Rev. Terry K. Anderson - The Great Attraction (POWERFUL Good Friday SERMON) | 2019

i'm glad to come again to wheeler grove baptist church to share in this good friday event turn with me in your bibles to the gospel of john chapter 12. and verse 32. the gospel of john chapter 12 verse number 32. and i if i be lifted up from the earth will draw all men under me thank you you may be seated the grass withers and the flower that are all faded away for the word of our god shall stand forever i want to talk today about the great attraction the great attraction many of us were riveted through our television screens this week as we watch the awful fire that burned at the cathedral of notre dame over in paris france this 850 year old cathedral it's spire reaching up to heaven 750 tons 1.5 million pounds of spire reaching up to the heavens this this marvel of french gothic architecture which was not only a working cathedral in france but a world treasure people from around the world went to france not just to visit the eiffel tower not just to walk on the chamberlisse not not not just to sail down the river saying but to see and be seen at the cathedral of notre dame made famous by victor hugo in his writings of the hunchback of notre dame saint thomas aquinas preached at notre dame this this beautiful display of french gothic architecture that has stood for eight centuries in one hour went up in smoke that 750 ton spire crashed through the ceiling of that magnificent cathedral and for a moment the entire world it seems stop to watch notre dame burn 70 of the population of france is catholic and only 10 go to mass on sunday but the entire city of france the bit of paris the busiest city in the world stopped to notice the church was on fire paris france the busiest city in the world stood still to watch notre dame on fire just suppose [Music] just suppose believers here in houston would catch fire just suppose the holy spirit would set our hearts on fire the city of houston would stop to watch us burn brothers and sisters if we would ever get in our minds that jesus christ is the savior of this world if we could ever shout over the fact that one friday he died to save us one sunday he got up from the grave and one day he's coming back again if we ever caught fire the church would stop the world would stop to watch the church on fire when was the last time you caught fire about your face when was the last time you burned with enthusiasm on sunday morning when when was the last time you got so excited that you couldn't wait to get to church on sunday morning i called pastor west and pastor cosby sometimes on sunday morning when it rains because sunday is the only day of the week that the weatherman never has to say turn around don't drown you are not gonna drown on sunday morning now you'll drown on monday morning but you will not drown trying to make your way to church on sunday morning but just suppose we cut fire here on the campus of texas southern just suppose we shouted until somebody heard the news that jesus christ is still mighty to save just suppose you in your row would just catch fire right now excited about what god has already done for you [Applause] i mentioned i mentioned lily grove i'll move on with this little sermon i mentioned the lily grove from time to time that you order you ought to bring with you a three by five index card or or get you an eight by eleven if they have a hard time reading uh but get your three by five index card and put it on your pew or put it on your put it on your rope put it next to your press put it somewhere where it's conspicuous where they can see it and right on there this is a disclaimer if you're gonna sit on this road it's going to be noisy [Applause] if you're going to sit next to me it's going to be a lot of racket if you're going if you're going to get in this section it's going to get loud in just a minute because sooner or later he's going to mention the name jesus and i'm going to get excited i don't knock your hat off i don't want to mess up your little prayers and all that so maybe you might want to go sit somewhere else so you ought to tell the person sitting next to you right now this is a disclaimer god's been good to me and i'm not going to wait till easter sunday morning because i might not live that long i'm about to shout right now i'm about to tell god thank you right now for the doors you've opened for the prayers you've answered for the tears you've dried for the ways you've made i'm about to get loud i'm about to get noisy right now let the redeemed of the lord let everything that has breath praise the lord there's nothing else there's nothing else that draws men and women boys and girls like the uplifted christ 20 centuries of christian history prove the drawing power of jesus when he is properly lifted up it is christ crucified who draws it is christ crucified who meets the deepest needs of the hearts of all mankind it is an atoning savior whose death for the sins of man saves from the holy wrath of an infinitely holy god preach any christ but a crucified christ and you will not draw men for long preach any gospel but a gospel of atonement and it will not draw men for long hear me brothers and sisters unitarianism does not draw men because it presents a gospel without atoning blood christian science draws crowds like tom cruise ellen degeneres robin williams and john travolta who wish to francis that they have some religion without paying the price they have some semblance of god but there's no sacrifice there is no costly sympathy it is a bloodless gospel so that it does not draw men to christ congregationalism has a theology without a crucified savior without the atoning blood and thus one of its famed seminaries andover newton is now merging with yale divinity school because the other year andover newton graduated only three students they have a theology with no blood in it they have a preaching with no crucified christ but why does christ lift it up on the cross still draw men to himself he says i if i be lifted up not your opinion not your philosophy not your field-centric piety but i if i be lifted up i will draw all men not to a doctrine not to a personal kind of deity not to some church or some creed or some ritual or some tradition but i will draw all men to myself and brothers and sisters you hear me if you only come to church because of the pastor you ain't going to come along if you only come to church because it's a baptist church when life turns on you you're gonna make it to the muslims or you're gonna find yourself in the catholic church or or you'll be someplace else but if you don't come to church for any other reason other than jesus christ you're coming for the wrong reason because we are not here because of baptist polity we are here because of the person of jesus christ [Applause] a crucified jesus is still making people leave galveston and umber they're still leaving baytown and sugar lane they're still leaving missouri city and great wood they're still coming from 288 and 59 and 45 making their way to the campus of texas southern bad as this traffic is in houston bad as this parking is on this campus it'll be an hour before you get out of that garage you mad right now just thinking about reverend hurry up so i can be the first one out of here to get to my car but you came anyway because of a crucified jesus he died didn't he die ever got a witness here and the only reason we are here today is because one friday they lifted him up my brothers and sisters hear me jesus on a cross is a crucifix jesus on a cross is a crucifix but on a crucifix is a dead jesus that's why i'm so quiet at the catholic church that's why i'm so quiet at the episcopalian church because hanging visibly in their sanctuary is a crucifix and on that crucifix is a dead jesus you can't make no noise on the day of jesus it makes no sense to shout for a dead jesus but i serve [Applause] a risen savior he's in the world today i know that he's living whatever men may say i see his hand of mercy i hear his voice of cheer and just the time i need him he's always me somebody ought to help me preach it he lives he lives christ jesus lives today he walks with me he talks with me you can't shout on no dead jesus because when life gets hard i need somebody who's alive when my enemies start lying on me i need somebody who can come to my rescue when old age comes and steals my health from me i need somebody to walk with me and i can't shout over a dead jesus why why does christ lift it up on the cross still make men and women shout well two reasons christ crucified meets our greatest need that's the first reason what is our greatest need our greatest most fundamental need is a savior if we had needed money god would have sent us an economist if we had needed wisdom god would have sent us a philosopher but since we needed salvation god sent us a savior now brothers and sisters all men need an atoning savior who can by his death make propitiation for our sins thus reconciling us to a holy god delivering us from his awful wrath and bringing us out into the sunlight of his glorious favor christianity is the only religion that offers an atoning savior buddha the founder of buddhism offers enlightenment but he doesn't offer salvation confucianism offers a great teacher but it doesn't offer an atoning savior the muhammad or the the religion of offers muhammad and the muslim faith but it does not offer salvation and for that reason in the language of the late dr lewis patterson buddha's bones are somewhere bleaching on a lonely hillside mohammed's voice is hushed confucius vision is silent resting in the couch of nature's night to await the dawn of eternity's rightening but the grave in jerusalem is still empty the cross is still empty we do not serve a dead jesus on a crucifix we serve a risen savior from an empty tomb he became sin for us who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of god jesus christ offers himself lifted up on the cross to draw us from the curse of the law thus becoming a curse for us for the word says cursed is he that hangeth on a tree i need to tell somebody in here this afternoon who think you're pretty good uh and you're just in here because all the rest of us are in here and and you don't need all this crosstalk and all this jesus conversation this this sounds good but i just want to see what was happening over at tsu i don't i don't really need all of that because i'm a nice person i don't steal i don't drink or i don't i haven't stolen anything i haven't broken into anybody's house i'm i'm basically a good person let me see if i can help you with that the only people in here who is above sin is those of us sitting up here on this platform and when church is over and we come down there we will be just as low down as you are [Applause] because romans 3 23 doesn't say y'all have sinned all have sinned i wish i had somebody to help me talk here we need an atoning savior the bible uses three words to talk about sin the first word is trespass the trespass means to step across the line or to color outside the line to go astray it means to step over the boundary everybody in here can testify that we have crossed the line and you ought to be careful crossing the line because it's a thin line between weakness and wickedness and so thin is the line that you don't know when you crossed it so you ought to stay close to the lord because to trespass means to step over the line [Music] and then the bible talks about sin sin in the greek is the word harmonia it means missing the mark i aimed at it but i missed it i tried my best but i missed it somebody here has had the same experience that i've had but i wake up in the morning and i really intend to have a good spiritual godly holy day and then and then and then about 8 15. for some of you all it's nine o'clock for some of you is 12 for some of you it's five in the afternoon for me it's about around 8 16 or 17 in the morning all that praying i just got through doing somebody ought to help me preach it and then even when i'm praying stuff comes in my mind that ain't got no business being there then i have to say to myself how did that get in there [Applause] i'm not talking to you super saints who see no evil and hear no evil i'm talking to people just like myself who aim at it but you miss it often [Applause] see how quiet you got right there paul said every time i desire to do good evil is always present the good that i would do i find myself not doing and the evil that i don't want to do that's exactly what i do all wretched man not that i was [Applause] but that i am and then there's another word that the bible uses for sin is the word iniquity that word iniquity means that there's something bent there's something crooked in every last one of us i need to warn you i know i told you to put a disclaimer down there and tell them that you you're gonna shout here in a minute but i need to warn you you're sitting next to a crook watch your pocketbook watch your billfold make sure you got your cell phone in your hand i don't care how pretty they look they're crooks come on talk back to me if you can i don't care how holy they acting right now they got their mac makeup on and all their crooks i don't care how black that suit is i don't care nothing about the servant the lord's supper everybody in here is a crook thank god today for grace for mercy he looked beyond my faults i wish i had a witness here there's some decisions i wish i had made there's some wrong roads i wish i hadn't traveled there's some skeletons in my closet that if i open the door every last one of them would fall out right now but thank god for grace [Applause] mercy forgiveness thank god i have an atoning savior that's why i lifted jesus it's still drawing men to come to church because a crucified savior meets our deepest needs a crucified savior meets our greatest deepest most fundamental need now let me back up here and talk to somebody who has not gone as far as you could go god forgives the stuff that you haven't done yet don't don't don't brag on i ain't never been to jail you ain't been to jail yet [Applause] i wish i had one or two more witnesses i said it's a lily grove pastor and uh they kind of think i'm off sometime i i didn't mean that for a joke but um i've never been drunk i've never been to a club remember lawson are not going to go on for our birthday i've never smoked weed because i've been in church all my life i'm a musician i've been playing the music i was an organist for our church played the piano for the association and the state convention and i've been going to church all my life i've been in church ever since i've known myself i started preaching at 18 started pastoring at 20. i never had a young adult life i've been in church all my life leading to music leading to worship i've never done anything young adults do and so i have some things on my bucket list [Applause] reverend lawson and i going to a club i've never been drunk i'm thinking about it [Applause] i've never been high smoking weed i want to know what that feels like [Applause] i've seen them do it i want to try that [Applause] god has forgiven the stuff i haven't done yet somebody ought to help me preach it so many of you like myself who've been in church all your life you had to do all your sinning in church [Applause] i've sinned since i've been a christian i wish i had a witness here i've disappointed god since i've been a preacher but thank god for goodness and mercy just keeps on following me all the days of my i need a crook in here this afternoon who know that if it had not been for the lord who was on your side you're not in jail not because you don't deserve to be there because salvation is not just what god has done for you it's what god has kept you from he kept me from danger seen and unseen a crucified savior meets my deepest need but secondly as i hurry to the close a crucified savior reveals the love of god that's what this service is all about that's what good friday is all about uh you you've read john 3 16 for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son his uniquely born son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life that's that's john 3 16. but you ought to read first john 3 16. first john 3 16 says hereby perceive we the love of god because he laid down his life for us romans chapter 5 and verse number 8 says but god commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners christ died for us now brothers and sisters if that doesn't move you that's because you think you're pretty good already but to those of us who know that we're crooks we know that we are low down we know that we ain't even got no business in here today we know that if the lord just turned his back we'd be the biggest fool in the city of houston we know that there's no good thing in us god just chooses to love us i i was i was in revival this past week in alexandria louisiana and i don't guess they'll invite me back anymore pastor because i messed up last night they were singing a song and and i should have left it along because it wasn't my church it was none of my business but but i couldn't i couldn't leave it alone because it fit so well into what i was trying to talk about last night and and they they were singing this song it's a beautiful song i've heard it and i've asked them not to sing it at lily grove and hopefully you don't sing it at wheeler if you do i'm gonna come over here and stop you when i hear it it's not my church but i'm gonna come over here and and put a stop to it you hear that i don't want to hear it um the song was he thought i was worth saving oh beautiful song sounds real good but but theologically is wrong because god did not save us because he thought we were worth saving because there's nothing in me worth saving i wish i had somebody to help me there's nothing about me that's where i'm talking about me i'm not talking about you there's nothing about me as as a matter of fact the bible says there is none that doeth good there's none righteous no not one so god did not save me because he thought i was worth saving god just commended his love toward god just just sent his love toward me why i was yet in my sins christ died for i'm trying to get you excited about that because all the other so-called religions of the world say for you to come get yourself together first then come over here and meet us that's what the muslims tell us that's what the christian scientists tell us that's that's what the congregational and the unitarian church says come over just get yourself together and after you get on your feet come over here and meet us but i'm glad jesus didn't wait for me to get on my feet because the church is not for people who are on their feet the church is not for people who got it all together the church is not for people who are perfect and not making any mistakes the church is for people who got some scars on their backs the church is for people who messed up big time the church is for people who know that if the lord had not saved you because he just loves you you would be in hell right now god saved me not because he thought i was worth saving he saved me just because he loves me i'm through now but i don't know why jesus loves me i don't know why he cares i don't know why he sacrificed his life oh but i'm glad i'm glad he did i said i'm glad i'm glad not just on friday but i'm glad on wednesday i'm glad on a tuesday morning every time i wake up and think about where i could have been what god could have let happen to me but god kept me in my right mind god put a hedge around me so that when my enemies tried to get to me god blocked them and and no weapon formed against me was able to prosper i wish i had somebody to help me preach it you're here today not because you have a degree from college because there are some people with a college degree who slept under a bridge last night you're not here because you've been being careful and going to the doctor keeping your appointments because some people who kept their appointments died this morning you're not here because you wear a big cross around your neck because wearing a cross is not the same as bearing a cross i wish i had one or two more witnesses here brothers and sisters the attraction that drew all of us here to texas southern's campus is a crucified jesus the reason all of us got dressed to get over here this afternoon is because one friday on a hill called calvary jesus died for us he didn't die for any good people he died for sinners like you and me i wish i had one or two more witnesses here who knows that the attraction today is not this auditorium where we are seated not this choir in the choir loft and not even because reverend anderson is doing the preaching because the biggest crook in here is preaching to you right now but i have this treasure in an earthen vessel that the excellency of the power may be of god and not of us i need one or two more sinners in here this afternoon who knows that if the lord had not saved you you would be lost and in hell you are attracted to this jesus because he was born in bethlehem in nazareth baptized in the jordan performed miracles in a desert place wept over jerusalem prayed in gethsemane you are here this afternoon because he's adam's redeemer he's abel's vindicator he's abraham's sacrifice he's noah's ark you're gonna help me call him watch it you are here this afternoon because he's ezekiel's wheel in the middle of a wheel he's joel's horse pouring in the valley he's god's only son he's mary's baby boy he's james and jude's older brother he's matthew's king he's a mark suffering servant he's luke's great physician he's john's word made flesh he's acts coming of the holy ghost he's the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth he's the blessed and the only potentate he's the faithful and the true witness he's alpha and omega he's the beginning and the end he's the first and the last he's a lily of the valley he's the bright and the morning star he's a rose of sharon he's the day spring of israel he's the stem of jesse he's the root of david distinctive in supernatural capacity superlative in sovereign majesty exclusive in spiritual beauty radiant and eternal splendor matchless and supernal deity he's the god of gods he's the prince of princes he's the fairest of ten thousand he's a bright and the morning star he's the lily of the valley y'all know him don't you one friday on a hill called calvary he died didn't he die what a wonderful attraction but brighter sunday morning he arose didn't he ride but as wonderful as that attraction he is that's not the greatest attraction as beautiful as that attraction is that's not the most wonderful attraction one of these days the skies will break wide open and the warrior king christ will leave his seat at the right hand of power wave his hand and swag the time that has been shall be no more that will be a wonderful attraction by and by when the morning come when all the saints of god are gathering home we will tell the story of how we've overcome we'll understand it better by and by if you want to shout there you might want to practice right now if you're going to give god glory in heaven you might want to get in practice right now if you don't shout when it's over you might want to start shouting right now if he doesn't do anything else i wish i had a witness [Music] if he doesn't answer another prayer if he doesn't pay another bill if he doesn't open another door he's already already already done more than enough is there anybody here not going to wait till the battle is over you're not going to wait till your prayer is answer you're not gonna wait till your victory comes you're gonna go ahead and shout right now go ahead shout right now tell him thank you thank you thank you for all you've done for me thank you you've been a mother for me thank you you've been a father for me thank you you've been a company keeper thank you you brought me you brought me [Applause] [Music] he walks with me he talks with me he tells me i am his own and the job joy joy joy when i think about what he's done for me if the lord opened doors for you if the lord made a way for you why don't you hug somebody why don't you grab somebody why don't you take somebody by the hand tell them you don't know like i know [Music] lord [Music] [Music] um

Channel: Inspiration Station

Views: 62,406

Rating: 4.8262858 out of 5

Keywords: terry anderson, lily grove baptist church, fd sampson, ralph west, frank ray, jasper williams, td jakes, serita jakes, maranda curtis, tasha cobbs, steven furtick, michael todd, the potters house dallas, marcus cosby, tolan morgan, terry k anderson, lilly grove mbc, baptist preaching, national baptist convention, tellis chapman, whooping, ralph d west, jamal bryant, praise break, cogic praise break, cogic shout, at the cross, good friday, resurrection

Id: qa3tXw76pRI

Length: 43min 32sec (2612 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 15 2020