What Will Be Your Legacy? | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter
by Kenneth Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Matthew 26:6-13, Hebrews 11:4, Ruth 1:15-18, Ruth 4:22, John 6:66-68, Matthew 26:14-16, John 12:4-6, 1 Corinthians 1:27-31, Acts 2:39

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/pastor-kenneth-carpenter--what-will-be-your-legacy-senior
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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You may be seated this morning with that introduction. I turned around and asked my mother-in-law, "Who's introducing today?" Reminded me of the pastor was preaching a funeral one time and the wife and her son was on the front row. Of course, this was the woman's husband and the pastor was putting it on thick just like Brother Hammond just did. He put it on so thick that finally the mother elbowed her son and said, "Boy, go up there and see if that's your daddy in that casket up there." So uh so thick this morning that I I don't know where I thought I was supposed to teach today. I But I thought that was me that was supposed to be there. And um I'll have a picture ready. But Trey and Jennifer became grandparents again this week. And I I know by the first name, Noah. And then when they gave me the last name, I knew that it was a grandbaby on your side, Sister Jennifer. I knew that it was. I'll have I'll have his picture ready for us next Sunday and >> >> and they're smiling today and we're so we can we congratulate you. We congratulate you so much. Amen. >> >> Uh go ahead. That's right. I got news for you. If I could go back and had >> >> If I could go back and critique God with anything of creation, I would say, "God, would you give us grandbabies first?" Give us grandbabies grandbabies first and God is so good, isn't it? God is so good. He is so good. Aren't you thankful you have victory today? So glad that God gives us victory. How many are excited that the devil is defeated? You glad the enemy is defeated? >> >> There's several guests here today. Several guests here with us today, and we >> >> so welcome you. And always an honor to have you come and come and be with us. We have some special guests with us. I want Brother and Sister Jeter Brother William Sister Donita Jeter. Would y'all stand wherever you're at today? Would you stand right now and remain standing? Are we glad to have them home? >> >> I I want you to keep standing just for a moment. We we are sharing them in case your pastor, Brother Hill, is watching from Apopka, that they're simply on loan to Apopka. All right? And uh we may call that loan in. Brother Jeter was the first elder here at our church, and he still serves as an honorary elder. Sister Jeter was our daycare directress for 150 years. And I know she don't look anywhere near that old, but we're so glad Brother and Sister Jeter, we're so glad to have y'all home today. Thank you so much. >> >> Thank you so much. Give your Bibles and would stand with me today. Matthew chapter 26 and verse number six. Another good friend who I I say I'm welcoming. He He's always here, Brother Kenny Dean. We love you. And we're so glad to have you as a part of First Apostolic Church. And we we love you and appreciate you more than our words can convey today. So good to see your family here. We love this man. Was privileged to see him a few months ago right down here in the altar. Uh no one No one Brother Hammond baptized him few days before, but on a Wednesday evening he walked down this altar right here, and God fulfilled a 2,000-year-old promise. >> >> God filled Kenny with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And so thankful, Kenny, >> >> God did that in your life. Matthew 26 and verse number six. Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, poured it on his head as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, "To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor." When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, "Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. For you have the poor always with you, but me you have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my head, she did it for my burial. Verily, I say unto you, this is where I want to take my text from today. Verily, I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her. My title today is simply this, what will be your legacy? What will be your legacy? Please help me pray today for Sister Galwin. Sister Galwin sits somewhere back in this section here close to the back. We got a call from her on Friday night >> >> and her 53-year-old daughter had had a medical procedure and was home. Everything seemed to be fine. She sitting with her husband on the couch, Brother Mayo, she stood up. She told her husband said, "I felt something pop in my neck." And she stood up and collapsed and they later pronounced her dead. And so Sister Galwin is on her way to Alabama as we speak. Please lift up Sister Galwin in in prayer. Please lift up to Sister Galwin. Sister Dorothy Davis has been sick for several weeks and she needs a touch and Brother Joel and Sister Rebecca Mayo, they got two little babies and seem like they just keep passing sickness and he text me and he said, "Pastor," he said, "I know we've missed church," he said, "but we've just got sickness among our babies and and let's just lift up a prayer." What do you say we lift up a prayer for them today? Would you want somebody to pray for your children today? Which Well, then you you need to pray for others too. Let's pray. Father, Lord, I just pray for all these needs right now. I do ask you God to be the comfort to Sister Galwin. Lord, I do ask you God to be with her. Let your angels, your presence, God, be with her. Lord, I pray for all the names already. I pray for Sister Davis, Sister Bryant. Lord, I pray, God, that you would just move, God, upon these children that seem to be suffering from sickness, that you would you would touch them. And Father, I do ask you right now >> >> to anoint my lips of clay today. God, I believe that you have spoken strongly to my heart. And And Lord, this will be a strong message this morning. And But Father, I ask you to to let me preach the truth today. Let me preach the truth today. But most of all, let me preach it in love. God, may the congregation and may the people that are listening, both the redeemed and the unredeemed, God, may they understand that that I'm preaching this from a heart of love and from a heart of concern. Lord, I'll give you the praise and give you the honor. >> >> In Jesus' wonderful name we pray. Amen and amen. If you're going to receive the word, would you give the Lord a praise offering right now? You may be seated. >> >> What will be your legacy? What will be your legacy? Barbara Hutton, the woman's picture here on the screen, was the Woolworth heiress. She inherited $50 million in the days currency. In the days currency, it would be $900 million that she inherited in the early 1930s from her grandfather, the founder of Woolworth retail chain. She became known as the poor little rich girl. She spent lavishly on parties, jewelry, multiple marriages, seven to be exact. High society lifestyle, but poor financial decisions and divorce settlements eroded the fortune. She died nearly penniless, when you think of 900 million dollars. She died nearly penniless in 1979 with only a few thousand dollars in her checking account. The Vanderbilt family, and this is the man, Cornelius Vanderbilt, built one of America's largest fortunes around at the time. He was worth about 100 to 200 million at his death in 1877. That's equivalent to tens or hundreds of billions of dollars today, if it would be. He made his living, he made his fortune through shipping and railroads. His children, especially his grandchildren, spent heavily on mansions, Fifth Avenue, Newport cottages, yachts, parties, with little pressure or guidance to grow their capital. By a 1973 family reunion of about 120 of Vanderbilt's descendants, it was reportedly not a single millionaire among them. Not a single millionaire among them. You see, what I'm going to preach about today is there is a difference between leaving a legacy and leaving an inheritance. It is said that those that did leave both that it is possible it is possible to leave both a legacy and an inheritance. But it has been said that those that have been left with a large inheritance that still have it and much more today are those that were not only given a legacy or not only given an inheritance but they were also given a legacy of principles to live by. They were given a legacy, they were given an example through a grandmother or a grandfather or a mother or a father. They were given principles of hard work faithfulness, honesty reliability resilience. They were They were passed down not only material things but they were passed down the means on how the material things were gathered. I ask you a question today as I asked myself when I typed this out, I asked myself what will my children my grandchildren my great-grandchildren know about my life? Think about it for a moment. Probably more than likely your great-great-grandchildren will probably know very little about any of us. But by the help of God I want to leave my children my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren and until Jesus comes, I want to leave them a spiritual legacy. What will they know about our lives? What will they say about our lives? You see how we live today, how we live today, determines what our children will remember tomorrow. How we live today is how they will remember us tomorrow. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse number four, I want to be remembered like Abel. Abel was a worshiper. Don't you want to be remembered as a worshiper? Abel was a praiser. Abel was a man that could sacrifice to God. The Bible says, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. By which he obtained witness." Follow us closely now. By which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts. And by it he being dead, yet speaketh. What a legacy that Abel left behind. What a legacy. When there were those that were trying to cut short their relationship with God, his brother Cain, it was Abel that said, "It's not time to cut back. It's time to go forward. It's not time to do less. It's time to be more." I'm asking you today, what do you want to be remembered for? What do you want to be remembered? Now we enter into my text this evening or this morning. I hope I don't preach that long. We enter into my text this morning. It's an interesting chapter, chapter 26 is very interesting because it opens up in chapter 26 with Jesus telling his disciples plainly, plainly, at the Passover, "In two days I'll be betrayed. I'll be handed over to be crucified. And then it goes right from him plainly saying that into the scheming of the Pharisees and the religious leaders. They begin to scheme. If you read chapter 26, they begin to scheme on how they may secretly arrest Jesus. How they may secretly arrest him and then they make no bones about it that we may kill him. They were saying we can't do it on the on the Passover. We can't do it on the holy day lest they be in uproar, but we've got to figure out a way to arrest him so that we can so that we can kill him. In the midst of that, we go right into my text today when in walks a woman named Mary. And she performs an act of worship that leaves behind a 2,000-year-old legacy. As a matter of fact, I fulfilled prophecy today by recalling her account of how she worshipped. Now, if you and I are concerned that maybe our great great grandchildren won't even know anything about us, how about a 2,000-year-old legacy that is still God said, "I will make sure that somewhere this keeps being told what this woman has done." God, I pray to you this morning that if you can keep a 2,000 year old act of worship alive as a legacy, Lord, if you're going to tarry 2,000 more years, would you keep our legacy alive of how we have worshipped and magnified your name? She comes into the room where Jesus was was seated. And there the Bible said she had an alabaster she had an alabaster box. Now, the very box itself, the material made from an alabaster box was very expensive. As a matter of fact, it was found in a stone that was in Egypt. So, if if you were in the land of Israel and you had an alabaster box or an alabaster vase and normally it was a vase that had kind of a long narrow neck so that when you got ready to pour it out you you you didn't really you didn't really have a lid to it. How how you you would just pour it out. Didn't have an opening that you could put the oil in, but when you wanted to pour it out you simply broke the neck of it. It was a very expensive substance. The very the very vase itself was expensive. Here comes a woman. Here comes a woman. She has this very expensive vase. But not only that somehow the oil, the ointment was the Bible tells us the oil in the vase was worth one year's wages. One year's wages was in that vase. Now, more than likely, church, that woman had her life savings inside of that vase. More than likely, she had her life her her life her life savings was in that vase. She comes into the room where Jesus is at. She breaks, the Bible says, she breaks the alabaster box, and she pours the oil out on his head. She pours that year's worth of wages out on his head. You see, when she broke the box, when she break the box, she was saying, "There's no going back." WHEN SHE BROKE THE BOX, SHE was saying, "I've got a made-up mind. I'VE GOT A DETERMINED FAITH." I WANT to ask somebody today, do I have some believers in this house that would give uh some kind of verbal affirmation, "Living for GOD IS THE BEST life worth living." THERE'S NO GOING BACK. I I SAID THERE'S NO GOING BACK. IT IS THE BEST LIFE worth living. Are there ups AND DOWNS? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT. BUT, LISTEN TO ME TODAY. YOU LISTEN TO THIS 5-FT 7-IN GREEN-EYED PREACHER TODAY. IT IS THE BEST LIFE WORTH LIVING. I WANT TO POUR MY LIFE OUT ON HIM. THERE'S NO GOING BACK. There's no going back. I wish somebody shout, "Yes." >> Yes. >> I said there's no going back. If If If you If you can't say something about this, you you've not made the deal. There's not There's no going back. Let me tell you, as a young Christian, I cut my teeth in a song on a songbook. IT WENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, "I AM DETERMINED TO HOLD OUT to the end. Jesus is with me, on him I can depend. I KNOW I HAVE SALVATION FOR I FEEL IT IN MY SOUL. I AM DETERMINED TO HOLD IT." ANYBODY ELSE TODAY? I I LIKE OUR NEW SONGS THAT WE GOT AND SINGING TODAY, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SONGS THAT TALK ABOUT A HOLY DETERMINATION TO HOLD OUT TO THE END. I'M IN IT TO WIN IT. I'M IN IT TO MAKE IT. No going back. Well, there was a woman in the Bible by the name of Naomi. And Naomi and her husband and her two sons lived in Israel. They were Israelites and they lived in Israel. But there was a famine that hit the land of Israel and Naomi and her husband and her two sons heard that there was bread in Moab. Moab represents the godless world. They heard there was bread in Moab and they left the land of promise and they went into the land of Moab. But the land of Moab wasn't good to them at all. It might have fed them for a time. But the Bible says Naomi's husband died. It wasn't long after Naomi's husband died, her two sons died, of which her two sons had married Moabite Moabite women. I'm going to tell you something. It matters who your kids marry. And if you want to marry if you want to marry the right people, get in the right place. You may be seated. You want to marry the right people, stay in the right place. They married Moabite men. These Moabite men, they they they they married these Moabite women. And these two sons, along with the husband, died. So now Naomi's left with just her and two daughter-in-laws who are Moabites. And so, Naomi hears that there's bread. She gets the word. There's bread that's back in Israel. God has given His people bread. And so, she begins to make her way back to Israel. She begins to make a way and here following Naomi was her two daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah. They got to following her and Naomi stopped maybe right outside of the city limits. She stopped. She said, "Daughters, wh- why do you why do you follow me?" Said, "Uh I'm I'm an old woman." Said, uh "Are there any more sons in my womb?" Said, "W- Well, think about it. Think about it, daughters. If uh i- if if I if I if I got pregnant tonight, would you wait for these to be born? Would you wait for them to grow grow up and And she said, "M- m- Y'all y'all go back. Go go back to your people. Go back to your gods. Go back to your people." And the Bible said that the two daughter-in-laws had a had a reaction. And um Orpah, she just reached out and kissed her mother-in-law. She just reached out and kissed her. It was a goodbye kiss. Because Orpah just reached out She said, "You know what? That makes sense. That just only That just only makes sense. What she's saying makes sense. I She She's not going to give me another She's not going to give me a husband." That that That just makes sense. And so, she turned around She kissed her. Just turned around, walked away. But the Bible says that Ruth cleaved to her. I mean, does she Ruth got her by the shoulders. Ruth Ruth wrapped her Ruth wrapped her arms around her. She She She got her. She The Bible says she cleave unto her. She cleave unto her. But then, Naomi says, "Ruth, Ruth, Ruth, look, look. YOUR SISTER-IN-LAW'S LEFT. LOOK AT HER. SHE'S going back to her god. SHE'S GOING BACK. WHY WOULD YOU STAY?" YOU YOU KNOW SOMETHING? It's amazing pastoring people for 42 years. If you've got a friend or so-called friends that are going back, you better you better watch out because sometimes they create the vacuum for you to go back. See, you've got to get it in your mind. You might always be my friend, but I'm not always going to follow you. Because I want it TO BE KNOWN RIGHT now that serving Jesus is my main priority. Living for God is my main priority. I've got to make it all the way. LET LET IT BE SAID TODAY, I THANK GOD FOR THE TITLES I HAVE. I THANK GOD for the titles of pastoring this landmark church. I thank GOD FOR THE TITLES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN to me. But listen to me, these titles matter nothing to me at all. I could lose every title that I've got in a matter of days, but there's one title that I'm going to fight hell and high water, and that is the title of a child of a most HIGH GOD. I'VE GOT TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY HOME. AM I PREACHING ANYBODY TODAY? I SAID I GOT TO MAKE IT. ANYBODY TO TRY I'M GOING TO MAKE IT. I WISH I GET SOME EXCITEMENT HERE TODAY. IF PEOPLE START LOOKING AROUND AND SAY, "HEY, I'M GOING TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY HOME." I'M GOING TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY HOME. YEAH, RUTH. Look at that Ruth. There goes your sister-in-law. Orpah, there there SHE GOES. GO BACK. GO BACK. GO BACK. Go back to your god. Ruth chapter chapter 1 and verse number 15. Here's what Naomi says. And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people and unto her gods. Return thou after thy sister-in-law. Ruth said Ruth said, now let me give you got the KJV and you got the KRC version. Let me give you the KRC version. Keep the KJV on the screen here, but let me give you the KRC. And Ruth said, "Check him out." Ruth said, "I'm tired of HEARING IT." RUTH SAID, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee. FOR WHITHER THOU GOEST, I will go. AND WHERE THOU LODGEST, I will lodge. THY PEOPLE SHALL be my PEOPLE AND THY GOD MY GOD. WHERE THOU DIEST, I WILL DIE. And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also if aught but death part thee and me." And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left speaking unto her. CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? WE OUGHT TO CAUSE THE DEVIL TO HAVE to get a new tool out of his toolbox. WE OUGHT TO CAUSE THE ENEMY TO HAVE a meeting in hell AND SAY, "YOU KNOW, I'VE TRIED THIS AND TRIED THIS AND TRIED THIS AND THEY'RE JUST NOT listening to me. I think that we ought to show the devil today THAT I'M TO MAKE it all the way HOME." I'LL TELL YOU THE LEGACY I'M GOING TO LEAVE MY CHILDREN. I WAS NOT A QUITTER. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE LEGACY I'M GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND. HE STAYED IN IT UNTIL HE DREW HIS LAST BREATH. He >> >> Well, let me tell you something. It pays to follow the right people. Cuz had not Ruth followed Naomi, she would not have made it back to Bethlehem. And had she not made it back to Bethlehem, she would not have the opportunity to work and provide for herself. And had she not had the opportunity to work and provide for herself, she wouldn't notice that the field that she was in was owned by a man by by by this this man named Obed. Obed owned this field. And had she not worked in the field and made the decision, Obed would not have noticed her beauty. And had Obed not noticed her beauty, Obed would have never been attracted to her. Had Obed not been attracted to her, they would have never got married. And had they never got married and listen to this, see if this don't ring a bell to you, Ruth 4:22. And Obed begat Jesse. And Jesse begat David. Can I tell you something? Don't underestimate SMALL RIGHT DECISIONS THAT YOU DO. BECAUSE SMALL RIGHT DECISIONS CAN ABSOLUTELY EXPLODE YOUR FUTURE. I'M A MOABITE. I'M NOT A JEW. I'M A MOABITE, BUT LET ME MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. AND WHEN I MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, I'M GOING TO MEET a man by the name of Obed. AND WHEN I MEET A MAN BY THE NAME OF OBED, HE'S GOING TO PROPOSE MARRIAGE TO ME. AND WE'RE I'M GOING TO GET PREGNANT AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A CHILD. I'M GOING TO HAVE A CHILD BY THE NAME OF JESSE. AND WHEN I HAVE A CHILD BY THE NAME OF JESSE, JESSE WILL HAVE A CHILD BY THE NAME of David, and David will be the bloodline OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. I GOT TO PREACH TO THIS WONDERFUL CHURCH TODAY. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE SMALL DECISIONS THAT YOU MADE. >> Had April Harvey NOT MADE THE SMALL DECISION to put her kids in the daycare and the school. Britney, I I think I see you today. Is Josh HERE THIS MORNING? JOSH and Britney, would you stand UP WITH ME RIGHT NOW? WOULD YOU STAND UP HERE TODAY, JOSH AND BRITNEY? WOULD YOU WOULD YOU WOULD YOU STAND TODAY? HAD THEY HAD THEY NOT I think he's out with the baby. HAD THEY HAD THEY NOT AS A MATTER OF FACT I was going to say go out in the home get him, but just leave him alone. Look at this beautiful young lady here and her her brother, his wife, and their children that are here today. Where'd they come from? A small decision. This is a small decision. You may be seated, Britney. Uh Had Whitney and Jason Amburn not made the small decision to put their kids in the school and the daycare. Just a small decision. Oh, it's just A I'M JUST PUTTING THEM IN A Christian school. I'm just putting them in a daycare. It's just It's just a daycare that we're put putting them in. I want to ask would everybody related to Amburn stand right now. If you're related to an Amburn, would you stand right now? If he's your father-in-law, if he's your daddy, would you stand Would you stand right now with me? Look Look here in the back. Look here in the back. Look here in the back. LOOK AT HERE. DON'T TELL ME IT WAS A SMALL DECISION. No don't don't tell me Bro- Brother Amburn, holler at me and tell me how many grand babies you got. How many? I GOT YOU BEAT. I GOT EIGHT. AMEN. ISN'T GOD GOOD TO US? BUT YOU KNOW WHERE THAT COME FROM TODAY? THAT CAME FROM A SMALL DECISION. DON'T DON'T TELL ME DON'T LET THE DEVIL TELL YOU IT DON'T REALLY MATTER. IT DON'T REALLY MATTER IF YOU GO TO CHURCH. IT DON'T REALLY MATTER IF YOU GO UP AROUND THE ALTAR. IT DON'T REALLY MATTER. CAN CAN I >> >> WHITNEY UH I WANT THE A Bears. Would the A Bears keep standing right now? Would the A Bears Would everybody with the A Bears stand right right now right there? The A Bears, all right? You help me tell this story, right? Help me tell it, right? Now, Yeah, you go go ahead and pick up that grin. Brother A Bear, how many grandbabies you got? Well, there's more on the way. They they more they more on the way. But, Jason and Whitney got in the church. They made the small decision to get baptized in Jesus' name, and they made the small decision to get the Holy Ghost, and they made the small decision to make First Apostolic Church. Now, am am I right, Carrie Carrie? You and Jacob were not married. All right, y'all were just dating. And Jacob, our elder, he had a soccer hairdo. I I mean, he And she just called you up and tell you you're coming to church and you're getting baptized. Is that how that is? That Man, we need some more bold witnesses, don't we? She just called said, "Y'all going to get baptized." Now, which one we baptized you both that night? Did we baptize you both that night? Who was baptized first? Sister Carrie, you were baptized first. And and uh then then then Jacob was baptized second. Who got the Somebody come out of the water speaking in tongues. You you You come out speaking in tongues, and boom, both of you got the Holy Ghost standing right there in THE WATER. DON'T TELL ME THAT IT'S A SMALL THING. PLEASE, CHURCH, DON'T LET THE DEVIL TELL YOU IT'S A SMALL STOP WAITING TO DO A BIG THING WHEN YOU'RE STEPPING OVER THE LITTLE THINGS THAT'LL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE. Jesus was preaching, and he really he really laid it down. And, and, and, and John chapter 6 verse 66, the Bible says, I mean, he preached hard. John chapter 6 verse 66, and from that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. I mean, he preached it so straight. These people getting their purses and getting their billfolds and I'm out of here. Ain't nobody going to talk to me this I ain't going to back going to do that. Disciples just got up. They said, "I'm walking no more with him." Then verse 67, then said Jesus unto the 12, "Will you go? Will you also go away?" They said, "Hey, why not? There they are. Everybody's leaving. Y'all want to go away?" Listen to him answer him. Verse 68, it's important who answers him. Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." He said, AND I THINK A SONG GOT INSPIRED BY THIS. WHERE WOULD WE GO? IN OTHER WORDS, IT SEEMS TO ME THE SCRIPTURE WOULD TELL US THAT PETER MIGHT HAVE LOOKED FOR ANOTHER WAY. HE HE SAID, "LORD, WHERE WOULD WE GO? Would you WOULD YOU TELL ME WHERE CAN I TELL YOU? YOU CAN LOOK HIGH AND LOW, and you still can't find nobody. You can look east to west, AND YOU STILL CAN'T FIND HE SAID, "LORD, WE HAVE LOOKED FOR ANOTHER WAY, BUT WHERE WOULD WE GO?" I FEEL THE SAME WAY. HOLLYWOOD COMES OUT WITH A NEW MOVIE, BUT IT AIN'T GOT IT FOR ME. IT HAD BUT THE ALL THESE NEW INVENTIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE IT FOR ME. THE WAY I WANT TO GO IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO, THE TRUTH, THE WAY, AND THE LIFE. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GO. SO, WHERE WOULD WE GO? NOW, I want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to Just listen to me for a moment. Can I tell you who said this? Simon Peter did. And Simon Peter would fail the Lord. You you know, it's one thing to fail the Lord, but it's another thing to quit on the Lord. Do you know our church is for failures? DO YOU KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE HERE TODAY, all over? You're probably sitting close to them, AND YOU PROBABLY are one of them. That's a failure. SOMEWHERE IN YOUR WALK WITH GOD, YOU HAVE STUMBLED, YOU'VE FAILED, if not publicly, privately. Come on. Adjust your angel wings just a little bit today. Give So, that's not THAT I KNOW SOME of you think that's angel dust, it's really dandruff. You can YOU KIND OF DUST SOME OF THAT OFF TODAY. COME ON NOW. Come on now. SOME OF US HAVE FAILED GOD PUBLICLY, and some of us have FAILED GOD PRIVATELY. BUT, ALL OF US, SOMETIME OR ANOTHER, HAVE FAILED GOD. BUT, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, IF SIMON PETER, WHO DENIED HIM THREE TIMES, SAID, "I don't even KNOW THE MAN," CAN BE THE PREACHER OF PENTECOST, THEN I BELIEVE TODAY THAT YOU AND I SHOULD TAKE COURAGE IN THE FACT THAT THE CHURCH IS FOR FAILURES. IT'S IT'S for failures. COME ON. DON'T YOU LET THE DEVIL BEAT YOU DOWN. DON'T LET YOUR LEGACY BE YOU WERE A FAILURE. LET YOUR LEGACY BE I GOT UP, DUSTED MYSELF OFF, AND GOT BACK IN THIS RACE. Mary broke the box. Mary's worship was extravagant. Mary's worship was extravagant. She filled the room with the odor. It was extravagant. I am persuaded that there'll be nothing to match my emotions that I have toward God. I like ball games. I've never stormed the court, but I have run the aisles. I have stood up quickly when they scored the basket and the buzzer went off. I stood UP, BROTHER NOLAN, QUICKLY. BUT I'VE never leaped. Because there ain't nothing going to get my emotions. I'm not going to be known. It's all right if you want to storm the court. It's all right if you want to if you want to stand up and do whatever you're doing. But please today, check yourself. Don't let anything get your emotions like living for God. HER WORSHIP WAS EXTRAVAGANT. SHE SAID, "I'M WILLING TO PUT MY LIFE IN THIS." I LOVE BASKETBALL, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO PUT MY LIFE IN IT. I LOVE VOLLEYBALL, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO PUT MY LIFE IN IT. I LOVE GOLF, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO PUT MY LIFE IN IT. I LOVE DEER HUNTING, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO PUT MY LIFE BUT I LOVE JESUS AND I'M WILLING TO BREAK THE BOX AND POUR IT OUT UPON HIM. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S ALL RIGHT IF YOU WANT TO DO IT. IT'S It's all right you want to do it. I love golf. I love watching my son and son-in-law's play. But God knows that's the most boringest game I've ever seen in my life. I don't even know the lingo. I don't Brother Bean, I don't even know the lingo. I thought slice is good. Sliced bread. So I was with Nolan the other day and he just hit that ball and didn't know where it goes. He went boom. AND I SAID, "YOU SLICED IT." I SAID IT ABOUT THAT LOUD. HE turned around and said, "No, I didn't." I said, "Isn't that good?" He said, "No, it's not good." HE SAID, "NO, IT'S not good." I don't even know the language. I love basketball and volleyball. I love to watch my children, my grandchildren in school. I love to watch ACA play it. You ain't going to get no game where guys are elbowing me and shoving me. I'm telling I don't I don't have enough Holy Ghost for that. But I'm going to tell you what. Trying to word this the right way. I don't know why people would want to get up, leave a good heated house, go spray deer urine on them and I'm trying to make that palatable. Sit up in a deer stand, below freezing, and wait for Bambi to trot by. Bambi trots by and they shoot it and then they got to get out and spend the rest of the day trying to find where it went to. Drag it out of the woods, skin it, take it to a meat processing place, and invite me over to eat and have to say to me over and over again, "Tastes like chicken." I'm just thinking man, I just lay in the bed, go down to Kroger, buy it. Bite into something. Then what was that? Oh, there's a piece of buckshot I just got out of my mouth. I have to have a cavity. Cavity made there. It's all right. It's all right. I'm not going to say any of that, but please listen to me today. When it comes time to leave a legacy, let them say, "Yeah, dad was a hunter, but dad was also a worshiper." My daddy played golf, but my daddy would also raise his hands. MY MAMA DID THIS, BUT MY MAMA WOULD ALSO BE A WORSHIPER. IF THERE'S EVER BEEN I WANT TO BE DON'T YOU WANT TO COULD WE NOT JUST TAKE A MOMENT OUT AND BECOME EXTRAVAGANT IN OUR WORSHIP? I MEAN, TO TO BE TO BECOME WHAT WE WANT TO LEAVE BEHIND. OH, WHAT WE WANT TO LEAVE BEHIND. HALLELUJAH. GLORY TO GOD. JESUS, I LOVE YOU. JESUS, I PRAISE YOU. COME ON, WAVE YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW. OH, OH, I'M EXTRAVAGANT ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW. I'M EXTRAVAGANT. She broke the box. You may be seated for just a moment. You may be seated. She broke the box and the oil flowed his head. The odor filled the room. But you always got to be ready. You always got to be ready. You always got to be ready. There's always going to be somebody that's going to have something negative to say about the way you worship God. The odor fills the room. The oil is dripping off of his head. And let's think about this. This is not my message, but I'm going to I'm going to try to Oh, Lord, help me just spend about 15 seconds on it. If she anointed him with such a potent oil and ointment that the odor filled the room just a day or so before he was crucified, that would mean when they spit on him, you could still smell the odor. And when they nailed him to the cross, you could still smell the odor. And when they hung him up to die, you could still smell the odor. And when they put a when they put a crown of thorns on his head, you could still smell the odor. And when THEY STOOD AND MOCKED HIM AND SAID, "If you be the son of God, COME DOWN." YOU COULD STILL SMELL THE ODOR. Can I tell you, LIFE IS GOING TO BE MEAN. LIFE IS GOING TO BE UNFAIR TO ALL OF US. BUT IN THE MIDST OF IT, OUR WORSHIP KISS I STILL SMELL THAT AROMA. I MAY BE BANKRUPT, BUT I STILL SMELL THAT AROMA. I MAY HAVE BEEN WALKED OUT ON, BUT I STILL SMELL THAT AROMA. Brother Jonathan Holland, my daddy might have died, but I still smell the aroma. I still smell the aroma. But get ready. Get ready. Here comes another character. And boy, I don't want to ever be known by him. Do you know the name Judas was a common name in the Bible days? Do you know the name Judas was as common as Thomas and Peter and Matthew? It was a common name. It was a Judas was a common name until somebody with that name began to get negative about worship. Matthew 26:14. Then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot. I don't I don't want to ask anybody. We're living in too too much of a culture today, but we've had a lot of baby pictures on the screen. I have yet to see one named Judas. Or I have yet to see one named Adolf. Kind of legacy you want to leave behind. Then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot went into the chief priest. Or excuse me. Yes. Then one of the Then Then one of the 12, yes, I meant to read verse verse 14. Then one of the 12 called Judas Iscariot went into the chief priest and said unto them, >> >> "What will you give me and I will deliver him unto you?" And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver. From that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Listen to me now. Listen to me. What one woman saw and Jesus saw as extravagant worship to where Jesus would say Jesus would say "Wherever the gospel is preached let this be told as a legacy to this woman that she's anointed me." But not everybody sees it this way. And you got to get ready in life. Not everybody sees God the way we see God. Judas saw it. He saw her break the vase. He saw her pour the pour the oil out. He said, "This is a waste. This is a waste, Jesus. So, Jesus, wait wait wait. Why why DID YOU ALLOW THIS WASTE? A year's wages. WHY DID YOU ALLOW THIS TO BE WASTED? We could have sold it. Jesus, we could have give to the poor." What Jesus say? He said, "The poor you have always with you. But I'm an opportunity that you only get in a window. Can I tell you something? He was saying they were poor people before we were born. And they'll be poor people after I'm gone. You'll have an opportunity to take care of poor people, but you just have a window to take care of me, to anoint me. Then Judas made his way to the scribes and the Pharisees and bargained with them. Bargained with them, what will you give me? Did Did you notice that in verse 15? Will you put that back up? He said, "What would you give me?" 30 pieces of silver. Now now think about this for a moment. 30 pieces of silver was the equivalent of 4 months' wages or 3 months'. Let me Let me get this straight. The 30 pieces of silver was equivalent to 3 or 4 months of wages. And wait a minute. You've got one woman that's willing to give 1 year's wages just to worship. And you got another man that sees it so differently that he would just take I'll just three or four months' wages is what I would be what I'd be looking for. Here's where it's going to get kind of tough on us today. Are you ready? Maybe I should have turned it around. Here's what's going to get tough. John 12 and verse 4. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, "Why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence?" That's a year's wages. And given to the poor. But look at verse 6. Look at it closely. This he said, "Not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bear what was put therein." Can you Can you imagine that today? Following Jesus, but yet being a thief of what Jesus put in the bag. Now, that's what the Bible says. HE WAS FOLLOWING JESUS, BUT HE WAS A THIEF OF whatever went into the bag. Can I tell you today I believe that all of us at one time or another has been a thief of Jesus. At one time or another, some of us have taken praise when all praise should go to God. Oh, brother Carvin, do you see what I've got here today? You see my You see my You You You You see all that I You see my house? YOU SEE MY BUSINESSES? YOU SEE HOW BRIGHT YOU SEE HOW SMART I AM? YOU SEE HOW HOW HOW HOW how how visionary I am? LOOK AT WHAT I'VE ALL I'VE DONE. I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, MA'AM. YOU'RE stealing the praise from Jesus Christ. I got NEWS FOR YOU, SIR. YOU'RE STEALING THE PRAISE FROM JESUS CHRIST. WELL, NO, I WORK HARD. I PUT 60 HOURS IN A WEEK. WHO GAVE YOU the air to breathe? WHO GAVE YOU THE BODY TO WORK IN? WHO GAVE YOU THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING? I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY WE have been a thief. IF YOU'VE GOT A HOUSE, YOU OUGHT TO SAY, "THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR MY HOUSE." IF YOU'VE GOT A CAR, YOU OUGHT TO SAY, "THANK YOU." HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE LORD, WE WE WOULDN'T HAVE WHAT WE'VE GOT. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE LORD. COME ON, FIRST APOSTOLIC CHURCH TODAY, I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME RIGHT NOW. I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME RIGHT NOW. THANK GOD FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL EDIFICE. THANK GOD FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT'S THE TALK OF OUR CITY. THAT'S THE TALK OF OUR COUNTY. THANK GOD FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL church that we got. But can I TELL YOU, I CANNOT TAKE THE PRAISE FOR THIS CHURCH, AND YOU CANNOT TAKE THE PRAISE FOR THIS CHURCH. IT'S GOT TO BE GOD DID IT. IT WAS GOD THAT DID IT. YOU'LL SAY, "OH, YOU'VE GOT SOME GIVING PEOPLE." WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO GIVE IF IT WASN'T FOR GOD. IT WAS GOD THAT GIVE IT TO ME. COME ON, PRAISE HIM FOR WHAT YOU GOT RIGHT NOW. PRAISE HIM FOR YOUR JOB. PRAISE HIM FOR YOUR WIFE. PRAISE HIM FOR YOUR HUSBAND. PRAISE HIM FOR YOUR CHILDREN. PRAISE HIM. PRAISE HIM. Praise him. I'M NOBODY. YOU'RE NOBODY. He's everything. 1 Corinthians 12 I've done I've done run out of time. 1 Corinthians 1, excuse me. 1 Corinthians 1 Musicians come. 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God had chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God had chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. Base things of the world and things which are despised yet hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not to bring to naught things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus whom of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. You know why you got what you got? He saw how weak you were. You know why you got what you got? He saw how vulnerable you were. And he said, "You know what? I can use him." Not because he's everything in that and more, it's because he's so weak and I can I can use him. I can use him. I Let's not steal his praise. Let's take a moment again. Let's take a moment before we before we stand. Let's take a moment just thanking for what he's done in our life right now. Come on. God, where would I be without you today, God? God what God God Where would I Where would I be without you today, God? Where would I be? Oh, God, where would I be? Come on, church. Where would I be? Come on. Come on. There ought to be a little bit more of sound coming from this church. God, where where would I be right now? I made a I made a a small decision to go to a revival. I made a small DECISION TO GO TO THE ALTAR. Where would I Where would I Where would I Where would I be? Judas They gladly gave you 30 pieces of silver. But even Judas has a heart. It says when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned. Could it be that Judas was just ready to leave Jesus? I'm just ready to leave him. But why not make a little money before I leave him? I'm just ready I'm out of here. This gig's over. I'm out of here. And I I've got enough in the bag and maybe I can make a little bit more. And you know I saw him remember surround Jesus in is home town in Nazareth. I saw a I saw an angry mob one time that was going to throw him off a cliff. And I saw Jesus just vanish and walk through the crowd. Even if I sell him, he'll probably do one of those God things and he'll probably just vanish. But to Judas' amazement and horrible surprise, he saw Jesus condemned. His eyes beaten, smacked, his beard plucked, and even Judas said, "I repent for what I've done." And he takes the 30 pieces back and he says, "I have betrayed the innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You You made a deal, a deal." He said, "Oh, no, please, let me let me have him back." "We're not going to let you have him back. You sold him." He looked at the 30 pieces of silver and he threw the 30 pieces of silver down and turned around. And it gets so ugly. He got a rope and the Bible says he hung himself, but somehow the rope or the limb, something break according to the book of Acts. He swung over a cliff. Either the limb broke or the rope, something broke and Peter said that he fell headlong and when he hit the pavement, with such force, his bowels gushed out of him. Priests stood with 30 pieces of silver and said, "What do we do with this?" So, we'll buy a field and we'll it'll be the field of blood. And look at the parallel here today. Look at the parallel. Here, one woman put her life on the head of Jesus. And 2,000 years later, I'm preaching about the extravagant worship. But one man that had the same opportunity one man that had the same opportunity spends it. What are you known by? What's Judas known by? A graveyard. It's called the potter's field is what it's called, the potter's field. You see today, you will either allow yourself to be on the potter's wheel or you'll end up in the potter's field. They were so angry with Jesus. They were so angry with him. This is what they said when they were convincing Pilate to condemn him to death. Pilate Pilate washed his hands. I find no fault in him. He washes his hands and they were so angry. They said Pilate said, "What do I do with Jesus?" And this is what they said. They said, "His blood be on us and on our children. If we're wrong then his blood be on us and our children." What a legacy. What a lousy legacy to leave behind. On us and on our children. Jesus said it. It happened just as they said because of the rejection of Jesus Christ in the year of 70 AD the Roman conqueror came and set Jerusalem on fire. Josephus in his book, he's a historian that wrote a book about it. He was actually Josephus was there called the Jewish Wars, >> >> the wars of the Jews. Josephus was there. He recorded 8070. He said there's approximately 1.1 million people here today because of the Passover. And he said the city is an inferno. And it would appear to me that most of the people have been burned alive. >> >> He writes and he says, "I watched 96,000 be paraded to be prisoners." How? Why? Because there was a generation that said, "We reject him. And let his blood be upon us and our children." And God said, "You got it." It'll happen. But I don't know about you. Oh, I think I do know about you. I don't want his blood to be on me and my children. I want to have Acts 2:39. FOR THE PROMISE IS UNTO YOU AND TO YOUR CHILDREN and to those THAT ARE FAR OFF, EVEN AS MANY AS THE LORD OUR GOD. THAT'S WHAT KIND OF LEGACY THAT I WANT to leave behind. Would you stand with me right now? Would you bow your heads with me? Would you close your eyes? And would our prayer warriors in this church go to praying right now? >> >> In the name of Jesus. I want to leave a I want to leave a legacy right now. I want to be remembered by how I acted in the in the in the house of the Lord. I want to be remembered. I want my children to see my legacy this morning. I want to be remembered right now. Every head bowed, every eye closed. >> >> God, I open up this altar to you right now. If you're standing in this room with me and you don't know the Lord Jesus in the fullness of salvation, I open up this altar right now. I give you an opportunity to come. I give you an opportunity to come pray. I give you an opportunity to step out of your pew right now. Jesus is drawing you. Jesus is saying, "What do you want to be remembered by?" Jesus is pulling at you this morning. Would you come right now? Tell the person beside you, "Excuse me, but I got to get out. Excuse me, I got to get to the altar this morning. Excuse me, I want to leave a little legacy behind. Excuse me, I got to come. I got to come to this altar right now. Excuse me." Come on, church. Would you pray right now in Jesus' name. Oh God, help us. Oh God, help me today, God. Oh God, I can't do it on my own, God. God, I can't make it on my own, God. God, I need your help, Lord. I need you to help me this morning, God. Holy Spirit, would you begin to draw people right now? In Jesus' name, would you begin to draw people right now? It's my legacy. Oh, yes, pray. Pray. Every pew ought to have somebody praying on it right now. This is my legacy. This is what I want to leave behind. This is what I want to be remembered by. Oh, thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. This is what I want to be remembered by. This is what I want to be remembered by. I want to be remembered by this right now. I want to be remembered by this right now. I want to be remembered. I want to be remembered by this right now. Come on, every man, every woman, every boy, every girl. Your actions right now will be what you will be remembered by. Could you step out of your pew >> >> and get as close to the altar for a few moments with me? Could you get as close to the altar for a few moments with me today? This is what I want to be remembered by. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Someone needs to hear this, God. Who's struggling with fear. >> >> Afraid that God just won't come through. I'm here to tell you God will not fail you. He did it for me, He can do it for you. >> My legacy. >> All of my story >> My legacy. >> all for His glory. >> My legacy. >> >> Come on. I know you've got money to leave your children. But they can squander it in a day. Come on, why don't you leave a legacy this morning? >> >> Oh yes, God. Come on, move up around the altar with me today. Let's make room in this altar right now. >> >> Let's make room in this altar right now. Oh God, I love you, God. Oh, where would I be without you, God? Where would I be? Where would I be? >> >> Oh yes, yes. Oh, my legacy. My legacy. >> >> My legacy. It's my legacy. >> >> My legacy. >> >> My grandmother WAS A WORSHIPER. MY GRANDFATHER WAS A WORSHIPER. My grandfather was a worshiper. >> >> Oh yes, God. >> >> Oh yes, God. Oh yes, God. >> >> Oh God. Yeah. >> >> It's our legacy. It's our legacy. It's our legacy. It's what I'm leaving behind. IT'S WHAT I'M LEAVING BEHIND. >> >> HALLELUJAH. >> >> This is my story. The God of glory lifted me out of my grave. Oh, praise His name. I've been changed. I'll never be the same. >> This is my This is my story. The God of glory >> >> lifted me out of my grave. Oh, praise His name. I've been >> >> changed. I'll never be the >> This is our legacy. This is our legacy. This is our legacy. I uh I don't think this is a coincidence today that a precious brother visiting with us today brought me a magazine. Tri-State District News Tri-State District News. This is the October edition of the Tri-State District News. 1983 And on the front cover of it is the McGinnley Street Church. And there's an article written Maryville Remembers 2 and 1/2 years old by James C. Orr Wood as our founder. His wife and his children and grandchildren here this morning. That's our founding pastor. Let's listen to his words. Though he be dead he yet speaks. Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus. Would like to take time this month to give you a little information on how the church in Maryville got its beginning. While doing this article, I'm reminded of the first sermon that I preached here in this new church in Maryville in the month of May 1981. We began our first Sunday school and the Lord blessed. That night I preached on the church that God built. But let me go back a little further in history. I the pastor and founder of this wonderful church came from a fine Baptist church here in this local town. I had only experienced repentance and water baptism in the Trinitarian formula. There was a longing. There was a longing in my heart >> >> for more of God. Something told me that there was more. I visited in Knoxville on a Wednesday night and as I entered the doors, I felt the love of God overflow me and I felt something that I'd never felt before and something within me told me, "This is the place that you can find what your heart has been searching for." I was baptized in the Holy Ghost and a few DAYS LATER MY WIFE AND CHILDREN AND I WERE baptized in Jesus' name. Turn legacy. >> >> BROTHER SOTO IS OUR LEGACY. >> >> I went on back through here. I went on back through here. It's got the directory. It's got the directory here, all the preachers in the Tri-State District. Uh Brother Earl Wood, Brother Alvin Baker, Brother Tommy Baker, Dan Bradley, James uh Camp. Oh, yeah, here's the fella. See you recognize his name. Kenny Carpenter. His address he gives it he gave the address back in those days. His address 5020 Pleasant Ridge Road, Knoxville, Tennessee. That's where I wanted the mail to go to I guess. It's our legacy. Is this all right today? Yes. It's our legacy. It's our legacy. Oh, man. It's got articles from different churches. Articles from different churches. >> >> First Apostolic Church Dember, your daddy pastors it now. First Apostolic Church, LaFayette, Tennessee. Reverend Gary E. Hunley, pastor. Revival, revival, revival. Revival is in the air. The church chants more, more, more was response heard from the church as the word was beautifully by the evangelist Brother Kenny Carpenter. The revival was scheduled for August 30th through September 4th, but it ended just too soon. So, Brother Carpenter was asked to return the following week and helped that I had a girlfriend here locally too. So, I returned. I shouldn't say that. Yeah. He returned the next week September 8th through the 11th. We thank God that he could be with us for another week. Many souls baptized in Jesus' name. Many souls filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. THIS IS OUR HERITAGE. >> >> THIS IS OUR LEGACY. >> >> Little boy little boy Rebecca and Corey piles of a boy come walking up the steps. I was greeting the school kids. Give them a high five they come in the other day. A little boy came in. I said, "Son, have you ever heard of Troy Prophet?" Little boy, he might have heard from him. I might have scared him. That might have That might have been it. He looked up. He said, "No, sir." I said, "You're not in trouble." I said, "You're not He said, "No, sir." I said, "Boy, it wouldn't be a school to go here if it wasn't for your great grandfather, Troy, and your great grandmother, Ruby, who owned an old pawn shop here in town. And financially, they kept this church afloat by that old pawn shop across town." I said, "Son, if it wasn't for your great grandparents, you wouldn't have a school to go to." And he shrugged his shoulders and went on, you know. But that's the God's truth. There won't be a church if we forget to leave behind a legacy. I love you. I appreciate you today. Thank you for listening to me today. Prayer meeting 5:30 tonight. Let your legacy be you in THE PRAYER ROOM. 6:00 AT GREAT SERVICE. God bless you. Dismissed in Jesus' name. >>