Don't you want to represent the kingdom of God?
Sure. And so, the Bible tells us over
at 1st Thessalonians 1:9 a few of these scriptures.
You've heard before, but we want to bring them back to your
remembrance because again, it's not good enough that you've come
across them one time or that you've read them.
One time. What's important is that you're
able to keep them stirred up in your spirit man so that you'll
act on them. And there's so many elements of
the Believers walk that have to keep themselves stirred up, so
that they are actually doing the things that were called to do in
this particular. Two passes.
It says this for they themselves report about us, what kind of a
reception we had with you and how you turned to God from Idols
to serve a living and true God. So we are deserve a living and
true. God, we are deserve a living and
true God. We're going to key in on this
word serve tonight. If you go over to Colossians
chapter 3, verses, 23 and 24, you know this past.
But let's look at it again. It says and whatever you do do.
Your work heartedly as for the Lord, rather than for rather
than for, that means don't be trying to please man.
Now that mean you're not going to do a good job for men, but
it's not because you want them to be pleased with you.
What you want is God to be pleased with you, okay?
And this is why we do it but he said, do your work hardly as for
the law rather than man verse 24 knowing say knowing knowing this
is like this is going to take place if you'll do the first
verse This takes place. If you do the first verse this
takes place, if you do the first verse.
So 24 is conditional on 23. If you'll, if you'll do whatever
you do, you do it, your work hardly as for the Lord and not
men, this is what you can know knowing that from the Lord, you
will receive receive the reward of The Inheritance.
It is the Lord Christ whom you served.
Now, this is not, you'll receive salvation because To be born
again and write with our king is not a work, lest any man should
boast. It's not like we're serving God
on our own merits, and getting him to recognize that will do
what he says. And he ought to give us a pass.
Forgive us of our sins because of our Merit.
Look how well we're serving everyone else.
Know what it is is that you're in your inheritance.
As for salvation comes through the belief system that Jesus
Christ died on the cross. He shed his blood for For our
sin, you accepted him as your lord and savior.
And from his work, you became a child of God.
But once you became a child of God, then you serve the king.
I said you serve the king. Then when you serve the king,
you get the rewards because the king always were Wars obedience.
And there are things that you can walk in today, rewards that
you can have in this life, not just the one to come, but right
now, if you will wholeheartedly sir, Serve God.
Now, this word serve, if we take it into the Greek and we pulled
this word out and look at it in. The Greek is going to be defined
in this capacity. It means to serve in a humble
Manner and in response to the demands or commands of others,
all right? To be under the control of some
influence and to serve the interests of such.
So you're saying here, is that God?
I serve you. So in essence, I submit myself
to do your will I allow you to dictate my actions.
That's what I'm doing, okay. So when we take this hardly as
for the Lord, it means make up your mind to work for the Lord
work, his work, his purpose, your work is the purpose of God.
So, when you do your hardly work, it means I'm doing the
purpose. The King has assigned me to do I
submit my will to his way of doing it.
Now this Greek word if we break it up because it's a Pound word.
The beginning means is it means to be devoted to the disregard
of one's interest. This is what Timothy was spoken
of. So, great of Paul in the his
Philippian letter, he said when he was talking about that
particular Church says, I'm going to send one of the guys
that are hanging out with me. Now there were many hanging with
him but he said I can only send you Timothy for.
He's the only one, who's what like-minded as myself.
What was like minded? That means he wasn't seeking.
His own interest. These other guys are so again,
this word serve, when you break up this Greek word, it means I
disregard my interest for the interests of the one I'm
serving. Now, that's easier said, than
done guys. I'm just gonna be honest with
you, and you already know this from your own personal
experience and walk with God that serving him and letting
your interest go is kind of difficult.
But here's the thing you can do it.
You can do it. And if you want to receive all
the rewards God has for you in this life, then you have to do.
So, listen to people can come and serve at a table.
The reason why they're serving at a table is two different
things. Some can come and serve the
table whomever is at the table, because they generally want them
to be taken care of, it was really just about them.
The other and whatever reward comes from that they'll receive.
But there's others that weren't the table.
Not because of the person they're serving.
But because of the tip they want to receive from both the
serving, but the motive of why they serve is different, I don't
really care what you give. Cause you're not my source.
I'm here to serve you because I'm really serving as if God
sitting at the table and whatever you tipped me a reward
me, I'll receive and be thankful But ultimately my Ward does come
from the Lord that attitudes a lot different than all.
Let me show you the highest price items.
Oh let me take you to the the menu that serves the drinks
because if I can get you, highly intoxicated you become really
profitable not only for the restaurant.
But also for my pocket, Are you with me?
And so I'm trying to move it in such a way and work you in such
a way so that I get from you and if you can't discern but God can
you sometimes can't tell which person you have.
But the thing is, God can tell because God knows your heart.
Hallelujah, we see Phillip, Italy say that state me, you
know where God knows my heart. Don't judge me, God knows my
heart. God does know your heart, you're
right. And the fact that you're Saying
that right now. Probably means you're in trouble
and you need to repent. Right?
Right. Because you don't don't talk,
don't tell. Don't judge me, okay?
I'm not, I don't know why y'all hopped up on catnip right now?
I mean, seriously, to just humble yourself it's going to
be. All right, you know, I mean, if
you freeze it stinks, it stinks. I'm just talking to you about
your fruit. I'm not judging you as a person,
potentially, right? Anyway, so this, there's a heart
issue guys here. So we see, when we break this
word up, it literally means. Again, it means to be Led to
another and disregard one's own interest, but the latter part of
this Greek word means this to bond.
To bond. So in essence, what we see with
this word, this picture of this word serve in these two Paths of
scripture is that you are humbling yourself in a way that
you're going to receive a command from the one you're
serving and you're disregarding, your will and your binding
yourself to their will and serve their purpose.
That's what it means to serve in this pack capacity and God wants
us to serve the Lord in this way.
Now again, that means you've got to shift your thinking and it's
not about what you can do. It's about what God wants you to
do, and then he'll greatly reward you according to your
serving. So let's go into another passage
of scripture that I'm a read this out.
The passion translation, new translation itself and it helps
Fitness really into today's modern vernacular and is going
to be better for me. Me to read it out this
translation for you because I think you can get a better
picture and how it is in the new King James or in The New
American Standard Ephesians chapter 6, verses 5 through 8
says it this way, those who are employed should listen to their
employers and obey their instruction with great respect
and honor, serve them with humility in your hearts as
though you were working for the master.
Hey, men as though you were working for Who the Master?
Always do what is right. And not only when others are
watching so that you may please Christ.
As his servants, by doing his will serve your employer's
wholeheartedly and with love as though you were serving Christ
and not men in that powerful. He says it's being sure that
anything you do that is beautiful and excellent will be
at will be repaid by who our Lord, whether you are an
employee or Or an employer. Now, we get hung up on these
terms employee-employer. A lot of times when the reality
is we are seriously just serving the king.
Amen. So what we, what we need to
recognize is a person who serves can come to this table and serve
with a hard towards God and even if the person at the table,
stiffs them attempt. Or gives them a low one.
They realize the tips not over with you.
Even if they give them a great one, they still know.
God will repay me because I did not work this table to get what
you could give me. I work.
The table is if the King was already here.
Hallelujah. So amazing.
Because if you just weren't the table for yourself, then you
only get what comes when the table is finished.
But when you work it for the Lord, not only can you get paid
in the natural and whatever it is, you're serving, but then God
will repay you. Because he knows you were
actually doing it on my account every week or every two weeks or
every month you get a paycheck, if you are employed somewhere,
if you are a business owner, your your your clientele or
coming in and somewhere, a salary, or whatever benefit
package comes out of that, you're receiving income, and if
you only work your business, or you only work as a manager, or
you only work as an employee, OE for someone, just for your
paycheck, then when you get it, you get it.
But when you actually serve that company, are you own your
company in service to God? You're not limited to what you
can get in the natural by working hard and being diligent,
but you'll get an additional because God will repay you as
well. The Bible tells us in Hebrews
11:6. It says without faith.
It's impossible to please God. Right for We must believe that
he is right and that he's a rewarder of those who diligently
seek him. Not going to go too far into
that verse. But I do want us to know that
word where water when you break it down in the Greek.
It literally means this one who pays wage to someone, so your
faith requires God to pay you a wage, he's a rewarder.
He is paying a wage. So again, you're not limited in
the natural of the literal task. You're serving when you serve
it. As unto the Lord.
In essence, you get the double dip.
Okay, I'll go over here. I don't know about you but I
want to double dip. I used to do a double did when I
was in the Florida Army National Guard.
That means that I would I could get on what they call man days.
Okay, a man days would I would be working somewhere on post and
they would pay me according to my rank that I was currently at.
But because I was on man days I could take leave from my federal
job and so I Paid from the federal job.
So I could do military work. And so, during those two weeks,
I would double dip. I would get paid in both.
Hallelujah. Then if you ended up getting on
an assignment somewhere and had some military leave, not only to
get paid from your your job, but then you got paid for your
assignment plus what they call per diem plus travel, maybe even
Hazard pay. I mean, you can get a bankroll,
thank you for paying your taxes. I'm telling you right now you
would really start rolling into some cash.
And there was a lot of guys, they would end up getting their
per diem, which is like a food allowance and they wouldn't even
touch it. It would be like thousands of
dollars, you know, 1700 2025 a hundred dollars a month, just
for food that are like, I mean, none of us were even eating that
because they were feeding us too.
Hallelujah, I wasn't complaining.
You know, don't be upset because we serve because we could do for
you. Just let you know.
Alright. It's alright.
So my point is that you do want to double dip.
Don't limit your life to a service of only natural pleasing
of men or whatever. That maybe to get that natural
reward. God says, don't limit yourself
there, actually do it to me. And if you'll do it for me, not
only can you get a natural War, but you'll get a supernatural
world as well. Amen, So with that being said,
let's go over to John, chapter 12, John chapter 12 verse 26,
says this, if anyone serves me. Now, this is the Lord speaking
John chapter 12 verse 26. He says, if anyone serves me, he
must follow me. Alright, that's some pretty
strong language, right there. All right, so let's make sure we
Define it as it's written. All right?
What it does not say is if which is conditional.
What's that mean? You don't have to but if you
don't then you don't get the reward nor will you get the
honor. So this whole verse is
conditional on what you do if who Anyone so who's anyone, my
definition, anyone can that be you?
So we're not talking to the fivefold minister.
We're not taught. Listen, we're not even talking
to the Saints. Now, that doesn't mean a balloon
unbeliever can follow God, he can follow God up to the
Revelation, he has. But ultimately the Lord's going
to say you need Jesus then at that point you had to break over
into Jesus but you can't as an unbeliever follow some
principles of God and get God's blessing which he will
ultimately point you to Jesus that.
Then you're going to have to come up and make that account,
right? How do we know this is true?
Because the Rich Young Ruler Was blessed, because he followed
what God Said, but he still was lacking.
So, he goes to the great teachers, as what must I do to
inherit eternal life, he said, just keep the Commandment son.
He said, I've been doing that since I was a child and he's
Rich, he's wealthy, he's prospered because of God's
principles, but he needed it now submit to the lordship of Jesus.
It weathers one thing you like. Ultimately, if you want to get
over into the Overflow and have Treasures in Heaven, some,
you're going to have to let me be the Lord of your life.
Gently. He did not follow then and once
he didn't follow, then he's ceased to follow him.
He has ceased to follow. All right.
If anyone serves me, he must follow me.
That doesn't say if anyone serves me, he can he can decide
when he wants to to come and hook up with me and go where I'm
going and do what I'm doing. Okay, Hallelujah.
I mean again guys the Bible is really straightforward, you
know, and it's an awesome thing. If we just actually literally do
what it says we're going to have.
It literally what it says, but if we all of a sudden began to
make, excuse why we can't do a thing, then we'll also make an
excuse, why God's not doing a thing, and then we'll make
excuses or we'll start there. Wrongly interpret God's word is
if God chooses, not to do certain things.
When the reality is this really was our issue called, we didn't
fulfill the Scripture. It Minds me of what brother
Hagin said Kenneth E Hagin said one time when God took him and
spoke to him and said I was reading a book today concerning
this particular account and brother Hagin was called into
the first phase of ministry. He had been doing 12 years of
pastoring but God never called him to pasture.
And so he went goes into go out to minister to people, to
churches and go teach their people face.
So he answered the call and he went, did it a year later he
sits down to settle accounts with God.
In essence, he says now Lord I obeyed you ice, went out, and I
began to travel around and Minister.
I let go of that church. I'll let go of that parsonage.
I let go of that salary. We were doing good.
And now, when I look at my account and I look at the car
that I no longer have, because I had to sell it for junk, and I
look at the whole of my shoes and I looked at I only have one
suit and I look that I'm not better off this year.
I'm going to have to hold you accountable as your word says,
if you're willing and obedient you eat the good of the lamb and
the Lord speaks to him and says that verse don't call you.
Don't qualify for that verse. He said, what do you mean?
I don't qualify for that burst. The Lord says you were obedient.
You did it, but you weren't willing so really the whole
time. He's out there and he's not
seeing the income and he's not seeing it and obviously the
challenges that go with him traveling and what was some of
the challenges that he had? Here's one of the challenges, he
would go minister at a church for a week or two weeks and they
wouldn't even take up an offering for him.
Some Churches, he would go by, they wouldn't even feed him.
They assumed he had for himself. Because the gospel is free.
So here, he's not doing better. The Lord says yeah you are
obedient but you weren't willing.
He said, well and I tell you right now only takes about 10
seconds to get willing and so he got willing.
And then the next time he came with him, he was doing better
off. Can I get an amen?
So, a lot of times we don't watch out, we're not actually
doing the scripture as God says, and serving God's, a serious
deal. But again, if we reduce the
whole context of the scripture that ask Jesus to come into your
heart and forgive you of your sins.
So when you die, you go to heaven.
Then you'll wait to serve him when you get to heaven.
But God's not waiting for you to get to heaven to hit for you to
serve him. He's saying, I want you to serve
me now because I'm not going to wait till you get to heaven to
give you a reward. I'm not gonna wait till you come
to heaven to treat you as a son and a daughter of God.
I'm not going to wait till heaven to take care of my own
family, but if I'm going to honor you, and if I'm going to
take care of you, and if I'm gonna repay you or reward, you,
then you're going to have to serve me, meaning, you're gonna
have to take your will Attach it to my will disregard your
desires, pick up, only my desires, be bound to that, and
do it with all your heart. Hallelujah.
So he says, if anyone serves me, he must notice he again did give
you the option at this point. He's saying, this is how it
looks. You must follow me and where I
am there. My servant will be also, well,
where is he? We know he's seated at the right
hand of the father. Is he not?
Well, are you there with him? You are in word and spirit, but
you're not physically, and you're only there and word and
spirit. If you actually believe that
you've been raised up seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Okay? So, in a literal sense, you
can't actually be physically present in heaven with Jesus on
the throne that He sits on at the right hand of the father, so
obviously he's not telling you, you can't be with him.
So what does he mean? He means then number one, we
know where he is. Where is he and the Earth?
Can anyone tell me? He's in the Bible, right?
Cause he's the word of God. That's one place.
He is the second place. He is.
Someone said he's in us. That's true.
He is in you. If you've hidden the word in
your heart and the Holy Ghost Bears, witness with your spirit.
You're a child of God is God Christ in you the hope of glory.
So he's in his work. Where is alive and active?
He's in you because you are the Temple of the, Holy Ghost.
But here's another place. He is, anybody know where he's
at, he's in the church because this his body.
So, yes, you can talk to yourself.
Be amongst yourself, have the word for yourself, but you can't
be with him. Also, if you're not in church,
okay, hallelujah. Amen.
And you can't pick and choose when whenever Jesus says church
is going on church is going on. And if he's assigned you to a
local body with a vision to run with and went whatever that
church decides that God saying we should do this and I just
choose to be scriptural myself because the Bible tells me and
Hebrews chapter 10 to not forsake, the assembling of
ourselves together as is the habit of some, but all the more
say, all the more not all the less.
But all the more as the day approaches.
This is why I have no problem that we can raise up people on
Sunday, morning to Services have a kingdom Institute on Sunday
night, have a Monday night, Mighty Men, 318 on Wednesday and
I have service Thursday night. I have band practice Friday
night have of whatever would show up.
You know, any Spanish service on the fourth one or Friday night
explosion with our children or, you know, a women's ministry,
call her Man's Ministry, mighty, man.
Whatever it may be. I have no problem.
Why? Because we're getting closer to
Jesus, and Jesus, if I'm following him, he's in the
church. And the church should be open to
a more than less as we get closer.
And if you'll continue to get involved in those areas when
they're open, then you'll find yourself following him fully and
you'll get the next thing there. There, my servant will be also,
and if anyone serves me, the father will honor him.
Now the thing With this word serves here, in this passage of
scripture is not the same Greek word as the one we defined in
the other three. This one is a little different.
This one means this. It means to be an attendant To
wait upon. Or as a host.
It also means this, it means an attendant.
Are you ready? Oh, waiter Now you understand
why someone's been taking care of the table tonight?
I understand why you got some dinner mints when you came in
because we're feeding you the bread of life tonight.
Hallelujah. Amen.
There's some water. We're pouring out that when you
come and drink from it, you'll never thirst again.
That's what we serving tonight. Can I get an?
Amen. All right, so we need to learn
how to be great waiters or waitresses.
All right, I'm gonna say waiter because I have a waiter tonight.
I don't have a waitress up here, all right?
And the reality is we need to And what this means, the vine of
this Greek word means this to render any kind of service,
okay, and begin, we want to follow him or serve him fully.
We are here because the king asked us to be a part of his
kingdom while we were yet, sinners he died for us and then
he called us into his family. No one went after God.
No, not one but God apprehended you.
God went after you. God says, I lie for you to come
and sit at my table. And sup with me.
Hallelujah. But as we come really, we want
to wait on him. I said we want to wait on him.
So I'm going to take some time to do some types and shadows of
what you're familiar with already in the natural and bring
it into perspective of your spiritual serving of God, can I
get an amen. What we're talking about is the
kingdom of God is like a waiter who serves at a restaurant.
Okay, so let's look at a few things.
The first thing we understand about a waiter is a way to
represents the restaurant not themselves.
I said the waiter represents the restaurant not themselves.
Hallelujah. You know what I've noticed
because when waiters especially ones that this is their
profession and here's the thing, you've been born again, you've
been bought with a price, your life is not your own part of
your Christian, walk with God is service.
In fact, he says this in Romans, he says, in Romans 12:1, he
talks about that, we are to be renewed in our mind, right?
We, and there is a reasonable service.
Of worship. so, as Believers is reasonable for us to serve the
king and a person whose life is in there, waiting when they are
scheduled, they show up We hallelujah.
Amen. Now, I understand cuz we all
were there's days. You want to call out?
I get it and you do call out. Well, and this happens at
church, don't you sometimes like man I just can't go ahead.
I'm just, you know and and there's no condemnation in that.
No problem. I understand.
But do you consistently come to wait on the Lord?
Or is there always a call out? Because obviously if a
restaurant owner, had a waiter who kept calling out what do you
think he would do with that waiter be like man you're not
with us. Amen, you're not with us, but
when you do show up, you put on the uniform, the outfit.
The outfit that the restaurant says you wear, aren't you
supposed to put on the full armor of God?
And there's something you're supposed to put on you supposed
to put on the new man, you got to put on the new man.
When you show up here at church, you don't put on the old man and
show them because people out in the parking lot, you don't put
on the old man and come in like a drunkard.
You don't come in the old man, and you totaling cuss like a
sailor. Do you put on the new, man?
You put on Joy. Yeah, you put on Joy.
You put, you put on, peace. That is a uniform that you get
to wear when you come to stand before the Lord.
When you come to wait upon the Lord.
And there's two sides did this. When we can look at this table,
we could say it this way. You wait on the Lord, the Lord's
at the table. But you know what, there's
another side of this. It's you waiting on the world.
Meaning you're serving the, the world.
What the owner of the restaurant has to serve them.
Because you represent the restaurant, we represent Christ.
So we'll go. And we'll say then the in Christ
says, this is what we serve. This is what's on the menu.
So somebody can come in and say, I want, you know, a Whopper with
cheese, but you're in the Drive-Thru of Chick-fil-A,
there's a problem, right? And you say listen, I'm going to
have them all. Hey there, like you got to go
across the street. Yes, sometimes doesn't the world
come in and say, well, we won't God on our terms.
He says Christ is on the menu. This is what happens.
This is how. And you, as a way to represent
the menu, I'm sorry, that's not on our menu.
I'm sorry, that's not on our menu.
I'm sorry, that's all I got on me, but your choose to pick
anything. Now, you can go eat at the
devil's place all day long. Hallelujah.
So waiter represents the restaurant not themselves.
The next thing we know this is no matter which restaurant you
go to, you always expect the waiter to do their purpose.
I mean you have an expectation. Do you ever go down?
Say hey, scuse me. Can I get your job description?
I don't know. Not about you, man.
You know what you supposed to do?
I mean, what's in your job description?
I want to make sure you doing this, right?
No, because of seeing what they are to do you all of a sudden.
Assume that that's how everybody supposed to be.
This is why you as a Believer people to be life.
Aren't you a Christian? So they get a little confused
when you don't act like one based upon what they thought.
Now, if they think you should do a thing that you're not supposed
to use a number job description, not let me do that.
But a lot of times people observe us why.
Because the world's looking for Jesus, so when I go to a
restaurant care who it is, I don't care, whether I'm paying
five dollars for plate or whether I'm paying $50 for
plate. I expect the waiter to do what
he was called to do. Amen.
And how many you you're not really excited when they don't
do what they were called to do. Now, you wonder why the world
struggles with the church. Hallelujah.
How's your servant? All right, a waiter is judged
not by their looks as much as their service.
And you know, our waitress had get tattoos all over.
No. But man she kept my cup full.
I mean, she was running over here.
Making sure we have I don't care what you look like.
I lost I didn't even see her. All I saw was her actions.
God is not a man that he looks on the outward appearance, but
he judges a heart. I'm telling you right now.
You don't worry about what people think about you on the
outside. You just start serving.
God. They won't even worry about what
you look like. On the outside prejudices will
start to disappear. Yeah, when you serve the Lord,
now, I'm not saying you won't get persecuted because have you
ever been to those places? I mean, I have, I've been around
those. I mean, when I say that, I've
been around those tables, the people that the waitress seem
like, I don't care how much they are come in and showing up, they
complaining about everything, this isn't done.
I don't like that, I want something else.
Can I talk to your manager, like bro, you need to take it
outside, you know, you had a bad day.
Can I massage your neck or something?
What's wrong, you know? Massage Right?
I'm hanging in there, like smiling.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
You know, I'm sorry. You're thinking I know you want
to slap them right now. I know that's what you want to
do and you're a walking and self-control, hey, men, walking
and self-control. It's amazing.
How waiter can walk in self-control when they serve a
table and we have a fruit of the spirit.
I said we have a fruit of the spirit.
Alright, so again man, the waiters A judge so much as they
look, but as their service, listen to this.
Another thing a waiter does a waiter, should know the menu and
today's special and you been in those hate.
So, so what's the specials? You know, I don't, I just got
here. I don't know.
Let me go. Find out.
Okay, you go find out. Right.
So what's what's the most popular thing on your menu?
You know. I don't know.
I just got here or you know, I really don't know.
Hmm. It's do we serve that up?
Well, we do have mashed potatoes, I did not know that.
All right, your life won't, you sit down, let me wait on you
right but how many Believers don't know the word.
Oh yeah, I'm preaching now. They don't know the word and all
of a sudden the world says, what's going on.
You know, why is all this stuff happening?
You know, I just got here. I don't know.
I mean, I got born again ten years ago.
And man, I'm still trying to figure this thing out, bro.
Yes, you ain't studied the menu. I said, you've not studied the
menu and here's the thing, God's word is eternal Everlasting, but
sometimes he runs some daily specials, guess what?
Today's Shal is healing and because you all did today, we
going to lay hands on you, and you're going to be healed before
you leave, because it gets us peer in operation right now.
Wants to heal your body. That's the special today.
But do you know what the special is if you're not talking to the
owner of the restaurant? Amen.
It's all clicking now in it. You'll never go to a restaurant.
The same. I hope this is the, this is the
goal that when I wait, your comes, y'all later comes, our
waitress comes. You're going to see God showing
up. Are you going to say?
Oh my gosh, here comes my Christian walk.
Hallelujah. You know what else the waiter
does listen a waiter make suggestions based on the needs
of the ones they serve. All of a sudden they'll go, you
know, I like you know what, then we have this as your choice.
You know, well have you ever had this?
You know what I've not had it personally myself but I hear
it's quite nice to be honest with you.
I cannot give a comment on that. I'm not, you know what?
Every time I come in to lunch, I myself by that.
It's the best thing on the menu. So I've been in restaurants at
the waiter shows up and goes tonight.
Specialism begins. Just boom tell me how it's made
and I'm like drooling at the mouth thing and I'm doing that I
don't have to read it. Now your words have compelled me
to want to eat what you said does your life because you wait
on the Lord when you go talk to the world compelled them to
drool out the mouth and say I want to eat what you're eating.
What? You just said that, I could
have, I want it. Are you able to pit paint a
picture of God? Specials are God's menu in such
a way that the world is drooling at the mouth to taste and see
that the Lord is good. It's good.
That's why you got to know the menu.
You can't make suggestions if you don't want know what the
menu is and you know what, sometimes you can say.
Now listen, if you do that, if you happen to have this
challenge, know this peanut oils in that or if you know if you're
looking for gluten-free option. Boom.
But again, if you don't know how to navigate them, then you can
actually serve somebody something that can hurt their
life. And how many Believers start
saying stuff without studying out themselves just called pre
You're so and so on YouTube said it.
And want to know why they're choking and you're having to do
the heimlich maneuver on them because you gave them something
that they can't have. That their bodies in it's in
their intolerant to. They're not ready to receive it
yet. Can I get an amen?
Alright, the next thing we understand about a waiter's, a
waiter takes orders with a smile, the good ones.
And what would you like? Okay, that's unsweet tea with
lemon zucchini frittata if we were at Carrabba's.
If I'm over at black Molly's I'm getting the artichoke dip,
right? We're picking that up.
You know, we're going to take that much.
I've been there enough. They're saying y'all both get no
sweet tea with lemon. And you getting the dip today?
Oh man, they talking to me. I actually have there's one guy
been working on for a little while.
You know, been showing the love of God and we my wife and I went
over there the other day. I had an appointment at 1:30
and, you know, we're rolling in there about 12:40 close.
To 12:45 is packed out, we're looking around.
Nobody's got really got food. We're like, we're not gonna make
it, we gotta go. So we're like, forget it, don't
worry about it. So we walked out, he comes
running out. Are you just gonna walk up in
here and then leave I said, man, I gotta go.
I gotta meet him and I'd love to I said I was fixing to suggest
they get you because I know that you'll take care of me because
if you know, I got an appointment, you'll get it
through for me. I know that.
But it's still be too thin for to Too Close for me today.
I'll have to go but you'll see me again.
Yeah, I know I will Amen. Why I've developed
relationships? You know, the word is relatable
to anyone in any part of life, whether they accept God or not
to the point that they will be drawn to you and all of a sudden
if you're a great weight or they'll start asking you for
Name by name, have you ever noticed when Trouble Comes, hey,
can you pray and they don't even know God yet but because you've
been able to serve them, you've waited on the Lord, you know,
what's on the menu, may be able to serve them and that capacity
all of a sudden they come running to you.
They come asking for you. In fact they want to bless You
because you've been such a blessing in their life.
Hallelujah, but a waiter takes orders.
Meaning, you tell them and they don't go.
Don't tell me what to do. You get your own food?
You know how many times I've been waiting on people.
Waiting on people. We don't people, you know, you
get your smart remarks and get a couple tips here.
Give me some change are really, you know, you can go get it up
to just get up on the table. Go find it yourself, right?
No. They take orders and respond to
your word. How much do more should we when
we wait on the Lord? And the Lord says I'd like for
you to Yes, Lord. Are you hearing me?
But what do we do? Lord, we serving that today.
No, no peace is on the menu today.
Cheese's you don't know what they did to me.
We are all out of Peace today. Now the Lord never runs out of
peace is Everlasting. He never runs out of Joy.
He never runs out what his fruit.
Never runs out and it doesn't go old and you don't have to throw
it away. The fruits of the spirit are
fresh every day, they're fresh every morning.
They're fresh and every opportunity they're always
fresh. Always served fresh and man.
They work and man. God's like, man, you just
brought peace to my life. Yeah, I brought it from the King
here, taste and see that the Lord is Is good.
What you serving up day long suffering with you, bro?
You don't even know. I got some long suffering on the
plate. My king said.
I want a serving of long-suffering with you today.
Oh, What can I get a side order of Joy?
Then just ask for a side order Joy, when God makes you go
through the long-suffering plate, come on, just go ahead
and bring joy out with it. And here, I'm serving alone
suffering, they don't realize that.
That's what they're eating and you're eating a plate of Joy on
the, in the back. Hallelujah.
What is this good? Let me go.
Get him another plate. A long-suffering this is good.
Mercy were serving today patients were serving today.
Amen. And here's the thing as a waiter
takes order. The waiter is to communicate the
order precisely the way it received it in another location.
Meaning when we wait on the loan, we coming to church here.
And God begins to speak to us through his word, then you are
supposed to go out to the world and speak to it as you received
it. What you get you're supposed to,
there's nothing more disheartening to give an order
and it come back wrong. And you understand what the
Lord's, given the order as you're waiting on him and you're
the waiter. And he says here, take this
order. What do you say concerning his
order? My word shall not return unto me
void, which means, when I tell you to go with it, when it comes
back to me, it will not return unto me void.
But it shall accomplish that which it was sent to do, which
means, whatever I sent out. It's going to come back in that
way. So God expects that whatever we
take from him and we go out, when we come back to God in that
situation, we should be responding as God told us to
respond. If the Lord sent you away and
say, man, you're blessed, don't worry about that bill.
I got it taken care of your prosperous.
You don't come back to him with a plate of grumbling and
complaining. What's this right here is bad,
it was worse than we thought, right?
No no, you come back with. Here's a plate of prosperity.
I know we have it, I got it in. Jesus name is this way, I'm
giving it back to you. This is what you wanted, and
this is what you hear from me. I'm okay.
It's all good. I don't have to see it, but you
said it and it's going to be this way.
See when you do that, the Lord said.
We'll come on and sit down this table.
Then have a bite of what I'm eating then then you actually
get to partake of that. You're believing for and now
it's not even faith in you. You actually have it cause my
word, what you sent from my hand, it shall not return unto
me void, but it will accomplish that which it was sent to do.
Hallelujah. When you eat the one, we wait on
the Lord, take orders from him and we go out.
It had come back to him the same way and we'll have what we say.
Alright now here's the thing, a waiter does not serve once we
don't watch out will preach a gospel that a person believes
they only have to do one thing. One act of Service to the Lord,
get on their knees. Pray, as she's coming the heart
and save them, then the rest of the serving happens when they
die and go to heaven. No, a great waiter or waitress
does not come to the table once. The great ones.
Never let you drink. Run draw.
You never say, excuse me waiter. Those words should never come.
If you're a great one, should always be there.
And you know what God, you know, as good excuse me, Lord, can we
have a conversation? The Lord's, like, I've always
been here. I've been waiting on you when
you should be waiting on me. Now, again as a waiter because
multiple tables they'll go, you know, do you need some more
time? The only reason they do that is
because there's other people to wait on, but we're all the
weight on one. The Lord, which means Lord, take
your time. There's no other table in the
place. I'll be here all day.
Until I hear many of us walk off without receiving an order and
you want to know why your life is empty because you didn't get
nothing from God. You thought the world's table
would serve you better when the reality is only one table in the
restaurant is his And he's the only one we should be listening
to. And when water starts coming
man, we should wait on that table.
We should not. It shouldn't be Christmas when I
come to wait on God and then see you next year.
It shouldn't be. Hey I'm gonna double up this
year. I'm going to do Easter and
Christmas and shallow guess what this year is going to be
awesome. I have a New Year's resolution.
I'm gonna come to church three times.
I'm gonna do Easter Thanksgiving and Christmas.
No, it should be Lord, I'm coming, man, I'm coming to your
table. I'm coming to your table.
I'm come check it in.
You need anything. Is there anything you need?
Lord? Is there anything you need
anything? You need?
Lord, because my will doesn't matter.
Your will matter anything you need.
You need me to do anything. Need me to get anything for you.
Need me to say anything for you. Need me to talk to anybody for
you need me to pray for anybody. For you, me me me.
Lay hands, on anybody for you, you need me to.
Waiting on the Lord, just waiting on the Lord because
great waiters. Don't just come once they keep
coming, they keep coming. Here's the thing we're going to
always be going to the Lord. For eternity, see a waiter.
Stays attentive to the ones, they serve.
How do you know if you're following?
God is he always first on your mind?
Is he the one that you're certain?
When I say - and I like, I know God exists and he going to your
life. I mean, he's constant ever.
The thought. What do I need to do?
What should I do, man? Let me just stop and do a check.
We good today. Is there anything I missed?
I mean I found myself just going through life and I'm realizing
wait a minute Lord. I need check back in with you
today. Maybe you'll find yourself
getting this some frustrating moments.
Moments you say, you know, I might have to go to the table
real quick. I need to go wait on the Lord
because what I'm serving right now is not God.
Let me go back to the table and hear what he needs me to have
and how I need to respond. And then you need to understand
this great point. And it true with all of us.
The more you invest in the mill, the more you expect from the
service. Now, we got some local
restaurants here, that I love them back.
There's one down where I live, just passed.
Marineland, if you go towards the hammock as place called,
JT's Seafood, Shack, and it's all that it's a shack, right?
Little hole in the wall type place right, man, but they
gossip. Hey, got a great shrimp and
grits, man, it's awesome. I love it, I love it.
My wife and I will pop down there, you know, it's a little
place, a little dive, you know. And you know, the That wears
t-shirts, think that maybe wear jean shorts or jeans, you know?
I mean, they're real casual, right?
So you know, if they're not popping in hitting, just write
that day, I get it. I expect them to do their job
because their weight or, you know, I have an expectation.
But, you know, I realize that, you know, you drop about $12 a
place, not a big deal. if I go over to Ruth's Chris, that's a
whole nother ball game. I'm dropping 50 dollars for a
steak. Don't do it often, but I've done
it. I've done it.
Place 500 Degrees. That's what they are.
So, don't touch him when they come out.
All right, and man, that staff, when they come and drop off the
bread and we eat on it, they'll come by with this little brush
and they'll scrape the crumbs off the black table called.
I'm like, what? JTA, never scraped.
One Crumb from a hushpuppy. They wait till you get up and
leave. Did they wipe the whole table,
right? I didn't care about that, but I
understand. But man, when you drop and they
are I mean they want to give you a manicure almost while you do.
I'll give you a manicure while waiting on him.
I'm like bro. No, they don't do that there.
I'm just saying when you're paying for something.
Right. That's Irving.
Think about now the more you drop in a restaurant experience,
the more you expect, you don't get my order wrong.
I should not have to call you. Maybe I'm dropping a hundred
dollars just for my meal and I have to ask where you at.
This is a problem. Right?
You don't come in where and you know cutoff shorts there.
I mean you're dressing up a little different.
There's another one called the Atlantic Grill down at the
hammock. You can't go in with a hat on
their golfers are coming in that place but you don't come on em
with a hat. They got some good food.
Now it's not like Ruth's Chris as far as that and then other
places I've been, you know, beyond that you know where they
said it out and you're like, Lord, Jesus help me know which
Fork to pick up right now. So I don't look like, I don't
know what I'm doing. It's this one, right?
I mean you got to study those things.
There's there's there's utensils ago, our rights while we teach
our what we gonna teach our Washington etiquette class so
that they'll know when they get before.
President one day or prime minister, they'll know how to
eat properly. When I'm we just real folk
around here. Do you need to get really
understanding of what company you're in and if you're around
real folk like that, then eat that way.
You know, Paul said I'm all things to all people.
Which means if he got in a crowd of dignitaries, he didn't act
like he was from the swamp. All right, because Jesus didn't
you homeboy? He'll ask you to come to a
wedding if you don't dress appropriately, he'll kick you
out right now that we've settled that So, let me ask this
question in closing. if we all agree that the more we spend on
that Mill, the more we expect from our servant, our service,
our, our waiter How much did Jesus pay for you?
What was the price tag for you? The Bible says that he purchased
you, not with perishable things like silver and gold, but with
the precious blood of Jesus of currency that the world did not
possess, you could not have gotten enough, gold, silver, or
any other precious metal Stone. Any type of currency to be at a
pay your debt to God for your Transgression.
But it took Holy Blood from God himself.
And he shed that blood to purchase you.
So you could come and be at his table.
What do you think his expectation of your service to
him? Should be I think that
syrophoenician woman, knew something about serving like
Ruth's Chris when she said the master, even the dogs eat the
crumbs that fall from their master's table Because crime
should be on your table servants.
You're the ones who wait on, you should get that off.
I'm telling you. Today, we need to be Kingdom
servers and realize we serve a true and living King at is Alive
forevermore seated at the right hand of our father and our
service to him should be without wavering.
Because I'm going to tell you right now, what's so awesome
about are serving to God? Is that if you showed up at his
table and he realized son, you look tired today.
Hello, Lord. I'm out doing your work.
I'm going to refresh you. He can give you a quickening in
your body. He can refresh.
You the keep you moving. He can give you a word that
causes your spirit man to come alive and be refreshed a lot of
times. The reason why we quit following
God passionately is because we start to listen to our bodies,
listen to our circumstances. Stan's, listen to things and we
forget but he paid a real big price for me to wait on him and
he has real big expectations that you'll be able to do the
job. Well because really you're a
reflection of who he is. So let's serving with our whole
heart, everything we do, there's a work to do a tanker Faith
Church if you're called here. And you're already a vision
partner here, you should be passionate about Man, I can't
wait to usher tonight. Oh, I'm going to serve my king
tonight. He should be jacked about being
out in the parking lot. Love being with those impetus.
I don't care how crazy they cried today, I'm gonna have a
great plate of patients tonight and long-suffering.
And we gonna dime with the Lord, and I'm going to speak into
their Spirit man's tonight because I'm excited.
Not only will I serve them Jesus, but then my Lord will
repay me for tonight's work. He'll do it.
Then when you're out in the highways and the byways and you
are giving people an expression of God, you serve him
diligently. Don't bring them a plate.
That doesn't come from the throne room.
Well, they're not listening, they don't want it doesn't
matter. You just keep serving it.
Eventually, they'll realize how great your plate.
Smells They're going to want to want what you're serving.
Just stay at it. That's why Saturday, when we go
out at the football game, we're gonna go cause we've been
waiting on the Lord, when I say weighty, don't show up Saturday
because you woke up, not the Swiss sleep out of your eyes
through on your outfit and ran over there real quick, and we'll
so ha has so much do I'm here now.
You're not ready for them. Get up early, Sandile, or you're
sending me to a community. There's people you want me to
love on. There's kids you want me to love
on. They've opened up to allow us to
be there and I don't want to squander one bit.
We're open for business today and I'm gonna go serving and you
pray before you get up or when you get up, you pray in your
out. There you begin to prepare
yourself because it may be that you're in the concession and
they say, I'll take a hot dog and you get too hot and already
and all the Lord says listen. Give them something besides
that. Hot dog.
Go ahead and pray for them because their knees hurting
right now is your knee. Hurting.
Yes, it is. How did you know?
The Lord told me that? Can I pray for you?
And I was just coming to get a hot dog.
You got hot dog in a healing today.
The more passionate you serve the king, the more they'll say
can I have someone? So And moms and dads.
And Little Athletes around say man.
I can't wait till Devin comes next, Saturday, I want to see
him. I hope he's at the game.
Because he cheers Me on. He tells me, I'm a champion.
He helps me out. He shows him Jesus.
That's what we do. There's no way getting around it
because waiting is work. But it pays the best because the
king is going to pay you for your service, a van.