The Love of God
Assoc. Pastor Chris Wilson Preached on 11/23/2025John 3:1-17
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40:47
Summary
Assoc. Pastor Chris Wilson explores the depths of God's love through the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, challenging believers to move beyond superficial worship and prove their love through obedience and the new birth.
Key points
- •True love for God is defined by obedience to His commandments, not just emotional expression or empty promises.
- •The plan of salvation requires being born again of the water and the Spirit to see and enter the Kingdom of God.
- •Jesus Christ is the manifestation of the invisible Spirit of God in the flesh, stepping into humanity to redeem us.
- •Grace is a temporary extension of time intended for repentance; it is not a license to ignore God's laws, as judgment will eventually follow.
- •Leadership in the church carries a weightier responsibility, requiring a deeper love for Christ to feed and tend His sheep regardless of the personal cost.
Scripture
Love
Salvation
Obedience
Holy Spirit
Discipleship
Life application
Reflect on your obedience to the Ten Commandments this week, identifying one specific area - such as how you honor your parents or speak of others - where you can more fully demonstrate your love for God through action.
Reflection questions
- When was the last time you 'rolled back the curtains' to remember where God brought you from?
- In what ways are you tempted to rely on 'grace' as an excuse for disobedience rather than a space for repentance?
- Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him 'more than these.' What are the 'these' in your life that compete for your primary affection?
- How does the reality that Jesus is the invisible God made manifest change your understanding of His sacrifice?
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Full transcript
0:00and it's best known [music] sung by a
0:00man by the name of George Beverly.
0:00As I said this morning, that song
0:02inspired me a few weeks ago.
0:08to preach what I'm about to preach this
0:09morning.
0:12The power of God is moving [music] this
0:14morning.
0:17We're just going to let it work. We're
0:19just going to let it work. Father, in
0:20your precious name, we thank you for
0:21your presence that we feel.
0:24We thank you for your touch this
0:26morning.
0:27We thank you for that reminder, Lord
0:29God, of who you are and the role that
0:32you play in our lives. We we just give
0:34you worship. We give you praise this
0:36morning for everything that you've done
0:37for us.
0:39It has not been easy, God,
0:43but you supply [music] us every need,
0:45Lord God. You've been with us. Give us
0:47comfort and peace.
0:50And this morning, we just want to say
0:51thanks
0:53in Jesus name. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
0:57[snorts]
0:58Thank the Lord Jesus for this
1:00opportunity
1:02and for our leadership. Can we can we
1:04just give a hand to our [music] pastor
1:05and his wife, please? Just give a hand
1:07to them.
1:10Amen.
1:14Surely they've been through a lot this
1:15this year as well. Amen. If you have
1:18your Bibles, would you turn with me
1:19[music] to John chapter 3 verse one? And
1:21I think it's going to be presented as
1:23well on the screen.
1:26St. John chapter 3. We'll start at verse
1:291-1 17. And you may you may be seated if
1:32you want to. reading for a little bit.
1:35And the Bible says, "There was a man of
1:37the Pharisees, but named Nicodemus, the
1:39ruler of the Jews. The same came to
1:42Jesus by night and said unto him, Rabbi,
1:45we know that thou are a teacher come
1:46from God. For no man can do the miracles
1:50that thou hast thou doest, except God be
1:53with him."
1:55Jesus answered and said unto him,
1:57"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except
1:59a man is born again, he cannot see the
2:03kingdom of God." Nicodemus saith unto
2:06him, "How can a man be born when he is
2:08old? Can he enter the second time in his
2:10mother's womb and be born?"
2:13Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say
2:14unto thee, except a man is born of the
2:17water and of the spirit, he cannot enter
2:20the kingdom of God. That which is born
2:22of flesh is flesh, that which is born of
2:24the spirit. Marvel not that I say unto
2:27thee, you must be born again. The wind
2:30bloweth where it listen, and thou
2:31hearest the sound of, but cannot tell
2:34whence it come and whether it goeth. So
2:37is everyone that is born of the spirit.
2:40Nicodemus answered and said unto him,
2:41How can these things be? Jesus answered
2:44and said unto him, thou art thou a
2:46master of Israel and knowest not these
2:48things? Verily verily I say unto thee,
2:50we speak that we do know and testify
2:52that we have seen and receive you
2:53receive not our witness. If I have told
2:56you earthly things, you believe not. How
2:59shall you believe if I tell you heavenly
3:01things and no man heavenly things? And
3:04no man has ascended up to heaven but he
3:06that came down from heaven, even the son
3:08of man which is in heaven. And as Moses
3:11lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
3:13even so must the son of man be lifted
3:15up. that whosoever everybody say
3:18whosoever.
3:19>> Whosoever believeth in him should not
3:22perish but have everlasting life. For
3:26God so loved
3:29the world that he gave his only begotten
3:32son that whosoever believeth in him
3:35should not perish but have everlasting
3:39life. For God sent not his son into the
3:41world to condemn the world, but that the
3:44world through him might be saved.
3:46Father, we thank you for your move.
3:48Bless the word that we're about to speak
3:50to your people. Use us mightily and we
3:52carefully give you praise, glory, and
3:54honor for only you are worthy. In Jesus
3:56name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
4:01As we examine
4:03this scripture this morning, I'd like to
4:05focus our attention on the love of God.
4:09The love
4:11of God. As we read through uh John
4:16chapter 1 verse through 17, we must
4:19understand the context in which it it is
4:21uh presented. And that's why I read the
4:24entire scripture because sometimes we
4:26just focus on 16. For God so loved the
4:29world. But if you don't start at verse
4:31one, you won't get the plan of
4:32salvation.
4:36And the whole word, everybody say the
4:39whole word. Line upon line, precept upon
4:41precept, here a little, there a little.
4:43The whole word is what we need to eat.
4:44We need to eat the whole loaf, not just
4:46a piece of it. We want more than crumbs.
4:49Amen. Hallelujah. We want the whole
4:52loaf. Amen. So this discussion is
4:54happening between Jesus and the
4:55Pharisees. a Pharisee of Pharisees named
4:58Nicodemus who was a ruler. Amen. And was
5:02present when Jesus was calling out the
5:04other Pharisees for being hypocrites,
5:08whitewashed sepulas. But then later on
5:11that night, he went by himself,
5:14presented himself to the Lord of glory,
5:16and call him Rabbi, teacher. Amen. And
5:19he said TO HIM, LISTEN, THOU ART A
5:22TEACHER come from God because no man has
5:24done the things that you have done.
5:26We've seen a lot of teachers, but none
5:28of them have have opened blind eyes and
5:30and opened deaf ears. No, none of them
5:32have done it because you are special.
5:35Jesus stopped him in his tracks because
5:37he knew when knows when somebody's
5:39trying to butter him up
5:42and he knew the reason he came. So he
5:45spoke to the issue at heart AND SAID
5:48EXCEPT A man
5:50be born again you cannot see the kingdom
5:53of God or believe in it. The the
5:56scripture uh goes into more detail as
5:59Jesus goes into more detail explaining
6:01explaining to Nicodemus the plan of
6:04salvation because initially Nicodemus
6:06was seeing in the flesh. Everybody say
6:08the flesh.
6:10That which is born of flesh is flesh.
6:12That which is born of spirit is spirit.
6:14In order for you to see into the spirit
6:17realm, into God's realm where he reigns,
6:19you need the spirit. Amen. That's why
6:22there's so much confusion about the
6:23Bible today. Everybody seems to be
6:25reading the same book. But this is not a
6:27periodical. It's not a journal. It's the
6:29living word of God. And because it's the
6:32living word of God, YOU NEED THE SPIRIT
6:33OF GOD TO HELP YOU TO INTERPRET the word
6:36of God. So that's why God is so
6:39impressed upon Nicodemus to go through
6:43the process of being born again. Amen.
6:47So in order for us to understand this
6:50message in totality, you must understand
6:52who God is.
6:55Talk to your neighbor and say, "You know
6:56who God is?"
7:04GOD IS A SPIRIT. AND THEY THAT WORSHIP
7:07HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT
7:11and in truth. You can't worship him in
7:13an eye. You got to worship him in truth.
7:16>> And because he's a spirit, he doesn't
7:18need ears to hear. He doesn't NEED FEET
7:20TO WALK. HE DOESN'T NEED EYES TO SEE.
7:23BECAUSE HE'S A SPIRIT. EVERYBODY SAY
7:25SPIRIT.
7:26>> THE BIBLE SAYS IN GENESIS THAT GOD'S
7:28VOICE WALKS.
7:33>> HIS VOICE WALKS. HE DOESN'T NEED LEGS TO
7:35WALK. HIS VOICE WALKED.
7:39>> AND BECAUSE HE'S A SPIRIT, HE CAN BE
7:42EVERYWHERE AT THE SAME TIME. HE'S
7:43OMNIRESENT.
7:46>> He's omnisient. He knows everything
7:49>> and he's omnipotent. He has ALL POWER.
7:52>> SO MY GOD WHO'S A SPIRIT HAD A PLAN IN
7:55HIS MIND FROM THE BEGINNING. IN THE
7:56BEGINNING WAS THE word
7:59>> and the word was with GOD
8:01>> AND THE WORD GOD WAS WITH WAS WAS GOD
8:03and the word BECAME FLESH I'M IN THE
8:07BOOK
8:08>> AND DWELT AMONG US AND WE BE his glory
8:12as of the only begott of the son. SO THE
8:15SPIRIT OF GOD WHICH WAS INVISIBLE
8:17EVERYBODY say invisible can't see. Amen.
8:20You can't see him because he's
8:22invisible. In his natural state, HE PUT
8:25ON FLESH. EVERYBODY SAY, "PUT ON."
8:31>> STEP DOWN FROM GLORY WITHOUT STEPPING
8:33DOWN FROM GLORY.
8:39>> BECAUSE WHEN GOD LEAVES HIS FEET, NOBODY
8:41CAN TAKE IT.
8:43>> NOBODY CAN take it.
8:45>> Because he leaves it without LEAVING IT
8:47BECAUSE HIS ARM IS NOT SHORT.
8:51TO WHOM IS THE ARM OF THE LORD REVEALED?
8:54HE SHALL GROW UP as a tender plant, A
8:55ROOT OUT OF DRY GROUND. WE TALKING ABOUT
8:57JESUS.
8:59>> HE'S THE RIGHT ARM.
9:02>> THE PLACE of authority with God.
9:04>> Jesus is his arm.
9:06>> Tell your neighbor, Jesus is his arm.
9:11>> So God was manifested in flesh, came and
9:13dwelt among us, and we know him as JESUS
9:15CHRIST, THE FATHER IN CHRIST.
9:19HE WAS a spirit
9:21>> that became flesh that dwelt AMONG US.
9:23THIS GOD IS THE SAME GOD. EVERYBODY SAY,
9:25"SAME GOD."
9:27>> SAME GOD THAT SPUN THE WORLD INTO
9:29EXISTENCE
9:31>> THROUGH THE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE. AND
9:34THEY'RE STILL FINDING STAR
9:40TWO TRILLION AND STILL GOING.
9:43MY GOD, JUST FOR US TO LOOK AT
9:49>> THE HEAVENS DECLARE HIS GLORY.
9:54>> HE HUNG THE WORLD AND NOTHING AND SPUN
9:56IT AND IT'S STILL SPINNING.
9:58>> AND IF IT STOPS SPINNING, WE FLOAT OFF.
10:01>> If it move a little bit to the right, we
10:03freeze. If we move a little bit TO THE
10:05LEFT, WE BURN UP. WHAT A GOD.
10:14HE CONTROLS THE WINDS AND THE WAVES.
10:17NOTHING IS OUTSIDE OF HIS POWER.
10:20>> EVEN THE ENEMY have to bow.
10:25>> There's no battle between the devil and
10:27God. God reigns supreme. The devil
10:29serves God.
10:40GOD [screaming] IS GOD ALL BY HIMSELF.
10:42HE DON'T NEED NO HELP.
10:47>> He counsels after his own will.
10:51Hallelujah.
10:52>> SO GOD WHO IS A SPIRIT became his son
10:59>> BECAUSE THERE'S NO MOTHER GOD IN heaven
11:02for him to have relationship with and
11:04have a child.
11:11>> SO IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME GOD BECAME I
11:15CAN'T GET ANYBODY UP IN HERE TO DO LIKE
11:17I WON'T DO IT. SO I'M GOING HAVE TO DO
11:19IT MYSELF.
11:26>> ROBBED HIMSELF [screaming] IN FLESH.
11:28STEPPED OFF THE THRONE WITHOUT LEAVING
11:29THE THRONE.
11:31>> CAME ON EARTH IN IN THE FORM OF A MAN.
11:35SPOKE TO THE NATURE AND NATURE KNEW WHO
11:38HE WAS.
11:45>> NOTHING WAS OUTSIDE OF HIS POWER. HE
11:47WALKED ON THE OCEAN.
11:50>> He gave gravity a break.
11:58>> EVERY MIRACLE THAT JESUS DID WAS FOR A
12:00REASON.
12:02EVERY MIRACLE THE BIBLE SAYS HE SPOT ON
12:04THE DIRT.
12:06>> Everybody say spit.
12:13>> What a funny way to heal somebody. But
12:16he has a reason for it. [screaming]
12:20HE MOLDED THAT MAN SOME CLAY AND PUT IT
12:23ON HIS EYES.
12:25And the man CAME OUT SEEING MORE THAN
12:282020
12:29because he saw stuff he shouldn't see.
12:32God had to dial him back a little bit.
12:34Let me dial you back to 2020. You
12:36shouldn't be seeing no angels. LET ME
12:38DIAL IT BACK A LITTLE BIT
12:45>> BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS HE FORMED MAN OUT
12:47OF THE DUSTY GROUND. [screaming]
12:52>> Every miracle that Jesus did declared he
12:54was God. HE IS GOD BY HIMSELF.
12:56[screaming]
12:58>> HE'S NOT THE SECOND PERSON in anybody's
12:59trinity.
13:01>> He's God all by himself.
13:04FATHER IN CREATION, SON IN REDEMPTION
13:07AND HOLY GHOST IN THE CHURCH.
13:10>> Same God. Turn to your neighbor, say,
13:12"Same God."
13:14>> Same God.
13:16>> Same God.
13:18>> SO THIS GOD WHO MANIFESTED him fle
13:21himself in flesh had a conversation with
13:24Nicodemus
13:25explaining to him how he can get into
13:28heaven. AND IF GOD IS TELLING YOU HOW to
13:31get into heaven, you better believe him.
13:37>> IF GOD IS TELLING YOU, you better
13:40believe him.
13:41>> Amen. So he goes on to have the
13:43conversation with Nicodemus.
13:45[snorts] But then later on in the
13:47scripture that we get so some people get
13:49so happy about, it says, "For God so
13:52loved the world
13:54that he gave his only begotten son. I
13:58know you know he didn't have a baby up
13:59there
14:01but he became the begotten
14:04in Genesis says he the ram was caught in
14:06the thicket amen THAT GOD PREPARED
14:09HIMSELF A lamb
14:17believeth for God so loved the world he
14:19gave his so whosoever believeth in him
14:22should not perish but have everlasting
14:25life I couldn't help but take myself
14:28back a little bit to when I was outside
14:32the church. You see, I didn't grow up in
14:33the church.
14:35I'm I'm a first generation apostolic
14:38Pentecostal. I used to be a Methodist.
14:40Used to go up the street right there to
14:41Methodist Norland Methodist Church.
14:43That's where I used to go right up
14:45there. BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, I remember
14:48as a little child around 8 years old or
14:50so, I f I saw my first film about Jesus
14:55and I saw them taking this man. Now, you
14:58have to understand I'm coming from a
14:598-year-old background with not a lot of
15:01churchy experience, right? And I see
15:04this man and I see see them brutally
15:07hurting him,
15:11whipping him.
15:14and all the man did was good.
15:17I couldn't fathom in my little mind
15:21why they were treating this man this
15:22way.
15:26So when I saw them put those spikes in
15:29his hand and in his feet, I had to query
15:33to my mother,
15:35what did this man do
15:39to deserve this?
15:43AND THEN I THINK ABOUT IT now
15:47that Jesus
15:49looked in time.
15:54>> SAW ME BEFORE [screaming] I KNEW HIM.
15:58>> BEFORE HE FORMED ME, HE SAW ME
16:02>> AND CREATED A PLAN [screaming] FOR US TO
16:05BE REDEEMED BACK TO HIM.
16:07>> MY HEART SINKS.
16:13THE LOVE OF GOD.
16:21>> As I look back at my life and see the
16:23challenges and things that have come my
16:25way,
16:27having a brother that was stabbed 17
16:29times,
16:31murdered. Y'all don't know those. Some
16:34of you don't.
16:35murdered in Jamaica, stabbed 17 times,
16:41and his wife was tortured before she was
16:44killed.
16:46Just because people are presenting the
16:49gospel, you think they don't go through
16:51nothing.
16:58BUT WHEN I CONSIDER ALL THOSE SEASONS
17:00THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH
17:03AND I REMEMBER, TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR,
17:05SAY, I REMEMBER.
17:08>> I REMEMBER THE DAY THAT JESUS FOUND ME.
17:14>> I DIDN'T FIND HIM BECAUSE HE WAS NEVER
17:16LOST.
17:18BUT HE FOUND me
17:22when I didn't know him.
17:24He touched ME IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T
17:25EVEN UNDERSTAND. AND I started to seek
17:28him.
17:31Do you remember when you sought him?
17:35Do you remember when he TOUCHED YOU?
17:39DO YOU REMEMBER [screaming] THE FIRST
17:41TIME HE SPOKE TO YOUR HEART?
17:48>> DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU FELL?
17:55DO YOU REMEMBER REPENTING BEFORE HIM?
17:59>> Do you remember coming to an altar of
18:03prayer? DO YOU REMEMBER BEING BAPTIZED
18:07in the name of Jesus Christ for the
18:10remission OF YOUR SINS? DO [screaming]
18:12YOU REMEMBER RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST?
18:24FOR GOD. [screaming]
18:26SO love
18:34>> some of us has gotten too old.
18:37>> We got things too together now.
18:39>> But we need to go back and remember.
18:42Remember
18:46Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Remember
18:50that I'm human
18:53and humans
18:55forget.
18:57>> So remind me,
18:59remind me. ROLL [screaming] BACK the
19:03curtains.
19:08SHOW ME WHERE YOU BROUGHT ME FROM AND
19:12where
19:14I could have been. Remember I'm human
19:18and humans.
19:21>> So remind me.
19:29>> Hallelujah.
19:31I remember
19:33the bumps and bruises. I remember. I
19:36remember. I REMEMBER. I REMEMBER the
19:38scars.
19:40>> Because when you get wounded, you carry
19:41some scars.
19:43I remember. I remember. I remember being
19:45a young PERSON AND TRYING TO NAVIGATE
19:48BEING A YOUNG PERSON SAVED AND
19:50SANCTIFIED. I remember it wasn't easy.
19:57I think we all need to remember the love
19:59of God.
20:03His mercy and his grace that watched
20:05over us up TO THIS TIME.
20:09SO THE QUESTION I HAVE IN MY MIND as I
20:12was studying
20:14the scripture [snorts]
20:19I arrived to this point.
20:22IT'S REALLY NOT THE LOVE OF GOD THAT WE
20:24HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.
20:30THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS NOT
20:32HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US.
20:35IT'S HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM.
20:44And we have to define love.
20:46We have to define it.
20:49So Jesus says it this way. [snorts]
20:52If you love me,
20:59>> I don't need you wishywashy responses.
21:04I don't need YOUR EMPTY PROMISES.
21:08I DON'T NEED ALL THAT FLUFFY STUFF. KEEP
21:11YOUR ROSES.
21:14If you love me,
21:18keep my commandments.
21:21There was a rich man who came to Jesus
21:26AND THE BIBLE SAYS when he said he kept
21:30him, Jesus turned to him and Bible says
21:33he loved him.
21:36But if you say you love Jesus, he going
21:38to test you.
21:48Sell all you have [screaming]
21:51and you will have treasure in heaven.
21:54Come and FOLLOW ME. AND THE BIBLE SAYS
21:57HE LOOKED AT HIS STOREHOUSE
22:01AND SAW THEY HAD MANY THINGS ON THIS
22:03earth
22:04[snorts]
22:05and walked away sorrowful.
22:09And Jesus responded to the disciple,
22:11"It's more difficult for a rich man to
22:14enter the kingdom of heaven
22:18than a camel to pass through the eye of
22:19the needle.
22:25IF YOU SAY YOU LOVE GOD, HE'S going to
22:28test you.
22:31[snorts] He says, "Keep my commandments
22:33and he's going to give you the
22:35opportunity
22:36to see if you're really going to keep
22:38them."
22:41Jesus, he that hath my commandments and
22:46keepeth them, he is that that loveth me,
22:51and he that loveth me shall be loved of
22:53my father, and I will love him, and will
22:56manifi manifest myself to him.
23:03What are the commandments of God?
23:07We go back to the 10.
23:10Now we're all aware that we're living in
23:12a grace time period. Is everybody
23:15familiar with living in grace?
23:18I used to work at a electric company.
23:23And people often called to get an
23:26extension on that big fat electric bill.
23:36Sometimes they had the money and they
23:37just didn't want to spend it.
23:40But they often called for an extension
23:42because they didn't have the funds.
23:46So as a customer service rep, you were
23:47allowed to give extensions depending on
23:50the person's history if it's the first
23:52time they have one or not because it may
23:55have been multiple times and they broke
23:56them the promise and they wouldn't be
23:59able to get one. But if you then could
24:01they give you an extension.
24:03AN EXTENSION ALLOWS YOU
24:06TIME. EVERYBODY SAY TIME.
24:09TIME TO PAY
24:12FOR THE BILL THAT YOU'RE OWED THAT YOU
24:14OWE. Are you understanding what I'm
24:15saying?
24:17GRACE IS A SPACE OF TIME.
24:30AT SOME POINT, IT'S GOING TO COME TO AN
24:32END.
24:35And then the time of judgment shall
24:37come. Am
24:41I in the book?
24:44>> SO JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE LIVING IN GRACE
24:47does not mean that you don't need to
24:49commit keep the commandments
24:51because you're racking up a bill
24:58AND AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
25:00TO PAY. [screaming]
25:02THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. BUT THE GIFT
25:06OF GOD.
25:10So you go on with your grace.
25:13Don't take the grace of God lightly.
25:17Repent
25:19while you still can. Let's talk about
25:21those ten commandments because sometime
25:22we need to just go back. Go back. Go
25:24back. Number one, YOU SHALL HAVE NO
25:27OTHER GODS before me.
25:31>> Don't put anything before God. Don't put
25:34children before God. Don't put family
25:36before God. Don't put church before God.
25:44Don't put your child before God. Don't
25:46put your title before God.
25:50Don't put your STATUS BEFORE GOD.
25:53>> YOU WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE
25:54[screaming] ME.
25:57You shall not make unto yourself any
26:01grave or carved image. and bow down to
26:04it. I don't care if it look like Jesus.
26:11>> I don't care if it look like the mother
26:12of Mary, Mary, the mother of Jesus. I
26:15don't care if it look like a saint. And
26:18I don't care if you if you're doing some
26:19other stuff and throwing bones and
26:21crystals down. I don't know why I went
26:23there, but somebody need to hear it.
26:28>> No graven image.
26:35You shall not take the name of the Lord
26:38in vain.
26:40>> I know they use it in language and just
26:41throw it around like that, but the name
26:43of Jesus is all powerful.
26:45At the name of Jesus, every knee shall
26:50>> and every tongue shall confess.
26:53>> Demons tremor.
26:58>> Don't take it lightly. Don't take it in
27:00vain.
27:02Remember the Sabbath day to keep it
27:06holy.
27:07It's not for you to make the day of God,
27:12but it's for you to rest. Turn to your
27:14neighbor and say, "You need to rest."
27:16You can't work seven days and wonder why
27:19you're tired.
27:23You can't work seven days and wonder you
27:25have high blood pressure.
27:27You walk here, work seven days and
27:29wonder WHY YOU'RE SICK. YOU MUST REST.
27:39>> HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR mother that
27:43your days
27:45may be long upon the land which the Lord
27:47your God is GIVING YOU. YOUR FATHER AND
27:51YOUR MOTHER LIVE LONGER THAN YOU.
27:55I know I just said something profound,
27:58but they were once a child and now
28:00they're not a child. So, they went
28:02through the same stuff that you're going
28:04through.
28:05Even though they don't tell you, they've
28:08been there already. They got the t-shirt
28:11already. They know exactly where you're
28:13going. They know exactly what you're up
28:14to. You think you're smart, but they're
28:17smarter THAN YOU BECAUSE THEY DID WORSE
28:20than you.
28:29That's why THEY CAN LOOK THE OPPOSITE
28:31WAY AND KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
28:38HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER AND
28:40YOU WILL LIVE long because you won't
28:42step into the bear trap because they'll
28:44tell you there's a bear trap there.
28:48YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER.
28:53THOU SHALL NOT KILL. IT'S not talking
28:56about the chicken,
29:01not the roach and not the ants.
29:05HUMAN BEINGS, YOU SHALL [screaming] NOT
29:08MURDER. TAKE THE LIFE OF THE INNOCENT.
29:12THIS IS not political.
29:17I feel the Holy Ghost.
29:19This is NOT A POLITICAL THING. THOU
29:22[screaming] SHALT NOT MURDER.
29:25>> That's where God stands on the issue.
29:28Independent, Republican, or Democrat,
29:31that's where God stands on the issue. If
29:33you love me,
29:39YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
29:43ANY RELATIONSHIP, SEXUAL relationship
29:46outside of marriage is adultery.
29:50And marriage is defined by a man and a
29:53woman coming together.
29:57>> Thank you, pastor.
29:59BECAUSE WHEN GOD DESIGNED YOU, HE
30:02DESIGNED YOU A MAN OR A WOMAN, AND
30:05THERE'S NOTHING YOU YOU CAN DO to change
30:07it
30:08>> because it's in your jeans. And I'm not
30:10talking about Levis's. It's in your DNA.
30:25>> YOU SHALL [screaming] NOT STEAL.
30:32>> I don't care how much you think you're
30:33getting over in the government.
30:38Getting quiet up in here.
30:42IF IT DON'T BELONG TO YOU,
30:47>> leave it alone.
30:55YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST
30:57YOUR NEIGHBOR. IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT'S
31:00TRUE, SHUT UP.
31:06>> Am I in a book?
31:11You shall not coveret your neighbor's
31:12house,
31:15your neighbor's wife,
31:17HIS MALE SERVANT, HIS FEMALE SERVANT,
31:20HIS AXE, HIS DONKEY, HIS ROLLS-ROYCE,
31:22HIS MERCEDES BENZ,
31:27red bottom shoes,
31:32NOR ANYTHING THAT IS YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOU
31:34SHALL NOT COVER IT.
31:43Sometimes we just need to go back and
31:46remind ourselves
31:48how we prove our love to God.
31:53It's not when you come up to the church
31:54and you start worshiping and oh Lord I
31:57love you.
31:59is when the rubber meets the road.
32:04>> And you have the opportunity to sin
32:07and you turn away from sin.
32:11He says, "Then are you a servants? Then
32:13you show you love me."
32:16It's how much you obey his commandments.
32:18Now
32:22John 21:15 says this.
32:26So when they had eaten breakfast,
32:30Jesus said to Simon,
32:33"Simon Peter,
32:35son of Jonah,
32:38do you love me
32:41more than these?"
32:47Simon received the keys from Jesus
32:49Christ.
32:51So he is being elevated to be the leader
32:54of the group. Is everybody with me?
32:58Because of the revelation that they
33:00received from God, he now had an
33:02assignment.
33:03And you know the story, he's the one
33:05that denied him three times. So now
33:08Jesus is responded to him to reaffirm
33:11his commitment to him. So he SAID TO
33:13HIM, "SIMON, THOU SON OF JONAH, DO YOU
33:17LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?
33:21BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR YOU TO TAKE A PLACE
33:24IN LEADERSHIP, YOU MUST LOVE HIM MORE.
33:35You must love him more because of the
33:37next thing that's coming. He says to
33:40him, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you."
33:44Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." That's the
33:46baby sheep.
33:48He said to him a second time, "Simon of
33:51Jar Jonah, do you love me?" He said to
33:54him "Yes Lord
33:56you know I love you." He said to him,
34:00"Tend my sheep."
34:04He asked him the third time, "Simon,
34:08do you love me?"
34:11Finally, Simon tap out.
34:15Lord, you know,
34:18feed my sheep. [snorts]
34:23WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE FED OR NOT, YOU
34:26NEED TO FEED them
34:29whether they WANT TO EAT WHAT YOU'RE
34:31SERVING. You need to feed them.
34:35WHETHER YOU'RE NOT BEING FED OR NOT, YOU
34:37STILL NEED TO FEED THEM. NO MATTER WHAT
34:40THE SITUATION IS, you're called to feed
34:43the sheep.
34:47EVEN IF YOU DON'T GET A POSITIVE
34:49RESPONSE, YOU'RE STILL CALLED TO FEED
34:51the sheep
34:53because thy rod and thy staff.
34:59[snorts]
35:00The leadership of the church has a
35:03higher responsibility and a higher
35:05calling because you're responsible FOR
35:08YOURSELF. WORK OUT YOUR OWN salvation
35:11with fear and trembling. But when you
35:14sit in the role of ministering to the
35:17children of God,
35:19YOU'RE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF AND
35:22THEM.
35:28Just in case you thought it was just
35:30standing up in front of people and
35:32talking,
35:34because God is going to hold you
35:36accountable.
35:39Can't be concerned about what people
35:40think about you.
35:46So, as I said before, I've come to
35:48realize
35:49the issue is not with God's love.
35:53It's about how much we love him.
35:57How much do you love him this morning?
36:06Do you love him enough to repent of your
36:09sins?
36:11Do you love him enough to be baptized in
36:15the name of Jesus Christ?
36:18DO YOU LOVE him enough to receive the
36:23gift of the HOLY GHOST? DO YOU LOVE
36:25[screaming] HIM ENOUGH TO LIVE A GODLY
36:28LIFE? DO YOU LOVE HIM ENOUGH TO GIVE HIM
36:31EVERYTHING you have?
36:37This season of Thanksgiving,
36:40I want to recall, bring us back to our
36:43recollection, recall us, remind us of
36:46where God brought us from.
36:49Because before people went into
36:51apostasy,
36:52the Bible says that they became
36:55unthankful.
36:57>> Can you stand with me this morning?
37:06Hallelujah.
37:09Hallelujah.
37:11Thank you Jesus.
37:14Thank you Jesus.
37:16Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
37:21Hallelujah.
37:23Would you close your eyes with me this
37:24morning?
37:26I often ask you to close your eyes
37:27because I don't want your attention
37:30on anything else that's going on.
37:35Just want the spirit of God to speak to
37:37our hearts this morning.
37:40Hallelujah.
37:42Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.
37:46Hallelujah.
37:49Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Thank you,
37:51Lord, for bringing me through.
37:56Thank you Lord for your blessings.
37:59Thank you Lord for watching over me.
38:03Thank you Lord for your healing power.
38:06Thank you Lord for saving my soul.
38:10A Jesus you took away the sting of
38:13death.
38:16I can rest easy in you.
38:19Though the storm clouds rage, I can rest
38:23in you.
38:25Jesus, thank you, Lord. Would you hold
38:28on to your neighbor's hand real quick?
38:30If you want to be baptized in the name
38:31of Jesus Christ for the remission of
38:33your sins, to prove your love to him,
38:35this is the moment right now. This is
38:37good time to do it.
38:39Ah Jesus, if you want to make that
38:41decision to serve him, this is a good
38:42time to do it. Prove your love. Prove
38:44your love.
38:46Hallelujah.
38:47Hallelujah.
38:49If you want to make a change in your
38:51life,
38:53something that God's been talking to you
38:54about, this is the right time to do it.
38:58Prove your love to him. Jesus. Jesus.
39:02Hallelujah.
39:04Hallelujah.
39:10Your grace
39:12and mercy,
39:19me through.
39:22>> I'm living
39:25this moment
39:29>> because
39:31of you.
39:35>> I want [singing]
39:38to thank you
39:44>> praise you too.
39:48your grace
39:51>> and mercy. [singing]
39:59>> Jesus. Jesus, [singing] thank you for
40:02saving
40:05a sinner
40:07like me
40:10to tell the world
40:15salvation
40:16is free.
40:20There were times
40:24>> I just didn't do right.
40:28But you watched over
40:31me
40:34all day
40:35and night. [singing]
40:38>> Sing it, church. Your grace