Taking Over the Streets
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 9/15/2024Deuteronomy 10:12
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41:14
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez challenges the church to stop focusing inward and start 'taking over the streets' by equipping believers to share the message of God's love, forgiveness, and redemption with a lost world.
Key points
- •The primary duty of the Christian is twofold: to serve God wholeheartedly and to recruit new converts into the Kingdom.
- •Believers are called to be the 'salt' and 'light' of the world, making the Gospel attractive through transformation rather than condemnation.
- •The church should be a place where the saints are equipped and trained to go back out into the streets to share the message of Christ.
- •Effective outreach requires seeing the best in people and leading with love rather than rigid rules, regulations, or judgmental attitudes.
- •Discipleship is an all-in commitment that should ideally begin early in life before the 'difficult days' of old age arrive.
Scripture
Discipleship
Evangelism
Love
Purpose
Grace
Life application
Identify one person in your 'marketplace' - whether at work, school, or in your neighborhood - and commit to showing them the love of Christ this week through a kind act or by sharing your personal testimony without judgment.
Reflection questions
- In what ways have you been treating church more like a 'social club' than a training ground for ministry?
- Are there people in your life you have been judging based on their 'street' behavior instead of seeing them through the eyes of God's love?
- How can you move from being a 'follower' who only seeks signs and wonders to a 'disciple' fully committed to biblical truth?
- What 'rules' or 'regulations' might you be unintentionally placing in front of people that keep them from seeing the grace of Jesus?
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Full transcript
0:01can we clap those hands for the Lord
0:03this
0:08morning want to thank God for each and
0:11every one of you here today thank you
0:13for coming to church this morning and
0:15for those of you are streaming we
0:17certainly appreciate you joining us now
0:19is a good time for you to share the link
0:22and let everybody know that the Faith
0:24Center is now live let's pray father we
0:27thank you this morning that you are are
0:30our God our protector our provider our
0:36sustainer we come to you this morning
0:38asking that you'd once again give us an
0:42encounter here at the Faith
0:45Center let us have a faith
0:48experience let us experience you in
0:52ways that we honestly cannot explain it
0:56in its fullness we know that you're all
0:58powerful
1:00we know that you're in our midst to
1:03speak to us and to bless us and to pour
1:07your anointing on us and to equip us to
1:11become the people that you want us to be
1:14on the earth thank you for those who are
1:17streaming and those who are on campus
1:20whatever they're going through this
1:22morning we ask you to meet every need
1:26and the reason why we're asking you is
1:28because we know you're full capable of
1:30doing so so we declare that your people
1:33are blessed we declare that all of what
1:37they are seeking you for in this
1:40hour it is now manifested in their lives
1:44and we give you praise in Jesus name
1:47amen come on with a clapping of hands
1:49let's give him praise
1:52one before you're seated hug somebody
1:54tell them I love you come on and then
1:56you may be
1:57seated amen
2:01[Music]
2:08God bless
2:10[Music]
2:14you amen you may be
2:17seated in the presence of the Lord
2:19quickly
2:20here we've been dealing with the theme
2:25not only for this month but for the rest
2:27of this year and it really has to do
2:30with us taking the cities
2:34for Jesus taking the cities for Jesus
2:38why because the Earth is the Lord's and
2:42the fullness thereof and as
2:45Christians one of our
2:47responsibilities has to do with us
2:50discipling people into the kingdom of
2:53God that's our Duty right being a
2:56Christian is not just to come to church
2:59and to go go through the motion but it
3:02is to take the name of Jesus Christ to
3:06the cities to the
3:08streets so as We Gather every week let
3:12us remind ourselves that our gathering
3:15here today and every Sunday every
3:18Wednesday has to do with edifying the
3:23church the streets are dangerous
3:30let me say that
3:32again the streets are
3:37dangerous so let's just for a moment
3:39talk about taking over the
3:41streets taking over the
3:44streets and I know for many of you that
3:47sounds like some type of a gangster
3:51stuff taken over the streets the term
3:55taken over the streets can have many
3:58interpretation
3:59in some text gang members and others
4:03other negative influences have
4:05infiltrated our communities
4:08claiming control over our cities I don't
4:12care where you live whether in a gated
4:16community all of
4:18us
4:19experience
4:22evil evil no matter where you are you
4:25look in social media now because of
4:27Technology we are capturing in evil
4:31instantly so there are two main
4:35responsibilities of the church for
4:37Christians there are two main
4:39responsibilities just two number one is
4:42for us to serve God wholeheartedly and
4:45number two to recruit new converts to
4:47the kingdom of God let me deal with that
4:49just for a moment number one number one
4:53is to serve God wholeheartedly what does
4:55that mean since we're we're here at
4:58church and hopefully y we understand
5:00that when we come to church we're not
5:02supposed to come here and give our own
5:05ideas and to talk about our own feelings
5:09we must use the word of God as our basis
5:12as our foundation so if you don't mind
5:15for a moment because you're not at the
5:16club you're not at some family social
5:19where in church meaning our church base
5:22everything on the Bible so when we're
5:24talking about what is the responsibility
5:26of the church I said a moment ago it is
5:29to serve God wholeheartedly let's go to
5:31Deuteronomy if you got a printed Bible I
5:34want you to go find it and for your
5:36convenience they're going to put it up
5:37on the screen Deuteronomy chap 10 verse2
5:40follow me here now don't miss this
5:42moment now Deuteronomy 10
5:45verse2 it says now Israel and now Israel
5:50what does the Lord your God require of
5:52you but to fear the lord your God to
5:56walk in all his ways to love him to
6:00serve the Lord your God with some of
6:03your heart some of your ways some of
6:05your
6:05time but with what I can't hear you with
6:09what with all of your heart and with all
6:13of your
6:14soul in other words there's no room to
6:17be a Christian 50% of the
6:21time that's right that's right that's
6:23right you can't just serve God only in
6:28weekends you can't just serve him when
6:30you're in
6:32trouble but the encouragement is to
6:35serve the Lord your God with all of your
6:39heart and with all of your soul that's
6:44what the word of God is telling us to do
6:47so that's how you serve God
6:49wholeheartedly so for those of you are
6:51here and those of you are streaming I
6:53want to encourage you man serve god with
6:56everything you got please would you do
6:58that amen just serve god with everything
7:02you've got go all the way for him and
7:05those of you on the sideline kind of
7:08thinking you know should I really be
7:10fully committed to God stop your
7:12procrastination man time is winding down
7:15you need to serve God with all of your
7:18heart you either put both feet
7:21in but this is not a time man for you to
7:25have one foot in God yeah I believe in
7:28God you know I think I need to serve him
7:30I know he's the only way but you know
7:33man I I got to do this for a little bit
7:36listen tomorrow's not promised to
7:38anybody are you with me here this
7:40morning tomorrow is not promised to
7:45anybody so let's look at number two
7:49Recruit new converts in the kingdom of
7:51God that's why we're
7:53here that's why we're here as a church
7:58is not to come here every Sunday oh it's
8:00praise and worship I want to get into
8:03praise and worship I want to get my word
8:06I want to get my Miracle I'm here I just
8:08want the pastor to pray for me I want I
8:11want to bring my babies to the pastor
8:13for the pastor to Chris my baby I I want
8:16the pastor to pray for my family I want
8:17the pastor to pray that money will just
8:19show up in my pocketbook I I that that's
8:22not the purpose of the
8:25church
8:26unfortunately especially in the American
8:29culture
8:30this is what we've turned Church
8:32into it's a gambling ring Lord if I just
8:37come and show up and tell God I love him
8:41then he going to bless me the rest of
8:42the week and I can live like
8:46Lucifer Monday to
8:48Saturday tap your neighbor and say I
8:50came to church the right
8:53day some of you looking at me like huh
8:56it's the wrong Sunday I came to church I
8:59want to hear about that but that's the
9:01purpose of church why do you go to the
9:04gym I know many of you go to the gym all
9:07you go to the gym is take your phone and
9:08you just sh pictures but you ain't
9:10working
9:11out you ain't working
9:14out you can't be fit just taking a
9:20photo you cannot be strong as a
9:22Christian just coming to church
9:25occupying the seat and not getting the
9:28word of God in
9:31you work with me here this morning are
9:35you understanding me you got to recruit
9:37new converts into the kingdom of God
9:39let's go to Matthew 5 beginning at verse
9:4213 Matthew 5 right it it it really talks
9:47about it says you are the salt verse 13
9:50you are the salt of the earth who's he
9:54talking to he's not talking to the
9:57unchurched he's saying to all of us who
10:00are here
10:01streaming we are the
10:04salt of the
10:06earth and he says you are the light of
10:08the world let your light shine before
10:12others so that they may see your good
10:15works and give glory to your father who
10:19is in heaven I love that it says let
10:21your light shine before others so our
10:24job as Believers is to live before
10:26others in such a way that
10:30uh you know they have to pay attention
10:32they have to look at us there's
10:33something about us there is there's a
10:35change there's a transformation there's
10:38something about us that is attractive to
10:42them so that they too will want what you
10:48got it's the
10:51job cuz we human beings we like to look
10:55at people and admire what people have
10:58whether it's an a positive or A negative
11:00way but in the context of this scripture
11:03what Jesus was saying is that our job is
11:07to be the
11:09light in this Dark World take over the
11:12streets for him that when we go on the
11:16streets there's something about us
11:19versus them now it doesn't mean we're
11:21going to condemn them because I'm going
11:23to deal with it in just a minute our job
11:25is not to go out there and to condemn
11:26the world because some of us Christians
11:28are very good at that sir we have become
11:32Heaven's CIA and hit men and
11:36women we just constantly go in the world
11:39and we try to hit people and Target them
11:41and dog them out and and just just
11:44present God as this God who's walking
11:47around the earth and all he wants to do
11:50is whack people across the head when he
11:52catches them in
11:56sin and what you don't even realize
12:00he loves people more than you love
12:02them cuz you only love people who love
12:05you and who can do stuff for
12:08you don't shout me down
12:12now you only love people who you can
12:16benefit
12:18from but the love of God Is So
12:22vast that while we are
12:25sinners he loves us
12:30you don't have to get it right first for
12:33him to love you this is why churches are
12:37so screwed up because our message is
12:40Tainted we're trying to let people
12:43believe that God only loves good
12:47people but he said I did not send my son
12:50into the world to come to save those who
12:53are not
12:55lost oh God man
12:59the purpose for the gospel is for the
13:02people who have rejected God and even
13:05while they're rejecting him he's still
13:08following
13:11them so for those of you sitting in here
13:13and watching and I know you may not love
13:15God or you may be skeptical about all
13:17this stuff and you've been resisting God
13:20for a long time I'm not worried about
13:22you I'm not worried about you why cuz
13:25he's God listen I don't care where you
13:27go if you make your bed in
13:30hell he's coming to snatch you out of
13:36there he's coming to snatch you so I
13:39don't care what you did last week I
13:41don't care what you did last night I
13:43don't care if you came from the club
13:44parking lot to drive in this parking lot
13:48ain't nobody in here qualified to
13:50discredit you a I know y'all don't like
13:54this now y'all don't like this
13:57now cuz you have a place in the kingdom
14:00of
14:01God so at the end of the day Christians
14:04are called to serve god with everything
14:06within us and to encourage others to do
14:10the same so what are you supposed to do
14:13I want to talk quickly to those of you
14:15young people what are you supposed to do
14:17you ought to serve God early in life yes
14:21take it from this 60 year old guy Lord
14:24you are to serve God early in life I
14:27don't care how you think you're cute
14:31I don't care how you think you're
14:33handsome yeah I don't care how you think
14:37uh life has offered you the finest
14:40things you got your car you got your job
14:44maybe you're in
14:45college and you're looking good and with
14:49all these modern technology now you can
14:51filter your images
15:00[Applause]
15:04see the way I grew
15:06up and this is scary this is really
15:09scary especially in the dating
15:12World cuz you can't trust what is
15:16[Applause]
15:24posted you can't you can't just trust
15:26what it's posted
15:29cuz people sometimes would paint a false
15:33picture of who they
15:35are so you may think that you've arrived
15:38and you've made
15:40it and you've made it but I'm telling
15:43you you haven't made it
15:46yet so your job is to serve God with all
15:49of your heart yes you ought to serve him
15:52early in life and here's how you do it
15:55let's go to Ecclesiastes 12 I want to
15:58give this message to all of you who are
16:0130 and
16:02under if you are 30 and
16:06under if your birthday is today and
16:08you're
16:1030 this scripture is for
16:13you it says remember now your creator in
16:16the days of your youth listen to me
16:20young
16:21people more young people are dying
16:24today than older people
16:29don't get it twisted you could be in
16:32church today and you go home tomorrow
16:34you don't know if you're going to wake
16:36up Monday
16:40morning it's getting quiet in this
16:42Presbyterian church now you don't know
16:46if you're going to wake up tomorrow
16:47morning so it says remember your creator
16:50in the days of your youth before the
16:53difficult days come before it didn't say
16:57if they will come
16:59yes listen to me young people they're
17:02going to
17:04come difficult days are going to come
17:08and the years draw near when you will
17:11say I have no pleasure in them because
17:14as you get older see for me I'm 60 there
17:17just some stuff I don't have patience
17:20for no more my tolerance
17:25is can I get some people are like my age
17:28come on on back me up right here just
17:30back me up man I ain't got time to play
17:36now time is winding down I'm about to
17:40exit from this planet so stuff I used to
17:43tolerate in my my 30 is uhuh not
17:48today do I have an
17:51amen because the evil days are going to
17:54come so the question is when they
17:57come are you going to be living with
18:00regrets that God man now I'm 60 70 80
18:06I'm worn out the devil has taken the
18:10best of my
18:12years and that's when you when you half
18:15dead that's it that's it you come in
18:17Jesus save
18:24me so there are three types of people in
18:27this room three types of people out
18:29there watching number
18:32one we have Disciples of
18:36Christ number two we have
18:38followers and number three we have
18:40nonbelievers let me go over them
18:43quickly in this room those of your
18:46streaming Disciples of Christ these are
18:48people who are fully committed to
18:50biblical teachings in other words you're
18:52a Christian you're saying I'm fully
18:54committed watch this it doesn't mean
18:56you're perfect
19:00just because you're fully devoted to
19:01scripture doesn't mean you are
19:04perfect it doesn't mean that you are
19:07right in everything it's just it just
19:10simply means I have submitted my life
19:14fully to the teachings of God it will
19:18guide me it will begin to order my steps
19:21and I'm going to trust God that this is
19:24what I'm going to live by number two
19:27followers you know these are people who
19:29only follow signs and wonders but lack
19:32deep
19:33commitment so many people they're not
19:37they haven't fully committed their lives
19:39to Christ like in the Bible days
19:41remember there were disciples people who
19:43believed in
19:45Jesus but then there was a group of them
19:47who followed him why watch this he was
19:50working
19:52miracles so they needed a miracle or
19:55even if they didn't need a miracle they
19:57love
19:59signs and
20:01wonders they love
20:04drama they love to see stuff
20:08happens so it is in the church today I
20:11mean watch this if if if if today if
20:14today I would start laying hands on
20:16people and people whether they're in the
20:20um disabled area and they would get up
20:22out of their wheelchair and I start
20:24laying hands on people and all of a
20:26sudden people's legs start straightening
20:28out
20:29I promise you next week we would not
20:32have space in this
20:35building people they
20:39what Fernandez healing
20:42people what they're good everybody to
20:46come what happens when you don't see
20:53signs what cuz you see we're
20:54self-serving society and we brought all
20:57of that in our relationship ship we only
21:00do if you do for
21:03me so that's how we're treating God H
21:07know I don't think you're worthy of me
21:09giving you everything yet but you know
21:12what when it comes to the stuff you're
21:13dishing out the fish and the
21:16bread I come
21:18man I come or if it's my favorite
21:22preacher churches now have become
21:24celebrity
21:26driven it's oh if it's my preacher
21:31what
21:33what
21:36preach but if it ain't your preacher you
21:38sit
21:39back I don't think I'm going to go next
21:41Sunday because because we're serving
21:44more
21:45man don't shout me down now then we're
21:48serving
21:50God so we have the Disciples of Christ
21:52fully committed to the biblical
21:53teachings of God and then we have the
21:55followers only those who follow signs
21:58and wonders and then we have the
21:59non-believers those who either reject
22:02Christ or have their own beliefs about
22:05God and they're in this room they're
22:09streaming you know don't even believe in
22:13God or ah somewhat is's there but have
22:17totally rejected him so here's the key
22:20the greatest
22:22message that we can ever tell as a
22:25church is this number one it's about
22:28about forgiveness and
22:31hope I'm almost
22:33through the greatest message as a church
22:36if we going to take the streets if we
22:38going to take all the
22:40cities for
22:42Jesus our message has got to be about
22:45forgiveness and hope it's about
22:47Redemption through Jesus Christ let's
22:49look at Ephesians 1:7 Ephesians 1:7 it
22:53says in him we have Redemption through
22:56his blood the Forgiveness of our
22:58trespasses according to the riches of
23:01his
23:02grace we also have freedom from the
23:05curse of the law Galatians 3:13 let's go
23:09there it says Christ redeemed us from
23:11the curse of the law by becoming a curse
23:15for us the message we need to be
23:18preaching to people is redemption look
23:23Christ decided that what he's going to
23:26do he's going to become the the curse
23:29for
23:31us do you understand this incredible
23:34love this incredible love that we have
23:38failed God
23:41miserably and he sent himself in the
23:43form of his
23:45son to come to take on watch this to
23:50take on the
23:53responsibility of the sacrifice that man
23:56must make in order to to be in right
23:59standing with God and he did so without
24:04judging
24:06you for those of you who are skeptical
24:09about God religion and all this kind you
24:13got to understand this man there is no
24:16greater love on the
24:19planet than this amazing
24:22love that God looked at
24:25you and I don't care how cute you may
24:29think you are I don't care how you might
24:32have arrived every one of us including
24:35this preacher God looked at us because
24:38we were jacked up messed
24:40up and in spite of all of that for God
24:45so loved the
24:47world sir that he
24:49gave and made us Sons and Daughters of
24:52the most high God so not only our
24:55message should be forgiveness and hope
24:57but our message should also will be on
24:59the issue of Christ gave himself for us
25:02Titus
25:032:14 who gave himself for us to redeem
25:06us from all lawlessness and to purify
25:11for himself a people for his own
25:15possession who are zealous for good
25:21works to
25:24purify for
25:26himself he knows where messed up he
25:29knows that we got
25:32dirty but he says I'm willing to purify
25:37you God's love through Jesus Christ in
25:40John 3:16 for God so Lov the world that
25:43he gave his only son that whosoever
25:46believe in
25:47him whosoever believes in Him should not
25:51perish but have eternal life so when we
25:54talk about the message of the Gospel of
25:57of Christ and the go gopel that needs to
25:59go to the city church Faith Center it
26:03has to be a message of
26:05love if we're going to take the streets
26:07for
26:09Jesus we have to preach a message of
26:12Love Somehow the church have got it
26:16twisted we're going out there and the
26:19message we're giving people is a message
26:22of
26:24condemnation in case you don't know can
26:26I just tell you
26:29folks know when they send
26:37in they don't need you to tell them what
26:39they doing that's right that's right
26:41they know what they doing
26:43amen and I know some of us as Christians
26:46maybe this is so different from what you
26:48grew up under our job we go out there
26:50and we just telling people of we cursing
26:53people out and then when they come isn't
26:55it crazy come to our church we love to
26:58get and the moment they come in here we
27:01start scanning them down and criticizing
27:04them and judging them look at your
27:06neighbor and just say leave people
27:10alone just leave people
27:12alone leave them
27:16alone you didn't create them leave them
27:19alone and I don't care what you found
27:21out they they were doing last night just
27:24like what pastor tman preached recently
27:26he had some bunch of guys who came to
27:29Jesus accusing a woman of sleeping
27:34around got quiet
27:37now they were accusing the the woman
27:41Jesus that
27:43woman you know what man she got multiple
27:48men cuz we're good at this yes sir yes
27:51sir and I'm not condoling what the woman
27:53was
27:54doing but at some point in time we got
27:56to stay in our houses and stop walking
27:59the streets with flashlight looking in
28:01people's windows watching what they
28:03[Applause]
28:08doing just stay out of people's business
28:11pray for them and hopefully one day that
28:14they will see the light W glory to God
28:18and come into the
28:19light Oho my goodness so the mission of
28:22the church I got to wrap this up the
28:23mission of the church the church must
28:26understand the difference between watch
28:27this number one discipling people into
28:30the kingdom and number two equipping the
28:32Saints who are already in the Kingdom so
28:35the approach for each group has to be
28:38different number one we the church we're
28:41here watch this to
28:44disciple people we're here to be
28:46equipped number two that second part
28:49we're here to be equipped that's why
28:51you're here this morning so what I'm
28:52teaching you now it's equipping you to
28:55then take the message of love to the
29:01streets that's it the church is sent to
29:05reach the unchurch not just to preach
29:08within the walls of the
29:11church so it's good that you come here
29:14every Sunday and you're enjoying this on
29:15Wednesdays but what are you doing what
29:17you're
29:19hearing what are you do this is not a
29:22club for the Rich and Famous and the
29:25elite we didn't come here every Sunday
29:28to be dressed up and get our word that's
29:30not the purpose of the
29:32church we need to stop this
29:35madness stop
29:38it stop this
29:42madness of coming to the house of God to
29:44get my word you've been getting word for
29:4732 years now come on now what you doing
29:49with the
29:51word what are you doing with the
29:53word you see once people are brought
29:56into the church the respons
29:58responsibility now shifts to equipping
30:01them to share the gospel
30:03effectively so the right message on the
30:06approach should be number one to
30:07disciple people into the kingdom with
30:10the message but the message must point
30:12to God's love not focus solely on
30:16condemning of condemning them of their
30:18past once they accept Jesus Christ the
30:21responsibility now the church through
30:24the five-fold ministry gifts is to equip
30:26and mature them so we comeing here we're
30:29here to be trained you go out in the
30:31marketplace why they come in like you my
30:35job Pastor Tan's job The Minister's job
30:39here is to now equip you retrain and
30:43those of you just got saved became a
30:45Christians uh became a Christian I
30:47should say our job is now to equip you
30:48and train you but we we didn't equip you
30:51watch this we didn't equip you and train
30:53you for you stay in the church we're
30:57equipping you to get back out in the
30:59streets right that's right cuz that that
31:01that's where it
31:03is that we can't stay in here and out
31:07preach each other out sing each other
31:10out dance each other our job is to at
31:13our workplace at home in the marketplace
31:16that's our job so let me leave you with
31:18this five effective ways of taking the
31:20cities for Jesus number one love must be
31:23the dominant
31:24message rules and regulations should not
31:28overshadow the message of God's
31:31love so I know churches must have their
31:34doctrinal truths and their bylaws and
31:37their their rules but you cannot take
31:40rules and regulations out in the streets
31:42to give to people to come to Christ well
31:45you know you're supposed to dress like
31:47this well you know you're supposed to
31:48walk like this you know you're supposed
31:50to they they're from the streets that's
31:54right don't expect people from the
31:57streets
31:58to act like people in the
32:03Kingdom so don't watch this don't be mad
32:06when you go out there and you're talking
32:08to a sinner and you're saying to them
32:09well you know I go to church I don't
32:11know if you love God or whatever and
32:12they cuss blanky blankety blank to your
32:15face don't be mad the problem I have is
32:19when you in the Kingdom cussing blankety
32:21blanky
32:25blank yes sir yes sir yes sir that's the
32:28problem so when people are unchurch and
32:32they're doing things that unchurch
32:34people are supposed to do why are you
32:36shocked why you Reb you rebuking them
32:40why you getting angry at them they're
32:42from the
32:46streets that's
32:48it I had a guy one time man he smoked
32:51cigar man and we're good friends good
32:53friends and we out eating in he sitting
32:57there man and and he's just you could
33:00tell he just that that need for that
33:04nicotine or whatever it is got into him
33:07and he's just and he respect me so much
33:11and finally I realized what was
33:12happening I said you want to smoke
33:15right true story she you want to smoke
33:19right and he said yeah yeah yeah I said
33:22go
33:24ahead
33:26woo I know it's some you're saying I
33:28can't
33:29believe you Bishop Fernandez telling the
33:33man to go ahead and smoke I said go
33:36ahead moment I said that he I'll than
33:38you
33:40here and I sat there watch this watch
33:43this I sat there and we talking and we
33:47talking he hasn't come into the kingdom
33:49yet but boy I'm working on
33:53him I'm working on him the only way I'm
33:58gonna win him is if I don't judge
34:02him now you see here's the problem
34:04here's the problem here's a problem I
34:06don't have no problem with him smoking
34:07and maybe that that offend many of you
34:10how dare you endorse in something that
34:12you
34:13may I
34:15don't I don't know if I should say this
34:17because it may upset some
34:19[Applause]
34:20people but but but but here's the thing
34:23here's the thing here's the thing the
34:25Bible says that we should not do
34:27anything that defiles the
34:30temple that defiles the temple I get
34:33that I understand that and so whatever
34:35we put into the temple we must make sure
34:38it is right for the temple the body um
34:42so if you're going to become religious
34:43at me there's really nothing in the
34:46Bible that says don't
34:49smoke right
34:53[Applause]
35:01prove me wrong find me a scripture that
35:04says Thou shal not
35:07[Applause]
35:12[Music]
35:14smoke I don't know if you're ready for
35:16this but however however however because
35:20smoking is not good for your health just
35:24like
35:26overheating just like like eating
35:28certain bad food it's not scriptural but
35:32you know it is not good for your temple
35:35so therefore don't do
35:37it the Bible doesn't condemn you
35:45[Applause]
35:50drinking you're either going to read the
35:52word man it doesn't however it says
35:56don't do it in such a way where you
35:59become a
36:01[Applause]
36:06drunker I lost half the people now
36:09you're not going to come back because
36:12the pastor is preaching something
36:13different from what you grew up
36:16hearing half the stuff you heard when
36:18you grew up was
36:22incorrect now this doesn't give you a
36:24license now after church to go to brunch
36:27and order all them liquor out out the
36:30store it
36:33doesn't number two you got to share your
36:35testimony share your testimony personal
36:37encounter with
36:38people see the best in people this is
36:41this is good and then I'm going to pray
36:44you can go ahead and play Mickey you got
36:47to learn to see the best in
36:50people as a
36:53church one of the most effective ways to
36:55take the cities over
36:58and go and share the message of Jesus
37:01Christ on the
37:02streets is when we see the best in
37:05people be less
37:07judgmental understanding that everyone
37:10have experienced
37:12drama can we just for one moment please
37:15hear my heart this
37:16morning can we just all of us who are
37:19Christians who even streaming can we
37:22just for one
37:23moment see the best in people
37:27yes just see the best in
37:30people they're not
37:33perfect but see the best in people for
37:36create excitement for the
37:39gospel enthusiasm is
37:42contagious when you're are passionate
37:45others will follow
37:47you number five know the
37:51scriptures this is for the church now
37:55number five know the scriptures
37:58you cannot teach what you do not
38:02know become
38:04familiar with the word of God would you
38:07bow your heads with
38:08me I want to pray a a
38:11prayer special
38:14prayer going to pray a special prayer
38:17for you and then we're going to continue
38:20with the service continue I just wanted
38:22to open up with
38:25this um
38:28I want to
38:29pray that those of you who are in the
38:35room that if you don't know the Lord as
38:38your savior Pastor Tedman later in the
38:41service he'll come and do the altar call
38:46but I want you to think this morning if
38:48you're in this room and those of you
38:49streaming so unfortunate that you're not
38:51here
38:52but if you're out in them streets
38:55meaning you've not given your life life
38:57over to Jesus
39:00Christ get from the streets
39:04man find your place in the kingdom of
39:07God is the church perfect no not even
39:10when Jesus was on the earth the church
39:11was
39:14perfect he had issues with the
39:16church but it's his
39:18church and you cannot dog out and
39:23discredit who he is still in love with
39:26and in spite of all the issues we have
39:28in churches he still loves the
39:31churches all the churches that make up
39:34his one Church he's still in love with
39:37us come off the streets man come to him
39:41but for the rest of us here's what I'm
39:43going to pray that we'll develop a love
39:47for him father we thank you this
39:50morning that as I opened up the
39:52service I did it with just a word of
39:55encouragement
39:57that as we get into our praise and
39:59worship this morning as we get
40:02into blessing these
40:05babies we will see our
40:07role as a people that we're called to be
40:11the salt and the
40:14light that we have to be more
40:17enthusiastic about who we are as a
40:20church we can't lose our Zeal now can't
40:23lose our
40:24hope pray for every person
40:28who consider themselves a Christian a
40:31follower of Jesus Christ fully
40:32committing their lives to you that will
40:36develop that hunger and that thirst to
40:39want to preach the
40:40gospel to share our faith
40:44more and to love
40:47people to be kind to
40:49people and to invite them to come into
40:53the
40:54kingdom we thank you and we give you the
40:58praise the honor and the glory in Jesus
41:01name amen can we give the Lord a heav
41:06praise
41:08amen thank you for allowing me to twist
41:10that up for a little bit I just wanted
41:12to open