4.25.2021-Sunday AM
House of worship this morning, and we're thrilled and delighted to see all we can hear. Thank you for coming to share in this time. Together. The thing that is interesting is that for those of you that have put your faith in your testimony is just as significant Justice Dynamic. Justice miraculous powerful. As the conversion experience in the Apostle, Paul on the road to Damascus. When he was sold, persecutor of the Encounters of life I fell down blind.
You know, he's here experiences like that and other dramatic experiences of Salvation and her app, if we're not careful to downplay the conversion experience. Any person who comes to that realization that I'm lost Sinus Center.
And then to True wife remarks to you and I love that word, repent, that's another word. How often do you hear the word? Repent to use in going to talk around the water cooler work best. I say a word that we hardly ever used because we don't use it in our daily conversation without realizing it truly is, which is a change of Direction, a transformation, a turning around complete reversal, my Minister music, First Baptist Church of La Mesa was a member of the Biker Group Baca, which is Bikers Against Child Abuse. But they were Christian organization and they would go in dressed in their pool ladders. Whenever a person was being tried for child, abuse is the nickname. His biker name was you turn. And, you know, everybody and everybody would explain the nickname, The Road to Hell. Which is what I had coming. And what I what I deserve because of my sin and yet because of the grace of God, I have experienced a U-turn. Well I was born in 1963 which to some of you makes me sound like an antique and then others makes me and I don't feel like, okay where are Kia? San Gabriel Hospital, we're 5 years later would be born at the Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas, Baptist University to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received his master of arts in education and his plan was
A teenager full-time Ministry. Probably a youth pastor to start out with when he did his church in, Arlington, and then later the wilmer-hutchins are in South Dallas in the anyway, I have an older brother Michael and three younger sisters and we all grew up right now. It's just pizza Groner cuz we've used so much. We all grew up with serious drug problem. Being that we got to run to church every time the doors were open. And pretty much pretty much lives at the church. I remember spending every spare moment in my dad's office and he was my dad was a guitarist and so he can teach me guitar. When I was 4 years old, I had a baritone ukulele and make it doesn't work or so. And so far. Nothing in my mom was trained concert pianist and it's study piano, it's Howard University. And so I know when was for nerds when I was little kids. So I didn't know about the name of Billy, Joel Piano was to begin with and play it by ear. Growing up in, in that type of background, where you're at church all the time, you're seeing people saved weekend and week out your hearing the sound of water Speedster.
actually my brother and my sisters and I all at the young age wanted to experience, but the first couple of times did I approach my dad about
I don't want to play this. He was very warm and accepting and excited about that buddy ass. Just a few probing questions to my childish mind. And I do not, I do not know the significance of Spanky's. Worry about crossing, the line will be having created between myself and God and how the repentance and really what it meant to be leaves. And so, when I came to that point and I finally dad would ask a question will make you tell me about how, how, what, how does a person become saved after I got was like, you crying and now your head, close your eyes. And ask God to forgive you were sent, and I asked Jesus to come into my heart trouble. Now as a pastor, for 38 years. I've been troubled, child
and so, but when I finally recognize, okay, I guess
so what God is asking of me, is that I Surrender my entire life to divorce you it's not that, you know how I told you the gas station and Order Up $3 worth of Jesus so that I could get my name on Heaven's roll but that I yield and surrender my entire life, that truth Well, I remember that kneeling down the living room couch, about 2 a.m. with my father and and threading the Fritter, do you want to make sure that prayed that the I wasn't? That's another thing, you know, if we say the magic words, if we follow the magic potion that that are name is inscribed in the Lamb's Book of Life. UC salvation is a personal matter and this morning, what is the record for the annals of Heavens history as the day that you came? Just saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that most amazing evolvers is Billy. Graham was the one who initially made the top and he said we have is John 3:16 the entire gospel from top to bottom. I revealed in the space of one single verse that he preached from this verse more than a thousand times in Crusades around the world. John 3:16, I want to go ahead and read it from the new King James version. His only begotten son. That whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting. Life may God bless the reading of this morning. I was forced to then analyzed and probe to explore which is obvious, amazing verse of salvation.
For God. So loved the world. The amazing true that we discovering the word of God is Old and New Testament. Is the Salvation is God's idea. It's not that this man was tired of being alienated from God. And so we try to strike a bargain with God and say, Lord would come up with a plan. How about you? Send your son Jesus? Is Lamb of God. He died for our sins, and then we will commit Our Lives to him will yield and surrender our life and Charlie Bit him. I'd be saying no sleep before you were ever. Born away. Was already made a path was already paid. God would have been completely justified in sentencing. Every one of us to spend eternity away from him. But the beauty of these first two words for God. The source of our Salvation. That's why we sing Amazing Grace, How Sweet, the Sound? Cuz there's nothing sweeter than the realization. That the grace of God. I made a way of experiencing salvation and Everlasting. Why I can't. I mean sometimes and so hard, my face starts to hurt. Have you ever smile so much at your face again to her? Possibly bring more joy into the heart of a person who has been delivered from the bondage of sin and death.
Grave, where is thy Victory? Don't you notice that whenever the Apostle wrote those the word and he just had a smile on his face from ear-to-ear. How old is where is Sky staying over anywhere? That Victory know? Jesus has delivered us from the curse in that is reason for celebration. I can honestly say then today
When I stand before the Lord. I am going to not receive what I deserve and had received something that I could never never enter myself ever deserve Jesus himself. The Bible said come for us.
That's just one of those Repertory statements. Remind initiative God being the source of our Salvation Army. We're just getting started next. We see the stimulus of salvation.
The world for God. So loved.
There have been. There were some people choose initially that felt like I made it to work, order was out of place. That does it really what this verse should say? Thank you, care of it. For God, forgot about the world, in other words, sort of an incident, you know, God loves the world. And so he gave it and so is because many times do the syntax of Earth structures, whatever in the original New Testament, Greece are not the same. As we have, an English is the possibility existed that may be. So with misplaced. For God loved the world. So he gave his only begotten son, who has said know that this word so and I forgot the world.
Maybe you've told husband. I hope you told your wife and tell her as often as you can honey out of love. I love you. So I love you so much. Love you with all my heart dishes, describing hear the intensity of God's love for us for God. So
Renegade amazing, amazing words. The word first, John chapter 3 verse one, where it says, the father has bestowed upon us. What manner of love is here. The same John, who's, who is recording this meeting with Nicodemus. John chapter chapter 3 say one who writes later in his epistle first John, chapter 3 extra bonus, if we would be called the Sons and Daughters of God. And so he's emphasizing the same thing, we're not talking about it.
Milquetoast, we're not talking about District professional. Okay. I love the way we're talking about. A God, who is just pouring out his heart in his
He Loves You song.
That's remarkable. There's the stimulus of salvation. And then number three. Subjects of Salvation. This is a very, very important as well. The subjects of salvation for all right, you say, well, well, he's talking in, Washington, DC, we don't Luv worlds. We don't love the temporary. Things of this world, we don't commit ourselves to be Charmed by the world still alive. Yeah, I remember what Paul said about the tablet Dimas Demas. Hath forsaken me having loved one. That was that was delicious down. I'm sure that Dimas was a way of a Preacher. I don't think it all would have brought you the Bible. I'm sure the Dimas was a very effective communicator. But man.
Do you see how that there is sort of us potential danger for all with worldly things?
Don't be entangled with the Affairs of this life. We're worn in the New Testament.
Because that will prove to be a barrier. I kind of like I'm curious how many of you remember back in the 1980s whenever folks used to walk around with ankle weights, how many you remember your ankle weights? Very good. And yeah I know a lot of scope would even encouraged you know on the track and you know you need to wear your ankle weights and then you know, what's the date for the track? Make you take off those ankle weights, you're going to feel light as a feather but he didn't take you to count to get your
Text wifey work with me. You understand the idea of waiting down by the Affairs of this life in the spirit of God. So that we have freedom. If we were too much of this world, the people of the world for God, so loved Man X man and woman created in his own image. God's love God's love and I quoted that little boy for George W. Truett flat often where he said that job.
Returns from his wrath but he never turns away from his love. You say well that's not what I see. When I turned to book Revelation and whoever's name was not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire. That sounds like a peaceful angry Rap. God.
God is unwilling to any should perish? But that all might come to repentance. I'm so. Never turns away from his love will be punished and yes will you take pleasure and Delight in chastang the wicked into our darkness? No, no.
So the subject to Salvation, how God loves us, the world number for, and you see that I blocked him. A literation with the s word guy. So this next would here, I'm simply going to call the spontaneity Salve because I think that this is a spontaneous Act of God for God. So loved the world that he gave a stimulant for you. That he did something about the problems. He gay Jesus himself declared. He said, no man takes my life from me. I lay it down willingly, you know, if my own for and you see that's that's a different thing, you know. God, the Father didn't work the sign. He say where he said more liberal, he was trying to start ignition. That's not at all. What Jesus was doing was demonstrating that the bitter top did lay before him was going to be the most all inspiring or riffic.
Experience that any person ever to go through. My God. My God. Why hast Thou forsaken me? When Jesus became sin in your behalf, he was forsaken by the Holy Father. Yes we will experience that separation from your experience. Had described as is it worth a glimpse of hell from God? But Jesus was willing to do that. It wasn't something that in his Humanity that he longed for, he didn't have a death-wish. That's why you said not as I will. But thine be done. I'm here to perform your will. I'm here to accomplish the mission where with you have sent me to this earth.
So the spontaneity of Salvation number 5, we see next. The sacrifice of salvation for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Word only begotten speaks of the uniqueness of the one and only the unique Son of God. Talk about the Trinity is that promoting polytheism we talkin about more than 1/3 God's, cuz if you talk about God, the Father God, the son, God, the Holy Spirit.
The word of God tells Schreiner Hebrew says that, in Jesus hand hand will all the fullness of the godhead. Barley. And I love that because the godhead, so, so reviewed and free purse is Christ to do Square. We see all three appearing together, simultaneously, And if you think about it, there are just a few very few examples, maybe the most notable one would be at the baptism of Jesus. By John the Baptist we see. Jesus. God's son being baptized been waiting to hear from heaven.
Where's the Holy Spirit? And then a Dove came in on you? And so there's the holy spirit of God came down and show you have.
In one moment of time revealing, the three members of the godhead are the Trinity. Goodnight, a, beautiful, beautiful picture of the Transfiguration. Another one? Where we see all three reveal. Okay. So the sacrifice for the world's worst you and I are the beneficiaries of that. Salvation. And then number 6, me see the scope of Salvation. God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever at 2. So ever believe it means that salvation is offered to every person, born created, the image of God. Now they're all going to receive salvation. Sadly no. And I spoke with my brother Don numbers of times about this, and I think that, that probably most of us would agree that some of the more terrifying images of scripture concern, the description of the numbers of people that are going to enter. Into the new Heaven and new earth and those that are not going to have everlasting life. Whenever the Lord Jesus described the the past, he says, when their act straight n t r, a i t, not straight like a description, are straight, straight jacket tight, fitting narrow narrow is the way. There's only one way in and see if I could wish anything. I thought I would wish that. Jesus, I switched words. I wish that the truth were that whitens. The game on his way to Eternal destruction but lasting and don't receive price are the receipt price are transform are born again. I will enter into the glory of Heaven. Sad scary, it's scary. Are you going to be in that number When the Saints Go Marching In? Do you know, Jesus Christ as your own personal, Lord, and savior. The scope of Salvation whosoever Will May Come. Romans 10:13, put it this way whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord. That doesn't mean just call out. It means to invoke the authority to submit to the authority of that name. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved your part of that whosoever. Have you received him today? Number seven, the Simplicity of salvation. And let me say this, by using this word here, I'm not talkin about the salvation is a simplistic procedure. Salvation is an entire otter and complete transformation. God doesn't even try to rehabilitate. The Lost Sinner. Did you know that you're not trying to Rehabilitation if you're lost and on the road to hell? They know we're just going to scrap the old you and we're going to start over with the Brandy person. We're going to start over with a brand new creation. We're not going to try to patch up the old too far gone without hope we can't rehabilitate, we're going to recreate, but here is that word for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten. Son, that whosoever believes in him. Again, we Rise by saying, you only believe all things are possible, only believe in other words that if I can somehow Nate down in my head or yes, I believe Crossroads. And I believe that. So therefore that means I'm a born-again Christian when in reality folks who believes that historical fact that Jesus died on the cross even if he was the son of God, but the word display over again. We have to go back to sleep. Original brother. I did some research on the internet and I found out of looking at probably a hundred different website.
He's a Greek scholar and I was glad of his credentials because I'm not a scholar by any stretch. I had two years of a break and Seminary, but for the Old Testament Hebrew word, any said,
John 3:16 whosoever believe in. This works. Lay on me. Are you ready for this to fully trust in? To completely surrender to.
Two-year-old oneself entirely. Do a person or a paw.
Now.
Robbie example of a person. as a young man or young woman, Joins the military. And we hear so many stories about how that young men would even lie about their age. If y'all heard some of these, probably something you had relatives, just did it. Call Liz. Daddy was one of them, you know, he, he said he was 18 years old when he was 16 years old. Now that was that was wrong to lie about his age. He was so be our brothers that were in the war and all that. And he did not want to be, you know, sitting at home while Adolf, Hitler was you do Eastern Europe was threatening, you know, the annihilation of world jewry, the Jewish population and was even eventually all the Third Reich becoming a global Empire And so my father-in-law get on with journey went down and enlisted. He was a big strapping seven. Nobody had any problem believe because he was that age and so he join the military and thoughts. But there's so many examples of these guys, but new and DJs June 6th 1944 is when those classic days with the longest yard Saving Private Ryan.
Can you look at the pictures up?
Baby special. The owner that I can't dance like that.
These German concrete pillbox bunkers up on the ridge, they would start seeing flashes of life and seeing to the right and left. These young men sinking to the bottom of the ocean, the water they said the water was stained with blood for days. And any young men to you and we're told that morning. Most of you probably aren't coming back. Most of us probably aren't going to make it are going to live through this.
But not a single one of them. Not a single one of them fled not a single, one of them, abandon is closed, because I believe, they believe in the cause so great that they were willing to say innocent. If need be, I'm willing to die for my country. I'm willing to die for my friend, text refers to become a True born-again Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The demons tremble and believe in his name of God tells us that we have.
And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Never ate this fall looks of Salvation, whoever believes in him should not perish. But have everlasting life but not perish. And again, he's not talking about your physical death. It's appointed unto every man wants to die after this to be judged, but he's talking about eternal separation from God. Whosoever believes would not perish. But the number 9, the security of salvation. But have The word translated, half-year memes to possess. So salvation is a possession of a person who is genuinely been born. Again, you possess your salvation, John rights. In first, Johnny said these things I have written to you, that believe, on his name that you made know that you had me from the LIE. We have eternal life that we possess it, but then finally, the stability of Salvation whosoever believeth in him, should not perish but have eternal life or Everlasting lives your friends. This is the, this is the objective here today. Deep, do you want to live forever? You know, the very idea of of not knowing the Lord I will say getting back to that night. I meet you, see you there. When I prayed receipt pricing, my favorite is 2 a.m. the reason being that final nail in the coffin for me, was in the form of a nightmare. Because I realized that, I now understood what sin was alienated me from the father. I was a sinner. I inherited soon because of my ancestral lineage. The Bible says, we're all born into this world already dead in trespasses and stand, but did not only that. I was already aware of myself as a sinner. With no striking frequency that I myself was a sinner.
I'm so that night, as I lay down to go to sleep, I was deeply troubled by the thought that because I heard my dad spoke to me about accountability accountability, which I believe can call me at different times with the age of accountability, an act of sacrifice towards what it means to be born again. I realized in that moment,
And if I died in that moment before I awoke the next morning, that's because I was that, I understood that I was a sinner and had yet done taking the right staff of receiving Christ. The Savior that I would be That I would be lost. And so I woke my dad up and that would say glorious glorious moment that evening this morning I went to channel to you with little thought the story about a couple of young man.
End up. What is his name was? And I cut down a few notes. Your true stories done that in a Johnny Rayburn from Oklahoma who went to the University of Southern California. As a freshman student there, he was assigned a roommate, which was a young man by the name of Tommy from Philadelphia and Oklahoma Nana Philadelphian beating out of USC, the roommates. And they become great friends that fall in the fall semester. And anyway, whenever Christmas break came around going to fly home. Tommy was going to go back to Philadelphia and first couple of days in the spring semester and Tommy still wasn't there. And so he went to the office to question. Find out about his friend, Tommy Lee, Sue. Johnny you need to sit down. I want to tell you your friend and roommate. Tommy was while he was back on this deal with it.
Well, he was devastated by this news. Tommy was only known each other for what do you buy a new spring semester man? He just could get Tom out of his mind. It was such a such a personality set, the war. And he was dead that he was gone. And so whenever summer break, came around, Johnny told his parents in, Oklahoma and said, Mom and Dad said, okay, I'm going to, I'm going to catch a flight to Philadelphia. I just want to go and meet Tommy's parents and just hug your neck and tell them that. I'm so sorry.
Found the address, so he took the bus to knock on the door, Tommy McClain's or actually that his daddy sang. And Johnny said, sure, you don't know me. But your son Tommy and I were best friends and roommates at USC. And I just had to come and get you and your wife and tell you how much, Miss May I love you Michael bro. Well, his dad threw his arms around Johnny and hug him. As you might imagine he hollered upstairs, come downstairs, come down, Tommy's mother, ran downstairs, and
And Johnny said, I don't want to impose on me, I can't be running all night.
We insist that you stay. Do you like fried chicken? Sure, I do that was Tommy's favorite. Think I'm going to make fried chicken tonight and so she fixed dinner and afterwards travel tonight, so I can get a motel down here. Don't worry about nothing more. We have some fresh towels, if there's anything you need to refrigerate, you're welcome to do the same. We just want for you to enjoy your time here and the next morning whenever he got ready to leave Tommy's parents, Talk to him. And said you don't want Johnny, we were talking last night we would really be honored. if you would just sort of consider, it's calm. Tommy's room so I can hear the key to the house. Anytime you're ever in Philadelphia, please come by for not here just to let yourself anything that you got what you want you to have because you touched our hearts Because You Loved our son so much and we can't get our son back but then we can say because you knew Tommy
We thought we know you because you love Tommy so much. We feel like this, your family.
one of these days whenever I get to heaven,
When I stand before the Lord, he'll say. Nathan. I understand that you needed my son Cheese's. I understand that you love him. Like a brother. I understand that you were his follower Did she had a passion for? You know what nice and whenever I look at you, I'm reminded of my son cheese. Call Alex. Richard saying certainly you don't measure up to him. So I had my goodness because your love for him was so advanced in silver 8. I consider you these nuts. I consider you to be a child of mine. Just like my son Jesus. Because of your connection to Jesus and your surrender to his lordship. I'm going to give you a key to the Heavenly Kingdom. And I welcome you in well done. Good. And faithful servant your friends. Do you want to experience that?
Nothing Else Matters by comparison. Nothing yet. Do you know him today? Let's pray together. We recognize this morning that. Wow, we are imperfect creatures. Its father, we serve a perfect. God then we serve a savior, the only spotless Lamb of God. The only hope of Salvation and forgiveness of sin. Father, it terrifies me to think about the millions even billions father on this planet right now. That don't know you Praise father for those. Dental Care today. That no one would leave and risk spending eternity separated from you because of their sin, whenever you have made a perfect remedy through the death burial and glorious. Resurrection of your son Jesus. Father, I pray today that we would witness the salvation of Soul cry Smith when she sleeps stop.