♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Come on put your hands together let the world know that Jesus Christ is Lord come on church of our Lord Jesus Christ let's give the Lord the highest praise. I want to welcome amen to the Centennial celebration of the church of Jesus Christ of the apostolic faith incorporated and the Lord has blessed us in a marvelous way and we want to welcome all of our viewers who are viewing us over live streaming and the Word Network, amen, you are in for a treat, amen. Call a friend and call a neighbor and let them know that the church of our Lord Jesus Christ is on the air. ♪ Church of our Lord Jesus Christ we also want to give a warm thank you to Mr. Kevin Adele and David shelffield of the Word Network for supplying them with this time and thank God and come on let's give them some love. God bless you as you remain standing Bishop Davis from North Carolina will come and lead us in prayer. >> Everyone take the hand of someone that is right beside you. And as we pray open your mouth now and offer God the fruit of your lips, tell him how much you love him and how much he means to you. Lord before we say anything we have to say thank you. Thank you for life, health, strength, thank you for every blessing, thank you for your sacrifice at calvary and thank you for the power of the Holy Ghost that resonates inside of us and thank you God for one hundred year, thank you for the spirit of celebration that is in the at atmosphere right now God is so grateful and thank you and we love you and we honor you right now but Lord we didn't come just to celebrate, oh, God, we came for gospel revival, we came for deliverance, we came for healing, b we we came for a breakthrough and miracles signs and wonders God have your way in this place. Send your anointing upon every heart and mind but Lord not only here but everybody that is watching oh, godsend revival right now, send deliverance to the burned and the broken the sick and afflicted the drug addicted the homeless and stand in need right now send help my God from the sanctuary and strength out of Zion and not in this moment but God send revival across the air waves and send revival into every city, send revival into every community. Send revival to Africa. Send revival to the United Kingdom. Send revival to the Caribbean. Send revival to save and deliver to the utter most God save, anoint our worship now, bless oh, God those that will save, bless the man of God that will bring forth the word God anoint him and energize him that the word might go forth for deliverance tonight. Lord let no one leave this place, let no one leave this television or their communication device, oh, God untouched by your anointing,ed God do it now and we trust you and we believe you and we honor you in Jesus' name, even will say give God your best praise right now. Hallelujah glory be to God, hallelujah. As you remain standing we will have the reading from Westerly Taylor junior in the name of Jesus Christ. We read Matthew the 16th chapter the 17-19 verse very familiar passage and Jesus answerered and said on to them bless Joan that for flesh and blood and not revealed it on to thee but my father which is in Heaven and I say on to thee that thou out Peter and upon this rock will I build my church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shall find on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever what thou shall loose in earth shall be loose in Heaven hence ends the reading of the Holy scripture. God bless you come on give God some praise you may be seated if the presence of the Lord. ♪ And once again to our viewers and to all of those amen who gave us this great opportunity to come in your homes and we thank you and we are the church of our Lord Jesus Christ of the apostolic incorporated in New York at Adam Platon junior Boulevard and we thank God for each and every one of you and our presidel apostle apostle James R Clark junior come on let's give God a praise for our presiding apostle. [ Applause ] We praise and thank God for the great leadership of this great man of God, praise and thank God for our apostle in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, I've come to tell you tonight, amen, that you are in the right place at the right time. Promise you you may not want to move from where you are because God has a blessing for you. I believe that God is going to set the captive free tonight. I believe that sitting on your couch the Lord is going to fill you with the gift of the Holy Ghost. Come on here somebody. With the evidence of speaking in tongue, amen, and we believe that God is going to do something great in your life on this evening. At this time receive our choir, the church of our Lord Jesus Christ international choir as they come. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ Applause ] Put your hands together and give God praise, praise him from every mountain, praise him from every valley, praise him because he is a great God. ♪ ♪ In every organization that has mastered for one hundred years, there has to be great leadership. And on tonight is my esteemed honor to present to you the leadership of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm going to start with our apostles and when I call your name please stand, we will ask you to hold your applause for last. Region one, apostle Henry and Diane Moultrie. [ Cheers and applause ] Region two, apostle Robert and Denise sanders. Apostle or region three, apostle Fred and Theresa Ruben. Region four, our presiding apostle James and Shirley Laraine Clark. Region five, apostle Raymond and Joan Peters. Region six, apostle James and florence May. Region seven, apostle Matthew Norwood. Region eight apostle Walter and Margaret Jackson. Region nine, yours truly, apostle Brad and Norma Berry. Region ten, apostle Gentlerover. Region 11, apostle Herbert Edwards. Region 12, apostle Armani Parsons. Honorary apostle TE-woodford. Honorary apostle Ronnie and Phyllis Carter and apostle Dwayne Johnson and lady Johnson. God bless you. Let's put our hands together for the regional apostles. [ Applause ] Great men of God with great integrity and they are the engine that powers the machine that is known as the church of our Lord Jesus Christ and of course they have individuals that serve them and bless them, assist them, work with them, give their time, talent and resources to make this international organization what it is and at this time I'd like to introduce to you our international carpet of the Lord Jesus Christ, apostles, you may be seated. And we can do better than that. Come on put your hands together and bless them, encourage them. Let them know how much we love them. [ Applause ] International cabinet of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ we are going to begin with our board of Bishops and our chairmen of the international board of Bishops is Bishop David Maxwell. [ Applause ] Lady Maxwell please stand if you are here, God bless you. The executive secretary. For a station identification our executive secretary Bishop Elijah Solomon and lady Solomon stand if you are here. Our national attorney, Jackie Stober Sticks stand if you are here, international Deacons and Paul Johnson, our international missionary department mother Jenkins our international Deacons wives guild Dr. Cheryl Johnson our international women's Council Dr. Shannon Smith. Our international Congress, Deacon mark Roles our ABYPU elder mark Perrin. Our Sunday school department superintendent Deloris Griffin and global missions mother Francis D Darby and social juste elder van Adams. International department of music and arts, minister mark Michael Clark and Michelle Lastly, department of evangelism and federation of apostle professionals, professor Hayward Gill church of Christ Bible institute Bishop Charles Wright and Dr. Robert Spelman and the president of the WL binder college Dr. Elaine Mcqueen come on and put your hands together and praise God for these great servants. [ Applause ] We want to also remind you that we have an international board of elders that works diligently as pastors and servants around the continental United States and the global and we thank God so much for the international chairman Willie Shy. [ Applause ] And how can we forget the bridge that is over and the wonderful wonderful woman of God that have given us so much of their time, their talent, their finances, our golden beings all of our seniors, if you are here tonight just stand for our seniors and they are under the direction of mother woods, our seniors God bless you. [ Applause ] Once again this is the international cabinet and the international board of apostles for the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, we love you, we appreciate you, we bless you, now everybody put your hands together and show them love. [ Applause ] God bless you. Take your seat. Let's see what we do. We have many, many areas in which we serve, we have many things that we do, we are a diverse organization and this time I want you to look at the video to see what we do as churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are the church of our Lord Jesus Christ of the apostolic faith incorporated established in 1919 by RC Johnson and cool J celebrating one hundred years of excellence and ministry operating under the junction of the Holy spirit as poured out on the day of Pentecost and continuing steadfastly in the apostle doctrine. Cool JC has grown into a leading apostolic organization spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ across five continents and 14 countries worldwide this is the Lord's doing and it's marvelous in our eyes North America. South America. Africa. Europe. And Asia. ♪ I got my mind made up and I won't turn back because I want to see my Jesus some day ♪ Everybody, Inc. ♪ I got my mind made up and I won't turn back because I want to see my Jesus some day ♪ ♪ I've got my mind made up and I won't turn back ♪ ♪ Because I want to my Jesus some day ♪ Goo Good-bye. Goo Good-bye. ♪ I stand with you ♪ ♪ I made up my mind and go God's way ♪ ♪ I made up my mind to go that way ♪ Yes, we are the voice crying out in the wilderness. Our mission is to Evan the word for Jesus Christ and every believer to be true Disciples of Christ and to engage the social problems that challenge the communities we have been called to serve, cool JC is real, relevant and revolutionary movement reaching souls through evangelism education and global mission and social justice. Over the course of one hundred years cool JC has and continues to be blessed with leadership, our current presider is the Honorable gene R Clark junior and Bishop Lee Bonner has a blessing plan and we accept the challenge to add to it and today cool JC has established more than one thousand churches domestically and Internationally and we have two Bible colleges accredited schools and missions, hospitals and clinics throughout the world including Africa, south America, India, central America and the West Indies. Cool JC is one of the premier apostilic on the front lines and cool JC sponsored legislation to combat mass incarceration starvation segregation and discrimination working together we build places of refuge and our congregations consist of diverse people from many nations baptized in one body we are the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, would you like to help further our international ministry we invite you again today at cool JC.org for more information and to locate a refuge near you visit WWW.cool JC.org. Put your hands together as we celebrate one hundred years preaching, teaching and reaching the world for Christ. God bless you. We are going to have to be blessed with a selection from our choir and we are going to prepare our hearts to give. Choir bless us and then the next voice you hear will be that of apostle Fred Ruben. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, put your hands together. ♪ ♪ Hallelujah. ♪ ♪ ♪ Hallelujah. ♪ ♪ Just want to say two words. ♪ ♪ What a joy it is to be here celebrating one hundred years of victory of blessings of God's anointing. What a joy it is to be a part of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the apostolic faith with the privilege to share God's word the privilege to worship, the privilege to praise. And I'm so glad that God is I believe the scripture is alfa and omega, able to do, able to bless, able to provide, able to command victory, able to bring down those high places, able to exault those valleys aren't you glad you are a part of the church of Jesus Christ and aren't you glad you are here tonight to celebrate one hundred years, one hundred years of the blessings of the Lord flowing into our lives. Well, I heard a message this morning, this afternoon and said if we do our part God would do his part. I want you to look around this coliseum, I want you to know we are able to thank the Word Network for donating this time, the coliseum didn't see it quite that way. We have bills to pay. We have obligations to meet. And then as you watch the video you saw that we have a variety of places where we invest in the kingdom. Home mission, global mission. Education, evangelism, our social justice department and you and I need to be pleased to have the privilege to invest in the kingdom of the Lord. You and I are blessed because we have that opportunity and when we give as a group I'm always of the belief that we ought to have a goal, we ought to see something that we want to accomplish and of course the goal should be what lofty and attainable and see folks here tonight and can give online, there are apps they can go to www.cool JC.org there is a place to give there and for those of you that did not bring enough cash there are folks here that will allow you to swipe your credit card. But what should our goal be tonight? I've got a figure of $50,000. Please, please. [ Applause ] And that means if we simply average $10 we have our $50,000 but the point is somebody is not going to have that ten and I'm looking at all these rich preachers, don't these preachers look rich? Thank the Lord for all these rich preachers. They look so distinguished, they look so rich, each of them is going to give $50. And all of you rich folks out there your hope is your endeavor is to give $20 and if you simply can't do that you're going to find that $10 to add but you and I are working together and we do our part God will do his. So why don't you find that money and put it into your hand, all these rich preachers are finding that $50 and the rich preachers out there you're going to find your $50 just because you are sitting there doesn't mean you are not rich and it doesn't mean that you don't have the opportunity, praise the Lord. I took my $50 and I looked at lady Ruben I didn't know how much she had so I had money to give her as well and you husbands, you better check with your wives, you might have to give for them as well. But everybody find what you're going to give. I believe that I'm trying to look around, we are going to be serving the folks or are they going to be walking? They are going to be served, we are going to be passing the basket and those that have the opportunity to swipe could you just make yourself available where you are? Could you take that $50, that $20 that $10 in the back, those that want to use a credit card, there is an opportunity for you to do that in the back. Could you take what you have before the Lord and tell him thank you? Lord, we thank you tonight because if it wasn't for you we would have nothing. But if it wasn't for you we would have nothing to bring but you have blessed us, you provided for us and we feel the privilege, the opportunity to invest in your kingdom. We are taking what we have and saying to you you have been good to us, we are saying we want to be a part of this great organization, we want to be a part of investing in the work of the Lord. And Lord I know that as we give with that cheerful spirit you're going to bless, oh, yes, you are going to bless, you are going to bless and return ten fold and 40 fold, a hundred fold, I claim this right now in Jesus' wonderful name we pray, we are going to be served, the choir is going to give us a selection and let us invest, take that $50, take that $20 if need be just a 10 but let's invest in the work of the Lord. We shall be served. Again if you want to give via the credit card just go towards the back. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ Applause ] Hallelujah. Those that are watching at home, those who are sitting here, they have the apps listed where you can continue to give online. God bless you. We thank you for your sharing. You have something to give on tonight put your hands together and praise God for our giving. [ Applause ] We are so grateful to have an international cabinet and a board of apostles and Bishops but there is a group that is always working behind the scenes, they work 24/7 over time, they burn the midnight oil. And I'm talking about none other than an international convention committee. Let's put our hands together for Bishop William Wilkins and doctrine, please stand. [ Applause ] And any members of the convention committee if you are here raise your hand and let me see where you are, they are working all over and doing all those things that go behind the scenes to make it what it is tonight and God bless you Dr. Williams and Dr. Johnson. Our founder Bishop RC Larson was a preacher, a pastor, an author and prolific song writer and on together we thought it honoring to do a very special music tribute to our founder Bishop RC La Larsons directed by Dr. Jennifer McCarol and our international department of music. Please come and bless us. ♪ [ Applause ] ♪ ♪ Those of you that know the song, please sing along. This is heritage. This is how we came along, how we remember our founder. This is a song that he wrote and there are many songs and the words of his name should be praised. ♪ ♪ A lot of people say his name shall praised but no it should be and we will make sure tonight his name is praised. ♪ I found the God of Israel and the God of Jacob too ♪ ♪ I found the God to pull Daniel through ♪ ♪ I found the God that moses had from the rock that came and praise the Lord I am so glad that Jesus is his name ♪ ♪ Oh, his name ♪ ♪ His name is his name ♪ ♪ The name of the Lord is the mighty God the name is his name ♪ ♪ The name is his name ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, it is ♪ ♪ Gave us glory ♪ ♪ ♪ Another song he wrote, God is great, Bishop how many am I supposed to do? ♪ In the Heaven above, in the world he established ♪ ♪ The glory of Calvary ♪ ♪ ♪ Worthy is the land from the foundation of the world. ♪ ♪ ♪ Jesus Christ my Savior he set me free ♪ ♪ I have never seen ♪ ♪ Died for my Salvation on my Calvary ♪ ♪ Worthy is the lamb ♪ ♪ Oh, worthy is the lamb ♪ ♪ Worthy is the lamb ♪ ♪ With the king of kings ♪ ♪ He was born ♪ ♪ ♪ Come on put your hands together let's give God a praise. Once again my brothers and my sisters you are looking live at the Centennial celebration of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ of the apostolic faith incorporated. Apostle Dr. James R Clark junior is our presiding apostle and we praise and thank God, amen, that you are tuned in to this great apostolic church how many folks in the house happy to be apostolic? How many folks proud to be apostolic? We can say there is one way to God, baptized in Jesus' name, anybody been baptized in Jesus' name? Anybody fill with the gifts of the Holy Ghost? I wish I could get to the Holy Ghost gifts folks to jump up on their feet and give God some praise, would you jump up on your feet and give God some praise, let the world know who we are. We are a hand clapping, a foot stomping, tongue talking, intercostal apostolic church, can we hear some noise apostolic and let the world know who we are. Come on give God praise. ♪ Yep, you are looking at some baptized believers. And we want you to know that you can be saved and delivered by the power of the Holy Ghost because we were all messed up. Anybody in here was ever messed up? Amen. But when my Savior found me and put his arms around me, all the joy that came to me, anybody got joy on the inside? Anybody got joy on the inside? Anybody got joy on the inside? Come on give God a praise. Oh, glory be to God. Before you take your seat, amen, just let somebody know I've got joy in my mouth. I've got joy in my heart, I've got joy in my soul. And if you mess around I'll show you the joy in my seat. Oh, yes, Lord. Hallelujah. I feel like praising the Lord in here. I said I feel like praising the Lord in here. I feel like giving God some praise in here. Can we take about 60 seconds and give God some praise? Can we give some apostolic and give God some praise? ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, Lord. Let's be redeemed in the Lord. The hands of the enemy. Come on put your hands together, come on. ♪ ♪ Do we have a victory? Do we have a victory? Can we tell the world that we've got the victory? Whoa, yes, Lord. Oh, glory be to God. We want the Lord to know we have the victory. Everybody say. Come on apostolic. Everybody say. Let me hear you say it again. Everybody say. ♪ ♪ ♪ I got to say somebody is going to be healed. Somebody is going to be delivered. They better leave us alone and glory be to God and sit down and act like we are on TV. Oh, yeah. ♪ ♪ You will feel the presence of the Lord but we need to let the world know who we are, we are a hand clapping, foot stomping, tongue talking, intercostal, apostolic church. Oh, yes, Lord. Hallelujah. There go Abraham running. Somebody got to run if their seat right about now. Oh, yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Again, for all of you who are just joining us, the reason we are praising God, we are praising God for one hundred years of apostolic victory. We got to move. But before you sit down, aman, sit down and say victory. God bless you. Regarding apostle is going to come at this time and introduce our presider and after him will be the Gover boys, amen, with a selection, amen but we can keep on praising God in here because when the praises go up, the blessings come down. Anybody need a blessing? Y'all are restricted by time. We have 8 to 10 and it's 9:16 and we still have to preach. Praise his Holy name, praise his Holy name. I'm so privileged tonight to have the honor of introducing to some and presenting to others this great man of God, apostle Dr. James Clark junior whom I've known for any number of years married to the lady Shirley Clark the father of three children, four grands and one great and here is a man who for the last 50 years has been a senior pastor of Christ temple church and what a marvelous job he has done in the Harlem area. [ Applause ] This is his second time around being the presiding prelate of the church of our church apostolic church incorporated reaching number four and the director of our social justice department. And again what a job he has done with that, bringing to various communities and especially the church of our Lord and resurrecting and need us to reach out and touch our community in positive ways, changing laws that are depressive laws, that are oppressive and laws that are still on the book that do not free our communities to do what we need to do and so I want to thank him for taking that lead within the church of our Lord Jesus Christ of apostolic faith. [ Applause ] He takes seriously proverb3, 31:9 speaks of judging fairly, defending the rights of the poor and the needy and this is evident by his involvement in the city of New York and his involvement on a national level. So apostle Clark let me thank you for bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ alive. It is not simply important for us to say so, it's also important for us to do things in our needed community and he has addressed those and tonight he comes to preach the word of God and ask you to open your heart and receive our prelate and I would ask you after the pastor voice comes would you please stand to your feet and let's honor this great prelate of our organization. Praise the Lord, hallelujah. Mic check praise the Lord. Check one, two, hallelujah. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I don't believe it, I don't believe he has brought me this far. And he will never leave me. He will never leave me. You want to tell somebody he will never leave you. He will never for sake you. For the rest of your life. Praise the Lord everybody. Praise the Lord everybody. Now if it looks like we are having a party or write about it we are celebrating one hundred years of preaching the apostolic gospel message and I happen to have spend already 83 years so you know I'm happy. You know I'm having a good time. Let's give the Lord another praise, everybody. [ Applause ] And I will say it now please have your seats. We are in a phase here of giving in the nature of this celebration where we are time conscious and I want to be respectful of that unless as the old timers used to say the Holy Ghost says otherwise. Again I'm so delighted to be here, I want to honor the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lord of my life, I thank God for every blessing, his grace has been lavished upon me and my family and lovely wife Shirley Loraine Clark and my son and daughter Rhonda, we have four grand daughters and we have three, amen, four grandchildren. And so we have been around a little while and God has been gracious to us and we are so very, very thankful. If you would I'd like you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, Ephesians chapter five. And I'm going to read from versus 1-21. Let us pray. Lord, Jesus Christ, we worship you tonight and magnify your Holy name thank you for the gift of life and the gift of ever lasting life. Thank you for the baptism of the Holy spirit. Oh, God speaking in other tongues is the spirit of God gives utterance that has sustained us as an organization for one hundred years. We thank you for our establishment and oh, God, the late Bishop RCLawson and apostle Hubert Spencer and chief apostle WL-Bonner those who served subsequent to his going home to be with the Lord and those who are working now fervently Lord Jesus Christ to hold up the blood stained banner of the Lord. We praise you and we invite you now to bless those who are listening and viewing by way of television. We ask God that you would move in this place. Do something that only you can do. Oh, God anoint those who are broken, heal those who are in firm and lift the heavy burdens on those who feel alienated rejected set apart we ask God for a major breakthrough, we want to breakthrough in this room, we want to breakthrough in the homes where those are sitting and watching us tonight as we celebrate one hundred years and in so doing celebrate your grace, God we want you to break the yolk that has bound the nation in hostility, in oh, God, all kinds of evil and conditions that made people to live in pain and anguish, we pray, oh, God for the oppressed. We ask that you would over throw the oppressors, and grant your servant anointing, oh, God, to share this word with excellence and the anointing of the power of the Holy spirit let all the people of God shout hallelujah. Shout hallelujah again. Ephesians chapter five beginning at verse one, be therefore followers of God has dear children and walk in love as Christ also have loved us and has given himself to us and offer a sacrifice to God a sweet smelling saver but fornication and uncleanless not it be named among you as becoming saints and neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor adjusting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks, for this you know and no horor or unclean person nor men who is an idoloter have the kingdom of Christ and God let no man deceive you with vain word because of these things come at the rather of God on the children of disobedience. Ye not partakers with them. For ye are sometimes darkness but now are light in the Lord walk as children of light for in the spirit is goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable on to the Lord and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in sequence but all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light, where forth he saith awake thou that sleep and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light. See then that you walk sir -- circumspetively and the days are evil and not be wise but understand what the will of the Lord is and be not drunk with wine where it is access but be filled with the spirit. Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and speaking and making melody in your heart to the Lord and giving thanks on to God and the father and the name Lord Jesus Christ submitting yourself one to another in the fear of God, let the church say amen. Amen. Thank God for the reading of the word. My focus will be primarily on Ephesians chapter five or 15 chapter five I'm sorry 15-21. Again, see then that you walk circunspectively not as fools be but as wise and redeeming the time because the days are evil where for be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is and be not drunk with wine where in it's excess but be filled with the spirit. Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things on to God and the father and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. The subject with the topic I derive from this reading for tonight is how to survive in an evil world. How to survive in an evil world. I want to give you a little background and so let me begin by saying the letter to the church of ephisis to be second to the book of Romans properly called the doctoral book and its importance to the traditional Christian church while its principle theme is the church of the body of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ being the head of the church, the prevailing expression of that reality is the emphasis on love and unity throughout the entire book. Emphasis Ephesians rather is traditionally accepted as one of the four prison apostles because of Paul's frequent references to being in bonds quote unquote a prisoner of the Lord and his being in chains. It is important to note that although Paul was in Rome at the time these letters were written he was not in a physical prison. He according to biblical references was sentenced to live in a rented house where he was chained to a Roman soldier, this is a proper understanding of Paul's reference. Paul's authorship of the letter to the church of ephisis has come under some dispute in the last two centuries, the questions concerning whether or not Paul wrote this letter are dispatched rather easily by most traditional scholars. The majority of new testament scholars are in agreement that Paul is the author of this most important letter to this church. A quick review of the context in which this letter was written will enable us to get a clearer picture of what the church was dealing with at the time of Paul's ministry. And why Paul approached his readers in the way he does in this letter. First, it is important to note that the city of ephisis by one account was the first and greatest metropolis of Asia with an estimated population between 200,000 and 250,000 it ranked only behind Rome and Athens. One can easily imagine what ephisis must have been like as the cultural and political center where business social and commercial transactions took place between different countries cultures and economic forces not unlike our own metropolices today but on a much smaller scale the one thing that ephisis stood out for however was more than anything else was its religion. Religiously speaking ephisis was the headquarters of the Goddess and was the idol of worship throughout the then known world and it was here that the apostle, Paul, was led to proclaim the gospel of God on his second and third mission and he taught in this great secular city. The first six months were spend teaching in the Synagogue and when the gospel of Jesus Christ was grasped in among those who didn't receive it, and was attending the lectures he moved to the lecture hall of a believer and Luke gives us a general account of events following this move in acts chapter 19, verse 8-10 the Holy spirit so empowered Paul not only to preach the gospel but to work miracles like healing the sick, casting out demons, and liberating many who were bound by the practices of the different cults that robbed the people's spiritually and economically. The force of Paul's ministry during this third missionary journey and people gave up their magic practices and burned their magic books worth 50,000 pieces of silver, equivalent to 50 days of income. The impact of Paul's ministry on commerce was so great that the union of the silver Smith's under the leadership of Demetrious and the super Smith in his own right salt to punish Paul and the Christians for under mining, their business. Selling idols of Automus and used to practice the magic that accompanied their participation in in the practices of many of the cults was a thriving economy and many lives were threatened by this tremendous reduction of revenue in the idol market. This new teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ was growing new exponentially and the effects of this development caused a major riot against Paul and the Jewish and gentile Christian believers to take place which was held at the 24,000 seat theatre that had been constructed in the city. But for the intervention of the city clerk the actions would have resulted in serious danger for Paul and the new gathering of saints in Ephisis Paul did escape the city leading a strong group of believers to continue the kingdom building work that the Holy spirit had begun through him. Second, another important outcome from Paul's work in ephisis is the church was multi ethnic this was a function of Paul's ministry in the Synagogue before returning to the school of Tyranus and you can see Paul's focus on the directions in chapter three where he states and I quote that the gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. This statement is a summary of his earlier explanation in chapter two versus 11-13 where he writes where forth remember that ye being in time past gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision called the circumcision and the flesh made by hands and at that time ye without Christ being aliens from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world. But now, but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made Nye by the blood of Christ. We would have to look hard and long to understand the emerging of problems we would not I'm sorry have to look hard and long to understand the emerging of problems caused by the cultural differences and challenges the believers faced from the Jews who denied the truth of the gospel, with their legalism and the law and gentiles with ideas of complex of cults and did verse religious practices that were dynamic in this great city, addresses this complicated and moral quagmire because it was a threat to the unity and harmony of the local church and the process of addressing that local concern we can identify profound implications for the church of Jesus Christ universally. After highlighting the uniqueness of the church as God's divine work and possession in the world, Paul proceeds to emphasize the obligations that the call of God has upon each believers life. I haven't lost my place, I am focusing on how to survive in an evil world but I wanted you to get a sense of the kind of world that Paul was addressing because many times we feel that it wasn't so bad back there, it's not like it is here. What I want you to go away with today is to understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ's work back then and the gospel of Jesus Christ will work tonight. Let the church say amen. Paul says I therefore the prison of the Lord be seech and walk worthy of the location you are called with loan aniliness and meekness and suffering forbearing one another in love to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called and one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all. Once Paul makes this declaration he moves on to point out the kind of behavior this divine and unique calling we enjoy and they enjoyed back then requires of those whom God has chosen. Listen to the force of the concept he wants the readers to grasp regarding their existential situation. God has lavished his grace upon the believer and his church and endowed the church with super natural gifts for the perfecting of the believers for the work of the ministry and their life's ministry at work in the world. Then Paul proceeds to caution them and us of what he calls, quote, the darkness of this universal rebellion against God and the divine principles God has made known for the order of the universe the world and our individual lives, unquote. The darkness of which he speaks is Paul's cas characterization the intelligences of the world that are subjected to quote the God of this world. Unquote. Paul essentially commands the church that total nonengagement or absolute disengagement from the world's influence and all of its manifestations, individually, and institutionally, must be the church's stance. There is no other option for the believer or the church. I think I will read that again. There is no other option for the believer or the church even though the church is in the world, quote, unquote, it cannot be of the world. Even though the church is most demanding work is in the world, it cannot allow the world as one writer I believe it was JP Phillips said to squeeze it into its mold. This darkness must be resisted at all costs. Paul is not the first one to insist upon this radical separation. But here Paul connects the darkness with sin. He expands the concept when he refers to sin and corruption and sin in the Roman world. He writes, and I quote, because of their vain and they were vain in their imaginations and their foolish hard was dark, Romans 1 and 21 he further encourages the church in Rome to cast all the works of darkness and let us put on all the work of non-darkness and let us put on the armor of light. Finally in Paul's instructions to the Corinthians he points out that they should have patience and not be quick to Judge in his words, quote, therefore Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest counts of the heart and then shall every man have praise of God. First Corinthians 4 and 5 and Ephesians and I'm running along quickly here chapter 4 verse 17-19 Paul goes through a detailed list of things that are required for those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Here is a few. Don't behave as other gentiles and walk in vicinity of their mine whose are alienated of the ignorance in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over on to which is gross wickedness to work all uncleanness and greediness. There is much more in the following versus but I will not quote them here so suffice it to say the darkness Paul is calling them to resist is everywhere, the entire culture is a product of its forces and serves as the principal instrument for its permanence and per per petuation and the specifics of the influence of sin and corruption and ephisis Paul provides a word to the church to enable them not just to survive this darkness but also how to prevail over it and become a true manifestation of the light that the darkness could not put out. And the guidance and the directions Paul gave to the church of ephisis way back there is the same guidance I want us to hear tonight, let the church say amen. Let us amen the minutes that remain consider Paul's Council to the church. Ephisis, 5:15-16 see then you walk circumspectively not as fools but wise and recalling the days are evil in order to define God's purpose in our lives we must be people of purpose. Amen. We can't be like a leaf on the wind and can't be pushed and pulled and tossed in every direction by every whim and concept of ideology we have to know our purpose, we have to understand the purpose, appreciate what it costs to pursue that purpose and commit ourselves to it. So he says, amen, hallelujah, walk circumspetively and I looked up the word because I'm noisy and trying to understand things and I found out praise God hallelujah that people who walk circumspectively don't play games and people who walk cannot be accused of, amen, well, I was going to say being unreal but have you heard somebody say to someone be real? I think that is what we need to hear in our church today, amen, be real. Stop faking. Stop making belief. Just because you put a suit on and put a collar on it, and wear a cross doesn't make you Holy. [ Applause ] Just because you put a hat on your head and wear dresses down to your ankle doesn't make you Holy because while man looks on the outer appearance God looks at the heart I wish I had a praying church hallelujah so Paul is saying to them we need to be real, don't play the fool, pretend to be something you're not. Remember Jesus charged to the church Luke warm just won't work. I said Luke warm just won't work if you are for God, be for God, amen. If you're not sure come back to the altar and get it straight. But the important thing is that we don't play games. Walk or behave circumspetively and no place for phoneys in this project and being real and genuine in one's person and with God is the most effective way to redeem the time, to in the words of one writer to redeem the time is to snap up every opportunity that comes to you to advance God's project and to do so with intensity. Jesus when he was leaving told the Disciples occupy until I come, that in me go buy a big house, get the largest TV on the market, get the finest rugs and all the finerys and sit down and wait for the rapture, occupied by any careful analysis means to be busy, do business. Get busy. Or hallelujah. It's a terrible thing when the church gets so complacent and no more interested in what God is concerned about, no more concerned about souls. No more concerned about people receiving the baptism of the Holy spirit. No more concerned about Holiness and, amen, being a standoff, amen, because of your commitment to Christ. Everybody is not going to love you if you love Jesus. I said everybody is not going to love you if you love Jesus. And if you need everybody to love you, then you that ed to give up loving Jesus. Because Jesus won't let you walk on both sides of the street. It's got to be one way. I think it was the late, amen, apostle SC Johnson that said there is one one way, oh, I wish I had time to preach this, one one way, one way to God, hallelujah, baptized in Jesus name and living Holy amen let the church say amen. Don't let Satan intimidate you. You have all that you need to pursue greatness in Jesus Christ. Remember there is an under letting warfare exists between God, our God of heaven and the God of this age and we must take advantage of every opportunity in this immoral environment to live a life that pleases God. Word of God teaches us in another place stir up the gift of God that is in you. Then he moves to Ephesians 5 and 17 where he says where for be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is and this is very important to the Lord, amen. How one can call one self saved and then be unsure, uncertain, disoriented, foolish, it's hard to believe. It's hard to accept. Because if you have now received the spirit of God and you have the mind of God and you have the greatest book that has ever been written to guide you and counsel you how can you be so confused? And Paul is saying if you are going to survive in this fallen and evil world you can't be unwise. In other words, you can't be living a meaningless life, you need to be very clear about your choices. You need to be very clear about your commitments. You can't walk around in circles not having any intention, praise our God he says do not be unwise. The scripture where the Lord says that Satan is walking a man around as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and anybody who has made a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and is determined to live, amen, and burn brightly for him is open to attack, amen. I said is open to attack but the Lord tells Paul to tell us, amen, that we should not be foolish. We don't have time to lose. One source calls it that extremity of Foley that consists in throwing away a chance for Salvation. Lord our case throwing away a chance for spiritual development and maturity so one can better serve God and the kingdom. The gospels give us some examples I'm not going to go through all of them in detail but Luke 12 and 20 you remember the farmer, amen the husband man that had a very productive farm, amen, and he decided he was going to build another farm, build another barn. I'm doing so well I might as well do it. He had some options, he had some alternatives, he could have done some so some other things and made money available for the poor in the town or city, he could have called people over who were not doing well although not in a dirt poor situation but he could have shared but he decided I'm going to build another barn so I could have it all. If there is anything cheating us and unfortunately even creeping in the church it's the spirit of greed. We can't use what we have but we want more. Or if you pray for me I will be finished in a minute, praise the Lord. I say we are not using what we have but we want more. We have clothing we never wore. Some of us have cars that we don't need. I don't need a bently. But it's fashionable. Are you listening to me in here tonight hallelujah and the Lord said thou fool thou fool tonight your soul is required of thee then whose shall these things be which you have provided? Hallelujah. To be a fool is to miss interpret the will of God and miss God's plan desire for your life, hallelujah, hallelujah, I don't want to be a fool. I'm going to just wait on the Lord and be of good courage and let the Lord take charge and direct my life how about you tonight? If you're going to survive in this wickedness praise the Lord, hallelujah, amen, hallelujah you have to take up every opportunity that life provides you to serve God. I said to serve God. Don't -- the scripture says seize the time, grab it now, don't say you're going to do it next week, don't say you will do it when you get to it. Do it now. Amen. Something you do now for the glory of God you may not use for five years but when the time comes at least you will have it and somebody will benefit from it. The church say amen again. Hallelujah. There is only one other thing you remember the story of the ten virgins the five wives and it seems to me the five wives kept their wicks clean and fire burning amen and so when the bride-groom did come they were ready to go but the foolish what did they do? They me neglected the care and did not take advantage and unwise and figured they would get to it one day a lot like many of us I will commit myself to the Lord one day and do the Lord's will one day and serve God in appreciation for what he has done for my life, hallelujah but you don't know when the Lord will come. We are still -- you don't know when you will leave. Praise the Lord. How many people are in the ground, amen, who had an idea or a dream and a plan for God and never carried it out because they were putting out for another day but the Lord said, amen, that we should not be unwise. Don't myself the opportunity to nuture yourself, to develop a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, amen, don't miss the opportunity to learn more of God's word. Don't miss the opportunity to study the lives of successful men and women who lived a powerful and meaningful in the world for the testimony of God's grace a monument standing benefitting people everywhere, don't be so self preoccupied that you completely miss the mind of God, amen. Paul says you can live successfully, you can prevail in this fallen world if you are wise. Then he says in a negative sense don't be drunk with wine but then he says be filled with the Holy Ghost. Be filled with the Holy spirit. Hallelujah. You can't make it tonight. You can't make it in the USA in the 21st century with the Holy Ghost you received 50 years ago, excuse me I got to talk about this. This is most critical for everything else. We have people trying to live saved and fruit fly and effective for the Lord Jesus Christ on the baptism of the Holy Ghost you received 25 years ago but Paul says be filled, praise the Lord, hallelujah, how many of you have cars? We all have cars. And you know you only have so much time and so many miles you can drive on one tank of gas. My wife and I have a standing kind of fun argument when my wife was driving the car came to half full she went and filled it up and I criticized her why you wasting that gas praise the Lord because I was thinking I have to use up everything I have today now and then fill it up again but a wise person, are you listening, and my wife is very wise, will keep it full. Praise the Lord. You never know where you might be and I can't tell you how many times it was near empty and I was praying Lord please forgive me. Hallelujah until I get to the gas station. Praise the Lord. But what Paul is saying here is not just every now and then a refilling and one of the most outstanding statements of wisdom in the early Pentecosting church was that there is one baptism but many refilling. Y'all remember that? How many remember that? One baptism but many. Paul is saying keep being filled. That's what he is saying. Keep being filled with the Holy spirit. Don't be satisfied. It's nice to have that historical memory. It's nice to talk about it but keep on being filled because if you are living for the Lord the enemy is going to give you a hard time. Amen. And your tank will run low if you content with the devil day in and day out. You know how successful you stood against that rascal on Monday but by Wednesday the slightist thing upset you, you want to cry, you want to go home, do you know what that is? The tank is low. Somebody tell somebody sitting next to you the tank is low. God want us to be always filled. Now someone will say well I can't always get to the prayer room but you know you don't have to be in the tarry room to be filled. You done have to be in the prayer room to be filled. How many of you have sat at your desk in the office or in your office and had something you were dealing with and just began to meditate on the goodness of the Lord? To consider God's promises to you? And all the sudden, amen, tears filled your eyes and a murmur in a language you have done before but you can't say out loud but God begins to minister to you. That's being refilled. I said that's being refilled. And Paul is saying that in order for us to win this fight, in order for us to prevail in a fallen world we have to be refilled. Refilled two times a day as much as necessary that the Holy Ghost refill you. There is no other way to end this fight, we can't win, I can't win on my baptism and the Holy Ghost when I was 14 years old. I can't. And I want to tell you the notion of somehow you can live a fruitful and productive spiritual life on your first baptism. Hallelujah, hallelujah, I guaranty you if we were refilled on a consistent basis we wouldn't break down. I said we wouldn't break down. We wouldn't fall apart. We wouldn't give up. Because there is something that would be in us. And something in us that will sustain us and tell us to go on until we prevail. I'm going to bring this to a close and he offers us one other thing amen he says praise God, hallelujah, that we should not be drunk with wine but filled with the Holy spirit and that we should walk by the spirit and being filled with the spirit means that the spirit of God directs and empowers a believer to live a life pleasing to God. Pray for me just for a minute. Just for a minute. And he said give thanks. I'm over heated is the problem. Give thanks. [ Applause ] Don't take God for granted. Be grateful. And God will ensure your survival. Come on put your hands together, let's give God a praise, in the name of Jesus. ♪ God bless you and we thank all of you who have joined us from the Word Network. We thank you for joining us God bless you and may Heaven smile upon you, in Jesus'
