Kingdom Above Preference
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 8/3/2026
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48:16
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez challenges believers to elevate the Kingdom of God above personal preferences, arguing that unity is the essential atmosphere for divine blessing and the ultimate testimony of Christ to the world.
Key points
- •Unity is not merely a social convenience but a spiritual atmosphere where God commands His blessing and reveals His power.
- •The primary enemy of unity is personal preference, which prioritizes 'what benefits me' over 'what advances the Kingdom.'
- •Jesus modeled the 'Kingdom over Preference' lifestyle by submitting His will to the Father, most notably in the Garden of Gethsemane.
- •True spiritual maturity is defined by godliness and character (the fruit of the Spirit) rather than giftedness or charismatic performance.
- •To live 'worthy of the calling,' believers must actively practice humility, gentleness, and patience, especially in how they speak to others.
Scripture
Kingdom
Community
Character
Discipleship
Love
Life application
This week, monitor your reactions in moments of conflict at home or work. Instead of striving to 'win' an argument or protect your preference, ask yourself: 'What action here would best advance the Kingdom and preserve unity?' Speak with grace rather than aggression.
Reflection questions
- In what specific areas of your life (marriage, dating, work, or church) have you been putting your personal preferences above the needs of the community?
- Bishop Fernandez noted that 'some people cannot handle power.' How do you typically use the influence or authority you have over others?
- Why do you think the enemy works so hard to sow division in the church and the family?
- Is there a 'toxic' habit or tone in your communication that is currently hindering unity in your household?
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Full transcript
0:00Want to turn your attention to
0:03Paul's writing in the book of Ephesians
0:07chapter 4
0:09from verse 1 to verse 6.
0:13And so we're going to do it a little bit
0:15different this morning.
0:17I'm going to read the first verse, you
0:19read the second and we'll continue that
0:21way. When we get to verse 6, we'll read
0:23it together.
0:25Now, I know I have a microphone but it's
0:28more of you. So therefore you should be
0:30louder
0:32than I am. All right? Because there's
0:34more of you. So I really want you to pay
0:37attention to the screen. Those of you
0:39who don't have a Bible, I grew up where
0:41everybody had to have a Bible. In my
0:44time we didn't have these fancy big
0:46screens where you could read. We didn't
0:49have no phones where you could download
0:51the Bible app. You had to bring your
0:53Bible to church. So we made it
0:54convenient. So if you don't have a
0:56Bible, you can pay attention to the
0:58screen. But Paul's writing in in the
1:00book of Ephesians chapter 4 beginning at
1:03verse 1, he says as a prisoner for the
1:06Lord then I urge you to live a life
1:09worthy of the calling you have received.
1:13Read.
1:21Make every effort to keep the unity of
1:25the spirit through the bond of peace.
1:37One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
1:42Together. One God and Father of all who
1:46is over all and through all and in all.
1:50Father, we thank you for your word this
1:52morning.
1:53May you bless your servant, bless your
1:55people.
1:56Let us leave this place today empowered
1:59in Jesus name and everybody shout amen.
2:03Come on, let's give him another praise.
2:06And you may be seated in the presence of
2:09the Lord for a brief moment.
2:12I'd like to bring your attention to the
2:14subject kingdom above preference.
2:19Kingdom
2:21above preference. What am I talking
2:23about?
2:24Kingdom agenda should be your priority
2:28not your personal preference.
2:32Kingdom
2:33agenda should be your most utmost
2:37priority not your personal preference.
2:41And so one of the greatest causes of
2:44brokenness in our world
2:48is not a lack of talent.
2:50It's not a lack of opportunity nor
2:53resources.
2:56It is a lack of unity.
2:59You see it in dating relationships.
3:04We see dating relationships are in a
3:07crisis because there's no unity.
3:10We see it in marriages. Marriages are
3:13failing
3:14because it lacks unity.
3:17We see it between parents and children.
3:21We also see it in workplaces, in
3:24businesses, in communities.
3:26And sadly, we even see it displayed in
3:30the church.
3:32Many people spend their lives blaming
3:36their circumstances,
3:38their upbringing, their their finances,
3:41or the people around them for the
3:44dysfunction
3:46they experience.
3:48While those things may contribute to the
3:51challenges of
3:53scripture points us to something deeper
3:57than those things.
3:59I believe that where there is abs- where
4:02where unity, I should say, is absent,
4:05division eventually takes over.
4:09Want to say it again.
4:11Where unity is absent, division usually
4:16takes over.
4:18So, if there's no unity in your dating,
4:20if there's no unity in your marriage, if
4:22there's no unity in your family, if
4:25there's no unity at the workplace, the
4:27marketplace, if there's no unity in the
4:30church,
4:32division
4:33will take over.
4:35The world has mastered
4:38this idea of uh creating division.
4:44Mastered it. That is why we find in the
4:47world today their borders. We're trying
4:50to put borders to separate ourselves, to
4:53put ourselves in different classes.
4:56That is why racism and slavery
5:00was so dominant and still dominant
5:02today, because if I can divide you, I
5:05can conquer you.
5:08It's a strategy of the enemy.
5:10And so, Psalm 133:1
5:13tells us, watch this, "How good and
5:16pleasant it is when God's people live
5:22together in unity."
5:24Don't miss this. How good and pleasant
5:27it is when God's people live together in
5:31unity. Notice that David didn't say
5:34unity is merely good.
5:36He said, "It is good and [clears throat]
5:38it is pleasant." Because unity creates
5:42an atmosphere where
5:44where powerful and godly things are
5:47produced.
5:49The enemy knows where there's no unity,
5:53he can increase
5:56his strategy. He can He can declare
5:59division. He can cause you to walk out
6:03of the full plan and purpose of God for
6:05your life.
6:07So, in Psalm 133 and verse 3, David
6:10declares "For
6:13there the Lord Where? Unity. For there
6:17the Lord bestows his blessing, even life
6:21forevermore." So, what David is saying
6:23is where there is unity, God commands
6:26his blessing.
6:29Don't you see that the enemy doesn't
6:31want your relationships to be blessed?
6:34Don't you see he doesn't want you to
6:36work at a workplace that is healthy and
6:40where you can stay there until it's time
6:43for you to go until it's God's will for
6:46you to go? Don't you see the enemy knows
6:48that that workplace, though though
6:51they're not perfect they're not perfect.
6:53I get it. But could it be that God
6:55placed you there for his own purpose?
7:00And when you don't flow in unity, the
7:02devil's plan is to destroy and to
7:05disrupt God's plan for your life. So,
7:08you will spend the next 20 years hopping
7:11from job to job, not building stability,
7:15not building a retirement.
7:18And then when you get old, you blame it
7:20on everybody else.
7:22But it's because you were not a lover of
7:25unity.
7:27Some of you are walking around blaming
7:29men for everything that's wrong in your
7:32life.
7:34Because you dated a few and and so forth
7:37and and not taking responsibility that
7:39could it be that because you're
7:42dysfunctional
7:45and you're toxic
7:49that maybe it's disrupting your ability
7:52to find a good man?
7:56Some of you men maybe the reason why you
7:59are toxic and miserable and maybe the
8:03reason why you have yet to find a good
8:06woman is because you don't know how to
8:10embrace something that's good. You've
8:13been damaged so badly over the years by
8:17your mother
8:19and other women.
8:22Mhm. Oh, I'm going to preach it,
8:24sweetheart. I promise you.
8:27I'm going to preach it.
8:32David says the Lord bestows his blessing
8:37when we're united.
8:40And we can't keep going around blaming
8:42everyone else and the systems of the
8:45world when we don't embrace the fact
8:47that God wants us to become one. So,
8:51you're dating
8:53don't allow the enemy
8:55to cause trivial things to divide you.
8:59Could it be that that is the perfect
9:00union?
9:02Could it be that God
9:04has blessed your relationship to lead to
9:08the honorable position and that is
9:10marriage.
9:12Be one [clears throat]
9:13cuz that's where the blessing is at.
9:17If you're in a marriage
9:19and God has blessed that marriage be
9:22united.
9:24Don't don't don't be in your feelings
9:26and and don't divide. Don't let the
9:29devil use you to bring a wedge between
9:32what God has built.
9:36The Church of Jesus Christ possesses
9:38everything necessary to change the
9:40world, to change our lives. We have the
9:44gospel.
9:45We have the Holy Spirit. And we have the
9:48authority of Christ, and we have the
9:50power of prayer. Let me say it again. We
9:52have the gospel, the good news. We have
9:56the Holy Spirit. We have the authority
9:58of Christ, and we have the power of
10:00prayer. Yet, one of our greatest
10:03struggles
10:05is that we are often not as united
10:10as Christ intended us to be.
10:13Why is that?
10:15Because too often we place, watch this,
10:18personal preference
10:20above kingdom purpose.
10:24It's always about us.
10:26Do you know how many of you have wrecked
10:27your life and your family
10:30because of personal preference?
10:32You'd rather burn the whole house down
10:36just to get your way.
10:39You'd rather kill something that's good
10:42just to prove you're right.
10:46You've lost good people
10:50all because
10:52of your personal preference.
10:55Mhm.
10:57We prefer our own way. We prefer our own
10:59opinions. We prefer our own comfort. We
11:02prefer our own recognition. Instead of
11:05surrendering ourselves completely to
11:07God's plan, we insist
11:10on protecting our preference.
11:15You see, kingdom culture
11:17always ask,
11:19"What advances the kingdom of God?"
11:24Personal preference ask,
11:26"What benefits me?"
11:29"What benefits me?"
11:31So, that's how we live our lives in the
11:33church,
11:35as a single person,
11:37married, in our family, at the
11:40workplace, it's always about us.
11:44And we are not ashamed to declare it.
11:48It's me, myself,
11:51and I.
11:54Jesus modeled kingdom
11:57before preference.
11:59Throughout his early ministry, Jesus
12:01never allowed personal preference to
12:04override his father's assignment.
12:07Repeatedly, he declared,
12:09he says for in John chapter 6, he said,
12:12"For I have come down from heaven."
12:15Listen to this carefully, church. "I've
12:17come down from heaven, not to do my
12:19will, but to do the will of him who sent
12:23me." This is Jesus.
12:25He could have COME TO EARTH BRAGGING
12:28about his position.
12:31He could have said, "Do you know who I
12:32am? I am the son of God, and everybody
12:35ought to bow down to me, and if you
12:38don't bow down, I'm going to use my
12:40power, and I'm going to punish you."
12:43Listen, can I be honest with you? Some
12:45of us should not be given power.
12:54Some of us cannot handle power.
12:58Cannot.
13:00We want it, but we cannot handle it.
13:03Some of you have it, but you're very
13:06abusive with it.
13:10>> [laughter]
13:12>> Again, Jesus said in John chapter 5
13:15verse 30, he says, "I seek not to please
13:19myself,
13:21but him who sent me." This is Jesus.
13:25He had every right to brag about who he
13:28is
13:29and he said I didn't come here
13:32to please myself. This is not about
13:34preference now. This is about kingdom
13:37agenda even in the garden of Gethsemane.
13:40Facing unimaginable
13:43suffering,
13:45Jesus prayed this prayer. Are you ready
13:47for it? Listen, this is what he prayed.
13:49He said, "Father,
13:51if you are willing, take this cup from
13:55me. Yet not my will,
14:00but yours
14:02be done."
14:05See, this is kingdom culture. Jesus
14:07could have said
14:10"I Listen,
14:12I ain't doing this for these jokers.
14:15I'm not doing this. I'm not going to the
14:18cross. I ain't nobody going to put no
14:21sword in my side. Ain't nobody going to
14:23put no crown of thorns in my head and
14:25you surely not going to drive no nails
14:27through my hands and feet."
14:31He could have said that.
14:33Because he felt the weight. This
14:35scripture is telling us we're humans
14:38just like God the Son, Jesus. He came to
14:41Earth to prove to us that we can live in
14:44the flesh and still glorify God. He felt
14:48the pain. He felt the embarrassment, the
14:50betrayal. He felt everything. Yet he
14:54said,
14:55"It's really not my preference, not my
14:57will.
14:58Let your will be done."
15:01Because
15:03kingdom preference says it's your will,
15:06God, but you see personal preference
15:08says
15:09my will.
15:10I want to have my way.
15:13I want to have my way. I want to have my
15:14way in this relationship. So if you
15:16don't do what I tell you to do, I'm I'm
15:20to punish you some other way.
15:23I'm going to punish you.
15:26So, in marriage, if you don't
15:28do what I tell you to do,
15:31I will either punish you with my words
15:33or my body.
15:37It's quiet.
15:40Have you ever wondered
15:42what pollutes kingdom culture?
15:45Many believers begin well, but gradually
15:48drift towards a living according to
15:51personal preference.
15:53So, we have a problem in the church
15:54today. I'm not talking about the Faith
15:56Center. I'm talking about the complete
15:58body of Christ. The enemy uses several
16:00tools to pull us away from kingdom
16:03assignment.
16:05Tools like greed.
16:09Yes,
16:10greed jealousy
16:13envy pride comparison
16:17wrong voices.
16:21He used these tools.
16:23Greed, instead of just waiting your
16:26turn, wait on the Lord, and for God to
16:29do jealousy.
16:31It's It's shocking to see how some
16:34people will go to the extreme to be
16:36jealous
16:38over people,
16:40envious over people, full of pride. The
16:44Bible says
16:46a uh pride goes before
16:49You're going to fall when you're full of
16:51pride. When you don't humble yourself,
16:53when nobody can talk to you.
16:57I'm always right.
16:59Everybody got to come to me.
17:02Humble yourself.
17:04When you compare yourself with one
17:05another, and watch this,
17:08who's got your ears?
17:11Who's in your ears?
17:13I can't tell you how many times I've
17:14seen good people, watch this,
17:17good people,
17:18and all of a sudden I see them sitting
17:20with someone,
17:22walking with someone, and instantly in
17:25my heart, mhm,
17:27they're going to be poisoned now.
17:30Come on now. Don't leave me out here.
17:33Come on. You You know. You It It It It's
17:35It's only a matter of time
17:39that they're going to change. James
17:41chapter 3 verse 16 tells us, "For where
17:45you have Watch this. Envy and selfish
17:49ambition,
17:51there you will find what?
17:53Disorder and what? Evil practice."
17:59This is the word. The Bible says, "Where
18:02you find envy and selfish ambition,
18:05whether it's in your dating life,
18:06whether it's in marriage, your family,
18:09at the workplace, in the church, where
18:11you find envy
18:14and selfish ambition, the Bible says,
18:18"That's the place you're going to find
18:20disorder
18:22and every evil practice. Might as well
18:25you call it witchcraft.
18:27Manipulation.
18:30Selfish ambition always produces
18:32disorder.
18:34When everything is about you, you're
18:36going to wreck your relationship. You're
18:39going to wreck your marriage. You're
18:41going to wreck your parenting skills.
18:44Some of your kids are hurting because
18:46you're out of order.
18:53You don't even notice that there's a
18:54generational curse in your family.
18:57And God wants YOU TO BREAK IT,
19:00but you're out of order.
19:04If five people going to clap, everybody
19:06should be clapping right there. I Cuz
19:07you know it's the truth, man.
19:09You know it's the truth, right? Yeah.
19:12It's not a sermon to make you shout
19:13today. I'm sorry. It's not a sermon for
19:15you to get up and throw your
19:17handkerchief at me. Preach, Rev. No, it
19:19it's a day for you to sit and absorb and
19:22say, "God, speak to me."
19:26>> [applause]
19:30>> But I want you to know that kingdom
19:31purpose always produces what? Unity.
19:35Here's the prayer and I'm almost
19:37through. Here's the prayer. This is not
19:39going to take long. Here's the prayer
19:41Jesus prayed for the church
19:45in John chapter 17.
19:49This is awesome. When I was reading it,
19:51it blew my mind. He's He's about to
19:54fulfill his father's will. He's about to
19:58complete the plan of redemption. He's
20:00praying for the church and you would
20:02think HE WOULD PRAY, "GOD, help them to
20:04have a big revival. Help them to bust
20:07out with so many numbers and help the
20:09pastor and the priest and the Levites
20:12and the prophets to succeed and to be
20:14talented." No. Look at what Jesus
20:17prayed. He said, "My prayer is not for
20:20them alone.
20:23I pray also for those who will believe
20:26in me through their message.
20:29That all of them may be one.
20:33Father, just as you
20:36are in me and I am in you, may they also
20:41be in us so that the world
20:45may believe that you have sent me." Look
20:49at verse 22.
20:50"I have given them the glory that you
20:54gave me that they may be one as we are
20:59one." He Somehow his prayer was all
21:03about unity. Then he says, "I in them
21:08and you in me, so that they may be
21:12brought to complete unity." Here's what
21:15Jesus is saying, the only way the church
21:18can be one is they've got to be one with
21:20me first, the same way Father, I'm one
21:23with you.
21:26And then he said, "Then the world will
21:27know." The only way the world is going
21:30to know that our faith is authentic and
21:34has power. Jesus then said, "The world
21:36will know that you sent me and have
21:40loved them even as I have loved even as
21:45you have loved me."
21:48Did you get that?
21:50These are among the final recorded
21:52prayers of Jesus before his arrest.
21:56He was about to be arrested.
21:58He's praying for unity in the church,
22:01not the building,
22:03the people.
22:04Who are dating, the people who are
22:07married, the people who are taking care
22:10of families, the people who are running
22:12businesses, the people who are working
22:14for people, and the people who gather in
22:17the temple every week.
22:20He's praying for unity. He had not yet
22:23entered into the garden to pray. Judas
22:26had not
22:27Judas had already, I should say, decided
22:30in his heart to betray him. Even with
22:33Judas' betrayal, the cross was hours
22:37away. Knowing [snorts] everything that
22:40was about to happen, what consumed the
22:43heart of Jesus
22:46was not
22:47God,
22:48give me what I you promised to give me
22:51while I was on the earth.
22:53His prayer was about the church
22:56becoming one.
22:59He didn't pray about buildings. It was
23:00not about programs. It was not about
23:03popularity. It was not about numbers. He
23:06prayed for unity. Could it be that maybe
23:09you're praying for the wrong things in
23:10your life?
23:14You're praying, "God, bless my family
23:16with more money. God, bless me so we can
23:18get a car we need. God, would you bless
23:21me so we can pay off this mortgage.
23:23Bless me that you can heal my son or
23:26heal my children." And maybe the prayer
23:28should be, "God, help my family to be
23:31one." Because the reason why there's
23:34probably dysfunction and and lawlessness
23:37in your family is because there's no
23:39unity.
23:45And you the lack of unity will cost you.
23:49Because he makes his money, he doesn't
23:51discuss it with you.
23:53She makes her money, she doesn't discuss
23:56it with him. And instead of putting
23:59resources together
24:00to become powerful,
24:02you are in the same house, but you're
24:04living separate lives.
24:08Okay. Okay. All right. All right.
24:12Please come back for your sermon next
24:13week cuz this this is not yours today.
24:15It's not yours. Come back and you get
24:17yours next week.
24:21Verse 21 says, "That all of them may be
24:25one." That's the prayer. All of them may
24:27be one. Verse 22, "That they may be one
24:30as we are one."
24:34So when Jesus prayed this final prayer
24:36over the church, his greatest concern
24:38was not our gifts. It was really about
24:43unity.
24:44Because unity, watch this, will always
24:47be opposed.
24:49You'll be shocked.
24:51Unity will always be opposed. Jesus had
24:5512 disciples.
24:5711 remained faithful. One betrayed him.
25:0311 that were faithful
25:06to some degree,
25:07but one betrayed him.
25:09That teaches us an important lesson
25:12here. What is the lesson? No matter how
25:15committed we are to unity,
25:18someone will always choose division.
25:26I know some of you honestly in your
25:28heart you want to see your family come
25:30together.
25:32You want to see your church
25:34come together.
25:37You want to see your workplace come
25:38together.
25:39And I learned this being a pastor for 35
25:42years. I learned this you could
25:45sincerely in your heart
25:47want to see unity, but there's always
25:50one.
25:52There's always one Satan will find
25:55and have a conversation with
25:58and get in agreement with, and Satan
26:01will say, "You be the one to tear this
26:04family apart.
26:07You be the one to wreck this marriage.
26:10You be the one to wreck this
26:13relationship. You be the one to wreck
26:16this church."
26:18There's always one.
26:21Always.
26:22No matter how you feel, think about it,
26:25there's always one.
26:27Judas allowed selfish ambition to
26:30replace kingdom loyalty.
26:33Satan understood something many
26:35believers failed to recognize. A united
26:38church, watch this, is dangerous.
26:41A divided church is very powerless.
26:45Jesus said it best, "Every kingdom
26:47divided against itself
26:49will be what? Ruined.
26:52Every kingdom, every home, every
26:56relationship that's divided among itself
26:59will not last. Satan attacks unity
27:02because he fears what unity can
27:05accomplish.
27:06The enemy really begins with
27:09the obvious rebellion.
27:12He begins with distractions.
27:14What are the distractions?
27:16Self-interest.
27:18Self-interest.
27:20Think about it. I want you to think
27:21about your life, who you're dating, who
27:23you're married to, what family you're
27:25part of,
27:26where you work,
27:28the co-workers that you're working with,
27:30and even this church that you're a part
27:32of.
27:33Think about it.
27:34Why are you here?
27:36What's your interest in your family?
27:39What's your interest in that
27:40relationship? Is it self-centeredness?
27:45Or is it what God wants for you to bring
27:48to that relationship?
27:50So, instead of asking, watch this,
27:53instead of asking, um,
27:56you know, what can I get,
27:59you should be asking, how can I serve?
28:04Instead of asking a woman
28:07that you're dating to, what can I get
28:08from you,
28:10your body,
28:12what can I get from you,
28:14your money,
28:16what can I get from you, man? Well,
28:18comfort, money. Instead of asking,
28:21before you walk down the aisles to marry
28:23a person, be careful of marrying
28:27somebody
28:28who always find pleasure and is happy
28:32when they get something from you.
28:42>> [applause]
28:47>> You want to know the value of somebody
28:49you're going to marry?
28:52You better make sure you have
28:54experienced drought with that person.
29:00>> [applause]
29:04>> Don't don't don't let them see the
29:05pretty stuff all the time.
29:07Come on. Now, no no no no. I'm telling
29:09you. I'm telling you.
29:11I'm telling you. Don't don't always show
29:13up to pick her up on time.
29:16Don't always
29:18be late.
29:20Just to see her attitude.
29:31Don't always dress up for him. Don't
29:33always dress up for him.
29:38There ought to be a time you let him
29:39pick you up and go natural. I mean
29:42really
29:44natural.
29:47And if he still open that car door, he's
29:49the one.
29:56Cuz the last thing you want is to walk
29:59down the aisle
30:01and then start discovering
30:04the true identity of that person
30:07after marriage.
30:10People pursue positions
30:13they were never called to occupy.
30:18Why seek marriage
30:21if you're not prepared for it?
30:25If it's all about what you can get, you
30:27are not ready for marriage
30:29cuz marriage is not about preference.
30:34You're not going to get your way all the
30:37time.
30:49>> I hear the men shouting out, preach.
30:52Well, I tell I'm loved by brothers
30:54today, man. You love me, man.
30:58Some are seeking titles instead of
31:00transformation.
31:02Some resist accountability
31:05and reject spiritual authority.
31:09Paul says, do nothing out of selfish
31:13ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in
31:16humility, value others above yourself.
31:22See, kingdom people serve.
31:25Preference-driven people compete.
31:29Let me say it again.
31:31Kingdom people serve. You serve the
31:33person you're dating. You serve the
31:36person you're married to. You serve your
31:38children. You serve your boss. You serve
31:41your employees.
31:43You serve in ministry. But, when you are
31:47about yourself,
31:50you love to compete.
31:56Sometimes, churches become known more
31:59for personalities
32:02than for Christ.
32:05You see, our mission is not to build
32:07celebrity here at the Faith Center.
32:10This is not the church.
32:12Our mission is to build disciples. Jesus
32:15said, go and build. Jesus never said I
32:19should say, go and build your platform.
32:22Go and build your name. Instead, he
32:24said, go therefore and make disciples
32:26what? Of all nations.
32:29So, many believers have become
32:31impressed. Watch this. I'm almost
32:33through. Just Just hang in there 5 more
32:35minutes. Next week, I'll preach a more
32:37excited message and you know, so forth,
32:39but that's okay.
32:41But many believers have become impressed
32:43with giftedness
32:48while ignoring godliness.
32:55Powerful preaching over watch this
32:59discipleship.
33:02Get excited. Preach me happy.
33:05But are we going to share our faith
33:07telling people of this incredible God
33:11who brought you into this amazing
33:13family? Some
33:15love amazing charisma over character.
33:20Many choose exciting prophecies over
33:24trusting the process
33:26God has for them.
33:28And none of these will automatically
33:32uh indicate that you'll be spiritually
33:34mature.
33:35So, Jesus warned us in Matthew Matthew's
33:38Gospel chapter 7 that many watch this
33:41would prophesy, perform miracles, and
33:43yet
33:44he said he will tell them
33:48I never knew you.
33:50So, let's let's stop this crazy stuff
33:53the way you perform and the way you act,
33:56the way you dress, and how you've
33:58articulated your words with with with
34:01with how you pronounce God and and and
34:04and and that determines your holiness
34:07and your righteousness. Jesus says, you
34:10can prophesy.
34:13You can even perform miracles.
34:16Yet you're going to hear him say
34:20Who are you? I don't know you.
34:23Because discernment must always be
34:26greater than excitement.
34:29Let Let it again. Discernment must
34:32always be greater than excitement.
34:37Cuz unity changes everything and this is
34:39where I wrap it up.
34:41Think about every area of your life.
34:45Marriages struggle when two people
34:47refuse to become one. Businesses lose
34:50billions of dollars because employees
34:53work against one another instead of
34:57together.
34:59Families are broken
35:01because pride
35:04refuses reconciliation.
35:07Churches loses or lose influence because
35:10members, watch this, protect preference
35:14instead of pursuing kingdom purpose.
35:18Amos 3 tells us, "Can two walk together
35:24unless they
35:25have agreed to do so?"
35:29So, unity is not optional.
35:32It is not optional for this church. It
35:34is essential.
35:37Let me
35:39show you what Paul, in the text that we
35:41read in Ephesians 4, Paul writes, "I'm a
35:45prisoner of the Lord."
35:48Ooh.
35:50Paul was physically imprisoned. This is
35:54just not a song. He was physically
35:56imprisoned.
35:59But spiritually
36:01he also considered himself bound to
36:03Christ.
36:05He wasn't saying, "I'm a prisoner in a
36:07bad way. I'm just bound to the laws of
36:10God."
36:12Because his life no longer,
36:15if you will, belonged to him.
36:18He was completely surrendered to God.
36:20That is true kingdom living. Paul wasn't
36:23asking,
36:25"What makes me happy?"
36:27Instead, he was saying, "What glorifies
36:31God?"
36:33And so,
36:34Paul continues. He says, "I urge you to
36:37live a life worthy of the calling you
36:42have received." Remember we read that at
36:44the beginning. He says, "I urge you to
36:46live a life worthy of the calling you
36:48have received." What is he saying? He
36:50says, "Our lives should never be
36:51directed Watch this. Come on, church.
36:53Hear this.
36:55by our feelings."
36:57Don't be careful
36:59of allowing your life to be led by how
37:02you feel. He said, "It should never be
37:04led by social media, by public opinions,
37:07by culture, or by
37:10anything else, but it should be led by
37:12your calling."
37:14I urge you to live a life WORTHY OF THE
37:16CALL WHAT'S THE CALL OF GOD ON YOUR
37:18LIFE?
37:20He called you to be a good man. He
37:22called you to be a good woman, a good
37:24mother, good father, a good wife, a good
37:27husband, a good employer, employee, a
37:31good church member.
37:34That's who he called you to be.
37:37You need to understand that the feelings
37:39that we have will change.
37:42But every member has a role. Every
37:44servant matters. Every gift contributes
37:47to the church and the mission. Watch
37:50this now. The mission is greater than
37:53any individual preference.
37:56Always. And then Paul says,
38:00he says,
38:02"It is not about me really." Because he
38:05says, "You ought to humble yourself.
38:07Walk in humility."
38:09Humility simply says, "This is not about
38:11me anymore."
38:13No. This is about the kingdom of God.
38:15James 4:6 tells us, "God opposes the
38:18proud, but shows favor
38:21to the humble.
38:24So, I think all of us, if we could just
38:26ask God, let's get rid of our pride.
38:30Paul also talks about gentleness. If I
38:33had time, I would talk a little bit
38:35about this, but I don't cuz you're
38:37you're ready to go, right?
38:40So, he said gentleness. He says strength
38:43under control.
38:45Meaning responding with grace, watch
38:47this, instead of aggression.
38:51What Paul is saying to the church, let's
38:53become one, and let's be careful of how
38:55we speak to each other.
38:59The tone.
39:01How we respond to each other.
39:03From the parking lot to the servant
39:05leaders to all of us who come and we sit
39:08here, when we go home, how do you talk
39:10to your children? How do you talk to
39:12your spouse? How do you talk to the
39:13person you're dating? How do you talk to
39:15strangers?
39:18Respond with grace.
39:21We don't have to be so aggressive.
39:24There's no anointing in aggression.
39:28Be nice.
39:29Speak with truth without destroying
39:32people.
39:33You can speak the truth. You can call
39:35someone out,
39:36but you don't have to do it in an
39:38arrogant way.
39:41That's not our job.
39:43You don't have to do it that way.
39:44Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer
39:47turns away wrath." Then he says, "Be
39:50patient."
39:52Patience ought to be the key. People
39:54grow at different speed. God was patient
39:58with us, so we must be patient with
40:00others. Then he talked about bearing
40:03with one another in love because love
40:05covers, watch this, imperfections. Love
40:09forgives. Love believes the best in all
40:12of us, and love refuses to quit on
40:15people.
40:17Bear one another in love. Let's have the
40:19grace of love.
40:22I do not like an environment
40:25that wants to correct
40:27just to get its way.
40:30It doesn't matter what a person does.
40:32You love them. Doesn't mean that you are
40:34in agreement with what they did, but
40:37give them the grace. So, when you're
40:39called those of you who you you know who
40:41I'm talking to.
40:44You just your tone. Watch your tone.
40:49You will destroy years of your life
40:53when you're too aggressive.
40:56Watch your tone.
40:59The the the best aggression we saw in
41:02Jesus was when he walked into the
41:03temple.
41:05And he saw them gambling and doing all
41:08kinds of stuff.
41:10And the Bible says he he came in and he
41:12turned over the table. And let me tell
41:15you, it was it wasn't it was not like
41:17us.
41:20Come on now. Well, if Jesus can turn
41:23over table, then I can No, no, no, no.
41:26He turned over his table, but some of us
41:27we overdo it.
41:30Oh Jesus.
41:33We overdo it
41:35to the point that your your children,
41:38the moment you're coming home,
41:40they disappear.
41:44It's not like, "Oh, daddy is home. Mommy
41:46is home."
41:48Your spouse, the moment you come home,
41:51oh,
41:52here comes drama.
41:55Your co-workers, they know it the moment
41:58they hear you come in the building.
42:08Because
42:09you see,
42:10let me tell you, and I and I got to
42:12close with this. I I get it. I get it. I
42:15know
42:16some of you probably thinking, "Why the
42:19heck did I come to this church this
42:20morning
42:21to hear this nonsense?"
42:24Because
42:26you're so accustomed to a preacher
42:29hyping you up
42:33and making you feel good
42:35and you are not transformed.
42:39>> [music]
42:41>> The purpose of the gospel is to bring
42:45transformation. It's not to make you
42:47feel good.
42:49At the end of the day, you ought to be
42:51the best version of yourself. When the
42:54world hits you,
42:56>> [music]
42:58>> it's kind of like what Bob Marley says,
42:59"When the music hit hits you,
43:02you feel it." Did I say it the right
43:04way?
43:05You don't feel any pain. When the gospel
43:08hits you, it changes you, man. It makes
43:13you want to do better every time.
43:17And I'm just asking for all of us to be
43:20one in Christ Jesus.
43:23Bow your heads. Father, we thank you
43:27for the word that we've heard today.
43:31That this church and the people are
43:32streaming
43:34will become one to serve you
43:37with all of our hearts, soul, our mind,
43:39and our strength.
43:41And we will choose kingdom over
43:44preference.
43:46But no one will leave here today feeling
43:48as they've been attacked,
43:50but for every man to examine himself,
43:53see where we have come short,
43:57and ask you to transform us so that we
43:59can transform the environments we go in.
44:02That we can be better Christians, better
44:04followers of Jesus Christ.
44:06I pray for the many men and women today
44:11who are not one
44:13with the people that
44:14they are among.
44:16They're not one
44:18in their relationships. They're not one
44:21in the marketplace. They're not one at
44:23the workplace.
44:24And they're not even one in the church.
44:28Change our hearts, we pray.
44:31So that God, each and every day when we
44:34rise
44:36that we are able to truly say, "This is
44:38the day that the Lord has made
44:40and we're going to rejoice. Nothing will
44:42steal that joy."
44:46That whole spirit of division
44:49that it will not be a part of
44:51our lives to steal the joy of the Lord
44:55which is our strength.
44:57I believe I've helped so many people
44:58today.
45:00I believe Satan is angry
45:03because the word pierced our hearts
45:06and many of us will go and make
45:09adjustments to make sure that we are
45:12conformed to your perfect will for our
45:15lives. Bless this congregation, whether
45:18they're here or
45:20watching around the world. Help us
45:23to be the salt and the light of the
45:25world. We understand we're not there
45:27yet. We're not perfect. Paul said it
45:30best.
45:31We've not arrived to that perfection,
45:33but we're pressing on.
45:35That's the goal.
45:37We're making a conscious decision
45:40to change and to be better and to be
45:42known as a church not of great
45:46preaching, not of great music, not of
45:49all these things that we do to enhance
45:52our worship, but we will be known as a
45:54church
45:55where people are making every effort
45:59to be one in the face.
46:02One family
46:04understanding we serve one God.
46:09And we'll never allow
46:11our race, our culture,
46:15and whatever class we are in life
46:18to come between us.
46:20From leadership
46:22all the way down to laity.
46:25We humble ourselves
46:27and we surrender to your will.
46:30Father, I pray for those who don't know
46:32you as Lord and Savior today
46:34that today they'll be one with you.
46:38They'll totally surrender to you.
46:40In the name of Jesus. Now, if you have
46:42not
46:43confessed the Lord
46:45as your personal savior, do me a favor
46:47today.
46:49Would you do it right now?
46:51Would you simply give him a yes
46:54by becoming one with him?
46:57Choose kingdom
46:59over preference.
47:02If that's you this morning, whether you
47:04here or you're streaming, would you
47:05repeat after me, Lord Jesus?
47:09I am a sinner.
47:11I repent of my sins.
47:14I embrace the free gift of salvation.
47:16[music]
47:19I declare with my mouth
47:22that I'm born again
47:24and I believe in my heart
47:26that I'm a new creature
47:28in Jesus name.
47:31Amen. Come on, let's give the Lord a
47:33hand of praise.
47:34>> [music]
47:34>> Would you stand on your feet, everybody?
47:38Thank you so much for coming to church
47:39[music] today. I pray that you enjoyed
47:42from the beginning of the service all
47:44the way down to the sermon. Please, we
47:46hope to see you Wednesday and Friday. Go
47:49get your tickets at the box office for
47:51the young people's event. And then
47:54tomorrow, meet me here for prayer. We're
47:57going to be praying for you, anointing
47:58you, especially this season of your
48:00life. 7:00 p.m., not 7:30, 7:00 p.m. to
48:048:00 p.m. for 1 hour. Lift your hands,
48:07everybody, and let's say our confession
48:09together. Faith in God will move
48:12mountains out of your life. God bless
48:15you. [music]