Opinions
by Raymond Sloan
October 9, 2022 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church (Chattanooga, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: John 3:1-2, John 3:3, John 12, John 12:12-13, John 12:14-16, John 12:17-19, Acts 2:37-39

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

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would you pray with me everyone in this place Jesus we love you great God we have sung the songs today we have prayed we have brought our needs to you we have believed you Lord we've heard testimony today God of your grace and goodness but right now Lord we need the word we need your word to speak into us God and help us encourage train lead and guide us Lord I make myself available one more time to you take holds from the altar touch these lips of clay I desire the truth of the word today in your name great God we're going to love you and worship you forever because you're God and we need you Lord we are called according to your name Jesus Jesus sweet Jesus mighty mighty God mighty mighty God glad you know him today thank you singers thank you musicians thank you to everyone who plays a part in Sunday church greeters and Sunday school teachers and workers and video and audio and everything else those standing in a parking lot all the stuff you do thank you so much I want you to know I appreciate it in the Lord knows all the things you do amen we have a special guest with us today we are honored that Eunice Rodriguez is here today oh man glad she's back and now she will take a fence if you call her Stumpy see glad she's back she had a fall she had surgery she has tried the patience of all and now she's back in church brother Jerry we're glad you still look good too you may be seated if it feels if you feel like you need to I welcome all of you those online we're so glad you're here the night was cool Breeze blowing after a heated day in the desert sand living in the Middle East came with its own set of challenges of course both good and bad if you know anything about the climate of the desert or the climate of the the Arid places you know that the living conditions can be less than desirable most of the land of course would be used for raising animals for raising crops when the weather permitted when there was enough water and rain and you could navigate the the challenges of trying to have a harvest the heat was very brutal in many ways but in the coolness of the evening in the desert I don't know if anybody's ever been in a desert before today can be 100 degrees but at night could be 50 or less even on one particular evening there was an encounter between two very influential people one of the guys was a religious leader of his day the other was another religious leader of a different understanding the one was a studier of the Mosaic law the law according to Moses the words he had pinned and and he was somebody that understood the rights and the rituals of following to the letter the 600 plus different points of the law his passion and his Zeal was to follow God and and he had come to understand through Reading and studying history that there were teachings and there were things of old that he could glean from and his whole group of people believe the same way and and generations had been brought up with this understanding he was he was actually an example to all of those in his group of power and and purpose and somebody that that could make a difference in their world he was very Noble in his studying of the laws of God on this particular evening though this Pharisee came to a teacher John wrote about it in chapter 3 verse number one there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus he was a ruler of the Jews the same came to Jesus by night said unto him Rabbi teacher we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him the meaning of Minds if you will the the meaning of a Pharisee who studied the law and understood it came face to face with somebody who was fulfilling that same law Nicodemus comes to Jesus and the cool of the evening begins to make conversation the day's work was done this educated guy comes and he says to Jesus I know that you're a teacher from God because no other way could you do the things that you have done my question as I read this and I'm sure most of you have studied this particular account found in the Book of John Jesus wanted to to respond to Nicodemus but Nicodemus came and I wonder sometimes what caused this man this Pharisee to come to Jesus in the cool of an evening and to want to talk to him about what he was teaching and preaching and what he was sharing with those around him notice that Nicodemus had reflected on the Miracles everybody say Miracles the miraculous that Jesus had done nobody can do the miraculous because it's not a common occurrence unless God is with him Jesus looks through the questions looks through the words understands why he has come to him but Jesus also how many of you guys know that Jesus understands every moment what Jesus was talking about when he looked at him as he began to infiltrate if you will into the heart and the mind of this religious guy and what this religious guy was attaching to those words was this this is a man that can heal I saw him do it this is a man that can multiply things I I saw him do it this is a man that can deliver people from from disease and sickness I've watched him do it this is a man that can change lives I know that it can because I've seen him do it many extraordinary things were done by the hand and the voice of Jesus Nicodemus comes to Jesus and he addresses it nobody can do the miraculous that he come from God and Jesus all-knowing all loving and all compassionate looks at him and in verse 3 of John 3 says Jesus answered said unto him verily verily I say unto thee accept a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God now what Nicodemus was looking for maybe was a simple conversation I just want to chat with you Lord I just want to have a conversation with you but which with Jesus begins to establish some things that Nicodemus would not up to that point been able to study Nicodemus all he had was the law everybody say the law all he had was what was written and what they went by but Jesus presents to him an understanding of things and he tells them unless you're born again you can't even see what God has prepared for you wow a a concept that challenged his mind Nicodemus scratching his head trying to say I wonder what he really means and I know in an Apostolic church that we look at the words of Jesus and we get all happy this is what he was talking about put yourself though in this position how can it be that Jesus looks at this man who knew the law understood the ways the rituals and the rights and yet something happened follow me for a moment Jesus knew that Nicodemus was a picture kind of guy because he understood the law he would have to understand the points of the law in order to do that he would be a teacher also of the law and in order to do that how many has ever heard of a parable yeah how many has ever told a story about the things of God and you have to use something that makes sense to those around you so Nicodemus would have understood this and so this conversation begins to happen and there's a photograph if you will questions are coming out of this man's mind and things are happening in this encounter it is the desire of this man to understand Jesus but Jesus understands really what the man's heart is nobody can do this except God is with him and Jesus instantly begins to tell him you need to understand something there is an experience called New Birth that you need to wrap your mind around wait a minute I've never heard of it that's right I've come to fulfill it I want to share with you that there is a way to be born of the water but there's a way to be born of the spirit and except you're born of water and spirit you'll never even see what is prepared for you out there Jesus was connecting points together at this particular moment how do you understand the points except understanding come through the supernatural I've come to say today that perhaps Nicodemus have questions and he wanted to understand but here's my point in this particular setting what did Nicodemus tell his Pharisee friends the next day hey guys listen up I went and met with the teacher really what'd he say got to be born again huh yeah foreign what you got you gotta start over hmm how can you go a second no I asked the same thing in fact he even said that which is born of the that which is born there's a natural there's a spiritual and things begin to happen and the hearts and the minds of these Pharisees I want to continue through here follow me for a moment today on this Sunday as we go through what was happening here the Gospel of John this is such an incredible Story how John penned these words the imagery if you will the photographs if you will that he's putting together here it allows us to understand Jesus's connection to humanity only John could write that way only John had the ability to communicate that way in the account that you read through the Book of John you find out that From Galilee Tiberius and all of the feasts and the interactions between the different groups of the day John recounts the miraculous things that Jesus did The Parables the stories the ability to again connect a picture for people to better understand it readjusting if you will the sights of humanity and what they could grasp heaven and was a very New Concept at this point and it is in this particular gospel that we can read that there were laws and rules that the Pharisees followed that came from the laws of what Moses had penned yet now this Jesus has come on the scene and love connected itself to the law and when that particular motion began to happen there was something that put flesh and blood to the law there was something that put nurturing to the law there was something that connected and made sure that Humanity would no longer simply go through a ritual or through a right but they could at any moment call upon that name Jesus and understand that when I speak the name Jesus I am speaking the name life follow it chapter 12 now fast forward of the Book of John reveals and it sheds light on the effects that Jesus had on the multitude the Bible says that Jesus was eating with his friends and Lazarus was there with his sisters y'all anybody remember this story anybody ever heard the name Lazarus what happened to him everybody say dead everybody say four days dead everybody say stink don't look at nobody just say stink this house was full of gas listen to this according to the story I'm not going to read it verbatim I want you to go read in chapter 12. the house was filled with an odor of a rare and costly perfume a perfume that somebody had brought into the room with all the smelly people and it could be smelled all over the place and there was one named escaria they said wait a minute we could have sold that and we could have taken care of the poor and we could have fed multitudes of that and Jesus simply looks at him and says hold on there's something happening here what she is doing is for me because there's a day coming real soon that I'll die and my body is going to have to be embalmed going to have to be covered in spices and good smelly good things oh but we can't we wait and do it then you don't even know you'll never get to my body when I go in that tomb you don't have any idea what's happening what she is doing she is giving a costly offering listen to this and for this Jewish woman to release her hair piled up on her head pull it out from under the scarf and bend down and wrap it up around his feet it was a shame to any woman to watch but Jesus says leave her alone she's making a sacrificial offering right now and it's going to change everything for this point forward the Pharisees I hear it they're there as well and they're watching what's going on and they're trying to understand this Feast the Bible even says that the priests came into this particular place and they began to look at Lazarus and they said you know what we need to do we need to kill this Jesus but we better kill Lazarus too somebody here to Pastor today in this place if you'll ever let the enemy enemy what has been resurrected by the word of the Lord he's got your testimony he's got your witness and he will baffle you the rest of your life that's why the enemy somebody hear it today is trying to stop your dream he's trying to stop what the Lord promised to you he's trying to take you into a place where you won't no longer believe in the power of a resurrected Christ do not let the enemy of your soul steal the vision and the power of the miraculous that has already happened in you the religious folk of that day were mad we need to kill this guy and we need to kill the guy that was already killed how do you threaten a guy that's already dead once Lazarus we're gonna kill you hmm no no we're serious this time hmm to you were serious last time fat you don't put the stone over the door and everybody washed their hands of it and even called me Stinky it wasn't even one of the dwarfs anyway we read about this encounter the man Jesus in this Pharisee Nicodemus and now there's a rift that's grown why because there was a connection that happened something transpired something took place listen to this John chapter 12. verse number 12 on the next day much people that were come to the feast when they heard that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem they took branches of palm trees went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna save now Hosanna blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord verse 14 Jesus when he had found a young ass sat there on as it is written fear not Daughter of Zion Behold thy King cometh sitting on an Isis cult these things understood not the disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified then remembered they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him verse 17. listen the people therefore that was that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the Grave raised him from the dead bear record hear this for this cause the people also met him for that they heard that he had done this miracle listen to what the Pharisees now have to say the Pharisees therefore said among themselves perceive yeou ye prevailed nothing behold the world is gone after him the world has gone after this Jesus we've tried what we could do we know the story as they unfolded and everything that we tried to do came to not but they stood up amongst themselves and they said they declared one to another perceive this look at this understand what's happening this world has gone mad after this Jesus they're running after him if he's in the city there's a multitude running after him if he's in the country there's a multitude running after him why because he is definitely Hosanna he is definitely salvation that has come the people welcomed him are sitting on the small donkey why because they didn't understand fully what was happening but something the Pharisee saw in the midst of it all the whole world is going after Jesus I stand here today as a reminder in this hour people are still looking for Jesus Chattanooga still needs the answer and that answer is Jesus our world is crazy running around trying to find hope it is still in Jesus our world needs Jesus now more than ever before salvation is still in the name of Jesus the whole world foreign is gone after this Jesus God help me today stay on track there are so many of us when the things begin to happen in our lives when the trials and the things begin to take place in our lives we want to declare to our friends and loved ones around us they just don't want this they're just not hungry for this I have with mine own ears I have heard preachers say with my own ears and understanding it's a challenge today to build a church people don't want it they want they want to hear a message that tickles their ears all they want and I probably even been guilty of saying it occasionally you know what they just not sure that they want it but the Bible refers to this particular Story please understand something Jesus was one man in one place walking in one pair of shoes at that point that was all that it was and what the Pharisees the understanders the ones that understood the 600 plus points of the law what they understood was this I don't know what we're going to do with it Jesus everybody's gone after him I've come to tell somebody today that in the book of Acts something happened when they heard this they were freaked in their heart said unto the Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and Brethren what shall we do Peter said unto them repent be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you your children all that are for all even as many as the Lord of God shall call what I've come to tell you is this that Peter stood up on that day and he began to preach a message to them you need Jesus you better go down in the name of Jesus you better let the spirit of Jesus fill you you better let the name be applied to your life why because the world is still looking for Jesus some of you by your own testimony today by your own witness in this house have said to me man I got somebody at work talking about they still believe in Jesus hold on a minute I thought the world was going crazy and was falling apart of the seams apparently not you can stand up in the face of any opposition and speak the name Jesus and every devil in hell still going to shake if you believe the power of the name that you speak foreign we heard reference this past week at our general conference my goodness things that people are doing in the name of Jesus One Pastor needed a church in Ohio right Ohio need a church they even try and do and save and trying doing something happened where somebody gave them a building worth millions of dollars they simply just walked in took over and God began to bless give it to him here you can have it we don't know what to do with it I heard another one churches that end up in the north they've locked the doors because they won't allow them to have church they've been shut down Powers off Waters off see five six hundred people folk are walking in saying can we just borrow the facility can we just look at the facility we just want hey you know what you can go in and have church nobody else is using it and they're walking into these churches and they're cleaning up the floor and they're stepping in they're saying can we have the power turned on why because we preach Jesus come on don't let the enemy lie to you and make you think that you need to Believe In Father Son Holy Ghost if it is indeed the father Son and Holy Ghost but it's one name and that's Jesus I mean I'm just telling you it's as simple as that that said we live in a world today that seems to be coming a part of the seams I'm thankful today to declare to you that this world is indeed Fallen apart of the scenes but it needs to why it needs to come unraveled from all of the religiosity that is walk into and they need to wrap their arms around the one factor Jesus Christ him crucified everything else doesn't matter you can build upon the sand and you can build upon the rock as for me I choose to establish myself upon the rock Christ Jesus if you believe in the power of Jesus giving praise right now oh come on give him praise right now the Pharisee said it this world has gone crazy for Jesus they're going after him the whole world running after Jesus so I'll ask you today allow me if you will on this Sunday at 105. what is your opinion foreign have an opinion yeah opinions are kind of like noses everybody's got one and won't nobody let you pick theirs somebody say Amen we all have opinions don't we I have an opinion on this team I have an opinion on that food I have an opinion on that place I have an opinion on this thing have an opinion on that work I have an opinion on things I have an opinion on politics believe it or not I have to ask the Lord to help me much about that I have an opinion on who you are I have an opinion on what you mean to me I have an opinion on how you value me and how I value you I have an opinion on things look at your neighbor said do you have an opinion what do you think so if somebody today were to Simply come to you and say listen my life is a mess it's falling apart I've got this issue that issue this issue and that issue what do you think you can say to them as you have heard Pastor say a thousand and five times this is one opinion out of 8 billion on planet Earth that way you know I have just isolated myself from what everybody else thinks or says you got that I say it all the time one opinion out of 8 billion this is mine the word of God is still the word of God it never stopped me in the word of God I did not write the word of God I do not have to emphasize the word of God it actually stands upon its own any work any world that you go to any culture that you go to any part of any culture that you go to if they speak the name Jesus something is happening in that place you want to know why that some presidents are blessed when they are heathens in and of themselves it's because they were sworn in with their hand on the word of God you want to know why if you go into a court of law you can put your hand on the word of God and say I do solemnly swear to tell the truth whole truth nothing but the truth so you know what God is going to be there it doesn't mean that he appreciates all of that person any under he agrees with all that person he simply says where my word is I'll be why because that word is the only thing settled when he looks at you when he looks at me he is looking through his word as a filter and oh God help us that way if he understands you know what this is how you are I can see you I can see what you're doing and for those who want to follow a lie for those who want to follow after untruths he's looking at you saying you know what but I have a better way I have established this I have put you in this place I have out allowed this to happen in your life I have put this together for you if you'll simply believe in me the word of God is there to establish who he is in whatever position you are in life you want to know why sometimes God is big in your life because you're in a place that you identify with that but then there might be times when you feel like God's A Million Miles Away did God move no you simply are filtering the word a different way some of us are looking to lawyers and doctors and people online and what Google says and what religious Bible Hub says or whatever to figure out what it says the fact of the matter is the word of God is the best importance for the word of God it never changes I'm glad that it's forever established I'm thankful when I stand before him with everybody else that's ever lived that I'll be able to say your word didn't change you weren't more favorable to that one or to that one but yet the word was just for me and for all of humanity I stand to this desk today and I simply want to remind somebody your opinion better be yea and amen according to the word of God because John wrote about it when Nicodemus came you're a teacher nobody can do what you've done except he be a voice from God therefore Jesus looks him in the eye I'm not giving you a second to make your opinion known but let me put the truth in you if you're not born of water and spirit you'll not even see the kingdom of heaven I've come today to declare what Chattanooga needs is the name of Jesus still the power of a risen savior still what our world needs now is Jesus still I've come to declare in every Mountaintop in every Hamlet village in every Palace we need to understand God is still the God of all things if you were to go back to Old Testament brother John would you come please Elijah the prophet and Kings you can find this he came to the people the people of God supposedly at that moment and there was so much going on and so many questions and so many fears and doubts and things and concerns that's the simple question came out how long will you be between two opinions he either is or he isn't he either will or he won't he either can or he cannot he either does or he does not see what you and I want to do is we want to put God in our box in our life we want to associate him with the things that we do and if it doesn't fit or it doesn't smell right or it doesn't look right we give it the litmus test and we say you know what another day listen friend while you were sitting here right now Jesus Christ is still on the throne whether you put him there or not this is what I know here at Cornerstone we're going to love people we're going to let truth work and I still believe in Jesus Christ his name is more powerful than anything my opinion quite honestly does not matter in the realm of the heavenlies why because it is not based on how I see heaven as has been said by authors of old with who did God counsel when the stars were put into place with whom did God seek wisdom when he spoke and put the Stars into their place with whom did God counsel and draw wisdom from when he established the place that I has not seen and here has not heard called heaven with whom did he looked to when he tried to decide how much he would love and how much he would forgive friend of mine as big and as broad as you think you are he did not come to you and as much and as more that I think that I know he didn't come and ask me what he did do was say from the foundation I have established the plan and the plan says this is what it's going to be like listen friend when Nicodemus came to Jesus and he asked him those questions on that particular night what he was asking was simply this I want to understand you Jesus then instantly commenced to tell him except you're born again of water and spirit you won't even see the kingdom of heaven Nicodemus scratching his head had never been exposed to the concept of Heaven he knew law in the law Heaven Wasn't There didn't need to be but now he's talking your choice now comes into play that's why he said you need to be born again because when you go through the new birth experience I will now put into you what you need to know about heaven when you wake up tomorrow and you start your day you can know about heaven when you go through your great trials and tribulations and tests and all the things you go through you can get into the word and you can decide who Heaven's mentioned right here I has not seen it here hasn't heard about it it's there he's prepared a place for so that where he is we can come and be there also I'm not sure how you view God I'm not sure what you think about Jesus but friend I understand this if I can simply know him if I can know him the fellowship and I can understand this world is not my home I'm just passing through my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue his angels Heaven's open door and I can't feel at home in this world anymore oh Lord you know I have no friend like you If Heaven's not my home then Lord what will I do his angels oh he's drawing me I can't feel at home in this world anymore I am looking for that place come on what's your opinion what's your opinion you know I've read the word I've studied the word and this is what I've decided take this whole world but give me Jesus anybody agreed that Jesus is the best thing ever happened why don't you stand to your feet right now come on if Jesus is the best thing that's ever happened to you lift your voice Lift Your Hands to Heaven right now come on identify with it Lord I Choose You Jesus I Choose You Jesus I want you to work in my life Jesus I Need You come on come on believe in it when the question was asked what do we do repentance baptism in the name of Jesus receiving the Holy Ghost come on that's what it's about making your election sure in the place called Heaven understanding it's all about him it's all about who he is the Pharisees the only thing they could say look at these people they all want Jesus they're all running after Jesus they're all mad if you will over Jesus is there anybody today willing to come to an altar with hands lifted High saying give me Jesus I want you Jesus I want to know that your word is working in my life I want to know that my family Lord we can walk up right before you through the blood of Jesus through the word of Our Testimony come on is there anybody that will come and pray in an altar God I'm running to you today come on you want the Holy Ghost lift your hands to the Lord remove all the fear and the doubt begin to love and worship him come on get rid of the fear the question Lord I simply come to you with my hands lifted up oh I want to know you God I want to trust you Lord I Want to Believe In You Jesus you've got the power you've got the power yes in the name of Jesus you've got the power I thank you Lord come on that's right pray Church come on if you need to repent today is your day turn around from the walk that you're walking begin to run after Jesus I Need You Lord I'm coming to you Jesus draw me to you Lord I'm coming to love you Jesus oh come on that's right you need forgiveness of sins you ask him come on you ask him Lord forgive me Jesus would you wash me Jesus would you cleanse me Lord my mind and my spirit come on you need the name of Jesus applied to your life yeah yeah yeah oh come on that's right love the Lord oh come on love the Lord I need you Jesus come on opinions are out there so what I believe is Jesus I believe his word I believe the truth of his word I believe the power in his word oh I need you Lord I'm running to you Jesus come on come on pray family you ought to gather around your family right now begin to call on the name of the Lord God Jesus anoint my family God help us Lord to run together help us God to do your work together help us Jesus to love together Lord let our home be a blessed home because your word is in US Jesus your word is in him oh come on that's right come on pray Church I need you Jesus yeah that's right oh that's right come on pray here in the name of Jesus I Need You Jesus I trust in you I trust in you my faith is in you Jesus oh yes come on would you pray for somebody close to you right now come on we're in the altar area the safest place you can be get a hold of somebody Jesus she the glory of the Lord work in this house let the glory of the Lord move in our lives oh that's right come on the power of repentance the power of turning around the power of salvation yeah yeah oh come on believe in it today I trust in you Jesus I honor you Jeep you're the way Lord you're the truth you're the life Jesus you're everything that will all ever need God I Choose You Jesus Jesus you hold the keys Jesus you hold the truth you have it all in your control come on you choose him today love him come on if you choose him today love him I love you Jesus lift your voice to him I Choose You Jesus I choose you today God in my opinion Lord there's no one like you in what I understand Lord I've found nothing compares to you and what I've come to believe Lord through your word is it's forever settled and you're the best thing that ever happened to me with a resounding voice all over the sanctuary just begin to love the Lord one more time before you go home I love you Jesus I believe in you Jesus come on that's right reach to him I believe in you Jesus I Believe In You Jesus I trust in you sweet Jesus I trust in you holy God you're wonderful and you're worthy and I love you bless the Lord forever somebody say in Jesus name come on in Jesus name thank you so much for being in the house of the Lord today thank you for believing in the scripture the word of God come on God's with us y'all he is still on the throne he's still exalted his plan is still working his love is still flowing the cross still does its job come on believe in it guys believe in it pray with me right now Lord as we go our separate ways today I pray the glory of the Lord would still abide with us Lord wherever we go speak to hearts and lives Lord in families Lord on our workplaces wherever we are let your glory be seen give us Lord a boldness and an understanding that the world needs you and you are the answer I plead your blood over us God this week help us to accomplish Lord what you are drawing us into Lord let us with Victory With Victory come back to the house of God with joy worshiping and loving you in the name above every name Jesus we love you and trust you in Jesus name would you give him a hand clap of Praise together before you leave I love you Lord thank you today I thank you Jesus I love you all Shake Hands be friendly greet one another go with God be blessed this week