh is a story of when Judas came 00:24:52.84\00:24:56.48 and they-- and Jesus was betrayed 00:24:56.51\00:24:58.64 and the Bible tells us that "Peter pulled out his sword, 00:24:58.67\00:25:01.69 and Peter went and cut the man's ear off 00:25:01.72\00:25:04.35 and then Jesus picks up the man's ear 00:25:04.38\00:25:06.64 and puts it back on his head." 00:25:06.67\00:25:08.50 Now right then and there, I would have said 00:25:08.53\00:25:10.35 you know what Jesus go ahead go home do what you got to do? 00:25:10.38\00:25:13.25 We ain't gonna crucify you, 00:25:13.28\00:25:14.32 we gonna leave this brother alone. 00:25:14.35\00:25:15.99 But you see that's what happens when you have a reprobate mind 00:25:16.02\00:25:19.66 that when you are so wrong in what you are doing 00:25:19.69\00:25:22.36 you begin to think that you are wrong is right. 00:25:22.39\00:25:26.28 And so here were these individuals 00:25:26.31\00:25:27.94 that thought their wrong was right, 00:25:27.97\00:25:29.75 that they had to bring Jesus in. 00:25:29.78\00:25:31.79 But that's another sermon for another day 00:25:31.82\00:25:34.14 when you invite me back, amen, hallelujah, thank you Jesus. 00:25:34.17\00:25:37.20 I'll enjoy that one myself. 00:25:37.23\00:25:38.86 But here in this text we see now Jesus is changing the game. 00:25:38.89\00:25:44.58 He is changing the Pharisaic rule. 00:25:44.61\00:25:46.98 The rules of the Pharisees that made it legal 00:25:47.01\00:25:49.93 to ostracized and marginalize the poor 00:25:49.96\00:25:52.89 because they were sick. 00:25:52.92\00:25:54.41 If they were sick, listen to me, 00:25:54.44\00:25:56.38 if they were sick they could not work 00:25:56.41\00:25:58.56 and since they could not work they did not have money 00:25:58.59\00:26:01.38 and if you had no money then you could not 00:26:01.41\00:26:03.58 purchase sacrifices to have your sins forgiven. 00:26:03.61\00:26:06.93 And therefore, if your sins were not forgiven, 00:26:06.96\00:26:09.26 you are cut off from the temple 00:26:09.29\00:26:11.17 which was essentially to mean that you are not a citizen 00:26:11.20\00:26:13.95 and you are not a human being. 00:26:13.98\00:26:15.58 You are a prisoner of society so when Jesus healed 00:26:15.61\00:26:19.56 and delivered people and he told them 00:26:19.59\00:26:21.69 to go back to the temple and to show yourself. 00:26:21.72\00:26:24.94 Jesus was changing the game 00:26:24.97\00:26:27.62 and a direct assault on the social order 00:26:27.65\00:26:30.67 and caste system because now these sick 00:26:30.70\00:26:33.87 and poor people had been reinstated into Jewish order. 00:26:33.90\00:26:38.12 And so that's why if you were cut off 00:26:38.15\00:26:40.31 and ostracized from the temple you had no reason for living. 00:26:40.34\00:26:44.37 And so here is Jesus ministering to these people 00:26:44.40\00:26:47.15 who are cut off from the temple 00:26:47.18\00:26:49.22 because it was in the temple that the laws were made, 00:26:49.25\00:26:52.11 it was in the temple that everything was done, 00:26:52.14\00:26:54.42 it was in the temple where you got 00:26:54.45\00:26:56.12 your sense of living and your sense of being, 00:26:56.15\00:26:59.08 but if you were sick you couldn't be in the temple. 00:26:59.11\00:27:02.51 As a matter of fact, you're reading this Bible, 00:27:02.54\00:27:04.31 you've read many times when Jesus would, 00:27:04.34\00:27:06.86 the time when Jesus walked into the temple 00:27:06.89\00:27:08.95 and He saw them exchanging money, 00:27:08.98\00:27:11.18 He saw them with the tables 00:27:11.21\00:27:12.72 and they were overpricing 00:27:12.75\00:27:14.27 inflating the prices of the sacrifices 00:27:14.30\00:27:17.04 and Jesus went and turned the tables over. 00:27:17.07\00:27:19.69 Because Jesus was saying "how are you selling, 00:27:19.72\00:27:22.01 what I'm giving away for free, 00:27:22.04\00:27:24.02 why are you making this so expensive 00:27:24.05\00:27:26.58 that poor people can't buy what they need 00:27:26.61\00:27:29.22 to have their sins forgiven? 00:27:29.25\00:27:30.77 And after Jesus flipped the tables 00:27:30.80\00:27:33.12 when you read in John what does Jesus do next? 00:27:33.15\00:27:35.59 He calls the poor, the sick, and the lame 00:27:35.62\00:27:39.00 to come inside of the temple. 00:27:39.03\00:27:40.67 Because obviously what the Jews were doing 00:27:40.70\00:27:43.11 was an injustice. 00:27:43.14\00:27:45.10 They were abusing the word of God, 00:27:45.13\00:27:47.38 they were charging usury to their own people, 00:27:47.41\00:27:50.14 they were collecting money of a poor people. 00:27:50.17\00:27:53.11 When the lady throws her might into the temple 00:27:53.14\00:27:56.23 the last of her money, 00:27:56.26\00:27:57.67 there was a condemnation in that text 00:27:57.70\00:27:59.87 because in that text the temple is taking poor people's money 00:27:59.90\00:28:03.30 and they are not offering services to these poor people. 00:28:03.33\00:28:06.56 And so here Jesus says, I'm come to change this, 00:28:06.59\00:28:09.25 I don't like what I see what's going on. 00:28:09.28\00:28:11.15 And in verse 22 Jesus gives His campaigns slogan 00:28:11.18\00:28:15.52 Jesus says "New wine calls for new wineskins." 00:28:15.55\00:28:19.61 And so this is His slogan that He is going to use 00:28:19.64\00:28:22.37 as he ministers in Capernaum. 00:28:22.40\00:28:24.37 He says "out with the old and in with the new." 00:28:24.40\00:28:26.80 This is a new society 00:28:26.83\00:28:28.49 and a new world with new trends 00:28:28.52\00:28:30.39 and therefore I've come to change 00:28:30.42\00:28:32.33 what you've created 00:28:32.36\00:28:33.47 because I'm gonna bring something new that blessed 00:28:33.50\00:28:36.65 and I'm gonna heal people where they are. 00:28:36.68\00:28:39.16 Because Jesus says "you got to do new things 00:28:39.19\00:28:41.61 when you have new people, new society." 00:28:41.64\00:28:43.98 As a matter of fact, 00:28:44.01\00:28:45.06 if I can illustrate this for you 00:28:45.09\00:28:46.48 maybe you'll understand a little better, 00:28:46.51\00:28:48.44 "amazing grace, how sweet, the sound 00:28:48.47\00:28:50.75 that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost 00:28:50.78\00:28:53.29 but now I'm found was blind but now I see" 00:28:53.32\00:28:55.87 it's a beautiful song a wonderful song 00:28:55.90\00:28:58.18 that all of us know probably verbatim 00:28:58.21\00:29:00.32 that we can say it off the top of our heads. 00:29:00.35\00:29:02.25 But that song is communicated to us 00:29:02.28\00:29:04.48 in different ways, you could communicate that song, 00:29:04.51\00:29:07.27 you can put it on in 8-track, you can put in on a record, 00:29:07.30\00:29:10.57 you can put it on a CD, 00:29:10.60\00:29:12.52 or you can put it in MP3 format. 00:29:12.55\00:29:15.49 And so what happens sometimes with the church 00:29:15.52\00:29:18.75 is that often times we are trying to do-- 00:29:18.78\00:29:22.00 We are trying to communicate a message 00:29:22.03\00:29:24.20 with a 8-track mentality in a mp3 generation. 00:29:24.23\00:29:28.37 And so what I mean by that 00:29:28.40\00:29:29.97 is that sometimes our message must never change 00:29:30.00\00:29:33.46 but our methods by which we communicate 00:29:33.49\00:29:36.41 our message has to change. 00:29:36.44\00:29:38.40 We have to find ways to communicate 00:29:38.43\00:29:40.51 this gospel in different and new life. 00:29:40.54\00:29:43.13 We have to take advantage of the worldwide web. 00:29:43.16\00:29:46.33 We have to take advantage of the cameras 00:29:46.36\00:29:48.99 and the things that we have because we do not live 00:29:49.02\00:29:51.44 in a 8-track generation anymore, 00:29:51.47\00:29:54.12 we live in a mp3 generation this day. 00:29:54.15\00:29:57.61 We live in a generation where people have computers 00:29:57.64\00:30:00.70 in their pockets, where they can get information. 00:30:00.73\00:30:03.51 As a matter of fact, we live in a world 00:30:03.54\00:30:06.20 that is so complex, that is so advance, 00:30:06.23\00:30:09.22 that if I say something that is incorrect 00:30:09.25\00:30:12.02 you can take out your phone, research what I'm saying, 00:30:12.05\00:30:15.13 and by the time I end this sermon 00:30:15.16\00:30:17.06 you can tell me "Pastor, you are absolutely wrong about 00:30:17.09\00:30:20.18 what you just said," 00:30:20.21\00:30:22.12 that's the society that we live in. 00:30:22.15\00:30:23.94 And so here Jesus is saying 00:30:23.97\00:30:25.59 "it's a new society, it's a new thing, 00:30:25.62\00:30:27.89 and again you have created I do not like it" 00:30:27.92\00:30:30.41 but as we look at this text we discover 00:30:30.44\00:30:33.00 that the Pharisees are not on the same team. 00:30:33.03\00:30:35.64 As a matter of fact, they want to keep playing 00:30:35.67\00:30:37.82 their old game. 00:30:37.85\00:30:38.96 Mark now tells us that Jesus and his boys 00:30:38.99\00:30:41.76 are walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath day 00:30:41.79\00:30:44.66 and as they are walking through the grainfields 00:30:44.69\00:30:46.67 they are breaking off heads of grains to eat 00:30:46.70\00:30:49.20 then the Pharisees say "why are they breaking the law 00:30:49.23\00:30:52.31 by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?" 00:30:52.34\00:30:54.85 Have you noticed that they are always people 00:30:54.88\00:30:57.56 that will always try to find fault 00:30:57.59\00:30:59.37 in everything that you do? 00:30:59.40\00:31:01.17 You always got folk that will go into nit-pick 00:31:01.20\00:31:03.96 and criticize you whenever you do 00:31:03.99\00:31:06.20 what they expect you not to do. 00:31:06.23\00:31:08.29 I mean, all day Jesus has been healing 00:31:08.32\00:31:11.14 and delivering people and now that He is walking 00:31:11.17\00:31:13.70 through some grainfields 00:31:13.73\00:31:14.90 and now that He is picking grain, 00:31:14.93\00:31:16.52 they are finding fault with that 00:31:16.55\00:31:19.04 and Jesus proceeds to answer their foolish question, 00:31:19.07\00:31:22.72 by taking them back to the book of Samuel. 00:31:22.75\00:31:24.92 He begins his vibrato by saying 00:31:24.95\00:31:26.79 "Haven't you ever read? 00:31:26.82\00:31:28.50 Or haven't you studied? 00:31:28.53\00:31:29.85 You call yourself scholars of the word of God, 00:31:29.88\00:31:32.11 you've memorized the Mishnah and all of sorts of things? 00:31:32.14\00:31:35.17 In other words like this Jesus saying 00:31:35.20\00:31:36.99 "if you don't know nothing, don't say nothing." 00:31:37.02\00:31:39.63 You always find that is those folks 00:31:39.66\00:31:41.60 that think they know everything 00:31:41.63\00:31:43.01 that always have something to say. 00:31:43.04\00:31:45.71 Most times it's the people that have no control 00:31:45.74\00:31:48.40 over their own life 00:31:48.43\00:31:49.70 but they always want to control your life 00:31:49.73\00:31:51.87 and have a job description of the way 00:31:51.90\00:31:54.05 that you are suppose to do thing. 00:31:54.08\00:31:55.88 Jesus says, "Haven't you ever read about 00:31:55.91\00:31:58.51 what David did when he and his friends were hungry? 00:31:58.54\00:32:01.50 That they went into the temple 00:32:01.53\00:32:03.30 and they ate sacred loaves of bread 00:32:03.33\00:32:05.70 and so why are you mad pointing the finger at me, 00:32:05.73\00:32:08.95 why are you getting down on me? 00:32:08.98\00:32:10.88 I'm only doing what has been done before." 00:32:10.91\00:32:14.10 And this is where I believe Jesus probably said to them 00:32:14.13\00:32:17.11 "don't hate the player, hate the game." 00:32:17.14\00:32:19.46 Fallback, don't try to attack me. 00:32:19.49\00:32:21.84 As I'll have to look up exactly what the phrase means, 00:32:21.87\00:32:25.39 you see the phrase means 00:32:25.42\00:32:26.51 "don't hate the player, hate the game," means 00:32:26.54\00:32:28.53 don't fault the successful participant in a flawed system. 00:32:28.56\00:32:32.96 Try instead to discern and rebuke that 00:32:32.99\00:32:35.83 aspect of its organization 00:32:35.86\00:32:37.96 which allows or encourages the behavior 00:32:37.99\00:32:40.59 that has provoked your displeasure. 00:32:40.62\00:32:42.63 Don't fault the successful participant 00:32:42.66\00:32:45.12 in a flawed system, don't dislike someone 00:32:45.15\00:32:47.98 for their actions consider instead the situation 00:32:48.01\00:32:52.17 that causes it and so here Jesus is saying 00:32:52.20\00:32:56.19 "look at, why we are doing? 00:32:56.22\00:32:58.55 What we are doing? 00:32:58.58\00:32:59.77 Then you would understand what is going on?" 00:32:59.80\00:33:02.84 Jesus is saying, "I'm only doing 00:33:02.87\00:33:05.07 what your ancestors have done, 00:33:05.10\00:33:06.91 I'm only mimicking what I've seen before. 00:33:06.94\00:33:09.55 My boys are hungry and they need food to eat, 00:33:09.58\00:33:12.51 and I refuse to let them starve on the Sabbath day 00:33:12.54\00:33:15.84 because you said that we cannot eat here." 00:33:15.87\00:33:18.39 So instead of Jesus stopping them 00:33:18.42\00:33:20.59 Jesus encourages them to keep on eating, 00:33:20.62\00:33:23.50 and as they keep on eating trample on the grain 00:33:23.53\00:33:26.32 and eat as much as you want 00:33:26.35\00:33:27.94 because yesterday is the Sabbath day 00:33:27.97\00:33:29.87 but you need to eat. 00:33:29.90\00:33:31.62 So you don't ever let what people say about you, 00:33:31.65\00:33:35.57 dictate what you do. 00:33:35.60\00:33:37.23 I'm gonna quote this urban scholar 00:33:37.26\00:33:39.12 and prophetic poet that I love to listen to every now 00:33:39.15\00:33:42.15 and then, his name is T.I., 00:33:42.18\00:33:43.75 and T.I. said, "never mind what haters say, 00:33:43.78\00:33:46.49 ignore them till they fade away." 00:33:46.52\00:33:48.26 I like that because I'm listening to him 00:33:48.29\00:33:49.93 because T.I. is saying, "don t ever waste your time 00:33:49.96\00:33:53.12 given major energy to minor people 00:33:53.15\00:33:56.67 because that's what people who hate you do. 00:33:56.70\00:33:59.51 they hate you for the fact that you are showing them up. 00:33:59.54\00:34:02.44 They are mad at you 00:34:02.47\00:34:03.90 because they can't do what you do, 00:34:03.93\00:34:06.09 so they make up things about you. 00:34:06.12\00:34:08.51 you can't do anything about it, 00:34:08.54\00:34:10.28 there are going to be people that are going to dislike you 00:34:10.31\00:34:13.29 just because you are a Christian, 00:34:13.32\00:34:15.88 there are people that are going to dislike you 00:34:15.91\00:34:18.17 because you don't smoke, you don't drink, 00:34:18.20\00:34:20.37 you don't curse, you don't laugh at certain jokes, 00:34:20.40\00:34:23.01 they are mad at you, you get Friday off 00:34:23.04\00:34:25.44 and you get Saturday off from work 00:34:25.47\00:34:27.67 they will just be mad at you, just accept it." 00:34:27.70\00:34:30.89 The Bible says "that the wheat and tares grow together." 00:34:30.92\00:34:34.09 Jesus says "if the world hates you, 00:34:34.12\00:34:36.20 just remember that it hated Me first. 00:34:36.23\00:34:38.83 Just understand that there will always be people 00:34:38.86\00:34:41.58 that will hate because what happens is this 00:34:41.61\00:34:43.87 is that a angry man will marry a angry woman 00:34:43.90\00:34:46.89 and they will have angry children 00:34:46.92\00:34:48.68 and so they will continue 00:34:48.71\00:34:50.06 to repopulate the earth angry people. 00:34:50.09\00:34:52.80 But God says "don't worry about them 00:34:52.83\00:34:54.68 days are there just to make you stronger." 00:34:54.71\00:34:56.88 Jesus says "don't waste your time 00:34:56.91\00:34:59.15 with meaningless rhetoric and discussion." 00:34:59.18\00:35:01.61 I don't have time to argue with you 00:35:01.64\00:35:03.84 because if I argue with you 00:35:03.87\00:35:05.65 then that it is wasting my time. 00:35:05.68\00:35:07.52 My Mother always told me "don't ever argue with a fool 00:35:07.55\00:35:10.80 because if you are arguing with the fool 00:35:10.83\00:35:12.66 most people that are looking on the outside 00:35:12.69\00:35:15.12 they don't know who is the fool, 00:35:15.15\00:35:16.73 they will think both of you are fools." 00:35:16.76\00:35:18.38 My mother said "always be calm a folk want to be ignorant 00:35:18.41\00:35:21.92 then by all means that's your choice be ignorant. 00:35:21.95\00:35:24.62 But I'm always going be me." 00:35:24.65\00:35:26.14 And so when people tell me mean things 00:35:26.17\00:35:28.09 and they say I don't like you, you don't look well, 00:35:28.12\00:35:31.08 I just say "thank you very much, 00:35:31.11\00:35:32.96 oh, I'm glad that you see that, 00:35:32.99\00:35:34.87 pray for me, I'm a work in progress." 00:35:34.90\00:35:37.09 Because when people yell at you 00:35:37.12\00:35:38.96 they expect you to yell back at them 00:35:38.99\00:35:41.72 but you are not suppose yell back at them 00:35:41.75\00:35:44.24 you are always suppose to keep your calm. 00:35:44.27\00:35:46.26 As a matter of fact Jesus says 00:35:46.29\00:35:47.99 "when somebody slapped you what do you suppose to do? 00:35:48.02\00:35:50.32 Turn the other cheek." 00:35:50.35\00:35:52.05 Now I was disturbed when I read that 00:35:52.08\00:35:54.78 because if you slap me the first reaction is 00:35:54.81\00:35:56.90 I want to slap you back. 00:35:56.93\00:35:58.20 I'm sorry, I don't know any other way to say it 00:35:58.23\00:36:00.34 but I understand now what Jesus was saying. 00:36:00.37\00:36:02.90 Jesus was saying "that you are engaging 00:36:02.93\00:36:05.32 impassive resistance and so what your actually doing 00:36:05.35\00:36:08.76 is that when you turned other cheek 00:36:08.79\00:36:10.87 you are taking matters back into your own hand 00:36:10.90\00:36:13.56 because when somebody slaps you 00:36:13.59\00:36:15.11 they expect you to slap them back 00:36:15.14\00:36:16.94 but if you turn to other cheek 00:36:16.97\00:36:18.61 and you give them that cheek to slap, 00:36:18.64\00:36:20.66 they will be caught off guard 00:36:20.69\00:36:22.15 and say what is going on here? 00:36:22.18\00:36:24.18 Why in the world you turning the other cheek? 00:36:24.21\00:36:26.63 It's the same thing when Jesus says, 00:36:26.66\00:36:28.42 if somebody tells you to carry their clove 00:36:28.45\00:36:30.73 one mile, carried an extra mile 00:36:30.76\00:36:32.91 that's because the person that asks you do it 00:36:32.94\00:36:35.42 is expect you to do it one mile 00:36:35.45\00:36:37.34 but when you carried the extra mile they are amazed, 00:36:37.37\00:36:40.45 they wondering what are you doing? 00:36:40.48\00:36:42.39 Jesus saying "take the power back in to your hands, 00:36:42.42\00:36:45.69 don't let people control you, 00:36:45.72\00:36:47.66 and dictate how you react to certain things. 00:36:47.69\00:36:50.58 Just because you are in shock infested waters 00:36:50.61\00:36:53.60 doesn't mean that you have to act shockish, amen." 00:36:53.63\00:36:56.61 "You don't have to be shocked like everybody else, 00:36:56.64\00:36:59.04 you could be a nice little guppy swimming in a pond 00:36:59.07\00:37:01.54 because you got Jesus as your Lord and Savior." 00:37:01.57\00:37:04.52 And so I love this Jesus doesn't stoop down 00:37:04.55\00:37:07.68 to their behavior but he lives up to it. 00:37:07.71\00:37:10.15 And so the Pharisees, 00:37:10.18\00:37:11.47 this text takes on to deeper meaning as well, 00:37:11.50\00:37:14.27 the Pharisees are not simply mad 00:37:14.30\00:37:16.45 that Jesus is doing this on Sabbath 00:37:16.48\00:37:18.81 but their indignation with Jesus is the fact 00:37:18.84\00:37:21.66 that they are eating the grain, they are trampling on to grain. 00:37:21.69\00:37:25.60 Jesus and his disciples are destroying 00:37:25.63\00:37:28.36 and eating the grain, 00:37:28.39\00:37:29.67 they are destroying and eating the product. 00:37:29.70\00:37:31.95 You're gonna get this as I break it down 00:37:31.98\00:37:33.80 they are destroying and eating their profits. 00:37:33.83\00:37:37.77 He is messing with their money and their investments 00:37:37.80\00:37:41.37 and he is touching their supply. 00:37:41.40\00:37:43.48 You see history informs us when you read or see this 00:37:43.51\00:37:46.42 and many of the other scholars and contemporaries of that day 00:37:46.45\00:37:49.38 that the Pharisees advocated local distribution 00:37:49.41\00:37:52.90 to ensure that provincial priest 00:37:52.93\00:37:55.43 receive their due of the grain. 00:37:55.46\00:37:57.76 So there was a lot of politics 00:37:57.79\00:37:59.97 and money involved in the grain. 00:38:00.00\00:38:02.28 Because there was lobbying 00:38:02.31\00:38:03.88 and political arena for those who grew the grain 00:38:03.91\00:38:06.70 and what was done with the grain was so important 00:38:06.73\00:38:09.90 because whoever was selling the grain 00:38:09.93\00:38:11.96 will be able to have more money 00:38:11.99\00:38:13.85 and so once you start messing with the folk's money 00:38:13.88\00:38:16.69 you'll watch them come after you 00:38:16.72\00:38:19.14 and so Jesus is messing with their profits 00:38:19.17\00:38:22.12 because the grain was suppose to be sold 00:38:22.15\00:38:24.35 and Jesus says "why are you harvesting 00:38:24.38\00:38:26.59 and keeping this grain from the people 00:38:26.62\00:38:29.00 that really need it 00:38:29.03\00:38:30.45 and so He intentionally tells them 00:38:30.48\00:38:32.59 to eat and trample on it." 00:38:32.62\00:38:34.34 He uses a story of David and his companion 00:38:34.37\00:38:37.06 as an example to show that the-- 00:38:37.09\00:38:39.64 told these Pharisees that David 00:38:39.67\00:38:42.23 and his companions were on a mission 00:38:42.26\00:38:44.41 and because they were on a mission they were hungry 00:38:44.44\00:38:46.95 and in 1 Samuel 21 David says 00:38:46.98\00:38:49.56 "The king has sent me on a mission 00:38:49.59\00:38:52.04 because the king has sent me on a mission 00:38:52.07\00:38:54.31 I have authority to eat this bread 00:38:54.34\00:38:56.93 and as well as my companions because we have a job to do." 00:38:56.96\00:39:00.79 Jesus refers to that story because Jesus is the-- 00:39:00.82\00:39:04.74 Jesus is the king on earth. 00:39:04.77\00:39:06.54 As the matter of fact, the king the father 00:39:06.57\00:39:08.32 has sent Jesus on a mission 00:39:08.35\00:39:10.62 and that mission is to redeem the world right now 00:39:10.65\00:39:13.64 to order to have strength and to bring authority 00:39:13.67\00:39:16.31 and to bring-- and to bring order 00:39:16.34\00:39:18.14 in this chaotic world 00:39:18.17\00:39:19.59 and so because the father has given Me permission 00:39:19.62\00:39:22.87 and all power here on earth 00:39:22.90\00:39:24.75 I will engage in civil disobedience 00:39:24.78\00:39:27.31 because the change has not come 00:39:27.34\00:39:28.88 and because I'm Lord of the Sabbath, 00:39:28.91\00:39:31.00 I'm giving my disciples permission 00:39:31.03\00:39:33.90 to trample and eat this grain 00:39:33.93\00:39:36.11 because I'm driven by the Father, 00:39:36.14\00:39:38.09 which is in heaven. 00:39:38.12\00:39:39.43 And so this text is powerful, it's deep, 00:39:39.46\00:39:42.54 because we got to ask the self the question 00:39:42.57\00:39:44.40 who are we driven by? 00:39:44.43\00:39:45.94 See, I use to drive a very nice car, 00:39:45.97\00:39:48.10 a very wonderful car. 00:39:48.13\00:39:49.78 I use to have a BMW, a nice black BMW. 00:39:49.81\00:39:53.97 I loved my BWM, it was my first child, 00:39:54.00\00:39:56.80 I have had my first child it was a BMW, 00:39:56.83\00:39:58.97 I'll say it today, I have two daughters now, 00:39:59.00\00:40:01.00 and I loved my BMW but my children are growing 00:40:01.03\00:40:04.33 and the strollers in the back seat take up all the space 00:40:04.36\00:40:07.70 and I can't drive that BMW anymore 00:40:07.73\00:40:10.59 and so I traded the BMW 00:40:10.62\00:40:12.28 in for a wonderful lovely Nissan Pathfinder. 00:40:12.31\00:40:15.50 And so now I'm in a Nissan Pathfinder, 00:40:15.53\00:40:17.92 but I have a whole lot more space 00:40:17.95\00:40:19.55 and I like my Pathfinder a lot 00:40:19.58\00:40:21.53 but the thing I like about the Pathfinder so much 00:40:21.56\00:40:24.10 and why I enjoy is how it handles on the road, 00:40:24.13\00:40:26.98 but the Sabbath that I went to church 00:40:27.01\00:40:29.07 with a Pathfinder so many people came to me 00:40:29.10\00:40:32.15 and it felt like they were feeling sorry for me 00:40:32.18\00:40:34.77 and they were saying "what happened to the BMW? 00:40:34.80\00:40:37.17 Where is the BMW gone? 00:40:37.20\00:40:39.04 What are you doing with the BMW? 00:40:39.07\00:40:41.19 Why are you in the Pathfinder?" 00:40:41.22\00:40:42.99 And they said "I'm sure you must feel 00:40:43.02\00:40:44.89 some type of way about driving a Pathfinder" 00:40:44.92\00:40:47.82 and I said to them at the end of the day," 00:40:47.85\00:40:49.61 a car does not make me who I'm, 00:40:49.64\00:40:51.82 it doesn't matter, what I'm driving 00:40:51.85\00:40:53.64 but what matter is who's driving me." 00:40:53.67\00:40:55.99 And so whether I'm in a Pathfinder 00:40:56.02\00:40:57.92 or if I'm in a BMW or if I'm in the Mercedes 00:40:57.95\00:41:00.63 or if I'm in a Chevy Nova or a Rabbit 00:41:00.66\00:41:02.90 or a Pinto or a Volkswagen Buggy. 00:41:02.93\00:41:05.24 God is driving me and God's given me a mission 00:41:05.27\00:41:08.51 because I'm always first class. 00:41:08.54\00:41:10.58 As a matter of fact, I remember 00:41:10.61\00:41:12.17 when I was flying to Huntsville, Alabama, 00:41:12.20\00:41:14.33 and I saw some of my friends in the airport 00:41:14.36\00:41:16.60 and they say "Kowlessar, 00:41:16.63\00:41:17.78 I know you sit in the first class." 00:41:17.81\00:41:19.66 I said, "no way, I'm not sitting in the first class, 00:41:19.69\00:41:21.63 I'm sitting in at the back of the plane." 00:41:21.66\00:41:23.40 I looked at them and I said "look 00:41:23.43\00:41:25.18 it doesn't matter where I'm on the plane 00:41:25.21\00:41:27.36 whether I'm in the front whether I'm in the back, 00:41:27.39\00:41:29.88 I'm always first class 00:41:29.91\00:41:31.43 because why I serve a first class God." 00:41:31.46\00:41:33.75 And so that's the way I think of myself, 00:41:33.78\00:41:35.55 I'm first class even if I don't have no money, 00:41:35.58\00:41:38.23 I am first class because I serve a God 00:41:38.26\00:41:40.67 who has a cattle on a thousand hills. 00:41:40.70\00:41:42.86 He is my daddy and He's driving me. 00:41:42.89\00:41:45.30 And so here I'm gonna ask the question, 00:41:45.33\00:41:47.62 what is driving you? 00:41:47.65\00:41:49.32 It's what driving you? 00:41:49.35\00:41:50.44 Are you driven to make a change in the life of others? 00:41:50.47\00:41:53.45 Are you driven to make changes in this world? 00:41:53.48\00:41:56.13 Are you driven by the same spirit 00:41:56.16\00:41:58.38 that's driving Jesus Christ? 00:41:58.41\00:42:00.19 Do you want God to put the foot on his accelerator of your life 00:42:00.22\00:42:04.23 and to drive you into some places 00:42:04.26\00:42:06.61 that will help you change the game that's in this world 00:42:06.64\00:42:09.49 because of economic distribution 00:42:09.52\00:42:11.58 and lack of sharing wealth 00:42:11.61\00:42:13.27 that the good only went to the greedy 00:42:13.30\00:42:15.51 and not to the needy. 00:42:15.54\00:42:16.86 You see, we got to hate the games that out there 00:42:16.89\00:42:19.28 when possessions are overpricing 00:42:19.31\00:42:21.30 people for medical care. 00:42:21.33\00:42:22.88 Hate the game that's out there, 00:42:22.91\00:42:24.20 that says because you live in a poor community 00:42:24.23\00:42:26.71 that you have to be subjected 00:42:26.74\00:42:28.33 to a subpart educational system, 00:42:28.36\00:42:30.64 hate the game out there, that says that 00:42:30.67\00:42:32.84 you are not beautiful that you are uneducated, 00:42:32.87\00:42:35.54 hate the game out there that wants to vilify 00:42:35.57\00:42:38.48 these undocumented children that are coming over to America 00:42:38.51\00:42:42.66 just for opportunity of better life 00:42:42.69\00:42:44.88 because I heard on the news that people are saying that 00:42:44.91\00:42:47.41 they want to start gangs 00:42:47.44\00:42:48.95 and that they want to sell drugs 00:42:48.98\00:42:50.39 but that's not the truth 00:42:50.42\00:42:51.83 we have a responsibility to them 00:42:51.86\00:42:54.39 because this message is right here is for America. 00:42:54.42\00:42:56.96 America, please remember that the very Bible 00:42:56.99\00:42:59.82 that you based your country on during the seventh-innings 00:42:59.85\00:43:02.81 stretch of every base ball game, 00:43:02.84\00:43:04.78 you sing "God bless America" 00:43:04.81\00:43:06.77 but the Bible says "if a stranger dwells 00:43:06.80\00:43:09.71 with you in your land you shall not mistreat him 00:43:09.74\00:43:12.95 but rather love him as yourself 00:43:12.98\00:43:15.43 for you were stranger in the land of Egypt," 00:43:15.46\00:43:18.24 that's in the Leviticus 19. 00:43:18.27\00:43:20.06 We are admonished to taking the stranger 00:43:20.09\00:43:22.60 for in as much as you have done it 00:43:22.63\00:43:24.12 to the least of these. 00:43:24.15\00:43:25.41 Christ tells us you did to Me that's Matthew 25 00:43:25.44\00:43:28.73 every major faith tradition on earth charged 00:43:28.76\00:43:31.72 His followers to treat others as we are ourselves 00:43:31.75\00:43:35.26 would wish to be treated. 00:43:35.29\00:43:37.36 Don't hate the player, hate the games in society. 00:43:37.39\00:43:42.67 And so if you would understand 00:43:42.70\00:43:44.80 why we are picking food you would not judge, 00:43:44.83\00:43:47.52 if you would understand why some of the people praise 00:43:47.55\00:43:50.56 the they do is because you don't know 00:43:50.59\00:43:52.27 what they been through. 00:43:52.30\00:43:53.37 There is always a story behind people's glory 00:43:53.40\00:43:56.45 because they have been through something else 00:43:56.48\00:43:58.44 because God teaches me no matter 00:43:58.47\00:44:00.21 how to turn things around 00:44:00.24\00:44:01.90 all things work together to good to them 00:44:01.93\00:44:04.50 that will call according to His purpose 00:44:04.53\00:44:06.79 and who love God. 00:44:06.82\00:44:08.02 As a matter of fact, I was blessed this afternoon 00:44:08.05\00:44:10.57 as we were having lunch 00:44:10.60\00:44:11.85 I had a slice of sister Idalia's cake. 00:44:11.88\00:44:14.77 Oh, what a beautiful cake it is. 00:44:14.80\00:44:16.83 As sister Idalia was breaking down 00:44:16.86\00:44:18.86 the process of the cake and the process of the cake 00:44:18.89\00:44:21.73 was quite amazing with the eggs and the, 00:44:21.76\00:44:24.16 and the flour and all these sort of things. 00:44:24.19\00:44:26.25 I've lost her after a while 00:44:26.28\00:44:27.76 when she was talking all the ingredients 00:44:27.79\00:44:29.45 that as I sat there I thought about 00:44:29.48\00:44:31.45 all the ingredients that go into a cake. 00:44:31.48\00:44:33.86 Now if you were to eat those ingredients separately 00:44:33.89\00:44:36.80 they would not taste good, if you eat a raw egg, 00:44:36.83\00:44:39.39 if you eat flour by itself, sugar might taste good 00:44:39.42\00:44:42.39 and all these sort of things 00:44:42.42\00:44:43.65 but when you put all those things together 00:44:43.68\00:44:45.70 inside of a bowl and you mix them all around 00:44:45.73\00:44:48.68 and then you put it inside of the oven 00:44:48.71\00:44:50.62 something beautiful comes of it and all I'm trying to say 00:44:50.65\00:44:54.23 is that all the bad that's in your life, 00:44:54.26\00:44:56.50 all the negative things that's in your life, 00:44:56.53\00:44:58.82 they are isolated they may not be good 00:44:58.85\00:45:01.55 but when you put them all together. 00:45:01.58\00:45:03.27 All things work together for good to them 00:45:03.30\00:45:06.28 that love the Lord who will call 00:45:06.31\00:45:08.22 a according to his purpose. 00:45:08.25\00:45:09.89 So don't look it all things bad 00:45:09.92\00:45:11.43 as if this is something not good, 00:45:11.46\00:45:13.20 but God is going to take all that stuff 00:45:13.23\00:45:15.10 put it in the furnace of a flections 00:45:15.13\00:45:16.93 and after about a hour so you gonna have 00:45:16.96\00:45:19.16 something beautiful but it only comes out 00:45:19.19\00:45:21.28 at those bad situations and so was the disciples 00:45:21.31\00:45:24.44 were picking grain and eating it 00:45:24.47\00:45:26.26 and as it was acceptable to them 00:45:26.29\00:45:28.78 we must understand that this text brings out 00:45:28.81\00:45:31.43 some other things that there was a scarcity of food 00:45:31.46\00:45:34.36 because poor people didn't have had enough food 00:45:34.39\00:45:36.61 and here is a grain full of food 00:45:36.64\00:45:38.74 and which draws my attention to that have you ever noticed 00:45:38.77\00:45:42.45 that you could drive in some areas 00:45:42.48\00:45:44.65 and that you'll never see a whole fruits markets, 00:45:44.68\00:45:47.16 central market, sprout or trader Joes, 00:45:47.19\00:45:49.58 have you ever noted that healthy choices 00:45:49.61\00:45:51.34 are inaccessible to people in low income areas 00:45:51.37\00:45:54.87 because studies have showed that in wealthy neighborhoods 00:45:54.90\00:45:57.57 they have three times more healthy food 00:45:57.60\00:46:00.88 than they do of low income areas. 00:46:00.91\00:46:03.42 This is totally unfair, because there are bills 00:46:03.45\00:46:06.51 now on the table of congress that are trying to address 00:46:06.54\00:46:10.29 the grocery gaps in America. 00:46:10.32\00:46:12.99 That in the grocery gaps of America 00:46:13.02\00:46:15.26 that people don't have access to organic food, 00:46:15.29\00:46:18.61 to healthy food, and so to these things and so. 00:46:18.64\00:46:21.73 All we have access to is to McDonalds, 00:46:21.76\00:46:23.97 fired chicken, ribs, and liquor. 00:46:24.00\00:46:26.22 But people want healthy food as well 00:46:26.25\00:46:28.51 and so Jesus is saying "we need to change these things 00:46:28.54\00:46:31.56 that are happing in society." 00:46:31.59\00:46:33.29 Then Jesus says "I'm the Lord of the Sabbath 00:46:33.32\00:46:35.97 and because I'm Lord of the Sabbath 00:46:36.00\00:46:37.72 I can do anything that I want, 00:46:37.75\00:46:39.42 and I'm going to make sure that my boy" see 00:46:39.45\00:46:41.78 see "that I'm gonna make sure that they have what they need 00:46:41.81\00:46:44.61 because God institutes the Sabbath 00:46:44.64\00:46:46.59 not as a day for us to simply feed ourselves 00:46:46.62\00:46:49.42 but a day to feed others as well 00:46:49.45\00:46:51.55 as a day not just simply isolate ourselves 00:46:51.58\00:46:54.31 but a day to invite others to enjoy 00:46:54.34\00:46:57.03 the blessing of this wonderful day." 00:46:57.06\00:46:58.91 God says "don't spend no money on my day 00:46:58.94\00:47:01.70 because I want poor and rich people to be equally the same." 00:47:01.73\00:47:05.25 Because if God allows us to spend money 00:47:05.28\00:47:07.70 some of us would go to the restaurant 00:47:07.73\00:47:09.88 eat all the food we can eat while poor would stand outside 00:47:09.91\00:47:13.47 and wait for us to come outside and bring food. 00:47:13.50\00:47:16.30 But God says "no, nobody spending money, 00:47:16.33\00:47:18.75 my day is a day of equal opportunity, 00:47:18.78\00:47:21.60 I want all of you to be at the same level. 00:47:21.63\00:47:24.15 I want all of you to share what you have 00:47:24.18\00:47:26.36 so that we can be all in my presence." 00:47:26.39\00:47:28.37 And so God understands 00:47:28.40\00:47:30.00 that we need servers on to Sabbath, 00:47:30.03\00:47:32.33 we need people who are willing to serve 00:47:32.36\00:47:34.46 as we begin to close this thing out. 00:47:34.49\00:47:36.42 I remember when was in collage and as I was in collage 00:47:36.45\00:47:39.59 I was so-- I was so mad one day 00:47:39.62\00:47:42.24 because the internet was down, the internet was down, 00:47:42.27\00:47:45.63 the internet was down you should be irate with me, 00:47:45.66\00:47:48.35 can you believe it? 00:47:48.38\00:47:49.43 The internet was down 00:47:49.46\00:47:51.44 and so I ran over to the IT office 00:47:51.47\00:47:54.23 then I said "do you know that the internet is down?" 00:47:54.26\00:47:57.49 and the man looked at me 00:47:57.52\00:47:58.61 and he said "yes, we know that internet is down, 00:47:58.64\00:48:00.90 that's because the servers are down" 00:48:00.93\00:48:02.92 and I said "what are servers?" 00:48:02.95\00:48:04.26 He said "if the servers are down 00:48:04.29\00:48:06.35 then the printer can't work 00:48:06.38\00:48:08.01 and then the internet can't work 00:48:08.04\00:48:09.88 and everything that we need to go on cannot work, 00:48:09.91\00:48:12.73 and so that's why the internet is down." 00:48:12.76\00:48:14.71 You see, we need the servers so that other things can work 00:48:14.74\00:48:18.13 and so I walked out of that office, 00:48:18.16\00:48:19.71 with a blessing right there. 00:48:19.74\00:48:21.17 You see, when the servers in the church are down 00:48:21.20\00:48:24.20 then the homeless will stay homeless, 00:48:24.23\00:48:25.94 then the hungry will stay hungry, 00:48:25.97\00:48:27.84 then the poor will stay poor, and what we have now 00:48:27.87\00:48:30.94 the servers are down in our church 00:48:30.97\00:48:32.89 and God is calling us to be servers in this world, 00:48:32.92\00:48:36.01 God is calling us to pick up the plough 00:48:36.04\00:48:38.26 and to put our hand to it to look forward 00:48:38.29\00:48:40.65 and never turn back 00:48:40.68\00:48:42.09 because I could help somebody as I pass along, 00:48:42.12\00:48:45.19 if I could cheer somebody with the a word of song, 00:48:45.22\00:48:47.77 if I could show somebody that they're traveling wrong, 00:48:47.80\00:48:50.79 then my living shall not be in vain, 00:48:50.82\00:48:53.32 and I don't know about you 00:48:53.35\00:48:54.63 but I don't want my living to be in vain. 00:48:54.66\00:48:57.08 I want to make a lot meaning out of this life 00:48:57.11\00:48:59.78 that God has given to me. 00:48:59.81\00:49:01.14 I want to take the time that God has afforded me to give 00:49:01.17\00:49:04.48 and make sure that is meaningful 00:49:04.51\00:49:06.36 so that somebody can have a better life 00:49:06.39\00:49:08.61 because that's what we are called to do. 00:49:08.64\00:49:10.52 So make sure that others that are outside 00:49:10.55\00:49:13.18 can make it home so that somebody 00:49:13.21\00:49:15.36 could come in to the fold of Jesus Christ 00:49:15.39\00:49:18.25 as I wrap this thing up 00:49:18.28\00:49:19.73 and as I get up out of your face 00:49:19.76\00:49:21.26 and then we begin to have our appeal and our prayer. 00:49:21.29\00:49:23.82 I'm gonna close it out with sports again 00:49:23.85\00:49:25.85 because you know I told you I'm sport fanatic, 00:49:25.88\00:49:28.46 I love to watching sports. 00:49:28.49\00:49:29.91 And may people may not realize this 00:49:29.94\00:49:32.06 but I like baseball a lot. 00:49:32.09\00:49:33.65 Baseball is my favorite game. 00:49:33.68\00:49:35.53 I'm a New York Yankee fan, don't through anything at me. 00:49:35.56\00:49:38.63 All right, that's okay. 00:49:38.66\00:49:39.95 But I'm going to save this illustration. 00:49:39.98\00:49:42.41 In the game of base ball 00:49:42.44\00:49:43.98 there is what's called the sacrifice fly, 00:49:44.01\00:49:46.55 now if you watch baseball 00:49:46.58\00:49:47.83 you know what the sacrifice fly is. 00:49:47.86\00:49:49.85 The sacrifice fly is when somebody stands 00:49:49.88\00:49:52.51 in the batters box 00:49:52.54\00:49:53.91 and they hit the ball in the air 00:49:53.94\00:49:55.84 because why somebody on third base 00:49:55.87\00:49:58.44 needs to make it home. 00:49:58.47\00:49:59.94 And so what the batter says, the batter says 00:49:59.97\00:50:02.18 "I am willing to sacrifice myself 00:50:02.21\00:50:04.84 and take myself out of the game 00:50:04.87\00:50:07.53 just so that the person on third base 00:50:07.56\00:50:10.28 could make it home." 00:50:10.31\00:50:11.75 I'm gonna repeat that one more time 00:50:11.78\00:50:13.76 "the batter steps into the box, 00:50:13.79\00:50:15.80 he does not care about his percentage, 00:50:15.83\00:50:18.22 he does not care about his batting average. 00:50:18.25\00:50:20.58 He does not care anything else 00:50:20.61\00:50:22.20 but the only thing he cares about 00:50:22.23\00:50:24.05 is making sure that person on third base makes it home. 00:50:24.08\00:50:28.51 Well, if you rewind over 2,000 years ago, 00:50:28.54\00:50:31.61 there was a great sacrifice fly by a man name, Jesus Christ. 00:50:31.64\00:50:35.31 When Jesus died on the cross, 00:50:35.34\00:50:37.54 he took a "sac fly" and sacrificed himself, why? 00:50:37.57\00:50:40.79 Because he saw some people that were on third base 00:50:40.82\00:50:43.93 that need to make it home and aren't you glad that 00:50:43.96\00:50:46.71 our Father sacrificed Himself gave up His life 00:50:46.74\00:50:50.82 so that I could make it home and so all I'm saying today 00:50:50.85\00:50:54.53 is that if Jesus sacrificed some things 00:50:54.56\00:50:57.12 then I can sacrifice some things in my life 00:50:57.15\00:50:59.88 so that somebody could make it home. 00:50:59.91\00:51:02.03 Because there's a girl out there 00:51:02.06\00:51:03.89 who is struggling with some issues 00:51:03.92\00:51:07.33 and she needs to make it home. 00:51:07.36\00:51:09.04 There is a young man, who is struggling 00:51:09.07\00:51:11.80 with identity issues 00:51:11.83\00:51:13.49 and he is depressed and he is hurting. 00:51:13.52\00:51:15.97 He's on third base, he needs to make it home. 00:51:16.00\00:51:18.78 There is a family out there 00:51:18.81\00:51:20.48 that does not have a meal to eat 00:51:20.51\00:51:22.41 and when they come to church that's the best meal 00:51:22.44\00:51:24.77 that they will get all week but they are on third base, 00:51:24.80\00:51:27.99 they need to make it home. 00:51:28.02\00:51:29.51 It depended upon us that we sacrifice what we have, 00:51:29.54\00:51:33.24 that we say "Lord, I give myself away. 00:51:33.27\00:51:36.02 I give myself away so that You can used, 00:51:36.05\00:51:39.20 take me, mold me, fashion me, 00:51:39.23\00:51:41.54 and shape me into what you intended for me to be 00:51:41.57\00:51:44.67 because I don't want my living to be in vain 00:51:44.70\00:51:47.28 and if that means getting arrested 00:51:47.31\00:51:49.02 so some people can it home then put the hand cuffs on me, 00:51:49.05\00:51:52.49 if that means taking a bullet so somebody could make it home, 00:51:52.52\00:51:56.03 then let me take the bullets, if that means me losing my job, 00:51:56.06\00:52:00.09 so somebody can make it home then let me lose my Job." 00:52:00.12\00:52:03.70 Because in the end when Jesus comes back, 00:52:03.73\00:52:06.28 I just want to hear those words, 00:52:06.31\00:52:07.94 "well done, thou good and faithful servant." 00:52:07.97\00:52:10.68 And to now into joy of the Lord that's why I'm here, 00:52:10.71\00:52:14.66 that's what I'm doing, and so my Sabbath, 00:52:14.69\00:52:17.23 is not simply a Sabbath that I'm gonna use for myself 00:52:17.26\00:52:20.55 but I'll pray that my Sabbath would change 00:52:20.58\00:52:22.81 that I would feed some people that are hungry 00:52:22.84\00:52:25.11 that I would go visit some people that are sick. 00:52:25.14\00:52:27.75 That I would go and hold the hands of some people, 00:52:27.78\00:52:30.63 who have never seen or know anything about our God 00:52:30.66\00:52:33.34 but I would take the church from this location 00:52:33.37\00:52:36.08 because at the end of the day 00:52:36.11\00:52:37.30 some folk won't come into our church 00:52:37.33\00:52:39.31 then it's our responsibility to take the church to them. 00:52:39.34\00:52:42.85 And so If that mean breaking up that piano and rolling it down 00:52:42.88\00:52:46.69 to West Frankfurt, we going out it down 00:52:46.72\00:52:48.60 at West Frankfurt and the parking lot of CVS 00:52:48.63\00:52:51.49 and we're going to have a good old time in CVS parking lot 00:52:51.52\00:52:55.13 and bring some folk home that are on third base. 00:52:55.16\00:52:58.19 Do I have a witness out there, 00:52:58.22\00:52:59.86 is there anybody that wants to bring somebody 00:52:59.89\00:53:01.80 to third base, do you realize that 00:53:01.83\00:53:04.01 if it was not for Jesus Christ, 00:53:04.04\00:53:05.95 if it was not for that person that handed you a track, 00:53:05.98\00:53:08.86 if it was not for that person that opened up a door for you, 00:53:08.89\00:53:11.86 you would probably still be on third base right now 00:53:11.89\00:53:14.77 but right now you are home and If you're home 00:53:14.80\00:53:17.17 then do the same thing for somebody else 00:53:17.20\00:53:19.45 because at the end of the day, that's what we are called to do 00:53:19.48\00:53:22.61 to bring people home. 00:53:22.64\00:53:24.67 And so I thank God for this text, 00:53:24.70\00:53:27.03 I thank god for this in indictment, 00:53:27.06\00:53:28.94 I thank God that he wrote this text 00:53:28.97\00:53:30.89 because I had to ask myself 00:53:30.92\00:53:33.42 how am I representing the Sabbath? 00:53:33.45\00:53:36.67 Am I just like the Jews who have created these laws, 00:53:36.70\00:53:40.32 rules, and regulations and made up 00:53:40.35\00:53:42.96 this little world to protect myself on this day 00:53:42.99\00:53:46.78 but I have to realize that the God that I serve 00:53:46.81\00:53:50.31 did more work outside of the church 00:53:50.34\00:53:53.36 then inside of the church. 00:53:53.39\00:53:55.47 When you study Jesus, Jesus spent most of His time 00:53:55.50\00:53:58.73 in the community than in the Synagogue. 00:53:58.76\00:54:01.60 As a matter of fact, when you read in Luke, 00:54:01.63\00:54:03.56 he got up to read his first sermon 00:54:03.59\00:54:05.88 was "I've come to heal the broken hearted 00:54:05.91\00:54:07.87 and setting the captives free" 00:54:07.90\00:54:09.20 and right after he read that sermon 00:54:09.23\00:54:11.62 they kicked him out of the church. 00:54:11.65\00:54:13.07 They kicked him out the Synagogue 00:54:13.10\00:54:14.49 and Jesus said you know what? 00:54:14.52\00:54:15.87 "Keep your Synagogue, 00:54:15.90\00:54:17.12 I'm going to minister in the community." 00:54:17.15\00:54:19.64 Most of the healing as a matter of fact 00:54:19.67\00:54:21.62 if not all were out in the community. 00:54:21.65\00:54:24.44 I'm most like Christ when I'm serving people. 00:54:24.47\00:54:29.79 It's not when I'm not sinning, 00:54:29.82\00:54:31.87 it's not when I'm coding text, 00:54:31.90\00:54:34.07 It's not when I'm memorizing this or doing that. 00:54:34.10\00:54:37.14 I'm most like Christ, when I serve people. 00:54:37.17\00:54:41.19 That's becoming Christ like, self sacrifice. 00:54:41.22\00:54:45.42 One of the hardest things for us to do 00:54:45.45\00:54:48.07 is to give up our will to do what we want to. 00:54:48.10\00:54:52.72 To wave our rights to have everything 00:54:52.75\00:54:56.30 and Jesus saying you become more than a conqueror, 00:54:56.33\00:54:59.85 now love this that this text more than a conqueror, 00:54:59.88\00:55:02.67 he just nailing all these things 00:55:02.70\00:55:03.77 you are more than conquerors to Him that love you first. 00:55:03.80\00:55:06.60 The word says "in order to be a conqueror 00:55:06.63\00:55:09.98 you must pillage communities knockdown kings, 00:55:10.01\00:55:14.79 and you must win wars, but in Jesus equation 00:55:14.82\00:55:18.85 the conqueror is the person who surrenders. 00:55:18.88\00:55:22.98 You see in the world surrendering is weakness 00:55:23.01\00:55:27.12 but in Jesus surrendering is greatness. 00:55:27.15\00:55:30.67 This is that's when you become more than a conqueror, 00:55:30.70\00:55:33.14 in this world when you apply for a job 00:55:33.17\00:55:35.63 they asks you what your strengths are? 00:55:35.66\00:55:37.67 And they say what can you do for us? 00:55:37.70\00:55:40.02 And then they may be ask you what are you weaknesses are? 00:55:40.05\00:55:43.10 And then ask you that because they want to know 00:55:43.13\00:55:44.67 if you'll be liability to our company 00:55:44.70\00:55:47.06 and based on your weaknesses they'll determine whether 00:55:47.09\00:55:49.67 or not you should be hired for the job. 00:55:49.70\00:55:52.06 When you walk into God's interview room, 00:55:52.09\00:55:54.47 God ask you what your strengths are? 00:55:54.50\00:55:56.53 And then He says "you know what? 00:55:56.56\00:55:57.59 I don't really care about that." 00:55:57.62\00:55:59.11 He says "what are your weaknesses?" 00:55:59.14\00:56:00.73 And then when God looks at the amount 00:56:00.76\00:56:01.92 of weaknesses you have 00:56:01.95\00:56:03.12 and if your weaknesses outweigh your strengths, 00:56:03.15\00:56:05.30 God says "you are over qualified 00:56:05.33\00:56:07.42 for this job come in work for me 00:56:07.45\00:56:09.28 because I took a stutter name Moses 00:56:09.31\00:56:11.51 and I used him to free the people of Israel. 00:56:11.54\00:56:13.81 I took 12 people who were fisherman uneducated, 00:56:13.84\00:56:17.26 a tax collector, they dregs of society, 00:56:17.29\00:56:20.16 and I use them to turn this world around." 00:56:20.19\00:56:22.70 You see it's your weakness that Paul says 00:56:22.73\00:56:25.20 that's when I made strong. 00:56:25.23\00:56:28.12 So that's God's world that we need to get in. 00:56:28.15\00:56:32.04 We have a desire to control and to be in charge, 00:56:32.07\00:56:35.28 but God says surrender 00:56:35.31\00:56:36.93 and watch me do great things inside of you. 00:56:36.96\00:56:39.24 Let's pray. 00:56:39.27\00:56:40.37 God almighty, we thank You so much 00:56:40.40\00:56:43.98 that by surrendering to You we can do amazing things, 00:56:44.01\00:56:47.52 help us Lord to remember, 00:56:47.55\00:56:49.44 that You are Lord of the Sabbath, 00:56:49.47\00:56:51.42 and You call us to use the Sabbath day 00:56:51.45\00:56:53.31 to invite others to enjoy it. 00:56:53.34\00:56:55.50 Because you want us to rest, 00:56:55.53\00:56:57.64 Pharaoh had to children of Israel working continently 00:56:57.67\00:57:00.82 and after You delivered them, You told them, 00:57:00.85\00:57:02.76 You reminded them to rest, so Lord we will rest in You, 00:57:02.79\00:57:07.44 but we know this rest is not a rest from witnessing 00:57:07.47\00:57:10.30 in a rest from delivering people form shackles. 00:57:10.33\00:57:13.69 So God almighty, we pray that 00:57:13.72\00:57:15.55 we would use our rest to energize us, 00:57:15.58\00:57:17.89 so that other people can enjoy your rest as well to see them, 00:57:17.92\00:57:21.39 to hug them, to hold them, to serve them 00:57:21.42\00:57:24.33 so that we can consider you can be glorify, 00:57:24.36\00:57:26.65 we thank you Lord for everything 00:57:26.68\00:57:28.42 and this we pray in Your name Jesus Christ, amen. 00:57:28.45\00:57:31.43