One God | Pastor Kenneth Carpenter by Kenneth Carpenter First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN) Kind: sermon Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4, Malachi 2:10, Psalm 100:3, Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 43:7, Isaiah 43:15, Ephesians 4:5, John 4:24, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Luke 24:37-40, Colossians 1:14-15, 1 Timothy 1:17, 2 Chronicles 6:18, Psalm 139:1-10, John 4:46-53, 2 Kings 6:8-12, Daniel 3:27, Psalm 95:5, Matthew 4:10, Mark 5:6, Matthew 28:9, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 8:2, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 15:25, John 20:28, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:22-23, John 8:56, John 8:58, Isaiah 41:4, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 48:12, Revelation 1:10-18, Revelation 22:12-13, Acts 7:55-59, Exodus 15:8, Luke 11:20, Genesis 35:18, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:9-12, Acts 20:28 Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--one-god Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page. Free to copy and share with attribution. ------------------------------------------------------------ Will you stand with me this evening? Praise the Lord, everybody. >> So good to see you in the house of the Lord tonight. And um I want you to know that doesn't matter what comes your way. You hear pastor tonight? You can worship your way >> through anything. I said you can worship your way. >> Doesn't matter what comes your way. You can worship your way. Wasn't that a wonderful worship service we had tonight? Did you feel the wonderful presence of God here? >> >> If you have your Bibles, would join me in Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse number four. To those of you that were at trendsetters service this morning at 8:30, you know that Sister Carpenter just absolutely outshined. I mean, just absolutely brought us some uh brought us and stirred us. Amen. And uh I so I was so thankful and and uh have to weigh this out when I say this. I so godly proud that that was my wife this morning. I was just so godly godly proud of that power went off around I think around 5:00 today. I got a my desk at my home. I have a window two windows that look out toward the church. Power went out. Oh goodness. Is out 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes. And I just looked across the street at the church and I said, "Jesus, please help us. I want to go to church tonight." >> And I'm thankful that about an hour the power power come back on. And uh here we are. Amen. You're thankful both powers are on tonight. >> Deuteronomy 6 and4 here. Oh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. It's what we're going to preach on tonight, teach on tonight, one God. I'm going to tell you why I do this. You get asked the question. I was asked the question today starting a Bible study with a precious man. Preacher, what's the difference? What's the difference? We know used to we could say well we shout that's the difference but now not everybody's shouting or we could say well we speak in other tonesues there's a lot of churches speaking in tonesues they speaking in tonesues in their sanctuary and they're speaking in tonesues in their closet I mean there's a lot of churches speaking in tongues but what's the difference preacher I'm going to tell you what it is one God believe what the Bible teaches is there's only one God. Do you believe that with me? Let's pray right now. Father, I come before you. Lord, I thank you tonight for your wonderful presence. And Lord, I thank you tonight for the people that are that are here that have a heart hungry to hear your word. And Lord, I just ask you for the next few moments, Father, that you would anoint my mind and you would anoint my mouth. You'd anoint my heart. And God, give me the ability, God, to deliver the word, to teach the word tonight. Lord Jesus, I just ask you Lord that you would touch hearts and open minds and give revelation not only to those that are here in the auditorium but those that are watching online. Pray that your hand would be upon us in Jesus name we all pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated here. O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Now tonight let us just take the Bible at face value. All right, let's take the Bible at face value. We do not go to the Bible to prove our beliefs. We go to the Bible to get our beliefs. >> We're not going to take what we believe and try to squeeze it in the Bible. We're going to take the Bible at face value. We're going to read it. And we're going to take the Bible at face value tonight. Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. The meaning of the word Lord means the self-existent or eternal. The self-existent or the eternal Jehovah. The self-existent or eternal Jehovah. Malachi chapter 2 and verse number 10, the writer says, "Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?" Now, these are just two of many scriptures that I could read that say that the Lord our God is one. The Lord our God is one. didn't say he was two or three or four or a dozen. It says that the Lord our God is one. As a matter of fact, in Psalms chapter 100 verse number three, look at how this God refers to himself, know ye that the Lord, he is God. It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves. We are his people the sheep of his pasture. So we're finding as we're taking the Bible at face value that the Lord our God, the Lord Jehovah is one. And that's proven by the words he and his. Isaiah chapter 43:es 1 and verse 7 and then verse 15. Isaiah 43 verse 1 verse 7 and verse 15. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, oh Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name. Thou art mine. Look at verse seven. Even everyone that is called by my name, for I have created him for my glory. I have formed him. Yay, I have made him. Look at verse 15. I am the Lord. I am the Lord. Your holy Can you say that last that next word? You're holy >> one. Uh brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, let me let me tell you something. If God wanted to reveal himself more than one, there's so many places in the Bible that he could have injected. I am the holy two or I am the holy three or I am the holy six or whatever he could have. But it taking the Bible at face value, he says, "I am the holy I am your holy one, the creator of Israel, your king." Now, not only does the Old Testament testify to the fact that our God Jehovah is one in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse number five. Now, some may say tonight, some may think tonight that this is just another Bible study, uh, but it's really not. It's our foundation. And if our children and our grandchildren don't grasp the reality that there's only one God, I'm going to tell you, there's a world out there that'll mess them up in scripture. There's a world, it does matter. It matters what we believe. Ephesians chapter 4 verse number five says this. There is well let's all read it together. Can we? It's on our screen. Some of you have your Bibles. Let's Could we read it together and start with me? I'll I'll get the first word out. Would you start reading as I do? One. >> How many lords are there? >> There's one Lord. Not two. Not three. Jesus gives us some insight on this subject. For in John chapter 4 and verse number 24, Jesus said this about the Lord God. He said, "God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." He says, "God," he said this to the woman at the well. He said, "God is a spirit." Now you go ahead and and and just write that down as eternal truth. Jesus said it, God is a spirit. >> Later later, Paul in writing 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 17, Paul says these words in 2 Corinthians 3:17. Now the Lord, how many Lords are there? Now the Lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. So he says God is a spirit. Of course Paul says that that spirit is that one Lord that we have been reading of scripture about this evening. They were out on a boat one night and it came a terrible storm. a terrible storm in so much that they thought that they were going to drown. The boat was going to sink. It begins at Luke 24 verse number 37. But they were terrified and a frightened and supposed that they had seen, you see, they see Jesus walking on the water and they suppose that they had seen a spirit. Now, there was a tradition in that day that just before you died that you would see spirits coming. And I just imagine if that being the case and they're in a boat in a terrible storm and thinking they're going to sink, they would be terrified and they would be afraid because here comes what they thought was a spirit walking. But it wasn't a spirit. It was Jesus Christ, the God man, walking on the water. They were terrified. They cried out. In verse 37, verse 38, Jesus said unto them, "Why are you troubled? Why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have." And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. So now Jesus gives the definition of what a spirit doesn't have. He said, "A spirit," do you see that? He said, "A spirit, a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see me have." This is this is handle me. Handle me and see. A spirit doesn't have flesh and bones as you see that I have. Well, he he's he's explaining he's explaining this this spirit that they that they believed that they had seen or he's explaining what a spirit is and what a spirit isn't. Colossians chapter 1 verse number 14, the Bible says, "In whom," speaking of Jesus, "in whom we have redemption through his blood." Thank you tonight for that song. Wasn't that a beautiful song they sang tonight? So beautiful. Blood never loses power. In whom we also we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Now, who we talking about? We're talking about Jesus. We're talking about Jesus. We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Verse 15, Jesus who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. So Jesus is the fleshly image of God's spirit of the invisible the invisible God. Once again, Paul in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse number 17, Paul says it this way. Now unto the king, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. So now we understand that God is a spirit and he is an invisible spirit. And how God was seen of man was God had to manifest himself in some form to be seen of man. But let's go on tonight. God is a spirit. What do you mean by that? God is an omni present spirit. Now what that word is there omniresent? It just means that God is present everywhere. Just means that God is present. He is present everywhere. This is found in 2 Coronicles 6 and:e 18 where Solomon was dedicating the temple and um after he dedicated the temple he saw that what he thought would house God would not. He says in 2 Coronicles 6 and verse number 18 he says but will God in very deed dwell with men on earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. How much less this house which I have built. In other words, he stands back and he thought, I have built God a house to dwell in. And then he saw, no, God is much larger than this house. As a matter of fact, the heaven of heaven of heavens could not contain thee, oh God. It'll be later in Psalms chapter 139 verse 10. Verse 1-10 shows this omnipresent God. He says the Psalm of David. David cried out, "Oh Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising. Thou understandeth my thought a far off. Thou can pass upth my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, oh Lord, thou knowest it all together. Thou hast bees set me behind and before, and hath laid thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain unto it. WHETHER SHALL I GO FROM thy spirit, or whether shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thine hand shall lead me and thy right hand shall hold me. So, so, so once again, this omniresent God, David said, God, you you know my mannerisms. You're in front of me. You're behind me. You got your hand on me. If I went as far as I could to the east or the west, to the north, the south, if I made my bed in hell, you're there. He is just simply saying, God, you are omnipresent. You are everywhere. This can be seen also in John chapter 4 verse number 46. It's a story about a miracle that Jesus did. Jesus is the almighty God manifest in flesh. In him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily. But yet even though God dwelt in a body, God was still omnipresent. And I will show you this in this story. Verse 46. So Jesus came again into Canaa of Galilee where he had made the water wine. It was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernium. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea in Galilee, he went unto him and besought him that he would come forth and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. So now you see what's happening here. This nobleman had to travel a couple of days because he had a son that was at the point of death and he comes to Jesus. He travels a couple of days and he comes to Jesus in verse 48. Then said Jesus unto him, except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. The noble man saith unto him, Sir, come down heir, my child die. Jesus saith unto him, "Go your way. Go back home. Thy son liveth." And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him and went his way. Now remember, it took him a couple of days to get to Jesus. So, it's going to take him a couple days to get to get home. The Bible says in verse 51, as he was now going down, his servant met him. So, he's heading back home. His servant meets him. his servant met him and told him, saying, "Thy son liveth." Then require inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. In other words, the nobleman said, "Could you tell me what time it was yesterday when my son began to recover from his sickness? Can you can can you can you can you tell me the hour when he began to amend? And they said unto him, "Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him." So the father knew that it WAS AT THE SAME HOUR in the which Jesus had said unto him, "Thy son liveth, and himself believed, and his whole house." You You see what happened there with the omnipresence of God? Jesus and the nobleman are miles away from the dying sick boy, but because Jesus is the Godhead bodily, but he's not only covering the ground that his feet were over, he was 20 some odd miles away in a room where a boy was dying of a fever and he healed them. We serve an omniresent God. Can you say amen? He's omnipresent. He's not only omnipresent tonight, church. He is the omnisient God. Now, what does omnisient mean? It means he's he's all knowing. He is the all. I didn't say he's a knowit all. He knows it all, but he's not a knowit all. He's the all knowing God. He has all He has all knowledge. Look at me in a with a story out of the Old Testament. 2 Kings chapter 6 and verse number eight. Now we're talking about God being omnisient on on knowing. 2 Kings chapter 6 verse number eight. Then the king of Syria wared against Israel took counsel with the servants saying in such and such a place shall my camp be. In other words, this king of Israel, Assyria, he was waring with the king of Israel and he was laying out his battle strategy. We're going to go down here. We're going to we're going to be waiting for them to come and uh we're going to we're going to ambush them down here. But verse nine. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place, for whether the Syrians are come down, the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of and saved himself there not once nor twice. In other words, the king of Syria had closed doors door meetings and would tell his men, "Now you trap Israel right here and you trap Israel over here." But when the king would set the trap, Israel would go the other way. And that happened not once or twice. It happened several times until verse 11. Therefore, the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing. He called his servants and said unto them, "Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?" don't know the words. He said, "Can somebody reveal the traitor we got in this room? CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME WHO THE TRAITOR IS?" Not once, not twice, but several times. We said ambushes. And Israel go the other goes the other way. But watch what happens. Here's the answer. Here's the answer. And one of his servants said, "None, my lord. There's no traitors among us, oh king. But Elisha the prophet that is in Israel tellth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed chamber. Now don't don't get Elisha don't get him lifted up because Elisha is only hearing from the omnisient God. It was the omnisient God that knew where Syria was going to be. It was the all- knowing God that knew what they were going to do. And so the man just stepped out. He said, "I'm gonna tell you something, king. Ain't no traitors in here. There's a prophet named Elisha. He knows what you say in your bedroom. He knows what you say. And of course, I could go on and tell you the story of how it all ended, but it all ended in God's favor. Now, having said that, let me stop just for a moment. Isn't it wonderful when you go to God in prayer that he's an omnipresent God? >> Do you know God doesn't have service times? >> I said he's the omnipresent God. And I doesn't that make you feel a little good tonight when you go to God in prayer and the reason you need to say thy will be done is because God is the omni omnisient God. He knows everything. He knows what to answer. He knows the doors to open. He knows the doors to shut. Oh, I could go I could tell you about I could tell you about Elisha that prophesied that there would be bread after a long famine. And there was a a skeptic that was there. Elisha prophesied tomorrow about this time there'll be bread in the gate of Samaria. There'll be plenty in the gate of Samaria. They had been eating doves dung and donkey heads for they've been in the famine. But Elisha steps out and says, "By this time tomorrow, there'll be bread in the gate of Samaria. There'll be good food in the gate of Samaria." And and somebody that was a skeptic, cynical, he said these words. He said, "If God would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?" Well, I got news for you, Mr. Skeptic. God don't have to make windows. They're already there. >> Bible said he'll open up the windows of heaven. >> And so, he was a he was he was a skeptic. Of course, the man of God told him, he said, "You'll see it with your eyes, but you won't eat." 24 hours later, there was that bread there at the at the gate of Samaria. And of course, this this uh man that was a skeptic uh was placed by the king over directing traffic to go out to get the bread. And um they trampled him underfoot. When he tried to direct them on which way to go, they trampled him under foot. He is the all knowing God. He's not only the omnipresent God. He's not only present everywhere. And he's not only the omnisient God. He's not only the all- knowing God. He's the omnipotent God. The word omnipotent, the word omnipotent means powerful. He's the all powerful God. Have you ever heard people ask silly questions? Oh, God can do anything. And yes, he can. Well, can God create a rock so large that he can't pick up? Number one, God's not into foolishness to begin with. But let's get into that argument. Let's get into that argument. Could God create a rock so big that he couldn't pick it up? The answer would be yes. But you see, he is an exceeding God. He could exceed what he's already done. He is our exceeding God. Whatever he did here, he's able to exceed himself and do even more. But none of that nonsense. The creative power of God. We're here because this God spoke and said, "Let there be light." There's light. We have an earth because God said, "Let there be." And he spoke it and it was there. What about his power displayed at the Red Sea? What about the dividing of of a Red Sea to where thousands of people went across on dry land? Or how about the three Hebrew children? How about the three Hebrew Hebrew children that were thrown into a fiery furnace with their clothes, everything they own was tied around them and throwed into the fiery furnace. should have burnt them up. But Daniel chapter 3 verse number 27 said, "And the princes and the governors and the captain and the king's counselors being gathered together saw these men upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were the coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed upon them." Man, what a God. WHAT A GOD. WHAT a protective God. I mean, they come out of there, not a thread on their clothes was burnt, not a hair on their head was singed, and you could go AROUND AND SNIFF AROUND THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE SMELL OF SMOKE. WHAT A WHAT AN OMNIPOTENT GOD TONIGHT. WHAT AN omnipotent God that we serve. Psalms 95 and verse number five, the sea is his. He made it. His hands formed the dry land. Jesus claimed to be God. Oh yes, he did. Jesus Christ claimed to be God. Now, his claim to God, and I'll get into that in a moment, but I'd like to tell you, I'd like to take you down the pathway of his temptation. He was tempted of the devil. The last temptation was, "Bow down." Satan said to him, "Bow down and worship. Worship me." That's what Satan said to him. "Bow down and worship." Everybody say, "Worship." Bow down and worship me. Here's Matthew 4 verse number 10. Here is Jesus response. Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hint, Satan, for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and them only shalt thou serve. So Jesus said, "No, I'm not going to worship you BECAUSE ONLY THE LORD God should be worshiped." Are are you getting that tonight? Jesus was saying, "I'm not going to worship you, Satan. Only the Lord God should be worshiped." Let's see if Jesus ever allowed himself to be worshiped. Now, if we can't find scripture where Jesus allowed himself to worship, somebody may have a good argument that he's not the Lord God. BUT IF WE CAN FIND IN SCRIPTURE WHERE Jesus allowed people to worship him, then we have got to put two and two together and come up with four, we have got to say that evidently Jesus is the Lord God. He's either a lawb breaker or he is the Lord God. Well, let's find it out tonight. Mark chapter 5 verse number six. But when he saw Jesus a far off, this is the demoniac. When he saw Jesus a far off, he ran and what? >> Worshiped him. Somebody reading, somebody reading further in Mark, has anybody read where Jesus said, "No, no, no, no, no. Don't worship me because we're only supposed to worship the Lord God in him only." Evidently praised God, church, evidently through the reading of scripture, Jesus said, "No, Satan. I'm not going to worship you. ONLY THE LORD GOD should be worshiped. So now we've got to SEE THAT JESUS IS that Lord God because he allowed himself to be worshiped. You said, "Well, Bill Car, that was a demon today." Okay, well let's go to Matthew chapter 28 verse number nine. Matthew 28 verse number nine. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "All hell." And they came and held him by the feet. And what did they do? Did he stop them? No, he did not. How about How about Matthew chapter 2 verse number 11? It's when the wise men came to the house two years after his birth. Matthew 2:1. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and what? >> Worship him. Matthew chapter 8 and verse number two. And behold, there came a leper and I like it when you all say it. And what? >> Worship him. Matthew chapter 33, excuse me, Matthew chapter 14 verse number 33. Then they that were in the ship came and >> worshiped him. Matthew 15:25. I'm going to keep on reading these. Matthew 15:25. Then came she and >> worship him. John chapter 20 verse number 28. This is when Thomas the doubter became Thomas the believer because Thomas said except I could put my hand in his side and feel the prince in his hands. I will not believe. But now in John 20:28 Jesus appears to Thomas says here's my side. Here's my hands. What did Thomas say? And Thomas answered and said unto him, "My Lord and my God." Jesus claimed to be God because Jesus was God. He is the one God of Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse number four. Isaiah chapter 7 verse number 14. prophesying of the birth of Jesus Christ. He says, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel." His name will be called Emmanuel. We know that in Matthew chapter 1 and verse number 22 that it says, "Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son. Thou shalt call his name." There it is again. What is it? Emmanuel. But Matthew gives us the interpretation which being interpreted is God with us. God with us. Jesus seemed to always be tangling. He didn't have much trouble with sinner people. He really didn't have much trouble with sinner people, but he was always tangled up with religious people. He would they were always tangled up. And John chapter 8 verse 56 he's in one of these tangled up with the religious people and Jesus says in John in John 8:56 he says your father because they really prided themselves father Abraham he's our father Abraham Jesus says your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad. Now they believe, many people believe, brother Sullivan, that Jesus is referring to Abraham having the revelation of Jesus Christ on Mount Mariah that that when Isaac was offered up that that was that Abraham perceived that this was the lamb that God would provide for himself. He says, "You're you're your father. You're bragging and boasting that Abraham is your father, but you're mad at me. You you want to stone me. You you grit your teeth at me. You don't like seeing me coming. But I say to you, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day." And he saw it and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, "Thou art not yet 50 years old, and hast thou seen Abra?" Say, "Wait, wait. Time out, Rabbi. Time out, Rabbi. You say that Abraham saw your day and you're not yet 50 years old and has seen Abraham. Verse 58. Jesus saith unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was," look at these two words that inflame them, I am. Now, I'm going to tell you something. They knew very well what he was claiming. He was claiming to be the I am the Jehovah, the Lord God that spoke to Moses out of the burning bush and said,"I am that I am. I am the self-existing one." And when he Come ON, COULD WE WORSHIP HIM BUT FOR JUST A MOMENT RIGHT NOW? I WORSHIP YOU, OH GOD, THE GREAT ETERNAL GOD. He said, "Before Abraham was, I am." Then took they up stones to cast to him, but he hid himself, went out of the temple, and going through the midst of them, and so passed by. Not only that, it enraged them, but there's another thing, the I am. He claimed that I am. Boy, that enraged them when he would say, "I am." But there was something else that would enrage them. Isaiah 41:4 says this, "Who hath wrought and done it? Calling the generations from the beginning. I the Lord the first and with the last. I am he." The one God Jehovah claimed to be the first. Claimed to be the last. Claimed to know the end from the beginning. He had this title. He had the title of the first and the last. Isaiah 44 and verse number six. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his redeemer the Lord of hosts. I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God. You want to get literal. He said beside me. There is no God. >> There is no God. Then in another passage of scripture, he said, "If there's another God, I know not any." >> So if you know more than one God, then you claim to know more than God himself. >> But he says, "I am the first and I am the last. Beside me there is no God." Isaiah 48:12, "Harken unto me, oh Jacob, and Israel, my called. I am he. I am the first, and I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand has spanned the heavens. When I call unto them, they stand up together. He is he this one. God claimed to be the first and last. Now, how many help me at tonight? How many you know, and I don't mean to insult anybody's intelligence tonight. How many knows there can only be one first and one last? >> There's not a tie for first and there's not a tie for last. >> You can only have one first and you can only have one last. Revelation chapter number one verse number 10. Are you Are y'all right tonight? >> You glad you're worshiping one. This is the difference right here. This is the difference right here. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last." Whoever this is has got to be the Old Testament Jehovah. It's got to be the Old Testament Jehovah. >> I am the first and I am the last. And what thou seeest write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, unto Thyotyra, Sardis, unto Philadelphia, and unto Leosa. And I turned to see the voice. I turned to see this first and last. I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. In the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one likened of the son of man, clothed with the garment down to the foot, and gird about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hair was white like wool, white as snow. His eyes were as a flame of fire. And his feet likened to fine brass, as if they had burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. hid in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. And his countenance was like the sun that shineth in its strength. And when I saw him, now follow this now because this is the one that said, I'm the first and the last. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. He laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, fear not. >> I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. and have the keys of hell and death. Ladies and gentlemen, that's none other than Jesus Christ. G JESUS SAID, "I AM BEFORE ABRAHAM." AND HE ALSO STEPPED OUT AND SAID, "I AM THE FIRST AND I AM THE LAST." He is the Jehovah. I'm trying to trying to teach a little bit tonight. We're going to close out our Bible tonight. We're going to close out our Bible this evening in Revelation 22 verse number 12. And behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me to give to every man as his work shall be. Verse 13, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Let me see if I can kind of weave my way through here. God is the creator. The Bible plainly says that Jesus was in the world and the world was made, the world was made by him. Some may ask, why did Jesus become a man? He became a man because a body, the blood of bulls and goats could never satisfy God. It would take the blood of a perfect man. And we can go through that. I may I may do that at another at another time. But as you um as you um begin to witness, there are those that that um that will have questions to ask you. And as a pastor, I want to I want to be able to give you. Well, one of the things one of the things that you'll hear someone say that Jesus is isn't God or he's and please notice the terminology here. I'm get my notes situated here. Please notice the terminology. It is not Bible. It is not nowhere in the Bible. Nowhere in the Bible does it ever say God the Son. It says the son of God, but nowhere does it ever say God the son. Because to prove or try to prove the erroneous doctrine of the trinity that is widely accepted and uh widely believed you they come up with that Jesus is the eternal son of God. Of course, under the microscope of scriptures, this does not hold true because the scripture emphatically says he is the only begotten of the father. But some will say, well, I know the Bible says that Jesus is on the on the right hand of God. Well, first and foremost, first and foremost, let's go to the scripture and and look at this argument that Jesus is on the right hand, the right hand of God. This comes from Acts 7:55. Acts 7:55. Stephen has witnessed and once again the religious people have got angry with him. And in Acts 7:55, but he Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God. And Jesus standing, look at the wording now, on the right hand of God. Now, it didn't say at the right hand of God. It said on the right hand of God. Now, if you want to take the Bible at face value, that means that means that he would had to be standing on the hand, I presume that they're saying, of of God the Father, that he was standing on the hand of God the Father. That seems to be very absurd to me. Let's see if Steven can't shed a little light here. Behold, I see the heavens open, the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. They cried out with a loud voice. They didn't want to hear that. Stopped their ears and ran up on him with one accord, cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes uh uh their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen calling upon God. All right. Now, if you only have two, if you're going to have God the Father here and Jesus standing on God the Father's hand, Stephen is calling upon who's he calling on here? So, so he's calling on God, right? When he calls on God, what does he say? And they stoned Steven calling upon God and saying, >> "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Can I tell you something, friend? Just understand what right hand means. Right hand is figurative. It's not literal. It's figurative. It is a place of honor and acceptance and elevation. It is it is not a literal place because simple questions can help us understand this. If we serve an omniresent God, how do you get on the right hand of a God that feels all in all? >> Not only that, it's just simply it's just simply figurative. right hand is a place of power, a place of honor, a place of a place of acceptance. Just just like Exodus chapter 15 verse number eight. Exodus 15 and verse number eight, they're they're describing the Red Sea, the wind blowing and dividing the Red Sea. And it says it here. It says, "And with the blast of thy nostrils, with the blast of God's nostrils, the waters were gathered together. The flood stood upright as a heap and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. Now you know when it says by the blast of thy nostrils, that's not literal. That didn't mean God pooched his nose through the clouds and sneezed and and and blew through his nose. No. No. It's it's it's it's just a figurative speech. It's it's just a figurative. It's that's all it is. It's not it's just using an analogy that you could understand. just the blast of his nostr nostrils. Well, how about Luke 11 VERSE NUMBER 20? EVERYBODY ALL RIGHT TONIGHT? >> How many one God believers are happy tonight? How many How many are glad your children are hearing this tonight? HOW MANY GLAD YOUR GRANDCHILDREN are hearing this tonight? Well, let's look at Luke 11 verse number 20. Jesus said these words, "But if I with the finger of God cast out demons, devils, no doubt the kingdom of God has come to you." Jesus said, "With the finger of God, I'm casting out devils." Now, that didn't mean that Jesus reached in his coat pocket and got out the finger of God and and and cast out devils. He's just saying it's no issue. It's just like flicking a flea to cause the devils to leave. Just the finger of God telling the devils to leave. That's that's that's that's all it's figurative language. But then again, I'd like to introduce you to what is called the law of first mention. If you want to know something in the Bible, go to the first place it was ever mentioned. If you go to the first place it's mentioned, you can start building and go forward. The first place in the Bible that we have the word right hand mentioned is in a name. Rachel has given birth. Rachel has given birth to a child. She's she dies in child birth. The Bible says it's painful and she dies in child birth. But in Genesis 35 and verse number 18, as she is dying, it says, "And it came to pass as her soul was departing, she is dying, she is taking her last breath or two." As her soul was departing, for she died that she called him Benoni. The word Benoni means son of sorrow. Son of sorrow. He's the son of sorrow. But his father called him Benjamin, which means son of my right hand. All right. Sometimes people will say, "Man, that that person's my right-hand person." Well, that don't mean they're standing right here. >> When they say, "Well, that you know, Sister Karp's my right-hand help." That doesn't mean she's always right here. That right hand is a place of power, place of acceptance, and a place of honor. So when when Rachel said, "He's Abonai. He's a son of Sorrow," Jacob steps up and says, "Oh no, no, he's not the son of Sorrow. He's Benjamin. He's going to be the son of my right hand." So right hand of God is not a literal position. It is a place of power and acceptance with God. That's that's that's what it is. Got to understand. Got you have to understand that I guess the next thing that that um would would be brought up. Well, HE WAS PRAYING ON THE CROSS. Who was he praying to on the cross? Why have you forsaken me? Who was he praying to? We see you got to understand the dual nature of Jesus Christ. He's fully man. He prayed. He's fully God. He answered prayer. See, if you don't understand the dual nature, see, it's a lot like teaching holiness. If you don't understand the distinction of the sexes, you you won't get holiness. All right? >> And if you don't understand Jesus Christ was fully man >> and he was fully God. Sometimes he spoke as a man. A matter of fact, the scripture even gives him the title son of man and it also gives him a title son of God. So you you do you understand that Jesus is both priest and offering? He's both the He is both the one offering and he's the one that is receiving. You do understand this, don't you? Jesus is the good shepherd. >> Does the Bible not call him that? >> The Bible calls HIM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. BUT THE BIBLE ALSO CALLS HIM THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY the sin of the world. So he can be the priest and the offering and he can be the shepherd AND THE LAMB BECAUSE HE IS BOTH GOD AND HE IS MAN. HE IS BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER. >> >> He is man and he is God. And nowhere in the Bible does it say God the Son. Nowhere in the Bible. He's the only begotten. The man did not come into being until the conception of the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary. He's the only begotten son of God. He's not eternal. That is a that is a belief that tries to prop up three separate persons, co-equal, co co-equal and and co-eternal and and and on and on and and finally it just ends when you you try to dig through it. It just ends with people in frustration throwing up their hands and saying, "It's a mystery. It's a mystery." Well, the mystery's been explained. Great is the mystery of godliness. >> God was manifested in the flesh, >> seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, received on into glory. I'm glad that I know him tonight is the Lord Jesus. I'm glad that I know him as the Lord Jesus Christ. Stand with me this evening. Colossians chapter 2 verse number 8. Colossians chapter 2 and verse number eight, Paul said, "Beware lest any man spoil you." That means to take away from you. Lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, not after Christ. Can I tell you, we're we're hearing these arguments today. Well, well, preacher, when you preach this, you're coming against tradition. I am. Well, well, preacher, you're you're coming against you're coming against tradition. You're you're you're coming against history, man. If tradition and history are not on the side of truth, you need to shove tradition and history to the side, >> and you need to walk on in truth. Well, I feel the Lord here, don't you? Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Look at verse nine. Blew your eyes on the screen. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, in whom also ye were circumcised with the circumcision made without hand, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead. Isn't it amazing, church, that Paul addresses that the fullness OF THE GODHEAD DWELLS IN him and then he goes down to baptism? If you don't GET THE GODHEAD RIGHT, YOU WON'T GET BAPTISM RIGHT. I said if you don't get THE GODHEAD RIGHT, YOU DON'T GET BAPTISM RIGHT. AND IF YOU DON'T GET BAPTISM RIGHT, YOU DON'T GET SPIRIT BAPTISM RIGHT. And if you DON'T GET SPIRIT BAPTISM RIGHT, YOU DON'T GET HOLY LIVING RIGHT. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO YEAH, you you HAVE TO MAKE UP DOCTRINES. Oh my god. YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP DOCTRINES TO EXPLAIN WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING DELIVERED FROM SIN. >> You have to make up doctrines when they come and shake the hand and and nod their head, you're saved. >> And then they introduce a doctrine called unconditional eternal security. And what that means is once you're saved, there's nothing you could do to be unsaved. God help people that believe that >> because the Bible has no unconditional eternal security. You don't lose your will when you come to God. You still have a will whosoever will let him come. You don't lose it when you come to him. You still have a will that you could go any direction. But you know what? What brother Carton and brother Carter, you don't realize there is a father. Uhhuh. And there's a son. Bible says. Mhm. And there's the Holy Ghost. Mhm. Well, there's there's there there's the Trinity. No, there's the manifestations, right? And but isn't it amazing? Isn't Isn't this amazing? Do you know the devil is called the father of lies? >> He's called the son of predition and he's called the spirit of disobedience. There's a father, there's a son, and there's a spirit. >> But nobody goes around talking about three persons in the devilhood. AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU KNOW TRUTH TODAY? Aren't you GLAD THAT YOU KNOW THERE'S ONLY ONE GOD TODAY? AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT YOU KNOW WHO HE IS? I'M SO GLAD THAT I KNOW WHO HE IS. I'VE PUSHED TRADITION ASIDE. I PUSH HISTORY ASIDE AND I'M WALKING IN THE PAGES OF GOD'S WORD AND I'M BEING set free because I know who Jesus is. Would you like just to spend a moment? Would you like just to spend a moment? Brother Ericson, would that be any way? Probably. So that we could just end with a couple minutes of that song. The blood will never lose its power. Could Could we brother Donnie Bright? Can you do Are you good at on the on the fly? Can you I don't need no amateur up here tonight, huh? Donnie, I need somebody. You're good with that. You know the old songs. All right, let's do it then. Couple minutes, would you? The blood that Jesus shed for me. It was way back on Calary. The blood that gives me strength. Come on, sing. From day to day, it will never lose its power. Come on, turn this place into a choir. Hey, cuz it reaches to the highest mountain. Come on, you sound good. Sing it out. Oh, and it flows through the lowest value. Oh, you say, "Well, Carmel, you just taught a lesson on one God." Go ahead. >> What does the blood have to do with one God? What does it have to do with that? >> Acts chapter 20 >> and verse number 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, >> AND TO ALL THE FLOCK, OVER WHICH THE HOLY GHOST HATH made you overseers, TO FEED THE CHURCH OF GOD, >> WHICH HE HATH PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. His power. >> Oh yes. Oh yeah. Come on, sing it now. reaches to the highest mountain. Oh, and it flows to the lowest valley. Oh, is the blood that gives me strength from day from day to day. and will never lose his power. Come on, sing this next verse. For it soothes my doubts and it calms all of my fears. And it tries, oh, it tries. Oh, my tears is the blood that gives me strength from day to day. It will never lose his power. Come on, sing it out. Oh, it reaches to the highest mountain and it's the blood that gives me strength from day to >> >> It will never lose. It will never never lose. No, it will never lose. It's powerful. It reaches Hey, to the highest. Come on, sing about it if you believe it. To the highest mountains and it flows to the Lord valley. Oh, is the blood that gives me strength from day from day to day. It will never lose his power. Let's go back to verse one again. Oh, the blood that Jesus shed for me. It was way way back home on Calary. It's the blood that gives me strength. Oh, from day from day to day, it will never lose. It will never lose. No, no, no, no, no, no. He will never lose his power. Just one more time. The chorus for it reaches to the highest flows and it flows to the Lord. >> >> It's the blood that gives me strength from day to day. Come on, sing this right. It will never I know it will never. Don't you know it will never? Come on. I feel the Holy Ghost right here. It's powerful. No, no, no, no. It will never. Come on, choir. Go in the parts. I hear you. Oh, it will. Oh my God. Come on, SING. IT WILL NEVER IT will One more time. It will never lose its power. >> >> Come on, celebrate the name of Jesus. He is one. There's only one. There's only one Lord, only one faith, only one baptism, only one savior, only one deliverer. There's only one creator. He's Lord of lords. He's the God of the universe. And he's our God right here in this church today. He's the Holy Ghost in power. He's keeping us alive. He's moving us, through us, in us. Aren't you glad you believe in one God? Come on. Aren't we glad we're not confused? I I've heard it testified so many times now. I've been in this my whole life. But I remember hearing my dad talk about before he got into church, before he come to this wonderful truth, he would say, "I would start praying to Jesus and start feeling bad because I wasn't praying enough to God. I start praying to the father for a while and then I start feeling bad cuz I wasn't playing praying enough to the Holy Ghost and he said I start praying to I'm so glad we know who he is. What a revelation. Come on. It's a revelation that brings liberty to know.