1 00:00:00,580 --> 00:00:03,080 Welcome to From the Pulpit in Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:05,060 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:05,060 --> 00:00:07,039 from some of history's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:07,039 --> 00:00:09,660 Christian faith and powerful sermons for modern preachers 5 00:00:09,660 --> 00:00:09,940 too. 6 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,600 This week we have Tony Evans with his 7 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:14,840 message that he spoke at the Sunday service 8 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,740 for the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, 9 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:18,180 Tennessee. 10 00:00:19,340 --> 00:00:24,240 It was 1986 when I got my first 11 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:27,700 introduction to the National Religious Broadcasters through the 12 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,600 influence and mentoring of Dr. B. 13 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:31,200 Sam Hart. 14 00:00:33,420 --> 00:00:36,000 Al Sanders came along and helped to put 15 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:41,140 together a broadcast that we offered to many 16 00:00:41,140 --> 00:00:42,500 of the stations in NRB. 17 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,980 Dr. James Dobson wrote a letter to many 18 00:00:47,980 --> 00:00:51,920 of the stations requesting an opportunity for a 19 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,620 young man to enter into the broadcast ministry 20 00:00:55,620 --> 00:01:02,860 realm and doors that had been closed, many 21 00:01:02,860 --> 00:01:03,580 of them opened. 22 00:01:06,060 --> 00:01:08,380 And through the work of my wife and 23 00:01:08,380 --> 00:01:13,420 the development of the Urban Alternative, I come 24 00:01:13,420 --> 00:01:18,820 here humbled today and honored for the invitation 25 00:01:18,820 --> 00:01:23,540 to be amongst my peers many of you 26 00:01:23,540 --> 00:01:25,860 who have walked with me by my side, 27 00:01:26,220 --> 00:01:30,960 encouraged me, corrected me, strengthened me. 28 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,160 So I do not take this invitation or 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,060 opportunity lightly. 30 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,940 Much has gone into me being here today 31 00:01:40,940 --> 00:01:44,440 and of course all praise ultimately goes to 32 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,920 my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 33 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,120 But I am also grateful for the servants 34 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:50,740 he has used. 35 00:01:52,220 --> 00:01:54,000 It's been many years since I've been asked 36 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:59,560 to address the body broadly and so letting 37 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:01,180 those years go by I was getting a 38 00:02:01,180 --> 00:02:02,800 little frustrated so I called Frank. 39 00:02:05,060 --> 00:02:07,460 I said, Frank it's been a while since 40 00:02:07,460 --> 00:02:08,740 you've let me preach. 41 00:02:08,820 --> 00:02:10,920 I said, he said, well you know this 42 00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:14,220 is NRB and we only invite the best 43 00:02:14,220 --> 00:02:15,100 of the very best. 44 00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:21,200 And he said, Tony Evans, the fact of 45 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:22,700 the matter is you're not ready yet. 46 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,300 I was deeply hurt by that statement and 47 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:31,220 I told Frank I've been practicing, I'll send 48 00:02:31,220 --> 00:02:31,660 him a CD. 49 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,080 He said, send it and we'll re-evaluate 50 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:37,400 it. 51 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,260 So I sent him a CD, he evaluated, 52 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:41,160 I called him back. 53 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,360 He said, you're definitely moving in the right 54 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,060 direction, Tony, but this is NRB. 55 00:02:47,020 --> 00:02:48,360 And you're not ready yet. 56 00:02:49,300 --> 00:02:51,900 I said, please, you know I have so 57 00:02:51,900 --> 00:02:53,040 much to be grateful for. 58 00:02:53,860 --> 00:02:56,140 Please, one more chance, let me send you 59 00:02:56,140 --> 00:02:56,820 one more CD. 60 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,360 He said, okay, last time. 61 00:02:59,460 --> 00:03:00,460 So I sent him the CD. 62 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:02,000 He listened to it. 63 00:03:02,300 --> 00:03:03,060 I called him. 64 00:03:03,920 --> 00:03:05,480 He told me I was continuing to move 65 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,260 in the right direction but this was NRB 66 00:03:08,260 --> 00:03:12,340 and only the creme de la creme, speaking 67 00:03:12,340 --> 00:03:12,920 NRB. 68 00:03:14,260 --> 00:03:17,320 I said, Frank, I'll come for free. 69 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:18,300 He said, now you're ready. 70 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,620 So I am honored for this opportunity. 71 00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:41,000 Every Sunday on football fields all across America, 72 00:03:41,580 --> 00:03:45,460 during NFL season, three teams take the field. 73 00:03:47,060 --> 00:03:49,560 There is the home team, the team that 74 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:50,700 everybody's rooting for. 75 00:03:51,740 --> 00:03:53,540 And there is the visiting team. 76 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:56,420 And then there is a conflict. 77 00:03:57,620 --> 00:03:58,680 A war breaks out. 78 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,020 A crisis ensues. 79 00:04:02,060 --> 00:04:05,420 Because these two teams can't get along. 80 00:04:06,460 --> 00:04:08,720 One team is headed to a goal this 81 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:09,020 way. 82 00:04:09,180 --> 00:04:11,580 Another team is headed to a goal that 83 00:04:11,580 --> 00:04:11,900 way. 84 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:13,540 And they will never agree. 85 00:04:15,380 --> 00:04:18,440 They're bumping and hitting and tackling and blocking, 86 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,920 trying to stop each other's progress in a 87 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:24,920 game called football. 88 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:28,680 But in the midst of these two teams 89 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,020 that will never agree, there's a third team 90 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:35,460 that takes the field, the team of officials. 91 00:04:37,500 --> 00:04:41,780 These are men who have been assigned to 92 00:04:41,780 --> 00:04:43,680 be on the field without being of the 93 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:43,940 field. 94 00:04:45,540 --> 00:04:47,940 They're in the middle of the mess, but 95 00:04:47,940 --> 00:04:49,560 their design is to not be part of 96 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:49,760 it. 97 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,580 Because their obligation goes further than the field 98 00:04:55,580 --> 00:04:56,920 or the teams or the crowd. 99 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:01,460 Because at 345 Park Avenue in New York 100 00:05:01,460 --> 00:05:03,580 is a kingdom called the NFL. 101 00:05:05,500 --> 00:05:08,300 This kingdom is overseen by a commissioner named 102 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:09,160 Roger Goodell. 103 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,520 And the officials on the field are to 104 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,380 represent the kingdom of their on the field 105 00:05:15,380 --> 00:05:17,140 where they are officiating. 106 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,980 Sometimes those officials are going to be booed 107 00:05:22,980 --> 00:05:26,240 because either the home team or the home 108 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:27,820 crowd doesn't like the call. 109 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,620 Sometimes those officials are going to be cheered 110 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,660 because everybody agrees with the call. 111 00:05:38,300 --> 00:05:41,000 But that is irrelevant to the official, whether 112 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,460 they are booed or cheered, because they're not 113 00:05:43,460 --> 00:05:45,900 there for the teams or for the crowd. 114 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,480 They're there for another kingdom. 115 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,920 At 345 Park Avenue in New York, the 116 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:53,840 kingdom of the NFL. 117 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,280 Each official has been handed a book. 118 00:05:58,700 --> 00:06:01,740 The book outlines the governing guidelines by which 119 00:06:01,740 --> 00:06:04,160 all decisions on the field are to be 120 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:04,520 made. 121 00:06:05,700 --> 00:06:08,080 Their personal preferences become irrelevant. 122 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:16,520 Their feel at a given moment is inconsequential 123 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,980 because they represent another kingdom in New York 124 00:06:19,980 --> 00:06:22,660 on a field where the game is being 125 00:06:22,660 --> 00:06:26,040 played and all decisions are to be made 126 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:27,760 by the book that they have received. 127 00:06:28,740 --> 00:06:31,240 The moment that they leave the book, they 128 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,500 lose the support of the commissioner because the 129 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:38,980 commissioner has assigned them to rule in the 130 00:06:38,980 --> 00:06:41,700 middle of chaos based on a book they 131 00:06:41,700 --> 00:06:45,180 have received regardless of the applause they may 132 00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:46,080 or may not get. 133 00:06:49,620 --> 00:06:54,480 There is another kingdom with another commissioner up 134 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:54,880 north. 135 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,540 It is the kingdom of God and the 136 00:06:59,540 --> 00:07:02,840 commissioner is Jesus Christ and he has called 137 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:04,920 forth an officiating crew. 138 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,880 This officiating crew is to be on the 139 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:12,620 field but not of it. 140 00:07:12,820 --> 00:07:14,880 They are to be in the middle of 141 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,220 the madness without acquiescing to it. 142 00:07:18,460 --> 00:07:19,900 They have been handed a book. 143 00:07:21,260 --> 00:07:23,520 All decisions on the field of play are 144 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,320 to be made by what has been recorded 145 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,600 in the book from the league office authorized 146 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,060 by the commissioner. 147 00:07:33,100 --> 00:07:35,680 In the beginning of this last year's NFL 148 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,240 season, we saw what happens when replacement officials 149 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:40,080 are put on the field. 150 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,800 Instead of calming chaos, they add to the 151 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,180 chaos because either they are not fully acquainted 152 00:07:50,180 --> 00:07:52,700 with what's in the book or they're not 153 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:55,380 implementing what's in the book on the field 154 00:07:55,380 --> 00:07:56,040 of play. 155 00:07:58,980 --> 00:08:01,560 And those who are to bring order to 156 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,400 madness added to it. 157 00:08:07,580 --> 00:08:13,700 Jesus Christ has set forth clearly what this 158 00:08:13,700 --> 00:08:16,660 officiating crew ought to be about in history. 159 00:08:18,180 --> 00:08:20,120 And I would like to suggest to you 160 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,360 as I begin today that much of the 161 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,140 chaos in the culture today, be it class 162 00:08:28,140 --> 00:08:35,059 or racial or political, has nothing to do 163 00:08:35,059 --> 00:08:36,960 with the competing teams on the field. 164 00:08:38,020 --> 00:08:39,640 That's the way it is. 165 00:08:40,620 --> 00:08:43,179 But it has everything to do with a 166 00:08:43,179 --> 00:08:44,880 poor officiating crew. 167 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,860 That the officiating crew, called the church, who 168 00:08:50,860 --> 00:08:53,020 is supposed to be on the field but 169 00:08:53,020 --> 00:08:54,700 not of the field, in the middle of 170 00:08:54,700 --> 00:08:57,280 the chaos, but not part of the chaos, 171 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,420 has actually contributed to it. 172 00:09:01,180 --> 00:09:04,620 It is my contention, it is the failure 173 00:09:04,620 --> 00:09:10,180 of the church that has greatly contributed to 174 00:09:10,180 --> 00:09:11,980 the chaos in the culture. 175 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,900 Officials who don't officiate well. 176 00:09:19,730 --> 00:09:23,530 Jesus was in Caesarea Philippi in Matthew chapter 177 00:09:23,530 --> 00:09:24,130 16. 178 00:09:25,210 --> 00:09:26,730 He asked two questions. 179 00:09:28,090 --> 00:09:31,430 His first question was to his disciples, who 180 00:09:31,430 --> 00:09:33,370 do men say that I am? 181 00:09:34,570 --> 00:09:37,010 All the answers were good, John the Baptist, 182 00:09:37,230 --> 00:09:41,090 Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets, but all 183 00:09:41,090 --> 00:09:42,310 the answers were wrong. 184 00:09:43,010 --> 00:09:45,270 They were complimentary, but they were incorrect. 185 00:09:46,690 --> 00:09:50,070 But then Jesus turns to his disciples and 186 00:09:50,070 --> 00:09:51,530 he says, but who do you say that 187 00:09:51,530 --> 00:09:51,890 I am? 188 00:09:53,110 --> 00:09:54,670 And you can't see it in the English, 189 00:09:54,670 --> 00:09:56,950 but in the Greek text, the word you 190 00:09:56,950 --> 00:09:57,550 is plural. 191 00:09:58,290 --> 00:10:00,130 So he wasn't talking to Peter, he was 192 00:10:00,130 --> 00:10:01,030 talking to the group. 193 00:10:01,730 --> 00:10:03,570 If Jesus were Texan, he would have said, 194 00:10:03,650 --> 00:10:04,930 who do y'all say the son of 195 00:10:04,930 --> 00:10:05,470 man is? 196 00:10:07,190 --> 00:10:09,230 Because it was a question asked to the 197 00:10:09,230 --> 00:10:09,390 group. 198 00:10:09,450 --> 00:10:11,290 Keep that in mind, that will come up 199 00:10:11,290 --> 00:10:12,050 again in a moment. 200 00:10:13,470 --> 00:10:16,550 Peter, who must have wore peppermint socks the 201 00:10:16,550 --> 00:10:17,690 way he loved to keep his foot in 202 00:10:17,690 --> 00:10:19,770 his mouth, was correct on this occasion. 203 00:10:21,730 --> 00:10:24,850 Peter said, thou art the Christ, the son 204 00:10:24,850 --> 00:10:25,650 of the living God. 205 00:10:27,090 --> 00:10:29,430 Jesus declares to him, you've said correctly. 206 00:10:31,290 --> 00:10:35,010 That leads him to two verses that will 207 00:10:35,010 --> 00:10:38,150 blow your mind, that will change the nature 208 00:10:38,150 --> 00:10:42,870 of this conference, of your ministry, and of 209 00:10:42,870 --> 00:10:43,370 the culture. 210 00:10:44,870 --> 00:10:48,470 Because you see, in verse 18, he introduces 211 00:10:48,470 --> 00:10:50,490 us to the church for the first time. 212 00:10:51,270 --> 00:10:52,810 It is the very first time the word 213 00:10:52,810 --> 00:10:54,790 ekklesia is used in the New Testament. 214 00:10:56,730 --> 00:10:58,990 He looks at Peter and he says, now 215 00:10:58,990 --> 00:11:01,930 you are petros, a stone. 216 00:11:04,730 --> 00:11:08,010 But I'm going to build my program, my 217 00:11:08,010 --> 00:11:11,050 church, not on a stone, but on a 218 00:11:11,050 --> 00:11:11,430 rock. 219 00:11:13,270 --> 00:11:16,470 You're an articulate stone, you've got leadership skills. 220 00:11:16,930 --> 00:11:18,670 Whenever the list of the disciples are given 221 00:11:18,670 --> 00:11:20,450 in the New Testament, Peter's name is always 222 00:11:20,450 --> 00:11:21,070 first. 223 00:11:22,270 --> 00:11:24,330 But I'm not going to build my program 224 00:11:24,330 --> 00:11:28,330 on a great spokesperson, a great personality, or 225 00:11:28,330 --> 00:11:30,610 one who has all the template for great 226 00:11:30,610 --> 00:11:32,750 leadership, as crucial as it is. 227 00:11:33,170 --> 00:11:35,150 On your best day, Peter, you are but 228 00:11:35,150 --> 00:11:35,690 a stone. 229 00:11:36,530 --> 00:11:38,890 But the church, the thing I am building, 230 00:11:38,970 --> 00:11:42,390 whatever it means, is going to be on 231 00:11:42,390 --> 00:11:42,870 a rock. 232 00:11:43,010 --> 00:11:45,930 Now I know that it is traditional to 233 00:11:45,930 --> 00:11:49,030 interpret the word rock of Jesus referring to 234 00:11:49,030 --> 00:11:49,470 himself. 235 00:11:50,290 --> 00:11:52,110 But I would like to challenge that interpretation 236 00:11:52,110 --> 00:11:55,270 today as not being contextually correct. 237 00:11:55,470 --> 00:11:59,650 Jesus has already concurred with Peter that he 238 00:11:59,650 --> 00:12:00,990 is the Christ, the Son of the living 239 00:12:00,990 --> 00:12:01,250 God. 240 00:12:01,330 --> 00:12:02,310 That has been established. 241 00:12:03,290 --> 00:12:05,990 Jesus has asked the disciples who to y 242 00:12:05,990 --> 00:12:07,770 'all, plural, say that I am. 243 00:12:08,010 --> 00:12:11,710 So either Jesus has skipped his question or 244 00:12:11,710 --> 00:12:14,850 he's not skipped his question to the group. 245 00:12:16,010 --> 00:12:21,690 The Greek word petra, translated rock, was used 246 00:12:21,690 --> 00:12:24,150 in classical Greek of a collection of stones 247 00:12:24,150 --> 00:12:26,490 that had been knitted together to form a 248 00:12:26,490 --> 00:12:29,230 bigger slab, a bigger cliff, or a rocky 249 00:12:29,230 --> 00:12:29,910 ledge. 250 00:12:30,190 --> 00:12:32,230 It was stones connected to one another. 251 00:12:33,230 --> 00:12:35,250 I would like to suggest that whatever the 252 00:12:35,250 --> 00:12:38,750 church is, it will be built by the 253 00:12:38,750 --> 00:12:42,070 coming together of individual stones that would make 254 00:12:42,070 --> 00:12:44,310 something bigger than any one stone could ever 255 00:12:44,310 --> 00:12:45,030 be on its own. 256 00:12:45,110 --> 00:12:47,470 In fact, Peter would be the best exegete 257 00:12:47,470 --> 00:12:48,830 of this particular statement. 258 00:12:49,070 --> 00:12:52,090 And Peter himself says in 1 Peter chapter 259 00:12:52,090 --> 00:12:55,050 2, ye are all living stones come together 260 00:12:55,050 --> 00:12:57,810 to form one spiritual house, referring to the 261 00:12:57,810 --> 00:12:58,230 church. 262 00:12:59,670 --> 00:13:01,610 So I would like to suggest that it 263 00:13:01,610 --> 00:13:04,590 is the coming together of stones to be 264 00:13:04,590 --> 00:13:06,850 something bigger than any one stone could ever 265 00:13:06,850 --> 00:13:07,750 be on its own. 266 00:13:08,130 --> 00:13:09,810 That would be the basis of the church, 267 00:13:09,870 --> 00:13:13,510 which explains why there is so much disunity 268 00:13:13,510 --> 00:13:14,870 in the kingdom of God. 269 00:13:14,950 --> 00:13:17,510 Because if the enemy can keep the stones 270 00:13:17,510 --> 00:13:19,650 from ever becoming the rock, he can keep 271 00:13:19,650 --> 00:13:21,710 the church from ever fulfilling its agenda. 272 00:13:22,730 --> 00:13:24,910 He can keep the refs disagreeing with what 273 00:13:24,910 --> 00:13:26,750 call ought to be made on the field. 274 00:13:28,410 --> 00:13:31,770 He says upon this rock, I will build 275 00:13:31,770 --> 00:13:32,330 my church. 276 00:13:33,410 --> 00:13:35,750 There's a law in hermeneutics called the law 277 00:13:35,750 --> 00:13:36,550 of first mention. 278 00:13:37,470 --> 00:13:40,270 The law of first mention simply says if 279 00:13:40,270 --> 00:13:41,950 you want to understand the meaning of a 280 00:13:41,950 --> 00:13:44,670 biblical term or concept, see the first time 281 00:13:44,670 --> 00:13:46,130 it's been used. 282 00:13:46,890 --> 00:13:49,830 And once you derive its meaning the first 283 00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:53,190 time it's been used, sustain that meaning unless 284 00:13:53,190 --> 00:13:55,930 the text itself gives you permission to change 285 00:13:55,930 --> 00:13:56,090 it. 286 00:13:56,870 --> 00:13:59,410 The reason why we believe in marriage between 287 00:13:59,410 --> 00:14:01,050 Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve 288 00:14:01,050 --> 00:14:02,170 is the law of first mention. 289 00:14:03,390 --> 00:14:06,470 The law of first mention has clearly expressed 290 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:10,370 itself when God first orchestrated the human race. 291 00:14:13,150 --> 00:14:16,050 And since God has never changed the definition, 292 00:14:16,250 --> 00:14:17,230 we change it neither. 293 00:14:19,790 --> 00:14:22,610 The word ekklesia means called out ones. 294 00:14:23,730 --> 00:14:26,090 But the question on the floor is called 295 00:14:26,090 --> 00:14:28,210 out from what to what for what reason? 296 00:14:29,610 --> 00:14:31,950 Typically we use the word ekklesia to refer 297 00:14:31,950 --> 00:14:33,790 to people called out from sin to salvation, 298 00:14:34,050 --> 00:14:35,610 from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom 299 00:14:35,610 --> 00:14:37,470 of light, and most certainly that is true. 300 00:14:39,230 --> 00:14:41,210 But the word ekklesia was a well-known 301 00:14:41,210 --> 00:14:42,610 word in the Greek world. 302 00:14:43,730 --> 00:14:45,770 It was used of a different called out 303 00:14:45,770 --> 00:14:48,050 group in the Greek city states. 304 00:14:48,910 --> 00:14:51,010 It was used of men and women who 305 00:14:51,010 --> 00:14:53,870 were called out from the general populace to 306 00:14:53,870 --> 00:14:57,950 legislate on behalf of the rest of the 307 00:14:57,950 --> 00:14:59,170 citizens of that state. 308 00:14:59,570 --> 00:15:02,230 It was a legislative agency. 309 00:15:04,610 --> 00:15:06,730 You see, I think one of the great 310 00:15:06,730 --> 00:15:11,050 mistakes that we have made is to limit 311 00:15:11,050 --> 00:15:14,930 the church and its definition to a weekly 312 00:15:14,930 --> 00:15:17,690 gathering for an hour, what else if you're 313 00:15:17,690 --> 00:15:18,930 white, two and a half hours if you're 314 00:15:18,930 --> 00:15:22,790 black, to limit the definition of the church 315 00:15:24,330 --> 00:15:28,850 to a gathering for spiritual information, for spiritual 316 00:15:28,850 --> 00:15:34,470 inspiration, for spiritual education, and for acclaiming the 317 00:15:34,470 --> 00:15:35,330 greatness of God. 318 00:15:35,430 --> 00:15:38,070 And that is much of what the church 319 00:15:38,070 --> 00:15:38,770 should be doing. 320 00:15:40,010 --> 00:15:42,570 But the word ekklesia in the world in 321 00:15:42,570 --> 00:15:45,510 which that word was used was used also 322 00:15:45,510 --> 00:15:46,810 of legislation. 323 00:15:47,050 --> 00:15:49,250 In fact it's used that way in scripture 324 00:15:49,250 --> 00:15:51,970 in Acts chapter 19 verse 39. 325 00:15:52,410 --> 00:15:56,330 It says the ekklesia came together to pass 326 00:15:56,330 --> 00:15:56,930 the law. 327 00:15:57,750 --> 00:15:59,670 It was a legal entity. 328 00:16:00,810 --> 00:16:04,330 It is unfortunate that we have missed, in 329 00:16:04,330 --> 00:16:07,210 my opinion, the legal nature of the church. 330 00:16:08,350 --> 00:16:10,670 And you will see that unfold as we 331 00:16:10,670 --> 00:16:11,170 continue. 332 00:16:11,970 --> 00:16:16,690 That this ekklesia has been established to legislate 333 00:16:16,690 --> 00:16:21,510 from heaven to history, from eternity into time. 334 00:16:21,690 --> 00:16:23,810 In the same way that a football official 335 00:16:23,810 --> 00:16:27,230 legislates from the home office in New York 336 00:16:27,230 --> 00:16:29,590 on the field of play in the middle 337 00:16:29,590 --> 00:16:32,310 of the crisis, it is the job of 338 00:16:32,310 --> 00:16:35,270 the church to grab heaven and bring it 339 00:16:35,270 --> 00:16:38,470 into history so that history sees what heaven 340 00:16:38,470 --> 00:16:41,190 views as it is played out through the 341 00:16:41,190 --> 00:16:42,150 officiating crew. 342 00:16:43,770 --> 00:16:48,210 America has embassies all around the world. 343 00:16:49,390 --> 00:16:51,650 An American embassy is a little bit of 344 00:16:51,650 --> 00:16:53,130 America a long way from home. 345 00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:56,050 It is where the values and laws of 346 00:16:56,050 --> 00:16:58,230 America are in a foreign land. 347 00:16:59,250 --> 00:17:01,970 All American embassies are sovereign territory. 348 00:17:02,370 --> 00:17:04,069 They do not belong to the country they're 349 00:17:04,069 --> 00:17:06,150 in, they belong to the country they're from. 350 00:17:06,829 --> 00:17:08,589 If you get in trouble and you're overseas, 351 00:17:08,869 --> 00:17:10,950 you want to get across that embassy gate 352 00:17:10,950 --> 00:17:13,010 because when you do you're in America now 353 00:17:13,010 --> 00:17:15,849 even though you're on foreign soil. 354 00:17:16,670 --> 00:17:19,609 The job of the church, this legal entity, 355 00:17:20,010 --> 00:17:21,910 is to be a little bit a long 356 00:17:21,910 --> 00:17:22,829 way from home. 357 00:17:23,210 --> 00:17:25,390 It's supposed to be where the values of 358 00:17:25,390 --> 00:17:28,610 eternity are operating in the location of history 359 00:17:28,610 --> 00:17:31,470 so that history gets to see what heaven 360 00:17:31,470 --> 00:17:34,470 looks like when heaven addresses that particular issue. 361 00:17:36,030 --> 00:17:38,750 So explain to me if we've got all 362 00:17:38,750 --> 00:17:41,750 these officiating crews, if we've got all these 363 00:17:41,750 --> 00:17:43,710 churches on all these corners with all these 364 00:17:43,710 --> 00:17:45,770 members and all these preachers and all these 365 00:17:45,770 --> 00:17:48,030 deacons and all these facilities and all these 366 00:17:48,030 --> 00:17:50,710 programs and all these resources, how we can 367 00:17:50,710 --> 00:17:52,810 at the same time have all this chaos? 368 00:17:53,150 --> 00:17:54,650 There must be a dead monkey on the 369 00:17:54,650 --> 00:17:55,550 line somewhere. 370 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:03,240 Perhaps we have satisfied ourselves with the inspirational 371 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,140 education definition of the church and missed its 372 00:18:06,140 --> 00:18:08,300 legal authorized responsibility. 373 00:18:09,620 --> 00:18:12,060 He says I will build my ecclesia. 374 00:18:13,700 --> 00:18:16,940 Notice the offensive nature of Jesus's statement. 375 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,940 He says I'm doing the building, the gates 376 00:18:20,940 --> 00:18:23,080 of hell are attempting to do the stopping. 377 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,500 We often get it backwards. 378 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,340 We're trying to stop hell but that's not 379 00:18:31,340 --> 00:18:32,820 what Jesus says the church is. 380 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,360 He says I'm doing the building, hell is 381 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:36,220 doing the stopping. 382 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:38,800 So maybe we're singing the wrong song. 383 00:18:38,900 --> 00:18:42,760 Maybe we're singing backwards Christian soldiers because we're 384 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:44,080 operating in reverse. 385 00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:47,980 Jesus says I'm building something that hell can't 386 00:18:47,980 --> 00:18:48,300 stop. 387 00:18:48,540 --> 00:18:52,700 Therefore, if hell is stopping the church, then 388 00:18:52,700 --> 00:18:54,840 the church must not be being what Jesus 389 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,960 is building because Jesus said the church that 390 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,120 I'm building, hell is not stopping. 391 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:02,940 So if hell is stopping the church, we 392 00:19:02,940 --> 00:19:05,380 must be building our church using his name 393 00:19:05,380 --> 00:19:08,940 and it becomes a false definition of the 394 00:19:08,940 --> 00:19:09,340 church. 395 00:19:10,220 --> 00:19:13,820 That's why evils are allowed to proliferate outside 396 00:19:13,820 --> 00:19:16,720 of the church so strongly because they've never 397 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,020 been addressed inside of the church or if 398 00:19:19,020 --> 00:19:20,720 it takes 200 years for it to be 399 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,280 addressed inside of the church, then the church 400 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,520 that Jesus is building is not the church 401 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,520 that Jesus is building and so the gates 402 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,660 of hell wind up prevailing. 403 00:19:31,940 --> 00:19:33,620 He says gates. 404 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,120 The word gates was used in the old 405 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:39,480 testament of a legislative location. 406 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,280 It was where the elders met, the bible 407 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:41,660 says. 408 00:19:42,460 --> 00:19:46,160 The elders met at the gates to legislate 409 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:46,740 for Israel. 410 00:19:46,860 --> 00:19:48,540 So he's speaking legally. 411 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,160 He's speaking of the responsibility of the church 412 00:19:53,830 --> 00:19:59,380 to stop hell's legal operation because hell cannot 413 00:19:59,380 --> 00:20:02,580 do what it does unless it gets legal 414 00:20:02,580 --> 00:20:03,740 authority to do it. 415 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:06,440 And so no matter how many songs we 416 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,320 sing or sermons we hear, if there is 417 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:13,420 not the legislative action of the church to 418 00:20:13,420 --> 00:20:16,940 rule on behalf of this bigger thing called 419 00:20:16,940 --> 00:20:20,560 the kingdom of God, then we have great 420 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,640 services and limited impact. 421 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,580 He says, I will build my church and 422 00:20:30,580 --> 00:20:33,580 the gates of hell shall not prevail against 423 00:20:33,580 --> 00:20:34,080 it. 424 00:20:35,300 --> 00:20:40,220 Well, what's going to stop hell from winning 425 00:20:40,220 --> 00:20:40,960 over the church? 426 00:20:41,060 --> 00:20:43,720 Now, of course, if Jesus comes back tomorrow, 427 00:20:43,780 --> 00:20:45,080 we don't have to worry about any of 428 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:45,260 this. 429 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:46,180 We'll be in glory. 430 00:20:46,660 --> 00:20:48,960 But what if Jesus doesn't come back for 431 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,220 another 200 years and your children and grandchildren 432 00:20:53,220 --> 00:20:55,880 and great grandchildren have got to grow up 433 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:57,680 in this world? 434 00:20:57,760 --> 00:20:59,600 What kind of world will the church have 435 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:00,540 handed over to them? 436 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:04,100 Hell is moving. 437 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:07,380 God has officials on the field. 438 00:21:08,220 --> 00:21:10,380 If there is chaos on the field, we 439 00:21:10,380 --> 00:21:12,740 must ask what is the officiating crew doing 440 00:21:12,740 --> 00:21:15,400 or not doing that has allowed this game 441 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:16,240 to get out of hand. 442 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,980 Jesus says the church I am building is 443 00:21:20,980 --> 00:21:21,660 unstoppable. 444 00:21:24,260 --> 00:21:27,100 That we are not so heavenly minded that 445 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:29,080 we're no earthly good, but we're not so 446 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,560 earthly minded that we're no heavenly good. 447 00:21:32,100 --> 00:21:35,300 I'm reminded of Super Bowl 43 when Centennial 448 00:21:35,300 --> 00:21:38,260 homes caught the winning pass for the Pittsburgh 449 00:21:38,260 --> 00:21:41,580 Steelers to win Super Bowl 43 with less 450 00:21:41,580 --> 00:21:42,920 than two minutes left in the game. 451 00:21:43,020 --> 00:21:44,120 He goes to the edge of the end 452 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:46,280 zone and he reaches high and catches the 453 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,800 ball, but his feet are firmly planted in 454 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:50,060 bounds on the ground. 455 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:52,180 If he dropped the ball, it would be 456 00:21:52,180 --> 00:21:53,180 an incomplete pass. 457 00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:55,860 But if he catches the ball, but his 458 00:21:55,860 --> 00:21:58,060 feet are not planted in bounds, it's still 459 00:21:58,060 --> 00:21:59,120 an incomplete pass. 460 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:01,440 He must be able to reach high while 461 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:02,600 being located low. 462 00:22:03,300 --> 00:22:05,380 The job of the church is to reach 463 00:22:05,380 --> 00:22:08,020 and grab heaven with our feet firmly planted 464 00:22:08,020 --> 00:22:10,260 on earth so that heaven gets to see 465 00:22:10,260 --> 00:22:13,040 touchdown scored for the kingdom of God through 466 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,640 the people of God who are operating from 467 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:16,660 heaven to history. 468 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:25,260 He says the way you're going to win 469 00:22:25,260 --> 00:22:28,860 in history is I'm going to give you 470 00:22:28,860 --> 00:22:31,460 the keys to the kingdom in verse 19. 471 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:34,400 I'm going to give you, I'm going to 472 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,880 give you because I'm talking to y'all 473 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:38,800 and y'all are the foundation of the 474 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:39,080 church. 475 00:22:39,180 --> 00:22:40,920 I'm going to give the church the keys 476 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:41,420 to the kingdom. 477 00:22:41,540 --> 00:22:42,340 Let's get this straight. 478 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:43,820 Only the church has the keys to the 479 00:22:43,820 --> 00:22:44,080 kingdom. 480 00:22:45,540 --> 00:22:46,840 So let's get this straight. 481 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,560 The government does not have the keys to 482 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:48,920 the kingdom. 483 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:53,140 And if you are looking for the solutions 484 00:22:53,140 --> 00:22:55,360 to America to land on air force one, 485 00:22:55,460 --> 00:22:57,060 you are going to be grossly disappointed. 486 00:22:59,780 --> 00:23:02,060 God does not ride the backs of donkeys 487 00:23:02,060 --> 00:23:02,680 or elephants. 488 00:23:04,420 --> 00:23:06,420 He is the consummate independent. 489 00:23:07,740 --> 00:23:12,720 In Joshua chapter five, Joshua is is doing 490 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,520 surveillance around Jericho. 491 00:23:14,860 --> 00:23:16,900 This huge guy shows up just in battle 492 00:23:16,900 --> 00:23:17,920 array leading an army. 493 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:21,620 Joshua's mom ain't raised no dummy. 494 00:23:21,780 --> 00:23:22,920 He said, who's side are you on? 495 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:25,980 Because if you're on Jericho side, we're in 496 00:23:25,980 --> 00:23:26,180 trouble. 497 00:23:26,260 --> 00:23:27,660 If you're on our side, we have some 498 00:23:27,660 --> 00:23:27,900 help. 499 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:29,200 So before I go out here and make 500 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:30,640 a fool of myself, whose side are you 501 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:30,880 on? 502 00:23:31,420 --> 00:23:33,080 The captain looked at him and said, I 503 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:34,200 think you're a little confused. 504 00:23:34,260 --> 00:23:36,420 And I know you're the leader of Israel. 505 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:38,240 I know you're my people, but you're still 506 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,760 confused because I'm neither on your side, nor 507 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:41,800 am I on their side. 508 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:43,700 I am captain of the Lord's army. 509 00:23:43,820 --> 00:23:45,220 I did not come to take sides. 510 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:46,380 I come to take over. 511 00:23:48,140 --> 00:23:50,920 What we have done, unfortunately, is reduce the 512 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:52,860 kingdom of God to the politics of men. 513 00:23:52,980 --> 00:23:55,640 And then we wind up whining when, when, 514 00:23:55,780 --> 00:23:57,580 when the, when the party or the candidate 515 00:23:57,580 --> 00:24:00,200 that we wanted to, doesn't get in like 516 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,660 the kingdom of God is dependent upon the 517 00:24:02,660 --> 00:24:03,660 players on the field. 518 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,940 This kingdom is dependent upon the building of 519 00:24:06,940 --> 00:24:07,540 the church. 520 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,560 And so there's a white church that's Republican. 521 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:16,800 There's a black church that's democratic. 522 00:24:16,940 --> 00:24:18,740 So there's a split in the church. 523 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,180 So there are not stones becoming a rock. 524 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:22,840 There's a split in the rock. 525 00:24:22,940 --> 00:24:24,480 And when there is a split in the 526 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:26,540 rock, there is a breakdown in the kingdom 527 00:24:26,540 --> 00:24:29,240 and there is chaos on the field because 528 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:32,060 we've allowed the politics of men to rule 529 00:24:32,060 --> 00:24:33,380 the kingdom of the living God. 530 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:35,900 He says, I'm going to give you keys 531 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:36,380 to the kingdom. 532 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:37,220 What do keys do? 533 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:40,340 Isaiah 22, 22, they gain you access. 534 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:42,600 Access. 535 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:45,680 You ever been in a hurry and not 536 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:46,860 been able to find your keys? 537 00:24:47,540 --> 00:24:51,180 That means you're not going anywhere because you 538 00:24:51,180 --> 00:24:52,680 don't have access to your car. 539 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:55,360 Or maybe you're like me. 540 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,540 You have keys on your key ring and 541 00:24:57,540 --> 00:24:59,060 you don't even remember where some of them 542 00:24:59,060 --> 00:24:59,360 go. 543 00:25:00,820 --> 00:25:02,520 So they're useless keys. 544 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,540 I am going to give you the keys 545 00:25:06,540 --> 00:25:07,120 to the kingdom. 546 00:25:07,260 --> 00:25:09,640 And he's talking to the foundation of the 547 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:10,040 church. 548 00:25:12,700 --> 00:25:14,120 The keys to the kingdom. 549 00:25:14,340 --> 00:25:16,840 Please note that the word key is plural, 550 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:17,900 not singular. 551 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:20,820 I'm going to give you the keys of 552 00:25:20,820 --> 00:25:21,480 the kingdom. 553 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:23,060 Why? 554 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:26,160 Because in verse 18, he talked about gates 555 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:27,460 of hell. 556 00:25:27,740 --> 00:25:30,720 So for every hellish gate that seeks to 557 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,180 stop Christ from building the kingdom, there is 558 00:25:33,180 --> 00:25:38,340 a corresponding kingdom key that unlocks a heavenly 559 00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:42,140 door that brings to bear against a hellish 560 00:25:42,140 --> 00:25:42,560 gate. 561 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,460 That which overrules its attempt to stop the 562 00:25:46,460 --> 00:25:49,040 building of the ecclesia of God. 563 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:51,640 Kingdom. 564 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:58,680 It is my conviction today that the church 565 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,060 has been using the wrong keys. 566 00:26:00,700 --> 00:26:03,780 Not every church, not every denomination, not all 567 00:26:03,780 --> 00:26:06,120 the time, but I'm talking more collectively. 568 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:07,900 We've been using the wrong keys. 569 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:13,080 I was in New York City at the 570 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:14,540 Marriott in Times Square. 571 00:26:15,700 --> 00:26:17,720 I had to check out and fly to 572 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,640 Chicago to the Hilton in Chicago. 573 00:26:22,180 --> 00:26:24,320 I went, I checked in, I took my 574 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,580 bags up to the 30th floor or whatever 575 00:26:27,580 --> 00:26:28,140 it was. 576 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:29,900 And I got there and I put my 577 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:32,780 key in, click, click, red light, click, click, 578 00:26:32,940 --> 00:26:37,100 red light, click, click, red light, being evangelically 579 00:26:37,100 --> 00:26:37,820 ticked off. 580 00:26:39,740 --> 00:26:43,880 Because when you travel 30 floors with bags 581 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,960 and you got to go all the way 582 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,880 down to tell them this key does not 583 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:48,200 work. 584 00:26:49,220 --> 00:26:51,660 So I went and I told the proprietor, 585 00:26:51,900 --> 00:26:53,420 this key does not work. 586 00:26:54,220 --> 00:26:56,420 He looked at me and he said, that 587 00:26:56,420 --> 00:26:57,900 key doesn't go to this hotel. 588 00:27:01,980 --> 00:27:04,680 I was using my Marriott key in a 589 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:06,900 Hilton lock and that key won't work. 590 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,560 Unfortunately, far too much of the church is 591 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:15,360 using earthly keys in a lock that won't 592 00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:15,720 work. 593 00:27:16,940 --> 00:27:19,100 And one of the primary keys today is 594 00:27:19,100 --> 00:27:20,020 that of politics. 595 00:27:20,020 --> 00:27:21,460 It has its place. 596 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,100 We must be politically engaged, but it is 597 00:27:24,100 --> 00:27:24,760 not the kingdom. 598 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:27,640 He says, I will give you the keys 599 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:28,660 to the kingdom of God. 600 00:27:28,700 --> 00:27:33,460 I will give you authorization to overrule. 601 00:27:34,980 --> 00:27:36,540 Watch this now as he closes. 602 00:27:37,620 --> 00:27:40,840 He says, I will give you the keys 603 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:41,440 to the kingdom. 604 00:27:42,460 --> 00:27:44,480 And how will you know if the keys 605 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:44,920 are working? 606 00:27:46,180 --> 00:27:48,600 He says, because whatever you bind on earth 607 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:49,800 would have been bound in heaven. 608 00:27:50,940 --> 00:27:53,280 And whatever you loose on earth will be 609 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:54,100 loosed in heaven. 610 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,480 Binding and loosing means permitting or forbidding. 611 00:27:59,140 --> 00:28:03,260 I'm going to give you authorization of authority. 612 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,240 I am going to give you the authorization 613 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:12,000 to decide or not decide what heaven will 614 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:12,980 or will not do. 615 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,260 In fact, Ephesians 3.10 says that God 616 00:28:17,260 --> 00:28:20,260 works through the church before he deals with 617 00:28:20,260 --> 00:28:21,380 the powers that be. 618 00:28:22,460 --> 00:28:24,520 That if he cannot work through the church, 619 00:28:24,620 --> 00:28:27,620 you will not see his hand as powerfully 620 00:28:27,620 --> 00:28:30,160 and as directly as you would have seen 621 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,700 it if the church was available for him 622 00:28:32,700 --> 00:28:34,040 to express himself through. 623 00:28:35,620 --> 00:28:37,860 You know the answer to America or any 624 00:28:37,860 --> 00:28:38,520 other culture? 625 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:39,260 It's the church. 626 00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:42,800 But it's not the church as individual stones. 627 00:28:43,060 --> 00:28:44,180 It's the church as a rock. 628 00:28:45,020 --> 00:28:47,180 The word kingdom is from the Greek word 629 00:28:47,180 --> 00:28:51,240 basilia and it refers to the manifestation, the 630 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:54,560 visible demonstration of the comprehensive rule of God 631 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:55,900 over every area of life. 632 00:28:56,180 --> 00:28:58,340 There is no issue outside of the kingdom. 633 00:28:59,380 --> 00:29:01,660 And our job as the church of Jesus 634 00:29:01,660 --> 00:29:04,880 Christ is as the voice of God in 635 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,900 history based on the work of the Holy 636 00:29:07,900 --> 00:29:11,220 Spirit and attachment to the word authorized by 637 00:29:11,220 --> 00:29:13,660 the commission of Jesus Christ is to serve 638 00:29:13,660 --> 00:29:16,980 notice on the culture that there is a 639 00:29:16,980 --> 00:29:20,020 heavenly say-so about this matter and that 640 00:29:20,020 --> 00:29:23,020 the individual stones have come together across racial 641 00:29:23,020 --> 00:29:27,800 and cultural and political lines to declare what 642 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:32,420 God has said about marriage, about life, what 643 00:29:32,420 --> 00:29:35,460 God has said about race, about class, about 644 00:29:35,460 --> 00:29:40,100 economics, what God has said about justice and 645 00:29:40,100 --> 00:29:43,480 injustice, what God has said comprehensively. 646 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:47,060 And when the church does that, you'll see 647 00:29:47,060 --> 00:29:48,140 sparks flying. 648 00:29:49,260 --> 00:29:51,280 Yes, there will be boos from the crowd 649 00:29:51,860 --> 00:29:53,500 because they won't like some of the calls 650 00:29:53,500 --> 00:29:56,100 of the officiating crew, but we're not there 651 00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:56,520 for them. 652 00:29:57,320 --> 00:29:59,520 We're there for another king in another kingdom. 653 00:30:03,550 --> 00:30:07,670 And that's why I'm so grateful for so 654 00:30:07,670 --> 00:30:10,850 many relationships God has given us in this 655 00:30:10,850 --> 00:30:14,630 room because one of the greatest things that 656 00:30:14,630 --> 00:30:17,670 you and media can do is not only 657 00:30:17,670 --> 00:30:21,650 be an education for Christians and education for 658 00:30:21,650 --> 00:30:24,550 the church, but to be the mobilization of 659 00:30:24,550 --> 00:30:26,850 the churches under your influence and in your 660 00:30:26,850 --> 00:30:27,270 scope. 661 00:30:27,830 --> 00:30:30,510 The greatest thing that NRB can do is 662 00:30:30,510 --> 00:30:33,750 use its strength and the individual's expressions of 663 00:30:33,750 --> 00:30:36,870 it to call together the church in a 664 00:30:36,870 --> 00:30:40,310 given area for a comprehensive impact in that 665 00:30:40,310 --> 00:30:40,670 area. 666 00:30:41,590 --> 00:30:43,670 That's why we're doing so much with stations 667 00:30:43,670 --> 00:30:46,350 now related to the National Church Adopt-a 668 00:30:46,350 --> 00:30:49,390 -School initiative where stations are calling together all 669 00:30:49,390 --> 00:30:51,950 the pastors and we are providing the training 670 00:30:51,950 --> 00:30:54,210 so they can adopt every public school in 671 00:30:54,210 --> 00:30:57,210 their community because church, school, and family equals 672 00:30:57,210 --> 00:31:00,050 community and it never runs out of ministry. 673 00:31:00,490 --> 00:31:02,430 And if every school gets adopted, the whole 674 00:31:02,430 --> 00:31:04,850 church is doing one thing, but it's impacting 675 00:31:04,850 --> 00:31:06,870 the whole of the community so that people 676 00:31:06,870 --> 00:31:09,430 can see in that community the kingdom of 677 00:31:09,430 --> 00:31:10,490 God has arrived here. 678 00:31:11,110 --> 00:31:14,310 It is time for individual stones to become 679 00:31:14,310 --> 00:31:17,150 a rock so that binding and loosing becomes 680 00:31:17,150 --> 00:31:17,570 visible. 681 00:31:18,190 --> 00:31:20,310 That when the church speaks, the culture must 682 00:31:20,310 --> 00:31:20,670 listen. 683 00:31:21,130 --> 00:31:23,470 When the church speaks, it cannot be ignored. 684 00:31:23,910 --> 00:31:27,130 When the officiating crew throws the flag, it 685 00:31:27,130 --> 00:31:30,110 shuts down the movement of the game because 686 00:31:30,110 --> 00:31:31,190 we bear authority. 687 00:31:31,810 --> 00:31:34,410 The players are more powerful than the officials. 688 00:31:35,050 --> 00:31:37,370 They're younger, they're stronger, they're faster. 689 00:31:38,070 --> 00:31:41,890 The officials are older and slower and fatter. 690 00:31:44,730 --> 00:31:47,470 But the officials have the whistle and they 691 00:31:47,470 --> 00:31:48,410 have the flag. 692 00:31:48,810 --> 00:31:50,690 The player can knock you down, but the 693 00:31:50,690 --> 00:31:52,950 ref can put you out because he has 694 00:31:52,950 --> 00:31:54,570 kingdom authority backing him up. 695 00:31:55,210 --> 00:31:56,950 We may not be as big as the 696 00:31:56,950 --> 00:31:58,730 world, we may not have as much as 697 00:31:58,730 --> 00:32:00,450 the world, but what we do have is 698 00:32:00,450 --> 00:32:02,430 a yellow flag in our pocket and if 699 00:32:02,430 --> 00:32:04,430 we get the guts to throw it representing 700 00:32:04,430 --> 00:32:06,890 the kingdom of God because our commissioner is 701 00:32:06,890 --> 00:32:09,270 going to stand by our decisions, we can 702 00:32:09,270 --> 00:32:10,510 shake this mama up. 703 00:32:19,540 --> 00:32:21,780 This is not a day for cute Christianity. 704 00:32:22,620 --> 00:32:25,140 This is not a day for polite Christianity. 705 00:32:25,260 --> 00:32:27,900 I'm not talking about mean spiritedness, but this 706 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:30,740 is not a day for regular. 707 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:32,800 It's time for some super unleaded. 708 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,340 This is not a day for ordinary sermons 709 00:32:36,340 --> 00:32:39,900 and ordinary churches singing ordinary songs to ordinary 710 00:32:39,900 --> 00:32:43,120 people when we are watching our nation fall 711 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:46,360 apart, when we're watching unbiblical worldviews being promoted, 712 00:32:46,660 --> 00:32:49,340 when we're watching sex education being taught in 713 00:32:49,340 --> 00:32:52,080 elementary schools to kindergartens, when we're watching the 714 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,900 redefinition of the family, when we're watching economics 715 00:32:54,900 --> 00:32:57,880 go crazy due to illegitimate indebtedness. 716 00:32:58,260 --> 00:33:00,640 This is not a time for polite speeches 717 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:01,900 to polite people. 718 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:04,820 This is the time for the ecclesia to 719 00:33:04,820 --> 00:33:08,240 legislate from heaven to history to serve notice 720 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:09,040 on this world. 721 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,500 The kingdom of God has arrived. 722 00:33:21,220 --> 00:33:23,840 A man one day in closing was taking 723 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:25,240 his bride to their honeymoon. 724 00:33:26,660 --> 00:33:28,340 They were on their way to their honeymoon 725 00:33:28,340 --> 00:33:29,940 and they were driving. 726 00:33:30,220 --> 00:33:31,160 It was a foggy day. 727 00:33:32,020 --> 00:33:33,460 In front of him was a truck and 728 00:33:33,460 --> 00:33:34,540 he needed to get by it. 729 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,380 So he pulled out, but the fog blocked 730 00:33:37,380 --> 00:33:41,460 the view of an oncoming van and they 731 00:33:41,460 --> 00:33:43,040 hit each other head on. 732 00:33:45,260 --> 00:33:47,860 His car rolled over into a ditch. 733 00:33:47,860 --> 00:33:49,500 He was knocked unconscious. 734 00:33:50,700 --> 00:33:57,400 When he came to, he looked beside him 735 00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:59,440 and saw his bride gushing with blood. 736 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,540 She had hit the windshield and she was 737 00:34:03,540 --> 00:34:04,560 gushing with blood. 738 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:07,659 He himself was injured, but not to her 739 00:34:07,659 --> 00:34:09,780 degree, but he knew if he didn't get 740 00:34:09,780 --> 00:34:12,340 her help in a few moments, she was 741 00:34:12,340 --> 00:34:13,400 going to bleed to death. 742 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:17,000 But he's out on this, on this road 743 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,920 and there was no help in sight except 744 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:24,880 he noticed on a little hill just above 745 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:27,560 him, a sign that said office of Dr. 746 00:34:27,659 --> 00:34:28,320 Bill Jones. 747 00:34:29,340 --> 00:34:32,760 He thought how fortunate could this be that 748 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,420 there's a doctor's office nearby. 749 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:37,980 He picked up his new bride and stumbled 750 00:34:37,980 --> 00:34:42,320 up the hill and knocked on the door 751 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:44,560 of the office of Dr. Bill Jones. 752 00:34:45,699 --> 00:34:49,460 An old gentleman came to the door and 753 00:34:49,460 --> 00:34:51,100 said, may I help you? 754 00:34:52,219 --> 00:34:53,679 He said, save her. 755 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,060 She's bleeding to death. 756 00:34:55,500 --> 00:34:56,220 Save her. 757 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:57,240 She's dying. 758 00:34:58,820 --> 00:35:00,920 The old gentleman looked at him and said, 759 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:02,080 I'm so sorry, son. 760 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,460 I don't practice anymore. 761 00:35:07,300 --> 00:35:09,260 The young man looked at the older gentleman 762 00:35:09,260 --> 00:35:11,040 and said, Mr, you have two choices. 763 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:18,040 You can either save my wife or you 764 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,540 can take down your sign, but don't have 765 00:35:21,540 --> 00:35:23,400 a sign out there telling me who you 766 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:23,700 are. 767 00:35:24,940 --> 00:35:27,480 And when I bring this bleeding bride of 768 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,120 mine, you can't practice anymore. 769 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:34,420 Don't, don't tell me you're one thing, but 770 00:35:34,420 --> 00:35:38,160 when I show up with life hanging by 771 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:40,960 the balance, you don't practice anymore. 772 00:35:41,780 --> 00:35:44,240 It's time for the church of Jesus Christ 773 00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:47,780 to do one of two things, to practice 774 00:35:47,780 --> 00:35:52,360 being kingdom people, living kingdom lives, perpetuating a 775 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,600 kingdom mentality through the influence of the church 776 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:56,860 or take down the sign. 777 00:35:57,300 --> 00:36:00,400 Don't don't call yourself Christian and not practice. 778 00:36:00,580 --> 00:36:03,060 Don't say you're a church and don't practice 779 00:36:03,060 --> 00:36:06,440 because then the culture is bleeding and they 780 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:07,700 don't believe you anymore. 781 00:36:08,380 --> 00:36:11,260 It's time for men and women and NRB 782 00:36:11,260 --> 00:36:14,500 to level your influence and leverage your influence. 783 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,240 So people will either practice or take down 784 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:19,480 their signs because we're living in a day 785 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:22,340 when the culture is bleeding to death. 786 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,040 Thank you for all you do. 787 00:36:24,260 --> 00:36:25,220 And God bless you. 788 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:29,320 You've been listening to the From the Pulpit 789 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:30,520 and Classic Sermons series. 790 00:36:31,060 --> 00:36:33,000 This week you heard Tony Evans with his 791 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,500 message from this year's Sunday service of the 792 00:36:35,500 --> 00:36:37,920 National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville. 793 00:36:38,580 --> 00:36:40,080 Tune in next week to hear William Blackburn 794 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:42,800 talk about God's plan for the family on 795 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:44,760 From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons.