I don't have a sermon for you this morning, but I do have some stuff I need to say to you that's very important before we walk out of this room. First, I want to speak to the believer. I want to say something directly to you that's been burning in my spirit all week.
All around the world, this weekend, Church of Jesus Christ, in gathering small and large, outdoors and in buildings, listen, have come together to celebrate the most important events in human history. the death of the lord jesus christ and the supernatural resurrection of the lord jesus christ so important was these events in human history that all of our calendar is split around his life into years bc before christ And years AD, Anu Domini, Latin for in the year of our Lord. So important was the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that all of our calendar revolves around Him.
That what we have come to do is not just have a service. And not just to sing empty songs, but to pause as a believing community to remember these two great events that changed the course of history. Now family, you know the scriptures, that none of this has happened by accident. That it was God who created all things and created man to be in perfect relationship with him. You know that.
But you know in our temptation to be the God of our own lives, we do that still. That our pristine parents lean into a lie of the devil. Thinking they can have a type of knowledge and relationship apart from God. And they plunge the whole human race into sin.
And what grieves my soul about the believing community. Is that we come to moments like this and think we have a right to grace. We think we have a right to salvation.
We have a spirit of entitlement that God owes us that. Let me remind you, God owed no man salvation. Let me remind you what he said about the angels who was cast out of heaven. He said he has chained them in everlasting fire.
Watch. He made no provision for angels to be saved. Look at me.
Every angel that fell from heaven with Satan, he said in the end, according to Jude, they will be bound in everlasting fire. So he made no provision for the angels to be saved. And God don't need you and I. So he didn't have to save any human beings.
He could have just left the human race in sin. And then the punishment for all human beings, look at me, would be you would live your life, get married, have babies, build businesses, get to a bag, die, and be eternally separated from God. That would have been the fate for the whole human race. But you know the scriptures that God set forth a plan of salvation that his wrath his anger against sin had to be satisfied his moral law had to be kept perfectly look and when no human being could keep that law and when no blood was found worthy to be dripped or shed he sent his son watch and that all of this was necessary watch jesus had to live a perfect life in your place because you cannot and god demands that see watch God had to be shed because God is so holy he demands a payment for sin that you only see him as a God of love but you don't see him as a God of justice and there is no justice unless the offender is punished for what they have done And because we were born in sin, God demands a payment for that sin.
But since you can't pay it, He nailed His Son to a cross to watch absorb the wrath of God that was upon mankind. That when God looked at all humanity, all He felt was wrath and anger against them for sin. And then upon the cross of Calvary, God nailed to the cross his son and then poured out on his son all the wrath of heaven, all the wrath of God poured out on the son.
And there upon the cross. Jesus exchanges his perfect righteousness for your unrighteousness. He makes your name known in heaven so you can make his name known in the earth. He wrote your name on the palm of his hands, so you can write your name on the table of your heart.
His name on the table of your heart. So every time we look at the cross, man, I am reminded of not just a song or service, of what Jesus nailed to that cross. Look at me, man.
He nailed to that cross condemnation that you don't have to keep beating yourself up for your mistakes. Man, he nailed that to the cross. Look at me.
He nailed every abortion to the cross. He nailed every divorce to the cross. Man, who am I talking to?
He nailed every failure to the cross. He nailed every sin to the cross. He nailed all your shame to the cross.
He nailed all your guilt to the cross. He nailed your punishment to the cross. And so for the believer, we didn't come to exalt no rabbit. this sunday this resurrection sunday man you don't need three points in a poem what you need is a heart of gratitude and a heart of thanksgiving and a reminder of what the lord jesus has done for you man look at me i'm serious about this man i shed tears over this listen how In God's name, can anyone who calls himself a Christian look upon the cross, look upon the scourging of Jesus, the whipping and the lashing? How could you look upon the fact his body was broken?
The scripture says in Isaiah 52, he was beat so bad his face was unrecognizable. you ain't never turned a blind eye from emmett till's pictures and yet your savior was brutally whooped for your sins and nailed to a cross for your sins then how in god's name no i'm so serious about this how in god's name do we who calls ourselves christians look upon that cross and have no gratitude No praise. No worship.
No thanksgiving. Watch. No surrender. Look at me, I'm serious. That the only response to the cross is total surrender.
That I didn't come here to give you a cupcake sermon. I came here to put a demand on you to respect the cross and respect the empty tomb. Let me hurt you just a little bit. Man, I'm so serious when I say this.
You know what else needs to be nailed to the cross? Your hypocrisy needs to be nailed to the cross. You know what else needs to be nailed to the cross? Your iniquity, your love of sin needs to be nailed to the cross.
You know what else needs to be nailed to the cross? Your lawlessness, our lies, our lusts, our sexual immorality, our idolatry i will worship of everything other than jesus every morning these things need to be nailed to the cross that i cannot look upon what god did to him on that cross and then turn away and live any life the way that i want the cross demands nothing less than full surrender How do you see what happened to him there? And then enjoy sin. No family. So how could you talk to us like this on Easter Sunday?
On Resurrection Sunday? No, I put a demand on you, Christian. To respect the death. of christ to respect the whooping of christ by fighting in your own flesh every sin and lawlessness every worship of every idol everything that i desire that's more than him everything i put above him everything i want more than him i nail it to the cross I put a command on you to keep nailing your ratchet sinful behavior to the cross. Why?
So that in the power of his resurrection that you was raised with him according to the scriptures you can live a life of holiness and purity and faithfulness And love for what is right. And hatred for what is wrong. When I look at the cross, I should hate sin. When I look at the cross, I should hate sin. In my mind.
In my heart. In my life. In my marriage.
I should hate sin. When I see the cross, I should hate it on the inside of me. I should hate sin.
caused me to fall down on my knees and say lord search my heart and if you see anything wicked inside me lord lead me in the paths of righteousness that every time i get a glimpse of the cross i want to keep nailing my ugly self to the cross and then because of her empty tomb christ in me the hope of glory you I live out this one life I have on earth, on this earth, one, listen to me, with purpose, with meaning, with an open heart. to my savior my life is lord you rescued me from a damnation i could not escape i offer you everything i have to give and however you want to use me in this one life i surrender all of me to you that i may live in the power of your resurrection until you crown me for my faithfulness and then i lay down that crown that you your feet that is the only response of the believer and so i want to lean on you this resurrection sunday man this is in my heart man that of christians in america man we will stop trampling the blood and stop trampling the death of christ that we will stop acting like like he didn't pay for the things we enjoy that we should be letting these things go and walk in the power and the newness of new life that wherever i am man i am a living testimony of the power of the resurrection of christ i speak christ i think christ i pray christ i live christ i shed tears for christ all of my life christ no that's not what you want to hear you want to hear because of his death here is eight steps to your plan I wish I had just they said people's in overflow and people in the lobby I wish I had a thousand people in this 1130 that would just honor God for the sacrifice that he made and praise him for the sacrifice that he made that what should flow out of this room for the believer is not theology you don't need no heavy doctrine not today what you need today is reflection gratitude, thanksgiving, watch, and a renewed surrender. Somebody give Jesus praise! Now, I need to talk to everybody in this room. Everybody watching me across that camera.
Every person sitting in that overflow. All of y'all who are sitting in the lobby. All these bodies everywhere. I want to talk to all of you who are not saved.
You are unbeliever. You already know who you are. Heads are bowed and eyes are closed.
I'm talking to you. You've been in church your whole life, but you don't belong to Christ. You've been around the things of God, but you don't belong to Christ.
You've seen the passion of the Christ, but you don't belong to Christ. You've got Christian lingo and Christian practices, but you're not born again. If you died in a car crash on the way home, you will wake up in damnation. So my friend, I want to say to you, you're watching me right now, you hear my voice right now, you already know who you are. Here is the truth for you this Resurrection Sunday.
You are and I am a sinner. you were born in sin you were born separated from almighty god and the scripture says if you die in your sin my brother my sister you're going to be separated from god for all eternity you will endure the fires of judgment you said i don't believe in hell die and find out Jesus told the story of a rich man who died and went to hell and he cried out from this place I didn't know it was real go tell my brothers Not to come here. He said no you have the preachers and the prophets And if you don't hear the gospel when it's being sent to you You're gonna end up in the same place and you're gonna be there for all eternity but god and his love for you sent the lord jesus died on a cross for your sins and he says if anyone would turn from this and put your faith in christ man you can be made a brand new creature right now you can walk out of here today a brand new man a brand new woman listen it's already happening right now in your heart there's no prayer i'm gonna pray that's gonna make that happen there's no sermon i'm gonna preach that's gonna make that happen what christian nonsense in america that is no no one comes to the father except the lord draws him and the lord jesus is drawing you to himself right now you can feel it it's wooing in your belly you know i'm talking to you i'm talking to you in the overflow i'm talking to you in the lobby i'm talking to you across that camera i'm talking to you in this room you feel it right now jesus saying come my son come my daughter come into a life of purpose come into the king of light walk out this brand new life today is your day when i transform you for the rest of your life i'm talking to you if that's you i want to pray for you if you feel that the lord is doing something in your heart You feel like you want to throw yourself on the altar of God's mercy. You want to receive Christ as your savior.
You feel him drawing you right now to himself. I'm talking to you. This happened for me over a toilet seat in a bathroom.
My brother, my sister, he brought you here for this moment this is the most important moment of your whole life we're about to shame the devil you're about to tell the devil you don't own me another day you're about to tell the devil you can't have me another day you're about to tell the devil i will not serve you another day you're about to be set free from all of the kingdom of darkness one i'm talking to you on the count of three throw your hands in the air Two, the Lord Jesus is calling you. Three, throw your hands in the air if I'm talking to you. Lift it up high. Lift them Lift them up high. Everybody stand to your feet.
If your hand is in the air, run down here right now. Everybody who had your hand Everybody, why don't you hand in here. Run down here. If you're in the overflow room, come across the hallway and run over here right now. Come on.
Run down here. Run down here. Run down here.
Run down here. Run down here. Run down here.
Come close. Come close. The Lord is saving you right now. Run down here. Come on.
Come close, come close, come close, come close. If you're in the overflow room or the lobby, you can run over here right now. Somebody give Jesus praise right now. Come on, run down here, run down here.
You're giving your life to Christ, run down here. Come close, If you're in the overflow room, you can run over here right now. If you feel Jesus tugging on your heart, move from your chair, move from your chair, and run down here right now! Run to Jesus!
Run to Jesus! Run to Jesus! Run!
Run to Jesus! Run to Jesus! Give the land a reward, oh give the skin Give the land a reward Give the skin a reward With the elders The elders sit in your house With the angels and creatures like holy, give your life and take rest in him now.
Everyone of his glory, let the angels and creatures like holy, give your life and take rest in him. Glory, Lord, I do hate. Move on, you sons and your daughters, Jesus.
In the secret. Everybody just hold it. Don't look at me.
I'm not important. Don't look at me. Man, he's catching those tears, my sister.
He's catching those tears, my sister. He's catching those tears, my sister. He's catching those tears.
He's catching those tears, my sister. Don't look at me. I'm not important.
Don't look at me. Wow. Come closer to me.
I want to touch you. It's called repentance. You're about to be a brand new woman.
You are a brand new woman right now. You are. You are a brand new woman. Eternal God and ever wise Father.
We thank you Lord for these men and these women. He knows, he knows, it's okay, he knows, he knew you would be here in this moment. He engineered this whole gathering for you. Today is the beginning of the rest of your life.
You'll never be the same after this moment. Father, I pray for these men and women. that you are working something in their heart that a sermon cannot do the words of man cannot do that this is of the power of the holy spirit so father i pray according to your word that you would seal them now with your spirit guaranteeing their salvation for the day of redemption I pray you would break every demonic force and stronghold from around their lives.
I pray you would deliver them from cages, from prison doors, and break shackles off of their hands in the name of Jesus. I pray as tears are falling all over this altar, they will feel freedom and life and healing and deliverance. I thank you God that your word is powerful enough to snatch people from the fires of hell and bring them into the kingdom of light. I thank you Lord that you're sealing their names right now in the Lamb's book of life their names are being recorded in heaven I thank you Lord for this act of warfare of setting these prisoners free in this moment for father you said when one sinner repents all of heaven rejoices so father right now we rejoice I said we rejoice I We were joined, somebody was joined! I'll be in ruins right now!
Now everybody at this altar look at me. Hey, now I want you to look right at me. My sister over there, who I was holding your hand, what's your name? Alexis. Alexis, how old are you?
22. Listen, look at me. I know you got tears in your eyes, look at me. Watch.
Welcome to the family of God. Everybody here look at me. Listen to me.
Today, look right at me, is the beginning of the rest of your life. You will never be the same after this moment. For me this moment came Over a toilet seat. In a bathroom.
When I was suicidal. You're not here by accident. The Lord knew you would be here.
And knew that he would bring you to himself on this day. Before you was even born. He knew that he would engineer this moment for you. Your name according to the scripture has been recorded in heaven.
Alexis, Alexis, the scripture says about you and all these new family members you have that all of your sins have been forgiven, past, present, and future. All of your shame, all of your mistakes, all of it has been nailed to the cross. And when you leave here, you leave here free, men and women.
Now look at me, after today... you're gonna make mistakes again but when you do you don't condemn yourself condemnation the beating up of yourself was nailed to the cross you are a son of god so after today when you make mistakes you just say lord forgive me you get back up you dust yourself off i'm talking to you and you follow jesus watch this into the unknown future of his perfect will for your life until you are crowned in glory and rewarded for your labors you understand that now look at me if you don't live in atlanta you don't live in this city when you get back to your home city i want you to find a church where they teach the scriptures Because time is running out and the Lord you just gave your life to is coming back very soon So I want you to find a church where they teach the word of God and where you can have community with brothers and sisters And if you live in this city, you don't got to look no further We don't do membership and we don't handcuff. We just say be a part of our family.
They're behind you. Listen, this is your family behind You heard that, Alexis? That's your brothers and sisters behind you.
You heard that? You heard that? Those, you heard that? Those are your brothers and sisters behind you.
Look at me. When you leave today, we have a black tent out there, and we have a gift for you at that tent. In that bag is a... scriptures, the Bible, and material to teach you about your walk with Jesus. We want you to go get that gift.
It's for you. It's free. If you don't want the gift, fine.
You don't want us to know who you are? Fine. You want to stay anonymous? Fine. I'm going to ask you just give us six months of your life and if God has not done something with you in six months then we pray you find the church you need to be in just give us six months and see what God would do with your life you understand what I'm saying you understand that you understand does that make sense Alexis okay watch all them tears you were shedding now this is called joy we're gonna celebrate you right now in the name of Jesus You're you're Everybody lift your hands.
My mother's in the room right now. And uh... Every time she's in the room, I want to remind people who don't believe that the doctors told her she would never have children. But she fasted and prayed and believed God, even with a damaged cervix.
And the product of her faith is talking to you right now. So, I don't know who this is for, but God is able. All right, now lift your hands.
May the Lord bless you and may the Lord keep you. And may the Lord lift up his face to shine upon you and give you peace. I bless you now with a spirit of gratitude, thanksgiving, and joy that we will celebrate this whole day what Jesus has done to us and done for us and done in us and through us.
Go now in peace, and we see you next week in Jesus'mighty name. We make all things new. He makes.