"Dear Church, Hang On In There" Revelation 3:7-13::You've Got Mail

[Music] let's get into this word Revelation chapter 3 Revelation chapter 3 Revelation chapter 3 we're continuing our series on you got mail once again we want to pray for those so in the path of Hurricane Florence and we know that a lot is taking place no personally I have family in North Carolina and so we're praying that no more loss of life and all those who come in if those of you and us via streaming I prayers are with you and we praying for those who have to endure the storm and so once again there is power in prayer and whenever we have that opportunity we understand the significance of them so our hearts are with them thank you again for those who share with us this week and we prayed that our lives I've been helped in the better because of our encounter with the presence and power of God Revelation chapter 3 beginning at verse 7 Revelation chapter 3 verse 7 reading from the Christian Standard Bible and here is the word of God right to the Angel of the church in Philadelphia thus says the Holy One the true one the one who has the key of David who opens and no one were closed and who closes and no one opens I know your works look I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power yet you've kept my word and have not denied my name note this I will make those from the synagogue of Satan who claim to be Jews and are not but are lying I will make them come and bow down at your feet and they will know that I loved you because you've kept my command to endure I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth I am coming soon hold on to what you have so that no one takes your the one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my god and he will never go out again I would write on him the name of my God in the name of the city of my god the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from my god and my new name anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches verse 12 verse 11 says I am coming soul hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown for the time with his eyes I want to trouble your patience as we continue this series I'm gonna talk about dear church hang on in there touch someone close to say neighbor hang on in there let those hands to heaven say Lord speak we need to hear maybe seated at the presence of God hang on in there we've come down to the six of the seven churches letters to the churches in Asia Minor and it's interesting my brothers and sisters each one that Jesus writes he writes with specificity uniqueness and peculiarities the context of each particular Church of Church and emphasis from the church in sardis to the church in fire in Thyatira he speaks to them uniquely and he talks about their local context and he admonishes them and some it is he criticizes them and shares with them but as we come to the sixth letter he writes this to a little Church in Philadelphia and it's important that he writes this letter because the letter he writes to them unlike many of the other letters has no criticism he has no condemnation for them but writes to them in order to praise them for the certain wherewithal for which they have kind of navigated the walk they have with him in essence my brothers and sisters he gives them Grace and kudos for the simple fact that they persevered through persecution and because of that they remained faithful there patiently enduring all that they are going through and my brothers and sisters I believe that's powerful because for many of us I would submit that one of the things that this church does that perhaps we need to take note of as this church was known for not quitting in essence my brothers and sisters we understand that there is the weight of the process but in spite of the frustration of the process god still requires us to be faithful and when we remain faithful this letter reminds not just this church but those of us who are called connected and committed to Christ that the same rewards can also benefit us as well it's interesting as we've been looking through it why did he write this letter to this church in this city well we already know by the name of this city this is a victorious town Philadelphia it it is a city of Champions it's a victorious City and but it got his name because of one of the early leaders Italia's really loved his brother and that word for Philadelphia he was called feel'n toughest which means a lover of brothers that word phileo is a love that we see in the Greek and so this was interesting this was literally a city of brotherly love is was unique in his construction it laid at the fork between three major areas from Lydia to fibrin to Amasya and and that was important because it was built as a gateway city it was built when they began to construct this city and because of the the location of the city it was meant to be a gateway city a gateway for Greek culture a great way for Greek language and a great gateway for Greek systems and living and so it's interesting that that becomes what it becomes known as a gateway cities was built next to a volcano and that sounds good because of the fertility it provides the soil it was known for producing great grapes and vineyards but being close to a volcano also calls a tendency of earthquakes a lot of shaking would take place and it was known throughout his history to have collapsed and been destroyed and rebuilt at least twice because of earthquakes and whenever it was rebuilt they showed their homage by taking the name of the one that show compassion during their time of distress in the midst of this great town this town that was a gateway there was a little Church there that was founded that Jesus sins this letter - and he sends it with all that was going on and he said just as the city is a gateway about Greek coach I'm gonna use your church as a gateway to the world that even now as we read this letter and we think about the church in Philadelphia it shows us the great witness and walk and wherewithal that Jesus is looking for when it comes to our commitment to him that at the end of the day he doesn't care what positions we hold it does not care the size of our buildings he does not care how many what kind of cars we drive the main thing Jesus wants to know it's when times get tough can he trust you to stay committed can he trust you to still hang in there even when things are going crazy or are you gonna do like many people as soon as it gets tough you're gonna tell the world tell God stop the world and let you get off but I'm here today because I believe the principle not just corporately but individually allows us to understand that the true test the true maturity of our faith is not how you handle life when it's easy but how do you handle life when it's hard how how do you handle things when perhaps they don't go the way you want them to go and I got one simple thing that I believe Jesus wanted to convey not just to this church but those of us who were listening today he got one thing he wants you to know hang on in there and I don't know where you are I'm not sure what you're facing I'm not trying to minimize the issues that you're facing or the things that you're going through but I'm here to tell you that Jesus is telling you to hang on in there because my brothers and sisters win we hang on in there we stand on the Blessed hope that the reason why we can stay committed to Christ is because when we hang in there watch this better days are on the way that that's the hope we have my brothers and sisters it might be tough today but it's gonna be better tomorrow we may cry today but we're gonna have joy tomorrow we might have pain a day but pleasures coming tomorrow and when you are a child of God we live in tiptoe anticipation because we know that God is too faithful if he brought us this far he gonna take us all of the way who am i preaching to the day that says pastor I need to hear this word Lord knows there's a over life it gets difficult it gets hard it gets rough but I got one word hang on in there and when we examine this particular church one of the things that they are long foreign pries is that they hung on in there and that's all I came to tell you my brothers and sisters that's all this little letter is as he writes to this one church as he talks about the benefits and the blessings of hanging on in there that's that's what I want to share with you today real quickly let me drop these principles on you I I really want you to meditate on what we're sharing today because this is a powerful letter this is an amazing text that he talks about this one truth that when you stay trustworthy to God God will continue to stay trustworthy to you so here is my brother sister first thing I want you to jot down as we peruse a of the parameters of this particular letter I want us to once again focus on three things that he shares in this passage here is the first thing and jot this down is that when we are admonished to hang on in there the first thing that Jesus assures us is that he's creating an opportunity to showcase a paradoxical witness in other words what he simply wants to do is I'm gonna show the world that even though you are little you are really strong that's what the tech sales as we get into verse ain't notice how it opens and we know that stanza it is what he's done throughout the duration of many of his letters he says I know your works once again Jesus tells his church in Philadelphia I'm not getting secondhand information I'm telling you what I know I myself and I have surveyed y'all I have watched you I have I have been in on your intimate moments I have seen what you have been doing and there are some things that I want to submit to you because as I look at you I applaud the fact that you have maintained your commitment here it is my brothers sisters that's what he says he says look I place before you works I placed before you an open door that no one can close because you but little power yet you've kept my word and have not denied my name let me moonwalking to this verse because I think it's powerful but he's opens by saying literally I noticed you got little power don't miss that because uh most scholars would suggest that Philadelphia when it comes to size and numbers was perhaps the smallness of all the churches it did not have the prestige and the prominence and the facility the churches of Ephesus and Sardis Thyatira and Pergamon had matter of fact it would not be known how many people would show up in this little church and matter of fact because of his number there will probably be other people that did not assume that this church was significant or successful but one thing that we've learned whenever you begin to what would God God is not interested in what the world deems is successful because the world would look at numbers and they all try to figure out as long as you got numbers that means you get clap but in the kingdom of God it's not about numbers he does not need many to do his great works that's why whenever you see a lot of transitions in the kingdom God didn't meet many people he only needed one he just used one to change the transition to bring the father of the faith Abraham he just needed one to save the world by the name of Noah he needed one to redeem humanity his son Jesus Christ when he wanted to change the world he took 12 unknown people and he literally created an entity that's still going strong that's why my brothers and sisters I don't think because something is big makes it better God can take something small God can take just a few and do some amazing things that's why my brothers and sisters I a prayer as a church is not to be larger is to be significant because at the end of the day he's not judging us based on how many people show up on Sunday he's not judging us based on how many pews we have in the church he's not judging us based on our location he wants to know do you have a heart that's consistent and then it comes to facing and fulfilling what your promise is to me somebody ought to get excited right up in here because what set this church apart is they were doing the right thing for the right reason because you do know you can do the right thing for the wrong reason and Jesus says I look at what you are doing and I appreciate that your commitment because you've done a couple of things that have made you stand out what are those couple of things it's right here in the text he says you've kept my word and not denied my name that's that's huge my brothers and sisters literally what Jesus says is I notice you kept my word this was significant for this small church because what set them apart is that they become astute students not just of what they heard but they make sure what they heard they apply to their lives in other words what made them unique is that they were never apart from his word that they did not just allow the word to lead them and instruct them while in church but they let the word instruct them in their everyday life can I tell you when you become powerful in the things of God is not just when you come to church and get a word because all of us come to church and get a word but the question is not just what you hear on Sunday but how do you live Monday through Saturday in other words my brothers and sisters that for many of us we get the word but we park it and keep it in the pew till we come back next Sunday we we take our notes and then leave it in the place but when you are operating in thankfulness to God you get your word on Sunday and you live it the rest of your days in other words I've the question is raised today are you a keeper of his word not just worthy keeper of his word but the text then says that they did not deny his name this was huge because remember this was a Greek culture they believed in polity ISM in multitude of gods and they believed you can have a lot of gods for a lot of different things but when they became followers of Jesus they forsake every other God and only claimed one true God which was Jesus and Jesus says you had a whole lot of pressure you had a whole lot of people trying to make you succumb to what they wanted you to do but you kept my name you never denied it you you always claim me even if they caused you persecution and pain you kept being a follower of Jesus even if it meant you was losing jobs losing stuff you kept and not denying my name and somebody ought to be grateful because when you keep his word and do not deny his name this is what Jesus says that I will give you an open door understand my brothers and sisters this open door is crucial there perhaps are two renderings or two definitions of what this open door could be if videos are according to what Paul says in 1st Corinthians 16 verse 9 when he says presented to me was an open door an opportunity to spread the gospel if that is one take that we can have at this verse then what he's saying is because I trusted you to keep my word I trusted you not to deny my name I'm gonna give you opportunity to do greater works in my name because I've trusted you on this level that means I can give you greater level of stuff and I can create an opportunity for you to continue to be an even better witness maybe that's what Jesus meant in Matthew 25 when he said if you're faithful over a few things I can make you ruler over many which means it does matter how you manage what you have now because if God can trust you now he can't bless you in your nadya which means my brothers and sisters faithfulness today is what predicts promotion on tomorrow and perhaps if we were to take that context then that means that I will create an opportunity for more people to be blessed by your witness but if it's not just that perhaps there's also another definition of open doors and that is what we see in revelation chapter 4 around verse 19 when it says there is an open door to the throne room or in essence the presence of the father and if it's that take perhaps what Jesus saying because you kept my word because you have not denied my name I'm gonna give you access to the father some of y'all ought to be shouting right in there because perhaps that here's what Jesus meant when he said I'm the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father but by me in other words he says I'll give you access to his presence and maybe there would be somebody that could least celebrate the fact that you want his presence because his presence has a whole lot of what you can get without his presence because in his presence is fullness of joy in his presence is peace whatever you need is in the presence of God but this is what shouts not just an open door but notice what he says it's an open door that can't nobody else close see to really understand the the real of verse 8 you got to go back to verse 7 it gives us who Jesus he is he's the one true one he's holy he's the one that opens doors that no one can close he he closes doors and no one can open he has the key of David which is an allusion to an Old Testament idea of by the name of Elkanah who was given the key to the palace and you could not get in rooms of the palace without that key in essence what Jesus sets up in verse seven is that I'm the sole authority that gives access I'm the one that chooses which doors are open I'm the one that chooses which doors are closed so when we get to verse eight and he says because you kept my word did deny my name I'm gonna give you an open door that came nobody close I wish I had some help because the reason why some of you ought to be excited about that is because literally what Jesus was telling them and telling us is that when I open the door you ain't got to worry about somebody closing it when I present an opportunity you ain't got to worry about nobody trying to take what's yours because what is yours is yours which means you ain't got to snuff up to nobody you ain't got a worry if somebody's going to know my brothers and sisters because open doors are not predicated on a corporate voting it's not predicated on committees it's predicated on Jesus saying you deserve an open door that's why my brothers and sisters when you are mature in God and you get an open door you ain't got time to feel all arrogant naw but you realize the reason I got the door is because the Lord gave me the door and his giving me of the door is simply predicated on the fact that I was faithful all the way through do I got anybody here that says I thank God I got an open door which means every good opportunity comes from God that's why when I come to church I can celebrate an open door because you didn't make the door for me which means when I come to church I can only praise the one that did it in the first place is there anybody here they can look back over your life and say I've had my fair share of open doors and matter of fact let me go and shout over closed doors too because there was some things I'm glad God shut me out from and so I've come to this place that if the doors closed I'm a shout if the doors open I'm a shout why because I'm trusting that the God that has the ability to open and close I just don't give me exactly what I need I find somebody next to you and tell them every good and perfect gift from God says first of all he creates an opportunity to showcase how paradoxical witnessed but then he also says he'll turn the tables on those who refuse to acknowledge our preferential worth that's why verse 9 is crucial and I won't you understand that Jesus sets us up in verse 9 notice the verbiage that begins verse 9 note this and there's a phrase that issues in verse 9 that want to make sure that we've seen quite a few times in Revelation it's that phrase synagogue of Satan now I want to make sure that I'm explaining this that's why there's sometimes some difficulty in trying to preach and teach revelation because if you're not careful we can take some things out of context and there are some who've taken these verses discuss in synagogue of Satan to try to create this anti-semitic theology which is really not which is really an affront to God because even though contextually there were some challenges between Jews and Christians don't forget Jews are still the chosen people of God at the end of the day his chief aim was to make sure that they got saved that's why when we are listening and applying this word we must make sure that we understand the context for which he was given so when he comes hard on the Jews in Philadelphia know why he's coming hard it was specifically in this city the Christians were having a hard time because this area was in you dealing with a large demographic of Jews and understand my brothers and sisters that Jesus was a Jew his early followers were Jews and so you saw fraction in Judaism because the problem was there was a difference on who they accept as their Messiah Bible tells us simply the Jews were waiting on the Messiah when those who had broken away became Christians already believed the Messiah has come so what was causing tension in this area just like other cities if these Jews had influence and they had the ears political power and so these Christians were causing some issues and the Jews were starting to denigrate them dishonor them and disrespect them they were upset there was some familiar issue friends against friends and families against families these we're getting them laid off their job it became difficult and and so Jesus says I see how they've been treating you I see how they've literally made your life a living hell I've seen how because of your acceptance of me oh that you had to leave but here is the good news he says but I'm gonna show you that I can turn the tables in your favor because those that were lying those that were not honoring you there is gonna come a time where they're going to bow down at your feet and acknowledge that you're the ones that I have loved let me help you here because this was powerful this was Jesus literally telling them guys I know it's been hard but I need you to be mature in this process that this ain't the moment to start getting mad at slashing tires and breaking windows and getting upset no because the truth of the matter is uh that their anger against you is truly their anger against me the the way they disrespect you is really they're disrespecting me because if you remember Jesus says the world hates me and if the world hates me they're gonna hate you as well which means I we've got to put stuff in proper perspective to understand as a child of God we're always gonna face some enemies you're always gonna have something some system that's against you but here's the good news my brothers and sisters if you're a reader of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation if you're on the other side of oppression if you're on the other side of an underdog that's good news because we serve a God of the underdog we serve a God of the oppressed we serve a god that after wild he just gonna make it all work for our good that's why my brothers and sisters I Jesus understands that that vengeance is mine says the Lord which means I ain't gotta get even with you I just gotta keep trusting my father because as long as I'm connected to him at times gonna come when the tables are gonna turn it's gonna be a righteous remix and things will be flipped around that's why bible assures us the first shall be last and the last shall be first which means all I gotta do is just wait to that moment when God say a switch y'all miss that you missed your shot top all I gotta do is be patient in the moment there's gonna be a day when all he's gonna say is switch and where I was on the bottom I'm gonna be on the top and it's all predicated because when he gets up I'm gonna get up as well I wish I had time because I think that's significant for us because when he says they bow down at your feet it's not them talking about literally bowing down but they're bowing down at the feet of Jesus that's what he meant because when they would read this text in antiquity whenever an army was vanquished watch this they would literally on the battlefield get in a kneeling position but they would not kneel in front of the soldiers for the soldiers they were kneeling for the king that was over the soldiers so it looked like they were kneeling in front of the soldiers but they were literally kneeling at the behest of the king over the soldiers that's why my brothers and sisters win you understand who Christ is and the power the father gave the son that's why Paul says he was given a name that's above every name and at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow every tongue shall confess which means at the end of the day all I gotta do is wait to that moment because when he gets exalted those that didn't think he was gonna rain it's gonna have to eat crow they gonna have to realize they chose wrong because at the end of the day he is who he said he is that's why my brothers and sisters you shouldn't get mad when things don't go against you you should not be upset when things go against you you need some people rooting against you you need some enemies my brothers and sisters because if you ain't have enemies you wouldn't have tables if you didn't have enemies you wouldn't have footstools on you need some people doubting you you you need some people that not expect you to do much you need some people that under appreciate the God on the inside of you so when God shows up I can show you in ain't really about you it's about the God that's in you and I don't know about you my brothers and sisters I can't wait to that great getting up morning to God comes back and says sorry I tried to tell you who I was but since you ain't want to trust and believe this is gonna be a moment you better recognize do me a favor - somebody next to you and tell him you better recognize her you better know who my god he is because at the end of the day he's gonna show it to us to the world it tells us he's gonna create an opportunity showcase our paradoxical witness he's gonna turn the tables on those who did not acknowledge i pref reinsure worth but then he says this I'm gonna sustain us sustain you through the trouble based on the truth of my powerful word that's why my brothers sisters verse 10 11 12 is crucial because it literally gives us some of the most basic theological truths that we have to wrestle with in the book of Revelation I got to slow down here because there are some tenets that revelation shares with us it gives us eschatological expectation this whole notion of the tribulation the millennial reign of Jesus Christ and in verse 10 it kind of gives us what I believe is a landmark scriptural reference to one of the age-old debates about what happens when we are raptured verse 10 said set up matter of fact according to the Jewish understanding there were about two ages the present age and the age to come and in between them is what was called the day of the Lord or tribulation it was when all hell breaks loose is the havoc of life so they have scholars throughout the world who have wondered when will the church be raptured when we're believers be caught up with Jesus there's some who have a pre-tribulation theological perspective which says there'll be rapture before the tribulation begins there are those of you who have some mid-tribulation theological perspective that in the midst of the tribulation then God will claim his believers and then there's some who have a post tribulation type of theology that at the end of tribulation before he comes back and is for millennia that what we'll have is then believers will be done but Burstein kind of gives what we believe is the scriptural evidence for pre-tribulation rapture here in versity and notice what it says it says because you have kept my command to endure I will keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth notice what he says in essence he tells this church that has kept the word have not denied his name that have went through all kind of slander he said because you got we're faithful because you endured watch this the time of testing you won't have to go through now what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna draw you out before I begin to test the world to prove to the world who I really am in other words he says your enduring leads to exemption that as a child of God in essence from an eschatological perspective he's basically saying that I'm gonna keep you when you can't keep yourself there's some things as a believer you don't have to worry about going through because even though it was difficult I'm gonna shield you and keep you from when things really get worse I see you came shout over that because that's an eschatological hope but there are some existential realities I think verse 10 can help us to understand why because what it literally tells us is that we serve a God so good he knows what we can handle and if we maintain our faithfulness in seasons God can exempt us from stuff that perhaps we would have had a hard time going through but because He loves us he won't let us go through it in essence it gives the idea of a teacher that that goes to a student that has been faithful all year they pass every test they were faithful in their attendance they pass every quiz and now is coming to the final exam and that teacher calls that student up and you can imagine the rest of the students are getting their minds and hearts they are on edge because they know they need a good grade for the final but that teacher calls that student up and whispers in that students hear hey you've been good all year you pass every test you've been to class every day and so I'm here to tell you you ain't gotta worry about showing up for the final exam cuz your greed is already made now I don't know about you if that was me I would just competently SH ride back to my seat sit there and start do today in my notebook playing in my phone while everybody else is losing their mind I ain't trippin because I ain't gotta go to the test because I've been faithful the entire time and that's what he says to this church he says that when you have maintained your faithfulness there are some things you ain't got to go through there are some things you ain't gonna experience because you have proven how faithful you are and because you have been proven faithful I'm not gonna let you go through the season of testing that's why verse 11 is powerful too because he tells them I am coming back and the only thing I'm asking you to do is just hold on to your crap I wish I had time because I would tell you he literally says just know I am coming back up I'm gonna show up again without warning but all I need you to do chop trying to figure out when I'm coming back your soul is such a wish and the only thing I want you to do is hold on to your crap things are gonna get tight but hold on to your crown things will get difficult but hold on to your crap there'll be people trying to shake you from your salvation but hold on to your crap there's gonna be people that's trying to get in your ear trying to tell you you made the wrong decision but hold on to your crown you gonna have some difficult time lose some loved ones but hold on to your crown you're gonna see some disappointment in life but hold on to your crown you may go through a season of depression but hold on to your crown you may have sickness in your body but hold on to your crime family may walk away and friends may despise you but hold on to your crap I came to tell you child of God is that it will get difficult but all he tells you to do is hold on to your crimes I need some real Saints in the house that can grab your crap and say I ain't gonna let my crown growth oh no I don't fall too hard for this cried so much for this huh I don't believe so much for this I don't win through too much for this so you're not gonna make me lose my crap because at the only surrender I must still hold on to my thing I wish I had some real people in the house but somebody next to tell them hold on to your crown oh don't let that thing go now this ain't the season to quit this ain't the season to let it go this ain't the season to do that all I'm here to tell you is that you gotta hold on to your crown do I got anybody here that says I ain't gonna let it go no no no no if I gotta cry I'm a crying still hold on if I got a hurt I'm a hurt and still hold on touch somebody and tell them to hold on to your cry that's why I said I'm done cuz it says we didn't you have hold on to you cry when you have endured when you've trusted verse 12 gives us the blessings that jesus promises he says do those of you who have overcome I'm gonna make you a blessing according to three things number one I'm gonna make you a pillar in God's house number two I'm gonna put you in a brand new city and number three I'm gonna give you a new name let me say it again because you held on to your faith I'm gonna make you a pillar in God's house I'm gonna put you in a new city and I'ma give you a new name okay is if we're Baptist Church I gotta do one for the farmer one for the son one for the Holy Ghost hopefully y'all won't make me explain he said if you remain faithful I'll make you a pillar in God's house I'll put you in a new city and I will give you a new name okay y'all gonna make me prove it to you all right the first one being a pillar in God's house was crucial because in antiquity when someone's significant and faithful died they will erect a pillar in a substantial building as a witness to others of the strength and support that this person provided to that city what Jesus was literally saying that I know you were small Philadelphia and I know people think that you're weak and little but your faith speaks volumes about what you stand for so when it's that time I know you may not have much down here but I'm gonna erect a pillar in your honor of that and it's gonna signify six trim and support in other words he says I'm gonna make you a witness even beyond your life that when people see your pillar they gonna see the strength of your faith but he didn't just say I'm gonna make you a pillar he said I'm gonna make you and put you in a new city see reason you can't shout as you forgot my introduction I told you that Philadelphia was located next to a volcano and that twice it had been destroyed by earthquakes it would not be unusual to have some shaking going on and that's why verse 12 says you don't have to go out because as soon as it started shaking the people would evacuate out of the city and can you imagine the horror looking back as their homes and businesses would crumble under the earthquake but Jesus says now I want you to know that when you remain faithful there's another place I'm gonna send you that it's a place that you ain't gotta worry about shaking and earthquakes it's not a place you got to worry about evacuating it's not a place where you got to worry about travail and travesty I'm a senior to God's new city called a New Jerusalem that it's gonna be powerful in New Jerusalem though the problems you face in this city you won't have in God's new city because in God's new city there won't be a water bill in God's new city er won't be electric bill matter of fact in God's new city all you have is the presence of the father you ain't gotta worry about potholes in the ground in God's new city because the streets are paved with gold then all you gotta do is get up there and as long as you are there you will have everything that you need and I know we don't shout over heaven anymore but somebody ought to be grateful what grandma them said were true then I can't wait to the great by-and-by when I get to that place where I am the presence of God that there ought to be hope for us who still in the world have to deal with hurricanes and storms and calamities uh but there's a place where there won't be no more hurricanes there won't be no more earthquakes there won't be no more global climate change I will be in a place where we'll be in the perpetual presence of Almighty God I'm just gonna give you a pillow and I'm just gonna take you to a new city but I'm also gonna give you a new name and in antiquity my brothers and sisters when a king came into power he would print up his own money he would build buildings and the first thing he would do is put his name on them because by putting his name on them it was symbolized ownership in other words what Jesus was saying let me tell you the greatest gift I'm gonna give you is that I'm gonna give you my name see my brothers and sisters if you're like me you love your name and I want you to know that your name has some significance huh but what I appreciated about Jesus is that he gives us a name that's greater than our own name because I know if you like me you won't try to roll up to heaven and think you're gonna use your name to get it I hate to inform you child of God as wonderful as your family is your name ain't gonna work up there but if you got the right name if you got the name that's above every of the name it is assemble my brothers and sisters of the ownership and power of God I'm done I told them earlier y'all that I remember getting my first checking account and when I was younger going into college their color the big we decided on was Wachovia is now Wells Fargo but I I had a Wachovia count I'll never forget y'all that we went to Rock Cove you me and my granddad and I sat in front of the representative and he began to give me all this information I was gonna have my own checking account II was gonna have overdraft protection and it was gonna have my own debit card while I could get my own stuff y'all I was so height that I was gonna have a car with my name on it I was gonna have money that I could access but here's the kicker y'all at the end the man said sirs this is what you want to say yeah and he pulled out a sheet of paper he had all the terms in agreement and there was a lying that I was supposed to sign but when I got the P in the side the man looked at me said sir you can't sign there I said what you mean that's my checking account he said you're right I said it's my debit card he said you're right but according to our rules and stipulations you don't have that age requirement to get your own you need somebody with a bigger name than yours huh that can give you what you need so he turned the paper that was facing me and put it in front of my grinder and I'm a powerful lesson that day that there's always somebody that got a better name than you and at the end of the day child of God our chief aim is I want their name that can't nobody do anything with but go to and bow down and I don't know who I'm preaching to but that's why all of us should be excited because when we get to heaven we all go have the same name now if that grab someone by the hands smile at them and look them in the face and say what up cuz huh because when we get to heaven we all gonna have the same name is that the name of Jesus huh that's gonna give us access at the name of Jesus huh it's gonna give us what we need but I gotta get out of here now but the good news is you ain't gotta wait until you get to heaven to thank God for their name because that name still applies why we're still here somebody can testify thank God for their name because it is the name of Jesus that everything has to shift in my life because I've learned if you try to put your name on stuff your name can do what the name of Jesus can do you can say at the name of Goodman but cancer will not die you can say at the name of read but debt will not leave but when you say in the name of Jesus something has to shift in the name of Jesus something has to change in the name of Jesus Dean's gotta turn around because there's power in the name I gotta get out of here but slip your arms around a neighbor and say knee I came to tell you that whatever you've been facing in life there's a name that can keep you there's a name that can sustain you there's a name that can give you power and can give you peace do I got anybody here that don't mind standing on your feet and shouting that name now be careful y'all because when you start calling that name stuff gotta start happen when you start holding that man mine start gettin right we can start calling that name start to get healed up when you start calling that name things gotta turn around so I got anybody here they said I'm gonna call that name because that's the name that I'm I have when I get into the presence of God is there anybody here that wants to call that name but on the count of three I'll take it a call I'm now ready to call that name y'all ain't ready are you ready to call that name on the count of three i'ma give you a chance to ha love that name one thing ready traitor - no still playing three the name cheese open your mouth and declare there is no name write the name cheese [Music] [Applause] [Music] everyone said it over there used to be a time if you just said the name Jesus folk will get excited I don't know maybe we passed that time but whenever I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he's done for me my soul cries honey [Music] [Music] listen listen hit my heart as we stay and listen he tells that church listen I can't promise you sunshine every day you know one of the challenges and it is hard because I think one of the things we've done a disservice of the kingdom is that we promoted a status or state of a false or pseudo prosperity now once again I do believe God wants us to prosper but prosperity comes in more ways than just tangent and I think part of the challenge that the church had for season we were only trying to promote cash closing collars as a example of one's faith until stuff start happening then you ain't had no cash closing cars and we try to make that in indictment on faith that's not what the scripture backs up matter of fact Paul says I've learned in all things to be content I've had a lot and I was good I had little amounts I see the difference my brothers and sisters is wind you operating the kingdom the Bible is clear it says the rains on the just and the unjust let me tell you what makes us different not that we don't have problems we all got them but what makes us different is we understand we have a hope of foundation that puts the right perspective on what we're going through that the reason why I can still smile in a storm is because I still know better is on the way but that's what the hope in Christ is is not that you won't have tough moments but you have someone that strengthens you in the midst of the tough day tell us his shirts look I got you I'm rolling with you I need you to hang on in there listen child of God

Channel: Tabernacle Baptist Church Augusta

Views: 3,883

Rating: 4.909091 out of 5

Keywords: Tabernacle Baptist Church, Augusta, Rev. Dr. Charles E. Goodman Jr., Revelation

Id: 1lltgkRk92U

Length: 45min 50sec (2750 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 01 2018