Sunday Morning Worship Service

I want to get into the word of the Lord uh in just a moment I would ask you uh to turn to the book of Ephesians the 3D chapter and as you're finding that in your uh Bible or in the device that you use to read scripture uh I would uh uh join with bishop and Pastor Anthony uh by encouraging everyone to be in our midweek uh Bible study we call it Worship in the word and we're in a special Series right now that we've entitled leadership begins at home and uh there's great practical teaching and understanding the con concept of uh having a commitment to Christ not just when we're here together with the saints of God but that our life our lifestyle will be uh surrounded by uh being involved in the kingdom of God it'll make us a better employer better employee it will make us uh the best husbands and wives we can be uh the best students we can be that it's a win-win situation serving Christ all the time so uh I do encourage you to be in our Wednesday evening uh sermon series be a part of that calling your attention this morning to the book of Ephesians the 3 chapter we'll begin reading at verse number 14 for this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named that he would Grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ May dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with All Saints what is the breath the length the depth the height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you might be filled with all the fullness of God for a few moments this morning I would speak to you on this subject I love you this much I love you this much could we pray savior I love you God I'm so grateful for this wonderful Congregation of Believers that have joined us here today Lord I Thank You For Your Precious and anointed word that speaks to our hearts that guides our lives that orders our steps now God I pray that we would receive all that you have for us today and Lord let us not just be hearers of the word but let us be doers as well for all this we're grateful and thank you in the name of Jesus we pray amen I love you this much I realize what Friday was and so you might call this message a bit of Valentine leftovers if you want to but I have a fond memory from my home growing up at 3939 Deerfield with my mom and dad my dad has always always been in demand as a an evangelist and a preacher and Bible teacher through the years and uh this meant that there were times that uh we had to share him going other places and he traveled and I remember in particular uh when we he would go on a preaching Jun many times he would come home and if he was in a place very long at all that he wasn't just there and back he would have some kind of gift for myself and for my mom but I remember in particular one preaching Journey that he went on I remember my dad opening his suitcase I was quite young but I remember him opening his suitcase and a statue that looked just like this was in his suitcase and he gave it to my mom as kid I didn't really understand just really how much weight that that had but for the rest of the time that I lived at home that statue was somewhere in the house it had a particular location then they remodeled the house and it was moved someplace else and if I'm not mistaken till this day that little guys in my dad's office at home and it just simply gives the message I love you this much it was more than a little statue but it was a reminder of the love that was in our home for you see you can make statements but to live those statements is a different deal throughout history mankind has attempted to describe the measure of love with Communications with countless songs books poems sonnets love letters blogs tweets they' have all attempted to describe the measure of Love let me give you a few examples that are more famous that you might be aware of Elizabeth Barrett drowning in Sonet 43 said how do I love thee let me count your ways how do I love thee let me count the ways I love thee to the depth and the breadth and the height my soul can reach but for those of you who are not into poetry and you're a little bit older and you were into pop culture the bgs once asked in falsetta How Deep Is Your Love but to give all the country music folks equal billing Randy Travis cred my love is deeper than the holler and stronger than the river one poet said it this way like sweet morning de I took one look at you and it was plain to see you were my destiny oh my goodness it seems that no matter the mode the method method or the style mankind seems to still be searching for adequate comparisons to describe the measure of love but our passage of scripture was much more than description it was giving us the task of comprehending the love of Christ the love of Christ cannot be measured it has no limits its love is infinite endless countless Limitless inestimable boundless but let's examine Ephesians 3's attempts to put the love of Christ into some words that our finite Minds might find a little comprehension you know the learning curve uh that that term to comprehend means to grasp the nature the significance or the meaning of can we really comprehend God's love that word comprehension I don't mind telling you was a scary word in school I didn't mind doing the assigned reading it was the test on the comprehension that bothered me cuz you had to prove that you understood what you read I can all I want to just read scripture about the love of God but do I comprehend and do I understand just how much the Lord Jesus Loves Me Do I have it in my learning capabilities to comprehend his love our text said that Christ May dwell in your hearts in faith that ye being rooted and grounded is my foundation in the love of Christ that I may be able to comprehend with all the saints all of us what is the breadth the length the depth the height well let's look at those terms just a moment what is the breadth or the distance from one side to the other of Christ's love here's how much he loved me he said he was going to remove my transgressions you can read it for yourself elves in Psalms 103:12 he was going to remove my transgressions as far as the East is from the West now I know you have all heard the explanation of the difference in saying how far it is from the east of the West rather than the north from the south for indeed on our great big Globe you can only go so far north before you start heading south again you can only go so far south South before you start heading north again but he didn't make that comparison he said as far as it is from the East to the West you can start going east on this great big world that we live in and you can go east infinitely because you're going in that direction he said that's how far I'm going to separate your transgressions from you you're talking about a wide love you're talking about the breadth of his love what forgiveness he has for my sins that's what I'm trying to comprehend today his love has length but also can be defined in longevity or shelf life if you will Jeremiah 313 said the Lord hath appeared of Old Times un of old unto me saying y I have loved thee with an Everlasting Love Therefore with kindness have I drawn the God's love lasts forever an everlasting love but his love also has depth the psalmist in Psalms 40 And1 begin showing the depth of his love because the depth of his love is indicated on how low he can reach to find me and to find you he said in Psalms 41 to the chief musician a Psalm of David he said I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me and heard My Cry he brought me also up out of a horrible pit out of the myy clay he set my feet upon a rock he established my goings he put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord I don't need the be's to ask how deep is your love oh all I need to know is no matter how far I've been in sin today no matter how far in the pit of sin you may feel like you are I have a God who can reach to the lowest low and pull you out of the myy clay he can set your feet on the Rock that's solid of Salvation that's how deep his love is mAh 7 said it this way Verse 18 who is God like unto thee that pardon iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his anger forever because he delighteth he will turn again and will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and here's where our iniquities go here's how deep his love goes they shall thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea he can reach down and and pull me out of the m and then he can take my sin and send it as deep in the sea as it can go that's how deep his love is aren't you thankful to have a God that loves you with a deepness to get rid of all your transgressions it's not because I've been perfect it's not because I'm an angel but because he loved me he took my sins and cast him down and he brought me out that's how deep his love is is can I comprehend that today and yes his love has height here's how high the love of God is John 15:10 says if you keep my Commandments ye shall abide you'll live in my love even I kept my father's Commandments and abide in his love these things have I spoken unto you that my Joy might remain in you and your joy might be full this is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you greater love hath no man than this that a man laid down his life for his friends how great how tall is his his love that he would lay his life down for every one of us he said ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you the tallest the greatest of Love is mentioned here his love was so great that he would die for me that he would die for you for would die for every one of us we're talking about the comprehension I love you this much so now we have a working definition we have a few things to describe breadth length depth height but here's where the comprehension part comes in from our text that you may be able to comprehend All Saints what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height that you may know the love of Christ for earlier he mentioned being rooted and grounded in Christ's love comprehension of his love is not realized with a few descriptions but I must have a foundation in every part of my existence grounded in the spiritual understanding of it starts with his love for me the fullness of God Romans 12 begins out of mizing some things it said let love be without dissimulation that word dissimulation defined is without camouflage or dishonesty all hugs don't mean you're loved grizzly bear may want to hug you but don't mean he loves you there's no camouflage in the love of God there's no dishonesty in the love of God it it said let love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evil can I do that or do I embrace evil sometimes cleave to that which is good hold on to good and Hold On To God Be kindly affectioned one to another no I thought we were talking about the love of God we are and the way we comprehend it and have Foundation is we love each other we care for each other be kindly affection one to another with Brotherly Love in honor preferring one another woo boy that preferring is tough cuz I won't be first in line man I'll throw a couple elbows you know get I want to be first rather than preferring my brother not slowful in business what's that got to do with love you can't have the love of God in you if you're a crook if you're dishonest in business if you're slowful in your business you're not showing the love of God to this world what's that got to do I want folks to be saved so do I and if I'm going to be an example of Christ loving me I'm going to be honest in business didn't think we'd be going there in a love message did you not slowful in business fervent in spirit not bored in spirit not lazy in spirit not apathetic in spirit everybody Worship the Lord together clap your hands unto the Lord all you people make a Joyful Noise little golf clap here we need to have a fervent about us when we worship god there needs to be excitement you're not going to worship like I do and I'm not going to worship like you do but ain't none of us going to be a dead fish the English is wrong but the message is right on you're going to find some way to worship God some May Cry some may dance some may clap their hands some may lift their voice whatever it is you're going to find a fervency in your spirit to give God praise why because he loves me he cares about me I need to reciprocate that love to him oh Hallelujah it said love is without camouflage without dishonesty serving the lord listen we try our best to be servants in the kingdom of God too many think that the only way you can serve God is to be a mouthpiece behind a pull pit everybody in this house has the opportunity and most in the house do serve God in some manner you give service to him service is being a witness and a soul winner you see before anybody gets to hear my pretty message before anybody hits gets to hear a melodious presentation from the praise team in the choir somebody had to be to this building and unlock it today someone had to be at the front doors to welcome folks into the house right now someone is sacrificing and they're they're doing Security in the building somebody is looking after your kids teaching them about Jesus so you're uninterrupted hearing here today for these gentlemen and ladies that you see Behind These cameras they're witnessing they're doing a work in the king of God to the technicians to all the folks the the ushers I know these I promise you brother Sherwin Harvey has more clothes than a gray coat as do these ushers but they come in service and put on that ushers jacket so they can be of service we're all a team together as Soul winners winning in the kingdom of God these folks that come out here early to practice and prepare it's all part of Soul winning and doing something we are serving the lord he said rejoicing in hope we are not hopeless people we are hope filled people patient in Tribulation oh God I want to get through this tribulation I want you to get me through it right now don't always happen that way if your prayer hadn't been answered God's not feel finished working let me say that again that way right then I said if your prayer hasn't been answered God's not finished working yet but there's another part of that sometimes God gives you an answer that you didn't want to hear sometimes God says yes but sometimes God says no and the toughest answer of all is When God says wait I got to wait patient I waited patiently on the Lord we read earlier and he heard me he brought me up out of the horrible pit he he brought my feet out of the myy clay rejoicing in Hope patient in Tribulation continuing instant in prayer could could I be so kind to all of us Believers many of us could solve a lot of our situations if prayer was our first consideration rather than our last option sadly there's been several more than I would care to count of folks that Pastor I need a a conference with you and we come in the offer the office and all of this horrible scenarios laid out and are trying to make a decision and I've asked people before well have you prayed about it and you see this glazed far away look now look I'm willing to counsel with you but have you talked to Jesus first let me tell you a lot of stuff could be handled not in the office but in the altar if if we' talk to Jesus first about it and let him get our heart right in that conflict that we've been dealing with a lot of Brotherly Love would fix a lot of things if we can get forgiveness back in our hearts Distributing to the necessity of saints given to hospitality oh my here's where it we're still trying to comprehend the love Christ Romans 835 asks this question who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or Peril or sword now sometimes we misunder understand this passage a little bit for it itemizes tribulation distress persecution famine nakedness Peril or sword those are not whose those are whats but the question was who it's not the what that separates us it's the who who caused this tribulation that I'm going through who's causing my stress and distress who took my food or killed my crop to bring this famine into my life who stole my clothes to make me naked who put me at risk to create this Peril this liability whose sword stab me in the back let me kindly say to us all many times the who be you many times that man you're looking at in the mirror is the who that caused your situation it wasn't the devil's temp ation it was our own doings our lack of Christ's love being exemplified in our lives that created the situation that we're in sometimes we need to back up and say who you need to get back in the altar who me yeah that's who who shall separate us from the love of Christ many times rather than blaming some other individual but you don't understand Pastor he offended me hey who great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend that who may be you that you're allowing yourself to be offended and if we aren't careful as long as we're letting the who separate us from the love of Christ we got to offended we got hurt we're holding a grudge somebody hurt our feelings somebody from the church did me wrong you know that can happen and so what I'm going to do I'm just going to hold the whole church and God himself responsible I'm never going back to church again you're the who that's separating you from Christ but if we aren't careful we will develop a slaughtered lamb mentality please understand I'm not making Provisions for the flesh when I make these remarks but we must understand Holy Ghost filled Believers sometimes if we aren't careful we'll find oursel at odds with others who believe and feel that they are the who that's causing our separation from God's love and conversely if we don't conduct ourselves with the foundation of Christ's love in our life we can be someone else who because of our personality differences and we can unwittingly become a brother or sister's source of Separation don't be a who you see it's important that we understand Galatians said this Galatians 69 it said let us not be weary and well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not as we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith in other words while we're ministering to a community around us and Men we're going to do that fac serves they're helping serve food we're trying to minister to our community through Apostolic Kitty Academy and Apostolic Christian School we try to reach out to those around us but if we aren't careful while we reach out to others we'll forget the household of faith around us we've got an opportunity to do good to everybody for you see we don't want to have that slaughtered lamb mentality you know the slaughtered lamb mentality is we're killed all the day long we're LED as sheep to the slaughter oh don't throw your elbow out of place trying to Pat yourself on the back I'm so pitiful because I serve God I everybody's out to get me that passage of scripture in Romans does not not in there for verse 37 says nay in all these things we are more than conquerors how through him that loved us there's the comprehension I can conquer anything because Jesus loved me no matter what I've experienced no matter the hurt I face I can conquer it because he loved me aren't you thankful for the love of Jesus aren't you thankful for his shed blood aren't you thank oh Hallelujah we ought to praise him just a minute for his love for us oh Hallelujah Hallelujah Jesus I bless your name Jesus I thank you Hallelujah you see he loved me so much that he laid his life down for me he loved me so much that he would create a simple Redemption plan that I might have eternal life all I got to do is repent of my sins take his name on in water baptism and he's promised me the gift of the Holy Ghost you see while all those other folks tried to describe love between Humanity other writers composed words about the love of God they composed in fact I want to read you a little bit of something here Frederick Leman composed a song in 1970 entitled the love of God the words that he first pinned went like this the love of God is greater still than tongue or pin can ever tell it goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell the guilty pair beared down with care God gave his son to win his airing child he reconciled and pardoned from his sin oh love of God how rich how pure how measureless and strong it shall forever more endure the Saints and Angels song when H times shall pass away and Earthly Thrones and kingdoms fail when men who hear refuse to pray on rocks and hills and mountains call God's love so pure shall still endure all measureless and strong Redeeming Grace Adam's race the Saints and Angels song you folks upstairs do we have another tile that can show you how much we're loved where you see his arms were stretched wide he could have called 10,000 angels to destroy the world and set him free but he said no mul I love you this much and you're not lovable at all I care about you this much I love you this much I'll spread my arms that wide hallelujah praise team musicians get ready for you see there was one more refrain that leemon would write they were not original words but instead Leman as a songwriter had searched for a third stanza to this song and he remembered a little note that he had in his Bible he didn't even know the origin of the note would research later but he began taking that note or poem that someone had given him and he began putting it to the melody that he had already composed about the love of God he would later find out that this poem that he had had been scribbled down by some workers who were painting and refurbishing the cell the cells in a a insane asylum and these words had been written on the wall by someone who had passed who was in that place and here's the words that became the third stanza of the love of God could we with ink the ocean fill and were the sky SI of parchment made where every stalk of Earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry nor could the scroll contain the whole though stretched from Sky to Sky oh love of God stand with me how rich how pure how measureless and strong it shall forever more endure the Saints and Angel song could we lift our hands and love Jesus just a moment savior I love you in this season that the term love has been so misunderstood has been so reduced to lustful ideology Jesus take me back and let me understand just how wonderful how pure how Everlasting your love is for your people Lord I stand before you so undeserving of your love but today I thank you once again that you loved me I thank you that you cared enough about me to shed your precious blood blood Lord to come down to this earth in the form of Flesh and lowly man give your life so freely that I would have life Everlasting that's how much you love me Jude said it this way Jude 20 but ye beloved build up yourselves on your Most Holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost didn't just say praying it said praying in the Holy Ghost keeping yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life I wonder if there's anybody in this house today that would step out in the aisle GA around this Altar for a season of Prayer of just saying Lord Jesus I thank you for your love let me pray in the spirit if you've never repented of your sins would you come with everyone else this is the place don't you be ashamed to say Jesus I'm sorry for my sins I give you all he wants to forgive you he loves you that much he loves you enough to forgive every thing wrong you've ever done that's how much he loves you he has the equity he has the authority he has the power to forgive today oh hallelujah hallelujah do you love him let's worship him as the praise team leads us in song let's talk to Jesus right now Hallelujah Lord Jesus I love you Lord Jesus I praise you