Sunday Morning Worship | Pastor Whitley

make your way back to your seat just remain standing and get your Bibles amen thankful for the spirit of the Lord that is here this morning amen It Started from the very first opening of today that the Holy Ghost has just stepped into this place and what a time we've had this last week we are looking forward to the coming days and the coming weeks ahead camp meeting make sure you get that on your calendar it's going to be a great time you don't want to miss the ministry Pastor Tim Hammond he's a fantastic a dynamic preacher and we're gonna have great ministry during the day as well get that on your calendar July 19th through the 21st go with me to Matthew chapter number three I'm going to read one verse from Matthew 3 today and then we're just going to kind of meander from Genesis all the way back to Matthew today Matthew chapter number 3 verse number 11. this is John the Baptist speaking he says I indeed baptize you someone say baptize baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoes I'm not worthy to Bear he shall baptize someone say baptize baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire I want to preach to you this morning on this thought water and fire baptism of judgment and salvation you're not going to understand what I'm talking about yet but you will all right I want you to lift up your hands and lift up your hearts and I want you to pray father I pray that there will be a spirit of understanding and Clarity and Revelation Lord and I pray that that which is revealed in your word would become revealed to your people today Lord and I pray that the seed of the word would go forth and find good ground that it might bring forth some 30 some 60 and some 100 fold God and I pray that your spirit would just just permeate this room today as it already has in Jesus name we pray and everyone said amen now why don't you clap your hands again if you're ready for the word of the Lord you can be seated water and fire baptism of judgment and salvation now I get help from commentaries and Bible dictionaries and listening to podcasts and all sorts of things to inspire my study and to help me prepare lessons and sermons but today my help has come from none other than the prophet Ron done he is uh he is he has given me commentary on something and uh I want to give honor to where honor is due and we're going to talk about some of the things he gave me today he's been bugging me for months about this and I I've been putting it together and so I want to I want to share that with you now water is a vital molecule mentioned 722 times in the Bible that's more than Faith Hope prayer and worship it is the only molecule that can lead you to heaven and to the spirit water is essential in sustaining life creating life and even taking it away water exists in three different states solid liquid and gas water can carve out continents sink ships like the Titanic and bust steel pipes in its solid form it can shut down a significant portion of America by freezing over roads and power lines additionally water and its solid state preserves objects in ice for thousands of years while in its liquid form it could carve out natural wonders like the Grand Canyon water is the most abundant molecule on earth and the only one that can float in its solid form its liquid form is vital for Global transportation and Supply Chain management water is also known for its strength as it can support massive amounts of weight it can soothe us with gentle trickling sounds and it can also create loud noises like 100 decibel waterfalls water is necessary for various activities like washing our clothes and cooking and cleansing ourselves it cools us down and it cools down the engines in our cars and Manufacturing facilities water is essential for photosynthesis separating light waves to supply the plant with the correct light wave at the right time electricity production uses water through different methods such as hydropower coal nuclear and gas water plays a crucial role in Precision cutting tools and materials through high pressure cutting techniques simply put water is important water can create life and water can take life now we we go back to the Book of Genesis after Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden life unexpectedly continued for them God told them that the day that they eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil that they would die but unexpectedly they didn't die and people who say the Old Testament doesn't have any Grace really don't know the Bible all that well because right here we see grace displayed for they did not get what they deserved something took their place something innocent took the Judgment so they could have the Salvation my God I'm preaching already and they are expelled from the garden but yet they live on and God tells them to be fruitful and to multiply they have two strapping boys Cain the firstborn was a man of the field Abel the youngest was a shepherd there came a moment when they were to present their offerings their sacrifices unto the Lord Cain's offering wasn't accepted to God but Abel's offering was accepted God warned Cain that sin was crouching at the door ready to seize him and that's exactly what happened Cain murdered his brother in a fit of jealousy sin had gone from Simply disobeying a command to not eat from a particular tree all the way now to murder because if you give sin an inch it will take a mile it'll go from a serpent to a tiger in one chapter violence and evil spread like fire in the following Generations man fashioned every evil and Despicable thing imaginable now listen nobody can blame television or the internet or video games for sins expansion we want to put the blame on everything else but ourselves Man became a slave to sin because it submitted itself to sin and sin brothers and sisters is a ruthless task master sin increased to the point that it grieved God's heart scripture says that God regretted that he had even made man in the first place it got so bad that God decided to Reign down judgment God was going to clear the Earth of every living thing and God just say this it is a fearful thing to think of God's long-suffering and mercy wearing thin he is long-suffering and he is merciful but his mercy and his long-suffering can't wear thin and that's exactly what happened he said I'm going to destroy the Earth I'm going to bring judgment and I'm going to bring judgment through water I will wipe off the face of the Earth with water but the Bible says in chapter number 6 of Genesis and verse number 8 that Noah found Grace in the eyes of God the love and grace of God reached down into the depths of sin and found a man and gave him a plan can I tell you that you can find Grace in this Society you can find Grace where there is evil in a place where sin abounded Grace did the much more about is anybody thankful for God's Grace today that he found you when you are in the depths of darkness and you are in the depths of addiction and you are in the depths of the consequences of your actions but yet the grace of God came looking for you and he found a man and he found a woman and he found a family I wish somebody would thank God for Grace this morning you found Grace what is Grace it's the unmerited favor of God there's no Grace in the Old Testament we already got two places right here Grace is all over the Old Testament he said he found Grace verse 9 says Noah was a just man perfect in his generation and walk with God you want to know the recipe for blessing and success be righteous be blameless and walk with God you want to know how to find favor in your life you want to know how to find favor with God Walk contrary to the world that's around you if you want to find blessing and success and favor be righteous be blameless and walk with God don't walk with the world but walk with God don't walk with the culture walk with I wish somebody was helping me this morning [Applause] come on there can be a people right here in 2023 who can still live righteously and blameless and walk with God you don't have to let the society and the culture around you dictate your morals but you can say as from me in my house we will serve the Lord somebody say Amen Noah found Grace why the world was about to experience God's judgment I'm going to bring flood waters Noah upon the Earth okay Lord what are you going to do you're just going to go ahead and get me a spaceship and lift me out of here how are we going to do this no the waters that destroys everybody is going to be the waters that save you God have mercy you see what's gonna kill them is going to save you I'm not taking you out of here I'm keeping you here I'm going to baptize you oh I wish somebody was helping me right now what's going to destroy the Earth with water I'm Gonna Save You with water here's what you got to do and you got to follow the plan Noah build the ark here's the size here's the dimensions here's the height here's what kind of wood you have to use here's how many doors it has to have one build it to plan now God don't you know this is a desert yeah I know that don't you think it'd be easier if I used Walnut no you see Noah didn't tell God how to be saved wouldn't it just be easier if you just took me out of here and all I had to do is just simply say all right and you're just going to do it no no you're gonna have to do something Bill and art and if you don't build the ark according to plan you're going to sink with the rest of everybody else he said now I want you to pitch it within and without this is amazing brothers and sisters the word pitch this tar-like substance that Noah was to put on the outside of the boat and on the inside of the boat the word pitch in the Hebrew means atonement it's the same word that's used on the day of atonement found at the Tabernacle and so basically this is what God is saying to Noah if you want to come through the waters you're going to have to be atoned on the inside and the outside now the word what does the word atonement mean the word atonement means reconciled what do you mean reconcile what's reconciliation mean it means that two parties who are at once at enmity come together and are made right now if you look at our word atone in the English it's made up of two words at one you missed it you missed it the word atonement means reconciliation and our English word atone is made up of two words at one in other words this is what God was telling Noah if you want to be reconciled with me and be saved through the Judgment you're going to have to be at one on the inside and the outside can I tell you reconciliation is more than just the interior of the man it's the whole man it's the whole person God wants you to be reconciled with him on the inside and on the outside oh if you're going to be at one here's how you're going to do it you're gonna have to have the blood applied to your life when the when they on the day of atonement the blood of an innocent animal had to be applied to The Mercy Seat it was a propitiation and the word propitiation found in Romans chapter number three is the word in the Greek of the Hebrew Old Testament is the word mercy seat so Christ became the mercy seat for us so we can be reconciled with him and not only that Paul writes in Ephesians that we can be one with another and so can I tell you we just can't be in Oneness believing in that he is one we've got to be Oneness with others we've got to be reconciled with him and we need to be reconciled one to another uh how can you walk in light and you hate your brother John said you can't be why because when you're reconciled unto God you're reconciled to other people meaning you forgive them and you love them oh pitched with atonement on the inside and the outside that's how you're going to float that's how you're going to keep the waters from getting in that's how you're going to keep judgment from getting inside the boat that's how you're going to keep the world from getting inside of you you don't want to sink in this in this generation be reconciled unto God make sure your life is pitched within and without with atonement I wish somebody's helping me today my God have mercy now what does this mean you're talking about judgment and salvation for the waters that judge the world it was salvation for Noah and his family what are you trying to say by the name I'm trying to tell you that baptism is the thing that saves us and it also is going to be the thing that judges the world Peter wrote this first Peter 3 20 and 21. he talks about Noah which sometime we're disobedient when Once the long-suffering of God waited he's waiting on you waiting on us to do what get in the boat in the days of Noah while the ark Was preparing wherein few that is eight Souls were saved by water so Peter tells us that he judged the world with water and yet he was saved by water well God have mercy what are you trying to say how's that talk about baptism he says the light figure whereunto even baptism doth also now saves us can I tell you when you get in that water you're walking in newness of life you're walking into salvation Jesus said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be what judged damn baptism is not just something that you add on to baptism isn't some option for you oh no Noah you're going to get in the water and it's going to save you it's gonna judge everybody else but it's going to save you Peter makes it clear he goes on and says this not the putting away or the filth of the flesh meaning he says this water up here this water you're getting into in baptism isn't washing away the dirt from your flesh but it is a good conscience toward God so before you get baptized before you get in Christ you have a bad conscience filled with guilt and shame because of your sin and so when you get into the Waters of baptism the old life is passed away the life of Shame and guilt and confusion and now you're getting into the baptism of waters that cleanses you all with somebody with self and Mira it's more than just joining a church it's more than just doing some type of ritual it's a cleansing of your inner self he says we're washed we're saved through this look what Paul says in Romans 6. know you not that so many of us as we're baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk in newness of life now droughts and arid environments kill but water brings life the Arid life of sin destroyed us but the Waters of baptism yield new life now what happens after Noah and his family come through it several weeks later they come out and it's a new Earth there's coming a day brothers and sisters where there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth therefore the figure of baptism means we are crossing over from the old life into new life and newness alive and old things are passed away if somebody's thankful for the Waters of baptism you ought to clap your hands you ought to lift up your voice and thank God that he waited for you to get in the boat you better thank God he waited for you to get in [Applause] somebody say Amen let's go on a little bit let me show you a couple more things there's another Old Testament figure that shows us the judgment and salvation theme Here Moses might be the central figure of the Old Testament and his name Moses in Hebrew means drawn out drawn out of what when we meet Moses as a baby he's being put into an ark to do what save him why because Pharaoh had told that the Hebrews were to take all of their children the new born children and drowned them in the Nile River so innocent children were killed in water and yet we have Moses who means drawn out what are you trying to say pharaoh meet Moses and when Moses and Aaron show up 40 some years later 80 years later what's the first plague the Nile turned into you see that Nile was already filled with blood of innocent little children and now Moses has come back to tell Pharaoh the very first plague we're going to show you from God that we are his people we're going to plague the waters with blood oh God have mercy what's the last plague on their way out into the Exodus it's the blood it's the Passover Lamb Of An Innocent lamb and there's judgment from pharaoh and his God said vengeance is mine vengeance is mine I'll tell you what I'll do I'll take that which was evil and I'll turn it around [Music] now listen y'all y'all think I'm crazy right now Look What the Lord tells pharaoh through Moses before the first plague in Exodus chapter number seven he says the Lord God of the Hebrews have you ever wondered what the word Hebrews meant you know who they are but what does it mean I wanted to know so I went and did a little study this week the name Hebrews means to cross over or Traverse through in the Bible it seems to have primarily referred to those who traversed water Abraham came from beyond the river Euphrates and we'll see in just a few moments they the people of Israel cross through the Red Sea and when they enter into the promised land of Canaan they cross over the river Jordan in other words God is telling Pharaoh I'm taking my people who've crossed over into a new land I'm taking them oh yeah they're the people of crossing over there are people of coming through can I tell you we have been grafted in to this root and we are going to cross oh I was somebody hi I'm taking my people but before I go I'm gonna curse your water with blood and the last thing we're going to do before they leave we're gonna put blood and when I see the blood I will pass over you it's salvation for them but it's judgment for you so when they leave I'm going somewhere when they leave they start making their way out of Egypt Pharaoh's heart is hardened once again and he goes chasing after them and they get to a Red Sea and they stand there pharaoh and as chariots coming and what does the Lord tell Moses stretch forth your hand towards the waters and we're going to cross through to the other side and we're going to be victorious water's part and they walk through on dry ground and they get to the other side and here comes pharaoh and his band and his army and they're chasing them and they get in the water and God says guess what it was salvation for you foreign but it's about to be judgment for them stretch forth your hand Moses and Moses stretched forth his hand and pharaoh and his chariots were swept up in the waters that saved Moses and the Hebrews can I tell you Paul would write we've been baptized into Christ just as they were baptized into Moses [Applause] come on we didn't make this stuff up we didn't come up with this stuff on our own God has been showing us from the Old Testament into the new that baptism said size [Applause] crossing over now I don't think I don't think the devil is chasing you into the baptismal thing it could be possible but you know what I think chases us into the Waters of baptism our old life that old conscience that old way of thinking that old sinful nature Paul would say can I just read it to you oh Lord Jesus have mercy can I just read it to you this is what Paul would say and he would say this in in Romans I'm going way ahead of myself here uh brother Derek Oxon may have looked over it uh he says this in Romans chapter number six I'm going to read it to you because it's so important that you don't miss what's happening here when we are baptized in Christ we are dying out to the old man oh Lord now he says this what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that Grace May abound God forbidden how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein know ye not that so many of us as we're baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death now when you read the book of Romans and I'm in the Book of Romans for months now but chapter number three and chapter number four and chapter number five is faith faith like Abraham and it's death to sin chapter number five chapter number six he says we've been baptized into Christ Faith repentance baptism and then when we get to chapter number eight he says that the spirit of God the spirit of Christ is in you and he said if you don't have the spirit you are none of his so when we see here and three four and five of Romans is death to the old man and then in chapter six we're baptized crossing over repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall Romans chapter 8 receive the gift of the Holy Ghost so it's not the devil chasing you into the waters it's your old man your old life's saying come on just stay where you are just stay how you are stay religious stay sinful just stay traditional but you say oh no I've died after that goodbye I'm getting into the Waters of baptism and crossing over into new whoa God have mercy I got one more is that all right y'all ready you okay the same Waters that save the Hebrews judged Egypt so when we get to the New Testament I got a whole I got a whole bunch more stuff but I just know we're low on time when we meet John the Baptist he comes preaching repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand well who are you I'm preparing the way of the one who is to come what's John's baptism John's baptism is Preparatory for the coming Messiah it's unto repentance but he says there's one coming who's going to baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire now when Jesus shows up the Messiah the prophet the anointed one he comes to John to be baptized and John the Baptist says well no you need to be baptized in me and Jesus said no all righteousness must be fulfilled so even though he was without sin he was baptized he is just wait what river did they cross over to the Jordan River into Canaan that was Joshua so Jesus Yeshua as the new Joshua comes into the Jordan River getting right across everybody over onto the problem Oh God have mercy now let me ask you something if Jesus who was without sin needed to be baptized what say you what say you I'm telling you something it's not an option it's not an add-on to you must be born again of the water and of thus foreign now what does it mean to be baptized with the spirit John said he's going to baptize you with the Holy Ghost hand with fire the word baptized means to be filled up or to be or to be dropped down or to be immersed how can you be immersed in the spirit you're immersed in the spirit externally and internally and so what John was saying I'm baptizing you in water but there's one who's about to baptize you with something that's called fire and the spirit and you're not is going to be immersed in it he's going to be immersed in you are you hearing what I'm saying we're baptized into Christ in baptism but when you get the Holy Ghost he comes inside of you I wish somebody would praise him right now I wish somebody would praise him right now that when you got baptized you were put in Christ but when you receive the spirit he got in I will somebody praise him I wish somebody would praise him I wish somebody would Praise Him [Applause] stand to your feet come on dumb preaching I'm telling you right now this is not some made up thing made up in a corner hot Toyota [Music] I got a whole bunch more but he caught up it was the prophet Malachi who promised that a messenger would come and that was John but he also mentioned in chapter number three of his prophetic book and chapter number four that the Holy Spirit the fire of God was going to be a refiner and a destroyer so when you get baptized with a spirit it doesn't mean you're perfect it means the Holy Ghost inside of you is perfect refining you I believe Paul said this because I've been praying for you Galatians that you might be formed so the Holy Spirit refines you discipleship is a lifetime of the spirit refining you with its fire but Peter wrote can I show it to you chapter number three beginning at verse number one he said in his first epistle that baptism saves us now his Second Epistle he said now I write unto you and both which I stir you up your pure Minds by way of remembrance that you'd be mindful of The Words which were spoken by the holy prophets and the Commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Savior knowing this first that's there shall come in the last day scoffers saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation verse 5. for this they willingly are ignorant of that by the word of God the heavens were of old and they are standing out of the what in the water whereby the world that then was being overflowed he's talking about Noah again with the water perished but the heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment against all ungodly men what's he saying he's saying that the holy spirit that is in you is fire unto your salvation but there's coming a day where there will be fire that comes down and it will be judgment and that's why it's important for you brothers and sisters not to play around not to argue not to debate but say how can I get in the waters and how can I get the spirit [Music] yeah I'm closing I'm telling you something this book is fire to me this book is fire to me when I open this book up it comes alive like nothing else does and I see things that we've heard preached for years and we just assume and we just take for granted but God said I've hidden these things throughout my word but the Shadow the symbols mean nothing without the substance I will not preach an empty baptism I will not preach a ritualistic baptism I believe in none of this is even important without Jesus Christ we must preach Jesus and him crucified and raised from the dead and the response will always be men in brethrench what shall we do [Music] the Old Testament figures and pictures were pictures and types of Jesus Christ and his work oh yeah you see he's the second Adam whose perfect obedience brought about the free gift of Grace and righteousness to give us the new creation like Abel he brought the acceptable sacrifice of blood that cries out for mercy on our behalf like Noah he Faithfully obeyed all righteousness and Built the Ark of Salvation and pitched it within and without with his atoning blood to reconcile us to God and to one another he's a better Moses leading us out of sin slavery under the Covenant Promises of Abraham Isaac Jacob and David all the promises all the covenants all the blessings are in him but you must believe in him you must repent and turn towards him you must cross through the waters of baptism so you can be in him then you must receive the spirit so he can be in you somebody lift up your hands right now [Music] I wonder if somebody's ready I wonder if somebody's ready if you want the Holy Ghost that's here if you want to be baptized we'll do it if you want this salvation it's for you I wonder there's somebody who'll lift up their hands lift up their voice and say I believe it I received it and now I glory in him [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] hold it so you're gonna make it home [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] of the Holy Ghost yeah [Music] bye yeah [Music] the power of the Holy Ghost is in this house I came to tell somebody your intellects already received it now what's your spirit telling you if you haven't been baptized in the name of Jesus today is the day to take on his name that saving name in baptism this is not formed this is not ritual this is the word of God preached under the anointing power if you haven't been baptized in Jesus name if you'll make your way up right now I've got a man that will baptize you in Jesus name I'm going to give you just a moment it's already been appealed to your intellect you can't say you hadn't heard it you can't say you don't understand it no Theologian can refute it if they're honest in integrity and what the word of the Lord has been preached to us today now when you receive and Obey it's your opportunity I want the praise team to sing one more time and I want us to pray that the power of the Holy Ghost would touch every person in this house if you're in this place and you've not yet received the Holy Ghost receive ye the Holy Ghost in Jesus name [Music] [Applause] [Music] hey [Applause] [Music] [Music] that's it right now in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus name right now in Jesus name [Applause] [Music] [Music] my friends [Music] [Music] [Music] baptized [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yeah that's right that's right that's right [Applause] fire fire hallelujah hallelujah lift your hands and love Jesus right now would you love him right now hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah