Shock...Acceptance....Way of Life | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

the Gospel according to Matthew chapter 27 verse number 62 Matthew chapter 27 and verse number 62 now the next day that followed the day of the preparation the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate say sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive after three days I will rise again command you therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his disciples come by night steal him away and say unto the people he has risen from the dead so the last error shall be worse than the first Pilate said unto them you have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can so they went made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch what I asked you to pray for me today is I give this Easter message and also want us to pray this morning for our president that Almighty God will give him the wisdom and the knowledge about window reopen and the decisions that he will be called upon to make that Almighty God's hand would be in this church we still got work to do we still have testimonies to tell messages to preach baptisms to perform and by the way let me say that this past thursday i baptized an entire family here one evening mother father and three wonderful young daughters i baptized them here at the church and just so thankful for that would you help me pray father i love you today lord I ask you to help me to feed the sheep this morning I ask you God that you would anoint my lips of clay that I could speak into the homes that I could speak in God to the families an inspiring word from you father I pray that you would touch every home you would touch every situation God all the sickness all the saints of this church God that are shut in I pray that you would touch them today and be upon them today father I indeed ask you that you would touch our president and all of those that he has gathered around him to navigate through these unprecedented times Almighty God of heaven Jesus Christ I call out upon your name today descend upon Washington descend upon the Oval Office God Lord Jesus let your spirit God be felt give guidance Lord give guidance Lord that when this is over this nation will know the God of the Bible that brought us through the Lord Jesus Christ wrote us through will give you praise and honor glory Jesus name I pray amen and amen you may be seated you would keep very handy your scripture your Bible Matthew 2762 yesterday morning I was awakened quite early by a stirring in my spirit and I immediately got up and I begin to type down the thoughts that we're coming to my mind I I had heard someone talk about a most popular message an Easter message it's Friday it's Friday the Sunday's coming and it's a message obviously of Friday being the day that the Sun grew dark and they crucified the Lord of glory and over and over again it's Friday but Sunday's coming and I I woke up with that thought it by no means is an original thought but I woke up with that thought and it kept going over and over in my mind and I was knowing IIIi knew that today I was going to preach on the subject of the three nails the three nails you have them there and your your Easter box that you you picked up at the church you have them you have them there and I begin to think about the three nails it was on my mind and the three nails of which I would like to have them to represent one nail for the body and one nail for the soul and one nail for the spirit of man a nail for body and the old for soul and a nail for the spirit and as I was churning over in my spirit it's Friday but Sunday's coming it was as if spirit of the Lord quickened in my mind what about Saturday what about Saturday and I have that going over and over in my mind I know it's Friday but Sunday is coming but but but what about Saturday we we know how the story ends we know that Friday represents death and suddenly represents resurrection but what about Saturday what about Saturday well Matthew 27 62 tells us what went on on Saturday Matthew 27 62 said now the next day now the next day that next day would have been Saturday all right Friday being the crucifixion now the next day the chief priests to the pharisees got together and they went to Pilate they were at work on that Sabbath they were at work they went to the pilot and they said he said that he would would rise from the dead on the third day and he claimed to be a son of God which was an error and said they come and steal his body said that'll be a greater error said they'll say that he's alive and so Pilate gave him permission to go and take a watch a number of soldiers and they sealed up the tomb where Jesus had been placed and they even said a watch I began to think in my mind is I surely Saturday morning I typed down a few things that was coming to me and I typed in on this the day between the crucifixion and the resurrection was the day that represents in the disciples hearts and minds the new way of life it represents a a new normalcy you and I we've read the resurrection and so when we read this we don't they look at it from the angle they hadn't had a resurrection yet they had data that they hadn't had that early Easter morning yet so when they witnessed the death of Jesus what was in the disciples hearts and minds was a new way of life a new normal a new normal will now be without Jesus when they watched him crucified be crucified there they now live out one day that will be a day of a new normal a day now without Jesus without hope it's the day they settled and accepted there's no more Christ no more anointing which would represent there's no more anointing in our lives there's no more anointing in our family there's no more anointing in our church now think about it now I know I understand some of you are already ahead of me but but but brother carpenter buddy they had a resurrect I understand all that but they did have a day they did go to bed that night actually they had two nights and one day they had more darkness than the headlight they had two nights in one day of which it's over they crucified Him it's done there's no more miracle worker there's no more hope that this was the Savior the day that is between what happened yesterday which is death in what happens tomorrow which is life resurrection is the toughest day of all three the day in between the horrible event and the day of the resurrection is the toughest day it is the toughest day of all caught in the middle caught in the middle stuck in the middle I don't know about you and I'll get to this in just a few moments but I feel like in my spirit today I'm gonna be very transparent on this Easter address with the church I feel like they were caught in the middle I feel like they were caught in the middle between yesterday and I know there's going to be tomorrow I know that God is going to bring us through I know the sun's go shot again I know that that God whether he takes us through coded 19 or takes us out of Tobit 19 I know everything's going to be all right but can I get a witness today somehow I feel like I'm caught in the middle of the toughest of the three days what used to be and what is going to be what used to be and what is going to be now go back to the hearts and the lives of the disciples now because I found in Scripture there were three visual views that they had that they took into that middle day there were three views that they had number one mark 1450 the garden a prayer meeting Gethsemane they came and arrested Jesus they watched him tied they watched him led away in mark 1450 and they all forsook him and fled there were those that their day ended with seeing him arrested tied found no longer walking on water but being led by a rope to pilot's judgment home and then the second view that I would like to bring to us that they went through on the second day the day after is John 19 verse 25 now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister marry the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he saith them to his mother woman behold thy son then jesus saith then saith he to the disciple behold thy mother and from that hour that disciple took her and to his own home so now we have some of the disciples that the last of you they got up Jesus was being arrested and now we have some disciples that the last view of Jesus is that he's hanging dying on a cross but to the third group mark chapter 15 verse number 47 and Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph beheld where he was laid Matthew 27 61 and there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary setting over against the sepulchre Luke 23 55 and the women also which came with him from Galilee followed after and beheld the sepulchre and how the body was laid now we have these three images burnt into their mind some if you've got the disciples together on that day after that day in between if you got them together somebody would say I saw him arrested someone would say I saw him crucified on a cross and a few women would speak up and say we watched him we watched them lay him we watched them lay him in a Sepulchre we know where it's at they rolled the stone by the door you see this second day is a very difficult day for us because the second day has the events of the first day that seemed to eclipse all that he ever did all the turning of the water into wine all of the healing of the lepers all of the raising of the Dead all the three-and-a-half years that he dominated the landscape the three and a half years and he shut the mouths of the chief priests and shut the mouths of the Pharisees the three and a half years that nothing conquered him he could conquer the wind he could conquer the waves he can multiply fish and loaves he can raise the dead he can he can do all sorts of miracles but now it seems like that the second day brother Erickson that the only thing we can can focus on is that he was arrested is that he was crucified is that he was laid in a tomb the second day seems to eclipse all the promises of God imagine what they went through imagine what they went through on that second day as a matter of fact the second day has a has a way of causing us to forget the promises of God well Matthew chapter 16 verse number 22 listen to Jesus this was a good day that he wrote he's doing miracles when he wrote when he hid when he had when when he said this he's doing miracles Matthew 16:21 from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders of the chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day it was not anything new he had told them over and over again as a matter of fact the Angels in mark chapter 16 verse number seven when marrying them went to the tomb that Easter morning listened to what they heard the angel said but go your way tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there you shall see him as he said unto you in other words even the angel said he already told you about this he already tells you that he was going to overcome the the horrible event of crucifixion he already told you that when you would enter your second day that you knew that all you had was the the the the arrest and the barrier of the crucifixion and the burial he already told you again the church it seems like when we're caught in the middle when we're caught in the middle it seems like it can cause us to forget about all of the good things that God has done for us sing like covet nineteen came out of nowhere it just seemed like it came out of nowhere we I mean we were hearing for some time we were hearing about this in China we were hearing about this in Italy we were hearing about this but he was just as if we were hearing about it it's not coming here may be similar to what Jesus said I'm going to Jerusalem I'm gonna be betrayed they're gonna crucify me but I will raise again on the third day oh not him not Jesus not Jesus the first weekend of March you see I've been an assistant day I don't know about you but I've been in a second day I know it's Friday I know it's been Friday and I know Sunday's coming but right now bless God I'm in a second day I'm in two nights in one day of things that I've seen I remember the first weekend in March our marriage retreat but they're aiming Woodward was here with us March the 8th Sunday this place was fooled this past March the 8th this building was full of worshippers Oh was full of it the band the choir love is empty choir what's Oh his church full of people worshipping God he's midway through the song service and midway through the worship service brother Eriksson and our youth it normally said over here they came out of their pews they came into the altar worshiping in praise of God you what long you here they started coming out of the choir and we're dancing and shouting and praising God for the would word preached about the rain falling we had several receive a Holy Ghost that Sunday night may March the 8th then out of nowhere by the next week in March the 15th we were under a strong advise not to have any gatherings of more than 250 people I remember Sunday night when brother Jeff and sister Celine our wood stood at the door and counted people as they come in we put 250 in the auditorium we put a group up in the youth chapel and it was then that night and night something just didn't feel right it just you know I know it was in China and I know it was in Italy and I know it was in Spain something doesn't feel right about this night that was March 15 by midweek service March the 18th Mike Wilson preached our first online service you had to excuse me today you want to open up and be very transparent with you this coming Saturday April 18th will mark one month that these pews have been empty it will mark one month of a second day because we can all say we can all say God's gonna bring us live and I believe he is but you know we're flesh and there needs to be a nail for the body and their needs you know we can say all things are going to get back together and you then they be economy is going to bounce back better listen that's just rhetoric till it happens somewhere we need a nail for our spirit we not only need a nail for our body we need a nail to our spirit somewhere we need a nail to nail down our soul because you don't know what it's like to walk through this sanctuary and lay your hands on empty pews we remember and almost I can almost see the smile as I lay my head as I lay my hand upon D four pews I can almost see the people sitting there looking up to me thank you Pastor for praying but we're in a second day right now we're in the day after and the day after the Bible said that the women rested on that day because it was the Sabbath the women rested on that day but can I tell you the women might have rested but the devil was at work to try to make sure that he would take away all hope that we would ever that we would ever be saved put a seal put a tomb to put a stone ceiling up put a guard there the devil is at work because if there's anything the enemy wants to do brother Noland the enemy wants us to believe that the second day is the new normal that the second day that we've got to accept that from here on out we're going we're going to we're going I'm doing my best to preach online but it seemed like in there there's a there's a wall there the singers god bless you today we're doing our best to sing and we're doing our best to shout but we do feel like that we're hitting a brick wall the enemy is at work on the second day to try to seal up the church but I've just come here to tell you I understand I'm in the second day I understand I'm in the second day but the second day is just a season it's just a season all it is is a season I have come to understand I have come to realize that the church is just in a season right now God has always matured the church through a season it may not be the dynamic prayer line that changes kovat 19 it may be that the church understands that we are to be instant in season out of season when the building is full preach when the building is full chat when the building is full pants but what about when it's not full preach what about what it's not full shout what about what it's not full we've got a dance before the Lord because he is our strength seasons seasons seasons too many of us want an instant too many of us want a word from somebody too many of us want a prayer line God is saying I'm going to take the church through the second day of a season how did Joel make it through I'm gonna tell you how Joel made it through job 1 in 20 benjoe boroughs and rent his mantle shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worship he said naked came out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the LORD hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord you know this job's sinned not nor charged you're foolish you know have Joel made it out of bankruptcy you know how joke made it out of his coke in nineteen dope looked and he said I want to tell you something seasons seasons time to be born and a time to die seasons Judge Joe made it through seasons he said as a season the Lord is given and there's a season the Lord is taken but there's always in season two bless the name of the Lord David said at all times shall his praise continually be in my mouth so whether I'm in the season of the Lord giving I'm gonna praise his name or I'm in the season of the Lord taking I'm gonna praise his name because the only way you're gonna make it through Blount County the only way you're gonna make it through my good to nominal friends that are watching this morning the only way you're going to make it through is to understand the name of the Lord needs to be praised the name of the Lord needs to be worshipped I worship Him today job new job new the only way I'll make it through it's going to be seasons that's why in job chapter 2 and verse number 6 in the Lord said unto Satan behold he has in that hand to save his life Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord smote job of boils from the sole of his foot and to his crown and he job took a pot share I got to read that I've never I have never seen this before as I had read he got a pot sharin a pot share is a broken piece of pottery it's a pot share it's a broken piece of a whole he took a pot share to scrape himself that withal and set down among the ashes the only comfort he could get was to get a vessel that had at one time been full but now it's empty and at one time had been whole but now it's broken the only comfort he could get was to look at that piece of pot chair that used to be what he drunk out of but it doesn't hold any water anymore it used to be what he'd drunk out her but it don't hold anyone anymore I've got to learn that there's a season it's come that what used to be full is now empty and the only comfort I can give is to take what used to be whole and begin to put it up beside my body and I can get some comfort out of what used to be made whole he said his wife after his wife said to him curse God and die he said you speak as a foolish woman shall we not receive good seasons at the hand of God I added seasons and shall we not receive evil seasons and all this job's him not can I tell you when the building was full and the finances were food and tomorrow look sure you better bless his name but when we're broke and we're empty we better come in we better bless his name because God only matures the church through seasons his friends came to him they wouldn't they wouldn't much friends they came to him in job 19 and verse number 21 job began to pray he said have pity upon me have pity upon me he's telling his friends he said come on have pity on me have pity on me o you my friends for the hand of God had touched me why didn't you persecute me as God and not and are not satisfied with my flesh said why do you keep it all can't you see the dilemma that I'm in all that my words were now written oh that they were printed in the book said I'd like to write a book I'd like to write some things down well what would you write he said in verse number 25 this is what I would write for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another though my rains be consumed within me what did you say hey job said I'm in a season said I used to have a season of prosperity and now I've got I'm in a season of bankruptcy and I'm in a season of poor health I used to have a good health now I've got a season of bad health I've got a season of bad finances but he said this is not the end of our season this is not Church the end of our season he said I'd like to write a book but I'm not gonna tell you about bad days I'm not gonna tell you about good days I'm gonna tell you about that day when I'm gonna see the Lord I'm gonna see him for myself I'm gonna see the Lord oh the three nails the three nails you know Jesus was caught in the middle Jesus was caught in the middle brother Noland it was one thing on this side it's one thing here that said if you're the Son of God save us save us from this take us down from this you know there's always yesterday oh if we can just go back to yesterday I don't want to go back to yesterday I don't want to go back to March 8th I want to go back to how it was before cope because God will allow Kobe to come because of a season there's always the voice remember that remember this one on the cross remember this will hear if you're a son of God get us off of here get me out of my trouble he didn't repent of his sins he didn't say I was wrong to steal I was wrong to murder I went wrong with my lifestyle he just said get me out of this it's not a lot of voices when trouble come all they want is get me out of this he stood in the middle he's good he's got this one said get me out of this get us out of this no repentance no repentance but then over here you have a conversation that first starts with this one in that one this think things on this cross he looks across the body of Jesus and he says don't you fear God you have no fear of God did you never receive any teaching to fear God this man has done nothing wrong this man has done nothing wrong but you know we both deserve what we're getting we're both thieves and murderers we both deserve to be appear on these crosses is it amazing you have two types of sinners in this world obey those that simply want to get out of their problems those that understand why they're in their problems in two types of people watching me today those who just want to get out of this I just want my job back I just want my job back I just want my security back when God's trying to shake this world up and say you need more than your job back you need me back in your life you need me as I deal with you when use a little boy a little girl in Vacation Bible School when I deal with you at youth camps and I touched you and I filled you with your my spirit and you have lived your own life in Europe you have put me behind you it if I'd yourself in this situation and there may be those that are watching you no good well God's not the reason you're in the dilemma that you read he looked across he said well again what we did to her but this man's done nothing wrong and then all what a prayer he said Lord Lord he didn't call him rabbi he didn't call him master he called him Lord Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom you know how the Lord took him and said I'm gonna change this day the most horrible day of your life can become the most glorious day of your life the worst day was the day that I'd be crucified that he said I say to you today you're going to be with me in paradise today today no today it'll be the worst day of your life today because of what he did is now going to become the best day you see I believe mother Hammond would you help me I believe today I want to read a couple of scriptures I want to read a couple scriptures to you Colossians chapter 2 and verse number eight Colossians 2 and 8 beware lest lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of this world and not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power he is the head of all principality and power in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ bury with him in Baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God with raised him from the dead and you being dead in your sins listen to this now which thief are you going to be you say you calling me a thief we were all born thieves we were all born taking from God what he wants best for us which thief are you going to be today and you being dead in your sins and uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses blotting out the handwriting of Ordinances that was against us and was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it he took the accusation you remember when they wanted to have an accusation against him what was his accusation because the Roman law demanded that above the head of a crucified one would be what he was guilty on whatever it would be and the only thing they put over his head was the King of the Jews the King of the Jews and even later they even came to Pilate said would you change that would you change that say would you change it to read he said he was the King of the Jews and Pilate said I will not change it what I have written I have the accusation to go over their head I wonder this was on this thief this is on the thief right here plus I keep dealing with it my blood can't cure my blood chain he'll but he said I'll take it he said I'll take it help me he said I'll take it I'll put less on my cross oh yes he said let me to steal with pride for a moment because it's pride that keeps a lot of men in front of women from surrendering they're too concerned with how they look like to concern with how people perceive them they'll never raise their hands they'll never let peers mess up their mascara they'll never let that they'll never leave they will never yield themselves to the altar because Vogue magazine cosmopolitan magazine and that's not up that's not here that can I tell you prides gonna take us to hell pride is going to cause us to miss out on the Savior nail pride to my cross the holders because of these two the lust the lust and the pride we got sexual sins running rampant yeah things people are people are bound people have their battle before negation years ago I cheated years ago I did what I shouldn't do I'm wrestling with this go ahead idolatry eight years ago I I worship myself I worship my children I worship my flesh you got a lie you got you got lies and you got gossip you got gosh up and you got unfaithfulness today you got people not thankful today for the things that God has given to me you got greedy got greedy got homosexuality you got a number of things but I've got good news to tell you today he came and he nailed them to his cross he took what's got you man today and neither is there salvation in any other name on this beautiful Easter Sunday morning your day of truce eviction can be your day of resurrection today today today today some of your battling with things ex-prime all kinds of things written over your head you tear that off your cross and you take that to the cross of Jesus Christ some of your battling with things you did years ago you made mistakes you did things that you wish the thousand times you've drunk a thousand drinks trying to to drink away the decisions that you made you have things in your life right now but I'm here to tell you about that by the mercies of God on this beautiful Easter Sunday morning that if right there in front of that computer you'll fall on your knees right now and begin to call upon the name of the Lord you'll begin to call out upon him today you can rip off what's over your head some of you are facing addictions some of you started out your position your position he prescribed you a few pain pills maybe you had same day surgery for long you found yourself addicted used to have a good job used to have a good marriage used to have a good home you waking up this morning hearing the haunting voices of hell but can I tell you you can rip off that addiction that pain medication the ditch of the day and you can take it over you can nail it to his cross at one dream it seemed to knock the edge off your nerves that one dream it turned into a bottle it turns your world upside down in the name of Jesus today in the name of Jesus today you could be free from that today you can be free from that today things in your life that are up over your head they wake you up every morning we need to take them today we need to nail them to the cross of Jesus Christ in Jesus name join me in prayer right now father and homes across our world today I pray God that your spirit is dealing with Souls right now God is on that couch he's on that couch a mom takes her hen and lays it over on a daughter's hand and a father takes the hand and lays it over on a son's hand in a neighbor takes his hand and lays it over on somebody else today and yes right now as the tears begin to flow as the tears begin to flow right now go ahead go ahead in the spirit I feel this is happening I feel this is happening in the spirit right now hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah I feel in the sphere of the tears are flowing right now Jesus I love you Jesus please forgive me today yes Jesus yes Jesus yes Lord I feel the low lifting I feel the load lifting right now the name of the Lord and Savior come on let's keep praying right now let's keep praying right now let's keep praying right now thank you lord let's keep praying right now thank you Lord in the name of Jesus right name of God the name of Jesus PAH when today for being with us on this wonderful Easter Sunday I know that several of you have let us know that you're praying right there in your home and we thank God we do thank God for that this morning I do want you to know that although our church is not having the normal gathering together we are open for baptism we are open for baptism does any of you that would desire to be water baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins I want you to know that we have warm water and our baptistry we keep warm water in our baptistry we have a change of clothing we have everything that you need why don't you just contact the church office and leave a message someone from the pastoral staff will be in touch with you and we would love to administer water baptism to you in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ brother Noland in just a moment is going to be coming and he's going to be giving some announcements about pertaining to our children but I want you to be blessed today enjoy Easter dinner with your family laugh love and just just have a good time I'll see you back here this evening at 6 p.m. we're gonna have a great time and God god bless you