THE DECAFFEINATED CHRISTIAN (2)

INTRODUCTION & GREETING

Greetings… it is wonderful to be able to share and talk with you about my Father…who lives in Heaven and his name is holy.

Matthew 6:9 (KJV (WS))

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:10 KJV (WS)

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

My father has a Kingdom which is in Heaven and that Kingdom and his will…. will eventually come to earth.

Matthew 6:11 KJV (WS)

Give us this day our daily bread.

I acknowledge that God is my sustainer and provider. I trust God daily to provide what he knows i need.

Matthew 6:12 KJV (WS)

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And he will forgive all of my sins if forgive all those who have sinned against me…

Matthew 6:13 (KJV (WS))

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

He is Sovereign, so I know he will not lead me astray … and if I believe that his son shed his blood for me…. I will be a part of that kingdom forever and forever… and I have have all power like his disciples had

MY ROAD TO DAMASCUS

Acts 9:3 KJV (WS)

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD A DAMASCUS MOMENT …. WHERE GOD/JESUS CAME TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE NOT EXPECTING IT…. AND ASKED LIKE HE DID WITH SAUL …… WHAT ARE YOU DOING??

When was it that you saw the light of Jesus calling to get your attention?

Do you remember the time, date.. where you were?

Befriended in the military by a guy who happened to be a new young pastor friend in training …. REVEREND JORDAN.. From the south somewhere..

MY NICODEMUS MOMENT

John 3:1–3 KJV (WS)

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

I looked for every chance I could find to find an excuse to not join CONVENT AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH…

I DID NOT WANT MY FRIENDS TO SEE ME WALK THAT ISLE … OR ANY OF THE YOUNG LADIES TO KNOW THAT I REALLY WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THAT CHURCH…. I WAS JUST PUTTING IN CAMEO APPEARANCES EVERY SUNDAY….. BECAUSE MY MOTHER/DAD DRUGGED ME THERE…

I VISTED MY PASTOR ONE DAY… BUT I WAITED UNTIL NO ONE WAS IN THE CHURCH AND NO ONE WOULD SEE ME….. ENTER THE PASTOR’S OFFICE

THE BAPTIST CHURCH HAS A SPECIAL METHOD OF JOINING ….. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE BAPTIST KNOW THIS…. YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT WALK AND PUBLICALLY AND VERBALLY COMMIT YOURSELF TO GOD….. …..

THE DAY OF RECONNING CAME ON AUGUST 6, 1975

DECAFFEINATED CHRISTIAN explained:

Caffeine is the main and active ingredient in coffee

Coffee lacking caffeine is a weak

Or a watered down version of the real thing

Just like people who call themselves Christians and are lacking Jesus Christ are weak

People put things into coffee to make it stronger.....

ie: alcohol

or scientist will try to grow and better coffee bean in the hope that their coffee will produce a better variety.

Christians are not any better...

they will add good works in the hope that God see them

they will increase their donations to charity in the hope that God will seem them and consider that

Romans 2:1–16 (KJV (WS))

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

STARTING NARRATIVE:

My sermon topic is driven by two scripture:

Matthew 7:21 (KJV (WS))

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

The thought that not every person (included me) that claimed to be a Christian would not reach the gates of Heaven put a scare into me… and if you are walking around calling yourself a Child of God… you should be scare also....

I, like many others was under the impression that if I do good things, be nice and obey the established norms… all would go well.

Watered down Christians are those who like the idea of the Gospel but lack a personnel commitment to Jesus. They want the blessing but do not want to go against the sins of society to get it.

Matthew 25:11–13 KJV (WS)

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Matthew 25 explain/speaks of the 10 virgins of which 5 were foolish and not prepared for when the Bridegroom ..Jesus came and they were not ready to go with him.

Matthew 7:13–14 NIV84

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

According to Matthew 7:13-14 the gate that open to Heaven was very selective with a very narrow road.

God through his many prophets in the old testament and then by his son Jesus had already given a very clear road map on how one should go about getting to eternity (Heaven).

A closer look at that scripture it says “gate”..... meaning just one gate… not many gates.

But man has been trying very hard over the years to produce his own gate… or a number of other gates

Just look at all of these religious denominations we have

It is like playing baseball for the New York Yankees… if you are going to play on that team you are going to wear that uniform and not a Cleveland Indian uniform

and you are going to play in that stadium not a stadium that you feel better in or one that lets you wear what you want to wear or change the hitting rules when they make you feel better by allowing you to get to first base..

Personally,

I take the bible literally and I feel it is my responsibility if I truly believe in God, to listen and be sincere… about my feelings. If i am going to walk around and call myself a christian then as 1 peter 3:15 says, I need to be ready to tell why if asked.

1 Peter 3:15 KJV (WS)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

A teacher spends a number of years studying to be a teacher so that they can call themselves ......”A TEACHER”

A lawyer attends law school and take the bar to be able to call themselves a lawyer and preform as such

There are too many people walking around calling themselves a “CHRISTIAN” and do not walk the walk or talk the talk!!!!

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

I found that there were a lot of people calling themselves Christians.

The Baptist were calling themselves Christians

The Catholics were calling themselves Christians

The Methodist were calling themselves Christians

The Mormons were calling themselves Christians

People whom I would pass on a daily basis were calling themselves Christians

I even found that Satan himself had people going around masquerading as Christians..

So what is a Christian?

I looked it up by asking Google:

Like most non-Christians even Goggle tried to avoid the question:

As an adjective: “related to or professing Christianity or its teachings”

As a noun: “a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity”

I looked it up in the Bible: “KJV”

“ But the Bible presents a different perspective and definition of a Christian. In Acts 11:26 A Christian is someone whose behavior and heart reflects Jesus Christ. Followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” in Antioch.

Acts 11:26 KJV (WS)

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

I would add that if I were asked i would say a Christian believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Which says:

1 Corinthians 15:1–3 KJV 1900

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

In my walk, I have have met and depended on Christians for spiritual advice and guidance…...... I found that:

Titus 1:16 KJV (WS)

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

In the book of Luke 6:46 and Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus teaches his disciples and followers about giving lip service ......

Luke 6:46 KJV (WS)

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Matthew 7:24–27 KJV (WS)

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

.. Which made Matthew 7:21 even clearer. it also brought clear Isaiah 8:20 as well. Which even shows that 3000 years ago during Isaiah time the ancient Hebrews walk with God with a week one just like the Christian’s walk of today is.

Isaiah 8:20 KJV (WS)

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Explanation of A Weaken Christian

GIVE THIS A THOUGHT...... BUT DON’T RAISE YOUR HANDS..... “How many of you do not have time to read the Bible”

If I ask that question outright… how many would be honest?

So use you large toe to response… that way no one will see your response

Coming up in the Church Drug Culture (Parents insisted on a church foundation and background)

Every time my parent when to church they drug me along with them.

At a young age I knew what the church was and attended services quite a lot…. But I did not know Jesus.

I was always around very strong and solid church going and Jesus believing BLACK PEOPLE.

I sought out a church home at every location I lived in or spent a long period of time in…

As I moved up in life…… when I couldn’t associate with a Strong Black Church… I attended a white congregation that I felt was similar to those of a Black church …. And they had to be Baptist

SECOND NARRATIVE: Scriptural Driving Force in my life

Matthew 6:24

As Christians it is important to know that you can not serve Jesus and the flesh of living on earth. As your scripture goes you will love one and despise the other.... As the saying goes you can not have cake and eat it too.

1 king 18:21

Elijah asked the people how long will you run back and forth between the word of God and the word and actions of the world? You need to chose between the two....

2 kings 17:41

We may fear and say we know God, But our actions show we do not follow God.

Matthew 6:24

Although we are human beings… we can only have one God. Our actions show that we are more tuned into the worldly activities of our daily life more so than we are those of our Lord and Saviour.

Luke 6:46

People use the Lord name and know about him but they do not do the things he says. This is being hypocritical..

I personally have been around people that will sing the Lords praises but are hypocritical in a number of their actions.

(clear this up to not be so specific to black or white) For example my church which is predominately Black (and I believe historically blacks are very religious) more-so than other racial groups.... will support the Democratic Party that supports gay and lesbian rights and abortion.

Mark 16:15-20

Col 4:6

Revelation 3:15–16 KJV (WS)

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

John in Revelation points out that Jesus was us to aggressively follow him… as he points out in Matthew 6:24

Matthew 6:24 KJV (WS)

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.