Who?
by Raymond Sloan
October 8, 2023 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church (Chattanooga, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15, Luke 9:18-25

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

------------------------------------------------------------
life is a great teacher to us in our daily activities of course we can be overwhelmed we can be smothered life teaches us to press to move forward agreed no doubt we want to learn and we want to thrive but we are challenged in so many ways agreed yeah the reason that animals walk on four legs has anybody learned this lesson in class at school come dogs don't walk up right like we do it's because their back legs are shaped different they'd have a hard time sitting in a chair you know what I'm saying I learned that how come flies only show up at picnic come on y'all wondered the same things right you know that Infamous if somebody if you had one question when you get to heaven what would you ask I I one word mosquitoes I'm sure there's a reason at night where do the worms sleep under the dirt do you know how do you know okay that's enough of that oh shoot mouth of babes e um I I know that there's there's a lot of things questions and all the scheme of life we want to understand what what matters there anybody else here very good at complicating things or just is that just me there are decisions and choices and lessons in life that we learn and they are things that have a heavy purpose um for an example Mom and Dad listen to Pastor for a moment when you teach your children running in traffic is not a good idea that's a good lesson that's a really good lesson not a good idea to do that come on Mom and Dad help me now when when you teach your children not to jump off a 30-foot platform and expect to fly that is a great lesson they need to learn now I was the strong-headed one and I had to find out for myself sister Kathy you know what it's true gravity Works doesn't make a lot of sense some of the lessons we learn but there are consequences to laws if we don't understand them there are things that that we know are just simple things and there are things that come with a greater weight can anybody here explain to me love love why all of you right now are like whoa I I don't I know some of you the world's view you have and you think that's love you discover that it's really not come on young folk y'all hang on to me a minute yeah it's a lessons about love that are very challenged to understand why because boy I'm gon get I'm G get on box when when a parent tells its child I got to spank you and it's going to hurt me more than you what what are they saying uh but how many you parents use that term that phrase I know I did I did huh yeah I asked my kids and I told them but now I'm just saying that because it's the right thing to say really how is it that a t a child can tell that a parent loves them or not by the way that parent interacts with them now y'all stay with me a minute every day we are faced with the choices and the challenges of learning and growing I talk about this a lot because I feel like every day we forget sometimes that lessons in life are valuable what we do how we interact and how we receive things make a difference in US Ju Just this past week I mean transparency is that okay this past week I was reminded of how challenging it is to get older yeah oh boy it was nobody knows right but just okay just then y'all listen to my lesson I I was working on a job that few years ago man I'd jump on it climb it get over it work it come down and be done no questions asked I had no fear no apprehension whatsoever anybody understand that then this past week I got 30 feet off the floor climbing this scaffold and I tried to set the walkboard and Tim it was right here walkboard weighs about 70 pounds it's usually not a problem brother Jerry but I got nowhere to stand so I got my legs wrapped through this thing and I got this hand here and I'm here and I'm this and I'm pushing and I'm pulling and it's not moving did y'all see that the fact that I can do that today is a so after an hour and a half of trying to logically figure it out trying to put I had ropes here and Yan I had a broom handle I was Lord I can do this I can do this I can I can't climb down down gathered my tools climbed in the truck called my wife said baby I'll be home shortly honey you got to finish I know but I reached my limit hang on to me and then I took brother Jonathan with me he's 18 I said get up there put that no go up again I just want to see this happen listen to me I learned limit this week and I I started working on it all the way home that day Brother Don I was doing this come on you got strength you can do this you can do that but it was a new lesson I didn't like it but I learned something now the information that I just gave to you you have begun to assimilate that into a personal situation in your life yeah I know what you're talking about anybody thought you could do something and you did it and then you can't now all right let me give you just a question y'all watch it y'all young people look around these old folks sitting here tieing your shoe huh huh what else can I do while I'm here you know cuz you're there now you notice I didn't bend over to the floor Tim you can't do that cuz things happen down there I learned lesson there are way to accomplish wisdom settles in gray hair takes over and then I sit down and get coffee come on somebody lessons in life I'm discovering that truth comes at every aspect and every level of Life facts begin to demonstrate themselves and every day there's another opportunity to grow and to adjust I don't know everything today but tomorrow I will learn something else and I'm also learning brother Jerry that I'll probably forget something that I should have remembered every challenge does not have to compromise my situation if this happens I'm going to walk away from God if this does not happen then I'm going to quit what I'm doing if I don't get my way the way I want it then I'm not going to believe any longer lessons you learn and then statements you make to declare what you are or are not going to do then the infamous word salad comes and you got to eat your words we know that every choice we make there's a set of consequences that come with it agreed plus and minus good and bad up or down and we know that because you can look at a bad situation and you can still be okay by the choice you make about that situation right come on you can look at a good situation and fall apart because you don't feel worthy of the good thing happening come on you got to decide daily Lord I know that I am on your side you are on my side and you are giving me choices on how I live my life I've got to decide I choose Jesus I choose the positive it does not have to destroy me it can make me stronger many times we are afforded the choices to allow us to test ourselves and to see what our resolve is have you ever felt before that you were at the end of the road end of the Rope didn't know what to do but mour came and joy came and you were okay and somehow you made it through and the the voice of God did speak the sun did come through and you learned a lesson at that point Lord I'm going to trust you come on Jos Joshua he's an old time guy in Old Testament Joshua 24 let me show you what the effects of a decision can be what a choice can do 24 and 14 now therefore fear the lord y'all know this serve him in sincerity and in truth put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve ye the Lord 15 and if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will serve whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the amorites in whose land he dwell but as for me in my house will serve the Lord that's a choice that is made choose what you will believe choose who you will serve I've come to declare to someone today the daily choices you make the things that you face you will have to understand that God is going to be there for you God will make a way for you so I admonish someone today Choose Wisely come on before you start complaining and belly aching and asking where is God in the midst of all of this Choose Wisely come on in the greatest of challenges God is still god consider the good things of God consider the situations that God has brought you through come on somebody needs to learn how to filter using the Sabbath to look back at God's blessings and miracles in your life I come to admonish some somebody today give space every day for God set aside time every day for God let him have priority in your life every day I didn't say you got to pray eight hours I didn't say you got to give and do that I'm saying to you if you don't wake up with a determination this is the day the Lord has made come on everything in life's going to pile on top of you and you're not going to know how to get out and the next thing you know the negative and all the junk that's going on you'll focus on it more you'll make bad decisions and choices and you'll wonder at the end of the day what happened why did it all fall apart stop and take that moment to breathe Jesus knows the road that you're on look at your neighbor and say he knows oh come on tell somebody on the other side Jesus knows when Jesus understands your circumstance in your problem Jesus gave us a whole lot of stories and instances in the word of God very interesting here that Jesus the the God of all creation the one who spoke it all into existence while walking on planet Earth he chose 12 and with those disciples he called them he said I want to show you some things I want to instruct you in some ways I want to give you some information and he literally poured into them future present and past he instructed them brought the law in that the Mosaic law which would establish their families and he brought that to the Forefront and then he said but today we're here in this place but notice something if you get this and you've got that you'll understand this Jesus knew that there were some people in the multitude that simply wanted to receive from him there were some people in the multitude that that simply said we expect food from you we expect the miraculous from your hand we want you to give to us but in the midst of that in the Book of Luke let me read to you a a very Paramount situation in which we can learn a lesson somebody hear what I say today Luke 9 and18 it came to pass as he was alone praying his disciples were with him and he asked them saying listen to this whom say the people that I am verse 19 they answering said John the Baptist but some say Alas and others say that one of the old prophets is risen again Jesus is looking at them and he's asking them a a very simple question what are the folk on the street what are the folk on the Avenues what are the people out on the grass what are they say what do they say about me who am I in their eyes and they began to talk and said well some said you're this and others give that and what well this one says this and there's this this rumor or this stuff going around in the midst of this group of followers but verse 20 said he said unto them but whom say ye that I am Peter answering he said you're the Christ of God he straightly charged them commanded them listen to this that they that tell no man understand that thing saying verse 22 the son of man must suffer many things must be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain be raised on the third day and he said to them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself take up his cross daily and follow me 24 for whosoever shall save his life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it what does a man Advantage if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be Cast Away two questions here that he asked who do the people say that I am from that question the disciples had to turn and begin to look outward and as they looked outward they came up with the whole list of rumors and and people and things and and and thoughts that the world had I Think Jesus understood full well at this point listen to me a moment here is that what the people say is going to be one thing because they're observing it from their point of view and then when Jesus turns to those disciples and he simply says to them but who do you say I am they have to understand at this point that something is different when Jesus begins to talk about those who don't believe and those who don't understand and to those who don't see the Miracles and to those who are simply looking for a handout they're going to have one explanation for who he is but when Peter got the word and got the Revelation he simply said you are the Christ you are the salvation of the world you're the one that has the answer it is from your hand that all the Miracles flow in that moment hear this those disciples sitting around it wasn't simply Peter who spoke up but the rest of them in their minds and in their hearts they begin to roll it around and they begin to establish one with another you know what Jesus has been to me Jesus has been salvation he has been peace in my troubled storm he has been hope when I didn't know what else to do uh I've come today to ask somebody who are you listening to uh hear this is the world and all the social mechanism in which we in the culture is it telling you who Jesus is are you taking their word for it is he truly dead dried up and gone by the wayside is the world's true to you come becoming Truth for you also and that Jesus no longer does Miracles Jesus no longer fills with the Holy Ghost Jesus no longer expects somebody to be baptized in his name come on if you're listening to what the people say you're going to be deceived but today I've come to ask somebody who do you say he is if he is to you uh the joy in the middle of a storm H then you better stand on that promise if he is to you uh the peace that passes under understanding you better understand who it is and what he done for you if he's the one that comes in a hospital room and says don't listen to what the doctor said I've got this and there's a reason for it you better stand on that why because if God said it who do you say God is I've come to ask somebody today h as I've mentioned to you earlier there are lessons in life that you need to learn and what we need to learn is this uh God is God in spite of everything can can y'all give me just a moment I'll watch the clock we're still good I want to ask you a very serious question I want you to roll this over in your mind before you answer the people that are in your life the people that are you are listening to the counsel that you are seeking who do those people say to you who Jesus is what do they say about your Jesus come on those that are near and dear to you when you're going through all hell breaking loose if I may say in your life you don't know what else to do are they coming to you saying oh you know why that's going on is because and they begin to try to give an exhortation of what they perceive and all the while you're standing there now with a big question does that mean God left me does that mean that I have been disowned by him does that mean that I have no place in the Kingdom any longer come on if you're hanging around people that are trying to feed you Aline that the enemy is's trying to feed you I challenge you today get up from that place you are and run away from it as fast as you can get away from them as fast as you can listen to Pastor for a moment come on there's not everybody that comes in your life is there to help you right amen come on and some of us are trying to please people around us and we are forgetting the promises of God there are some of us that are trying to wrap our minds around our current situation and all the while the Lord God is saying did I not tell you I would never leave you nor forsake you why would you question me now in your dark moment what I spoke to you when you didn't know what else to do I've come to tell somebody today that life happens and lessons we learn but I want you to know he still is everything uh he is the Healer he is the deliverer he is the savior he is the protector he is the intercessor he is the provider he is the joy he is the hope he is the peace he knows today and he knows tomorrow he watches you when you go in and he watches you when you go out he knows what you're going to face today and he's with you all the way I've come to tell somebody today uh who are you listening to uh as for me uh in my house uh we're going to trust that God uh he's got a plan for my life H he knows where I am uh the devil's not getting any credit for this it is God's mercies it is God's joy it is his peace it is his plan uh it is his word uh who are you listening today I challenge you uh get your heart and your mind on Jesus get your vocal cords on Jesus get your heart focused on him as I stand here right now in this pull pit you can think of so many things to say about your Jesus amen you can think of so many many things to declare the goodness the love the grace the mercy of God but also today brother donon could you help please there are those in your life that are trying to Define your situation by what they perceive that's a very real thing you know job honey sweetheart dearest listen you've lost everything our children are gone the livestock's gone our position in the community is gone all the stuff that we have is now gone baby why don't you curse God and die well in ended but out of context I know right now those sitting here under the sound of my voice many of you watching online I know you are going through some tumultous times right now and trials and tests and things are coming at you as fast and as hard as the enemy as people as life can throw at you whoever it originates from but I want you to understand that if the word of God is established in heaven who are you to try to change it you cannot rewrite the law What You've Got to Now concern yourself with is who do I believe you see there are so many of us that have made some really bad choices you don't have to identify with that I already know you're human so I know you have and there are others of you that have made great mistakes and somebody else affected your walk or affected your testimony and somehow through it all you you survived and you came out the other side and you're full of scars and bruises from what you came through you didn't stop he kept coming back to the Cross back to the savior he kept working in your life there are many that we know that were introduced to the master and felt his warm embrace he loved them and forgave and washed them and filled them somewhere on the road of Life they got discouraged and disgruntled and they began to listen to what the people said when that happened you know them they simply turned and walked away from God no longer believing no longer trusting only to find out that years and years down the road when life's all Fallen apart and they now sit across a table from somebody and all of their hurt and pain and sorrow and suffering and when you ask them what happened they will say very very straightforward I quit believing in whom I was following I have had quite a few backsliders look me in the eye and say you know what happened preachers I quit praying you know what happened preachers I went through a hard time and got out of the habit of going going to church I am some of you sitting here right now you know what I speak you used to be plugged in Connected on fire doing what God was leading you to do something happened you listen to the people instead of the promise doesn't make what you went through wrong it makes what you went through with a purpose if you could have been destroyed you would have already been destroyed who are you listening Peter who do the people say I am well they say you're John the Baptist you can only come and scream and yell and holler some say you're Elijah you're Elias you you've got all these words of old but they're not pertinent to today some some say that you're a prophet and and you speak things and and you say stuff and it's very cool Jesus simply turns to them and looks him dead in the eye and says but who do you say I am you realize all Peter had to say was I I believe the same as they do yall ready for it because when Jesus was at his darkest the beatings had happened things were happen happening one of the soldiers come up one of the young ladies walk by one of the servants come by they looked at Pete what' they say you're one of them you're one of them somebody needs to hear me right now but the world world is asking they want to know do you really believe what you believe can I change you with a statement as then Peter looked at that person what' he say I don't know him cursed it ain't uhuh instantly after all that Peter had seen and done who do you say Jesus yeah I'm I he ain't got nothing for me he's never no uh-uh I deny all that he turned on a dime for fear of his own testimony and witness he washed his hands of it only to turn and walk away feeling like he had heard the question gave an answer and prophecy fulfilled oh Jesus said this would happen Jesus said that before the our crew in the morning that I would deny him and I didn't think so why Peter because when I was asked about it I listened to the folk around me instead of knowing who God was um it's 125 I could walk through this place right now and I could point to many of you and I could talk about the miraculous things that God has done in you and there is no way in this world that the enemy nor all of Hell nor all of Heaven could deny it because they watched it happen when the pressure's on and the questions come and the doubt and the fear and the unknown and you got your foot in midair and you're not sure what to do next do I still proclaim the miracles of god even though he hasn't done it in me do I still Proclaim that Jesus can heal even though he has yet to heal me am I still willing to stand and declare thus says the word of the Lord and the whole counsil of God says this even though I still question there is any doubt in anybody ask this one ask those two don't ask her sisters they weren't there ask that one over there ask this one sitting here ask this one is not God Faithful isn't God Faithful who who are you listening to today you ought to be so encouraged right now in your Holy Ghost spirit to say you know what God you've been nothing but good to me I stand here right now and I declare you better know that you know that you know you better settle the case you better love life and you better live for Jesus you better follow him every day of your life listen to me you better deny yourself you better learn to take up your cross and you need to follow after Jesus because if you're going to love and trust him when anybody asks you when the world comes against you you can declare this is what the word says he is on my side my name is in the book I have been baptized in that name I have received the gift of the Holy Ghost evidence I spoke in tongues I have watched the miracles of god unfold in my life and somebody today needs to stand flat-footed in front of the enemy and say I will not listen to your lies any longer but as for me in my house we're going to serve the Lord we're going to March forward victorious in the name of Jesus we're going to believe the whole counsel of God uh I am with you low to the end of the world I am with you come on somebody who are you listening to today what is your listening device focused on today would you stand to your feet everybody in this house and begin to ask yourself that question Lord am I doubting you because of the lies that I've been listening to if so God help me to realign my attention I believe God that I can make a declaration right now as for me and my house we will serve the Lord why because he's faithful because he's true because he's perfect because he's righteous because heaven is real and because hell is real I'm going to follow Jesus why because there is joy and peace and true life in Jesus I've come to remind somebody today this is the Altar and this is the place where you can Rejoice uh as you begin to remember one more time the goodness of the Lord uh the miraculous hand of God H and you can lift hands in the altar you can demonstrate to everybody Look What the Lord H has done in my life uh I should have been dead dried up buried in the but instead I'm not I'm still full of life I still have a voice I can still glorify God come on every hand lifted right now begin to bless the name of the Lord come on who you listening to today who you listening to today Hallelujah this altar is open right now somebody needs to pray somebody needs to find a place to reconnect and recommit to God that's right right come on somebody needs the Holy Ghost today somebody needs to remember the miraculous that God has already done in your life who you listening to who you listening to today oh come on that's right God you've been good to me God you've made a way every way oh come on somebody I trust in you that's right come on yes I'm thankful Lord to know you come on who you listening to stop listening to the people of the world the enemy of come on listen to The Name of Jesus listen to the power of the Cross of Calvary listen to the voice of the almighty oh come on that's right come on there's victory in the name of Jesus there's victory in the name of Jesus come on Lift Your Voice come on some are hungry for the Holy Ghost today being would you come help us pray men would you come help us pray some want the Holy Ghost today come on pray come on some need a breakthrough today come on pray come on some are hungry for truth today that's right come on pray oh come on that's right it is the gift of God it is from him it is from him that's right come on in the name of Jesus hallelujah oh come on that's right it's real today it's real today pray pray pray Jesus you can do the work Jesus you can make it happen in my life in the name of Jesus come on Matt run into his presence that's right come on Robbie run into his presence today uh come on man pray pray pray reach reach for the Lord right now come on Bella run into his presence today in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus Great Is Thy Faithfulness oh God Great Is Thy Faithfulness oh god breakr breakr breakr look for Jesus look for him look for Jesus look for him yes Jesus oh come on that's right it's prayer time in the house of the Lord it's prayer time in the house of the Lord in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus come on let's try the Holy Ghost is here right now right now lift your voice to him lift your voice to him oh come on R right remind yourself I am a child of God his word is in my life oh come on that's right come on breakthrough there is breakthrough there is breakthrough there is breakthrough come on there is Deliverance there is Deliverance there is breakthrough there is breakthrough there is breakthrough come on in the name of Jesus a hor the name of Jesus new horon in the name of Jesus come on that's right come on man run into his pray I come to Love You Lord I come to Love You Lord oh that's right that's right yes yes yes who you listening to come on whose report you going to believe today name of Jesus the name of Jesus the name of Jesus oh that's right come on that's right run into his presence I've come to you Lord I've come to Love You Lord the name of Jesus the name of Jesus yes yes yes yeah come on church pray come on somebody believe God for it today I'm going to listen to you Lord I'm going to pursue you Jesus I'm running after you great God I'm running after you Holy One God you've been good to me come on Matthew come on man run into it come on Worship the Lord come on Worship the Lord come on men come help us pray in the name of Jesus the name of Jesus the name of Jesus the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus yes Lord yes Lord we believe the name of Jesus we believe the name of Jesus we believe the name of Jesus yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah come on let's try come on let's try yes Lord Jesus Jesus oh that's right come on Matthew Love You Lord the name of Jesus the name of Jesus the I believe you for it Lord I believe you for it Jesus oh come on come on remove doubt right now doubt go away I'm trusting the Lord other yeah Jesus Jesus is freed ining in come on somebody yes yes Lord yes Lord yes Lord come on Robbie that's right man let him know you mean business Lord I'm hungry for you I've got to have you in my life lordus oh yes yes yes yes yes Jesus Lamb of God we trust you right now that's right that's right that's right the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus there is no other name but Jesus Jesus there is freedom in hallelujah hallelujah oh come on come on let's righty it's real it's real it's real yes it is is in the name there is no other name but Jesus I believe you for it Jesus I believe you for it God you've got answers Lord truth comes from you Jesus truth comes from you Jesus the name of Jesus oh come on Robie that's right come on open your mouth man love the Lord Jesus Jesus yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah Jesus Jesus oh that's right come on go find somebody pray with them guys the spirit of the Lord is here come on let the Lord use you right now that's right come on go bind together with somebody in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus God I'm believing you for it I'm believing for my brother today I'm believing for my sister today come on find somebody else pray with them the name of Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord there is no other name