The Greatest Separation | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter
by Kenneth Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:22-24, Exodus 20:12, John 6:48, John 11:25, John 14:6, Hebrews 11:4, Genesis 8:20-21, Isaiah 28:7-8, Malachi 2:1-8, Genesis 14:18-20, Hebrews 7:1-3, Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 7:17, Matthew 8:17, Acts 10:38, 1 John 3:8, Hebrews 4:14-16, Revelation 1:12-13, Revelation 1:14, Proverbs 16:31, Proverbs 20:29

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--the-greatest-separation
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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Have your Bibles. You get your Bibles out with me right now. Several years ago, an advertising a advertising company was given the task of studying the advertisement for a wrist watch. All right. And in this advertisement, they wanted to they wanted to to uh they wanted to study it to see just how the angle of it and how what would be best for an advertisement, what what would look be best. And they discovered that not only the way you had positioned the watch, but they said a watch would look the best with one hand on 10 and the other hand on two. And of course I had to kind of check it out and I looked and a lot of magazines and a lot of racks, a lot of display cabinets at stores. You'll find those watch coming from the factory with one hand on 10, one hand on two says it looks the best. Can I tell you not only watches look the best? We look the best. We look the best. And I I know I've got you standing. I'm going to read my text. But sometimes the first thoughts of the day in my my spiritual life, sometimes the first thoughts of the day are um a little leading from the Lord. Just some you get up and you you begin to you begin to call out on his name. And sometimes I know the Lord has has really spoke to me in the first few wakening thoughts of my day. And this morning when I got up, I began to say, "God, I thank you for what you're doing. I I thank you, Lord, for what you're going to do is what I said." I thank you for what you're going to do. And it was it was as if I heard God say, "Why don't you just thank me for what I've already done? Why don't you just look around your life? Instead of standing at the door looking for me to bring something to you, why don't you just look within and see what I've already done for you? I don't know if that blesses you today, but God sure did minister to me this morning. If God never touches us one more time, Sister Sarah, if God never touches us one more time, he's already done more than I've ever deserved. What a great God. If there's not another blessing, if there's not another good day, if there's not another miracle happens in my life. Genesis chapter 2 and verse 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden, thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely, let's all say that last word together, die. Thou shalt surely die. Chapter 3 and verse 22. And the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become as one of us to know good and evil. and now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground from whence which he was taken. So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubams and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of let's say that last word together, life. Do you realize that God told Adam that something would happen to him if he broke his commandment? And that was he would die. Do you realize that Adam had never witnessed anything dying? But because we haven't witnessed something doesn't mean it can't happen. He said it's going to die. But then he mentions the word life. He mentions the word life. For a few moments today, I want to I want to minister to you on this subject. The greatest the greatest separation. Once again, let's talk to God. Father, I am in need of your anointing today. Lord, you have given us your word to lead our lives, to change our lives. We can't even be born again without your word. We don't know how to approach your throne without your word. And Lord, for the next few moments, Lord, would you anoint your servant that I would speak your word? And that Lord, while I am preaching today, would you by way of your spirit come walking down these aisles minister to the needs of your people today in body, soul, and spirit. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated. life. Life death was going to be the consequences of the breaking of God's word. Death would be that consequ consequence. But yet, God had already given Adam the tree of life because God is one that gives life. As a matter of fact, one of God's ten commandments that he gave Israel has to do with life or the prolonging of days. Exodus 20 and 12, one of the commandments, honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days or life may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. In other words, he said to Israel, if you will honor your parents, I will add to your life. I will add to your life. But physical life is one thing and the days of one's the years of one's life are one thing. But you know, people can live a long time dead. It's a spiritual death. That's why Jesus came and they didn't understand him many times. In John chapter 6 and verse number 48, Jesus proclaimed to them, I am the bread of life. Again in John 11 and verse number 25, speaking to a very discouraged sister who whose brother had died, Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." You notice this verse right here? Why did he have to add life to it? Why couldn't he just say, "I am the resurrection and leave it to that?" Because a lot of people can be resurrected but never go on to live that life and that life more abundantly. Jesus said in John 14, John 14 and verse number six, I am the way, the truth, and the life. He's he's wanting to drive home to us today through these scriptures. You see, when Adam and Eve when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, it was the greatest separation of all times. For God himself, although being a God of love and mercy, God himself was forced to evict himself from the souls of Adam and Eve because his righteous judgment, his sinless judgment, his righteousness demanded that these two cannot coexist in one body. You cannot have disobedience and obedience in one body. You cannot have both water, fresh water and salt water coming out of the same fountain. And so God evicted himself, if I may use the words, from Adam and Eve. And it was the greatest separation. For God loved man with a love that cannot be comprehended. God loved man. God loved that creation. God loved dwelling on the inside of that man. God God loved that vessel. You see, today, we love him because he first loved us. And I'll tell you a little little something else personally I'm working on right now in my prayer life and how I go to God in prayer because most of the time we go to God in prayer and we say, "God, I love you. I love you. I love you." and and and and and uh I I've kind of changed that or I'm working on it so ingrained in my my prayer that it kind of comes out before I really think about it. But do you know it's a whole lot better to tell God, God, I'm glad you love me. I'm glad you love me. I wish we would start there. Because truly, that's where the love of God starts from. It don't start with us saying, "God, would you love me? God, would you care about me? God, if I'm a good boy, would you bless me? God, if I walk just right, will you care about me? That's not so. It's a God that knew you before you knew him. It's a God that loved you before you ever cleaned up your life and started living like you ought to live. He still love you. So, we love him today because he first loved us. I just take a moment. Could we just love him right now all over this congregation? Could we just lift up our voices and lift up our hands? God, I'm glad that you love us today. Oh, what a great separation. If you give me my first um picture on the screen here um of two two these are two sisters here, blood sisters. Let me tell you a little bit about them. In the 1960s in England, twin sisters Anne Hunt and Elizabeth Hamill were adopted by different families at birth. unaware of each other. It was in 2014 Anne's daughter researched into adoption records aided by DNA testing and it revealed that Elizabeth was living in the US. After 78 years, look at this. After 78 years, the longest recorded separation of twins, they met their laughter and tears marking a joyous miracle facilitated by modern technology and persistence. Can you imagine that? 78 years separated at birth. Can't remember seeing each other, but 78 years they are uh reunited. If I can say that they are brought back. They are brought back together after 78 years. That's a heart touching story right there. Can you imagine the joy that they had of of being reunited after 78 years? But can you also go with me down the trail that they probably are thinking all the things that we missed out on in 78 years. We never got to attend one another's graduation. We never got to attend one another's marriage. We never got to see our children born. We never and the list would go on and on of all the things that they missed out on. Then our next picture is the U United States Air Force Captain Robert Storm who was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 during the Vietnam War and held as a prisoner for six years. His family had been notified that he was shot down and was dead. His family was notified of all of this. And for six long years, they lived and mourned the death of their husband. They mourned the death of their son. But there was an operation called Operation Homecoming where our forces went in and liberated those that were in the prison camps there. And wouldn't you know it, Robert was one of them that came out. Can you imagine the phone call? That's his daughter there. That's his daughter that's got her arm stretched out. That That's his daughter there. Look, look at the smiles on people's faces. All of his kids here and his wife in the background. All of these that p that assume that he was dead, but they get a phone call. He's not dead. And after six long years, they are reunited again after such a celebr after such a separation. Both of these separations are terrible and both of these reunions are wonderful. But it pales in comparison to the great separation that God performed when Adam and Eve fell in sin. And God, God by his righteousness was required. He evicted himself. For God gave Adam life. He breathed into Adam the breath of life. And Adam became a living soul, able to communicate freely with his God. God would come down in the cool of the day. And the winds would begin to blow. And Adam knew that was the presence of his creator. And Adam knew that was the presence of his God. And his God and the wind begin to speak to him. and they had sweet fellowship. God loved Adam and Adam loved God before sin. Man had an unimaginable fellowship with his creator. God was Adam's father and Adam was God's son. Imagine this today. Hang on every word, please. There was no shame. Anybody ever felt shame? God forgive those folks that didn't li lift their hand. Shame them, Lord. No shame, no guilt, no pain, no anxiety, no worry, no depression, no sickness, no death. Can you imagine? That's that that's that's far from what we can conceive today. And that's just a little minute list that I conjured up today. But the list could go on and on and on. None of this that all ended when the innocent perfect couple decided to take the serpent's word over God's word. They decided that Satan's word or the serpent's word was more trustworthy than God's word. Upon eating of the fruit, many times people have asked me, "Was it an apple?" I I've told them, "Don't be concerned with the apple on the tree." It was the pear on the ground that got in trouble. Amen. All right. was the pear on the ground. When they ate of that fruit, whatever it was, shame filled their hearts and minds. They find themselves afraid, fearful of God. Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden. Can you imagine that? I read it to you in my opening text. God had to drive them out of the Garden of Eden. God drove them out like you would drive cattle. The ro the the word used there is God drove them out. They didn't want to go. They didn't want to go. They didn't want to leave there. God had to drive them and push them by his spirit. Why? He said, "Because they have become as one of us. And now lest they go and take of the tree of life and live forever." And God would not allow a living being without being able to dwell in fellowship. But before that, and I I want to I want to preach to you how good God is today. If there's one thing, you know, Brother Nolan, we we we we we we when we work on messages and sermons, we we we will in our mind, we'll think, what's the one thing I want to leave them today? What's the one thing at 2:00 today that I want you to be able to look back on today? What's the one thing after you go out and have dinner and go home for a little bit? What's the one thing that I I want you to be able to remember today? I want you to be able to remember this. He's a good God and he seeks to have fellowship with you. He is a good God. I I I want you to be I want you to be able to say, you know, God really wants to have fellowship with us. Did you hear all that the preacher said from the word today? But before God would allow Adam and Eve, before God would let him go, God created a way that man could have something between and get the image now. God and man. God wanted something that man could reach up and touch him and that God could reach through and touch man. And again, God wanted something in man's life that man could reach up and touch God through this and God could reach down and touch man. And that is an altar of sacrifice. It was Cain and Abel. Abel sticks out. It was Abel in Hebrews 11:4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh. God said, "I can't just drive man out. I just can't leave man all alone. I've got to have something that man can do that he can reach out to me. And when man is doing all he can do to reach out to me, I will be able to reach down to man." And so God and man began to fellowship through a sacrificial offering of an animal. It was Abel that worshiped. It was the time of Noah. And when you use the the the the the human terminology and you put it to God, when God smelled the sinful aroma that was coming from the earth, he was a stench in the nostrils of God. It made God sick to his stomach when he smelled the aroma of sin and corruption that was coming up from the earth like a smoke from a furnace. When God began to smell this horrid transgressions of man as it multiplied and multiplied, it was God himself that said, "I have repent that I ever made man." Now, that's got to be pretty serious for God to look down at planet Earth and say, "I've changed my mind. I ever made man." Look at how they're acting. Look at what they're doing. I changed my mind that I ever made man. But Noah finds grace in the eyes of God. God gives Noah the plans to the ark. Noah builds the ark and survives the flood. At this reading of the scripture, there's only eight people alive on the earth and the ark comes to rest. And there's only eight people on the ark. And in Genesis 8 and verse number 20, the Bible said when they came out the ark that Noah built it an altar unto the Lord and took of every clean beast and of every clean foul and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor. And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore for man's sake. At one time God smelled the earth and he changed his mind that he ever made man. But when Noah gets off the ark and Noah builds an altar and Noah begins to offer up sacrifices like Cain did or Abel did, the Bible said, "And God smelled a sweet savor." What I'm trying to tell you that we serve a God today that's always going to keep something between you and him that you can reach out to and you can touch God and God can reach down and God can touch you. I go on. I could tell you about Abraham was an altar builder. I could tell you how Abraham built an altar. Matter of fact, one of the most notable altars he built was the altar that he would lay his only son upon. The son that he loved and it was there that he saw God. He saw God in a way that he never saw him before as Jehovah Gyra. But in the Old Testament, there's one major sacrifice that sticks out above all sacrifices. The sacrifice of Abel, sacrifice of Noah, the sacrifice of Abraham. Because all these sacrifices were just a connection between the sac one sacrificing and God. But oh, there was one sacrifice in the Old Testament that sticks out above them all. After 430 some odd years in Egyptian slavery, after 430 some odd years of being slaves and serving Egypt and Pharaoh, they didn't even know those the Jewish people at that time. They they they didn't know anybody in their family that had ever been free. They were born into slavery. They were born into this heavy working and mistreatment of the Egyptians. But a man comes out of the wilderness who has had an encounter with God. And that man called Moses begins to demand Pharaoh, you let God's people go. And after a number of plagues, there was one final sacrifice. He said, "On a certain day of the week, take a lamb, examine it for for for four days, I believe it is, and on that end of that day, I want you to take that lamb in the evening, and I want you to sacrifice that lamb. And I want you to take the blood of that lamb, and I want you to smear that blood over the doorpost of your houses. I want you to take the lamb on the inside of your house. And I want you in the night to devour that lamb. I want you that night to keep your shoes on your feet and your clothes, your robes wrapped around you and your staff in your hand for this is going to be the night of the Lord's deliverance. They had seen a lot of sacrifices but this sacrifice of this lamb because he said this when I see the blood I will pass over you. That word there in the Hebrew pass means to leap. The other word leaping means to rejoice. God knew that this is typology and this is symbolic of what I'm going to do by the perfect lamb of God. There's going to be a day that I'm not only going to leap over your sin, but I'm going to come and take your sin away again today. Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, I want to preach to you hope today that there is a God that loves you so much that he always is keeping something between you and him. If you're lost, it's because you've just not reached him. Israel would be delivered. Israel would walk out of Egyptian bondage. Israel would find their way to Mount Si. And now God would introduce something to Israel. It would be found. It would be found. It would be found in our Bible. It would be found in our Bible in Exodus chapter 28 and verse three. God would begin to say, "I want a man. I want a man." See, up to this point, up to this point, God used a sacrifice. But now, God says, "I want a man." And he's got to be of the He's got to be of the lineage. He has got to be of the tribe. There's 12 tribes of Israel. He's got to be of the tribe of Levi. This is where we get the Levitical priesthood. We have one solid book in our Bible called the book of Leviticus. And that book there is about how how how to worship. It's about how to worship. And God said he's got to be of the tribe of Levi. And he's got to come. There's a lot large tribe of Levi, but he's got to come of the lineage of Abra of of Aaron. He's got to come through Aaron. This man will be clothed with beautiful clothing. This man will have all kinds of things. He'll have a breastplate with 12 stones. He'll have a he'll he'll have a head covering of solid gold that'll say, "Holiness unto the Lord." It will be this man that will make an atonement for your sin. This word atonement means a covering. It will be this man that once a year will take the blood of a sacrifice only once a year. Now, I know in our minds we got the tabernacle. And those of you that know about the Old Testament tabernacle that that you think they just went into the they just went in to the Holy of Holies every day of the week. They did. Not according to the Bible. They only went into the Holy of Holies on one day. One day out of the whole year is when they went in on the day of atonement. And it was on that day that that high priest took the blood of a sacrifice. He walked into the Holy of Holies and he sprinkled with his finger seven times upon the upon the mercy seat. It was that day, it was on that day that two goats were brought to the tabernacle. Two goats were brought to the tabernacle. One of the goats, they cast lots to see which one. One of the goats are going to die. One of the goats are going to be offered up as a sacrifice. The other goat would be what is referred to as a scapegoat. There was going to be Aaron. Aaron would come to the door of the tabernacle and they would bring that that that scapegoat to Aaron. Aaron would lay his hands upon that scapegoat and he would begin to confess all the sins of Israel. He was laying his hands as if he was putting all the sins on this scapegoat. He was putting all of the sins of the nation upon this scapegoat. And then the Bible uses the terminology that a man would be standing there that was what is called a fit man. The word fit means timely. It means appointed. It means this man had been trained. This man had been chosen. Because this man was going to take the rope and lead the goat upon which all the sins had been placed upon. He was going to lead that goat into the wilderness, into a place uninhabited. He was going to lead that goat far away from the camp of Israel. that that goat could not wander and come back into the camp of Israel. We know today that all of this is symbolic. You see, the Bible says that in the talk about a fit man that in the fullness of time, God sent forth his son made of the seed of a woman. Time God said there's going to be a man prepared and that man is going to take the sins of the world. Now, let me tell you the difference between the high priest of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ of the New Testament. All Aaron or his descendants could ever do was cover up the sins. He could never take the sins away. When they took the blood of the lamb and put it on the the the mercy seat, all it did was cover and cover and cover. Now, let me show you this. It's a great analogy today. Not far from here is our landfill, our county landfill. I've been in this town. We've been my my wife and I have been here now for for going on 42 years. We we we we've been in this town. Of course, she was born and raised here in this town and and that's a little over 42 years. And I'll let her tell you that what that is. All right. But for 42 years, a time or two, I've been acquainted with the landfill. I've had junk, garbage that we needed to to dispose of, and you take it to the landfill. years ago, the landfill just had a few humps in it because that's where we would bring our our our garbage. That's where we bring things that we wanted to throw away. But over 42 years, this mountain that you can see out behind us, and you say, "Oh, it's a beautiful smoky mountains. It's beautiful. All right, but don't look too close and don't dig too much because there's a lot of junk under there." And that's all the Old Testament could do. That's all the high priest could do is cover and cover and cover and cover until sin became a mountain. But thanks be to God that Jesus Christ, our high priest, didn't come to cover our sin. Well, let me tell you what John said about him. Behold the lamb of God, not that coverth up our sin, but taketh away the sin of the world. It's not coming back to me. Oh, I may have the memory of sin that I did when I was in the world, but I'll tell you what I don't have through Jesus Christ. I don't have the guilt and I don't have the shame and I don't have all of those things. Can we take a moment and just praise him right now? Oh, just take a moment and praise him right now. Oh, I I want you to remember at 2 o'clock today, he loves you. He cares about you. There is hope. There is hope for you. Ah, but something happened. An issue arose. You remember me telling you that the high priest could only come of the family of Abraham. So, or excuse me, the the family of Aaron could only come of the family of Aaron. Years go by. This Aaron's son becomes a high priest and his son becomes a high priest and his son becomes a high priest. and an issue arose. Church, they became common, cold, and couldn't or wouldn't attempt to relate to the suffering and the outcast. Why? They had never been an outcast. Why? They were without blemish. And they became disconnected from the worshipper, from the woman that was bringing her sacrifice, from the man that had committed sin, from the man that was bringing a lamb or a goat, from a lamb, from a man that had confidence. This is the way I touch God. And this is the way God touches me. But high priest became cold. They became insensitive. They became calloused. and became people that couldn't relate. I want to tell you something. I'll stop here for a moment. It's not my notes. But you'll never get holy enough not to relate to the unholy. That's not holiness. That's self-righteousness. Anytime the fault enters you, you're too good for that, my friend. You need to take another trip to the altar and remember that there go I. If it wasn't for the grace of God, there go I if it wasn't for his grace. Oh, I have I told you this morning that at 2:00 today or whenever and you think back, what did the preacher say? What pastor preach today? I want you to know he's a God that'll keep something between you that you can touch him and he can touch you. Let me read to you how perverted the priesthood got in Isaiah 28:4. Listen to what God has to say. But they have also aired through wine, through strong drink. Are they out of the way? These priests are intoxicated. You say, "Well, Bill Carpenter, I I don't know any I don't know any priests today that are intoxicated." Well, can I just tell you this today? You can be intoxicated with things other than wine. Some folks are intoxicated on themselves. They're intoxicated on life. The priest and the prophet have aired through strong drink. They have swallowed up wine. They are out of the way through strong drink. They heir in vision and they stumble in judgment. Malachi wanted to weigh in on it. Malachi chapter 2 verse number one. Listen to what Malachi has to say about it. And now, oh ye priests, this commandment is for you if you will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts. I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessing. Yay, I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed. I will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your solemn feast, and one shall take you away with it. And you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, sayeth the Lord of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace. I gave it to him, for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger. He is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have departed out of the way. You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, sayeth the Lord of hosts. You see what God is saying? I gave you something. I gave you an altar and sacrifice. And then I gave you a man, but the man became corrupt. The man could not identify with sinners. So now God is laying it on these sons of Levi. But a mystery man appears in the Bible. A mystery man. He's I call him the mystery man. His name is Melkazedc. MeekC. We find him in Genesis chapter 14 in verse number 18. We find the appearance of this mystery man. And Melzdc, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine. He was the priest of the most high God. He blessed him and said, "Bless me Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth." And he blessed the most high God, which hath delivered, and and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hands. And Abram gave tithe of all. Here comes this mystery man out of nowhere. His name is Melzdc. It's an odd man because he is the king of Salem. That word Salem, there's where we get Jeru. Salem, it means Jeru means city. Salem means peace. He is the king of priests. He is the king of peace. But he's also the priest of the most high God. Now a pri in that day a king could not be a priest and a priest could not be a king. A king had authority and a priest was an intercessor. And God kept them separate. But appears a mystery man on the horizon who is both not only an authority. He is a king. He also is an intercessor. He meets Abraham coming back from the battle and he gives to Abraham bread and wine. He's not a priest that's standing waiting for an offering. He's not a priest that's standing waiting for you to bring something. He's a priest that meets you and he brings you bread and he brings you wine. He brings you refreshment. He brings you nourishment. And then in return, Abram turns around and gives to a gives to Melchisedc tithe. Now this is a mystery man. We we got to find out about the mystery man here. Uh Hebrews chapter 7 and verse number one. Uh Paul writes about him and says, "For this Melzdc, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who meant Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave the 10th part of all, first being by interpretation king of righteousness, and after that king of Salem, which is king of peace." Now, it tells it here. You figure it out. We'll all we'll all know something here. But this verse three here has caused more uh conversations this and maybe even divisions among a lot of people. But let's talk about him. He's the mystery man. He's without father, without mother, without dissent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but was made like unto the son of God, abideth a priest continually. Let's go to verse number 11. If therefore perfection was by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there, what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melzdc and not be called after the order of Aaron. Verse 17, for he testifith, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melzdc. This is Old Testament prophecy. You know, you know what I'm feeling right now? I was talking to somebody the other day and they was telling me what a great sermon they preached me. He said, "Brother Carpenter, I had them." He said, "I had that congregation. I had them on the edge of their seat. They were on the edge of the seat." Listen to me. I said, "I had that happen, too. They was on the edge of their seat waiting to go home." All right? So, I don't have I hope I don't have you on the edge of your seat today. But Jesus Christ, his fleshly lineage did not come from the tribe of Levi. He was not a Levite. He came from the tribe of Judah. And the Bible said he sprang out of that tribe. He popped out of that tribe. He was ready to go to work out of that tribe. He was not of the Levitical priesthood. And God says, "I'm going to give you a prelude in the Old Testament of what my priest will be like in the New Testament. For Christ was not of the Levitical priesthood. He was made after the order. He was made after the order of Melzdc. What is he? He's not a priest that's standing there cold, callous, looking down at you with condemnation in his heart like, "What are they doing here? Why are they here and want to beat you down with condemnation?" He's a God that'll run and fall on the prodal son's neck. He's a God that'll stoop down and say, "Neither do I condemn you. go and sin no more. He's a God that'll find you flat of your face and he'll come and he'll say, "Just get back up. I'll be right here. If you'll just get back up, I'll go with you and I'll be with you." What a God. What a God. What a God. He's made after the order of MZDC. Well, let's see the ministry of Jesus. Y'all still with me today? Let's see the ministry of Jesus. Matthew chapter 8:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying here's the ministry of Jesus himself took our infirmities and bear our sicknesses. He took our infirmities. He didn't condemn us. He didn't turn away. He didn't made us feel uncomfortable. He took our infirmities. Let's see what Luke writes in Acts 10:38. Let's see how Luke describes the ministry of Jesus Christ. Acts 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power. Who went about doing what? Somebody help me today. What did he go about doing good? He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. And I'm going to tell you something. I can't tell you God's going to heal everybody of their diseases. I can't tell you that unless God would tell me he's going to heal you. I can pray for your healing, but I can't tell you God's going to heal everybody. I can't tell you. A matter of fact, there's no true man of God that'll tell you that. But I can tell you one thing he'll heal you of. He will heal you of all the oppression of the devil. I can tell you that right now. I don't know if he's going to heal your back. I don't know if he's going to heal your blood. But if you've got an oppressive devil on you, I got news for you. He's a high priest that will not only welcome you in, but he'll tell the enemy, you get behind us. Oh, I wish we just take a moment and worship him. When am I doing good? First John 3:8. First John 3 and8. He that committh sin is of the devil. For the devil sinnth from the beginning. And a lot of people that have fallen into sin read that and say, "Oh, look. I have no hope." But that word there, committh, means to practice. Means to practice. Means someone that has no intention of turning away. Matter of fact, they're not only turning away from sin, they're practicing to be a sinner. And the scripture said, "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinnth from the beginning." For this purpose the son of God was manifest that he might Why don't we read that together? Why don't we read it together? That he might the Oh friend, if we get this deep down inside of us. Jesus has come to destroy the works of the adversary. He's a good God. Go back with me today. And I know it's a lot of scripture, but I just want to I just want to prove to you out of the word of God today what a great God he is. I Hebrews chapter 4:14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast firmly our pro profession. For we have not a high priest. Look at this now. For we have not a high priest, which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He said, look at this. We don't have a cold, callous priest. We don't have somebody that's judgmental and condemning. We've got a merciful high priest. This is why we're here today. Look at verse 16. Let us therefore come boldly, not arrogantly. boldly unto the throne of grace that we might obtain mercy and find help in the time of need. I'm telling you today, I'm going to come boldly to his presence. Why? I have his blood. I have his name. I have his spirit. I am one of his. Boldly, boldly, boldly, boldly, boldly. Please don't imagine Jesus on the cross. The cross is empty. The tomb is empty. Where is he at right now? Where is Jesus Christ at right now? To everybody that rejoice with the word, where's he at right now? I can tell you John on the aisle of Patmas in Revelation chapter 1 verse number 12, John on the aisle of Patmas has a vision. And he says in verse number 12, "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. Somebody's talking to me. And I turned to see the voice that said, I'm Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." I turned to see the voice. and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. As you research Revelation, you'll find the seven golden candlesticks. Seven, a number of completion, a candlestick gives light. He's talking about the church. He's talking about the church. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, in the midst of the church, one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, girt about the paps with a golden girdle or a golden sash. I've just described to you the clothes that the Old Testament priests would wear when they were ministering. John sees Jesus. His work of salvation wasn't completed at the cross nor the tomb. He is now in the midst of the church as our great high priest. Just as they had a sacrifice of an altar that they could reach God and God could reach them. Just like they had a high priest in the Old Testament that they could reach God and God could reach them. The ultimate fulfillment of the plan was the great high priest, Jesus Christ. You want to know where he's at this morning? He's walking the aisles of this church as the great high priest today. And just if you'll praise him, you can reach out and touch him. And he'll reach back and touch you. Don't doubt him. That builds a barrier. But if you'll believe his word, he can reach down and touch you. And you can reach up and touch him. You know why I'm going to trust him today? The way he's presented here, the way he's presented. Verse 14, his head and his hairs, the hair of his head was white like wool, as as white as snow. and his eyes were a flame of fire. White hair or gray hair. According to scripture, Proverbs 16:31, the hory head, that's a white grayheaded person. The hory head is a crown of glory. Man, I'm working on my crown. if it be found in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 20:29, "The glory of a young man is his strength, but the beauty of an old man is his gray hair." I get Nolan up here in all of his strength. That's all right. But Nolan, you you pale in comparison to me, buddy. Because the beauty of an old man is his white head. Why in the world would he want to appear with hair as white as wool? Because hair white as wool represents experience. It represents wisdom. And if there's ever one that can get us out of the dilemma that we're in, it's one that has been there and walked through it all. I put my hand in the hand of the man from Galilee. Don't you trust in anybody else. Man's counsel will let you down. Man's word will let you down. But if I can ever get my life in line now, would you just praise him with me for a moment? Just a moment. Oh. Oh. Put your hand in his hand today. He's got the experience. Put your hand in his hand today. and his eyes. This is where I This is where I differ from a lot of people's interpretation of this right here. And his eyes and his eyes were as a flame of fire. Oh yes, he's angry. He's angry with sin. Oh, his eyes are burning with judgment. I I I disagree with that interpretation. And if that's your interpretation, we we're in America. You do have the right to be wrong. All right? But I don't see it as eyes of judgment. I see it as eyes of looking at what he loves. I see his eyes of looking at a at at what he loves. I see his eyes. I see his eyes when he looks at the church and he sees how our lives have been delivered and he he sees us. You realize we are the apple of God's eye. Do you realize how much God loves you today? There's nobody that loves you like God loves you. Don't put your faith and your confidence and your works in anything else. Nobody can do you like the Lord can. Nobody can treat you like the Lord can. Did you not hear the choir today? God did it in that choir of almost 200 people. Their lives have been changed. Like I said, from an alcoholic to an apostolic, from an outcast to the choir law, God did it. God did. Oh, how he loves us today. Oh, how he loves us. Come on. Oh, how he loves it. When he looks at you, a smile goes on his face. He has eyes like fire. Will you stand with me right now? I've done it again. I've done it again. I have so much more to preach. But if the Lord will give me strength and let me live to six o'clock tonight, I'm going to come back and finish this out. I'm going to come back and finish it. Praise him right now with me. Praise him right now with me. Praise him right now with me. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Yes, Lord, you're here. Yes, Lord, you're here. Oh, yes, Lord, you're here. Come on, praise him with me for a moment. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. I had someone they didn't they didn't mean any ill will by this. They didn't mean any ill will. I had someone asked me last Sunday. They said, "When you preach, does it tire you? You you appear when you're preaching, you you you appear to get tired." The only explanation I've got for that is that everything in my heart this morning wants me to tell you that he loves you. Everything in me today is yearning and pushing. My insides are pushing. Oh, if you could only see and believe the beauty of God. If you could only understand how much God loves you, you can only understand he loves you. Just pray for a moment. He's here right now. He can do more in a second than I can do in a lifetime. Every person on every pew, if you're on the pew, if you're on a pew today and you know God, I want you to begin to pray right now. Jesus is here. Jesus is here right now. The high priest is walking in the midst of the church. The high priest is walking in the midst of the church right now with nail scarred hands and feet. He's walking in the midst of the church right now. He's walking in the midst of the church right now. He's He's walking and he's saying every head is bowed, every eye closed. I need a I need my prayer warriors right now. Some of you are battling with habits. It's not that God is against that. It's what that habit is doing to your body. It's what that habit is doing. That habit has taken the place of God. And God is saying, "Oh, if they would only let me have that habit today, I would deliver them. I would give them deliverance today. I would give them deliverance today." He's walking in the midst of his church this morning. And he's just hoping that someone who cries themsself to sleep at night, someone who wallows in decisions that you've made that you find no way of reversing those decisions. You're you're living in a living hell. He said, "Oh, if they would just reach out and touch me right now. They would just reach out and touch me right now. Maybe you're not in bondage to some substance. And maybe your life is going as well as can be, but yet you don't know him." He's standing there today saying, "I wish they would just let me come in today. I I wish they would just let me come in today. I wish they would just open their heart up to me. I'm going to open this altar. I'm going to open this altar right now. I'm going to open this altar. If you're here this morning and you don't know the Lord, if you're here this morning and you really don't know him the way you need to know him, I want I want to first give you the opportunity today. If you're here today and you're a prodal, you've once known the Lord, but you've got away from God and you're here this morning for the purpose of giving your life back to God. I want you to come right now. I want you to come right now. I want you to I want you to make your way right now. I want you to make your way right now today. If you if you're in this place and you really don't know him and you want to know him today, I want I want you to make your way to the altar right now. I want you to make your way. Come on, church family. Let's create an atmosphere of prayer. Oh, the great high priest is here. Oh, the great high priest is here. The great high priest is here right now. Oh, God. The great high priest is here right now. The great high priest is here right now. If you're in this building today and you're facing something in your life, you know the Lord, you're not a prodal, but you're just facing some things in your life that you must have his help. I want you to come right now. I want you to make your way to this altar right now. I must have your help today, God. I've got to have your help today, God. I've got to have your help today, God. Oh, God. You've got to lead me. You've got to guide me, God. You got to lead me and you got to guide me. Come on. If you're in this place today and there's a situation in your life that you've got to have God to help you out, you make your way right now. You make your way right now. Oh God, I love you, Lord Jesus. God. Oh God, I love you and I praise you right now, God. Oh, I thank you right now, God. The rest of us, we're going to come to the altar because we need him. We're going to come to the altar today because we need him right now. Oh, we need him right now. We need him right now. We need him right now. Oh, God. We need him right now. Oh, we need him right now. But we need him right now