Finding Peace on Easter | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

Well, if you have your Bibles and if you're not already standing, if you are physically able to stand, I ask that you would stand in honor of the reading of God's word. That is, if you're physically able to stand and if we if not, God understands. A week ago, amazing thing about God, a week ago, in reference to our missionaries, a week ago, we were in uh we were in Honduras uh preaching in an open field. It's an open field. I said, "How do y'all start churches over here?" They said, "We just buy a piece of property, get out in the middle of the field, get a few big speakers on the back of the truck, start playing, singing, preaching. They'll just gather in." Sure enough, sure enough, they filled that field up. I'd say there were probably I'd say there's probably 500 people there in in that field. And we preach the word to them. And the wonderful thing about God, it doesn't matter if it's a cathedral or a cow pastor. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter if you're in a cathedral preaching or a cow pastor preaching. Doesn't matter if you've got the latest technology and thank God for it or you're standing in front of a diesel truck, a big generators sounded in the background so that keep the speakers up. What a God we serve today. I I'm not going to call any names, but it's so good to see everybody here today and all of our all of our guests. If you have your Bibles and would turn with me to Matthew chapter 21 and verse number one. Matthew chapter 21 and verse number one simply says, "And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and were come to Beth Fage unto the mount of olives, they sent Jesus and then sent Jesus two disciples saying unto them, go into the village over against you and straightway way you shall find an ass tied and a coat with her. Loose them and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and straightway he will send them. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a coat, the fold of an ass. And the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them and brought the ass and the coat and put their clothes and and and put on them their clothes. And they set him there on. And a very great multitude spread garments in the way, cut down branches from the trees, strewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before and that followed cried, saying, "Hosana to the son of David." The word hosana simply means save us now. Hosana to the son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosana in the highest. One more passage of scripture. Colossians chapter 1 verse number 19. Lord, I thank you for your word today. Colossians chapter 1 verse 19. For it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell. and having made peace through the blood of his cross. And having made peace, peace, peace through the blood of his cross. I want to minister this morning in this Easter season, finding peace on Easter. Finding peace on Easter. Father, I ask you today that you would anoint my lips of clay that I may be used as an instrument to speak your word. Lord, you love the people that are here. Lord, you love us. You know us. You know our needs. You know where we're at. You know our names. You know everything about us today. And Lord, today come down and wrap your arms around and minister to each of us this morning. Father, I'll give you the praise and the honor and the glory. In Jesus wonderful name we all pray. Amen. And amen. Would you give the Lord a hand of praise before you're seated? You may be seated. finding peace on Easter. It's the week before the Passover at the scripture reading. Jesus enters in to Jerusalem. But as he enters into Jerusalem, there are some scriptures that hundreds of years ago that Jesus as God, Jesus as God had moved upon the prophet Zachchariah. And Jesus as God chose a method of coming into the city, a method of announcing himself as a king. It would be the custom of the day that should a king come riding into a city, if he came riding into the city on a horse, of which most kings always rode horses. Most kings in that day always if they didn't ride a horse then they traveled in a chariot and most of them would be decked out with all kinds of jewels. But when Jesus as God decided how he would arrive in Jerusalem, how he would make his entrance, how he would be saying to them, "Behold your king. Behold your king." Hundreds of years before that, he had the prophet Zachchariah write and tell the children of Israel to be anticipating, to be looking forward because that's that's exactly what prophecy was given for. Prophecy was given so that the people could study the prophecy and be looking for the prophecy and understand the prophecy. So for many hundreds of years the children of God, the children of Israel had studied Isaiah or excuse me Zechariah 9 and9 and they said our king is going to come in a different manner. Our king is not going to come like the Caesar the king is not going to come. Our king is going to come riding upon the back of a donkey, upon the back of a mule. Because also, not only did kings travel on horses to announce their pomp and all of their glory, but they would ride on the back of a mule to say that I am coming for a peace treaty. I am not coming for war. I'm coming as a peace treaty. I'm coming as an ambassador. If you saw one of the kings on a mule riding into a city, you knew exactly what that king what was on his mission, what was in his mind. He was coming into the city to be an ambassador of peace. He was coming to speak peace to that city. You saw a king on a horse coming into the city. It would be a time of war. It would be a time It would be a time of bloodshed. I'm glad today to tell you at Easter time for us to be reminded of our great King Jesus Christ who has come to us this morning not on a mission of war. For he came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. I'm glad to tell everybody today that our King has showed up today not to put you under condemnation. Our king has come today not to kill you or hurt you, but our king has come today to give you something that you're looking for. And that something is peace. Peace. Oh, sweet, blessed peace. It was always announced, wasn't it? Found in the in the scripture, the prophecy again of Isaiah chapter 9 verse number six. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and what's the last part of it? The prince of peace. Prince of peace. The Bible also talks in the New Testament to it simply says, "And let the peace of God rule your hearts. Let the peace of God be the ruler of your heart. No wonder he identifies himself today as a prince, but he's not just any old prince. He is the prince of peace. Did not the angels, did not the angels that announced his birth? Did not the angels know of this when the angels said in Luke 2 and verse 14, did not the angels sing? Did not the angel say these word, glory to God in the highest, and on earth what? Peace, good will toward men. the last week of Jesus life as he soon depart from his disciples as he's soon to leave them. He says to them in John 14 in verse number 27, he see he he wants to leave them with something and he says to them in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you." I know that we're coming to a time when you've walked beside me and you've talked to me and you have felt my breath as as I have spoke to you and you have touched my flesh and you have you have you have sat at a supper table and you've eaten with me and you've been close to me. But there's coming a time that you're not going to see me. There's coming a time you're not going to be able to touch me. But I want to leave you with something. And he said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Now, I want to tell you something, friend. There's something different pulls apart between the peace that the world can give you and the peace that God gives you. The peace gives you. The world can give you a peace, but the s the surroundings and the scenery and everything has got to be all right. Your health has got to be all right. Your marriage has got to be all right. Your children's got to be all right. The economy's got to be all right. Your neighbors have got to be all right. Your in-laws have got to be all all right. Your outlaws have got to be all right. I mean, everybody around has got to be all right. And if I can get everything going my way, then man, what peace I have. But here's the difference between the peace of God and the peace of the world. You see, everything can fall apart, but we have the peace of God. We can stand in the midst of the storm, but we can have the peace of God. Things can fall apart in our lives, but we can have the peace of God. Can I can I tell you today the greatest thing you need in your life is the peace of God to rule and reign in your life. If the peace of God, the peace of God is like a huge a huge u nail in the wall that that that uh sometimes when you go to hang pictures, uh you you you go down to the hardware store and it'll it'll begin to tell you on the back of the fastener, it'll hold up to this many pounds and it'll hold up to this many pounds. and and and and can I tell you the peace of God is like a fastener that can hold anything that comes your way or my way. It can hold anything that comes our way. And so when we understand that when the peace of God rules and reigns in our lives, you you'll not get now. Now the peace of God is where it all begins and it all flows down. That's where it all begins and it all flows down. But you know, if I'm looking for peace in a marriage, I may be disappointed. I may I I may get disappointed. If I'm looking for peace in the economy, I know I'll get disappointed. If I'm looking for peace in other people, you can get disappointed. And it's sad today, but some people have the fastener of peace. It's their marriage or it's the economy or it's their health. and and and they have everything is based on it's hanging on that. But the truth of the matter is today church our marriages may fall apart. One may may decide they don't want to be married any longer and they may walk off from you and you have absolutely no control over that happening in your life. Can I tell you today your health there may be and I'm not being a prophet of doom and I'm not prophesying right now but a lot of times people find out they have cancer and that cancer was there in their body a long time ago but their world falls apart and I'm not judging them because I've never walked in those shoes but what I am going to attempt to do with all of my life and attempt to preach to you today that that nail in that wall doesn't need to be our marriage and that nail in that wall doesn't need to be the economy or it doesn't need to be other people. That nail and that wall must absolutely be the peace that only God can bring to us. That peace he rode in on the back of a donkey to tell everybody, "Hey, I haven't come for war. I have come for peace." Isn't it amazing about that story? Isn't it amazing about that story? Jesus stops as God. He had already spoke this as God. He said, "I'm going to arrive not in a chariot." He could have. I'm going to arrive not on the the back of a beautiful stallion. He could have, but he said, "You know, I think I'll ride into Jerusalem on the back of a mule. I'll just ride in. Everybody will know I'm for peace." As a matter of fact, if you study the study the the story out um he said u as God he said over in the next village a few miles away there's a donkey that is tied there's a young donkey and its mother tied together the coat the donkey the the has never been ridden it and that would be that's a whole Jewish uh custom that the Jew Jews. The Jews of that day viewed a donkey unclean unless he had never been ridden. He had never been ridden. They did view him as a clean animal. But think about this. Miles away, Jesus's God says to the disciples, "Go over into that village. You'll find this donkey tied to the tree. loose him and bring him to me. Now, if any man says to you, because a mule in the Bible days, mule in the Bible days was like your automobile. Talking about Grand Theft Auto, you know, and if any man says to you, "What are you doing?" You say to him, "Jehovah, the Lord, the God of Israel, has need of him, and he'll let it go." Now, that tells me two things there. Number one, they had faith to go get it. And there was a man, and I hope you and I fall in that category. There was a man that knew the scripture. There was a man that knew that one day the Messiah is going to come riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. And uh today this this savior has asked that my mule would be used and he gladly gave it. Then I I like even how the story goes if you you really get into detail. The Bible said they took their clothes. They took their clothes. They clothing in the Bible identified their personality. They didn't have they didn't, you know, didn't have a closet or a garage full of clothes like we might have today. You know, I grew up in the time I grew up on the time my my sister's here today. She'll testify to this. We had a closet growing up. Kathy and I had a closet. It was a 16 penny nail drove in the wall and that's where you hung what little clothes you had. But in that Bible days, they would take their clothes which represented their personality and they said, "Let's make this as comfortable on Jesus as possible." And so they began, they made a saddle out of their clothing and they put that on the back. C. Can I tell you he's been so good to you and I? When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that he's done. When I look back over my life and I think these things over. When I begin to think about everything where God found me wallowing in the myy pit of sin when God found me in the the wicked vileeness that I was sinning. But a loving savior would reach further down than I could reach up. He would bring me out of the miry pit. He would bring me out of a life that was destined for shame and guilt. He would fill me with his spirit, allow me to be baptized in his name. He would change my life and he would turn my life all around. When I can I tell you today, I want to make him as comfortable as I can today. And a quiet church doesn't really make him comfortable because he loves the praises of his people. When you say hallelujah, you're making him comfortable. When you say, "I thank you, Jesus." Oh, he says, "I I I'm so glad to be around you." And then read between the lines. Read read between the lines. They took their clothes and they put it on the back of the donkey and then they lifted him. Bible says they they set him. Does it say he mounted the donkey? If it said he mounted the the donkey, it would mean that he got on the donkey just like anybody would would get would would step up. But it said he set them. They set him on that. That that means u now follow this now please. That means Jesus being God man lifted him up. I think I hear a scripture. And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me. Somebody said, "What's the success of your church? Is it your choir? Is it this? Is it that?" I'm going to tell you the success of any church worth talking about is we lift up Jesus. And if we lift up Jesus, guess what he starts going out through the crowd doing? And I will draw all men. And I will draw all men. And I will bring all men. They lifted him up. And when he lifted him up, praise pandemonium broke out. The Bible said, "And the multitude begin to take their clothes. They begin to take their their coats and they begin to throw it in the pathway." And when they begin to throw it in the pathway, let it let him ride. The multitudes begin to to throw their clothes in the pathway. And then pandemonium broke out at praise. And somebody said, "That's not enough for me." They said, "You see that palm tree over there? That's where we get Palm Sunday from. You see that palm tree over there?" They started ripping branches off of palm trees. And they started waving the palm trees and and and putting them back and forth. The king is coming through. But here's what they said. They said, "Hosana, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord." What? Hosana. I told you what it meant. It means save us now. Oh friend, can I tell you on this Sunday morning that we can give him a hosana right now? Save us now, God. Would you would you simply save us now? Save us now. But peace came at a price. Peace came at a price. Sure. The angel said, "Glory to God in the highest peace on earth." Sure, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you." But I want you to hear this pastor today. Peace came at a price. Just like the word freedom, freedom isn't free. go by a military cemetery and look at the ultimate cost that was paid for our freedom. Look at a soldier. Look at a soldier, male or female, that's missing a limb or missing an eye. And when they walk by you, tell them thank you for your service. Brother Bryant and uh one of our new members here today. I'm gonna go ahead and say moved out here from California some time ago. And Brother Bryant, your pastor called and I'm so glad that you're here today. When I got to kind of be introduced to you, you told me that you're a veteran. And what did I say to you? Thank you for your service because freedom isn't free. Look at the white crosses and the white tombstones of young men and young women that left healthy and came back in a body bag. All so that we can have the freedom that we have here in the good old US of A. But oh, doesn't that pale in comparison to the freedom that we have from sin? We have freedom from a dictator. We have freedom from how the governments around the world work in a dictator form of government. But oh, thank God today that the dictator called Satan that his hold on my life was broken and I was translated by the cross from the kingdom of a dictator of death and ruin into the kingdom of the almighty God full of light. But it didn't come cheap. Oh, somebody help me today. Somebody help me today. It didn't come cheap. Paul would let us know in the book of Colossians chapter 1 and verse number 20. And having made peace, look at that please. and having made peace through the blood of his cross. Didn't say give it didn't say give peace. He said he made peace. How did he make peace? The only way that our peace could be made was the blood, the sacrifice of his cross. That's not cheap. He laid down his life. The Bible said, I want to look at that again. Verse 20, having made peace through the blood of his cross. That's why you shouldn't look for peace in your marriage. That's why you shouldn't look for peace in your friends. That's why you shouldn't look for peace in the economy. You shouldn't look for peace at your checkbook, bank book, your investments. Because the only true peace that is worth building your life on is the peace that was made through his cross started even in the Old Testament. He started giving us types and shadows of what this would look like in Leviticus chapter 7 verse number 14. There was a certain offering. There was a certain offering that was lifted up. The Bible says, "And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for a heave offering unto the Lord." What is this? It's a heave offering. It's where it literally means that it was heavy and the priest had to take his hands and heave it. Heave it unto the Lord. And it shall be the priest that sprinkled the blood of the peace offerings. Even in the Old Testament, he's trying to tell you there's a war going on. There's a war of sin going on. The opposite of peace is conflict, contention, discord, strife, trouble, turmoil, unrest, fighting, warfare, battle. Can I just meddle a little bit today with you and society? There's a lot of conflict and contention in our world today. There there there are people that live it's almost become normal to them. It's almost become a normal thing to them to live in conflict to live in contention. Can I tell you that if your life is voted to the cross where peace was made through his blood that conflict and contention and turmoil should not be something that is inside of your life. Why? God's peace and conflict cannot dwell in the same vessel. You either you're either living in the peace of God and I hope you are today. You're either living in the peace of God or you're living in conflict, but you're not living in both. Now, you may flirt with the peace of God. You may even come around where the peace of God is being preached. But unless you are willing to connect your life to the cross where the peace of God was made by his blood, you'll just feel the warmth and the glow of others that have the peace of God while you leave in turmoil, discord, contention. Let me say this today to every person in this building. It is not the will of God for there to be conflict, contention, and turmoil in our lives, in our families, and definitely not our church. It's not the will of God. It's just not the will of God. But do you know why people have conflict and contention? because they haven't connected themselves to that peace of God. There's an Old Testament story that I'll end with today. It's an Old Testament story. You know that Israel's first king was Saul. Israel's second king was David. When Saul's kingdom was coming to an end, Saul had a Saul had a captain by the name of of of of Abnner of Abnner. Abnner, who was Saul's captain, loyal to Saul, fought Saul's battles. Abnner had a brother by the name of Ahaziel. Ahaziel had the reputation of being very fast on his feet. Now, David, David had a captain by the name of of Joab. Joab was David's was David's captain. It was a day that Joab was in the field fighting and Aaziel, Abnner's brother, began to chase him. Joab is a man of war. He's very skilled. All that a Haziel has going for him is he's swift on his feet. Ahaziel begins to chase Joab. Not once, not twice. Joab turns to Ahaziel as they're running and tells Ahaziel to turn to the left, to the right, take someone else's life. For how could I look your brother Abner in the face? How could I look? How could I look your brother Abner in the face if I take your life? Heel didn't listen to Joab and Joab took the end of his spear, thrust it through, and took the life of Ahesia. Took the life of Aesia. We go on in the story. There's contention. There's contention here. There's contention here in the story between the captain of Saul's armor or army and the captain of David. Captain Saul is Abnner. Captain of David is Joab. Saul's kingdom comes to an end. Saul's kingdom comes to an end. Abnner knows it. But there's a little space of time. And in that little space of time, Abner, the scripture tells us, decided, now they called it a a concubine, Saul's concubine, which it would be referred to as one of Saul's wives. Joab or excuse me, Abnner decides to take one of Saul's wives to be his wife, which greatly offends greatly offends, one of Saul's sons. And so, one of Saul's sons comes to Abner and is belligerent. He's upset. How could you do this? It offends. Everybody say offends. It it offends it offends Abner. He gets offended. So he lives with an offended spirit. He then goes to David. He then goes to David, David's camp, and pledges his loyalty. You you see sometimes if we live with offense in our lives, being wounded and being offended, we make decisions in our lives through the lens of offense. And you you you don't want to do that. And so he goes to David and he says, you know, I saw I I served Saul well. He's gone. I'll serve you now, David. And David being a man of peace, David welcomes he he he welcomes Abner. He says, "Oh, great. That's that's wonderful. We'll work together. I know at one time we fought each other. I know we were on different sides, but but now we can we we can we can work together." And David made a treaty of peace with him. Abner left, got a few miles down the road, and Joab which it will refer to him in the scripture as the son tells tells tells who his tells who his mother is the son of Zerua. Now on the surface that just looks like it's saying Joab the son of Zerua but when you look at the word Zerua the word Zerua means wounded bitter means wounded bitter. Can I tell you something? You cannot only pass down in your will your earthly belongings to your children, but you will pass down your spirit to your children. So evidently there's a wounded spirit in Joab. And so Joab comes to the camp and somebody said, "Hey, Abner was just here." And he said, "Do what? Abner was here in our castle. He was here in our land. Did you kill him?" Because I'm going to tell you, when you learn to live with contention, you don't ever think about reconciliation and peace. You just think about kill. Did you kill him? Did you kill him? No, we didn't kill him. David welcomed him in, set him down, had a dinner with him, and he's at peace with David. And so Joab behind David's back, sends a messenger after Abnner and says, "Hey, the king wants you to come back." Abnner's just a few miles down the road. Abnner turns around and comes back. Comes into the city gate and there's Joab standing and Joab. Joab says, "Hey," he speaks quietly to him. "Hey, I want to see you for a moment." And when Abner came over close to Joab, Joab took a knife and struck him up under the fifth rib and killed him there in the gate. It's contention. It's revenge. I'm going to tell you, revenge is a terrible way to live your life. Contention, war, turmoil, and strife. It goes on. It goes on. David David is running for his life. His own son has overthrown the kingdom. One of Saul's children. One of Saul's children hears that David has been ran out of Jerusalem by his own son. And David is running for his life because Abselum will kill his own father. He's running for his life. Shimi, one of Saul's descendants, has just heard the talk and the chatter around the tent, around the table. David's a murderer. David David ran Saul. David David overthrew Saul. And when you read the Bible, that couldn't be. It's the opposite. David had occasions to kill Saul. Never would because David respected the fact that he was the anointed of God. But Shimi had heard lies. He had Shimi had heard all kinds of lies told about David. And so when David was running for his life, Shimii Shimi got on a got on a a little ridge and began to throw rocks at David and begin to curse him with a bitter cursing. Begin to spew all kinds of curse words at David. Every vile curse word you could imagine. Guess who speaks up? Oh, Joab. Guess who speaks up? Joab said, "Hey, David, let me go up there. Just take me, it'd just take me one slice. It just take me one slice and let me," this, this is what he called him. He said, "Let me cut that dead dog's head off." Said, "Let me go up there. I'll silence him right now. I'll silence him right now. I'll just go up the backside of this ridge and come up behind him and I'll silence him right now. But listen to David." And you know, Jesus Christ is identified with David. Jesus, the son of David, right? Look at what David says. He says, "Leave him alone." It may be that God knows I need to be cursed right now. Just leave him alone. I I have I have got in my life. I have got more I have, you know, use the word squeeze. I have this scripture more than you can ever imagine. I I've just squeezed it. You know, he said, "Leave him alone." He said, "It may be that God knows I need a good cursing right now. It just may be that God knows that I I I I need I need this in my life right now. Because you know what? All of us at times can just get to thinking a little bit too highly of ourselves and sometimes God will just send somebody into our life to kind of remind us we're not all that. He said just leave him alone. It may be that it may be God's allowing him to do that. And then he said or if not Joab s oh and he called him son of Zerua. Oh, if not, it may be that God will hear him curse me and God will have mercy on me. Said, just leave him alone. Because you know what? Jesus isn't after revenge. He's after redemption. He's not after revenge in your life. So, let me tell you this. Let me tell you this. Too many people have hard times hit them. And the first thing Satan wants to tell you, God is getting you back for two years ago when you did XYZ. God is getting you back. Oh, you Oh, God is getting you. Let me tell you something. God doesn't get you back. He is not that kind of a God. He's waiting for repentance. Revenge doesn't happen to He's exhausted all of his grace at the judgment seat. I'm so thankful today that I don't embrace and worship a God that is getting me back. I'm in a life of trials and tribulation, but I'm not serving a God that is waiting to get me back. Oh my goodness. My good. Time has got away. M musicians, would you come? Time has got away. Time has got away. Years later, years later, David is dying. David is on his deathbed. He is on his deathbed. First Kings 2 and1. First Kings 2 and1. David's on his deathbed. Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die. And he charged Solomon and his son, saying, now get the scenery. Now David's in his bed, got the covers pulled up. He's weak. He's frail. He's breathing hard. He's trying to get his breath. His voice is weak. Death can come at any time and he knows it. He calls his son Solomon. You're you're going to reign Solomon. You're going to be the next king Solomon. In verse five, he says, listen to him. He says, "Moreover, thou knowest also what Joab, the son of Zuria, did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the host of Israel. unto Abnner the son of Ner and Aesa the son of Jther whom he slew shed the blood of war and peace and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins and in his shoes that were on his feet it was a bloody it's a bloody battle do therefore according to thy wisdom let not his forehead white head, go down to the grave in peace. But show kindness unto the sons of Barzeliah the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table. For so they came unto me when I fled because of Abselum thy brother. And behold, thou has with thee Shemi the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Beahhuram, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mayhem. But he came down to meet me at Jordan and swear and I swear to him by the Lord saying I will not put to death with the sword. He gave him three people on his deathbed. It's amaz He gave him three people. He said, "I want you to remember Joab. He's a bloody man." Said he cut a man to pieces one time with a knife. said he gutted that man so bad that he got blood on his own loins and girdle and said matter of fact the blood ran down and got in his shoes. Don't let him die of old age. Don't let him die of old age. Oh yeah, the sons of Barcelia, they were so kind to me. They brought me a bed. They brought me fruit. They brought me food when I was running from Abselum. Make sure they always eat at your table, Solomon. And oh yes, there shimi. They're shimi. He cursed me. Do what you need to do with him. And here's how it will go. When David died, Solomon ordered the death of Joab. He ordered the death of Joab. The executioner came to Joab's house to get him. And Joab fled on foot, went into the tabernacle, and got a hold of the horns of the altar. There on the altar, there and I hope you get this. There on the altar, bitterness and woundedness was not allowed to live to its old age. Can I tell you, if you're here today and you have bitterness and you're wounded and contention and warlike and you never can't get happy, please don't die of old age. Please don't die of old age cuz you'll take a lot of things to your deathbed that you'll wish that you had never took to your deathbed. Oh, I wish I had spoken to this one. I I wish I had made it right with that. I wish I just hadn't had a warlock. I just wish Joab died, never reached old age. Barzeliah, him and his kids and his grandkids ate at the king's table all the days of their life. Shimi. Shimi was given a place in Jerusalem to live. And had he remained in Jerusalem, he would have died of old age. But he never stayed put where Solomon told him to. Can I tell you? We get away from this altar of crucifying our flesh. We'll walk in the realm of contention and turmoil and fighting and confusion. But if I can stay up here around this altar and keep my flesh on the altar and keep my mind on the peace of God that was purchased by the blood of the cross, I have faith in that blood. I told you the last scripture reading, but I would like to read you just one more passage. It's found in Romans chapter 3 and verse number 23. You can stand with me if you will. Romans chapter 3 and verse number 23. For all have sinned. How many have sinned? How many? All. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God has set forth to be the propitiation that means covering through faith in his blood to declare the righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. Well, I I just don't know. I'll forgive you, but I won't forget it. That's not forgiveness, my friend. That's man's forgiveness. Well, I forgive you, but I won't forget it. That's man's peace. But when you have faith in the blood of the cross, you're able to forgive as he forgives because you have been injected with God's blood and God's life inside of you. And if he, brother Mayo, can hang on a cross and say, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." You and I can stand today and say, "Father, forgive them." Could we lift our voices up in praise right now? I have faith in that blood today. I have faith in that blood. I will not live in turmoil. I will not live in contention. I will not live in war. My family will have peace. I will have peace. Oh, come on. Come on. Could we just Could we just somehow express our love to him today? Faith in the blood. Faith in the blood. He came riding on a donkey. He came riding to bring us peace. And he made peace through that blood today. Faith. Faith in that blood. I have faith in that blood today. And I want you to know today, I want us to come to the altar in just a moment. But I don't want you to come to the altar first and foremost for your marriage. I don't want you to come to the altar. Are you hearing me well today? I don't want you to come to the altar for your marriage today. Don't come running to the altar for any kind of trouble you're in today. All right. Here's what I want you to come to the altar for. I'm coming to place my faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. I'm coming to put my faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. What can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make us whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can take a mind of fighting and contention and turn it around to be peace? Nothing. Could we gather today? Could we gather today? Could we just gather up around the altar today? I'd like for everybody if you gather, I want you to push as close to the altar as you can. Oh, blood of Jesus today. Oh, blood of the lamb today. Oh, wonderful blood of Jesus today. Come on. The blood of the lamb today. I have faith in that blood. Before you come and pray for your marriage, before you come and pray for whoever's offended you, before you come and pray for whoever wounded you, you've got to pray for the blood. You've got to pray for the blood this morning. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Come on. The blood. The blood. Push in as close as you can around the altar. The aisles are full. The aisles. I I want to get everybody down in the altar that we can. If you're standing in the altar, make sure you're standing close to somebody in front of you today. Oh, the blood, the blood, the blood. I'm not praying for my marriage. I'm not praying for who wounded me. I'm not praying for who I wounded today. I'm praying for the blood right now. I'm praying for the blood right now. Oh, blood of Jesus right now. Oh, blood of Jesus right now. Oh, blood that can wash away my sins. Oh, blood that can resurrect me and make me whole again. Oh, blood of Jesus Christ this morning. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. That's it. That's it. Hands lifted, minds on God. Blood, blood, blood. Oh, the blood of Jesus this morning. The blood crimson love price of life stealing. shameful sin placed on him. The hope of every man. Oh, the blood of Jesus washes me. Oh, the blood of Jesus shed for me. Blood sacriice to save my life. Yes, the blood. It is my victory. It's your son, holy one, saint so I can live. See the lamb, the great I am, who takes away my sin. Oh, the blood of Jesus washes me. Oh, the blood of Jesus for me. For the sacriice, the my life is the blood is my victory. Yeah. Heat. the precious. What a sacriice. Save my life. Yes, the blood is mine. I want you to give me your undivided attention just for a moment because you have to release whoever has offended you. Well, Bill Carpenter, they haven't asked for forgiveness. That's not important. They may never ask for forgiveness, but you need to decide already on your side. I forgive them. I release them. Well, brother Kman, they they get away free if I do that. No, you get away three if you do that. Because if you don't forgive, you might have been wounded in your teenage years, but if you don't forgive, it will follow you all through every season of your life, and you'll just you'll just hold this and hold that. You got to release them this morning. You got to release them right now. You just got to release them right now. They sing again. I want you to just lift your hands. If you've been wounded by somebody, done wrong by somebody wrong by them, I want you to lift your hands and I want you to say, "Jesus, I forgive them today through the blood of the cross. I forgive them today through your word. I forgive them today through your name. I will not hold that any longer. I forgive them right now in Jesus' name. I forgive them." Go ahead, do that today. You don't need to be a prisoner any longer. You don't need to drag it along any longer. Jesus blood. No love. Jesus blood. Come on. God wants to help you. God wants to help you. God wants to help you. God wants to help you. God wants to help you. Woo! Hallelujah. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Save now. Save now. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. Hosana. As they're getting ready to baptize, the Apostle Paul would write about the blood of Jesus. And he would say, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin." Remission is removal. Remission is removal. The reason she's here today is the Bible says in Acts chapter 2 verse number 38, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sin and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Those of you that have been baptized today, we can lift our hands and we can ask God for forgiveness of sin. But this young lady, Sheran, this young lady is embracing the cross. She is embracing a life that she wants washed away. Let's lift up our voices right now. Hallelujah. Hosana. faith in that name. Sister Sheridan and Broing your faith and obedience to the word of the Lord. I do now indeed baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. You shall receive. You shall receive. Oh yes. Oh you shall. Oh you shall. Oh you shall. Oh you shall. Oh yes you shall. Oh, Jesus. Jesus. Come on. The Lord is moving. The Lord is moving. The Lord is moving. The blood is flowing. Oh, the blood of the lamb. Oh, the blood of the lamb. Oh yes. The blood of the lamb. The blood of the lamb. In the name of Jesus today. In the name of Jesus today. Yes Lord. Yes Lord. Yes Lord. I love you Lord. I love you Lord. I release them God. I release them. God. I release them. God. I release them. God. I release them. God. I release them today. God. I release God. I release him today. I release him today, God. Oh, I release him today, God. Brother Brother Carpenter, I followed you today. I release them. I release them. But how come I keep remembering it? Well, let me let me read the back of a laundry detergent box for you. It says, "Apply this apply this, but said if the stain doesn't come out, repeat." Can I tell you today that if you still have the It's not the memory, it's an ugly spirit to go with it. But if you walk in the light, hear me now. If you walk in the light as he is in the light, we'll have fellowship one with another. And the blood and the blood and the blood of his dear son.