Christ Our Substance

Pastor

David Antwi

Date
Aug. 18, 2016

Description

Christ Our Substance

Transcription

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.

[0:00] Thanks for checking in on this podcast. You are about to hear an inspirational teaching from Caris Ministries. If God has used this ministry to bless you in any way, please take a moment and write to us at amen at caris.org.

[0:15] We are always inspired and blessed to hear how God is blessing people all over the world through what he is doing here at Caris. Also, if you would like to support this ministry financially, you can do so online at caris.org so we can continue making podcasts such as this available free of charge.

[0:37] And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken and worthless and they were all filled. So this is chapter 4. This Holy Spirit filling business is not new to them.

[0:52] So then why were they surprised that some people have been filled with the Holy Spirit? The surprise was these ones are Gentiles. These ones in chapter 10 verse 45, it says they were surprised that the Holy Spirit has been poured on the Gentiles also.

[1:15] Gentiles? You see, you are busy thinking someone doesn't qualify because she has done seven abortions. The devil is a liar. The devil is a liar. When it comes to the work with God, none of us qualify.

[1:30] You are the most unqualified person to be called the child of God. You are the most unqualified person to be called a Christian. You are the most unqualified.

[1:40] Am I speaking to two people here? We may not know you much, but you know yourself. You know how malicious, how cruel, how filthy you have been in the past.

[1:53] And even of late, how much you have gossiped people down. So if no one should leave their hands, you are the first person whose hands you didn't go up. So when we come to church, leave people alone.

[2:08] Leave them alone. Leave them alone. It is sick people who go to hospital. What's your problem? If you see someone in hospital and say, but you are too sick to come here.

[2:18] Well, what should I do then? So what are you doing here then? The church is not the place for people who are impeccable.

[2:30] It's the place for people who Christ has saved. I'm not preaching to someone. May I advise you, please sit down.

[2:45] Don't go around saying, listen, I want to advise. Never go around saying, and you call yourself a Christian. It is one of the satanic things that people can do without knowing.

[2:55] And you call yourself a Christian. Hey, his Christianity and Christianity is not predicated on his behavior. Listen to this. I'm teaching you something.

[3:07] People's Christianity is not based on their behavior. So I'm saying we can't behave anyhow. I didn't say that.

[3:17] If that's what you heard, then probably we may have to take you back to school. But what I mean, I said that God didn't call you because of your good behavior.

[3:29] He called you because of what Christ has done. And if, all right, if you go to the throne of grace, if you appear before the throne of God, and you will, you will, and he's going to judge you, and he will, and he asks you, and he might ask you that, why should I let you into heaven?

[3:47] What you're going to say? It will work. It will work. It will work. If you say, I've tried to be a good person. It will work. It will work. It will work. It will work. Because when something is for sale on the internet, normal shop, but let me just use the internet.

[4:04] So, when something is for sale on the internet, let's say this is an item for sale on the internet for 200 pounds. And this handsome man, all the money is left in his account is 199 pounds.

[4:24] 99p. You think you can buy it? No. Why? It's only 1p. But how about if this lady has got 1 pound, can she buy it?

[4:39] So, the one with the 1 pound and the one with the 199 pounds, are they at the same level? Yes. Hey! Yeah! Come on.

[4:51] Wow. Before you go to God and pull out your resume. Hey! Check it out. Check it out. God, I'm good enough.

[5:02] God, I've tried enough. God, no, no, no, no. God doesn't hear that language. Because Martin Luther said, the great reformer, he said, our good works are just, I think, splendid vices.

[5:22] Splendid vices. You've just, it's like, you have, you've, I'm trying to get very good works I can use. Because the graphic one may not just help you, but.

[5:36] Bible says that your good works, your righteous works are like filthy sanitary pad. Wow. Wow. Used sanitary pad.

[5:47] He said, you think you're good? That's how your good works are like. Wow. Wow. Wow. Thank you. That would be serious. So it doesn't matter how much perfume you spray on it.

[6:02] Hey! Hey! So you see what God has to put up with.

[6:13] If you want to go with your personal works. You're going to. That's why we sang that song. My hope is built on nothing else.

[6:25] But Jesus' blood and righteousness. Christ alone. Put that voice on us. My hope is built on. Listen. This is the Christian gospel.

[6:35] If you don't like it. Sorry me. This is the good news. It's good for the thief.

[6:46] It is good for the good person. It is good for the bad person. So Colossians chapter 2. Verses 13. It's talking about you were on circles.

[6:59] It said, and you being dead in your trespasses. And the uncircumcision of your flesh. He, talking about God. Has made you alive together with Jesus.

[7:10] Him. Jesus. Having for. Amen. All your trespasses. Amen. Thank you Lord. Hold on. Thank you Lord. You were dead.

[7:22] Not because of trespasses. Inside it. You are buried in it. It's like someone who has fallen into mud.

[7:34] Married clay. Buried in it. You. It's not that you are dirty. You are in mud. Covered with mud. You. You were dead.

[7:45] You couldn't help yourself. Dead person can't do anything. Dead in your trespasses. He has in your circumstances. He has made alive. Together with Christ.

[7:56] Having forgiven you. How many of them? How many of them? So Satan has lost any grounds to accuse you before God. All my trespasses have been forgiven.

[8:12] Okay. Pastor, you are not saying the thing well. How about the one? After you become born again. The ones you do. Now, if God was so good to forgive me all my trespasses when I was alien to him.

[8:26] When I wasn't his son. Why can't he forgive me now that I'm actually even his son? That's religion.

[8:38] Religion people say, you can't do this. You can't do that. You can't do that. Religion is always about you can't do. You can't do. It never sees Christ. Are you ready for what I'm about to show you?

[8:53] Okay. Forgive you all your trespasses. Look at the next verse. Having. Having done what? I can't hear you.

[9:06] Those over there. Those over here. Those over here. Those over here. Those over there. God. God. Christianity is the only.

[9:21] If you want to call it religion. Let me use the word religion. That guarantee. Only faith that guarantees forgiveness of sins. Wait, wait. It doesn't matter what others say. Ask them.

[9:33] What do we do about forgiveness of our sins? No other faith can guarantee forgiveness of sins. Islam will tell you that.

[9:46] You have to try and do as much good as possible. Try and do some good as possible. And Allah may consider you. But you can't. He can't guarantee. Because they will tell you that. Mohammed said.

[9:57] Maybe me myself. I'm not sure. And. I said. The one said. One said. He's so sure. I told somebody in Birmingham the other time. I said. But. The one who said.

[10:07] I'm sure. I'm coming to tell you. He said he knows. So why don't we. Go. And you're following the one who's not sure where he's going. He's going where he's not sure he's going to go.

[10:19] It's a chance. He's just trying. And then he said. I am. The other person said. I am the way. The truth. The truth. And the life. No one comes to them. I don't know who I'm approaching to.

[10:32] Shout hallelujah. Shout hallelujah. He said. You were dead.

[10:43] In your transgressions. Has he forgiven you? Has he been wiped out? Please put it on the screen. That's strong. That's strong. You don't even know where I'm going. Having wiped out.

[10:55] Say wiped out. Wiped out. When you go and you're going to make some payment. You're supposed to be making down payment for that loan you took when you were in school. And then you call the bank. They say there's nothing.

[11:05] Everything has been wiped out. Yes. I receive it. What does wipe out mean? Erase.

[11:16] Erase. No trace. They can't find it. It's gone. Watch this. Let the Bible speak for itself. What did Jesus wipe out? Watch this.

[11:26] Having wiped out the handwritings of requirements that were against us. Listen. The handwriting of requirements.

[11:37] It's not bad. Listen. It's not bad. Requirements are not bad in themselves. If you want to get this, you have to do this. You have to pass this. You have to write this. You have to do this. These are handwritings. But you couldn't meet them.

[11:47] So the thing was every time glaringly against you standing against you. You come and sit in church.

[11:59] You are worried about what can you do to please God. You can't do anything. You can't. You've tried this several times. It's not working. You can't do anything to me.

[12:11] So should I just leave that? No. Just put all your trust in Christ. And know that your righteousness can work for you. Christ alone. Go to God and wear Christ's righteousness.

[12:27] You're going for a function. They say, no one comes here having not. Maybe it's a wedding. What color is this? Gold. Let's say it's gold. Yes. Let's take it gold. You have to be well. You have to come and go.

[12:38] They don't want to see any gray. And unfortunately, I'm going to take a passport picture. And they don't want to see gray. But I don't.

[12:48] That's all I have. So what I got to do, I have to collect the scarf of the other person's friend. And then I go. So they see me. They don't see the gray again.

[13:01] It's me there. But all they see is this. So you can't tell me I'm disqualified. Because I'm not disqualified. On what grounds are you disqualified?

[13:11] No, but you ask for gold and I've come with gold. You ask for gold and I come with gold. So why can't I go in? I have to get in. So that's how you go to heaven.

[13:22] You get to their gate. They say, let's check. Let's check. No, you can't go in. They say, why can't you come in? You say, you don't go. They say, because I was a good girl. Because I was a bad girl. No, no. He said, because Christ.

[13:33] Because I am in Christ. Because I am in Christ. Because I am in Christ. I am in Christ. I am in Christ. God says us. I am in Christ. And the church is a group of people who are in Christ.

[13:52] So if you are not in Christ, you can come and sit on a pew. It doesn't make you. We can give you membership certificates. But unfortunately, we do it based on what you say. Because we don't know what's in your heart.

[14:08] What's in your heart is only God who knows it. Bible says that. It says that 2 Timothy 2 verse 19.

[14:18] The foundation of God stands sure. Having this seal. Say seal. Say seal. Seal. Say seal. Seal. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands.

[14:31] Having this seal. That the Lord knows those who are. He knows. He knows. He knows those who are. He said, and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

[14:45] So you see, you don't have to think that your actions is what makes you accepted. But if you are accepted in him, it will invariably begin to affect your actions.

[14:57] But you are not going to heaven because of your actions. You are going to heaven because of? Christ. Because of? Christ. Because of? Christ. So if you are not in Christ, and you are.

[15:08] What does it mean to be in Christ? You have put all your trust in Christ. You are living your life for him. You've given your life to him. You have put your trust in him. That's where it begins from. If you haven't done that, you can be coming to church and church like I used to do.

[15:23] I used to go to church 14 times a week. Break that record. And you still go to hell. If you are not in Christ. And yet, I was on the highway to hell.

[15:37] And then midday, I would go and ring the bell. Ring, ring. Ring, ring. I would stand under the bed, a bell, and then do, and recite a few Hail Marys. And I went up. And ring, ring. Ring, ring.

[15:48] There's a way we do it. We do the first one, wait. And then do another one. Then do another one. The third one. Then you start. Ring, ring. Ring, ring. Ring, ring.

[16:03] Shout Hallelujah. Hallelujah. When you read the book of Corinthians, Paul wrote the book of Corinthians to address problems in the church.

[16:15] And he was writing it to address issues with gifts. Okay. So, he focused on gifts. And they have so many gifts. But then behavior-wise, they were going extreme.

[16:28] So, he had to correct some things. The book of Galatians was written to correct this thing of religious demands. Being a Christian, that you don't have to put religious.

[16:40] The Jews were putting. That's why he said, I rebuke Peter to the face in Galatians. They are putting religious demands on the Gentiles that you have to do this. You have to be circumcised. You have to do this. You have to do this.

[16:51] You have to do this. And Paul said, no, none of these things. Because they just shall live. That's Galatians chapter 3 verse 11. He said, they just shall live by faith. There's faith alone. So, Galatians, he wrote to correct the issue of the law or the issue of religious demands.

[17:08] Which was not good. The religious demands were not good. But in Colossians, he wrote the book of Colossians. Ephesians, he didn't write to correct anything. He just wrote to give a perspective of heaven about the church.

[17:20] But in Colossians, he wrote it to correct something that wasn't negative. So, is that where I've ended? It doesn't matter.

[17:31] Thank you, Jesus. He wrote it to correct something that wasn't negative. That's what we are reading. So, we are reading Colossians chapter 2, isn't it? In Colossians chapter 2 verse 6. It says, since you have received Christ.

[17:44] The way you have received. It says, walk in him. Be rooted and grounded in him. As therefore you have received Christ. Jesus, the Lord. Walk in him. Walk in Christ.

[17:57] Interesting. And the next verse says, it starts with. Look at the next verse. Rooted. And when you read the other translation, it happens. So, walk in him rooted. So, you must be rooted before you walk. Ah.

[18:08] But you can't be rooted and be walking. You can't be grounded and be walking. Right. Oh, you didn't get it. So, it's like Christ becomes the soil.

[18:21] And you become the tree with roots. And what's the job of the roots in the soil? To tap, pull out nutrients for the growth. It's interesting.

[18:33] So, roots don't walk. Do you agree with me? Yeah. Oh. Is this too complex for you to understand? No. Roots don't walk. Okay. So, then why is he saying that work in him?

[18:46] Because roots don't walk. When you come to, come, say. When you come, this is Christ. This is you. You are rooted in him. His walking becomes your walking. So, in effect, Christ takes over in your life and lives his life in your life.

[19:02] Thank you, Lord. But let's leave that because that's not, I didn't intend to come here. But then, I just know that's God. Now, look at the verse, the next verse.

[19:13] Verse 7. Rooted and grounded. Verse 7. Rooted and built out in him and established in the faith as you have been taught about it in it with thanksgiving. Watch this. Are you ready for the big one?

[19:23] Verse 8. Beware. That's how I want to beware. Beware. Look at someone's face and scream. Beware. Beware. What does that mean? Be careful. Careful, Lord.

[19:34] Be careful, Lord. Careful, careful, careful, careful, careful, careful, careful, careful. The Bible is telling you, beware, beware. Careful, careful, careful, careful. Careful. Be careful. Be careful. Why? If you are not careful, someone will cheat you through philosophy and empty disease.

[19:50] According to what? According to man's traditions. According to the way men do things. You have to be like this. I went to Nando the other time.

[20:02] And then Nando's guy who was serving me later said that church over there, I was trying to talk to him. He said, oh, there's a church behind that. But those people, they behave. This guy telling me, he says he's a pagan.

[20:12] But those people, they behave un-Christian. They are the set of un-Christian people he's ever seen. But you, say you're a pagan. Would you help me tell me how you think a Christian should behave?

[20:28] I know what you are thinking. Morality. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't have a girlfriend near my. I don't have a boyfriend. I don't insult. I don't do.

[20:39] That is morality. And when you are a Christian, watch this. When you are a Christian, your morals should be better than unbelievers. Okay? So from that angle, it's good.

[20:50] But you are not a Christian because of your morality. It's very important. Your morals, Christ didn't choose you because he knows you behave.

[21:02] Okay. Because some of you, since you became born again, you are still not a virgin in Christ.

[21:27] Say hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I feel like preaching.

[21:40] Peace. Peace. So, if it has to do with behavior, most of us will be found wanting. Oh, yes. Because your behavior from home hasn't changed.

[21:58] Since you were a child, you were so cantankerous. So dodgy. So dodgy. You are so. Some people are born again. And their Christian growth is helping them by the power of the Holy Spirit to stop lying.

[22:13] But they still lie. Born again, lying. And stealing on the train. You go to work.

[22:27] You go to work. You go to work at eight and you sign in for seven thirty. Oh. Oh. They asked you of any professional experience you have and you said yes, your father was a cleaner, your mother was a cleaner and you have been doing cleaning in the past 10 years and you failed it and you know that's not the domestic cleaning they are talking about.

[22:58] Your boyfriend drove your car and the speed camera but he already has 9 points on his license.

[23:09] So because of your love you said your name that I was the one driving the car. Some of you have been overspending.

[23:24] Some of you have been overspending. Some of you have been overspending.

[23:34] Some of you have been overspending. Some of you have been overspending.

[23:45] Some of you have been parking in disabled bay. And mother and baby bay. And yet you come to church and lift up your hands and say, Savior he can move them out.

[24:02] Then you are the biggest hypocrite.

[24:16] You know what I found out? People who like fasting, when you start preaching against fasting they will be happy. Yeah.

[24:27] Yeah. Yeah people are here they don't fast. When you start preaching against fornication some people will be very happy. Apart from certain people will be sitting down quietly. You are preaching.

[24:38] You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. You are preaching. And in their hearts. In their hearts.

[24:49] They behaved like the man in Luke chapter 18 who was 13 now and went to the temple and he beat his breast. He couldn't even lift up his eyes. He said, Lord have mercy upon me a sinner.

[25:00] Jesus said, that man left justified. Yes. Not the Pharisees who say, ask for me. Yeah. I fast. I give my tithe. Your tithe. Your tithe doesn't give you entitlement to the things of God.

[25:14] No. It doesn't. Wow. It's Christ. Yes. That's it. That's it. That's it. Many people, let me say, giving tithe without Christ-centeredness is trying to pay your way out.

[25:29] Yeah. And Peter said, your money. Yeah. Okay. I'll keep my money. You should have kept it a long time ago. Yeah. Yeah.

[25:40] God has never been in need. He doesn't need your help. You certainly need his help. Yes. Yeah. Am I preaching at all? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[25:51] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I prefer the King James. He said, someone will spoil you through philosophy through, uh, uh, spoiling through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the, now what are the rudiments?

[26:14] The basic elements, the basic principles of the world. You have to be nice to people. You have to be polite. You have to say please. You have to say madame. Say thank you. These are basic principles of the, are they evil?

[26:26] No. No. If you don't do it, then maybe you are not civil. No, maybe you are not civil. No, maybe you are not civil. Yeah. But that is not a Christianity. No.

[26:37] No. No, so you can be doing all that civil behavior and still don't be anywhere near Christ. Yes. Yes.

[26:48] Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[27:00] Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. God will bless the one who just drank and he say, God, I shouldn't have drunk. Please forgive me. God, forgive me. I don't care what anybody does. I forgive everybody. God, save me, Lord. Save me. And you are thinking, I haven't drank. God, you know, Monday I have to have the testimony. I'm trying. Yes. You, you will go without testimony. You will go a month, two months, a year, two years without testimony. And the one who said, Lord, have mercy of me. I just want to work with you better. There are people seated here who their heart, in their heart, they are praying, Lord, I've messed up. Help me. Am I talking to somebody? Yes. Lord, help me.

[27:43] You are in the right place. You are in the right place. You are in the right place. You are in the right place. It says in Romans, who are you to judge another man's servant?

[27:59] There are too many judges in church. And it's usually the religious ones. It's usually the religious ones. It's usually the religious ones. The religious ones. The Pharisees.

[28:10] The Bible says, Jesus called them, you are whitewashed tubes. You are, he said, you have the appearance, whitewashed, but full of dead man's bodies.

[28:21] Dead man's bones. Can I preach on? He said, be careful. Let someone spoil you through philosophy, vainly, through the traditions of men, through the rediments, tradition of men, after the rediments of the world.

[28:42] And... Jesus, what I'm saying, is it Bible? Yeah. Why have we left what the Bible says and choose to say things that we think it should be saying?

[28:55] He said, he said, this thing, this thing, is about Christ. Look at the next verse. He said, for in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead body.

[29:09] You see that? Now, Christ, everything God is in Christ. And he said, and you are complete in him. And ye are complete in him.

[29:21] Get where this is going. Ye are complete. Which is the head of all principalities and powers. So I don't want to let anybody spoil you through vain, through philosophy, through the tradition of men, after the rediments of the world and not after Christ.

[29:37] So if the tradition is after Christ and it's only Christ-centered, that's okay. Anything that replaces Christ is your biggest enemy in Christianity.

[29:49] So it can be good, it can be bad. It's your enemy in Christianity. Because that is what Satan will use to outwit you.

[30:03] Anything that is void of the life of Christ. Listen, check it out. The center of your Christianity is not how many testimonies you are getting.

[30:16] Give me a break. Give me a break. Your actual testimony should be Christ in you. The hope of glory. That's the testimony.

[30:29] That's the testimony. Any, excuse me by language, any dummy or Tom, Dick and Harry can get a job. Anybody at all can appear on TV.

[30:40] In fact, there are a lot of people on TV already. It's good we celebrate these things, but let's get our priorities in perspective. Proper balance. This thing, this thing we are here is Christ.

[30:53] Christ alone. And it's our Christ-centeredness that will change our world. Christ. When it comes to behavior, others will beat you to it in some area.

[31:07] In some area, others will beat you to it. You should know yourself. You should know yourself. You should know yourself. Even there you are in Christ.

[31:18] Look at the way you're struggling. Your members are troubling you. Have you realized that sexual desire can be very unruly?

[31:36] I got you. You know what I'm saying is true. That thing can trouble you. Where is this thing coming from? Why? What's wrong with you? Why? Why? I don't want this.

[31:47] I don't like it. Why? Why? Why do I, this romantic desire, I feel like just sending him a text, but I know, no, he's not a good guy for me, but I miss him so I can't sleep there all night and toss you on the bed and you just said, hi.

[32:09] Hi. And then he responds. He responds. Hello, baby. And you know what's funny? And, and you know, you know, you are getting into trouble.

[32:32] You know, you are getting into trouble, but you still, you still, how are you? And he said, where are you? And I said, he said, I don't want to answer. I'm still at home.

[32:43] I'm almost going to bed. He said, so what are you wearing? Where's the person I'm talking about?

[33:09] Is it, is he over there? Okay, that's why he's right here. Oh, that's why he's here. Oh, okay, okay, I think it's gone. It's gone. Oh, Lord.

[33:25] Oh, Lord. Replacing Christ with nice things.

[33:40] Replacing Christ with good behavior. It's as evil as any sin so long as God is concerned. I'm about to show you something.

[33:52] You'll be surprised. Are you ready for this? It says that Christ is the full, is in him the fullness of the God held to earth's body. Verse 9. And verse 10, it says, and you are complete in him.

[34:06] Complete in him. Verse 11. In whom also you are, so we too, we are circumcised. Now we have a circumcision. But it's not an ordinary one with the hands.

[34:17] You are circumcised with circumcision made without hands. How did it happen? In putting up the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.

[34:31] circumcised. I am circumcised. I know you are circumcised. If you are in Christ, you are circumcised. Look at the next one. This, hey, buried with him in baptism wherein ye also are risen in him with him through the faith of the operation of God who has raised him from the dead.

[34:54] This, interesting, I found out that can you, let me just digress a little bit. Put Romans chapter four verse six.

[35:06] No, six verse four. Six verse four, sorry. Romans chapter six verse four. The other way around. Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death.

[35:18] Guess what? How did he die? From this text, it looks like we were buried into death. Jesus died and was buried. We were buried and we died.

[35:30] Buried into death. He died into burial. And so we join him in his death through burial. Is it interesting? He was buried, he was, he died and was buried.

[35:44] We were buried into death. Not we died because we were buried, but we were buried into death. Very interesting. Through baptism, those of you who are not baptized, a Christian must be baptized.

[36:00] Amen. Underwater. Yes. Not sprinkling. No. No, no, no. Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death.

[36:15] Baptism. Like, burial is, baptism is a sign of burial. So you all know how we bury people. Something must cover you. But we can't put you under sand. So it's just sand, water is a sign.

[36:28] Get under. Not to get under. Get into it. If you haven't been baptized after you became a Christian, not before you became a Christian. If you, before you became a Christian, I'm not talking about your parents were Christian, so you are Christian.

[36:40] No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's Christianity by heritage. By inheritance. No, by inheritance. No. It doesn't have, no. It's each one for himself.

[36:53] So, I'm talking about after you made your, made up your mind to invite Jesus into your life. That is, you are born again now. After that, you have to be baptized.

[37:05] So, the people who are baptized are people who are in Christ. So, those who have believed already. And Bible says, as many as believed were baptized. Okay, so who is supposed to get baptized?

[37:18] Those who have believed already. Yvonne, are you following me? Yeah, those who have believed already. It's very important. Now, some of us, like me, I was baptized before I became a believer, which was the church tradition I was in.

[37:33] That's fine. It's not evil. But that's not the Bible baptism we are talking about here. So, after I became a believer, I took myself or some other believers to baptize me.

[37:44] He said, all those who believe, baptize them. It's very important. Now, having said that, let me finish the Colossians chapter 2, verse 12. All right? Look at verse 12. Are you getting something at all?

[37:54] Yes. These guys, I'm faster than them. Buried with him in baptism. See, burial. See, what does baptism symbolize? What does baptism symbolize?

[38:07] Okay? You have to know that. That's what baptism means. Buried with him in baptism in which you also were raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised Christ.

[38:18] So, you have to bury to be raised. Now, go to the next verse. That's where it gets interesting. That's where I was supposed to start from and I went back, back, back, back, and I lost my message and stayed on this.

[38:29] Now, watch this. And you, being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he made a life together with Christ, with him, having forgiven all your transgressions.

[38:41] Verse 14, watch this. Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.

[38:51] And what did he do with that? Taking death out of the way and what? When he says died on the cross, guess what?

[39:03] he crushed Satan. Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14, he crushed Satan, overcame the world on our behalf. The flesh was defeated.

[39:14] The Bible says that the likeness of human flesh condemns sin in the flesh. Okay, so he took the flesh to the cross in his flesh. He overcame and sin was condemned in the cross. Now, in Ephesians chapter 2, it talks about how he removed divisions amongst us.

[39:27] So when it comes to Christ, there's no male, no female, no black, no white, no employed, no unemployed, we are all one. So never come to church with your status and never come to church with your certificate.

[39:40] It's not necessary. It's not necessary. In church, it's not gender. There's no male. Women are not more important than men. Men are not more important than women. Okay?

[39:51] Employed are not more. Some of you, even though you treat people who seem to have a bit of money, treat them nicely. It's not godly. Don't do that. All right? It's not Christian. So remove that. Christianity, everyone, we are all the same in Christ because it's in Christ that matters.

[40:05] Did you hear that? Let me finish. And so he took away all this. But what we have never realized is that on the cross, that's what we read, verse 14, there was something else he nailed to the cross.

[40:21] Colossians 2, 14, let me finish on it, please. having wiped out what? The handwriting of requirements that were against you, which was contrary to us, and he took it out of the way, having nailed.

[40:38] Now, the handwriting of requirements, King James, the handwriting of ordinances, the law, the law, the law that is against you, the law. I'm not talking about government civil law.

[40:49] Okay? I'm talking about the laws of God. that were against you because of your sinfulness. The law of God that was against you. Bible says, Jesus Christ, you were dead in your transgressions, he raised you up.

[41:05] And the handwriting of ordinance that were against you, he took it out of the way and he took it. So, this is what I wanted to do. He got Satan to the cross and nailed Satan to the cross.

[41:18] So go. On the cross, he wasn't just dying, he was working. He's dealt with the cross. On the cross, he dealt, all of them simultaneously. On the cross, he dealt with wealth.

[41:28] On the cross, he dealt with the flesh. Go. He dealt with the flesh. On the cross, and you can tell all these things are negative things. On the cross, he dealt with divisions.

[41:40] Do you like segregation? No. Do you like discrimination? No. He dealt with it on the cross. But most of us love the law. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But Jesus said, the law is also not good for you.

[41:55] Wow. The law. So, the law that doesn't, will not work for you. The law that you are struggling with, he took the law, took it out of the way, and nailed it to the cross.

[42:09] Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Please clap for them as they go back to their seats. Am I communicating something to somebody? This is what Christianity is about. This is what Christianity is about.

[42:19] Hey, hey, hey, I receive prophecy. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that's why I called you.

[42:35] You can get a job without being Christ. So, you have to get your perspective right. You know, God is, I'm not, I'm stressed out because, you didn't come to church for money.

[42:51] You didn't come to church to get a husband. I know some about it. I know some about it. And it will delay your husbandry. My time, my time, my time.

[43:01] Now, watch this, watch this. Are you ready for this? Look at verse 14 again. Let's read through it quickly and let me end on this. Inspire it. And sometimes when I come and I'm speaking as God's servant, when I'm praying for you, you will like it.

[43:15] But when I'm giving the instructions that God has given me, you don't like it. That's why people die. That's why people struggle. That's why people suffer. Because they come with their own demands. They come with their own demands.

[43:26] Bishop, Bishop said something sometimes ago. He said, when you see someone struggling, be careful. Because you don't know what they might have done. And what help they might have walked away from. Stop that kind of hypocritical Christianity.

[43:43] It's not Christianity. It's morality you know. How can a teaching like this make you worried? You are not happy.

[43:54] Because you are judging somebody in your heart. That's why. You are judging somebody in your heart. And you don't want to let them go. God. Bible said, if you don't forgive others. No. Let me live.

[44:06] Finish this. Verse 15. Verse 15. My time. My time. Having disarmed principalities and power. He made public spectacle. Of them. Triumphing over them.

[44:17] In the cross. He just made all powers and principalities. That's where your breakthroughs come from. Just make all this Satan rubbish. Are you ready for the next verse? I'm ready.

[44:28] This is serious. We are all going to read it out loud. Verse 15. It says that. Watch this. So. Watch the progression. He forgave us. Okay. He took away the handwriting of ordinances that were against us.

[44:40] Okay. And then what did he do? He made a public. He made a disarmed principalities and powers. Made a public. Then watch this. Watch this. The first word. The next verse. So.

[44:51] Wait, wait, wait, wait. So. You know what? Because of this. Therefore. Haven't seen all this. So. Let's read it out loud.

[45:01] Let's go. So. Let go. Let no one judge you. You are in dream. Or God in the test of all you. Most of us. So let no one judge you.

[45:14] Because of the handwriting of it. So let no one judge. Tell someone. Don't judge me. Don't judge me. Let no one judge you.

[45:27] Ah. You know what I just discovered? He said let. You have to choose. Don't let. They will judge you. But don't mind them. Don't let it bother you.

[45:39] Because they will do what they want to do. But you have to. So let no one judge you. Because you are eating too much food. Hey. Even though it will affect your weight. Okay. Okay.

[45:49] Okay. Listen. You said don't judge me. Your body will judge you. All right. Please. Let no one judge you. In food. Or in drink.

[46:00] And this food is talking about. You know. Food that are. Maybe. Those days. You can't eat every food. Because dedicated to idols. And all. So don't let anyone judge you. In food. Or in drink. Or regarding festival.

[46:11] Or a new moon. Or a Sabbath. Go to the next verse. Which are a shadow of the things to come. So you see. All those things were good things. But they were the shadow of things.

[46:23] And the substance. Is of grace. Hallelujah. The substance. So those things were shadows.

[46:34] Why would you stay in the shadow. When you got a substance. My wife traveled. And I said. I miss my wife so much. And every time I would take a picture.

[46:46] Oh. We do. Those of you have been doing FaceTime. Be careful how you do it. Okay. The FaceTime. Oh. Honey. I miss you. And then she did. Facebook.

[46:58] No. Is it Facebook? The other one. What's that message? Snapchat. I'm coming home. And I miss you so much. And then the Snapchat. I have it. And for one week I've been playing it.

[47:09] And then my wife arrived. And she arrived. I live there. And I still be playing the Snapchat. I miss. That's what people have been doing. The substance have come.

[47:19] You are still staying in the shadow. That tells me actually it is not the substance you were looking for in the first place. It says the substance is of Christ.

[47:31] All these things. Don't do this. Don't do this. Don't do this. Don't do. You are still staying. I mean. They were shadows. They were shadows. They were shadows. Which are a shadow of things to come.

[47:44] But there's substance. I've taught a lot of things. A lot. I took it upon myself to teach Christianity.

[48:07] What most of us think is Christianity is far from the truth. It's not biblically authenticated. You can't authenticate. This is Christianity. It's not you.

[48:21] So that's why in church, we can't hold. There must be order. My pastor, I met this lady. She's had children. I think the church has furnished it. This is church discipline.

[48:34] So every church and the way they do church discipline. Right. So you know what? So this is one that I can go to church because I feel so bad. I feel ashamed. I've met people who have had issues, accidents or incidents or planned stuff.

[48:54] Watch this. I've met people who feel so bad. They don't want to even go to church. There are some of you, you find yourself in some states. Now you can't really want to come to church. That's when you should get up and run to church.

[49:10] And the lady, and guess what? God has a sense of humor. God, Pastor was talking to this lady, trying to ask her, come to Jesus again. You know, don't worry.

[49:22] And then guess who comes along? One of our sisters who is pregnant. You know, pregnant is when you get to a certain time. You can't hide everybody, you know. So she came. And Pastor was saying, hey, you're here.

[49:35] And guess what? The woman who thinks she, who felt so condemned and can't come back to church, saw this lady, said, hey, are you with them? And this lady, they were in school together.

[49:47] So he saw her. He said, are you with them? He said, yes. And Pastor was saying, and he said, oh, you're pregnant? And the lady said, yes. He said, are you married? He said, no. And yet, she's wearing yellow t-shirts outside.

[50:08] Now, watch this. What is Pastor trying to say? Is he trying to say that you can just go and do anything? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. It will bite you yourself. God may give you a baby who cries like a lion.

[50:24] You'll be stressed. You'll grow older than your age. Oh, there are implications. There are implications. That's why the government, in its common sense, will not throw a person away who is pregnant.

[50:40] Why are we going to kill them in religion? Why? Why? Meanwhile, there are a lot of people who are fornicators in their minds. Physically, actually, they have mastered the game.

[50:53] So, they can't do it. Am I endorsing certain behavior?

[51:08] Certainly not. Because I'm a revivalist, call for revival. And sin cannot be encouraged. But if you're a Christian, sin doesn't have the right to take you away from church.

[51:22] Amen. In some places, if you make a mistake and you go through divorce, the way the church will persecute you.

[51:36] Anyone who goes through divorce is going through the worst period of their time. That's when we have to see how best we can avoid it or how best we can stand with them.

[51:48] Help them as brothers. If your son goes to marry or your daughter goes into marriage and something terrible happens, and for that matter, maybe there's a marriage. Would you throw them away?

[52:00] Why? Are you in some of the cultures in India? Don't kill them. Some of us, our children can't come and tell us the evil they've done.

[52:11] Because you'll be the one to punish them first. Create the room. Don't encourage the evil. But let the children know, when you do something, come to me. Come to me. I'll cover you. I will shield you. I will help you.

[52:23] That's how God is. God doesn't ask you to do something. He'll tell you, don't do it. Don't do it. Don't be deceived. For God is no monk. A man who shall reap whatever he sow. But once you are reaping the camp, I will help you.

[52:34] Because you already sow it. Because the truth, Amelia, the truth is that there are too many people who are suffering under demands. And sometimes you can't forgive yourself. You are messed up inside.

[52:45] You are messed up inside. Because you don't know why you like that guy so much. But you do. And sometimes it can really trouble you. It can actually trouble you.

[52:58] Are you getting what I'm saying? I'm talking to real people who have been sinning here. I'm looking at your face. You think I don't know. You haven't seen it.

[53:09] You want God to show me what you did right now? God. God. God. God. God. I have a word. I feel like prophesying. Can I go ahead? I feel like prophesying this place.

[53:21] Can I go ahead? God. God. God.

[53:34] said, let me quote the last scripture and then we end. He said in Galatians chapter 6 verse 1, he said, if any of you is overtaken by a fault, brethren, if any is overtaken in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself less you, stop the gossip and think about how we can restore our brother.

[54:08] How we can restore our sister. Alright, receive something at all. We serve a Christ who is perfect, yet welcomes sinners.

[54:24] I want to pray with somebody. You want to say, Pastor, God sent you to me. Today is my day. I want to say, Jesus, accept me, forgive me for my sins.

[54:35] I want to give my life to Jesus. I want to start a new work with Jesus. That's your genuine prayer. That's your genuine prayer. You want to say, I want to start a new life with you. Say this after me.

[54:47] Say, Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I know I am a sinner. And I have sinned against you. But I come to you believing that you died on the cross for my forgiveness to deliver me from my sins and preserve me before God blameless.

[55:08] I ask you to come into my life and be my Lord and my Savior. I'm ready to walk with you so that when I die, I can come to heaven and I'll be with you.

[55:22] Forgive me. Cleanse me with your blood. I surrender all to you in Jesus' name. Please, clap for Jesus.

[55:34] Clap for Jesus. Clap for Jesus. Clap for Jesus. Clap for Jesus. Clap for Jesus. Clap for Jesus. Thank you for listening. For more resources, please visit caries.org or call us on 0207 740 9960.

[55:50] God bless you.