Nevertheless

“NEVERTHELESS”

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

INTRODUCTION

Turn with me to Luke. Luke, chapter twenty two. You're going to hear the most unusual message that you've ever heard preached and certainly that I've ever preached. I'll kind of set the base, and then the last part of my message I just want to chat with you from the heart. I've been feeling that somebody needs to preach this kind of message in America that's never been, I've never heard it, preached this way. But I just feel that somebody needs to talk to you out of a heart, as we end this year and get ready to start 1999.

Nevertheless. I want you to circle that word. "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done."

Luke, chapter twenty two. Let me read it to you, and we're starting with the thirty ninth verse. "And he came out, and went as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast and kneeled down and prayed saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: Nevertheless…" Nevertheless. I want you to circle that word. "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done."

The word nevertheless is a bridge word between two comparative concepts, both of which may be true, but the first of which lacks the power to do away with the true of the second one.

For example, someone says, "I do not believe that two and two equals four." O.K., they may not believe that, and I'm not saying that that is an invalid statement.

It's a valid statement of their mathematical calculation conviction.

They're convinced that two and two is not four, so that's O.K. Their statement is true. They believe that. But nevertheless, two and two is four, no matter what you believe.

Now, there are places in the Scripture where we're going to look at a statement and then we're going to look at the bridge word, nevertheless.

And the truth which follows it means this statement can never make that statement any the less.

Some of those verses is the one in Luke, chapter twenty two there in verse 39.

In the garden, Jesus suffered every pain that was known to man.

We do not like to see Him agonizing at that rock with prayer.

Several years ago there was a movie put out, "The Last Temptation," of Christ. I didn't see the movie, it must have been horrible. I understand it was blasphemous and a horrible movie.

Let me make it plain. I'm sure it was awful and I was against it, but the title was "The Last Temptation of Christ."

There was nothing wrong with the title. The title in itself really showed what Jesus went through. He had a last temptation.

In that last temptation there's something about it we don't want to hear because He was God, and yet He was man.

He was sinless, and yet He came into a world of sin. And in that last temptation, He said, "Oh, God, I don't want to deal with this. I don't want to face this."

And even though we see Him as God, we must also see Him as man. Jesus was tempted. Jesus knew the power of temptation.

You see, you can know temptation without knowing the true power of temptation.

But Jesus truly knew what the power of temptation was like. He'd experienced all the power of the devil and all of his force. Satan himself came against Jesus.

Jesus truly knew what the power of temptation was like. He'd experienced all the power of the devil and all of his force as satan himself came against Jesus. Jesus knew Roman humiliation, because the Romans would humiliate you, and they hung him upon a cross naked. He knew Jewish humiliation. He knew pain as few ever knew pain. But worse than that He knew the temptation. He knew, and anticipated rather, the pain that was about to come. In the garden He said, “Let this cup pass from me.” He knew what it was like to die on a cross. He had seen men suffer along the roadside. No doubt He had seen crucifixions because they would often line the roads of the Roman empire.

Jesus knew Roman humiliation, because the Romans would humiliate you, and they hung him upon a cross naked. He knew Jewish humiliation. He knew pain as few ever knew pain.

But worse than that He knew the temptation. He knew, and anticipated rather, the pain that was about to come.

In the garden He said, “Let this cup pass from me.” He knew what it was like to die on a cross. He had seen men suffer along the roadside. No doubt He had seen crucifixions because they would often line the roads of the Roman empire.

Jesus knew denial, and He knew that Peter would deny Him.

Jesus anticipated that Judas who He loved would betray Him. And Jesus knew, and anticipated that He would even be forsaken by His Father.

He knew all of this was ahead of Him, and Jesus said, "God, I don't want to go through with this."

Jesus knew the power of temptation. We don't know anything about temptation. And Jesus comes right to the moment of the bridge I've been talking about.

Jesus, who was both God and man, said, "Oh, God, take this cup from my mouth. Don't let me go through this pain."

If God had answered that request that moment, do you understand that everybody here and everybody that would be born down through the ages would be hell-bound?

And Jesus cried, "Oh, Father, don't make me drink this." And then at the crisis moment, Jesus prayed a one-word prayer. "God, I've told you how I feel. I've told you the agony of my soul. I've told you what I desire. But nevertheless, not my will, thy will be done."

He surrender to the divine will of God. "Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done."

That word "nevertheless" secured our place in Him. And the most important word of the entire vocabulary of the earthly historical figure of Jesus Christ of Nazareth was "nevertheless."

"Nevertheless, oh God, thy will be done and not my will be done."

The second nevertheless is found in

But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Now, listen to me very, very carefully.

Second Timothy, chapter two and verse sixteen. Second Timothy chapter two and verse sixteen, "But shun profain and vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some."

Now, listen to me very, very carefully. I want especially the children to listen to what I have to say tonight. I want every young person in this building to grasp every word I'm about to say. When I was a lad, like all children, it was easy for me to be made afraid. One of the first things I remember as a child was Hitler moving across Europe and ruthlessly, recklessly destroying and plundering nation after nation as he captured them.

When I was growing up, I would hear my Mom and Dad discuss the world coming to an end. And how the signs and times was pointing that direction. And I would go into another room and turn up the music so that I couldn’t hear them.

You know folks, we thought it was the end. And not much has changed, as far as our young people are concerned, since that day. Young people come to me and they say, "Pastor Barnett, the way things are in this day, the way that sin is running rampant, the way earthquakes are increasing, and the way the storms are brewing, and the threat of war is in our nation, and the threat of terrorism that is now a new threat, do we even have a chance? Will we have a chance to get married? Will we someday be able to have a home and a family?"

I was afraid that I would get to grow up and have a family of my own. I wanted to experience life.

Did you know that even young couples are fearful? They don't think that they even want to have children, many of them, because of fear of this old wicked world, and the sin, and the violence, and the threat of world disaster.

And the middle age adults wonder, "Will Social Security be used up by the time I get to it?" And the doomsayers, and the prophets of doom, are having a heyday. T

They been telling us for years that our Social Security is going to run out in a few years. They tell us that San Francisco and Los Angeles are going to have an earthquake in which it literally breaks off and falls into the sea, and Arizona will be a beach state.

And they have told us that a meteor was headed to the United States. And it was going to pass on either side, and with just a slight degree it could hit this nation and this world and it would be gone.

And then there are those that tell us that the ozone layer is burning off, and soon we're going to burn up. And by the way, skin doctors tell us it's true. The ozone layer is burning off.

I had people read books about Armageddon. And the nations are lined up in the old Roman empire, in that old world confederacy." And people worried themselves sick."

Can I tell you Rapture comes before Armageddon.

And I'm here to remind you tonight what the word of God says. From Nostradamus and his book, "Centuries," to George Orwell's book, "1984," prediction after prediction have caused our blood pressure to rise, and our nerves to break down.

But the prediction of Nostradamus never took place. And George Orwell's "1984" book was not accurate as it predicted, because we're still here. Isn't that an amazing discovery I made? Amen.

Do you remember Edgar Whistner? He wrote a book entitled "88 Reasons Why the Second Event of the Coming Lord Could be in 1988."

And add to this the unnecessary save-the-planet which increased our fears.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's why I don't read those books. You'll say, "Pastor Barnett, what books do you read?" Well, there's sixty six books that I read, and they're all in this one book here. And by the way, Pat Robertson had Larry Burkett on the 700 Club, and a needless frenzy resulted all over America until, it was about the time we were building this building, and people began to cry out and they began to say, "We don't need to build a building." You won't believe what I went through because of that book. "We're going to get in trouble. There's going to be an economical collapse." I want you to think. If I would have listened to the prediction of a man and not the Word of God, thousands of souls would not have been saved, if I would have listened to you because you believe it. Come on, give a good clap out there.

Let me tell you, a nation recovers, always recovers, from wars. They've recovered from famines. They've recovered from disaster.

About a quarter of a century ago, the doomsayers suggested that we needed to flee to the hills of Arkansas. Now, there's some that I would like to have flee to the hills of Arkansas. To avoid the collapse. And some people, because of that fear frenzy that was in the air, bought battleships that were old and converted them into homes that they could get out on the ocean, with food and preparation, everything they needed to escape disaster. Now, I don't know what they were going to do after they ran out of food and clothing when the world was destroyed. Some went to communes. Some of them took all kinds of flight for safety. Did you ever stop to think of the effect that kind of advice has upon our children?

But never in the history of any civilization has a nation crumbled and recovered from wicked immorality. And if anything destroys this nation, it will be the immorality of the people that live in this country.

And add to this the unnecessary save-the-planet which increased our fears. Why aren't these people interested in saving the people on planet earth? And by the way, if we'd save the people we'd save the earth. Let me tell you, a nation recovers, always recovers, from wars. They've recovered from famines. They've recovered from disaster. But never in the history of any civilization has a nation crumbled and recovered from wicked immorality. And if anything destroys this nation, it will be the immorality of the people that live in this country.

And Jesus said that we don't even know the day or the hour. You'll say, "Is the rapture coming before the Tribulation?" Yes, I believe the Bible backs it up. But some say they believe we're going to go through some of the Tribulation. I'm not going to argue with you because none of us really know.

I read, when in the seventies, a survey that was made by Indiana University, and I even preached this I regret to say, I quoted Indiana University that had done a study on world hunger. And they predicted by 1980 people would be in the streets like they are in India, begging in the streets for food, and there would be no food in the land. And although there are beggars, it's not because of a lack of food. In many cases it's a lack of a desire to work for that food.

And then we said, "We're going to make animals extinct." And little kids were crying because Fido was going to be killed. Some of the moms and dads were rejoicing that Fido was going to go to the Great Happy Hunting Ground. And by the way, I remember when they made that prediction there were hardly any deer in certain places in the land. And the deer population is literally exploding.

Then comes Joel Kurtzman. He said the electronic economy will create financial chaos. Now, let me just say this; I don't know what's going to happen with electronic economy, but so far, the economy is rolling along at a record breaking pace.

"You just go about the Father's business. You reach out to the lost. You feed the hungry. You do the work of an evangelist. You become a servant."

If I would have listened to Willard Cantelon, who preached the day that the dollar died, and predicted even the area, and it didn't die. And by the way, Willard Cantelon is a wonderful man. It doesn't mean these people were not good people, it does not mean they were not sincere people, but they were wrong.

And Jesus said that we don't even know the day or the hour. You'll say, "Is the rapture coming before the Tribulation?" Yes, I believe the Bible backs it up. But some say they believe we're going to go through some of the Tribulation. I'm not going to argue with you because none of us really know. And he said, "What is that to you?" He said, "You just go about the Father's business. You reach out to the lost. You feed the hungry. You do the work of an evangelist. You become a servant."

Now, I've got to be honest with you. There were times in my ministry when I thought Jesus was about to come. I've got to tell you.

You know what they told me when I was twenty years of age, going into the ministry? "There's no use getting Social Security, because by the time you're sixty you'll never be able to collect on Social Security." And you know what I did? You were able then to sign off, if you wanted to, as a minister. And I signed off that I did not want Social Security. I didn't want to pay into it, and I didn't want anything out when I got to sixty, because they told me it'd be broke. And I'm still mad. I can't collect it now.

And then in 1992, Harry Figgy wrote a book entitled "Bankruptcy in 1995." He said, and I quote, "In 1995, America as we know it, will cease to exist."

"Well, Preacher, we hear a lot about Y2K." Is that what they call it? Y2K. Yeah. "What do you think about Y2K" I've studied, I've read, I've talked to experts. I've been very slow on what I should say about it. And in 1999 I'm going to preach an entire sermon, but I've listened to people. I've listened to people I respect, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell. I've listened to computer experts. I've talked to them. I always ask the question. I've come to the conclusion that a lot of our problems will be solved in America. Some of the major companies have worked on it. Yet I'm being told by some of the great experts that hospitals will have trouble. Just imagine. Computers not working right in a hospital. Other countries of the world are not making preparations, and we're all locked into that computer together. And there's going to be things take place. It's an unknown.

"So what do we do?" Well, we ought to make some kind of preparations. Craig Smith has a little booklet, that I'd encourage you to write him, or he's here tonight, ask him to get it. He suggests that you just plan for a week, maybe. Put water in the bathtub in case the computer doesn't turn on your water. It runs your water. He suggests that it would be a good idea that you just do a few little minor things, get enough food to last a few days.

"Pastor, what's going to happen?" I just don't know. But I do know that things are going to keep on going on. 1957 they scared the fire out of us by saying cranberries caused cancer. And I loved cranberries. I ate cranberries. I inhaled cranberries. And I just knew I was going to have cancer after I read that. I even got the cancer symptoms. And then they told me that saccharin caused cancer. And now they're not convinced about that. And then this talk about cholesterol, and it would kill you. And then they said there's good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. And there's a diet comes out and says diet cholesterol-free, and then there's one that says eat all the fat food you can and it burns up all it. I'm confused. But one thing we do know. We know that cigarettes do cause cancer, and yet they're still legal. We do know that alcohol kills more people than drugs, and still we legalize it.

And this guy came back and said, and it was September, and he said, "Preacher, get all your money out of the stock market. The most respected prophet in the world gave a prophecy, and in October the stock market is going to drop one thousand points in one day." Pshew! The guy scared the liver out of me for just a minute until I remembered what the Bible said. And I didn't listen to him, and did you know that stocks went up almost four hundred in one day? And they went up over two or three thousand, I forget how many, points, one of the best months we've had, in October.

I told the congregation that I believed he'd come in the next twenty years at least.

But this evangelist, kind of a flashy guy, wore white suits and red ties like the old time evangelists used to do. His name was G. B. McDowell, and he was preaching on the coming of the Lord that night. And he said, "The Bible said that one day the trump of the Lord shall sound," and we lived right by the railroad tracks. And at that precise moment, one of those big old diesels came right by the church, and he said, "The trump of the Lord," and the timing, it went, "Hooooooo!" I mean, we all just... And then that rascal, while we were all in fear, just went down behind the pulpit, and there was a rail and he crawled out of the building. And I started crying, "Momma, momma, momma, momma, Jesus come!" She said, "The preacher said it, didn't he?"

So people sold their houses. They fled to the mountains. People have called off weddings. They've quit school. They've resigned their positions. Because of the fear of the doomsayers. So teenagers fear they have no future. Children fear that they'll starve someday. Young couples are afraid to have children. Middle-age people fear what's going to happen to them in their senior citizen years.

And I thought for sure that when Israel became a nation that was the budding of the fig tree.

When I was a kid evangelist… I'm having a good time tonight. How many of you are glad to hear somebody tell the truth? Raise your hand real high. When I was a kid evangelist, we had an evangelist that came to our church. He preached, "In the next few months, Jesus is going to come and the Rapture is going to take place."

Now, I'll be frank with you. I really didn't want Him to come. I wanted to get married before Jesus came. Amen. Matter of fact, I'd love to see Him tonight, but if I knew He was coming in January, I've got one credit card here that would break all the records. Amen. Don't laugh, you'd have to pay for it.

But since that time, I've seen many souls won to Jesus Christ.

But this evangelist, kind of a flashy guy, wore white suits and red ties like the old time evangelists used to do. His name was G. B. McDowell, and he was preaching on the coming of the Lord that night. And he said, "The Bible said that one day the trump of the Lord shall sound," and we lived right by the railroad tracks. And at that precise moment, one of those big old diesels came right by the church, and he said, "The trump of the Lord," and the timing, it went, "Hooooooo!" I mean, we all just... And then that rascal, while we were all in fear, just went down behind the pulpit, and there was a rail and he crawled out of the building. And I started crying, "Momma, momma, momma, momma, Jesus come!" She said, "The preacher said it, didn't he?"

Now, I've got to be honest with you. There were times in my ministry when I thought Jesus was about to come. I've got to tell you. I told the congregation that I believed he'd come in the next thirty five years at least. He'd have to come, according to my calculation, in the last thirty five years, but it's been over thirty five years since Israel became a nation. And I thought for sure that when Israel became a nation that was the budding of the fig tree. But since that time, I've seen a hundred thousand souls won to Jesus Christ, hundreds of thousands of souls won to Jesus. I've seen thousands of people baptized in water.

And since that day when I thought Jesus would come, I've preached a lot of sermons.

I've travel many miles around the world preaching the Gospel.

And if we had stopped because somebody said, "You just better hide away and get in a little enclosure," all of this wouldn't have taken place.

So nevertheless: the doomsayers may not be right tonight. So, let me give you some advice.

And ladies and gentlemen, the doomsayers may not be right tonight. So, let me give you some advice. Number one, plan for your future. Listen to me, young people. Listen to me, children. Plan for your future even though you can not predict the future. Nobody can predict the future, but the predictors, up till now, have been in a predicament. That was pretty good, wasn't it?

1. Plan for your future.

Listen to me, Plan for your future even though you can not predict the future. Nobody can predict the future, but the predictors, up till now, have been in a predicament. That was pretty good, wasn't it?

And since I can not predict the future, I still now that God is still on the throne. And I don't know about the future, but I know who holds the future.

And I know that my God knows the way through the wilderness and all I have to do is follow.

And I know that all things work together for good to them that know and believe in the Lord.

I know that my God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches and glory.

I know that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I know that the angel of the Lord is encamped about His people.

I know who I believe, and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against this day.

I know seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added.

I know the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. I know in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

I know delight thyself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

I know that everything is all right in my Father's house. I know that when the battle is over we shall wear a crown.

Quit worrying. Plan for the future.

Kind of remind me of that little guy, Li'l Abner. Do they still have Li'l Abner? Is it still around? He was a little fellow that every where he went there was a cloud over his head. It always rained wherever he went. Everywhere else the sun would be shining, but it rained everywhere he went.

And I kind of want to be like that little guy everywhere I go. Things are looking good because I know whom I believe, and that's the way to go through life because the Rapture comes before Armageddon.

Don't look down but look up. Let optimism replace pessimism. Don't despair, but be prepared. Don't grope, but hope. Don't doubt, but believe. Don't look backward, look upward.

Middle ager, keep your dreams alive about your retirement. Young preacher, look forward to your ministry. Plan and dream. Senior saint, enjoy your senior years. Children, look forward to junior high school. Junior high school, look forward to high school. College students, expect to be married, and let hope spring eternal. Don't look down but look up. Let optimism replace pessimism. Don't despair, but be prepared. Don't grope, but hope. Don't doubt, but believe. Don't look backward, look upward.

Remember, before Armageddon comes the Rapture. Before the antichrist comes Christ. Before the man of sin comes the man of God.

Before the false prophet comes the true prophet. Before the rupture comes the Rapture.

Before the "I was" comes the "I am."

Before lost hope comes the blessed hope.

Before the Death Angel comes the Archangel. Before the Tribulation comes the Savior.

Before the end comes the beginning. Before the prince and power of the air comes the meeting in the air.

Before the gory comes the glory. Before the sunset comes the dawn. Before the false Messiah comes the true Messiah.

Before Satan's great whore comes the lovely bride of God himself. And the best comes before the worst.

There's one more thing I know. Whatever happens, let the world rock. Let it reel. But nevertheless the foundations of God remain sure. They're secure. I guess I have a conclusion for you people tonight.

I basically preached to the Christians because if you're a child of God you have no reason to fear.

And while this old world rocks and rolls and sins, we want to be the light of the world. We want to be the salt of the earth.

But if you don't know Jesus Christ, this message does not apply to you, only in the reverse, because you have nothing to look forward to but the tribulation.

I'm saying to you, if you know Jesus, prepare. Get ready. Live life with excitement. Prepare. Believe Jesus will come any moment.

You take the Holy Spirit out of this world, and this old world's going to be a place of chaos. And when you see these things come to pass like earthquakes, be aware the Bible says the earthquakes will increase in the last day. And while we Christians say, "Hallelujah! Hot dog! Hot tamale! Jesus is about to come!" And when we look around and we see the earth splitting across the Mount of Olives, which they tell us it's doing, we say, "Praise God! Jesus is about to put His foot back on Mount Olive!" But to you it means, "The Rapture is going to take place, and I'm not ready to meet God."

So what are you going to do? You could either fear it, and you should… I'm telling you friends, I wouldn't go to bed tonight without Jesus. I believe He could come any moment. I don't know what's going to happen and what's not going to happen, but I'm going to occupy until He comes. I'm not going to go out in the desert and hide away. When the bomb comes I want it to hit me right in the head. But until it comes, I want to be in the action. Come on, say amen.

But prepare like He's not going to come for a million years as you reach the world.

If Y2K is a disaster and people don't know where to go, their money cannot be reached and their medical bills cannot be paid, and they're frantic, I don't want to be out in some desert or forest eating my moldy old oatmeal. I want to be sitting here eating brownies, Hallelujah! and winning people to Jesus Christ. Come on, say a good amen.

But if you don't know Jesus, when the saints of God are taken from this earth, and the Holy Spirit lifts Himself from this earth, you talk about anarchy, you talk about chaos, you talk about destruction, it'll be a terrible place to live.

I'm saying to you, if you know Jesus, prepare. Get ready. Live life with excitement. Prepare. Believe Jesus will come any moment. But prepare like He's not going to come for a million years as you reach the world. But if you don't know Jesus, when the saints of God are taken from this earth, and the Holy Spirit lifts Himself from this earth, you talk about anarchy, you talk about chaos, you talk about destruction, it'll be a terrible place to live.