Alive or Dead
by Raymond Sloan
October 17, 2021 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church (Chattanooga, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Philippians 1:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--alive-or-dead
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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pray with me right now before we go to the word lord we we look to your word today and we we need understanding we are so indebted to you for your word it's forever settled it'll never change lead us today lord let us pursue you god let us hunger for you lord once again i make myself available to you in the name of jesus in the name of jesus somebody say in jesus name amen amen i love you all you may be seated if you feel like you need to there was a there was a time in in our history as a great nation that times past if you will that our our nation proves that things were very tough was the mid 1800s and the western portion of the united states of america was still under settlement a lot of folk were traveling about going out into the western part of this great nation at the time they were literally as far as a new country a new world they were establishing entire cities and states and in providences and territories because things were wide open now keep in mind in the mid 1800s there was a great war in our nation it was the war of the confederacy against the the north the confederate states there was a whole lot of of upheaval if you will in the southern states of trying to establish what they believe to be truth in the northern states of course representing the government at that time they were standing firm in what they believed but the truth is is that both the north and the south had an incredibly huge amount of loss loss of life loss of materials loss of possessions and and even lands if you will it was a terrible very terrible time in the history of our nation it was a blood soaked time in our nation if you study the events around that particular time frame you'll find out that as the war came to an end there was still great animosity there was still a lot of feuding going on and a lot of people did not want to accept the outcome of this great war we study about that in fact we live in one of the greatest parts of america because we're smack dab in the middle of where that great big war took place anybody ever heard of chickamauga point park the battle above the clouds okay y'all are with me right okay a lot of a lot of that war was fought around this particular area the time that our nation was developing it was establishing itself as as humanity and the rights of humanity were being challenged ideas were being fought for families and brothers against brothers times hardships challenges came to all parts of this great nation with the lives that were lost of course there became opportunities for picking up the pieces and for trying to move forward and not everybody picked up the pieces in the best frame of mind understand that children for an example were now faced without fathers mothers and fathers who were at home didn't have sons any longer around the farm ideas were questioned right and wrong who's who's to say and who's not to say it was actually a war that split our nation and it established principles and ideas built upon someone's thoughts and intention that in turn of course caused everyone involved to determine what they believed hang on to me a moment it was very disastrous time in our nation outlaws begin to show up across the landscape with minimal protection if you will there was less compassion even for those who had who had lost so much the west was open to a an idea of lawlessness and the ideas of man said if it's there i can take it and if i have to take a life i'll do it in doing so the money the supplies all the things that were being transported from one part of the country to the other they were now technically according to the outlaws they were up for grabs guns in hand fear death as a weapon trains were robbed stage coaches were destroyed things families lost their lives all of the houses that people lived in across the west they were under attack at time to time it was a wild time to be alive in this nation everybody say a wild time in that time frame the government was attempting the best they could to try to gain control of these rebellious groups and and so events would unfold robberies murders and all this stuff they love talking about the united states of america in times past posters began to show up all over the u.s as marshals and lawmen began to establish that they were looking for outlaws those who were wreaking havoc if you will a picture that might have been taken in the childhood of that particular outlaw or maybe just a hand sketch from an artist that tried to do the best they could they would put up wanted posters all over the territories wanted wanted it was an effort that the legal system was looking for hear this for the common man citizen man woman child if they spotted somebody that looked like somebody on one of those posters they could contact the local law authorities and that person could be arrested and could be taken to trial and they could pay the punishment for what they had done times were dangerous the government was reaching to humanity for assistance many times you'll notice if anybody hears a history buff about this particular time frame you'll notice that there would be a monetary gain that somebody could make wanted 500 reward 5 000 reward it was a way that the poor at that time could even keep their eye open and if they saw it they could make money by turning in somebody who was known as an outlaw now of course the desperation began to set in men began to form groups even ladies even young people even older folk begin to form what was known at that point as gangs and as they would make them themselves available across the landscape things got more and more dangerous people lost their lives and possessions now the posters would go up and say wanted reward dead or alive wanted a reward dead or alive hang on to me according to the justice system of that day the phrase emphasizes the desperation of the legal system we have reached the end of our patience and the end of what we consider to be enough tolerance for what's going on this person that we are looking for we want them to be found and brought to justice but we have come to a point as the legal system that they are worth just as much dead or alive it matters not to us we simply want to see their carcass in front of the judge wanted dead or alive bring them to justice fact of the matter is the legal system simply wanted them off the streets wanted them away from the people they were a menace to society the outlaws their lives they only valued one thing if i could steal if i could take if i could do what i feel like i want to do and not have to pay the price therefore my life would be complete and the posters would go up here and there you all stay with me here and there wanted dead or alive a horrible place to get to as an individual imagine with me the horrid wording you have no value any longer to society if you're dead or you're alive to us it's the same we will bring you to justice and stop you from doing what you do now 2021 i don't know about you but there's a bunch of little guys little boys running around in here when i was a kid that was one of the greatest things that we would romanticize about or fantasize about is little boys would want to be outlaws and we even play guns and robbers and police and robbers anybody anybody out am i the only one logan you remember that how good of a shot were you because here's the thing about playing guns and robbers cowboys indians all of the things that it's because when you got a gun that looks like this it's a matter of argument i shot you no i i shot you first no you didn't i shot you first no you did not charge you first and nobody knows the difference and to you as a mom and dad you're sitting there saying you guys quit doing of course we live in 2021 now you got to be careful all these college age kids are going you can't say that because that looks like that looks like a handgun to you you know what else it looks like he's over did i just minimize something no i'm telling you it looks the same he's over there hey can i tell here all you parents are getting ready to get grossed out right it's that same thing right there today huh you know what i'm saying here stay with me stay with me jesse james his brother frank part of the younger gang man they wreaked havoc everywhere they went butch cassidy and the sundance kid man there's even rumors that they made it all the way to bolivia south america and died in a cave there huh on and on we could go about the outlaws and the posters that would go up and wanted dead or alive it's almost as if we now look at it hollywood has such a great way of painting a picture to where that is all very nice and that's all very sweet and that's all very romantic because if you could fall in love with an outlaw the young girls about he's such a man stop that one thing i want to mention today the actual declaration that was printed on that poster it was not about the monetary reward no was not about what was simply said on that no but the fact of the matter that the legal system of the day would simply say we would rather have you dead or alive than not at all that changed everything understand does anybody here remember in history how jesse james died any history buffs how yeah he was hanging a picture in the house that he lived in and one of his gang members saw the reward that was out for him and figured out if they were going to rob banks it was going to get more and more dangerous and it was more simple for him to simply go boom hit the ground call the law officer there he is got his reward and went to jail see nobody wants to talk about that but the fact is there's no concern they didn't have any understanding of the value of life they had no comprehension of what was they were doing to society and so america the the country that had come through so much the fact of the matter is they no longer had patience for this they no longer wanted to show mercy to those who were doing these evil acts therefore dead or alive it did not matter to them i have looked into the possibility and maybe even the probability that what does it take to get a person to that point of course i'm looking at you today i stand on this pulpit today this podium and i look at you as a preacher as a pastor in my heart breaks when i read stories of this and how that they would get to a place to where everybody gave up on them nobody wanted them they had done so many bad and negative things that everyone would wash their hands even their closest friends would be the one to take them out how can a person get to that point better yet how can the system of law and order get to the point to where it declares if they're dead or alive matters not to us we just want them here how can it be that it would get to that point the actual point to where life matters so little a place you're at odds with the real purpose of living i stand here today and i face you as a pastor and i have a motive today for this message please stay close to me for just a moment i am reaching for your soul listen to me i am thrilled by the response and the reaction to the moving of the spirit of god in our times of worship yes i am when i look across this gathered group of people and i see tears streaming down the face of men and women and i see children with their hands lifted up to heaven and i see when young children can pray and faith begins to grow and they can reach into the lies and in the hearts of those around them i am reminded again and again and again about the mercy and the grace of a loving savior by the name of jesus christ and i see that there is a work that is done in your life in your family in your home and there might have been times there possibly could even be now those who would wish that you would simply go by the wayside and remove yourself from their life but mercy and grace steps on the scene and says i love you when you're unlovable i believe in you when no one else believes in you i know that you can make a difference in your world i stand here today and i look into the eyes of sinners who are saved by grace and the spirit of god has filled your life and you were baptized in the only saving name of jesus and he filled you up with his wonderful spirit i've come today to declare to you there is something more powerful than a system and i've come today to declare alive or dead you matter to god maybe your life has sucked you into the past and you live the life that's full of sin degradation and all the junk of this world but there is still a god that can save your soul pick you up out of the trash pit of hell if you will and put you on the straight and narrow there's still the blood of jesus that can wash away the sin of man there's still the blood of jesus that can right your wrongs and cleanse you from all iniquities i'm glad today to know that jesus is working in your life notice what paul wrote to the church at philippi in philippians 1 verse 20 says this according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing i shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death for to me to live is christ to die is gain hmm paul you are contradicting yourself how can you make a statement for me to live is christ but to die is gain paul back up maybe you've forgotten the power of the stones that killed young stephen and you watched the life blood flow out of him and his soul if you will leave his body and him become that dead corpse on the ground paul you realize once you are dead say it somebody you're dead come on it might be on the game station or on the playstation or on the xbox that you can put in and get another life or two you can extend it come on and for y'all old-timers let me help you you can put another quarter in and play another round okay i just helped you right fact of the matter is in life it is not that way at all come on you're either alive or you're dead there's either juice running through your body or there's not so how can it be that the man of god writing a letter to a church body how could it be that he would say to them you need to understand something if i'm alive i'm in jesus christ but if i die it's gang listen what could be better than jesus what could be more intimate than jesus what could be more powerful than the blood of jesus but paul was contradicting hear me himself by saying to live is christ to die his gain and we stand here scratch our head but the word does not contradict itself no it does not help me today somebody understand where the preaching's coming from if you know the name of jesus then your life could be in shambles your life could be a mess it could be that you don't deserve to live and to breathe and to suck up good air but the blood of jesus has come in and it has changed you rearranged you and made you new again therefore you can stand now and say i know the name of jesus and it's more powerful than anything but one of these days and it won't be long there's gonna be a trumpet child and i'm gonna die and i'm gonna go and i'm gonna be with him forever alive in jesus is the best place to be paul revealed that he was not bashful he was not ashamed of the work that god had done in his life he was not upset and mad and angry but yet he realized if i'm alive it's because of him but if i die i gain him alive or dead jesus is the constant purpose and direction will come through your relationship with jesus christ i wonder if anybody in here really understands personal testimony of what paul was saying could it be that someone in this room will identify you were once lost in sin and your life was a mess but somebody introduced you to jesus and in the midst of your mess jesus and now when you come into the presence of the lord you can declare without fear favor or any embarrassment whatsoever i know him he knows me and whether i'm alive or dead i am with him and he is with me is there anyone can identify with that anyone at all can you identify if you can identify with that then i stand to this podium today and i simply declare to you along with all around us hear this today that if you're a man woman or child and your life is a mess and things are busted up messed up and so forth what paul was saying to the church if you'll know him if you'll fall in love with him if you'll get out of bed in the morning to speak in his name if you'll call on his name throughout the day if you'll be he'll be the first thing on your mind and the last thing on your mind morning to evening if you'll rise up early and declare the goodness of the lord if you'll proclaim to your children your grandchildren look what the lord has done come on i'm rising to this occasion today to tell you you can believe that jesus is in control of all of life's situations and whether you're alive or dead he'll not stop being god he will never stop living on the throne he'll never stop being the one in control to die is to know him in a calm assurance lord i believe that right now if i took my last breath my next step would be in your presence and whether i'm alive on planet earth living in chattanooga or on the streets of glory one thing will remain the same and that is the presence of jesus christ alive or dead paul was trying to tell the church to die would be a wonderful thing nobody in here hands in the pockets not me mommy not me we want to live long fruitful lives don't we we want to watch our kids grow up our grandkids we want to be able to see a snow-capped mountain in a beautiful beach we want to be able to hear the cries of children okay the cries of seth we want we want to be able to fellowship one listen guys i tell you this almost every sunday you make me better i love being around you even when you don't like me why because we are better together we are working for that great day when we stand before the white throne judgment and he opens the books and he says your name is right there and i look in here this book and look what you accomplished did i do all of that yeah look what you did and you receive your reward and you're ushered into the presence of the lord god with nothing on your mind on your spiritual brain but one thing if i get into his presence i will recognize and realize that it's all because of him it's all because of him paul was trying to help the church alive or dead you better focus on your relationship to be with jesus has anyone ever has anyone ever gotten into the presence of the lord and you didn't want to leave anyone how long did you stay i don't know because when i got in his presence all nothing else mattered nothing else was important ethan i know my faults and my mistakes but when i got in the presence of the lord it's as if he said it's okay i have forgiven you of those and when his hand reached to me and my mess and all my life's problems i'm so humbled at the fact that he still speaks to me i i know that none of us are are looking at the time clock to punch out and let our lives be over i'm certain that we want to live those long lives and and paul wasn't trying to scare the church no no no he was trying to make the church aware what you are doing is greater than where you are right now you are not living your life so that you can have a building at 4295 cromwell you are living your life as an apostolic as a believer in the word of god as as following the principles and the concepts and the and the understanding of the promises of the word you are following those things because god is preparing a place for you first corinthians again he writes a letter to the corinth church and in 15 and 21 the bible says for since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead verse 22 says for as in adam all die even so in christ shall all be made alive you realize that in the garden in that plan and the things that god put together from the beginning that he wanted a relationship with his creation but something happened and the choice is made and you and i can become frustrated and angry and why did you do that adam why did you sin eve what were you thinking and now all of a sudden in 2021 we're still dealing with the shame of sin and the separation of sin the fact of the matter is jesus knew that about us and so we have an incredible story of the angelic beings presenting themselves to a man into a young lady and stating to them you're going to give birth to a child his name will be called emmanuel god with us i stand here today and i i'll ask you alive or dead are you relying on jesus are you holding on to the master's hand i'm reaching for someone today and i'm trying to admonish you with all the love that i can within me get your hand in the hand of jesus and watch him change your life therefore to be alive is to be alive in jesus christ to live is to live in jesus christ but to die friend there is something past what you and i call the end and it is an eternal home with jesus christ i'm not sure where you stand today where you sit today in your relationship with jesus but if there's ever been an hour that you must completely understand the purpose and the plan of god do not let it be said of you dead or alive you have no value but instead friend flip it over alive or dead i am alive in him and if i die it's because of him and he will not leave my soul in hell but he will come look for me if i make my bed in the heavens if i put them together on the mountain if i'm walking through a dark valley and i'm confused he's going to be there his love is going to reach to me and his power is going to move into my life i've come today to ask you would you make up in your mind on this sunday afternoon live or die i'm going to follow jesus live or die i'm going to love the master live or die i'm going to give myself to the things of god whether i'm alive or dead it's gonna be better because jesus is on my side i don't have to worry i don't have to fret i don't have to ask the questions that are difficult but i can with a solemn attitude say the lord is my redeemer in whom shall i fear i wonder sometimes as i close what is the choir practice like what is the choir practice like is anybody here today in choir practice i am i am tyler are you you don't know do you you're waiting right anybody else in choir practice today see the scripture tells us when we get there we're going to sing a new song the angels can't sing it yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah i know some of y'all want to whoo some of y'all even got out of hanky yeah yeah i'm in choir practice set i'm getting ready for that day we're going to sing a song that the angels are going to step back i don't know that tune why because i've been redeemed by the blood of jesus i was i should have died i should have gone by the wayside whether i was worth any monetary or not i don't know whether there was a poster out there saying dead or alive and we're going to get him gone all i know is one thing i once was lost in sin but jesus took me in he saved my soul i'm learning a song that said i'm redeemed by the blood of jesus a price has been paid for my soul therefore i can shout on this earth as i get ready for that heaven i can love the lord right now getting ready for heaven i can dance in the presence of the lord here getting ready to dance on the streets of glory is there anybody today that's got a made-up mind i'm not about to quit i'm not about to throw in the towel but i'm going to serve the lord regardless of what anybody says or does paul was indicating in his letters i am sold out to jesus who the spirit of the lord is moving in this place see we want to see him work as a healer as all the shock and awe of coming together with humanity but allow pastor one moment here some of you should already be dead in the ground and buried because of the junk you put yourself through some of you your families had written you off society called you a menace you were selling drugs you were pushing drugs you were doing drugs you were selling this you were doing that you were stealing this you were stealing that but today you're standing in the presence of a holy god and your value has shot up out the roof the value of your life was the value of the lamb of god hell yeah he's reaching for you there's an altar open today for those who will pray and bring a praise to the lord lord i was a messed up soul but i found mercy lord i was a messed up individual but i found forgiveness i should have died i should be in the tomb but instead i called on your name you came and you paid it for me come on saint come on center alight come to the altar this is a place today of celebrating what god has done in you you ought to be lifting your hands right now tears in your eyes running down here for just knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt the love of jesus has come in and changed and paid a price and now you are complete in him come on alive or dead the spirit of the lord is working in your life come on there ought to be a praise erupt from this altar today jesus you paid it all jesus you paid it all my life is complete in you jesus to live as you to die is gain to know your power your power in my life jesus come on somebody jesus lifted me i should've done lost my mind i should have done lost all holding me i should have done walked away for jesus you found me just jesus you gave me life come on somebody lift it head to me a praise in your mouth let your heart reach to the heavens right now yeah yeah yeah come on it's choir practice come on redeemed know that song you have washed me you have cleansed me you have made me come on you have changed me you have forgiven me you have made my life complete jesus you have done a work in me i'm gonna love you lord i'm gonna serve you oh god i'm gonna trust you you're a mighty good god you're a mighty good god your mercy lord is so strong your grace lord is so powerful jesus i thank you yeah you've made me whole oh come on somebody fill your mouth with praise right now to me to live as you jesus is good to live as you jesus who came in to die would be to gain all that you have for me oh come on altars altar's full somebody pray right now reach to the lord i believe in you jesus i believe in you jesus i believe in you lord i trust you my soul says yes to you jesus holy is the lord that's right come on you came in think of where the lord has brought you from remember the path that you came down he's been good to you jesus you've been good to me lord jesus you've been good to me jesus jesus you've been good to me come on that's right let the redeemed of the lord say so right now lift up your voice redeem lift up your voice redeemed come on live praise unto the master oh that's right come on under jesus lift your voice redeemed hallelujah we've come to love you jesus we've come to bless you lord to praise your name to lift up your name come on let the redeemed of the lord say so you have changed my life jesus yes you have yes you have yes you have jesus oh what an assurance to know the name of jesus hallelujah you're here today if you're here and you don't have the holy ghost you need the holy ghost come on lift your hands right now we're going to pray with you come on lift your hand lord i pray god that you would complete your will and your purpose in their lives speak dear god right now into their hearts and lives and let them realize that they can make their call their election sure sure in you jesus come on that's right repenting your sins lord forgive me wash and cleanse me i i turn around from that life and i begin to walk after you come on in jesus name come on ask him for forgiveness lord cleanse me forgive and wash me lord i pray let your name o god work in my life there is power in the name of jesus come on every hand in this place throw it to heaven right now and bless the name of the lord come on bless the name of the lord i love you jesus i worship you mighty god i bless your name sweet jesus yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah jesus i love you jesus i love you alive or dead lord it's all about you you paid the price for me jesus my savior my redeemer to know you to have fellowship relationship with you i love your savior grab somebody's hand would you let's pray together lord we are thankful today for the time that we have had in this place and the sanctuary thankful for the body of christ thank you lord for truth thank you jesus the price has been paid on calvary for us to live as you lord to be alive as you lord to have life lord it's from you but to die lord god we gain you and we gain eternity that you're preparing for us help us oh god not to be so earthly minded that we continue to wrap ourselves around the things that are so temporal such a vapor it's only here a while then it's gone but help us lord to reach to you it's all in you jesus it's all in you jesus it's all in you jesus be with us this week lord as we leave this place let the glory of the lord go with us that the peace of god that passes all understanding lord let us let it settle upon us that we walk in peace with all men and holiness unto the lord we're going to return lord study the word we're going to be found doing your will accomplishing what you're calling us to do in the name of jesus i plead your blood over us o god lead and guide us lord in the plain path let us walk up right before you you are god alone and we trust you can you give the lord praise right now all over the room before you go home hallelujah hallelujah come on come on lift your voice to him he's a good god he's a mighty good god come on he's a mighty good god i love you jesus praise god forever