[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfreda, Georgia. You will be listening to our Thursday night meeting.
[0:14] Revelation chapter 1. I don't know if you noticed when Brother Tommy was preaching a while ago, there's a little clock in the back for five minutes. They've got one up there for me. It says two hours, so I hope you come ready to listen tonight.
[0:27] I would ask if there was somebody who could please get me some water. I'd be very grateful. I've been dealing with my sinuses the last couple of weeks with all the humidity, and so I would be very grateful for that if we could have that tonight.
[0:40] That was a good song. We thank you for the good singing, and we'll make up for that clap right now. Let's all clap tonight. I don't like anything half-hearted, do you?
[0:51] I like wholehearted everything, and so when we clap, let's clap wholeheartedly. But Revelation chapter 1, I'd like to direct your attention, please, to verse number 4. It is my privilege to be here, and there's so many of you that we respect and that we revere, and of course, Pastor Gardner is one of them.
[1:07] I've never ever, to my knowledge, outside of one time, sat directly under a message that he preached. I've never been a part of the training center here or sat under his tutelage or his teaching, but it seems like God incrementally used every single step from the time I answered my call to preach till present day.
[1:30] Thank you so much, sir. And everything meant something. Everything was important, and God used everything with great significance. I was working a full-time job, of course, when I first answered my call to preach.
[1:41] As many of you missionaries that are launching out into full-time deputation know about the transition there. And I didn't have very many days off, but there was a preacher's meeting being held at Brother Wayne Cofield's in Dalton, Georgia.
[1:53] I'd never been to one of them, but I thought, I'm a preacher. I guess it would be a good thing to go. And so I met my brother-in-law there, and that morning I heard a man named Tony Howarth. I'd never heard of Tony Howarth before, but when he began preaching, I don't know if there's anybody else in the room, but I know me and him was definitely on the same page.
[2:12] And he said, as men of God, we need to have courage. We need to have content. We need to have conviction. I've still got it back in the back of my Bible that my wife had bought me when we were dating.
[2:24] And I said to myself, boy, if I ever pastor a church, I sure would like to have that guy come in and preach. And it would be years later before I'd begin pastoring, but I did have Brother Tony in, and he's been a blessing to our church.
[2:35] But I heard that same morning not only about, I learned about Brother Tony Howarth, but I heard about Whitfield Bible Institute. They was having some classes there on a Monday night, and I thought, well, I'm a young preacher.
[2:46] Probably wouldn't hurt to have a little extra Bible class. And so I went on Monday nights, and I got to meet Brother Pearson, and I'd come home. Me and my wife was married. I'd be like, I'm hearing this guy, and he is blowing my mind.
[2:57] I mean, he's saying stuff I've never heard before. And it was during the course of this time I heard a man introduced to me. There was a bunch of young guys running around Brother Cofields at that time, and it seemed like every one of them was just coming out of college and going to the mission field.
[3:11] It was going to college and going to the mission field. And I'm like, what in the world is all this mission field, missionaries? I was just spellbound. And I kept hearing them refer to this guy, Mr. World Evangelism.
[3:23] Mr. World Evangelism. And I was thinking, who is Mr. World Evangelism? And that must be Jesus himself, you know. And I learned later that it was Brother Austin Gardner. But I never met Mr. World Evangelism.
[3:36] But there was a word there that I was not very familiar with, and it was world evangelism. And so immediately when I entered the pastorate, there was a few things that God had set in motion that I didn't even try to do.
[3:50] It's just like God put it right in my lap, and I would have had to have been completely oblivious to walk over it. This thought of world evangelism, world evangelism. World evangelism. That's what God's called us to do.
[4:00] World evangelism. That's what God has called us to do. And that was ringing in my mind. And God has worked from that point. It really helped balance out the early days of my ministry. The second thing that helped balance out the early days of my ministry would have been the fact that I was very intimidated by the whole thing of pastoring.
[4:18] God had put a call in my life. I had a desire to preach. I had a desire to pastor. I knew God wanted me to do that. But I was very intimidated by it, and I wasn't much for or much on my opinion.
[4:30] And so literally when I began preaching and I began pastoring a church, I thought to myself, if people get mad at me, and I know that I'm hiding behind God's word, I can go home and I can rest at night.
[4:43] But if I'm up there saying a bunch of lame-brained stuff and they get mad at me, then I'm going to have to deal with that, and I'm going to have to take that on me. And so by God's grace, there in the first year or two, we preached through our first book of the Bible, the book of Habakkuk.
[4:58] And I didn't really know all that was going on there, but I did know that God was working. And then later on down in life, you learn more things, and you learn about Bible preaching. And I hope that that's exactly what I'm going to do tonight.
[5:09] I simply say that to say this, you young men that are in training, that are coming along, that are growing along, every little step you make is important. And you might look around and say, I seem so insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
[5:25] Well, I would say to you, don't despise the day of small beginnings. God's got to start somewhere with you. And so He starts right where you're at, so you ought to be grateful to Him for that.
[5:36] Revelation chapter 1, verse number 4, the Bible says, And I love this portion of the Scripture.
[6:02] It's wise for us to remember tonight, He is coming again.
[6:23] Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him. This will be a universal appearing. Everyone will see Him. And they also which pierced Him, and all kindreds of the earth shall well because of Him.
[6:37] And again, John says, Even so, amen. Jesus speaks. He says, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was and which is to come, the Almighty.
[6:52] John picks up and says, I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[7:08] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.
[7:19] And what thou seest write in a book and send it under the seven churches which are in Asia, under Ephesus and under Smyrna and under Pergamos and under Thyatira and under Sardis and under Philadelphia and under Laodicea.
[7:33] And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. Being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one likened to the Son of Man.
[7:45] In other words, there was something John recognized about this individual that reminded him of Jesus the Nazarene. It reminded him of Jesus the Son of Man.
[7:59] He goes on and he says, I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. In the midst of the seven candlesticks, one likened to the Son of Man, and clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
[8:15] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were as a flame of fire. And his feet like undefined brass, as if they burned in a furnace.
[8:27] And his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars. And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
[8:39] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And when he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead.
[8:52] And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And have the keys of hell and of death. I'd like to speak to you tonight from the passage that we've just read on a demanding view of Christ.
[9:05] A demanding view of Christ. I'd like us to bow our heads, please. And let's ask God's blessings on this service. Father, we come to you in Jesus' name tonight with one intent, with one focus, with one desire.
[9:20] And I ask that you'd grant it. Our desire is to magnify Jesus Christ in this place. These people, this pastor, has been a helper to my faith in you.
[9:31] And I pray tonight that I would return the favor and that I would be a helper to their faith. I pray that you would use me to set Christ before them and that we together would have our eyes open to see you in your glory, to see you in your holiness and understand who we are holding, who we are handling, and who we are representing as your dear children.
[9:56] Father, I give you glory tonight because you've saved our soul from an eternal damnation and a lake of fire. I thank you for the Holy Spirit that abides in my heart and for your holy word to guide us as a lamp unto our feet.
[10:10] We give you glory because we love you. You've redeemed us back unto yourself. You've committed unto us the word of reconciliation and the ministry of reconciliation.
[10:21] And we have all reason tonight to praise your holy name. Bless the reading of your word. I pray that you yourself would captivate the attention and the affection of your people here.
[10:32] I pray, dear Father, that you yourself would turn aside every hindrance that would prevent us from hearing you speak to our hearts tonight. Father, I pray that you yourself would manifest yourself unto us as unto your dear children.
[10:48] We give you glory tonight because you're worthy. We love you and we ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I'd like to point out to you a few things if you'd like to take notes from God's word tonight.
[11:00] Very simple outline. Very simple message. A very wonderful Savior. The very first thing I'd like you to notice is in verse number 18, Jesus Christ said, I am he that liveth.
[11:14] Now I know theologically and doctrinally you understand this simple truth tonight that Jesus Christ is alive. is not painting another picture.
[11:26] I hope the ministry that you are leading and a part of is not painting another picture. The very first thing I want you to understand tonight concerning this demanding view of Christ is that Jesus Christ is alive.
[11:39] In verse number 18, it only says, I am he that liveth. He says, and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. And then he lets us in on something here that I think is pivotal to every one of our faith.
[11:51] He says, and I have the keys of hell and of death. Not only is Jesus Christ alive tonight, Jesus Christ is almighty. And then I want you to notice something else that he says in verse number 18.
[12:04] He says, I am alive forevermore. I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. Not only is Jesus Christ alive, not only is Jesus Christ almighty, but tonight, Jesus Christ is available.
[12:20] And so as we speak concerning our beloved Savior tonight, I want us to understand this demanding view of Christ. Let me get a drink of water. We're living in a time when mankind's view of God is diminishing.
[12:36] We're living in an hour where we ourselves are taking the glory of an uncorruptible God and we're taking it and stripping it and reducing it down to the corruptible image of man.
[12:51] I want to remind you tonight by way of introduction that Jesus Christ is the brightness of God's glory and he is the express image of his person and he upholds all things by the word of his power.
[13:05] We're living in an hour when mankind's view of God is diminishing. Mankind by his wit and wisdom has changed the glory of the uncorruptible God unto corruptible man.
[13:16] We've changed the truth of God into a lie and we're worshiping and serving the creation more than the creator. Professing Christians like to speak of Jesus as a baby lying in a manger or hanging on a cross or a man that was laid in a tomb.
[13:34] However, I want to remind you tonight that he's not in a manger, he's not on a cross, and he's certainly not in a tomb. He is the risen and he is the glorified Christ. If you are here tonight and you know Jesus Christ is your savior, he demands your all.
[13:49] It is time that we as the body of Christ, he being our head, we being his body, live as if we are influenced and controlled by him that lives forevermore.
[14:02] It is time that we live as ambassadors of Christ, constrained by Calvary's love. It is time that we lift the Lord Jesus Christ up to his proper place in our lives, not with our lips, giving lip service as unto vain glory, but in our lives and the ministries that God has committed under our hands.
[14:21] I want to say to you, we should so present Christ to a lost and dying world that they have to come to an ultimatum. It is time that we quit reciting the Romans Road as if it is the theological, accurate way for man to be saved and start quoting Romans Road as if we are really concerned of man going to hell and are really witnessing of a risen Savior.
[14:43] It is not rote memory that we need, it is the power of a living Christ being displayed in our life that we need. It is time that we as God's children have the life of God flowing in our lives and flowing through our lives.
[14:56] It is time that we put our foot down and draw a line in the sand and say, we can no longer halt between two opinions. If the Lord be God, we must serve Him, but if it is not, let's find something else to do in our life.
[15:08] You see, God has set Himself up and God has so given us a picture here of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that it demands our attention, it demands our affection, it demands our all in all.
[15:21] Jesus Christ did not die to save part of you. Jesus Christ died to save every part of you and every part of you He expects tonight. The songwriter had it right when they said, Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe.
[15:35] I say to you tonight, Christ is high, Christ is holy, yet Christ is meek and Christ is lowly. I'm glad that God is my Savior. I'm glad that Christ is my older brother, God's my Father and the Holy Ghost is my comforter and I simply, by the help of the Lord tonight, want to lift up Jesus tonight and remember that there is a view of Christ given us in the Word that demands a choice.
[15:59] It demands change and it demands our all. It is time that we quit trying to shift, shape Christianity in Christ to make men happy with Him and it is time that we point Him to as He is.
[16:12] He was a man acquainted with sorrow. He was a man afflicted. He was a man that was despised and rejected of men. He was as a tender plant, as a root out of dry ground. He was despised and afflicted.
[16:24] I want to remind you, He came into His own and His own received Him not and the only way that you'll receive Him tonight is to understand that He's the living God. He's the bright and the morning star.
[16:35] He is the root and the offspring of David and of Jesse. He is the Savior. He is both Lord and Christ. God has raised Him up. He has exalted Him. He sits at the right hand of our Heavenly Father tonight and it is time that we start calling men to repentance.
[16:51] It is time that we start calling the church of the living God to repentance and come into church with a heart to worship Him and adore Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.
[17:02] Christ is wonderful. Christ is altogether lovely. He is the rose of Sharon and He is the lily of the valley. And if you know Him tonight, He desires to have your heart.
[17:14] If you know Him tonight, He desires to work in you, both the will and the do of your good pleasure. He desires that you yield your life to Him. Paul comes begging the church at Rome in Romans 12, 1.
[17:24] He said, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. I want to say something to you tonight.
[17:35] You've come dragging up here on a Thursday night. Praise God that you have, that you could be a part of a Bible service, a gospel service, a Christ-centered service. And you might have come in tonight with the mentality that you're doing God a favor.
[17:49] I want to remind you, you have received unmerited favor for Him. The least we can do is come and adore Him. The least we can do is come and praise Him. It is time that we start presenting Christ as a fork in the road, as a crossroad.
[18:03] Quit suggesting to people that they need Him and let them know affirmatively and assuredly that it's Christ and only Him that saves from the devil's hell. The first point I would like to make from God's Word on this demanding view of Christ, we see in verse 18, Jesus Christ is alive.
[18:23] He says, I am He that liveth and was dead. You say, I've heard that before. So have I. I've heard that He's alive. Beyond hearing it, I know that He's alive.
[18:34] He lives within my heart. Would you say amen to that tonight? Amen. But can I ask you something? Does our ministries, does our life, does our Christianity reflect that we serve a living Savior?
[18:52] I'm so sick and I bet there's a sentiment in here, you sense what I'm fixing to say, I am so sick of every form of godliness that denies the power thereof. We teach people to do this and we teach people to do that and we want to make ourselves feel good about what they do and we know in our heart that in their heart they could give a, they could give a care less about the Son of the living God.
[19:15] You know, it's always been my dream and by the way, it is still my dream to pastor a church where people come in and are actually excited to be redeemed, actually excited to be a part of God's family, actually bring a copy of God's Word in their hand, actually come and sit down to hear something that they can get and give to somebody else and come excited, come ready to hear, come ready to learn, come ready to receive, come and act like Jesus Christ is not still laying in a tomb but that He is alive.
[19:42] You see tonight, the Bible says in verse number 9 and it's very simple, He says, I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was in the isle that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[19:57] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and notice what He says right here, He says, and heard behind me a great voice and heard behind me a great voice, Jesus Christ is alive tonight.
[20:13] I've got one question for you. Do you hear Him speaking? Do you hear Him speaking? Do you know what I've learned in just a few years? I haven't learned much but I've learned this.
[20:25] People don't get up from the dead because I give them the gospel. People get up from the dead because when I give them the gospel, the Spirit of God opens their heart, opens their mind and they receive Christ Jesus as both Lord and Christ and are saved by the grace of God not of works lest any man should boast and here we are tonight.
[20:49] We sit redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. We sit saved by the blood of the crucified one. We have come to know both the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
[20:59] We know that He's alive. We've heard Him speak before but as the church of the living God tonight, as the bride to the bridegroom, can I ask you a question? Do you hear Christ speaking to your heart?
[21:10] You see, the only way that people are going to be engaged in the gospel ministry and the only way that people are going to live a faithful Christian life is to have a personal walk with the Lord and hear God speak to their heart.
[21:22] How long has it been since you sat in that service and you heard God speak to you? Yes, I know you're going to hear a song that His focus point is going to be Christ. I know that you're going to hear a message what focus point is going to be a Christ but what I want to ask you tonight, Jesus is alive.
[21:39] Do you hear Him speaking? If you do hear Him speaking, are you responding? He said, I heard a great voice. Do you believe it's a great voice tonight? The brother quoted, What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that would visit him?
[21:55] Think about it. God has visited us with eternal life. And the God who that has visited us with eternal life wants to visit us with all the benefits that that eternal life has to offer.
[22:11] Are y'all with me tonight? Jesus Christ is alive. Do you hear Him speaking? I'd like you to take your Bible, please, to Matthew chapter number 16. And let me show you something there from God's Word as we move along.
[22:22] He is alive. Do you hear Him speaking? Matthew chapter number 16. There's two spirits for sure in this world.
[22:34] The Spirit of the Lord and the Spirit of the world. According to 1 Corinthians 2, we have not received the Spirit of the world, but we have received the Spirit of the Lord. The Bible says in Matthew chapter number 16 and verse number 13, when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?
[22:53] That's a good question. And the Bible says, they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am?
[23:09] Now that's a good question for the church of the living God. Because I believe we're living right in the middle of an identity crisis. We barely know who we are anymore. And most of us are trying to figure it out still.
[23:22] Right? I mean, we're so scared of being like Jesus. I mean, literally everything we do in our lives is we second guess everything that we've ever known or ever heard. And yet, that's right the opposite of what we were admonished to do in Scriptures in 2 Timothy chapter number 3 when perilous times was going to grip the earth and perilous times was going to come on the church.
[23:42] Paul didn't say second guess everything you'd ever learn and try to redefine everything you've ever known. Paul said, but continuing the things that thou hast learned and has been assured of.
[23:52] And sometimes, I just want to ask, is there anything we're sure of anymore? Are we still sure that Jesus Christ, according to the Scriptures, died for our sins and was buried and rose again on the third day?
[24:03] Are we still sure that He is seated at the right hand of the Father ever living to intercede for us? Are we still sure He has all power in heaven and earth? And if we are, it demands we live like it.
[24:14] It demands we talk like it. It demands we act like God's alive tonight. Amen? Matthew chapter 16, but who do you say I am? Verse 16, and Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[24:29] Good answer, Peter. Good answer. But look what Jesus says to him in the next verse. Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
[24:44] Notice something right here. This confession of faith that Peter makes is as much a revelation of God to him as it is his own decision.
[24:57] He says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the first words off of Jesus' lips after that statement was blessed. Here we are tonight.
[25:09] We've been saved so long. We still tell ourselves we're blessed, but in our heart, we've gotten an entitlement mentality. We almost have begun to believe that the reason God saved us was because we was living a little bit better than a person down the road.
[25:24] We've almost convinced ourselves that the reason Jesus Christ came calling on us was because we wasn't quite as bad as our neighbors were. We wouldn't quiet and all that stuff that they were into.
[25:35] I want to say to you tonight that Jesus Christ is alive and he is speaking by his spirit. His spirit right now as I'm speaking is reproving men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
[25:47] And I would be very concerned tonight if I call myself God's child and I read his word and he doesn't speak to me and I pray and he doesn't speak to me and I come to church and he doesn't speak to me and I say I serve the living God I would be very concerned about what I'm saying.
[26:04] I want to remind you tonight that we don't serve some dead God some dead dumb idol that don't have eyes to see nor hands to hold nor ears to hear nor heart to feel but we serve the living God who has eyes to see and that's a good thing because his eyes are over the righteous and his ears are open unto our prayers and I'm telling you we as Bible believing Christians here in America we've not made sticks to worship we've not made stones to worship we've not found a cow to worship and we've not found some horse to worship but I'm saying to you tonight if through our Bible reading and through our church attendance and through our personal devotion time and prayer life that the living God is not speaking to your heart it is time you admit there's somewhere you've missed it there's somewhere we've missed it somehow or another we've figured out how to read God's word without hearing from Him attend church without hearing from Him and pray without hearing from Him and no wonder people's not engaged good night
[27:04] I come to a point in my life and ministry where I said hold on now God ain't called me to be a clown He's not called me to be a circus leader everybody okay tonight?
[27:17] He's not called me to be an entertainer and if I'm gonna have to be the one that keeps everybody engaged I'm in big trouble is everybody at Women tonight?
[27:28] you say I'm gonna tell you something we've got we're living in a generation how many years in my how many years in your 20s and early 30s would you raise your hand if you're in your 20s and early 30s can I tell you something about our generation? number one where most of us were spoiled is everybody okay?
[27:42] number two most of us have not learned how to appreciate the most basic things of life and you know what we do? we handle God and His Word the exact same way we come into it with an entitlement mentality we come into it with some arrogant and facetious mindset and it's almost like the people in our generation that are leading ministries and leading the church of the living God are having to prop God up and help God out and neighbor I'm gonna say something to you with all the kindness and compassion in my heart if I have got to prop the living God up who hung this earth on nothing but His own power I'm in trouble can I get a witness?
[28:22] I'm gonna tell you what the church of the living God needs she needs to get well acquainted with our Lord and our Savior amen I'm so weary and are you weary tonight of hearing some new thing over and over?
[28:32] can I say to you tonight we don't need to hear some new thing what we need to do is obey what we already have been understood from God's Word we talk about soul winning till we're sick in the face about begging people to go and tell people about Jesus can I tell you something tonight fall in love with Jesus and do your first works it's time that we start giving witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ with great grace and great power and confess with Peter as if God Himself has opened our eyes and ears to the fact that Jesus Christ is both Lord and Christ and that He is alive witness like we serve a risen Savior amen we keep I mean no wonder people so few people get saved we talk about Him like He's dead I'm going to mess around I'm going to enjoy myself in just a moment is that right?
[29:23] we talk about Him like He's dead look if you don't know me I've got hugs lined up for everybody after the service I don't want nobody mad but I do want you admitting with yourself I'm telling you I've got this burning I've got this burning in my heart you know what it is we need to fall in love with Him that loved us beyond mind's comprehension and displayed it on Calvary but God commendeth that word commendeth means He proved He displayed but God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us in other words when we were yet without strength Christ died for us and here we are tonight for God so loved the world greater love hath no man than this He says in 1 John herein is love that we've not first loved God but that He first loved us and gave His Son to be the propitiation of our sins and so we're sitting here tonight and we say yes we affirm with what the preacher said Jesus Christ is alive we heard it in the Romans Road we heard it in the Sunday School but can I ask you a question have you heard God Himself speak to you tonight?
[30:31] because I tell you right now when you hear more than Justin Gassway, Austin Gardner any other human being speak to you and you hear the living God speak to your heart it will make an eternal difference in the way you live your life He says in Matthew 16 and I say unto thee verse 17 blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah I still believe we're blessed tonight for having the knowledge of God Amen flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven verse 18 I say unto thee thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it you see here's my understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ He's building His church and He uses me to do that here's our understanding too many times in the 21st century we're building we're building our church and we use Him to do that I mean can I ask you a question do you really think God left it up to us to figure out how to engage the world oh my soul
[31:31] I feel like preaching do you mind I mean sometimes I want to say hold on neighbor are you thinking about what you're saying I mean it's like we spend all our time surmising our schemes and all these ideas and somebody needs to say hey why don't we just do what they've done in the first century why don't we fall in love with Jesus live like He's alive preach like He's alive testify and witness like He's alive be set on fire of God like they were and do an eternal work for God when we got time He's given us the tools He's given us the resources He's given us the gospel it is the power of God and the salvation Jesus Christ is alive tonight do you hear Him speaking do you hear Him speaking because I bet if you hear Him speaking when you speak to others you'll speak to them like God has spoke to you does that make sense let's go back please Revelation chapter 1 Jesus Christ is alive do you hear Him speaking verse 18 I am He that liveth and was dead behold I am alive forevermore amen
[32:35] I want you to notice what He says here it's very important and have the keys of hell and of death I have the keys of hell and of death well Lord can I ask you something where did you get those keys who had those keys where did you get those keys you see when the Lord Jesus Christ gave up His life and said it is finished on the cross of Calvary the Bible says in 1 Peter that He went in the center of the earth and preached unto the captives and there's a two-fold thing there Jesus done He was going to lead captivity captive is that true Ephesians chapter 4 He was getting those that were in Abraham's bosom paradise and they were going to come with Him where they are now in the presence of the Lord Luke 16 tells us about how hell and paradise was separated by a great gulf there in the center of the earth but there was something the Lord had to do He had to stop by a certain entity that had gained power over man in the garden
[33:39] He stopped by Satan himself and He said there's something you took from my father and that man lost in the garden that I've come to get back you see they all their lifetime was subject to bondage for fear of death but I got to let you in on something if you hadn't already figured it out I ain't planning on staying here any longer than what the scriptures have testified and I've got to take something from you before I come up Jesus took from the strong man the keys of hell and of death everybody okay you say what's the big deal about that well that's how we got set free because we come to Him who is Almighty and when we were bound by our sins to the strong man we as the children of disobedience was bound to the strong man Christ came and He bound him and He said
[34:40] I'm loosing them for the glory of my Father and He set you free that's where that Bible verse comes in and when the Son shall set you free you are free indeed I'm telling you tonight we serve a risen Savior we serve the risen Christ He is alive He is Almighty the Bible said in Isaiah chapter number 9 that He was the wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting Father Prince of Peace that is our Savior tonight He is the one that is soon coming and who's the government shall rest upon His shoulders He is the one that still has all power in heaven and in earth He is the head of all principalities and powers He it is that all in the earth and that are under the earth and that are in heaven will bow down and confess to the glory of God that He is both Lord and Christ this is our Savior and I want to let you in on something
[35:41] He has granted access unto us when He gave up His life on the cross of Calvary the veil of the temple was written in twain not letting God out to man but letting whosoever will come and taste of the water of life freely and all I'm saying to you is tonight if you have came and tasted of that water of life He's begging you to come and draw with joy from the wells of salvation if you have tasted and seen that the Lord is sweet I want to remind you that there's nothing we cannot do through Him that strengthens us if God desires to see people saved and God desires to see His church built I am quite confident tonight that He who said I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it will build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it He didn't barely get up out of the grave with a mighty triumph over His foes He spoiled principalities and powers making an open show of them and He showed to the entire universe that He was God's only begotten
[36:44] Son the first begotten from the dead the first born of many brethren which we are somebody say amen God Himself has come to live inside of you almighty God and I often ask myself how in the world has a six foot two 240 pound man done such a good job limiting God if the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him how are we doing such a good job is everybody with me tonight He's almighty say amen if you're breathing in here tonight praise God me too He's almighty He's alive oh I've heard that preacher have you heard it from him oh my Sunday school teacher he's laid it all out just like you're laying it out right now as your Sunday school teacher was laying it out did you have God laying it out to your heart I'm telling you the whole world turns upside down when you meet the living
[37:44] God when the invisible God the eternal God of the ages the eternal I am steps out of nothing and speaks to your soul and says hey come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I'll give you rest I'm going to tell you something by the grace of the living God I do not want to have a Christianity that is not alive because Christ is alive he's almighty listen we have started with such humble beginnings that's good because most of us need very much humbled and I thought surely to God there's more for me in life than this and he says oh there is but you're going to have to follow me from where you are Jesus Christ is alive he says I'm alive forevermore Jesus Christ is available tonight you're here and I'm here and I want to ask you something you know when is the last time not with your mind not with your mind now God has all given us one and I'm glad he has to some proportion or another he's given us a mind some of them are sharper and clearer than others and some of them hello
[38:56] Miss Cook's looking at you brother Wayne I don't know what that means somebody says amen but to some portion or another God has given us a mind but I want to ask you something I guarantee being a part of this church and having Pastor Gardner as your pastor all that he done all that God used him to do there in Erquipa Peru how God is using his children today some of them in service with us tonight and all the young men that God has touched through his ministry touched their life and all that they're doing now all over the world all that going on and you're sitting here tonight and you're like yeah I've heard them talk about world evangelism can I ask you something can I share a secret with all of you the strength the strength of our world evangelism will be no greater than the strength of our local evangelism and the strength of our local evangelism will be no greater than our personal evangelism and world evangelism starts in the home it starts in the home your home my home
[40:00] I'm going to tell you something my name is Justin Gazaway I'm 29 years old I was born December the 29th 1982 I was saved May the 9th 1989 answer my call to preach April the 22nd 2002 I began pastoring November the 3rd 2003 nobody knew me very people know me now that don't bother me by the way I can't rely on this man's 20 years work in Arequipa Peru to draw young men to my church to want to be trained by me to go on the gospel ministry there's not some stork going by missionary school plucking up right young men and dropping them off by Justin Gazaway you know I'm talking about don't you brother Gardner I mean I don't have no legacy but I have a living God everybody okay you say but Justin you ain't got nothing to start with hold on now God use a majority is everybody with me you see most of us missionaries and I felt like hey when me and my wife went down to
[41:05] Georgia and I have a couple here tonight that was a part of the original eight six people me and my wife made eight that called us there to pastor when they called us I felt like I had went to the ends of the earth and fell off somebody say amen there was no great community of believers that I immediately knew or recognized and associated with I worked all the time I felt isolating I felt like I was in a hole but guess who was right there with me all the way Jesus and y'all know what we need going on at Vision Baptist Church and Club Baptist Church just what we need going on we need people walking our aisles that have met him that is alive because we as people who are alive from the dead are going out with the life of God in us and telling others about the living Christ who's the almighty God he says in verse number nine if I'm not mistaking if you'll look at it with me right quick is everybody with me tonight verse number nine or verse number eight he says
[42:10] I am alpha and omega at the beginning and the ending the saith the Lord which is and which wise and which is to come the almighty what I'm saying to you is Jesus Christ is alive he is almighty and if we the church his body is tapped into him our head and we're growing up into him in all things and the life of the head and the love of the head and the liberty of the head and the power of the head and the passion of the head is flowing into the body and the body is going to do what the head does and what the head does and seeks and saves that which is lost this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners and those that are following Jesus are fishing for men it is time that we the body of Christ the bride of God goes out with a burning passion in our heart and we really care from our heart if people die lost without God and we love Jesus more than we love life and we tell people with passion he's alive he's almighty he's available he's alive forevermore you might want to mark this down a burdenless church is a birthless church a burdenless church is a birthless church and burdenless churches are made up of burdenless
[43:33] Christians and I've never seen a child brought into this world without burden and birth pains and you will never see a spiritual work of God wrought good night I feel like preaching is everybody with me tonight you will never see a spiritual work of God wrought without toil without travail without anguish of heart listen I'm going to go ahead and clue you in if you're looking for an easy Christianity and an easy Christ and an easy church building method I'm so sorry there's not one is that right pastor there ain't one you say I gotta find the fastest way to the top neighbor let me tell you something you don't need to be worrying about climbing to the top you need to let this mind which is in Christ be also in you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and quit worrying about how big and how fast you need to get things so that everybody will recognize who you are but you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God as one who is here in Christ and you let God speak to your soul and you let God develop your character and you let God work in your life and you let God do the exalting and you let God expand his kingdom through you and extend his kingdom through you and express his life for you he's alive he's almighty he's available that's the message
[44:48] God help us to carry it help me to carry it my soul are you burdened for anyone we sing a song not often but we sung it Lord lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me and may I be faithful to do my part to win that soul to thee I'm going to be honest with you as long as we are still treating baptisms like an event in our church instead of the usual thing that happens something ain't right when two million people lay outside of our doorstep and they lay outside of mine just like they lay outside of yours and we're not seeing people converted you are not ever this side of heaven and if you want to try to convince me of it save your breath and go tell it to somebody else you're never this side of heaven going to tell me that we live in the last days and all
[45:54] God saving powers nearly dried up oh no and if that's the case just go ahead and take me to heaven because God didn't call me to spin my wheels rest of my life and if you're going to tell me that I've got to prop the living God up and figure out how do you understand how redundant ridiculous silly that makes me want to preach somebody say amen we've got all these little we're huddling all over the country and we're figuring out how to engage this and how to engage that and I think the living God saying I would like you to engage me maybe if you engaged me I would give you an inroad on how to engage men and the reason that the church has lost her power with men is that she has lost her power with God and the Bible says in the book of Hosea chapter 12 Jacob by his strength had power with God wouldn't you like to see men moved by the gospel message that you share because your own heart is moved all the gospel message you share it doesn't matter if we've got every theological key cross and every theological
[46:57] I got it if we're not alive in him that is alive forevermore then what good are we to the living God and a lost and dying world is everybody with me would you come tonight and say to God himself God I'm tired of reading your word to say I've filled my chapters for the day I'm tired of filling out my Sunday school lesson because I want to please John Pearson I know he's going to ask me 35 questions I don't know how to answer I'm tired of coming to church saying oh yeah Pastor Gardner is going to be in John today he's in John last Sunday and Sunday night and Wednesday night this guy believes you ought to preach the Bible right can I simply say this to you I've come to a couple of conclusions in my life one of them is this if God ain't God I'm going to find something else to do with my life period point blank that's it that's all listen
[48:02] God don't need my wisdom but I sure need his wisdom God don't need my understanding but I sure need his understanding God don't need my might nor my power but I sure need his spirit and it's the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead abide in you don't you think there ought to be some life about us and neighbor I'm going to say this to you you might not I don't know how you describe life or how I describe life look life is not you shouting or running around or jumping up and down like this goofy preacher up here behind this pulpit is doing right now but life is this you so love God that you so love the world he died for and you don't have to have your pastor begging you telling you that he's going to lay out pork chops for breakfast on Saturday morning to get you out to church to go tell people about Jesus but brother Justin I have to tell you you need to understand we're reaching Alpharetta we're reaching the erudite and the educated and the upper echelon of society Romans 1 16 I'm not ashamed with the gospel of Christ what is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that believe it either we believe that or we don't either we believe that
[49:09] Christ is alive almighty and available or we don't either we believe that God wasted his time putting Vision Baptist church in the northern suburbs of Atlanta or you believe that God in his perfect timing and will was planning this church to raise it up as a beachhead and a right because you can't keep coming to Jesus and playing games with God like he's not going to expect you to do something and to be something where's that at be trained serve you took it down he didn't take it down one of you knuckleheads did didn't you I would have been the knucklehead that did it our life is about being that is who you are with God our and what we're doing is Christ's work and our goal is to serve people serve the living God and serve people and people serve when they're in love with whom they're serving and they adore him he's alive he said
[50:14] I'm alive forevermore he's available to you tonight in a new fresh way one day you're going to stand before him whose eyes are as a flame of fire whose hair is white whose feet are its fine grass whose countenance as as the sun which shineth in its strength and men you're going to be there wishing to the good Lord of heaven above that we would have seen him as he was here on earth though we see now through a glass darkly see him as he was see him as he is see him as he is to come I don't have to quit a demanding view of Christ if you come to a point in your life where you've made a choice can I say this to you missionaries and church planners I got a mission theme for you it goes like this when people come into your church especially if you're in
[51:21] America especially if you're planning a church like this one in our society and people come in you let them know first of all the first thing you offer is Jesus Christ alive from the dead is everybody okay with that that ain't bothering nobody New Testament church New Testament the blood of the New Testament everybody okay we're all on the same page right here's what we got to offer you Jesus is that enough can he help you with anything good I'll let you know before you come in here Jesus ain't going to change for you he's never changed and he's not going to change for you and we're not going to be a part of this great move to diminish his view among mankind I'm not going to be a part of it by his grace by his grace I'm not going to be a part of this move to make God like my little puppet on the string God my little dog on a chain my God compartmentalized
[52:22] I give him this little slice of my little life but everything else is for me and bless God I'm going to live it he can get behind me and follow me you know what I'm talking about you look to them in there God give an eyeball and you say look neighbor you're coming to a living risen savior and he will not change for you he is the same yesterday today and forever I'm talking about Christ not church methods I'm talking about Christ himself his character his person is everybody with me he will not change for you God himself is thrice holy and when he gets done with you you'll be the same you know why God has given you three parts because he wanted you and your three parts to reflect him and his three persons God one God triune in nature expressing himself to the heart of man to the soul of man through the body of man that we might be one great expression that brings glory to the living
[53:28] God for you were created for his pleasure you tell them we offer Jesus number two he offers you change change and you let them know up front God's going to love you in a way you've never been loved and you're going to be willing to offer your entire life for him if you ever get a hold of who he is you know all the things I was told at the beginning of ministry that I had to have if I was going to be successful I didn't have none of them none of them whatsoever I didn't have a great plan I didn't have a great man to tell me that I had hold on I had the greatest man with the greatest plan I had God I still have him and look if we're living and preaching and ministering like we don't it ain't his fault his ear is not heavy that it cannot hear his arm is not short that it cannot save and
[54:32] God is not asleep but I am very concerned that we are let's bow our heads let's stand to our feet father we come to you in Jesus name I want to thank you for allowing me to be here tonight and I pray father that you would take your word that I have spoke that me speaking it would not have hindered it and I pray that you would take the word of life and quickening power and that you yourself would speak to the hearts of the people here present I pray for this pastor his wife I thank you for preserving his health as of late I pray for this people that is laboring with him as co-labors with you to carry out your work and your will on this planet I pray for a fresh anointing and doing from you for your name sake for our good sake and for the furtherance of the gospel please speak to hearts tonight in this place and stir the slumbering cords in
[55:35] Jesus name I pray amen to where you can find our service times location contact information and more audio and video recordings