The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

If you join me in your Bibles in the book of Matthew, chapter 1 and verse number one. I'm glad today for the outreach of this church. I'm glad today that um we translate this service today into Spanish. Have millions of Spanish speakaking people and we translate our service in Spanish. But there's also millions millions upon millions of Mandarin Chinese people. And uh it is our privilege and obligation today to be able to take what we do here and translate this into Mandarin Chinese so that though they that speak that language that they can come to know the wonderful Jesus that we know >> and that they can get on a journey, a lifechanging journey. How many glad that Jesus changed your life? >> He changed your life, didn't he? I'm so thankful, so thankful for that today. Book of Matthew chapter 1 verse number one. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren. Go down to verse number 16. It's the combination of all the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the genealogy of Jesus Christ through the line of Joseph, his supposed father comes to the end of it and simply says, "And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Luke chapter 3 and verse number 23 again we have the genealogy here it says in Luke 3:23 Jesus himself began to be about 30 years of age being follow this please being as was supposed the son of Joseph which was the son of Hili. Now you will notice if you if you cross reference that the names are different here. The reason they are it's the genealogy through Mary. It's Mary's genealogy. Verse number 38 of chapter 3 is Luke is the combination um of the genealogies which was the son of Enos which was the son of Seth which was the son of Adam which was the son of God. Today I have chosen for a title and you give me a few moments just to introduce it but I have chosen for a title today. It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Put your Bible down for a moment. Let's ask God to touch us for the next few moments as we go into his word. Father, I thank you today for your word, Lord. I thank you, God, that Lord, I understand English, Lord, and I thank you that someone came to me speaking the English language and begin to expound to me the things out of your word. And Lord, through the wonderful pages of your word, God, the revelation, God, to how you would change us and how you would go with us and you would make all things new in our life. Lord, I just give you praise. Now, Lord, for the next few moments, would you please anoint my lips with your spirit, God, let your presence, God, lay heavily upon this church today, change our lives in Jesus wonderful name we all pray. And everybody said, "Amen." >> You may be seated. It's the most wonderful time of the year. I almost want to sing a little bit, right? It's the most wonderful time of the year. A song goes something like this. There'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for roasting, and carolling out in the snow. There'll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago. Then it goes back in. It's the most wonderful time of the year. You know, we have entered a wonderful season, have we not? A wonderful season of thanksgiving. We just celebrated Thanksgiving. And you know, Thanksgiving is a biblical foundation, right? God wants his people to be thankful for what he's done. All God asks in return is for us to be a little thankful. Show some gratitude. How many are thankful for what the Lord has done? Amen. You're thankful for what the Lord for what the Lord has done. We've entered that season. Celebrate that season and now we couple it with Christmas time and it's the time of uh celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ our savior. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our savior. Now I want you to know that uh don't ever try to get hung up. You you'll heir both ways. You you'll air trying to tell the day the Lord's going to come and you'll air trying to tell the exact day that he was born and you you you'll really get off in the bushes in a gray area and you'll miss the whole meaning. The problem is the situation is today he was born >> into our world >> to be our savior. And should we dare celebrate our birthdays and not come around once a year and celebrate his as a man being born into this world? And so instead of getting our mind on the wrapping paper today, getting our mind on the wrapping paper and all of that, could we for the next just few minutes wrap oursel in scripture? And as we wrap oursel in scripture, I think we're going to see the title of my message today more than just a Christmas song. I'm telling you, anytime you can wrap yourself in the word of God, it's a most wonderful time of the year. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Well, we're going to unwrap the four gospels today. We're going to unwrap Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We're going to unwrap them today, and we're going to find in each one of them, there is a gift for us. There is a gift that God has given us in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Now you will notice with me that Matthew opens immediately with the genealogy of Jesus Christ. He opens immediately. I mean just just verse number one just boom. Chapter 1 verse one. Matthew goes right to the genealogy of Jesus Christ as proof of his identity. As proof of his identity. You will remember with me that the genealogy that Matthew wrote, the former tax collector, the former man that was very well-versed with genealogies because when you came to pay your taxes, you had to prove your genealogy to to get a receipt. You wanted to have you you needed to be able to prove your genealogy that you were who you said you were and and your father and your grandfather. So, Matthew is very well-versed in uh being able to write down genealogies. And so, he writes down the genealogy. He says, "Jesus Christ, the son of David and the son, the son of David and the son of Abraham." Because you see, to the Jewish people, now this may not mean much to us today. It does because it's in our Bible, but it doesn't mean as much as it did to the Jewish people. Because the Jewish people, as brother Mother Hammond so beautifully preached in Lost in the Scroll, the Jewish people were expecting their future Messiah to be a descendant of David. They believed that they knew that when their future Messiah comes, he will be in the genealogy. He will be in the bloodline of King David because it was King David that God made a promise to about his bloodline. We find it in Acts chapter 2 verse number 29. We find Peter talking about this uh promise in the genealogy. He says, "Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his suppler is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. So now, Matthew's wanting his readers to understand that this is not an ordinary Jesus. This is the Jesus that's connected to the genealogy of David. He is the king that was promised. He's the king. He's the one that was promised. Look with with me in Romans 1 verse number three here. The Apostle Paul, he says, "Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh." So a lot of their preaching to prove the identity if you were if you were Jewish, you were looking for this son of David. If you were if you were Jewish, you you just wasn't going to accept Jesus because he turned water into wine and he could walk on the water and he could raise the dead. They were not going to have that. If they were going to accept Jesus Christ, he had to be in the bloodline of King David. And a lot of their preaching would validate that he was in the bloodline. But Matthew not only says he was of the genealogy of David, but he also says he was of the genealogy of Abraham. Galatians chapter 3 verse number 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not and to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. Now, now not only were the Jews wanting not only were the Jews wanting their their lineage to come through the seed of David, the son of David, but they also knew that God had made a promise to Abraham their father. They called Abraham their father. Abraham, according to them of the Jewish people, they were the he was the father. He was the beginning of that Jewish nation. He was their he was their father. God made a promise to Abram and changed his name to Abraham. And God promised him seeds and a seed, a particular seed. And it would be the Apostle Paul that would say, "Now I'm telling you that he is that he is of the seed of Abraham. Not as many, but God promised a seed. God promised a God promised a deliverer." Now, you still with me this morning? He is He the genealogy. It's very important here to have the most wonderful time of the year. You you've got to know the identity of Jesus. And so to the Jewish people, he is unwrapping to them and showing to them he is the son of David and he is the son of Abraham. But notice with me if you would that the book of Matthew will mention Christ as king. Also mentions him as king because the Jewish people were looking for a king. After all, David was a king. He was King David. So, if Christ is going if if God is going to raise up someone through the genealogy, through the loins of David to sit on the throne, uh you you have a king on the throne. And and I'm almost wondering if those that didn't have all the privileges of the Jewish people knew more about Christ than what the people that had the privileges. For do you remember when the wise men in Matthew chapter 2 and verse number two? When the wise men came from the east, here's what they said. Saying, "Where is he that is born what? King of the Jews. For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. Even the wise men when he was born, they came to Jerusalem. Now, it it troubled Jerusalem. And it really did trouble old King Herod because old King Herod was full of the devil. He was full of himself. And he didn't want anybody threatening his position. And when Herod heard there was a king born, he went quickly, did he not? He went quickly to put that king to death. But I'm glad today you can't kill our king. >> He can lay his life down for our salvation, but you can't take the life of our of our king today. And where is he that is born king of the Jews? Even Old Testament prophecy, even the Old Testament prophecy, Zachchariah would prophesy, it would later be said in Matthew 21:5. But the Old Testament prophet Zachchariah testified this. Matthew chapter 21:5, "Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, thy king cometh unto thee meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a coat of the fo of an ass." Now, he said, I'm going to tell you a little prophecy about it. Your king is going to come riding into Jerusalem one day, sitting on back, sitting on the back of an animal. He's going to come riding into Jerusalem, sitting upon an ass, sitting upon an animal here. And Jesus fulfilled that prophecy came riding into Jerusalem. And while while even at his trial, it would be Pilate in Matthew 27:11. At his trial, it would be Pilate that would make this statement. Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked him, saying, follow this closely with me now. Art thou the king of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, "Thou sayest." Now, what he meant by thou sayest, if someone made a statement in the Bible days, and they ask you a question, you didn't answer by saying yes or no necessarily. You would answer many times by saying, "Thou sayest." In other words, what you have just said is so true, it's coming out of your own mouth. And so when they said, "Are you?" Pilate said, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said back to him, "Thou sayest, it's coming out of your own own mouth." As a matter of fact, when Pilate was telling the recorder to inscribe on a placard over the head of the crucified Christ, what do we what do we write over his head? What will be his accusation? One man will have written over his head. thief. One man will have written over his head, murderer. So when you view those being crucified, you could look up and say, you could look up and say thief, or you could look up and say murderer. But you know what Pilate wrote down on his the king of the Jews. The king of the Jews. Now they they got enraged about that and they even come back to the back room and they said, "Pilate, would you please take that away?" He said, "No." They said would you please change it if you won't take it away at least say that that he says that he is a king and Pilate said what I have written that I have written as a matter of fact we'll end with this here even on the cross even on the cross on the cross in Matthew 27:42 one thief said he saved others himself self he cannot save. If he be a what? King. If he be the king of Israel, let him come down now from the cross and we will believe him. He said it in mockery. But I'm here to tell you, there's coming a day that we're going to witness the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Don't you want to be there to worship him >> and crown him >> king of kings and lord of lords? John the revelator saw it right when he wrote in Revelation 17:14, "These shall make war with the lamb." Boy, I tell you what, I don't want to be on that side. I don't want to be fighting against the lamb. I want to be fighting for the lamb. I don't want to be fighting against godliness. I want to be fighting for godliness. I don't want to be fighting against the faith. I want to be fighting for the faith. These shall make war with the lamb, and the lamb shall overcome them. For he is what? Lord of lords and king of kings, and they, that's us, that are with him are called, chosen, and faithful. There's where I want to be. I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in. I want to be in that number when the world tries to overcome the lamb. But the lamb will overcome the them because he's lord of lords and he is king of kings. And why don't we give him a great hand of praise right now. Now stay with me today. Just stay with me for a few moments because I understand primarily that the book of Matthew was written to the Jewish hearers. It was written to them. Now that's not saying that the book of Matthew is not for us today. We get the biatitudes out of the book of Matthew. We get but but primarily God was writing to his own and he's trying to get them to see him through scripture. Is this not what is this not what uh Apollos did in Acts 18 verse number 28? For he mightily convinced the Jews and that publicly showing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ. Acts chapter 9 verse 22. Here it is again. Acts 9:22. But Saul increased the more in strength. Now we know he later become the apostle Paul. And Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the very Christ. We've just about slack. We've just about unwrapped Matthew here. We we showed that Matthew is is is is for the Jewish people to to hear and to believe. But there's another little interesting point before we clean up the wrapping paper. The bloodline in Matthew started with David and Abraham and went forward to Joseph's Mary's engaged husband. It started with with it started with David or Abraham and David and it went forward until it came to Joseph. So now we have completely unwrapped the book of Matthew. Let's now get a hold of the present the book of Luke. Let's get a hold of the book of Luke for a moment. Now the book of Luke is interesting because Luke changes here and he begins with the genealogy of Jesus Christ through Mary's bloodline. Now do now do now do now do now do now do now do now do now do now do now you you understand with me this morning that the Jewish people had a hard time accepting you and I we Gentiles. All right. You you you got to have a you got to have a problem. You got to understand if you you lived in that day, these Jewish people thought that all the promises and the covenants of God were for the seed of Abraham. It's for for this. So so so they don't look on you very kindly in that day. They didn't look on you very kindly because in their mind in their mind God didn't have a covenant with you. Luke under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he gives the gen genealogy of Jesus Christ through through Mary's bloodline. And I read it, but I think it would be good to review it again. Jesus, Luke 3:23, Jesus himself being began to be about 30 years of age, being as was supposed. All right, people thought that he was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, and that is Mary's father. goes all the way goes all the way down verse number 38. It ends it. It says, "Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." Now, isn't it interesting that the book of Luke speaks that Jesus isn't just for the Jews, but for all humanity. Now, Luke is or Matthew is going to deal mostly with the Jewish people. It's going it's going to be the seed of David and the seed of Abraham and it's going to be he he it it's mainly for them. But Luke comes along and Luke says, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. This book is going to tell you that Jesus Christ came for all humanity." Is this not witness in act in Luke chapter 2 verse number nine? Let's go to the scene. Jesus has been born in Bethlehem in a manger. In Luke 2 verse number N and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. And they were so afraid. This is the shepherds. Listen to what the angel says. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to what? >> All people." Luke's got to come along and say, "Hey, don't get so caught up in the book of Matthew, seed of David, seed of Abraham, because I'm telling you, he was born into this world not just for the Jewish people, but he came to be the savior of all people." And that's where you and I need to get real happy right now that he came to save all of us. Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior which is Christ the Lord. It's to all the people. It goes on down in verse number 31 of the same chapter and it says which which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. Here's what he's going to be. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. He balances it out there. He says, "Now, he's going to be a light to the Gentiles that are in darkness. He's going to be a light to these people that have never had scripture read to them. He's going to be a light to these script people that have never been allowed into the synagogues. He's going to be a light to these people. But he's also going to be he's going to be the glory of his people, Israel." Well, it ends in Luke 24 verse number 47. Luke is hammering away that it's to all people. Luke is hammering away unto you is born this day a city in the city of David a savior for for all the people. And he says a light to lighten the Gentiles. And he seals it in Luke 24:47 when he is giving the great commission. Jesus says and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among what? >> All nations beginning at Jerusalem. Beginning at Jerusalem. So as we unwrap the book of Luke, we find that he is talking about all of the people. Talking about all of the people. As a matter of fact, we have the story of the good Samaritan in the book of Luke. We have the we have the story of the good Samaritan that uh when the Levite and the priest would not tend to the bleeding man, it would be a good Samaritan. It would be a gentile that would come down and that would tend to the beaten, robbed, and bleeding man. It would be in Luke 17:17 when 10 men that were condemned to isolation because of leprosy. Not allowed to be at home, not allowed to go worship in Jerusalem, only allowed to be in a leper colony, to die in a leper colony. But there were 10 men and they saw Jesus coming and they lifted up their voice and they asked for healing and Jesus said, "Go show yourself to the priest." And as those 10 men went in the direction of the priest, the Bible said they were made whole. But all of a sudden, there were one of them, right? There was one out of the 10 that didn't go with the nine. He turned around and came back to the source of his healing and he began to give him praise and he began to give him thanksgiving. And the Lord said, "Where are the nine? Why is only one return to give me thanks?" And here's the answer to that. I am a Samaritan. I don't have a right to go into Jerusalem. I'm not of the seed of David. I'm not of the seed of Abraham. I am a Samaritan. But can I tell you in the book of Luke, he not only healed him, but he made him whole. Because I'm glad today that the Bible is just not a Jewish Bible. The Bible is a Bible for all of the people. All of the people. Well, let me uh let me We've just about got Luke. We've just about got Luke. all wrapped up except one thing. Matthew went from David and Abraham forward to Joseph. But Luke Luke starts with Joseph and goes all the way back and goes past Abraham and past David. goes back before there was a Hebrew and before there was a Jew and before there was a giant killer named David. Goes all the way back and weaves its way through all the way back and it ends something like this which was the son of Enos which was the son of Seth which was the son of Adam which was the son of God. What's Luke trying to tell us? It's not just for David and Abraham's people. It is for all people. Let me tell you something. It's the most wonderful time of the year because you're going to hear if God be for you, who can be against you? You are not excluded. You don't have a curse written over you that God can't help today. Matthew said it was just for the Jew. But ma Luke comes along and says, "Oh no, it's the savior of all the people. I can't help but want to give him praise right now. It's the most wonderful time. It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Now, let's unwrap Mark. The Gospel of Mark lays under the tree. Let's reach and get the Gospel of Mark. Let's open him up in Mark chapter 1, verse number one. Wow. Watch him take off. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I mean, he's running. He shoots out the gate. He don't tell about mangers. He don't tell about wise men. He don't tell about he he don't tell about stars. He don't tell about Herods. I I mean Mark just like he's bottled up. And when it comes his time to write, he says the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, son of God. Then he spends about 10 11 chap 10 or 11 verses, excuse me. He tells about John the Baptist. He tells how John came preaching repentance. He tells about Jesus, how Jesus came to John's baptism and how how Jesus was baptized and we find this in verse number 11. Mark chapter 1 verse number 11. Go there with me. And there came a voice from heaven saying, "Thou art my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." And immediately, and I'm going to tell you something about the book of Mark. The word immediately appears more times in the book of Mark than any other book in the Bible. The word immediately, the word immediately appears more times in the book of of Mark than it does in any other place. You say, "Well, what's what's what's the" Because that word immediately means on the spot. That's what it means. That's a that's a good Greek definition. It means right on the spot. It right on the spot. There came a voice from heaven saying, "Thou art my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." Everybody say, "A blessing." >> Come on, say it again, everybody. A blessing. Say a blessing. >> Thou art my well not thou art my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. Here's a blessing. But here's verse number 12. Two uh verse 12. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness 40 days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beast and the angels. And the angels ministered unto him. And the angels ministered unto him. Now, I'm going to introduce to you a cycle that I see in the book of Mark. It's a it's a cycle. And I think that we would all do well tonight to realize we live our lives in a spiritual cycle. We live our lives. God has given us four seasons. And God gives believers seasons of their life. We are in spiritual seasons of our life. We don't stay we don't stay in one season always. God takes us through different seasons. So as soon as you can can understand that you may be on the mountain today and there's nothing wrong with you. You're on the mountain. It's the perfect temperature of 70s something degrees with the perfect humidity and the perfect sunshining and the perfect perfect birds are singing. Perfect, perfect, perfect. And in a few days you find yourself in a subzero weather and you find yourself with a dark cloud over your head and things are dying around you and you look and say what's wrong with me. I want to be a good pastor to you today and tell you nothing is wrong with you. God has designed us to go through cycles and go through seasons. It's in the winter that my roots go deep. It's when the wind is blowing that my roots are growing deep. My roots are my faith. Some faith cannot be developed on the mountain with 78 degrees weather and the humidity balance just right. Some people don't develop good faith. But let me get in the winter of a season that I can't understand. But all I know is the season is not permanent. The season is not going to be forever. I could die in the season, but I refuse not to die in this season. The sun will shine again. The birds will sing again. It will be a perfect if not down here on this earth. I'm headed to a place where the lamb is the light. There's no more death. There's no more sorrow. There's no more pain. And God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. That's where I'm going to. I wish somebody give him some good praise right now. Come on, Mark. Show me the cycle. Show me the cycle. We're going to have to do a little reading here for a moment, brother Hammond. Mark chapter 1 verse number 17. Jesus said unto them, "Come you after me, and I will make you to become fishers of me." He's gathering his team together. He's gathering their team together. Where you going? Where you going? We're going to the synagogue. Let's go to the synagogue in verse number 23. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, can I tell you? Here's your cycle. Here's your cycle. Blessings, devil. Blessings, devil. You go through the book of Mark. I wish you had time. Be a good study. Just go through the book of Mark and see how many times God gives a blessing and immediately the devil shows up happened at his baptism. Did you not read it? I mean, he comes up out of the water and a voice from heaven said, "Thou art my beloved son whom I'm well pleased." Man, I I I think that'd be a blessing. You It was a bless. I don't believe it. It was a blessing. But what happened immediately after the blessing? Immediately after the blessing, the spirit drives him into the wilderness. Why? The devil's waiting on you in the wilderness. You can't become who are who you need to become unless I allow the devil to come into your life. Oh yes, that's God. Unless I allow the devil to come into your life. Now, Job, I'm going to allow the devil to come into your life. But I didn't give you sickness. I didn't take your kids. I didn't take your wealth. That was the devil that did that. All right? Don't get that don't get that misunderstood. Every good and perfect thing comes down from the father of lights. Now, God can keep the hedge up and God can keep the devil from coming in. But do you realize we will never amount to nothing spiritually if we have to live in a perfect hot house with 78 degrees and the perfect balance of humidity and everything's going to go all right because everything's not going to be all right until the trumpet sounds and we're changed in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye. It's never going to be all right down here on this earth. But whoa, let me die and get into the presence of God. I'm going to wake up in his presence. I'll have a body that won't age. I'll have hair that won't turn gray. I'll have eyeballs that won't need glasses. I'll have ears that don't need a herinade. I won't have to wonder, I've got a knot under my arm. Is it cancer? I won't have to have a memorial. I don't know about you today. If it doesn't happen down here, I'm going to believe it's going to happen over yonder. Come on, give him some praise this morning. It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Cycle, cycle. Some wish somebody say cycle. >> Cycle cycle. Mark chapter 1 verse number 30. But Simon's wife lay sick of a fever and annoy by chance somebody tells him of her and he slips in the room and heals Peter's mother-in-law of a bad fever and then that's a blessing. Everybody say that's a blessing. God heals Peter's mother Peter's mother-in-law and she gets up and ministers to them. What a what a blessing. Can you imagine? They they they came in the kitchen. They came in the living room and there's nothing baked, no no bread, no nothing. Nobody's nobody waiting on you. And he said, "Hey, I have to explain something. My mother-in-law's sick. She normally has bread ready. My mother-in-law's sick. She normally has some food here. My mother-in-law's sick back there." But all of a sudden, mother-in-law comes around the corner. She says, "Jesus just walked into my room, laid his hands on me, and the fever broke instantly. The fever broke immediately. The fever broke like that." And she got up and she started ministering to them. That's a blessing, right? That's a blessing. But now watch what happens in verse 32. And at evening, what evening is that? That's the same day that God healed Peter's mother-in-law. And at evening, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with devils. You can't do the work of God and stay away from devils. >> I was teasing with brother Harris the other day was going to the prayer room. He worshiped the hospital. I said, "Can you imagine people show up at the hospital sick? Can you imagine they show up cut, bleeding? Can you imagine that all kinds of people walk into the hospital? Can you You ever want to ask them, "Brother Harris, what do you think this is, a hospital?" And I tell you, when you put your sign out that you're a church and you're a believer, you're actually telling the devil an invitation. But I got good news for you. He's there to help you to become more of a child of God. Amen. Well, let me see if I can let me see if I can clip this a little bit. Verse 40, chapter one. Man, I mean, chapter one. I mean, there's probably more miracles. I haven't counted, but there's probably more miracles in Mark chapter 1 than there are in a lot of other books, the entirety of the books. I mean, verse number 40. And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, kneeling to him, and saying unto him, "If thou will, thou commst me clean." Jesus moved with compassion, put forth his hand, touched him, saith unto him, I will be thou clean. All right. And as soon verse number 42. And as soon as he had spoken, there's that word again. What is it? Immediately the leprosy departed from him. And he was cleansed. And shortly thereafter, you'll find the devil again. You'll just weave your way. Just weave your way in your personal study through the study of Matthew. Blessings, devil. Blessings, devil. Blessings, devil. That's why the writer said, "Think it not a strange thing concerning you about the fiery trials." Don't don't don't don't don't don't don't don't don't go into this when the season changes and you you got to get your snow shovel out. You got to get your toboggon out. You know, the the other day, the other day, a few weeks ago, it's great weather here in Tennessee. It's great great great weather here in Tennessee. Beautiful weather here in Tennessee. But we decided to use up some sky miles, brother Mayo, and some hotel points that we had gathered together. And we decided, my wife and I decided that we would go to New York City and spend a couple days there in New York City. And we had the air miles and we had the motel points. But but there's a little bit of a difference. I didn't think about it. Men don't think about it. I didn't think about it. But she said, "You you got to you you got to where's your deboggan at? Where's your debagan at?" I said, "What? I need a debog? I'm here in Tennessee. I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt." What? But she said, "You got to check the weather in New York." And and it was uh below freezing and all that. And so I found myself with a short sleeve shirt on. I found myself packing in the state of Tennessee. I found myself putting a tobogen and putting uh uh putting a scarf. Well, I'll get to that in a minute. And and and putting putting a coat putting a the getting the winter coat out very very early. And man, when that plane landed in New York City, I'm telling you, we got off that plane and I want you to know I was glad for my tobagen and I I I was glad for my my my winter coat, but my my toboggan my toboggan messed my hair up too bad. Sister Kman said, "I I really wish you wouldn't want wear toboggin." and and and and so I looked and and I saw Paris's ear muffs there or one of the granddaughters had brought their ear muffs and and so I put those ear muffs on and and and and man, there was they were cool. They were they were great. They were they were they they were the berries. They were they were cool. And they started saying, "Papa, you you can't go out of the room with those ear muffs on." I said, "I'm in New York City. I'm in New York City." They know the only people looking at me strange with those uh ear muffs on was my own family. They were the ones looking at me. Nobody else was looking at me strange there. But here's what I got to tell you something. Here's what I got to tell you. If you're going to enter into, and I believe you always should be looking forward to the season of blessing, you you wouldn't be right to say, "I want the devil to come and mess with me." You wouldn't be right. You're not in your right mind. No. No. Your right mind says, "I want to live on the sunny side of life. I want I want I want to live I want to live in the blessings of God." Right? There's nothing wrong with that. Is that right? I I want I want to live in the blessings of the almighty God. Now, if I'm in a season of freezing and I I I I've got all that going on, I'm going to have to pack for that. But I'm going to tell you something. I'm getting ready right now to pack for a season of blessing. It's time in our lives here at FAC Maryville that we're going to enter into a season of blessing. I I need you to receive that right now. I I really do need you to receive that right now that I'm not just up here barking off. I really need Well, you don't understand, brother Carpenter. I'm an old dry bone. But I got to tell you, brother Ezekiel, the dry bones have to hear the word of God. And the dry bones have to receive the word of God. Is there anybody I'm preaching to today that's been in a been in a season you want to get out? Am I talking to anybody today that's been in a season and I like to see this season get out? Then I'm I'm here to tell you something. Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. The seasons of blessings are coming. Pack your deboggan. Get your gloves of blessings on because the seasons is coming. Now, come on. Worship like you believe it right now. You old dry bones. Hear the word. My God. Worship like the seasons are going to change. I said the seasons are going to change in Jesus name. The seasons are going to change. I have fought hell after hell after hell after battle after battle after battle. Bad news after bad news after bad news. But it's about time for the sun to shine. It's about time for the things to shine. Praise him with me right now. Come on, receive that word right now. I'm going to tell you when God spoke that word into my life. When God spoke that word into my life Friday night, I received a phone call from Brother Todd Malone. Brother Todd Malone has been a faithful employee at the University of Tennessee hospital for I think I think he's going to I think he's going to have like 25 years. a doctor and I I I may come back with this story and tell you more about it, but a doctor that's going to open up a different uh clinic like uh a mobile clinic uh reached out to brother Malone and and he's going to be changing and he's going to be be be heading up this this this new mobile clinic that's going out. And uh he was telling me he said, "Bro Carpenter, it's just it's just the" He said, "The the the the the physician after he told me about the job, he said, "What's your salary?" What what what do you need? What what what what your price? What you need? He said, "I've never been used to that." I said, "I I've been used to them telling me what what what I'm going to make. I I've never been used to naming my price. I'll have to go home and I'll have to talk to Rachel about it." and he did and came back and and and he starts this new job and and it's it's it's way more than what he's making right now. It's it's just a dream come it's a dream come true job. And when I hung up the phone when I hung up the phone, Brother John Fowler, God spoke in my spirit and he said, "There's a season of blessing that's on the way. There's a season of blessing that's on the way. I don't know if you're going to meet somebody. I don't know how God's going to do it, but it's impossible to stay faithful to him in the season of cold, in the season of snow, in the season of drought, in the season. It's impossible to stay faithful to him. And God not saying, "Devil, that's enough. Devil, that's enough. It's time for me to bless them abundantly." >> Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh yes. Cycle. >> Somebody say >> cycle. >> Cycle. Mark. Come on, Mark. I've just about unwrapped you. I've just about unwrapped you. Mark, I've just about I've just about unwrapped you, Mark. But I got to tell you, I'm going to come to the end of Mark. Say it again. Cycle. >> Mark 17 verse. No, no, no. Excuse me. You won't find that. Mark 16:17. Mark 16:17. Listen to Jesus talking to his church, you and I. These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall be miracles, signs, and wonders. Don't say that, does it? Not yet at least. In my name they shall cast out what? >> Devils. They shall speak with new tongues. Mighty God of heaven. Cycle. He said, "I'm going to send you forth, church. And when I send you forth, I want to give you some indicators that you're on the right track." What's the sign? What's the indicator? Signs on the highway tell you how fast to go. Signs on the highway tell you there's a bumpy road up ahead. Signs on the highway that tell you there's a curb. Signs on the highway that tell you how many miles there is to Lexington or or or or Atlanta. Signs. Signs. He said, "I want to give you a sign." And he here is a sign in my name. They shall cast out devils. In other words, the devil is going to try to get in your way. There's nothing wrong with you. You haven't you don't It's not that you're backslid. Let me Let me Let me stop there for a moment. Let me stop there for a moment. I have never believed nor would I ever believed that it's God's will to heal everybody. All right, let's just get something straight right there. Healing down here is for a sign to an unbeliever that there is a God and it can be a benefit to a child of God. But for me to tell you that it is God's will to heal you is for me to look over here to this pew and tell you, Brother Thompson, that your wife was out of the will of God. Either you're out of the will of God, she's out of the will of God, or the church is out of the will of God. I'm tired of false condemnation coming upon God's people. Let me tell you about Linda Thompson right now. She is ultimately healed. Not temporarily healed. Hey baby, Lazarus died again. He did was resurrected. But that old boy died again. But what my God is going to give me is my ultimate healing. Can I tell you, live for God, God will vindicate you. They can tell you that you're a wine bber and you're a drunkard and you're a friend of publicans and sinners. Jesus, and I'm sorry today, they can call you an illegitimate child. That, in other words, they can call you a bastard child. They can say, "Your mom and daddy slept together before they were married. You're illegitimate." They can call you out of that, but I will not live my life trying to shut the mouths of my critics. I will not live my life trying to shut the mouths of the liar. God shall vindicate me. I'm going to come walking out of that tomb victorious over death, hell. I wish somebody believe me today because God's got a cycle going on. Come on, if you believe it right now, why don't you worship right now? Come on, if you believe it right now, why don't you leap for joy if you believe it? Why don't you clap your hands if you believe it? My God, my God, my God, my God. Somebody say cycle >> in my name. They shall cast out devils. >> They shall speak with new tongues. That's blessing. They shall take up serpents. That's devils. They shall and if they drink any deadly thing, devils, it shall not hurt them. Blessing. They shall lay their hands on the sick. Blessing. And they shall recover. Blessing. Then after the Lord had spoken these things unto them, he was received up into heaven and set on the right hand of God. They went forth and preached everywhere. The Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. They went everywhere preaching. In the face of the devil, you're going to preach. In the face of sickness, you're going to preach. In the face of valleys, we're going to preach. because we believe there's a season change that is coming and our ultimate vindication is on the way. Oh, Lord have mercy. John's just under the bush. I mean, John's over there. His gift just shaken. I mean, he's I hear John saying, "You opened up. You opened up Matthew, Mark, Luke. Open me up. You're You're muffled, John." Yeah, I'm muffled because I'm wrapped up. Open me up. You please remember with me. Matthew started with Abraham and David. Luke started with Joseph, Jesus being 30 years old. Mark started right out of the gate with a timestamp beginning of the gospel. Let's unwrap John for just a moment. We don't have we don't have much left today. There's not much time. Come on, John. Tell us what you want to tell us. John 1 and1. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and life was the light of men. The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. John said, "I ain't starting with Abraham and David. And I'm not starting with Jesus being 30 years old. And I'm not going to start with the gospel being preached." John said, "Let me tell you what God had on his mind and on his heart before the foundations of the world. In the beginning was the word, and the word was made flesh, and the word was with God, >> and the word was made flesh." John said, "God had you on his mind." Oh, I want you to look up here at me today. I want you to look up here at me today. God had us on his mind before the earth was. God had you on his mind. How dare we feel insignificant? How dare we feel with eight over eight billions of people on the earth? How dare we feel we're not important? Before God ever hung a star, he looked down through eternity and he saw you. He saw the church. In the beginning was the word. The word was God and the word was with God and the word was God. John 1:14. I'm sorry I'm out of time. I'm sorry. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory. We beheld his glory. What does that mean? We beheld not water into wine, not walking on water. We beheld his glory. What was the glory? They hung him on a tree and he died a horrible death. They laid his corpse in a tomb. But three days later, reports come from Mary Magdalene. He's alive. He's alive. He said, "Go to Galilee. I'll meet you in Galilee." And sure enough, we went to where Mary said, and there appeared unto us the lovely Lord Jesus Christ. Now, hear me now. Hear me now. We saw his glory. His glory was his vindication. His glory was who he was, who he claimed to be, not who the mockers and scoffers said he was. His glory was his resurrection. And they said, "And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth." Now follow this. By Moses came the law. It was something a man could not keep. No man ever kept the law because he was weak through his flesh. But the Bible says that we have received of him grace and truth. You see, I don't have the strength in me, but I can receive strength from him. That's what grace is. It's his strength. I don't have the strength to break my addiction, but I got good news to tell somebody today. God has the strength. I don't have the strength to take another step. Matter of fact, pastor, if I just be very transparent with you, there's days I don't know if I can put one foot in front of the other. I got good news for you, whoever you are. God will give you strength that you'll look back over your life and think, "I don't even know how I made it through that season." But thank God. Thank God I made it through that season. Would you just pray with me for a moment right now? Would you just lift your voices up in prayer right now? Father, I love you. Father, I thank you today. Father, I magnify you today. Come on. Could you praise him right now? It's my time. It's my turn. It's my season. Been in this long enough. Thank you, Lord. Come on. Come on. I really like for some have somebody really pray. Really come on, lift your voice up. I'm dry bone. You got to hear the word today. You you you got to hear the word. You you you got to start responding to the word right now. You got you got to start responding to the word. I'm going tell you the secret today. I'm going tell you the secret today. John comes to the end of the gospel in John chapter 20 and verse number 30. He's almost there. He's almost to the end. John has to write for a moment. John 20:30. John said, "And many other signs." Wait a minute. Wait. You're you're calling miracles signs. That That's right. That's right. Because when John recorded seven He recorded seven miracles and he recorded seven I ams of Jesus Christ. No, none other gospel did. He recorded seven miracles and seven I ams connecting Jesus Christ to Jehovah at the burning bush. and many other signs that's miracles. Truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written. I wrote them that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. and that believing you might have life through his name. I promise you today, I beg you today, don't fall into the trap that we apostolic make too much of a do of the name. It's not tomato tomato. There's power in his invoked name. Oh, I feel the Holy Ghost right now. I said there's power when we invoke his name. There's power. Oh, I wish somebody want to invoke that name right now. Would stand up right now. Ra, raise your hands and begin to call on that name. Jesus. Jesus. Oh God, I need you. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus God. Jesus God. Jesus God. There's power. I said there's power. >> There's power when we invoke that name. There's power when we speak about that name. >> Power. >> There's lifech changing power in the name of Jesus. You're spending thousands of dollars trying to get an answer and your answer is one invoking of the name away. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Can't take it no more. Jesus. Got to get some rest. Jesus. Jesus. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Jesus. We're not alone. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. I wish somebody I wish somebody that you you you are empty of pride. You are empty of pride and you know that you've tried a lot of things and they've not worked. I wish you'd just step out of your seat like a roaring lion invoking the name of Jesus God. Jesus God. Jesus God. Jesus God. Jesus I'm weary. Jesus I'm weary. Folks, there's power in that name. There's power in that name. Come on. Come on. Don't be intimidated. Come on. Don't be intimidated right now. That's right, Sister Carolyn. That's right, Brother Gary. That's right. That's right. That's right. I've got a problem that I got to get through. I got a situation that I'm tired of it right now, Jesus. Move up as close as you can around this altar right now. Jesus We had we had some we had two precious ladies had two precious ladies come to our home this week. We hired them to do some wallpapering for us. And uh one felt some rather remorse that she had to take a smoke break. And she she said to me, she said, "I she said, "I really like getting rid of these things. I I really like getting rid of these things." I said, "I tell you how I got rid of them." She looked at me like, "Do what?" I said, "Yeah, I wasn't always a preacher. I wasn't always pastor. wasn't always a superintendent and a bishop wasn't always that. I said I was 16 years old and I come to God I was two packs a day at 16 years two packs a day at 16 years of age. Two packs of Winston cigarettes at 16 years 16. Don't you know Seth the devil had the plan to put me in an early grave just like he did my father at age 46 of lung cancer due to cigarette smoking. Don't you know the devil said, "I got John. I'll get his boy Kenny. I already got him. I already got him on two pack a day." Well, he he'll probably be dead. He'll probably have cancer way before that. She said, "How'd you quit?" I said, "Ma'am, I figured up. It took me about 5 minutes to smoke a cigarette." And I started calling on the name of Jesus. I started calling on that name. And I said, "I don't know when and I don't know how, but I laid them down and I ain't touched them since." She said, 'Well, I might all try that.' I said, 'You might all try that. That's a good me because there's power when we invoke his name. Hey, hey, God. Hey, hey, hey. It ain't nothing new. Hey, it ain't nothing new. It ain't nothing new. Adam's got a son. And Adam's son in Genesis 4:26, this ain't new. Genesis 4:26 says, "And to Seth, to him also there was born a son, and he called his name Enos. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." Early in sin, early in sin, Brother Pharaoh, they got out there and said, "God, could you help us?" >> But he didn't stop there. He didn't stop there. In Chronicles 16:8, the Psalmist says, "Give thanks unto the Lord. Call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the people." Now, I'm going to ask you something. If the Old Testament had a way of calling on the name of the Lord, do you think we would be left out? Not according to Romans 10:13. Romans 10:13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Save from what? Sin. Save from what? Habits. Save from what? Addiction. Whoever a cause on that name. I ain't lay hands on you till I wear a blister on on your head and a callous on my hand. I can pray for you. People lay their hands on you, shake you, and turn you every way but loose. But until you let your tongue begin to invoke the name of Jesus, nothing's going to happen because your problem's not on the outside, your problems on the inside. But when we invoke the name of Jesus, God's hearing and God's power comes down. Right now, one more time, I won't hold you long. I promise you, it won't take long. Could you lift your hands? Could you begin to invoke the name of Jesus? Come on Lord. Come on Lord. >> Addiction in the name of Jesus. Addiction healing. >> You must release. You must release. >> I pray for brain cells to be restored in the name of Jesus. I pray for brain cells to be restored. I pray that where drug addiction and alcoholism and pornography, I pray in the name of Jesus that you would begin to restore them and you will begin to wash them right now. >> Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. >> Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. >> It's the most wonderful time of the year. I don't know about you, but he made a way for me when I was down and out. He'll make all things Jesus. >> Amen. He found me there. >> Jesus, he brought me up. >> Jesus, >> there is no doubt. >> Jesus, say his name. >> Jesus. >> Say his name. Something about the name of Jesus. >> Healing in the name of Jesus. >> Oh, there's peace of love. God, >> there's somebody here today. You are at your with him. >> There's somebody here today, you don't know how much more you can take, but I've come to tell you Jesus invoke his name. Jesus help me. Jesus guide me. Jesus be with me right now. Say Jesus Jesus name. >> Yes. >> Healing in the name of Jesus. >> Oh, there's peace in the name. >> Peace in the name of Jesus. >> Jesus. >> Oh yes. The name of Jesus. Healing in the name of Jesus. Peace in the name. >> Oh yes, God. Oh yes, God. Jesus. >> Oh yes. Holy Ghost, have your way. Oh, do your work now. Holy Ghost. >> Jesus. >> Jesus. >> Jesus. >> Jesus. talking about >> Jesus. >> Jesus. >> Jesus. >> Jesus. Jesus. >> In the name of >> Jesus. >> Jesus. >> Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. >> Glory to God. And I feel deliverance coming right now. Oh, I feel deliverance coming right now. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God. If I feel deliverance coming right now, I feel a season change coming right now. His name is Jesus. Oh yes, God. His name is Jesus. Oh my God. My God. My God. My God. My God, his name is Jesus. >> I know you feel what I feel right now. I I know you feeling what I'm feeling right now. >> I I know you're feeling what I'm feeling right now. >> His name is Jesus. >> Come on, sing it one more time with me. His name is Jesus. His name is Jesus. One more time I ask you lift both your hands to heaven and invoke the name of Jesus. >> Jesus God. >> Jesus God. >> Jesus God. Jesus God. Help me >> Jesus. Help me right now Lord. Jesus, help me right now. Jesus, Jesus, help me right now, Lord. Jesus, help me right now. Jesus, help me right now. It's the most wonderful time of the year. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Brother Eric is going to come and dismiss us with a prayer. But let me tell you something. Don't fall into the trap of, "Well, I tried that today. I tried that today at church. I got home and the problem's still there. there. I got home, the spirit's still there. I got home and my addiction's still there. I understand that. Understand that. But I called on the name of Jesus. Here's how here's how many times you need to call on the name of Jesus. Need to call on the name of Jesus every time whatever it is is entering your mind >> that's causing you to go down a road of depression and oppression and a spirit of hopelessness and everything is against you. When that when that turns that corner, that thought comes, you need to start invoking the end. In the name of Jesus. >> In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. God help me. In the name of Jesus, you need to invoke that name. And I promise you, faith believing. Faith believing. If you'll believe by faith, the Bible is the truth. You'll believe by faith. You believe by faith right now. God will bring you out. You can have an immediate, but it may be a progression. They shall lay their hands on the sick and the sick shall recover. All right? And and that's that's a progression you can have. And you got to be able to look back and say, "Hey, I've been doing this invoking the name of Jesus stuff for about a month now." And you look at how further along you are in your walk with God. Your marriage, whatever the situation, whatever the situation may be, may be demonic spirits. You may have a perfect marriage. You may have perfect finances. You may not listen. The only thing you might be addicted to is a Talenol. All of that. There still can be tormenting spirits that can come your way. You got to be able to identify them. You got to be able to say no in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus. I believe that word today. Don't you? >> Don't you believe it's the most wonderful time of the year. Prayer 5:30 tonight. God bless you, brother Ericson.