Wednesday Night Bible Study

Well, praise the Lord, everyone. PRAISE THE LORD, EVERYONE. Good to hear your voice and good to see you here tonight for Wednesday night worship in the word. What a privilege it is to be back in the house of the Lord with every one of you. Uh what a wonderful weekend series of services we we've had. And it is great to be back with you in the house of the Lord. I'm excited to study his word. I'm anticipating this coming Sunday, a very special day as Pastor Whitley has uh already uh mentioned to you uh that it is Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday. This entire world is acknowledging the resurrection of our savior. And I'm thankful for the revelation of who he is. And I uh am so excited that we would celebrate especially this coming weekend uh the resurrection of our savior. So I know I will see all of you here in the house of the Lord. I give honor to all of our leadership, all of our ministry, all the workers of First Apostolic Church, to every saint. We're thankful for you and for your faithfulness. We honor all of our guests. Any guests that are here, thank you for being with us. We're going to continue our study in our uh curriculum that we use here for our Bible study time. And I would call your attention tonight to the book of John, the fourth chapter. Book of John, the fourth chapter. We're going to uh study uh a little bit over half of the uh of this particular chapter, uh Saint John 4. But we're going to begin uh setting a foundation with the first seven verses. So let me read those to you. Book of John, the fourth chapter, beginning at verse number one. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples, he left Judea and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now, Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. And it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, "Give me to drink. Give me to drink." Tonight, we're going to talk a a little bit about the woman at the well. Let's pray. Father, we love you. We're grateful for another time to study your word and to hear all the things that your word would give us for instruction, for revelation, for guidance, and most of all for salvation. Lord, I pray that you would anoint my heart, my mind, and my lips to speak what you would have me to speak. And Lord, let every one of us open our hearts to receive what you have for us this night. For all this we're grateful and thankful. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. The woman at the well. If you'll recall in the previous lesson that we taught, we examined Nicodemus and his middle of the night conversation with Jesus, which broke a lot of Jewish protocol that contact with Jesus that Nicodemus had. But now we find Jesus intentionally visiting a place that most Jews avoided because of ethnic and religious bigotry and prejudice. So, let me encourage us tonight to understand that Jesus was being an example as to how to witness and where to witness. And if we have Jesus living in us, and we should if we're filled with the spirit, we've been baptized in his name, then we should aspire to see how Jesus did things and try to do things just like Jesus. We don't become Jesus, but we certainly should have him living in us and should in our humanity use every opportunity to learn his strategies for witnessing and going to a lost soul. In fact, John 14 gives us the answer to this. John 14:15 said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." This is Jesus speaking. "And I will pray the Father who'll give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him. But ye know him, for he dwelleth with you." Jesus was speaking then. He said, "I'm with you. He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." Now, any of you who have studied and understand, you will find in the book of John the reference to the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, that Jesus said whom the Father will send in my name. Uh he now is indicating that he would now be with them, but in the future he would dwell in them. So, it is with us. We are his disciples. He dwells in us. So, we want to be like him. So, Jesus in this instance, in the story of the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman at the well, gives some great insight on how we can be a good witness for Christ. If we live in this world and desire to win souls, and we look for the opportunities to win souls, we should use these examples, these techniques, these strategies, if you will, to open doors for witnessing. So, tonight, I want us to dissect this uh Saint John 4:1 up through I get about verse number 29, and we're not going to necessarily read it all, but we're going to examine it as to the strategies strategies that Jesus used to witness to this woman. The first thing we find out is Jesus went to where she was. Now, we have a church, and it's important that we assemble together. We invite folks to church, but there're going to be times that we're going to have to have strategies to witness to others to either get them here or go to where they are. He began his earthly ministry with a lot of interacting with different folks, and his popularity grew. If you'll notice, it said that he now the the Jews were getting very uncomfortable with Jesus because he had made more disciples than John, speaking of John the Baptist, had. So, the Bible says that he went on a journey, and it's beautifully worded. It said he saw that he must need go through Samaria. This was a purposeful thing that Jesus did. It was not by accident. He made an intentional decision to go to Samaria to Samaria. Now, why would that be so important? Because it was unusual for any Jews to intentionally go to Samaria. In fact, history would tell you, if you study it, that the Jews intentionally took a longer route on many of their journeys to avoid going through Samaria. They traveled days out of their way to avoid having anything to do with Samaria. Samaria to them was a bad neighborhood. Why? Because Samaria was filled with those who had interacted with non-Jews, and it was Samaritans and and those that they saw as unclean. And there was a clear prejudicial attitude by the Jews toward going through Samaria. But Jesus said, "I must needs go to Samaria." He walked right into Samaria with a purpose. But Jesus did a lot of this, if you'll study his history. Jesus was one of those who in nowadays vernacular, we'd say he liked to color outside the lines. Jesus would work outside the margins. Because Jesus didn't only want to minister to those who were immediately around him, he wanted to reach the marginalized. That's why he worked outside the norms of that day and the societal perfection and societal prejudices. He intentionally wanted to visit Samaria and the population of Sychar. Why this First Apostolic Church delve into things like having a Christian school? Having a Christian child care center? Why would we bother planning here in another week or so having Second Harvest to hand out food to those less fortunate in our community? Uh why do we spend the money to have multimedia ministries on many platforms to reach outside the walls? Are we looking FOR POPULARITY? UH WHY DO we have fall festivals and and and go to all of the uh issues that we do to let folks come by and hand kids candy? Uh why in the world would we have small groups AND TELL FOLKS INVITE FOLKS THAT AREN'T EVEN COMING TO CHURCH TO BE in your small group and your your summit group? Because we're following Jesus' example. WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY we can to reach out to that marginalized group, those that the the world, the church world of religious piety, would say, "No, we don't want you. You're unclean. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU." WHY DO WE have Be Free classes? Why do we have outreaches? Because we're wanting to do just as Jesus did. We want to go to where they are because we have what they need. Never let us feel that we are so blessed with the revelation of who Jesus is that we should keep it to ourselves. Instead, we must be like him and reach those who need him. So, notice the strategy that Jesus used. The Bible said he journeyed to Samaria and said he was weary from his journey. Now, understand, this is God manifesting flesh. He didn't need a a 5-hour energy to keep fresh. BUT HE PLACED himself in his flesh and in his humanity in a position of apparent need, so he can have a conversation with this woman from Samaria. Uh could Jesus have gone without a drink? Of course he could. This was God manifesting flesh. WAS HE WEARY FROM HIS JOURNEY? Only in his flesh, but he put himself in a position of apparent need, so he can find a way to start a conversation with this lady. Let me tell you, we should always be looking for opportunities to witness in the everyday life that we lead. He was there needing a drink. He was thirsty and had no vessel to draw water with. And when this lady walked up, he said, "Give me a drink." That's how he started the conversation. That's how he initiated this opportunity to witness to this woman. You see, we sometimes look for an extraordinary opportunity when God wants to use us in the course of the ordinary. Oh, if if God would just uh uh make bells and whistles and smoke and AND LIGHTNING FLASH, I'D WITNESS TO THAT PERSON. SOMETIMES YOU'LL FIND yourself interacting with the lost in an ordinary task. But if you'll be sensitive to what God is allowing us to do, he'll give YOU THE OPPORTUNITY. HE'LL OPEN THE DOOR TO SAY, "I NEED A DRINK." AND ALL THE TIME HE'S GIVING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THE DOOR TO BE A WITNESS TO SOMEONE TO BRING THEM TO LIFE-GIVING WATER. HALLELUJAH. You see, when Jesus opened the conversation, this woman in surprise questioned why he would ask her for a drink. She said, "You know, Jews have no dealings with Samaritans." What's Verse 9? Here's what it said. Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh me ask drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For Jews have no dealing with Samaritans." Jesus requested the need and he forced the woman to reveal her own preconceived opinions of him and her own prejudice that was likely a prejudice of reciprocity. The reason she said this about Jews cuz she knew how Jews had treated her. If Jews have no dealing with Samaritans, why should I deal with you, sir? You know, frankly, many of us would have stopped right there in our attempt to witness and said, "Well, I tried and she rejected me, so it's over with." You see, in her mind, this this encounter made no sense at all. Is this a scam? Is this a fishing ploy? WHAT'S HIS ANGLE FOR ASKING ME TO GIVE him a drink? Why would a Jewish holy man ask a Samaritan woman for a drink? Little did she know that Jesus had come with a message so powerful that would tear down every one of those long-standing barriers between peoples, between groups, and no matter how long they had built up these prejudices. Let me tell you, the God we serve wants to break down barriers that separate us from others. He wants us to have the opportunity TO WITNESS TO A LOST WORLD, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS AND NO MATTER WHAT OUR situation is. In her own mind, she thought she was disqualified to even be able to talk to Jesus. When she met Jesus, every reason of doubt would speak in her mind. And have you ever considered what was going through her thoughts? She had been rejected by the Jewish people, her entire culture. She was disdained and regarded as one of those idolatrous people whose Jewish ancestors had corrupted when they intermarried with those old sinful Gentiles. Now, understand where this was taking place. This was taking place at a well that was known as Jacob's well. It had great historic value to God's people. Yet they had abandoned it because the Samaritans were there and they were so prejudiced the Jews were toward these half-breeds that they would call them, these sinful mixed-breeds that had had married into Gentile idolaters. They wanted nothing to do with them. So she expected to be treated the same way she had always been treated when she interacted with a Jew. You see, when you witness to a lost world, don't be offended if you're first rejected. You don't know what preconceived ideas that person you're talking to has about Christianity in general and specifically, "Man, I've heard about these Apostolics." In fact, Apostolic, you know, how do you pronounce that anyway? I I I find it an awesome opening conversation tool many times. I'll have folks who uh if I'm representing the church and uh we're making a purchase and and I'll uh either be writing a a church check or giving a a church corporate credit card or they'll say, "Now, who are you representing?" And I'll say, "First Apostolic Church." And they start looking it up and then one of the one of the ones that I noticed it the most is at Home Depot. They've got our tax exempt saved in their computer. But when they finally find it, they'll say, "Oh oh yeah, first Apostolic." Now, I don't know or or how do you pronounce that? I'll say Apostolic. And many times you'll hear, "Well, what does that mean? What is that?" Bang! The door JUST OPENED. WHERE DO YOU GO TO CHURCH? FIRST APOSTOLIC. WHAT IS THAT? YOU SEE, WHEN YOU CAN SAY, "WELL, IT'S like the apostles." Well, what do you mean by that? Well, let me tell you what the apostles' doctrine was. There's an opportunity. You see, Jesus knew that this woman had preconceived prejudices in her life because of all she had dealt with before. But he didn't allow her to self-disqualify herself from the conversation. He said, "No. I Well, I'll put it like this. I remember Johnny James making this statement. He said, "No matter who you think you are, you're not too bad for the blood. You're not too bad for the blood. Listen, there will be those that you will come in contact with that think that it's impossible for God to save them. It's impossible for God to forgive them. They've heard so many things. They may have been hurt by somebody calling themselves part of the church in the past. Nobody's too bad for the blood. Nobody can self-disqualify themselves. God wants to forgive and he wants to bring salvation. We should take every opportunity to be a good witness. So the real dialogue now begins. She asks, you know, how how could you have conversation with me? Verse 10, and Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, 'Give me to drink,' thou would have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." Now he got her attention. Why would getting living water be so interesting to her? Well, I don't know if there's anybody in here who's ever experienced what it's like to draw water out of a well. That's not light work. Now, if you understand this day, likely the way she would draw water out of the well, she had a vessel that they had to tie a rope around, a ceramic vessel, and they would have to lower it deep where the water was, wait till it was filled, and then you had to muscle it back up and fill another vessel, and then you had to do it again and do it again until you had maximized what you were going to be able to carry. Now, day years later, I know we've all seen the classic of the of the well that's got the the crank and the bucket on it. Well, I got to draw water out of a modernized well several years ago when I was a kid. It had a pump on it. And boy, that looked like fun when somebody else did it. But I got news for you. It didn't take much fun of that for me to get my feel. Cuz it was work. And if you stop too quick, it'd lose its prime and then I'd pour water back down and then have to pump that thing again. Drawing water out of the well wasn't AN EASY TASK, BUT JESUS was relating something in the natural to this woman, hallelujah, to get A SPIRITUAL MESSAGE ACROSS. SHE SAID, "YOU'VE GOT WATER THAT WILL NEVER THIRST AGAIN? UH, TELL ME MORE. I WON'T have to do this anymore." HE WAS MAKING A SPIRITUAL APPLICATION TO AN ORDINARY EVENT. And it got her attention. The woman said UNTO HER, "SIR, THOU HAST NOTHING TO DRAW WITH AND THE WELL is deep. FROM WHENCE THEN HAST THOU THAT LIVING WATER? WHERE YOU GOING TO PUMP THIS FROM? WHERE YOU GOING TO DRAW THIS WATER FROM? ART THOU GREATER THAN OUR FATHER JACOB? HEY, THIS is his well. Have you got a new outlet that we're not familiar with? Art thou greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well and drank thereof himself and his children and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting LIFE." THE CONVERSATION GOT REAL NOW. It changed from being an experience about H2O and started being an experience about A A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. HE DIDN'T have a water pot. But he had a well of living water. He took what she understood to reveal what she did not yet realize by being a witness and an example. There's opportunities to do this. Several years ago, Bishop McCool was preaching on the radio here in Knoxville three times a day, Monday through Friday. He had a 15-minute broadcast three times a day on a local all-gospel station. In addition to that, we were doing a Sun- Sunday morning radio broadcast. This was even before we had television ministry. And Bishop began a series of lessons and teaching on the Jesus name apostolic message in especially in the revelation of who Jesus is. And Bishop boldly on one of his broadcast stated, he said, "I will write a check to anyone who can show me in the lids of their Bible where anyone was ever baptized using the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." And he gave his telephone number out. And I want you to know pretty immediately there was a fellow who lived over in Maryville by the name of Frank Jones called Bishop McCool wanting to claim his thousand-dollar check. He said, "I want to tell you what Matthew 28:19 says." And he quoted Matthew 28:19 to Bishop McCool. And Bishop McCool told him, he said, "Well, I'll tell you what I'll do." HE SAID, "I'LL WRITE YOU A CHECK AND HE SAID, 'IT'LL BE FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND I'LL SIGN IT FATHER.' He said, 'I'm a father.' HE SAID, 'OR I'LL SIGN IT SON.' I'M A SON. OR I'LL SIGN IT HUSBAND. I'M A HUSBAND." And Brother Frank Jones got quiet. He said, "You see, my brother, the only way that check's going to be good is if I put the name of who that account is in on it. If I sign my name to it." He said in Matthew 28, when it said, "Go you therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name, singular, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." He said, "If you're going to do that, you've got to find out what THE FATHER'S NAME IS. YOU'VE GOT to find out what the Son's name is. You've got to find out what the name of the Holy Ghost is. And I want you to know Frank Jones said, "I see that." I see that. It I don't know, it might have been the very next Sunday, but it wasn't much time at all. Brother Jones showed up at First APOSTOLIC CHURCH. WE BAPTIZED him in Jesus' name. We baptized Sister Clara Jones in Jesus' name. Baptized his family in Jesus' name. And until his death, he was one of the greatest advocates for the Jesus name apostolic message. What happened? Bishop got his attention with something in the ordinary to reveal to him the Jesus name message. This is what we must do. We must look for opportunities in a lost world to find examples to lead others to Christ. When Jesus told her about this water that you would never thirst again from, she was now intrigued. And she was already getting more than Nicodemus got. You know, Jesus, when he talked to Nicodemus, he talked to about being born again. Took Nicodemus several questions before he figured that out. She's starting to see something was going on. So Jesus then in his strategy to witness to her had to remind her of the sinful life she was living without condemning and drawing her away. For when she heard him say that this water you'll never thirst again, the woman said unto him, "Sir, this is verse 15. Give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." She said, "I WANT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT." AND JESUS said unto her, notice the strategy that Jesus is using. He said, uh, "Go, call thy husband and come hither." Jesus was wanting to send a signal first of all that this was a proper conversation going on. But also, he was asking her a leading question that was going to make her realize just what she needed deliverance from. The woman answered and said unto him, "I have no husband." And Jesus said unto her, "Thou hast well said I have no husband. For thou hast had five husbands. And he he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. And that sayest thou truly." He identified to her without condemning her that she was a sinner. He identified to her that she was living in sin. And the woman said unto him, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet." You think? He suddenly read her mail, as they say. He suddenly told her what kind of life she was living. You see, others need to perceive us as being different from the world. If you're going to be a good witness, the world needs to perceive that you're different than everybody else. Now, I'm certainly not advocating that we go around with our hands folded with a a far-away look in our eyes or and acting like we're constantly praying and and speaking in our preacher voice. Well, hallelujah, good to see you. No. But you see, Proverbs 11:13 said, "He that winneth souls is wise." How does the world perceive you when you're not in the church? Ask yourself that question. Oh God, how does the world perceive me? Well, what are the markers that they use? They use my conduct, my conversation, my honesty, my integrity, my initiative or lack thereof, my work habits, my demeanor in a difficult situation. All of these contribute to the way you're perceived in the world. A while back, I was on a an airplane on a flight and uh I was assigned to sit by a fellow and we were one of those one of those fortunate situations that it was a three-place seat. I had that the aisle seat and he had the window seat and it was open between us. Now, I I'm not one of those folks that just always want to have a conversation when we're when I'm flying, but I greeted the guy and uh as our flight, a fairly lengthy flight, was going on, begin to talk and he asked me uh what I did. I told him I was a minister, a pastor of First Apostolic Church in in Knoxville. Oh, he And he got to talking to me and he was on a journey to take care of personal affairs because he had gone through a breakup in his marriage. And uh I listened a whole lot for a long time and I I finally just told him I said, "Sir, I'm sorry you're going through this." I said, "But I know a God who can give you comfort in this situation." And I looked over to my surprise, a big old tear started running down this guy's face. And it opened the door before it was over, he asked me if I would pray with him right there on the airplane. And I got the opportunity. Now, please, I'm not saying pin a rose on my nose that I'm perfect, but this was an opportunity that I saw. I don't know if he'll ever come through the doors of our church or not, but he heard the gospel that day. I got to explain to him what being apostolic meant. I gave him a business card that had my my church address and the church telephone number. I invited him to church and I'm believing that someday I may see that guy walk right through the front door from that connection. I'm not any different than you are. You will have those opportunities sometimes. But I wonder just how different he might have reacted to me had I been belligerent and bullish getting on the plane and been hateful to the steward that was asking us if we needed anything, that you weren't getting me a diet Coke quick enough or you you're not giving me enough attention or had I had my language with expletives because I was angry about my schedule, maybe it wasn't working out right. How much How does THE WORLD PERCEIVE US? He was a soul is wise. Jesus exposed her sin to her and those words shook her to the core. Clearly he was not just another holy man. She said, "I perceive you're a prophet." She now had started thinking spiritually rather than in the physical realm. See, revelation's getting closer all the time to her. She frankly made the leap to the spiritual quicker than Nicodemus that we talked about did. She now starts realizing the degree of sin that she's living in and starts understanding the meaning of Jesus' words about living water. So, she shows also that she has some level of knowledge of history and the spiritual sense for she said in verse 20, "Our fathers worshipped in the mountains and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said in her, he gets in a a theological discussion with her. He says, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when you shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship you know not what. You know what we worship for salvation's of THE JEWS." HE STARTS GIVING a a little bit more of the revelation. Uh he starts letting her know who he is. It's not so much about the mountain experience or the Jerusalem experience, but I'm getting ready to reveal something to you. You're about to get a revelation of who I am. He said, "But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." The woman saith unto him, "I KNOW THAT THE MESSIAH COMETH." NOTICE WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. SHE'S she's getting just a little little more revelation. Don't expect those that you witness to to get it all at once. You will have to let the Lord guide you and lead you and you're going to have to be able to answer some questions. She was off on this theological John about her ancestors work worshipping in the mountains and Jesus saying, "Come worship in Jerusalem." And and she's she's again reverting back to some of the the ethnicity and the prejudices of the the Jews and the Gentiles and the Samaritans. And the woman said, "Well, yeah, and I I I I know that the Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When he's come, he will tell us all things." Revelation is here. Jesus saith unto her, "I that speak unto thee am he." What will we say today? Bang! SHE JUST GOT A REVELATION THAT JESUS HADN'T GIVEN TO ANYBODY ELSE. SHE JUST GOT THE REVELATION OF WHO JESUS REALLY WAS. LET ME TELL YOU, WHEN TRUE REVELATION COMES, THERE WILL BE NO DOUBT. IT MAY TAKE A FEW CONVERSATIONS. IT MAY BE TALKING ABOUT WELLS OR BEING BORN AGAIN, BUT REVELATION IS COMING WHEN SOMEBODY FINDS OUT WHO JESUS REALLY IS. HALLELUJAH! HE QUALIFIED THIS WOMAN WHO THOUGHT SHE WAS DISQUALIFIED BY revealing his Messianic identity to her. There was doubt in her own mind, but Jesus had brought a great revelation. In fact, her salvation was so important to Jesus that this was the first time in Jesus' earthly ministry that he directly revealed that he was the prophesied Messiah. Wow, what an experience. So, let me take us through the last three verses that we'll study from John 4, verse 27. And upon this came his disciples, his followers showed back up. And they marveled that he talked with the woman, yet no man saith, "What seekest thou?" or "Why talkest thou to with her?" The woman then left her water pot. Here's here's our revelation that she really had a revelation. The thing that she had come to do, she said, "Forget this." I've got something to testify about. The woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city and saith unto the men. Now, obviously, this woman who'd been married five times and was living with another man, she had a reputation. But now, she lays her water pot aside. Whatever her job was, I I know not what the specifics of all that was requirement, if that was a position of servitude that she was making a menial living drawing water for others or she was just trying to survive. Scripture doesn't really tell us, but I do know this, your the water pot was a valuable commodity in this culture and during this time. But you see, something more important had happened there. She didn't need a water pot anymore because she had had a revelation of life-giving water that would flow freely from her. She said, "COME SEE A MAN WHICH TOLD ME ALL things that I that ever I did. Is not THIS THE CHRIST?" SHE HAD THE REVELATION. LET ME TELL YOU, YOU'LL SEE IT WHEN FOLKS GET THE REVELATION OF WHO Jesus really is, they can't keep IT TO THEMSELVES. OH, I GOT TO TELL SOMEBODY. I GOT TO TELL MAMA. I GOT TO TELL DADDY. THOSE FOLKS THAT I USED TO RUN WITH, I NEED TO GO TELL THEM ABOUT IT. WHEN YOU FIND OUT WHO JESUS REALLY IS, SOMETHING TAKES PLACE. THERE'S AN EXCITEMENT THAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE. Do you remember when you got the Holy Ghost? Do you remember that excitement? I've got news for you, I do. For myself personally, and that excitement has never waned. I'm still thankful. No matter what happens, I remember BEING IN THE ALTAR in camp meeting up in Pontiac, Michigan when the Holy Ghost fell in the service and I went to the altar to pray and the Holy Ghost fell on me and I spoke with tongues for the first time. I want you to know that experience has never waned in my life. It's not because of who I am, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS. KEEP THE EXCITEMENT OF KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE CHRIST LIVING IN YOU. OH, HALLELUJAH. Let's never lose the wonder of salvation. Let us never forget the beauty of the revelation of the apostolic message that God has so graciously allowed us to receive. You see in I will say in conclusion, but I reserve the right to have a lengthy conclusion. We're living in a society that looks to divide, ostracize, and separate those who do not fit certain molds. But Jesus is calling us the church to reach the rejects of society. He's calling us as the church not to make value judgments that this person deserves salvation and this person doesn't. Jesus said in Luke the fourth chapter, verse 18, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me cuz he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, the recovering of sight for the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." Because of this woman's testimony, now Samaritans started coming out of the city to meet Jesus for themselves. Many of those who were not convinced by her testimony alone were convinced when they heard Jesus teach about the promised Messiah. Jesus had left Judea because the religious elite, his own people, were rejecting him. And he traveled to Samaria to let the Samaritans know that you too have the opportunity to participate in this new covenant experience. So, I say to the church, these are words that I penned. We must never allow prejudice to keep us from pointing people to Jesus. Prejudice is one of the greatest obstacles to the mission we as a church have. Allowing prejudice to control our actions and our motives can significantly hinder us from reaching people in desperate need for a savior. Yes, the early church struggled with prejudice. And this was that conflict between the Jews and the Gentiles. But the denominational world today is no different. God help us that we not have those prejudices. Our society right now, you check IT OUT. OUR SOCIETY seems to be thriving on deepening divisions between peoples or groups. Even while they call for equity, find a way to divide, a way to separate. But I've got news for you. True equality and equity only is found in Jesus. When we're baptized in this spirit, we all become become part of one body where every member is of equal value. In fact, 1 Corinthians 12 said this in verse 12, "For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized INTO ONE BODY, WHETHER we be Jew or Gentile, whether we be bond or free, and have been made to drink into one spirit, for the body is not one member, but many." What are you saying, preacher? I'm saying that we are all of Christ. We will have no divisions of ethnicity, of color, of uh country, of original origin. You see, when we're baptized into Christ, we become all part of the body of Christ. And I'll close with this last passage. John the revelator penned these words in Revelation 7:9. After this, stand with me. After this, I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number. Now, what was John the revelator talking about? What was being revealed to him concerning the end of time? He said, "This I beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of ALL NATIONS." Matters not what flag's flying. Is Jesus Lord? "And kindred, and people, and tongue stood before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands and cried with a loud voice saying, 'Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb.'" If we allow prejudice to get in the way of our ministry, this hurting world will miss out on what we have been so freely given. The nature and the plan of God is not in excluding, but it's being inclusive of the lost, of the sinner. Do we condone sin? Absolutely not. We reject sin, but we love the sinner. Do we cover and allow sin to reign? Absolutely not. God loves us too much to let us live in sin. We should reject sin and let the salvation of Christ lead us away from a sinful life. Let's choose to be like Jesus. Raise up those who are rejected and invite them to enjoy what we're enjoying. Let's pray. Jesus, I love you. Savior, I'm grateful for the opportunities that you have afforded us. Lord, for the revelation of who you are. Now God, I pray that we never make judgments against anyone, but instead, Lord, we find it in our hearts to reach out to the lost. Lord, we do not condone sin, but Lord, we do love the sinner. And God, I know that you love us too much to allow us to stay where we are. Instead, Lord, your word brings deliverance. It brings healing and most of all, it brings salvation. God, let us take advantage of every opportunity to witness. Lord, we give you praise, we give you honor, and we give you glory. For all this, we're grateful. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Sunday's Resurrection Sunday. Let's have a great time in the Lord. You're dismissed in Jesus' name. Shake hands and be friendly.