Thanks for checking out the anchor Faith, Message podcast
from st. Augustine Florida.
Now, enjoy this message. Hasn't this been Rich so far?
Can you handle some more man? I just tell you these things
just build on one another. You know we've done these
conferences now for so long for several years especially in the
vein of Kingdom rise. It was full force Kingdom
conference before that and each time the the speakers that are
lined up the speakers that we bring in.
It just seems that everything just Builds on itself.
One thing's connected to the other, we find ourselves, you
know, kind of trampling over walking over each other's
messages, I'm sitting down there this morning, you would think
Pastor Daryl, and I studied together in preparation for this
morning. But that's just how it's been.
And, you know, I was telling Pastor Earle back in the room
before we came out this morning. I said I've got so many
branches. You know, you're trying to dial
in which one do you can't. Can you take that morning?
They're all connected to the same.
Tree and then, Pastor Daryl does what he did.
And I'm just sitting my wife's like laughing at me because she
can see my notes and I'm just going, you got to be kidding me.
You got to be kidding me. You know, I had the Rich Young
Ruler in here and I'll have some things to say about it, but he
pretty much said, much of what needed to be said.
And but, you know, that's the thing is we get in here and I
may see 10 different ways to go, somebody's gonna hit it because
by the holy spirit is not all on me.
It's not all on pasture. Earl, Pastor Daryl Pastor, Rowdy
Pastor Marcy. Anybody else at speaking, we're
all being used, it's a coordinated effort.
If you will, we're all working together whether we know it or
not because I texted or know we were together Pastor on I
somewhere and you know, I just asked because it's his house.
It's his conference. I'm submitted to the to the man
of God and to the plan of God through him.
And I just asked, you know, is there any specific theme is
there, any specific Direction you want to go?
And he just Laughs at me, you know, because I know the answer.
But again, I'm just asking to ask you, not just want to be
submitted to whatever he's sensing and feeling whatever
direction we should go. And of course, we don't line it
out that way, but it seems, I think every single time we've
done a kingdom rise conference, we end up in the same vein.
We end up in this same theme even though it's the kingdom,
we're picking apart principles or elements of the kingdom, and
they all just connect. And that's the way the kingdom.
Works. That's what we're trying to get
across to you, and and I hope that you are grabbing ahold of
that. I had someone tell me yesterday,
at next Kingdom rides. I'm taking two weeks off, one
week to receive it. And I need another week just to
digest it and process it. The conversations that we have
back in the green room after each session or at lunch or
dinner, or when we're to get just comes out of us.
And I'm telling you right now guys, if you are not having
conversations after these conferences with one You're
missing out on one of the greatest aspects of Kingdom
rise, do not. And I'm just, we're gonna talk
about today, do not just, merely receive it has to be unloaded.
It has to be talked about discussed processed digested
shared with one another. Amen.
And that is the way that this just continues to build on one
another here and listen to what each other is getting take notes
and then go back and reread those Us notes and highlight
those notes and get in the verses and you've got to dig
into this thing and that's what we're trying to unveil.
I've been on a journey now with you since Monday on unveiling.
This mystery of the Kingdom, The Mystery of the Kingdom, we saw
Jesus having a conversation with the religious leader, the elite
of the elite, the the ones that should have been able to grasp
this in seen this based on man's qualifications or man standards.
Our skilled, they're knowledgeable.
They're educated their intellectual, right?
Their analytical. These are men that have given
themselves to trying to understand the nature of God,
who God is God's laws and God's principles.
But yet he says, we hear your great teaching.
We see your signs and wonders, but Jesus says, man, you can't
even see the kingdom, unless you're born again.
And so, we've been looking at This understanding that the
degree to which you exhibit the kingdom demonstrate the Kingdom
live, the kingdom is always directly connected to your
ability to hear and see the kingdom.
And just because you can hear the powerful teachings and see
the Miracles, and wonders does not mean you see the kingdom
later on. He tells Nicodemus you can see
the effects of the wind, but you don't see where it's coming
from. You can see the effects of the
Kingdom, but you are Sorted to applauding a miracle but never
participating with one and guys, Jesus did not come to show us
what he could do. He came to show us what we could
do. Say that again.
Jesus did not just come to show us what he could do.
He came to show us what we can do.
He expected us to be active, participants in this Kingdom.
Not Mere bystanders, not Spectators, but participators,
right. Getting us off the sideline out
of the grand stands, and onto the playing field, and being a
part of the last day and time Revival.
Amen. And so, he says, you can't even
see the kingdom unless you're born again.
So he sets a different standard for this born.
Again, live being born again to Jesus.
Obviously meant something different to him than it has
become to us. Because what we fail to
understand, we typically redefine.
So we've redefined born again because we didn't understand
being born again. We didn't understand it.
According to Jesus standard, that this is an invitation, a
journey of discovery of finding out all that the kingdom has for
you. And we have reduced it to just
entry-level just getting into Thing, and then by standing,
waiting by watching things, take place, but never participating
until we go to Heavens. This making sense, just giving a
little recap yesterday. We talked about the treasure the
treasure, what you treasure, you attract, what you value, what
you honor in your life. You get more of Jesus made the
statement in Matthew Chapter 13. After he told the disciples,
it's a mystery to you. It's been given to know the
Mysteries. He's of the Kingdom.
A mystery is a secret thing or a hidden thing.
Remember, it is not hidden from you.
It is hidden for you. Say that again, it's not hidden
from you. It's hidden for you, it's set
apart for you, but it's going to take some effort.
It's going to take some urgency. It's going to take some yield
Ignace of the heart. We talked about the posture of
the heart, and if your heart is posture to receive you'll get in
abundance, he said to him, who has more will be given to the
one who does not have though. So, if I posture myself in a way
that I cannot hear event, Actually, I will not hear
eventually. I will refuse to hear.
And you can see all the signs, and you still deny.
You can hear all the powerful teaching and still be a downer
and an unbeliever eventually becoming offended.
I was going to go this morning, the direction of familiarity and
talking about because familiarity is the opposite of
Honor when something becomes common.
You have stepped away from honoring something.
It's common. It's and guys, this is the thing
in our lives today. I see the Next Generation in
this room. I speak to my generation and
above what we treat as optional, they will treat as unnecessary.
Brother Hagin said it. We are one generation away.
From not seeing the move of God. We if we, if we fail to pass it
down, they will pass it up. If we don't pass it down, they
will pass it up. It's up to us to show them.
The all of God, it's up to up, to us to show them the kingdom,
of God, the value in the honor for these things.
But when we, when our kids are urging us to get to church, are
we going to church today? I mean, it's time and we're not
even, you know, What are we passing down?
They'll eventually pass it up. If it's optional to us, it'll be
unnecessary to them. Okay, so familiarity and this is
the thing in Mark chapter 6. We've been talking about it when
he went home and preached in his hometown Nazareth.
Maybe they were familiar with him.
When you become familiar, you're one step away from becoming
offended because now it's common.
Now I see the problems with it, more than I see the blessing
with it. Now, I complain about the thing.
I once prayed for This is what common does in our life.
This is what familiarity does in our life.
I now become offended with it. What's he, who does?
He think he is this Man from Nazareth.
Doing these Miracles and preaching these teachings and
doing all these awesome wonders. Familiarity, isn't he just the
carpenter, isn't he don't? We live with his brothers and
sisters, didn't we grow up with him?
It's familiarity. And when you treat something as
familiar, you're one step away from becoming offended by it,
but I'm not going to talk about familiarity today.
My message today, I have titled it a better response.
A better response and will take us back to Matthew Chapter 13.
It's kind of where we've been entrenched here.
Jesus said, the born-again life should be marked by a kingdom
experience. You can't even see the kingdom.
Unless one is born again and our Born Again, life should not just
be a mere praying, a prayer and sitting around waiting to go to
heaven. It should be marked by a journey
and discovery of Kingdom things of Kingdom, reality of a,
shifting of a perspective. That's what the Born Again, life
should be marked by. And in Matthew, Chapter 13,
Jesus, of course, gives the parable of the sower.
We've Been digging into this and his disciples come to him and
say why do you talk to them in these hard to understand
stories, hard to understand illustrations?
We've always defined Parables as a way that Jesus illustrated The
Kingdom but it's actually a way that he concealed the kingdom,
he hid the Kingdom from people that didn't want to hear, If you
won't hear, you don't hear. But he said to you, it's been
given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom.
You have ears to hear you have eyes to see, right?
Well let's break down this. Parable starting in verse 18.
We've gotten all the way up to this point.
So let's finish this thing off, Verse 18.
Now, listen to the explanation vert and the I'm reading out of
the new living. Listen to the explanation of the
parable about the farmer planting seeds, the seat that
fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message.
Everyone say, hear hear the message about the kingdom but
don't understand it. The evil one comes and snatches
away. The seed that was planted,
everyone say planted in their hearts, the seed on the rocky
soil represents. Those who hear everyone say,
hear the message and immediately receives it with joy.
But since they don't have Deep Roots, they don't last long,
they fall away as soon as They have problems.
You know, how many Believers are one problem away from falling
away from the word, one crisis away?
They are on the there's no margin in their life whatsoever.
We're not even talking a multitude of Crisis, after
crisis. We're talking just one little
hiccup and they're, like, does this thing even work challenging
and questioning Because they don't have Deep Roots, they
don't last long, they fall away as soon as they have problems or
our part persecuted for believing God's word.
Verse 22 says, the seed that fell among the Thorns
represents. Those who hear everyone say hear
God's word, but all too quickly, the message is crowded out by
the worries of this life and the lure of wealth.
So, no fruit is produced. Verse 23 says the seed that fell
on good soil represents. Those who truly hear everyone
say here and understand God's word and produce a harvest of
30, 60 or even 100 times as much as had been planted.
Notice that I had you repeat the word here four times.
It can be easy if we don't maintain the authenticity of the
word to think, we'll only one heard because one produce, how
many produced, how many heard, how many produced?
How many heard this is a problem.
This is a problem. It actually says, even the one
word, the seed fell, by the wayside heard.
Guys, we're not talking about the world that is unaware of
knowledge and Truth. We're talking about people that
sit in these chairs sit in these pews, sit on the same row with
you. And on this row, we can have one
of four responses. But all of them were in the
environment to hear the word. Faith comes by.
We got to hear. That's the starting point.
We've got to hear something. How can they do?
Unless they have heard, how can they be sent?
Unless they have her? The hearing is such a powerful
component, but guys, there is a better response.
So let's break these responses down and then we're going to use
a couple of illustrations, one that Pastor Darrell's already
used. So I can Breeze through that
one, and then get 21 more. I always have one in the
chamber. Pastor Earle taught me that I
texted all my verses to Josh back there, Josh and Chase.
And I have been having so many conversations this week about
all this stuff and so I texted him my verses and then Pastor
Daryl started preaching and I've responded back to Josh's and
thing. He said that he got them and I
said, you got to be kidding me. But I got another one in the
chamber, so I texted him another verse right down there.
As I've said, I was like, I know where I'm going.
Then let's break down these responses, verse 19, the seed
that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the
message about what the kingdom. You know, that there's only one
real message that the enemies after the enemy is okay, with
you hearing messages as long as they have nothing to do with the
kingdom. In fact, you'll flood you with
messages that have nothing. To do with the kingdom to make
you feel like you've accomplished something acquired,
something been somewhere, done that and at the end of the day,
you're just as empty as you were before you sat through the talk
before you play it the podcast before you watch the Youtube
video, he will send them to you. You know that little sidebar on
the right at YouTube that says he a lot of that stuff, says
content. It's not Kingdom related.
There's no power in it. No, but there is one message
he's after and it says that he comes immediately to snatch away
the message about the kingdom, but it still says this, the evil
one comes and this is the seed on the Wayside.
The evil one comes and snatches away.
The seed that was planted, it could be easy to think that the
seed ended up on the Wayside because of carelessness of the
sower. But that's not what it says.
It still says it was planted in their hearts and ended up on the
Wayside because the receiver failed to honor it properly.
See, when we get up here and hold this mic, we're casting
seed, and we're not carelessly recklessly just throwing seed
around, hoping that it lands somewhere.
We are sowing seed on soil. It's your response that
determines is this good soil. Wayside soil just gravel, just
remaining on the surface, has nothing to do with the sower.
It really ought to be called the parable of the soil.
Because there's nothing wrong with the sea and there's nothing
wrong with the solar. It's the soil.
That determines the results. Even the Wayside stuff is.
Not our problem. I'm honoring the calling the
assignment that God has placed on my life to deliver the word
and I hold that in high value. Hold that in high honor to be in
this position. Not carelessly recklessly with
with Reckless abandon just know there's intentionality there's
effort. Are we challenged our church?
Do you give as much effort to receive the word as I give to
deliver the word, huh? What do you think I'm doing on
the way to church in the morning?
What do you think? I'm listening to in the car on
the way to church in the morning?
What do you think playing in my truck as I'm driving to the
church? What do you think?
I'm in be from before I delivered the word.
This is Kingdom rise, right? Alright, didn't like that one.
Let's try another one. Okay.
This is the seat on the wayside. It remains surface.
But yet, it was still planted sown in the heart.
Let's not remove that aspect that's in there.
The seed on the rocky soil. Verse 20 represents those who
hear the message again, we heard it.
This one we add a little more to it and immediately receives it
with joy. Everyone say receive it
immediately receive it. So that means we have now two
different accounts, one that as it's being ministered it's just
fallen on the Wayside. It's not taken in.
It's not received with joy. There's no value.
There's no attention. You're scrolling Facebook,
falling asleep, getting up and moving around going to bathroom
10 times. I'm just not name them all, I
just identify at all. All its Kingdom rise.
Okay, that's the Wayside stuff got you just wasted an hour and
a half of your time and if you're a taker, fake church and
st. Augustine is probably two and a
half hours, Tom's different down here on the coast.
Ha ha, ha. You just wasted time.
But now we've got those that immediately receive it.
Everyone say receive, receive it with joy.
What a powerful word passed the bar.
Oh man, that's awesome. That's exciting.
Oh, I get that. Oh, I see that.
Oh, that's great. And there's a receptivity to it
now. That's great.
That's a step above. Just casually being in here.
Not even receiving the word, but it still says, but they don't
have deep roots. They don't last long apparently.
That's not even good enough. filling the notebook but living
an empty life highlighting the verse but not applying the verse
Y'all with me, we good. I've got to go a little further.
I'm not the one thumbing through Facebook while Pastor marks
preaching, while Pastor Earl's delivering the word, but I'm a
men and I'm writing it down. I'm highlighting it but I don't
have it routed in me. How do we get there?
Okay, that's the second occurrence.
It says that they fall away as soon as they have problems and
are persecuted. And so guys, some, some of us
don't make it to the parking lot before we Face a problem or
persecution. We got two arms lifted in here.
Pastor Marcus is dripping all over this place.
Worship teams doing amazing job but we get to the car and we're
reminded of the bill reminded of the circumstance, reminded of
the sickness reminded of the report reminded of the issue.
The enemies coming immediately. I'll tell you what, if you don't
honor the word, the devil, does he orders it in the sense that
he values? What it can produce in your life
if you get a hold of it and he'll go after it?
Okay? But they don't have Deep Roots.
Verse 22, the seed that fell among the Thorns represents.
Those who hear everyone? Say, hear God's word.
So, this is the third occurrence now, but all too quickly, the
message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the
lure of wealth. And no fruit is produced.
In this occurrence as well. In the new King James, it
doesn't have it here listed in the new living, but it says the
same statement received it with joy.
Once again, these are the individuals sitting in the
service. Raising their hands worshipping
God, taking the notes highlighting the versus
receiving it with joy, as it's being delivered.
Now if the enemy can't get you with persecutions and problems
then he'll get you with the deceitfulness of riches and the
busyness of life. You know what busyness is Right?
Busyness is artificial. Significance, busyness is
counterfeit purpose. It feels like purpose but it's
not greatest tragedy in life. Being busy and not effective.
So if he gets artificial, what I say artificial.
Significance. Counterfeit purpose.
Artificial significance. Feels like it.
Even kind of little looks like it when you get to the root of
it. It's worth nothing.
Counterfeit dollar bill is worth nothing but it's got a feel and
look it tries to replicate as much as it can but at the end of
the has no value whatsoever. And so if he can't get you with
circumstances, challenges managers rebuking the devil.
No weapon formed against me, shall prosper dunna.
I overcome imma conquer that. What he will do is to make you
so busy, and so does seated by the loser of wealth, and the
loser of acquiring things and loser of the world.
We see it all the time popularity.
Look, where are we are a sports household.
Baseball is. We love it.
I've passed that on. 21 at least one will see.
Austin seems to be taking well to it as well, sit down and
watch this baseball game, right? Let me tell you exactly how to
double play. But it's not King.
And we started this whole travel ball deal and you know, travel
balls on the weekends while I work on the weekends.
And I know it's not an option. We've told Camden, from day one,
you will not play in any two-day tournaments.
It's not happening. You're not going to miss church
to be playing baseball. Now Saturday May we're out
there. I mean, all day we got home, it
was one time. We got home at 2:30 in the
morning, we got there at 8:30 in the morning, left the house at
6:30 that mornings. It was two hours away.
Play till we was playing. He was on the field at 12:45
a.m. on the field. Came in second.
Got home. Guess what?
I was doing the next morning. Guess what we were doing the
next morning we're in church? I know what, I'm know what I'm
doing. But it's not going to compromise
my call. I'm not going to get the kingdom
gets gets reduced in our life as we accumulate more things in our
lives where we're going to look at with the Rich Young Ruler,
the more. He had the harder it was for him
to gain the kingdom. He had too much to gain.
Okay, so now we have this luer of wealth.
We have this cares of the world, the busyness of life, look at
this in the passion translation, let's just read through this and
break it down. Verse 18.
Now you are ready? Everyone say I'm ready now.
You are ready to hear the explanation of the parable of
the sower. What was sown along the path?
Represents the one who listens to the message of the Kingdom,
but doesn't understand it. The adversary then comes and
snatches away. What was sown into?
Oh, his heart. Verse 20 says the one stone on
gravel represents the person who gladly here's the kingdom
message but his experience remains shallow shortly after he
hears it troubles and persecutions.
Come because of the Kingdom message.
He received everyone say received, then, he quickly Falls
away for the truth. Didn't sink.
Deeply into his heart. The ones sown among Thorns
represents one, who receives everyone?
A receives the message but all of life's busy distractions, his
divided heart, here it is, his ambition for wealth result, in
suffocating the kingdom message and it becomes fruit.
Oh, this is so good. Oh my goodness.
But what was sown on? Good rich.
Soil represents the one who hears?
And here it is. Fully Embraces.
Everyone say, fully Embraces the mess.
Sajjad of the Kingdom. Their lives bear.
Good fruit. Some yield a harvest of 30 60,
even 100 times as much as what was sown.
Let's look at this in the Amplified, the Amplified.
Listen to the meaning of the parable of the sower, while
anyone is hearing the word of the kingdom and does not grasp
and comprehend it. The evil one comes and snatches
away. What was sown in his heart.
This is what was sown along the roadside as for what was sown on
thin rocky soil. This is he, who hears the word
and at Once welcomes and accepts it with joy.
Yet it has no real root in him but his temporary look at these
words, temporary inconstant lasts but a little while and
when Affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of
the word at once, he has caused to stumble, he is repelled and
begins to distrust and desert him.
Whom he ought to trust and Obey and he falls away.
How is so good verse 22, as for what was sown among Thorns?
This Is he who hears the word but the cares of the world, the
pleasure and Delight in Glamour and deceitfulness of riches
choke and suffocate the word. And it yields no fruit, what was
sown on good soil. This is he who hears the word
grasp and comprehend it? He indeed, bears fruit and
yields in one case a hundred times as much as what was sown
in another 60 times and another 30.
This is the key. This is the what Is what I want
you to get a word received without a proper response, will
fail to yield the desired result.
I'll say it again a word received without a proper
response, will fail to yield the desired result.
Oh, word received without a proper response, a better
response. Going to church not enough.
Going to church and being checked out, not enough, going
to church and thumbing through things being distracted, not
enough going to church receiving it with joy.
Shouting. Amen, still not enough jerking
and jiggling, his Pastor Ronnie said not enough being moved
emotionally in the presence. Not enough, guys.
We need to get to a point where we value the word over presents
because his word can do far more for you than the presence.
Can I'm thankful for the presence of God, but there was a
Roman Centurion who had the greatest faith of all this.
That I don't need your presence in the room.
I need your word. If you'll send your word, you'll
heal him and deliver him from all his diseases just speak on.
A word only and my servant will be healed.
Because you can't take Pastor Marcus in the worship, team with
you. You can't take us with you.
If you're always requiring, an external measure to make an
impact on your life, you live at the mercy of the external.
It's about internalizing this, it's about getting it.
Deeply rooted on the inside, it's about being so confident,
so assured, nothing can move me, nothing can shake me.
Nothing can cause me to doubt or disbelieve what the word has to
say. Become like an Israelite
wandering through the Wilderness, living from Miracle
to Miracle, but never gaining the heart of the father.
Miracles have their place, but Miracles should always point you
back to the word and to the heart of the father.
Hopefully, we'll see that here in a minute.
A word received. Without a proper response, will
fail to yield the desired result, Revelation demands, both
reception and responsiveness. I'll say that again, Revelation
demands both reception and responsiveness.
I pray this over our church, I started doing this.
I don't know, it's probably been at least two or three years.
I pray this over our church every single time.
I Minister father, I pray that we have Minds that are receptive
and hearts that are responsive I pray that we have Minds that are
receptive to receive the word but receiving the word without
responding to the word. Will still leave me fruitless.
Still need me is a mystery. Mysteries are discovered not by
information, but by revelation. I gave you my testimony
yesterday of when the kingdom message first came and I was
relying on information. I was reading the books.
I was listening to The Minister's, but I was trying to
be informed of the Kingdom rather than having the kingdom
revealed. There's only one way that he
will bring the kingdom. It's through Revelation, it's
the only way and Revelation demands both receiving and
responding. There's a better response.
Everyone say there's a better response.
There's a better response. Mark chapter 4, this is the
parable of the sower in marks account.
That my account, there's another Mart.
Mark chapter 4. and in wrapping it up, Jesus says this in verse
24, Verse 24 and he said to them, pay attention.
Everyone say, pay attention, pay attention to what you hear.
This is what he says, by the measure, you use it.
See we thought hearing was a passive word.
Hearing is in Jesus's context is an active word.
That what I hear should be put to use, pay attention.
The measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
I wonder how many Believers are expecting more in return than
what they have put in. You know, we heard that
statement or too poor to pay, attention, pay, pay, pay
attention, what's that? There's a cost involved.
Be leery of a gospel that doesn't cost you anything, be
leery of a gospel. That is a require, anything of
you be skeptical cautious, apprehensive of a gospel.
That doesn't demand anything from you that freely gives you
everything with. You just do whatever you want.
It's covered it grace and mercy and love, know the love Demands.
A response Grace, the man's our response.
Mercy demands a response. I live from Even now I don't
live from the earth anymore. Pay attention, there's a cost
involved. Gospel cost, always determines
value. You don't pay for what you don't
value. And Jesus is saying, I'm not
bringing my valuable word. My valuable Kingdom down to your
level of cost. You're going to pay the cost.
There's a high price but it's worth it.
It's worth it. Pay attention to what you hear,
by the measure, you use it, not hear it, not receive it by the
measure, you respond to it. That's what you'll get in return
too. Many of us are wondering why
we're not seeing signs demonstrations wonders.
Because I've heard the word and I know the word and I believe
the word, but if the Leaving isn't producing action,
associated with it, faith and obedience walk together.
We heard that yesterday. Then you don't really value it.
It's not costing you anything. The Amplified says be careful
what you are hearing the measure of here.
It is thought in study. You what?
Give We thought hearing the word, was what it was about.
What I get. I'm coming to church to get
alert. Everybody wants to get a word.
What are you gonna give in response?
You know, a prophetic word, doesn't do anything in your life
if you don't obey the word given Why are we demanding the word to
produce results in our life when we're not responding
appropriately? It provides power, it provides
life. But what I do with that life and
what I do with that power is what determines the results?
What I do with the word determines, what the word will
do for me, what I do with the word determines, what the word
will do for me. A better response.
Well, at least I'm going to church but you're distracted.
Well at least I'm raising my hands and worshiping but what is
the response out of here? How Deeply rooted is the word in
you? How much do you value?
What's the price that you pay? Because here's the thing guys if
it doesn't cost you anything then it's not worth anything.
If it doesn't cost anything from you, then it's not worth
anything to you. I think it was Willie George
back in the 80s. He used to travel, he pastor
church on the moves, he's handed the church off to his son.
Now back in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but he used to travel and teach
churches how to do a children's ministry because that was his
vein. That was his second.
He had the Gospel Bill show and and all that, you know, and he
would travel and he said he used to do them for free and couldn't
get anybody to come out. This is a free thing.
We're just just come out. Nobody would come.
He said he started church and charging. $25. and because
people paid for something, they valued it and they came and not
interesting. but the first year, the first year that we were here
in 2004, The my first weekend here, I moved here.
July 4th weekend is like July 1st, July 2nd, drove all the way
from Texas came out here, we're not going to talk about all the
details and we can leave that in that's BC days.
We did a, we handed out water bottles at the fort on July 4th
with the fireworks. Go off here in St.
Augustine you'd be amazed at how hard it is to hand out a cold
bottle of water on a blistering July 4th afternoon.
People are just like, you know, they're like, what do you want?
We're just giving you water. And here's a little piece of
paper about a perfect church. That's all we're doing.
They'd rather pay four dollars over here.
The little vendor. Because you don't, you don't
want a free. That there are things that are
freely given to us, that are made a gift to us.
But there's got to be a cost involved, there's got to be an
effort involved. There's got to be intentionality
involved. Y'all getting something.
He goes on down Matthew Chapter 13.
Remember this? Is the parable that explains all
the other Parables. If you don't understand this
one, you won't grasp the other ones, he jumps down to verse 44,
Heavens Kingdom in the passion translation, Heavens Kingdom
realm can be Illustrated like this.
The person discovered that there was hidden treasure in a field.
Upon finding it. He hit it again.
What? I'm telling you the kingdom will
flip everything on its head. He hid the treasure again.
Now, watch the following actions.
He discovered there was a hidden treasure in a field upon finding
it. He hit it again because of
uncovering, such treasure. He was overjoyed.
But notice that being Overjoyed about the treasure doesn't
happen. Help him gain the treasure.
He was overjoyed, then sold. All everyone say, all that word
in the Greek, the word. All It means all.
All right, that one fell a little flat.
Sold all that he possessed, all that, he possessed, all that.
He had to buy the entire, not just the treasure the entire
field. Just so he could have the
treasure verse 45 Heavens Kingdom realm is also like a
jewel Merchant in search of rare pearls.
When he discovered one very precious and exquisite Pearl, he
immediately gave up all ass that same word, all that he had in
exchange for it. When you come in this room on a
Sunday, on a Wednesday in a conference, whenever there's an
exchange taking place. What am I laying down?
Not just. What am I taking up?
The kingdom is not something you add to.
It's something that replaces something I had before.
And so the Rich Young Ruler without getting into it.
He was looking to add something to his profile.
I love how you put that looking to add to.
He remember, he's a rich young ruler.
He's got a lot of wealth, he's of young age.
Got a whole life in front of him and he's a ruler.
He's a man of influence. What else does he need?
And so Jesus says well, you know the Commandments and I love the
statement and Pastor Daryl pointed out.
I have kept all these things from my youth, think the
Amplified reads, I have I have something along the lines of.
I have not violated these commands.
What's he resting on? What's he putting his wealth it?
What's he putting his trust in my ability?
He's building his own kingdom. The Jesus Kingdom looks
attractive to him. And so Jesus says, okay, are you
willing to burn down your kingdom to gain my kingdom?
I have kept, he was really good at getting and he was really
good at keeping. I've kept, I've kept, I've kept
and I value, keeping over laying down to gain something else.
Just go ahead and turn their Mark chapter 10 and throw it on
the screen because I need to point out a couple things.
Verse 20. He said to him, teacher, I have
kept all these things and, you know, that he's good at gaining
because he has, he's a Rich Young Ruler, he's gained
something in life. And Jesus looks at him and says
you lack one thing and I had that in my notes, just as Pastor
Daryl said, man, we were right on man.
It was just, you didn't just lack one thing, but you lacked
the most important thing. because you lacking this thing
is the reason why you're lacking everything else in your life,
There's a priority issue. The sound familiar.
Matthew chapter 6, c key. What do you think that there's
other seeking that supposed to take place after you seek the
kingdom? No, it's not seek first and then
seek everything else seek first, and you'll find that seeking
this will replace all the other seeking you ever have to do in
your life. You lack one thing up.
There's a lot of things you like, but if you fix this one
it'll fix all these two its priority.
Jesus loved him. I loved that.
They left that in there. They were loving words.
These are not rebuking words. These are not condemning words,
it might be challenging, But where there's no confrontation.
There's no growth. Well, there's no challenge,
there's no growth. We said it yesterday you can
have comfort or you can have growth, but you cannot have
both. The kingdom will disrupt.
The kingdom will challenge, the kingdom will confront my way.
My will, the self will be obstinate the in my position to
selfishly ambitious. I mean, it's all this stuff
starts rising to the surface only because Jesus knows what I
have to give you a return far. Outweighs what you're holding on
to. It's a matter of value, it's a
matter of Honor. In verse 22.
It says he was dismayed by this demand and went away grieving.
Why? Because he had many possessions
Jesus goes on and he relates this to entering the kingdom
because in verse 23 he looked around and he said to his
disciples how hard it is. For those who have wealth to
here, it is, enter the kingdom. That's what got us started on
this whole thing in John chapter 3.
Unless you're born again, you cannot see or enter the kingdom.
Why are we coming to church? Feeling notebooks, highlighting,
Bibles listening to podcast accumulating.
All this is because we have been more interested in what we gain
than what we give. Be leery of a kingdom that
doesn't require anything of you. He goes on, he talks to his
disciples, his disciples say, you know, my goodness if he
can't get in the Kingdom. Now there's no hope for any of
us. Poor broke little fisherman.
He says, I'm not talking about natural will I'm talking about
what you deem valuable in verse 28, Peters tells him.
Look I could just see Peter like hey whoa, we left everything and
followed you That's not us. That's him.
We've left it all, man. You said come follow me.
I'll make you Fishers of Men. We put down the net.
I came followed you. We left home, we left, follow,
we left mother, we left Comfort. We left familiarity with
everything. We knew we left our jobs.
We left it all. They were here.
We're here. In the Amplified, verse 23, Mark
10 verse 23, Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, with
what difficulty, all those who possess wealth, and keep on
holding it. I received it with joy, but I
kept holding. There's a better response.
Receiving a word and failing to respond to it.
Will still not produce the desired result.
What's the proper response? Josh and I we've been talking
Josh clay back there, we've been talking.
Like I said, last several days, I'm going to give him credit on
one, we shoot each other a little little text and things
I'll give him credit on one. He said this.
How do you know if someone has the kingdom when they have
nothing left but the kingdom The mystery.
Hidden. Hidden.
Not from you. But for you, how do you know
when someone has the kingdom when they have nothing left but
the kingdom Matthew 6:33 in the Amplified reads this way but
seek a mat and strive after a love that.
First of all, his kingdom and his righteousness, his way of
doing and being, right? We talked about yielded -
yesterday. We talked about obedience
yesterday, we talked about the posture of the heart yesterday
and then what all these things taken together will be giving
you besides, notice what you gain in response to giving up.
God never asked for you to give at your deficiency.
He always asks you to give so that you can gain Colossians
chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3 and verse
1. I'm going to read this in the
Amplified, we'll just go straight to the Amplified you
know if you were raised with Christ seek those things which
are above, let's read it in the Amplified verse 1.
If then you have been raised with Christ, notice that raising
with Christ's Kingdom rise but there is following action
required. If then you have been raised
with Christ meaning since you it's that that word.
If is actually defined since since you have been Is with
Christ. Here's the appropriate response.
Since you have been raised with Christ to a new life, thus
sharing his resurrection from the dead.
Here it is again, a mat and seek the rich Eternal, what is what
we're talking about. The treasure in the field, The
Mystery of the Kingdom, the hidden thing.
No one takes treasures and just leaves it, laying around, and
commonplaces your word. Have I hid in my heart that I
might not what The appropriate response.
I don't get the response of not sinning until I value and hide
the word, treasure the word value.
The word honor, the word The rich Eternal Treasures that are
above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the father
verse 2 and set your minds and here it is.
Keep them said, I don't know how many times I've heard someone
minister at Kingdom message come back a year later, and it's
absent, you can. It's evident, it's not there,
it's not it's not least, they're not lacing the kingdom.
To every weaving, the kingdom intertwine in the kingdom, and
every element, the way that it ought to be, you can tell the
difference. it's because they set their mind but they didn't
stay said, there's a there's another action involved here,
set your minds and keep them set on what is above, which tells me
that there is something trying to get me to get my mind off of
the things that I once, had them set on, whether it be the
persecutions of the trials of life, Or whether it be the
busyness and distractions of life.
Set your minds and keep them set on what is above the higher
things, not on the things that are on the earth.
For as far as this world is concerned, you have died.
You have died and your new real life is what?
I love when it comes full circle.
A mystery. Is what hidden thing?
Your life is a mystery. A mystery that should be
discovered. A mystery that needs to be
unveiled. He wants to make known to the
mysteries of the Kingdom. The mystery of his plan from the
beginning of times. Before the beginning of the age,
what he put in place, what he set in motion for you?
And I, it's a mystery and it requires value, honor urgency
and intentionality to go in and dig up this treasure.
But what is the price? You'll pay.
What is the cost that you'll pay?
Because if it doesn't cost you anything, it won't be worth
anything. Ng.
One more in the message and we'll wrap it up here.
So if you're serious about living, this new Resurrection
Life with Christ. Anybody serious?
The implication is that there are those that aren't serious.
If you're serious about living, this new Resurrection Life with
Christ act like it. There's a better response.
He says, pursue the things over, which Christ presides.
Don't shuffle along eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things
right in front of you. The things right in front of
you, this is what he's saying, is, you're missing what's right
in front of you, because you're distracted by the things all
around you. Look up, he says be alert to
what is going on around Christ. That's where the action is see.
Things from his perspective, your old life is dead, your new
life, which is your real life even though invisible, it's a
Spectators is with Christ in God.
He is your life. We must learn to Value the
hidden things. Amen.
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