SUCOC 2021.07.11 - 9AM Morning Service

[Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] my god [Applause] is will not [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] hold [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] up [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] with that being said we know that jesus is coming soon maybe morning maybe night maybe noon and i want to rise with those who are going back with him [Music] true [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] is [Applause] [Applause] is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] is [Applause] oh [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] foreign [Applause] [Music] [Applause] jesus as time [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] please [Applause] [Music] jesus [Music] [Music] [Applause] hey i'm going through [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] watching me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the [Applause] come on [Applause] [Music] [Applause] hey i'm going [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] god smiled on me he has set me free oh god has he smiled on me oh lord and he's been good to me and we're singing he smiled on me and he has set me free oh my god he smiled on me oh lord and he's been good to me and we're singing amazing grace how sweet the sound that save the wretch like me i was lost but now i'm found o lord was blind but now oh i see and we're singing my god heads he smiled on me yes and he has set me he smiled on me thank you lord and he's been good so good to meet you good morning family friends visitors and those of you in media land again we greet you from the south union church of christ i stand before you this morning to do the opening prayer so at this time if you would please bow with me in a word of prayer our father and our god who are in heaven how do we be the holy righteous and eternal name once again father we approach the throne of grace with thanksgiving in our hearts thanking you father for life health and strength and for the manifold blessings that your riches bestowed upon us we thank you father for the supreme sacrifice you made and that you allowed your only begotten son to come down into this and cursed world hang bleed and die that sinners like you and i might be made free father we thank you for your love your mercy and your grace for he realized without it none of us could be here if justice prevailed all of us will be lost because the heart into your whole and divine word you say that we've all sinned and come short of your grace for that reason father we ask that you look down upon us and forgive us of any sin that may reign in our lives be it by words thoughts deed omission or commission father we come before you this morning with this worship service we pray that everything we say and do will be in harmony with your holy and divine will then to father we pray on behalf of all the sick and shut in we pray that your will will be as ours that they might be restored to a reasonable portion of health and strength and once again be able to assemble with the saints likewise father we pray on behalf of those that are believed we ask that you would comfort them as only you can yet at the same time dear father we ask that we as brothers and sisters might throw our loving arms around them and do what we can also then father we thank you for the privilege of being able to be here this morning for many people laid down on last night never to arise again yet you saw fit to touch us with your tender finger of love and allow life to roll on and for that father we're eternally grateful at this time being father we thank you and ask that you would continue to be with us throughout this worship service again that everything we say and do might be most pleasing acceptable in your sight these blessings we ask in the name of the lord and savior jesus christ we came down this since cursed world i wanted old rugged cross where his blood wiped away or remitted our sins something that the blood of bull and goats couldn't do it's in his name we pray let us all say amen good morning good morning we'll start off this morning this world is not my home this world is not my home of all found let us together see this world is not my home i'm just a passing through my treasures all laid up somewhere beyond the blue the angels back on me from heaven's open door and i can't feel at home in this world anymore and oh lord you know i have no friend like you tell me if heaven's not my home then lord what will i do you know the angels back on me from heaven's open door and i can't feel it in this world anymore they're all respecting me and that's one thing i know my savior pardoned me and now i won't go i know he'll take me through though i am weak and poor and i can't feel at home in this world anymore and oh lord you know i have no friend like you tell me for heaven not my heart and then lord what will i do you know the angels back on me from heaven's open door and i can't feel at home in this world anymore adjust up in glory land who will live eternally the saints on every hand push out in victory their songs are sweetest praise the jerk back from heaven's shore and i can't feel it at all in this world anymore and oh lord you know i have no friend like you tell me for heaven's not my home then lord what will i do you know the angels back on me from heaven's open door and i can't feel at home in this world anymore i'll live in glory our living glory of all found let us together sing i like to stay here longer than man's a lot a day and watch the fleeting changes of life's uneven where but if my savior calls me to that sweet home on high i'll live with him forever in glory by and by [Music] and i'll tell and sing love story teller their own hindi [Music] [Music] glory by the end i know is nearing by faith i look away to yonder home serpent of the land of endless day i'll cling to him forever and look beyond the sky and spin the enlisted in glory by [Music] their [Applause] and oh yes i live in glory glory by their own heart and there with my dear redeemer there no more to die and oh yes i live in glory [Music] morning church this morning scripture reading will come from the book of ephesians the chapter is 2 and the verses are 1 through 10. once again that's ephesians chapter 2 the verses are 1 through 10 and i will be reading for the new american standard version of the bible if all found say amen and the bible reads and you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formally walk according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience among them we too all formerly live in the lust of our flesh indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind and we were by nature children of wrath even as the rest but god being rich in mercy because of his great love and which with which he loved us even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in christ jesus so that in the ages to come he might show the surpassed the suppressive riches of his grace and kindness towards us in christ jesus for by grace you have been saved through faith and not that of yourselves it is the gift of god not a result of works so that no one may boast for we are his workmanship created in christ jesus for good works which god prepared beforehand so that we will walk in them i have read for you ephesians chapter 2 the verse 1 through 10. the subject of this morning's sermon is processing and punctuating the positives of the pandemic 8.0 let us continue to have your attention as we are led in prayer let us pray eternal father we humbly approach your awesome throne of grace thank you the lord for all the many wonderful blessings of life that you so richly shower down upon us from the early existence of our lives until this present moment we're indeed thankful for the greatest gift of all your son jesus christ who came down to this earth to deliver your word to go to the cross of calvary to shed his precious blood to be buried and resurrect never to die again in order that we may live and have eternal life and for this little lord we are eternally grateful we pray to the lord and thankful for this opportunity that we can appear before you this morning to worship you in spirit and in truth we're just so thankful for the holy spirit we pray that you allow the holy spirit to guide and direct our minds this morning as we give you praise glory and honor and father help us to recognize that you are the only spectator and that we all are participant and that we may worship you according to your will without addition or subtraction from your word we pray for your man servant brother tucker who will come before us to break the bread of life father we ask that you look down on him guide him strengthen him as he declare your word we pray that you would bless him and his family according to the things that will be beneficial to their lives and we pray to the lord that the message with enough will not fall on deaf ears but that it will be receptive into our minds and that we apply the message to our lives and all of that we may glorify you we pray for everyone that's present here this morning we pray that you would guide us that we'll always strive to do your will that we may be the people that will bring glory and honor to your to your will we pray for the churches of christ father we ask that you would bless us that will always be one and that there will be no division among us that the world may know that we belong to you by the life we live and the love we have toward one another we pray for this world as we experience in trials and tribulations in this life father we know that you're the answer and we pray that you will look down on this land that you would touch this land with your mighty hand of healing from this pandemic and all the natural disasters and things that affect this land and all of that our lives will be are restored and that we may live according to your will we pray for the government of this land we pray that you would guide them that they may allow your word to to guide them as they leave and apply your word to the laws of this land to make this a better world to live in we pray to the lord that you would be with us as we go out into the world that we may spread the gospel of jesus christ that some precious soul may come and ask that question what must i do to be saved we pray for our leadership here at south union we pray for them in their family bless their help that they may lead and guide us in a way that will be pleasing unto thee and father we just agree with all of those that are sick and afflicted among us those that are bereaved at this time we pray that you would comfort them in a way that only you can and that all things will be well with them and we just pray and ask that you continue to love us and guide us as we go through the fathers of our service that everything we say and do will magnify your name it's in your son jesus christ's name we pray amen jesus gave his life for ransom yonder on calvary on mount calvary that cruel cavalry and he paved the way by blood [Music] salvation has been brought down cold and sound and telling the world around until it today tell it today just preach the word of god that we might end up shining around you got to tell the laws salvation is full and free [Music] [Music] and praise the lord salvation has been brought down there's a blessed home prepare way over in glory to land in bright glory left and blessed and blessed glory to land i have trusted in his love and now i'm heaven bound praise his holy name [Music] praise the lord salvation has been brought down go and sound and tell just preach the word of god that we might win that shining around you've got to tail the laws salvation is full and free spread the news all over the land and sea [Music] and praise the lord salvation has been brought down there are some things i may not know there are some places i i cannot go oh but i am sure of this one thing yes that my god is real for i can be him in my soul oh yes god is real he's so real in my soul oh sing my god is a real for he has a wasp and made me holy [Music] sing my god is real for i can feel him in my soul oh i cannot just how you feel oh when jesus watched your sins your sins away oh but since that day [Music] ooh and since my god is real before i can feel his holy power and oh yes god is real he's so real in my soul oh sing my god is real for he has lost and made me holy [Music] and know his love for me [Music] yes it's just like we're gold oh sing my god is real for i can feel [Music] [Music] [Music] my god is real for i can feel him in my soul oh yes god is real [Music] for he has a one [Music] yes it's just like you're gone [Applause] him in my soul amen amen let the church say amen certainly god is in the blessing business and we have a reason to praise his holy name from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the lord is great and greatly to be praised how magnificent how mighty how marvelous and how majestic is the name the lord our god here it is let the redeemed of the lord say so if the lord woke you up this morning if the lord started you on your way and if the lord continues to keep food on your table he continues to put clothes on your back he continues to keep a roof over your head you have something to be excited about i'm thankful that we can praise god not just for the tangible but for the intangible is there anyone here who's thankful that they have peace of mind they're able to have contentment in a world that seems to be unhappy i'm thankful that we are living in a time in a period such as this yet we can be insulated yet not isolated from the rest of the world it was the apostle john who reminds us to love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him i'm thankful and grateful that i can experience the blessings of life yet not get wrapped up in what i see i praise the lord that the lord has blessed me even in spite of me and it just seems like this morning that i ought to have at least five witnesses and i would make number six that can testify that the lord continues to bring us over hill and mountain when we're almost to the point where we are getting ready to give up god does some of his best work in what we would describe helpless and hopeless situations so i just praise the lord because if anybody has a reason to sing we do amen amen i say we do i'm thankful that the lord is on our side and you know it's just good to sing praises unto god we're thankful for those who have lifted and blended their voices this morning when you know who god is he does not have to plead and beg for you to praise him you just wake up in the morning with praise on your mind and so that the lord has blessed us to be here we have much to be thankful for and we are grateful for our uh worship leaders who have done a wonderful job this morning and we pray for their continued continued success as they continue to give god all of the glory that he so richly and abundantly deserves now it's good to look out and to see so many who are here with us this morning especially if you are visiting we are just always grateful uh whenever we see visitors come our way especially given this current covid19 season and i know that our reassembling efforts have been put in place to ensure and assure that we are all safe while we worship so we appreciate you uh you look beautiful even with your mask your mask doesn't mess up your outfit you still have it going on and i want you to know that it's just good to look out and to see you and we look forward anticipatorially uh when these preventative measures can kind of subside and we can kind of return back to life as we once knew it but if we never go back we're just thankful that god has brought us to where we are right now amen amen thankful for the lord blessing us uh with one more day if you're visiting here i want to take a moment and just physically recognize you we're going to ask that you stand all of our visitors just stand because with these masks on we don't know who's visiting and who's not sometimes amen praise god we're so thankful so grateful so happy to have you here because we realize that you have a choice where you will go in worship we don't take it lightly that you've chosen to worship here at south union and we want you to know to please come back at the next opportune time because the doors to this church swing open on welcome hinges amen amen on yesterday our family on friday rather we funeralized and buried our very own sister essie newsom and uh to those who uh who have known sister newsome and this family down through the arcades of time i know that you uh are filled with um with sadness and and gladness at the same time we are glad we're thankful that she died in the lord amen 93 years of age and i don't believe she was no ways tired uh every time you saw sister newsom she just lit up uh the room and i am thankful for her love and thankful for her uh continued faith and you know you can reach a point in life where you can kind of just say hey i've done the best i can do and i'm just going to uh a man just have to make it in on grace but sister essie newsome did not adopt that mentality uh even when she wasn't feeling well at 91 years of age i remember she was still coming to the lord's church and she was able to be here with us and encourage us and we we just need to lift her up and lift up the family and we're thankful and grateful for each person who has taken time out to minister unto this great family and i know that god was glorified we thank so very much our help enhanced ministry who ministered on friday and we've received wonderful encouraging words because of the way we have shown our love to one another that's what life is all about family that's what being a christian is all about it's about showing love to one another god put it this way as jesus uh told his disciples for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever shall believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life if there's ever a question how much god loves us it is summed up in the description of soul he's so loved the world which means that there is no estimation there is no tabulation uh there is no uh no method of measuring god's extreme and abundance love abundant of love for us i'm thankful uh that god loves me even in spite of me so since god loves me he expects for me to love someone else and that's what it's all about uh in the body of christ now i want to encourage us this morning someone asked me uh during the week what was i preaching on on sunday and i know why they asked me that i think i know why they asked me that we have been uh preaching from one thing one thing uh for the last and now eight weeks one thing one theme for the last eight weeks and uh they said well what are you preaching on this sunday and i just looked at and i didn't say this to them but i was thinking to myself i'm going to preach jesus amen i'm going i'm going to preach the same thing i'm going to preach jesus but i'm going to preach lord willing on our uh continued series uh processing punctuating uh the pandemic uh the positives of the pandemic and the reason why we want to continue to put this forward is because god has done some great things and i believe that it's always good to recognize the great uh works that god continues to write uh in our lives so if you have your bibles if you would please take your bible if you have your electronic devices navigate over and meet us at ephesians the second chapter if you're physically able to stand you you may stand for the reading of the scripture i know things have changed since covet but if you're able to still give god glory let's give him some glory there may come a time in our lives where we're unable to stand and i want to stand for the lord just as long as i can amen ephesians chapter 2 and the verses that have been read verses 1 uh down through verse 11 but we would like to we would like to highlight verse 4 uh verse 4 through 10. ephesians 2 verses 4 through 10 when you have it just say amen family amen let's read this together i'll be reading from the king james version the bible the word of god reads but god who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins have quickened us together with christ by grace you are saved and hath risen us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in christ jesus that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through christ jesus for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of god not of works lest any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in christ jesus unto good works which god hath before ordained that we should walk in them processing and punctuating the positives of the pandemic you may take your seats in the house of god we're singing hallelujah you know i've been running every since i made a star oh you know that i know that his love is over in my heart [Music] [Music] i believe is [Music] [Music] jesus [Music] oh i believe his love keeps bubbling over in my heart [Music] my days are brighter [Music] his yes keeps bubbling over in my heart one last time say [Music] come on and say holly [Music] this you are brighter jesus gonna make your mind i praise the lord cause his love keeps bubbling praise the lord his love keeps fubbling every day his love keeps bubbling i know that his love keeps bubbling when i'm down his love keeps bubbling when his love keeps bubbling and i'm sad and his love keeps bubbling when i'm down his love keeps bubbling i'm paying for his love is bubbling over in my heart in my heart amen and praise god processing and punctuating the positives of the pandemic there is no doubt there is no secret what our great god can do what god has done for others the same he will do for you i praise the lord that god's blessings and his will of amazing grace never runs dry his blessings of my entire life they never grow old i praise the lord as the writer in lamentations his mercies are new they are fresh they are made available each and every morning i'm thankful that when i wake up and see the light of a brand new day i can give him glory no matter what happens within a given day i still recognize that god is deserving of my praise my physical sensibilities seem to indicate that there's no one like our god when times are difficult when the days seem along when the nights seem dark when clouds gather over my life i'm thankful and grateful that i have a refuge even in the time of my storm i must admit family that storms will come that difficult days will present themselves hardships challenges and obstacles are real phenomenon yet through the midst of all of these challenges all of these circumstances and the vicissitudes of life itself i recognize and am cognizant of the fact that god is still a good god you see when i lose my loved ones god is still a good god if god doesn't bless me anymore he's already blessed me enough i praise god i'm thankful unto him and when i consider and reflect on the physical blessings where would we be without god's spiritual blessings in this particular periphery of scripture we are given some information regarding what we have in christ jesus spiritually because we do realize family that we are not flesh having a spiritual experience but we are rather spirit having a fleshly experience in other words we are people before we are made flesh the bible instructs us that he knows us even in our mother's womb he knew us before we became he knew us before we were formed he had in mind who you would become who you would be before the foundation of the world now i'm going to seek to prove this with an abundance of scripture and then i would like for us to make this scripture applicable to our lives today why are you spending so much time brother preacher on highlighting the positives of the pandemic i tell you family the reason that we want to spend some time uh speaking and illuminating the positives of the pandemic is because there are so many negatives of the pandemic and as people of god as children of god if we can't be thankful uh for the goodness of god during times of difficulty then the world will never see the need to become a part of the saved i believe that in this particular text god actually shows us the necessity of being the saved the necessity of being the saved not that the lord needs us but that all of us really need the lord and the church he has so designed some people need to be reminded we all need to be reminded but sometimes we forget what church is really all about you see we're living in a generation right now that needs to see more than just surface made christianity surface-made christianity is what looks good on the outside it's what is what twinkles to the eye it's what looks glamorous as people look at our outward appearance i believe that we're living in a moment in time right now where people need to see that it's more than about having a three-piece suit on and walking around with a bible in my hands they need to see that it's more than having a bumper sticker on the back of my vehicle they need to see that it's more than just saying god is a good god they need to know that it's more than what i show on the outside but being a christian is about who you are through the grace of god on the inside if you don't have anything on the outside to indicate that you have it all together just know that by your virtue of being a child of god god has equipped you with everything that you need that pertains to life and godliness we cannot be so wrapped up with what we see on the exterior that we live rotten lives on the interior god is not impressed with your thousand dollar suit he's not impressed with your five hundred dollar shoes and he doesn't care about your two hundred dollar hat god is concerned about your soul god wants to know is the stuff that i gave you on the inside is the scripture that i revealed unto you is it helping you live a better life are you a better person do you make a difference everywhere you go when people see you walking in are they thankful to receive your presence or are they grieved because you just came into the room are you making a difference god wants to know am i making a difference in your life is is my word making a difference in your life because this is what the criterion is for christians it's about how we look to god and not necessarily how we look to everyone else family this is important and i want to spend some time and just teach this if you'll give me 15 minutes to teach the text and then i'm going to move on family in this in this epistle of ephesians and here's why i want to teach the text let me let me be totally transparent it's one thing to say so by grace we are saved through faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of god not of works lest any man should boast it's one thing to quote that but god wants to know what does it look like when you tote that what does it look like when you carry that not in your bible but in your heart what does it mean to be saved by grace family let's unpack this text in ephesians the book of ephesians is written to saints of god in a city called ephesus it is noted as a city-state among the greek empire this greek culture this uh hellenistic view this roman uh culture this roman empire encompasses this land where christians are found to dwell in a very real sense family the christians are outnumbered when it comes to those who believe in god versus those who have no relationship with god please be advised family that this is during the time period of world history that we know to be called greek mythology so within this given period they live in a polytheistic society which meant that they endorsed multiple gods and not a monotheistic society where you believe in the one true god the most high god they believe that there were multiple gods so watch this paul is writing to the saved number in the church in ephesus and advising them on how they should let their light shine when living in a world full of darkness don't miss this because ephesus was a banking and commercial city it was one of the major and premier cities of its day so we're not talking about some backwoods town we're not talking about some uh obscure place we're talking about a place that was visibly on the physical uh geographical uh social and uh financial map everyone knew about ephesus famous for uh the construction of the temple of diana famous for all of these various uh greek uh mythological statues famous for its commerce and trade and in the midst of all of this hustle and bustle you have a church you have the called out you have the here it is ecclesia you have the body of christ you have those who are trying to live out their salvation in a world that around them dictates or says suggests that they are unsaved so they are outnumbered they are the minority report yet i'm encouraged to see family that throughout this text given within the tapestry of this text paul wants them to never forget that you've been saved he wants them to never forget family that you've been saved here it is here's the thought walk in your salvation what does it mean to walk in my salvation walking in my salvation is not this conceited inflated arrogance of spiritual importance walking in my salvation means that i understand the great length that god has expressed and the depths that he has gone to in order to secure to bring to make manifest my salvation in christ jesus and so when i understand what god has done for me i have to give him glory in what i do for him look at the text family someone says how does this relate to the positives of the pandemic if you stay on the line i promise we're going to get there in ephesians two paul says you need to understand your actions and if you're taking notes that would be a good one to jot down verses one through three it's all about your actions another way of putting it it's about your past another way of putting it is about your record your portfolio your personal file here's what paul writes unto them he says and you have he quickened speaking to the christians and some who were gentiles yet they were christians living in a hellenistic hedonistic society he says and you have he quickened who were here it is dead in trespasses and sins listen to our actions the lord god quickened us the lord god raised us the lord god animated us the lord god preserved us the lord god has given us a jump start because he took something that was dead and made it alive how am i dead paul paul says i'm dead because of my trespasses i'm dead because of sin be reminded family that even though we are saints in this world we still struggle with sin don't be beguiled by satan do not be overly impressed with your social status or your uh perceived spiritual strength satan is still after you satan is still after me he does not stop and pause and give consideration to my being a minister of the gospel of jesus christ as a matter of fact if i tell you the truth about it he hopes that i will fall because of the influence i have with others satan is after me don't sit up here and look at your neighbor as though they are the example and the portrait of what it means to be a strong christian because all of us are just one sin away from losing it all there is a sin family oh there is a sin i say there is a sin i need somebody who's honest in here there is a sin that will so easily it'll turn you away it will it will obstruct your path it will make you trip up and fall someone says i don't know i cannot identify what my sin is family here's what i want to say in a realistic way uh know yourself enough to know what that seeing is be in touch with who you are enough to know that this is something i'm still working on and here's why we need to understand that because one of the ways one of the sins that is going to uh cause us some gate trouble if we're not careful is when we can identify everyone else's sin but we are unable to trace track and identify our own you see i have enough in my life where i'm not concerned listen i want to help you grow but before i help you i need to help myself because god is still refining me and working and needing some lumps out of my life he's still working on me and if i'm unable to identify my own sin but i'm able to identify yours then you already know what mine is according to the apostolic writer it's pride it's pride because if you know what everybody else needs to do to be better y'all getting quiet in here yeah have you ever run into people like that talk back to me online drop it in the live chat have you ever run into people like that they know what exactly what you need to do oh but if you ask them and you they sit there as if you are speaking to an alien they don't know who you talk and you yeah i need to do all of this you're right and you and they don't say anything that person's problem is pride and the bible says six things does the lord hate yet seven are an abomination unto him and the first category on the list is a proud look because if you are a proud prideful person and you walk around with all of this uh pomposity and arrogance and inflated view of yourself snubbing up your nose at other folk talking about what you do and and what god does for you listen my friends be careful because pride will destroy your soul so paul when he writes this text i like what he says because he said he reminds us of our past he says god you have he quickened you have he made it alive because why because sin had killed you someone say sins kills say come on say it sin kills sin will mar you it will bar you it will tar you it will taint you it will destroy you sin might be pleasurable for a season but at the end of its progress and well process is death it feels good right now but you'll die in your sin and if you die in sin where jesus is you cannot come the text teaches in verse two wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world somebody say this world we sing this world is not my home but i'm what i'm just a passing through but is that true do we really express that this world is not our home or have we gotten so comfortable with living in this world that this world is the only home we want to live in family we have to be careful about being so comfortable in this life and in this era of living because this is not all that there is to life there is something coming after half time you see half time is death that's the half but after half time if you are a sports enthusiast you know that a lot of times that's when the game really begins people strive harder after half time because they realize that time is is running out family death is half time but there's a life after death i don't want to be so consumed with what is over here that i miss out on what is waiting for me over there listen come here family let me preach to myself there are no preaching nor ministerial lecture ships in heaven y'all getting quiet right here there is no pastor of the month in heaven y'all not going to help me preach here oh okay there is no uh anniversary celebration in heaven y'all getting quiet in here all of these situations have their place here in life but if i'm in ministry for those reasons i'm going to miss out on heaven because heaven is not about what god can do for me heaven is about what god has already done for me am i right about it and so in this life i have to understand that god wants my soul saved the bible says in verse two i'm i'm here i'm i'm hurriedly uh coming to a close in in verse two he says wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air that's speaking of satan the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience you see the world is disobedient don't be so enamored with what the world does because the world's standards ought not be our standards i cannot be so impressed and so easily uh uh influenced by what the world is doing you see one of the great things about our uh modern day society is this technology that we experience one of the great attributes of modern achievement is social media and at the same time one of the greatest devices that satan uses to destroy our faith is also social media be careful waking up in the morning looking to see what everybody else is putting on y'all getting quieted here be careful about looking to see how everyone else is living what they are doing and then forget about what god has done for you developing a spirit of jealousy and competitiveness because it's not about me competing with my fellow man it's about how do i measure up when i look at christ when what god has done for me am i thankful for what he's done for me and do i express that in my livelihood whole family i'm trying to encourage you to see that we need some transformation in the church we need to be transformed with the renewing of our minds we need god to come into our area we need god to come into our designated spaces of privacy we need god to invade our spirit i need god to clean my house i need god to clean up the cobwebs that are in my life i need god to make a difference but in order for god to make a difference i've got to keep my mind on him the bible says in verse 3 among whom we also he says among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the fl in the lust of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and we're by nature the children of wrath even as others i like what paul does because paul closes it out by saying in this particular part of the scripture he says i'm not just preaching to you i'm preaching to myself listen to the inclusivity of words that he uses he says we all had our conversation in times past fulfilling the uh lust of the flesh and of the mind he says we he says in other words i'm in this struggle with you i praise god for spiritual leaders who are not so arrogant to just be honest with people and say that i'm in this spiritual struggle with you we are in it together no need in me acting as if i can't relate to what you've gone through i may not relate to that exact specific situation but i have some situations to where if god had not kept his hand on me we wouldn't be having this conversation today paul says i can identify with the struggle someone says identify with your struggle i can identify with the struggle and then in verse four and here's where i'm getting ready to close and here's in verse four in verse four there's a transition in verses one through three you have your past but in verse four god is about to show you your present praise the name of jesus praise the name of god that i don't have to be locked in who i used to be i don't have to stay and and and run around with the folk i used to run with i know you've been running with angels all your little life but but i'm going to tell the truth up in here up in here i'm thankful that i'm not what i used to be i believe that i'm on safe footing when i say that i had a pass see paul was not above the people that he preached to paul says i had a past i know right now i am the apostle to the gentiles and i know that i have the ability to understand all mysteries and i know that i have the uh the manifestation of the holy spirit to where i can raise the dead and i can see a man in the third heaven but don't you be confused don't get it twisted paul said i have had struggles i've had shortcomings i've had some negative experiences of life he says but watch this now we're going to run into the greatest intersection man has ever known he says but god i like saying that you ought to try it sometimes but god when when times get difficult in your life you ought to try it sometimes but god when the bills are due and you're wondering where's the money going to flow from you ought to say it to yourself but god when you walk into the hospital and the doctor shakes his head you ought to leave out saying but god i like how that sounds when i'm having difficulty in my family i like saying but god when i'm rearing my children i like to say but god when it gets difficult in my ministerial track i like to say but but god is there anybody here who knows the greatest intersection that man has ever had the opportunity to encounter it's the blood god you used to be but god you used to think but god you used to have but god god has made the difference in your life now watch this god is about to change the direction of the of the encounter watch the text the text says but god who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in our sins have quickened us together with christ now watch this now the same folk who had a past the same folk who had struggled same folker that had disappointments and misfortune paul says now those same folk are sitting together in the same place i praise god that god he saved me uh-huh in verse uh and verse number four god has saved me god has not only just saved me but in verse five god has shared with me now watch this now by grace am i saved but he says now we're sitting in the same place that means that we have it in common that means that you have salvation on your account and praise god i have salvation on my account you have joy on your account praise god i have joy in on my account you have grace on your account thank god i have grace on my account you have peace on your account praise god i have peace on my account because when we were all backsliders when we were all sinners when we all had a past i'm thankful god brings us out of our pastor and shows us the present somebody needs to see that you have a present a present walk with the lord even right now don't let your past hold you back don't let your past keep you from going don't let your past your future understand that the same god who saw your past has brought you over into your presence it's in the text family why is this important this is important because you need to know where you are sitting quit looking for the big seed in life god has already given it to you quit talking about i want to i want to look like them one day no no look like what god transformed you to be god has already seated you in heavenly places i i want to unpack this if i had time i'd really unpack this because i can remember uh that every now and then it's necessary uh to to experience uh the high end of life every now and then brother spencer i'm gonna be honest every now and then i do more than than than try to take erica to mcdonald's and burger king can i just be honest in here y'all not gonna get mad and and say well well i don't want to say what i'm really thinking but but y'all not gonna get mad at me are you i try to do a little bit better than uh than uh uh then when this uh don't mean no harm but i try to do a little bit better every night and then i'll try to step it up try step it up every night and then and uh hallelujah praise the name of jesus amen somebody if i don't have one witness uh amen yeah every now and then i try to try to live a little you know experience what what what y'all experience uh every now and then i i go to a restaurant and i enjoy going to these restaurants and many times when you go to certain restaurants you know there is what is called uh a hospitality stand and you have something uh people who who identify as hostesses and and and those who host you or greet you at the door they are greeters now we call them uh they they're greeters at the door they they welcome you in and and i'm so thankful family because one time we were we were going out to eat it was a big day and we planned to go out to eat and when we got there we saw that there was hardly any uh parking spaces available and as we walked up to the restaurant we could see that the line was out of the door but i praised god because i turned to erica and i said baby what are we going to do and she says well let me go check with the host and she went to check with the host and when she came back she said well uh the host said it's time to come on i said baby i said it's time to come on we we're going to the whole set the table is ready i said the table is ready she said yes i said well what about all of these people that are in front of us standing in line and erica said well we don't have to worry about them because we did something called call ahead seating somebody would help me lift that up a little higher listen family i'm thankful for call ahead seating because it means that they are expecting your arrival somebody ought to help me see this on today listen when you live for god you are doing call ahead seating he's expecting you at the pearly gates he's expecting you in heaven you don't have to wait because your table is already ready no wonder we sing the song all things already come to the feast come for the door is open wide i'm thankful that my table is all ready prepared it's already prepared and watch this now because my table has already been prepared i remember that i'm his workmanship here's where i'm closing i'm his workmanship created unto him for good works now watch this now god wants to put us on display god wants to put us on display he wants the world to not look at us and think we made it because of us but he wants the world to look at us and say look what god did with him we are his workmanship created unto good works now if he any in ecclesiastes nine i wish i had time to go there in ecclesiastes nine we are taught the concept of how if there's any good thing to do we you put your hands to it you do it because if there's a good work to be involved get close and put your hands on it find something good to do well now he says we create it because we are his workmanship we are his display but now our job is to do some good things there are some good things that have come out of the pandemic here are some of the good things that we didn't have before the pandemic hadn't expressed in this particular way but because of the pandemic we had to step it up some god brought us to another level watch this family i praise god for the ministry of the communion distribution and collection drop off y'all getting quiet in here see people saw a good thing to do and they put their hands to doing it now listen to these brothers and sisters as i call their names marquis wilmore william and catherine mcdaniel carrie rockmore vernell p lawrence tammy wright jewell wright dorothy roberts norma jeffrey lois t holland patricia palms linda penn gene smith reba smith now watch it these are our brothers and sisters who have taken time out of their schedules on a saturday morning to sit here and wait for me to sit here and wait for you so that we can continue to commune with the lord even doing the pandemic and not miss a beat at the same time this is an opportunity for me to to give back to god as god is so richly given unto me i praise god that people love the lord saints love the lord brothers and sisters love the lord well they say because god saved me he has put me in a position to where now it's time to serve him and that's what it's really all about it's about being saved to serve it's about being saved to help others i praise god family that during this particular uh time of the year and during this particular uh season of our lives we had people and we still have people who don't mind taking time out of what they do to just give god some glory now before the pandemic you would be reminded that uh we needed um to assist families who have lost loved ones but let me show you how god works in the fall of 2019 the leadership came together with some saints who had been concerned about our ministry with our families who have lost loved ones watch this we discussed this concept years ago but we came back together in a quorum not knowing that in just five months we would be facing a pandemic the lights we had never seen it would prevent us from hosting large assemblies in the building for fear of spread of transmission of the virus and so out of the prayer and conversation that we had with saints by god's divine ordinance god gave us something called helping hands ministry now if you've lost a loved one here's what has happened you've gotten a call you've gotten cards people have even shown up putting their own health at risk i i want us to see how big this is putting their own health at risk traveling far distances because we want you to know that we care oh family i thank and praise god for these sisters and brothers patricia palms dorothy roberts charles branch andre carraway dorothy carraway tyrone and ruby carter annie chrisman ruby cole uh i'm gonna say me me copeland you're gonna say me me too constance crosby rita craft bertha davis wanda davis brenda dogan diane eaglin tina george gerlene hampton brenda harris edmund harris freddie holland and louis t holland ryan and chanelle hurd patricia isom walter and norma jeffrey terrence jernigan glenda kincaid vernell p lawrence kathie lee beverly lewis erica stevens lynch lydia melton catherine mcdaniel karen nicks stacia okayawoo jason reeves carrie rockmore tammy scott ambria surgeon gene smith reba smith derosa stevens christy stokes angela thomas frederick and ann thompson reginald trudeau erica tucker georgia washington kelvin and allison weathers marquis wilmore joel wright tammy wright irvin and anna young these are helping hands yeah these are helping hands you never know how god is going to use you and family i want to be transparent with you you know one of the most powerful ministries that i have observed in my time of being a part of the lord's church is the ministry of presence just being present i've walked into situations where i knew that this person was transitioning and and you know if you if you've ever witnessed that period of life you know it when you see it and you'll you'll know it again if you ever see it again i knew that the person was transitioned i've been in many situations like that and i can remember one time as we were getting ready to minister to a family and someone asked me well what are you going to say because it was a tragic situation what are you going to say as you walk in there what are you going to say and then when i came out when i emerged out they asked me what did you say and sometimes my answer has been i said nothing at all because sometimes you don't need anybody to preach a lesson unto you sometimes you just need their presence with you sometimes a hug is all the communication that is necessary sometimes holding a person's hand is all the communication that is necessary sometimes just praying in the moment with that family is all that's necessary because you're talking about the power of presence you don't always have to know what to say because sometimes it's necessary to say nothing at all sometimes all that is required is i love you i'm with you the family making sure that you are available to be there in the time of need can mean all the difference in the world as we close this last ministry it's sometimes not considered a ministry but i consider it a ministry of outreach because it involves coordination that would display the best of us someone says well do you have any bible for this i believe i do because in the book of the chronicles and in other places as well they were concerned with god's temple and they wanted to make sure that the upkeep of the temple was was maintained and was was pristine family we have a beautification ministry here and this beautification ministry helps to make sure that that that that things are aesthetically inviting and we can say all we want that it doesn't matter how we look it doesn't matter what we do but but that's not the truth family god never just accepted anything from anybody he always asked for the best is that right talk to me in here someone you you don't you don't want just any cook to cook your dinner you want the best cook you don't want just any pilot to fly your plane y'all gonna help me here you want the best pilot now that we got you on my team let me see if i can slide this in there you don't want just anybody preaching to you you want the best version of brother tucker you can get every sunday am i right about it now i know i always don't hit it but but you want the best am i right about it family god wants our best this beautification ministry sisters and brothers erica tucker fred and linda penn leroy and charlotte reese simone penn uh gabrielle penn allison reese alyssa reese and they're probably some others on here but family how we look is important listen to what jesus said jesus said you are the city that sitteth upon a hill and the light that comes from you is clearly seen by the rest of the world family i think that it's time for us to walk in the best that we can give god walking the best the best i can give him of my time of my talent and of my treasure god here it is deserves nothing less than the best so i can praise the lord i can praise the lord for what he's done in this pandemic what he continues to do in this pandemic because i know that i've been saved to serve throughout this pandemic i don't know who i'm talking to online but perhaps you have not done everything you could do during the pandemic well you can make up your mind right now that i'm going to do better for the lord i'm going to do better for the lord because the lord has preserved me listen if you can't appreciate anything else appreciate god's power of preservation i now know what it's like for god to keep me and for god to preserve me and i'm going to allow god to get his glory from me because i don't know how long i have here to stay i don't know i don't know how long and just because you're here doesn't mean you'll know it when you're still here am i right about it we need to get real we don't know where death is but even if death doesn't come incapacitation may hit you first so why not do the best you can while you can when you can to help whoever you can as long as you can don't ask me say that again go back and hit rewind because god wants to use us in mighty ways processing and punctuating the positives of this pandemic if you're here you need to know that jesus christ is the son of god his positive action by saying yes to the cross makes it possible for us to continue to have a life and fat and family we need to know that jesus christ not only came but he died not only did he die he was buried according to scripture and he rose again according to the scripture and that's what it's all about it's about saying yes to him we are not a perfect people but we do in fact serve a perfect god amen and you can say yes to him right now believe that jesus christ is the son of god and then repent of all of your sins confess the sweetest name on mortal tongue go down into the watery grave of baptism for the mission of your sins that you might rise and walk in the newness of life the lord adds you to his church and you can leave here rejoicing i thank god that the lord still has his hand on us and as long as god has his hand on us we will make it to the other side come to him right now as together we sing softly and tenderly jesus [Music] see all the portals he's waiting and watching [Music] me you are weary come home [Music] jesus is calling [Music] calling oh the church say man once again another dynamic sermon by brother tucker and listening to that uh made me think about the song may the works that i've done speak for me i am here to read the prayer request and i ask you to bear with me because we have uh many and i will start off by saying uh prayers for the granddaughter of sister georgia washington seven week old adrian davis as her heart is getting weaker so we just asked you to pray for sister george washington and our son michael and his family prayers for brother rayford mitchell and family as his brother bobby calhoun was laid to rest on yesterday prayers for sister angela martin and her family prayers for sister cassandra fee for favorable test results continued prayers for sister tammy scott that her blood pressure has stabilized and we just prayed that she would continue to do well prayers and thanks to god on the uh behalf of sister brenda harris that's her doctor's appointment went well and was favorable prayers for sister carolyn bruzer in the loss of her cousin ruby adams services are pending at this time there's family asked prayers for traveling grace from san antonio also prayers for allison as she has had a sprained ankle uh prayers for brother rhys as he has a hairline fracture to his ankle prayers for alyssa and her asthma and sister rhys asked prayers for her sanity amen traveling grace for the mcdaniel family as they travel back from mississippi after laying his mother to rest sister brenda tobert asked prayers for her uncle brother frederick thompson as he fights through treatment for a medical condition sister karen cooper asked prayers for traveling grace to and from san antonio sister ruby cole asked that we would keep her brother alcohol in our prayers also prayers for our former co-worker lynn i believe that's carrillo also sister audrey granderson asked prayers for jerome carter and i believe this is d'andrea burgess and the granderson and avery family if there are no other prayer requests would you bow with me please our father and our god the father of the lord and savior jesus christ father we once again come with bowed heads and humble hearts father just thanking you for being our god and being so good to us but father we come on behalf of those who have asked for prayers for themselves or for their loved ones we just pray father that you would be with them we pray father that you would be with those fathers who are bereaved those fathers who have experienced the loss of a loved one father and that pain father is still within them and we just pray father that you would comfort and strengthen them as only you can we just pray father that you would bless them that they would be able to somehow hold the memory dear to their hearts but be able father to understand that your will must shall and will be done we pray father that you would be with honor those fathers who have asked for traveling grace father to and from the destinations we just pray father that you would be with them father and allow them to reach their destination safely we pray father that you would be with those fathers who you have delivered father from illnesses and that they have had favorable test results and favorable doctor visits we just pray father that you would continue to bless them we pray father that you would be with those fathers who are yet receiving continued prayers those fathers who are at home convalescent and those fathers who we continue to ask prayer for on a daily basis we just pray father that you would bless them and give them a reasonable portion of health and strength father that they may keep on keeping on and that they may continue to go about their daily duties and chores we just pray father that you would just continue to be with those fathers who ask for prayers father for someone that they may be attending to on a daily basis we just pray father that you would give those caregivers father the health and the strength and the courage father to keep on doing what they're doing father for their loved ones but just pray that you would strengthen them in a special way we pray father that you would be with us and i would be remiss father if i didn't uh ask for a prayer for the city in which we live in father we just pray father that you would uh protect us father there are many senseless acts or we consider them to become uh senseless acts father that occur on a daily basis we just pray father that you would protect us all and give us the things that you know we stand in need of now follow these blessings we pray in your darling son jesus name amen this part of all our worship allows the saints to participate in giving to god as he commands us a portion of our monetary blessings it also allows us to demonstrate the proper attitude we must have in giving and also to show our appreciation for his blessings the bible tells us in second corinthians chapter 9 and verses are six and seven and the bible read but this i say he was so sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he which sowed bountifully shall reap also bountifully every man according as he purposes in his heart so let him give not grudgingly of necessity for god loveth a cheer forgiver if you have your offering with you at this time i'm going to ask that you please raise your hand so that the ushers may come by and receive your offering let us pray eternal father we approach your awesome throne of grace thanking you for all the wonderful blessings of life that we have been able to enjoy from the early existence of our lives unto this present moment and we just so thankful for the greatest sacrifice of your of all your son jesus who gave his life in order that we may live in every eternal life and father we come to you at this time thank you for this opportunity to express our love and our appreciation for the blessings that we have received this past week and father as we give to you we pray that we give with the right spirit and that you receive all the praise the glory and the honor we're just so thankful for everyone that gave and we trust and pray that it was given that it was be used for the glory and edifying of the body of christ we pray for our leadership we pray that you will guide them with wisdom and knowledge that they may use the fun to spread your word throughout this community and for the building of your kingdom he has south union so that some precious soul may come and ask that question what must i do to be saved and father we ask that you continue to shower your blessings upon us and that we'll always appreciate all those things now continue to love us guide us as we go through the furthers of our service that everything we see we sin do will be pleasing to you it's in your son jesus christ's name we pray and give thanks amen during this moment of worship is the time when the saints come together to share in the sacrifice of our lord and savior jesus christ which is the lord's supper as we participate in his suffering it reminds us of the cross where jesus hung bled died and shed his precious blood for the remission of sin in order that we may live and have eternal life we do this while we anticipate his return and the bible tells us in acts chapter 20 and the verse is seven and upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread paul preaching to them ready to depart on tomorrow and continue his speech until midnight we also find recorded in first corinthians chapter 11 and the verse is all 23 through 29 and the bible reads for i have received of the lord that which which also i delivered unto you that the lord jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he break it and said take e this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me after the same manner also he took the cup when he had sucked saying this cup is the new testament in my blood this do ye as off as you drink it in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup ye do show the lord's death till he come wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the lord unworthy shall be guilty of the body and blood of the lord but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drink in damnation to himself not discerning the lord's body let us give thanks for the lord's supper eternal father we again approach your throne of grace thanking you for this opportunity to share in this memorial feast and father as we commune with you and your son jesus christ we pray to the lord that you would direct our minds back to the cross of calvary where jesus shed his precious blood for the remission of sin we are mindful of the bread we pray that you will bless the bread which is the communion of the body of our lord and savior jesus christ we are mindful of the cup we pray that you would bless the cup which is the communion of the blood that was shed for the remission of sin and as we partake of it we pray that we're taking a manner that is pleasing to you and that you receive all the praise the glory and the honor it's in your son jesus christ's name we pray and give thanks amen have you a heart that's weary tainting a load of care are you a soul that's seeking rest from the burdens you bear oh do you know [Music] my jesus do you know [Music] my friend and have you heard he loves you [Music] uh brothers and sisters we had one additional prayer request and it says please pray for ruth braden latoya white's grandmother she is 90 years old and as she was bending over like to pull in her tablet she lost her balance fell and hit her head late last night it says the signs show no fractures or bleeding but please pray for her continued recovery uh from the fall and we're going to ask brother young to remember her in prayer as he comes and dismisses us again let's go by father in prayer our heavenly father will come before your throne of grace we're coming for your heavenly father's to say thank you for watching always why it was plumbing last night lord fart you allow us an opportunity to wake up to see this date which you've never seen tomorrow night in our lifetime forever come this time actual special prayer up on lotaria grandmother who was who had failed at this time father due to a massive ill or off balance but while we praying and we pray that you were stripping our father give us the things you stand in need of as well as the torah and all of those that are sick who are facing sickness and this ep endemic that's hurting everyone off guard just protect the father stand by us and give us the stain you stand in need oh god we're doing our best to serve you father it's not always about us but it's about your glory your mercy and your peace father ask a special prayer upon the elders here that they they continue to do the things that are right to guide our soul in the right direction father and go with his father but not from this place protect us as we survive another week we ask all these blessings the wonderful counselor the prince of peace let us all say amen

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Length: 119min 47sec (7187 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 11 2021