1. TBN
  2. Programs
  3. Allen Jackson Ministries
  4. Episodes
  5. Allen Jackson - Extending The Kingdom (Part 2)
Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Extending The Kingdom (Part 2)

February 12, 2026 | 27:29

Allen Jackson - Extending The Kingdom (Part 2)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Pastors #KingdomofGod #Christianity #Ministry #Evangelism #ChildofGod #WalkwithGod #AllenJackson

Closed captions

Show Timecode
Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Extending The Kingdom (Part 2) | February 12, 2026
  • ...
  • 00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:01.316
  • Allen jackson: you know, around the world,
  • 00:00:01.750 --> 00:00:02.985
  • People are searching for truth, and together we're doing our
  • 00:00:03.085 --> 00:00:05.521
  • Very best to help them find it.
  • 00:00:05.621 --> 00:00:07.589
  • When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
  • 00:00:07.723 --> 00:00:09.858
  • Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
  • 00:00:09.992 --> 00:00:11.026
  • Who are committed to strengthening the church and
  • 00:00:13.195 --> 00:00:15.998
  • Sharing god's word through every available channel--
  • 00:00:15.998 --> 00:00:19.268
  • Television, radio, podcast, books, bible studies,
  • 00:00:19.268 --> 00:00:22.671
  • Digital resources, conferences.
  • 00:00:22.671 --> 00:00:25.541
  • Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers to reach new
  • 00:00:25.541 --> 00:00:28.710
  • Audiences, to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
  • 00:00:28.710 --> 00:00:32.614
  • Have heard the gospel otherwise.
  • 00:00:32.614 --> 00:00:34.716
  • Together, we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
  • 00:00:34.716 --> 00:00:38.654
  • Known right here at home and around the earth, wherever
  • 00:00:38.654 --> 00:00:41.790
  • God opens a door.
  • 00:00:41.790 --> 00:00:43.192
  • Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
  • 00:00:43.192 --> 00:00:46.495
  • The day our king returns.
  • 00:00:46.495 --> 00:00:48.730
  • You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
  • 00:00:48.730 --> 00:00:51.633
  • At allenjackson.com/partner.
  • 00:00:51.633 --> 00:01:03.045
  • Allen: we didn't have a baptistery when the church
  • 00:01:07.116 --> 00:01:08.784
  • Began, so we baptized people in swimming pools and creeks and
  • 00:01:08.784 --> 00:01:13.288
  • We'd go to people's homes.
  • 00:01:13.288 --> 00:01:14.656
  • We did a baptism one time in the spa in a health club.
  • 00:01:14.656 --> 00:01:20.262
  • I'm pretty sure it was the most godly thing that ever happened
  • 00:01:20.262 --> 00:01:22.097
  • In the health club, but because we didn't have access to
  • 00:01:22.097 --> 00:01:26.568
  • Anything else.
  • 00:01:26.568 --> 00:01:27.936
  • We would baptize people wherever we could, and then we got
  • 00:01:27.936 --> 00:01:30.105
  • Sophisticated enough we could have a baptistery in the church.
  • 00:01:30.105 --> 00:01:34.643
  • We were proper and then we outgrew it.
  • 00:01:34.643 --> 00:01:40.649
  • So we'd put up a swimming pool.
  • 00:01:40.649 --> 00:01:42.017
  • We put in--when this sanctuary was being--before it was
  • 00:01:42.017 --> 00:01:45.020
  • Completed, it was just concrete.
  • 00:01:45.020 --> 00:01:48.724
  • I asked, i said, "we'd like to baptize.
  • 00:01:48.724 --> 00:01:53.195
  • We have some people who would like to be baptized.
  • 00:01:53.195 --> 00:01:54.997
  • Could we do it in the sanctuary before it's finished?"
  • 00:01:54.997 --> 00:01:59.434
  • I had an idea that people i was asking were thinking of the
  • 00:01:59.434 --> 00:02:01.703
  • Typical church baptism that there was a couple of people.
  • 00:02:01.703 --> 00:02:05.440
  • We had a couple hundred, and so they said, "yes, we'd be glad."
  • 00:02:05.440 --> 00:02:10.045
  • 'cause it was--we needed special permission.
  • 00:02:10.045 --> 00:02:13.849
  • So we put a couple of pools in here before there was ever
  • 00:02:13.849 --> 00:02:16.318
  • Chairs or carpet or paint or--and we baptized people one
  • 00:02:16.318 --> 00:02:20.189
  • Weekend, and somebody took a picture, and it got back to the
  • 00:02:20.189 --> 00:02:22.424
  • People that gave us permission.
  • 00:02:22.424 --> 00:02:25.627
  • "well, you didn't tell us."
  • 00:02:25.627 --> 00:02:26.962
  • I was like--told you we were gonna baptize people.
  • 00:02:26.962 --> 00:02:33.101
  • But i didn't have a frame of reference.
  • 00:02:33.101 --> 00:02:34.703
  • I can you baptize people in a pool?
  • 00:02:34.703 --> 00:02:36.405
  • Does it count?
  • 00:02:36.405 --> 00:02:40.075
  • That's not how we do it, and i find that we close down our
  • 00:02:40.075 --> 00:02:45.981
  • Ability to receive from the lord because we know what we want him
  • 00:02:45.981 --> 00:02:50.552
  • To do, and i want--some of you have bruises in your
  • 00:02:50.552 --> 00:02:57.059
  • Relationship with the lord.
  • 00:02:57.059 --> 00:02:58.393
  • Some of you have scars and you have closed doors with him
  • 00:02:58.393 --> 00:03:02.664
  • Because he didn't meet you in the way you wanted him to
  • 00:03:02.664 --> 00:03:04.600
  • Meet you.
  • 00:03:04.600 --> 00:03:08.637
  • Then i would invite you to a place where--to have a more
  • 00:03:08.637 --> 00:03:12.207
  • Gentle conversation with god and say, god, i would rather make
  • 00:03:12.207 --> 00:03:17.246
  • Room for you to be the god of creation than to do it in the
  • 00:03:17.246 --> 00:03:22.985
  • Image that i want you to be in.
  • 00:03:22.985 --> 00:03:27.422
  • And that may be more about relationships that have failed
  • 00:03:27.422 --> 00:03:31.660
  • Or dreams that to this point haven't been a part of
  • 00:03:31.660 --> 00:03:35.664
  • Your journey or detours that--
  • 00:03:35.664 --> 00:03:39.134
  • It seems detours that your life has taken.
  • 00:03:39.134 --> 00:03:43.071
  • See, i believe in the midst of those broken places are where we
  • 00:03:43.071 --> 00:03:45.474
  • Find the power of god, and i think peter's shadow falling on
  • 00:03:45.474 --> 00:03:52.814
  • People--i don't think that was any more celebrated in jerusalem
  • 00:03:52.814 --> 00:03:55.050
  • Than it would be in murfreesboro.
  • 00:03:55.050 --> 00:03:56.418
  • I'm sure there were religious leaders going, "that is not how
  • 00:04:00.055 --> 00:04:02.090
  • It's supposed to happen.
  • 00:04:02.090 --> 00:04:04.693
  • He's a fisherman.
  • 00:04:04.693 --> 00:04:06.061
  • See, he acts like a fisherman.
  • 00:04:06.061 --> 00:04:07.996
  • Still smells like a fisherman."
  • 00:04:07.996 --> 00:04:09.364
  • It didn't stop there.
  • 00:04:12.367 --> 00:04:13.735
  • Acts chapter 8, "when they believed philip--" philip's gone
  • 00:04:13.735 --> 00:04:16.772
  • To samaria.
  • 00:04:16.772 --> 00:04:18.206
  • He got there in some rather unconventional ways, but he
  • 00:04:18.206 --> 00:04:20.342
  • "preached the good news of the kingdom of god in the name of
  • 00:04:20.342 --> 00:04:23.445
  • Jesus christ, and they were baptized, both men and women.
  • 00:04:23.445 --> 00:04:27.582
  • Simon himself believed and was baptized.
  • 00:04:27.582 --> 00:04:29.518
  • And he followed philip everywhere, astonished by the
  • 00:04:29.518 --> 00:04:31.920
  • Great signs and miracles he saw."
  • 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:34.556
  • See, evangelism was not absent the supernatural expressions of
  • 00:04:34.556 --> 00:04:37.926
  • The power of god, and we would rather have a more
  • 00:04:37.926 --> 00:04:41.263
  • Sophisticated evangelism.
  • 00:04:41.263 --> 00:04:44.032
  • Couldn't we just preach the gospel and give an altar call
  • 00:04:44.032 --> 00:04:46.935
  • And leave out the supernatural?
  • 00:04:46.935 --> 00:04:49.905
  • You could, but you will miss a great deal of, i believe, what
  • 00:04:49.905 --> 00:04:52.207
  • God would do.
  • 00:04:52.207 --> 00:04:53.575
  • See, we have to care enough about people and their
  • 00:04:53.575 --> 00:04:56.178
  • Transformation and their help that we're willing to be
  • 00:04:56.178 --> 00:04:58.347
  • Vulnerable to the ridicule that would come because we don't
  • 00:04:58.347 --> 00:05:02.584
  • Always control the outcomes.
  • 00:05:02.584 --> 00:05:04.753
  • There's a vulnerability that comes in saying, let's pray.
  • 00:05:08.924 --> 00:05:14.363
  • Because what if you pray and nothing happens?
  • 00:05:14.363 --> 00:05:16.898
  • And i would invite you towards a bit more bold expression of
  • 00:05:21.136 --> 00:05:24.139
  • Your faith.
  • 00:05:24.139 --> 00:05:25.874
  • I don't know what god will do, but i want to--i would like to
  • 00:05:25.874 --> 00:05:28.276
  • Invite him into the circumstance.
  • 00:05:28.276 --> 00:05:31.747
  • I'm amazed at what god will do.
  • 00:05:31.747 --> 00:05:35.617
  • Most frequently he far exceeds my expectations.
  • 00:05:35.617 --> 00:05:40.989
  • In acts 19, it says, "god did extraordinary miracles through
  • 00:05:40.989 --> 00:05:44.059
  • Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him
  • 00:05:44.059 --> 00:05:47.195
  • Were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and evil
  • 00:05:47.195 --> 00:05:50.532
  • Spirits left them."
  • 00:05:50.532 --> 00:05:52.701
  • It's very clear if you follow jesus through the gospels that
  • 00:05:52.701 --> 00:05:55.570
  • There were times people got physical transformation through
  • 00:05:55.570 --> 00:05:58.440
  • The deliverance of the influence of unclean spirits.
  • 00:05:58.440 --> 00:06:02.444
  • It's not always clear to me
  • 00:06:02.444 --> 00:06:05.080
  • When there's a physical problem that's caused by a spiritual
  • 00:06:05.080 --> 00:06:08.383
  • Thing and not a chemical thing or a biological thing.
  • 00:06:08.383 --> 00:06:12.687
  • We need god's help to that--for that.
  • 00:06:12.687 --> 00:06:16.024
  • Then i'm uncomfortable with people that tell me they always
  • 00:06:16.024 --> 00:06:18.527
  • Know the difference.
  • 00:06:18.527 --> 00:06:20.762
  • I don't--i'm not interested in the argument, but i would invite
  • 00:06:24.966 --> 00:06:28.570
  • You away from that kind of certainty.
  • 00:06:28.570 --> 00:06:31.673
  • Let the certainty in your heart be that god is faithful and that
  • 00:06:31.673 --> 00:06:34.075
  • The spirit of god will lead you and that he will direct you
  • 00:06:34.075 --> 00:06:37.579
  • Towards a path of freedom and healing and deliverance and
  • 00:06:37.579 --> 00:06:41.416
  • Don't turn loose of that.
  • 00:06:41.416 --> 00:06:45.720
  • You know, we have almost lost the imagination that god is
  • 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:49.224
  • Moving in the earth.
  • 00:06:49.224 --> 00:06:50.592
  • I've--i have--i've been saying that to you a lot, and i've been
  • 00:06:50.592 --> 00:06:52.461
  • Doing it very intentionally because i think we have arrived
  • 00:06:52.461 --> 00:06:56.565
  • At a place where christianity in our culture was kind of an
  • 00:06:56.565 --> 00:06:59.067
  • Inert christianity.
  • 00:06:59.067 --> 00:07:01.236
  • We want another study, and i love to study.
  • 00:07:01.236 --> 00:07:05.140
  • I love to learn.
  • 00:07:05.140 --> 00:07:06.475
  • I like to read, i'm all for that, but we're not gonna
  • 00:07:06.475 --> 00:07:08.610
  • Outwitness--we're not gonna outstudy evil.
  • 00:07:08.610 --> 00:07:12.647
  • Evil will only yield to a power greater than itself.
  • 00:07:12.647 --> 00:07:17.752
  • You don't negotiate with evil, you don't bargain with evil, it
  • 00:07:17.752 --> 00:07:21.122
  • Will not yield until there's a greater power expressed.
  • 00:07:21.122 --> 00:07:24.693
  • And we've arrived at this place where our church imaginations
  • 00:07:28.063 --> 00:07:31.633
  • Were almost inert, inactive, and the notion that god is moving--
  • 00:07:31.633 --> 00:07:39.474
  • I'm shocked--i'm not shocked, i am fascinated at the way people
  • 00:07:39.474 --> 00:07:46.615
  • Push back, i am frequently--people say to me,
  • 00:07:46.615 --> 00:07:49.651
  • Not as much locally, those--but somewhat on our campus, but more
  • 00:07:49.651 --> 00:07:55.924
  • Frequently from--people say, "you say god is moving, give
  • 00:07:55.924 --> 00:07:59.561
  • Me evidence."
  • 00:07:59.561 --> 00:08:03.865
  • I answered an email this week and i said, "well, okay."
  • 00:08:03.865 --> 00:08:09.804
  • I said, "let me start internationally.
  • 00:08:09.804 --> 00:08:13.208
  • A brutal communist dictator was removed in venezuela, and
  • 00:08:13.208 --> 00:08:17.312
  • Pastors and church leaders were released from prison, and
  • 00:08:17.312 --> 00:08:21.850
  • There's a possibility of freedom in venezuela that hasn't been
  • 00:08:21.850 --> 00:08:24.953
  • There for decades.
  • 00:08:24.953 --> 00:08:26.321
  • It's not realized yet because the person that's currently in
  • 00:08:26.321 --> 00:08:28.757
  • Charge was second in command of the communist dictator, and the
  • 00:08:28.757 --> 00:08:34.062
  • Thug that was the intimidated enforcer is still in place.
  • 00:08:34.062 --> 00:08:40.302
  • So the work's not done yet there, but there's a hope in the
  • 00:08:40.302 --> 00:08:43.538
  • Hearts of those people that they have not had for decades."
  • 00:08:43.538 --> 00:08:48.977
  • And i said, "where else would you like to look in the world?
  • 00:08:48.977 --> 00:08:52.647
  • The christians in nigeria that are being systematically
  • 00:08:52.647 --> 00:08:55.483
  • Murdered and slaughtered, genocide was underway, and the
  • 00:08:55.483 --> 00:08:58.653
  • President of the united states said, 'you will stop that, or we
  • 00:08:58.653 --> 00:09:02.090
  • Will stop you from doing that.'
  • 00:09:02.090 --> 00:09:04.593
  • It's not resolved yet, but it's created something of a pause
  • 00:09:04.593 --> 00:09:07.729
  • In that.
  • 00:09:07.729 --> 00:09:09.664
  • If i cycle to the middle east, hezbollah.
  • 00:09:09.664 --> 00:09:13.969
  • Hezbollah, that was on the northern border of israel with
  • 00:09:13.969 --> 00:09:16.605
  • Tens of thousands of rockets threatening the well-being of
  • 00:09:16.605 --> 00:09:20.208
  • The citizens of the nation of israel has been almost
  • 00:09:20.208 --> 00:09:24.012
  • Totally neutralized.
  • 00:09:24.012 --> 00:09:28.650
  • It was impossible two years ago.
  • 00:09:28.650 --> 00:09:31.853
  • They've been a threat for decades.
  • 00:09:31.853 --> 00:09:33.321
  • Hamas in the southern part of israel, all of them supported by
  • 00:09:33.321 --> 00:09:36.658
  • Iranian money and weapons and russian support.
  • 00:09:36.658 --> 00:09:40.395
  • Hamas has been for the most part neutralized.
  • 00:09:40.395 --> 00:09:44.232
  • Iran, who's been threatening israel's existence with nuclear
  • 00:09:44.232 --> 00:09:47.335
  • Weapons, their nuclear program has been turned back.
  • 00:09:47.335 --> 00:09:51.239
  • Those things were impossible.
  • 00:09:51.239 --> 00:09:52.841
  • We've had chatter about that and conversations about that for
  • 00:09:55.844 --> 00:09:58.980
  • Decades, but they actually happen.
  • 00:09:58.980 --> 00:10:00.982
  • God is moving in the earth and people won't acknowledge it
  • 00:10:00.982 --> 00:10:06.321
  • Because they don't like the politics attached to it, folks,
  • 00:10:06.321 --> 00:10:09.924
  • That's idolatry.
  • 00:10:09.924 --> 00:10:14.029
  • And if you come back home.
  • 00:10:14.029 --> 00:10:18.566
  • Abortion, there's a federal law, a right to it has been
  • 00:10:18.566 --> 00:10:24.172
  • Turned back.
  • 00:10:24.172 --> 00:10:26.374
  • It's not banned in our nation.
  • 00:10:26.374 --> 00:10:28.076
  • Every state has to make a choice.
  • 00:10:28.076 --> 00:10:29.477
  • That's pretty healthy to me.
  • 00:10:29.477 --> 00:10:31.780
  • We have to choose.
  • 00:10:31.780 --> 00:10:33.114
  • Are we're gonna keep murdering our children, or we say, 'no, we
  • 00:10:33.114 --> 00:10:35.216
  • Don't think that's a good idea.'
  • 00:10:35.216 --> 00:10:38.086
  • That's a miracle of biblical proportion.
  • 00:10:38.086 --> 00:10:42.157
  • It took a very unique set of circumstances for that
  • 00:10:42.157 --> 00:10:44.959
  • To happen.
  • 00:10:44.959 --> 00:10:47.796
  • We had become so lawless we weren't even enforcing
  • 00:10:47.796 --> 00:10:50.265
  • Our borders.
  • 00:10:50.265 --> 00:10:52.434
  • That our borders are secure again.
  • 00:10:52.434 --> 00:10:57.572
  • Marriage between a man and a woman has been declared the law
  • 00:10:57.572 --> 00:11:01.576
  • Of the land.
  • 00:11:01.576 --> 00:11:02.911
  • What a novel concept.
  • 00:11:02.911 --> 00:11:07.248
  • They have said they shouldn't continue to mutilate
  • 00:11:07.248 --> 00:11:09.984
  • Our children."
  • 00:11:09.984 --> 00:11:12.454
  • I mean, the list goes on and on, and two years ago, those things
  • 00:11:12.454 --> 00:11:17.625
  • Were impossible, they were beyond our grasp.
  • 00:11:17.625 --> 00:11:21.663
  • And we've spent decades listening to leaders telling us
  • 00:11:21.663 --> 00:11:25.500
  • They were gonna fix it, and nothing happened.
  • 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:27.802
  • God is moving and we withdraw from it because we don't like
  • 00:11:31.506 --> 00:11:39.013
  • The people involved with it.
  • 00:11:39.013 --> 00:11:40.482
  • The people involved with it are secondary.
  • 00:11:40.482 --> 00:11:42.484
  • The purposes of god are breaking forth.
  • 00:11:42.484 --> 00:11:45.320
  • Reminds me, you know, in the book of judges 6, when
  • 00:11:49.390 --> 00:11:51.826
  • Gideon--god wanted him to cut down the idols in his hometown,
  • 00:11:51.826 --> 00:11:58.466
  • And he did it at night, and when the sun came up and the people
  • 00:11:58.466 --> 00:12:01.202
  • Found out the idols were cut down, they wanted to say, "who
  • 00:12:01.202 --> 00:12:03.238
  • Did it, we'll kill him."
  • 00:12:03.238 --> 00:12:05.273
  • They knew idolatry was wrong, but it was so--it had become so
  • 00:12:05.273 --> 00:12:11.513
  • Ingrained in the culture that they were angry at someone who
  • 00:12:11.513 --> 00:12:16.751
  • Challenged the status quo.
  • 00:12:16.751 --> 00:12:18.586
  • We have to guard our hearts.
  • 00:12:18.586 --> 00:12:21.823
  • God is moving in the earth in a dizzying way.
  • 00:12:21.823 --> 00:12:30.198
  • Now, he hasn't banished evil.
  • 00:12:30.198 --> 00:12:33.134
  • In hebrews 13:8, says that, "jesus christ is the same
  • 00:12:37.272 --> 00:12:42.110
  • Yesterday, today and forever."
  • 00:12:42.110 --> 00:12:45.079
  • It's pretty straightforward that what he's done in the past he's
  • 00:12:45.079 --> 00:12:50.084
  • Doing today and he will do in the future.
  • 00:12:50.084 --> 00:12:55.690
  • You need to think about that and reflect on that until it becomes
  • 00:12:55.690 --> 00:13:00.795
  • Settled in your heart because there are things before us where
  • 00:13:00.795 --> 00:13:03.798
  • We will have to have a confidence that the lord will
  • 00:13:03.798 --> 00:13:05.567
  • Bring us through.
  • 00:13:05.567 --> 00:13:08.336
  • We have friends for whom he opened jail cells.
  • 00:13:08.336 --> 00:13:12.607
  • We have others to whom he sent angels to say, "you'll survive
  • 00:13:12.607 --> 00:13:15.944
  • The threat."
  • 00:13:15.944 --> 00:13:19.614
  • We have other friends who were stoned to death and martyred.
  • 00:13:19.614 --> 00:13:23.484
  • We have martyrs in our day.
  • 00:13:23.484 --> 00:13:26.621
  • We're not removed from this, folks.
  • 00:13:26.621 --> 00:13:30.625
  • We have to step out of this theoretical christianity where
  • 00:13:30.625 --> 00:13:36.931
  • We gather and sing our choruses and do our--study our favorite
  • 00:13:36.931 --> 00:13:40.768
  • Authors and we fail to grasp what's happening around us.
  • 00:13:40.768 --> 00:13:46.708
  • We're seeing the same kind of tension that we read in so many
  • 00:13:46.708 --> 00:13:49.911
  • Parts of our bibles unfolding around us, and we will need to
  • 00:13:49.911 --> 00:13:54.115
  • Understand that miracles and healing are a part of god's
  • 00:13:54.115 --> 00:13:57.785
  • Provision in our lives.
  • 00:13:57.785 --> 00:14:02.056
  • Allen: we have partnered with our friends tim and david barton
  • 00:14:06.261 --> 00:14:08.696
  • To make available to you a two-volume set on
  • 00:14:08.696 --> 00:14:11.466
  • American history.
  • 00:14:11.466 --> 00:14:12.800
  • It's "the american story."
  • 00:14:12.800 --> 00:14:14.168
  • And it focuses on the part of american history that's been
  • 00:14:14.168 --> 00:14:16.337
  • Lost in much of our public education these days.
  • 00:14:16.337 --> 00:14:19.240
  • It's god's engagement with this nation and how he brought the
  • 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:22.510
  • American story forward.
  • 00:14:22.510 --> 00:14:23.978
  • Our nation is more than politics or republicans and democrats.
  • 00:14:23.978 --> 00:14:27.415
  • It's god working in the lives of people to shape a nation that
  • 00:14:27.415 --> 00:14:30.985
  • Had brought forth his purposes in the world.
  • 00:14:30.985 --> 00:14:33.254
  • I believe it's an important part of our faith journey this year,
  • 00:14:33.254 --> 00:14:36.224
  • And i believe the books will be a blessing to you.
  • 00:14:36.224 --> 00:14:38.593
  • Announcer: the 250th anniversary of our nation is an important
  • 00:14:38.593 --> 00:14:42.063
  • Milestone we shouldn't rush past, because history matters.
  • 00:14:42.063 --> 00:14:46.601
  • "the american story" is a two-volume book series that
  • 00:14:46.601 --> 00:14:49.437
  • Explores how faith, courage, and conviction helped shape the
  • 00:14:49.437 --> 00:14:53.074
  • United states from the very beginning.
  • 00:14:53.074 --> 00:14:55.510
  • Gain a greater understanding of where we've been so you can
  • 00:14:55.510 --> 00:14:58.579
  • Protect and defend our nation's biblical foundations as we
  • 00:14:58.579 --> 00:15:01.582
  • Move forward.
  • 00:15:01.582 --> 00:15:02.917
  • Request "the american story" with your gift of $50 or more at
  • 00:15:02.917 --> 00:15:06.321
  • Allenjackson.com or call...
  • 00:15:06.321 --> 00:15:11.759
  • Allen: acts chapter 10 is helpful.
  • 00:15:15.196 --> 00:15:16.597
  • This was peter, he's been commissioned by the lord to go
  • 00:15:16.597 --> 00:15:22.337
  • To caesarea.
  • 00:15:22.337 --> 00:15:23.705
  • Caesarea was a roman town built by herod the great.
  • 00:15:23.705 --> 00:15:26.808
  • Named it after his friend who'd become caesar.
  • 00:15:26.808 --> 00:15:30.445
  • It's a pagan city.
  • 00:15:30.445 --> 00:15:31.779
  • Jesus--we don't have any record that jesus went there.
  • 00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:34.749
  • Jesus went to the villages for the israelis, the small
  • 00:15:34.749 --> 00:15:37.051
  • Villages, the insignificant villages, caesarea was not that.
  • 00:15:37.051 --> 00:15:40.521
  • In the center of caesarea was a temple to a roman god.
  • 00:15:40.521 --> 00:15:44.892
  • Beautiful theater, hippodrome for horse races.
  • 00:15:44.892 --> 00:15:48.863
  • Magnificent roman city right on the shores of the mediterranean
  • 00:15:48.863 --> 00:15:52.834
  • And peter gets an invitation to go there to the home of a roman
  • 00:15:52.834 --> 00:15:56.471
  • Centurion, and the only reason he went was he had a vision.
  • 00:15:56.471 --> 00:16:01.175
  • I mean, he had a supernatural intervention of god that said,
  • 00:16:01.175 --> 00:16:03.745
  • "you need to do this."
  • 00:16:03.745 --> 00:16:05.847
  • And he took some of the--his brothers in the faith with him
  • 00:16:05.847 --> 00:16:10.885
  • And when they got to the home of the roman centurion, the events
  • 00:16:10.885 --> 00:16:15.857
  • From the day of pentecost were duplicated, except this time it
  • 00:16:15.857 --> 00:16:19.394
  • Wasn't upon the jewish community, it was upon the
  • 00:16:19.394 --> 00:16:21.362
  • Gentile community.
  • 00:16:21.362 --> 00:16:22.730
  • It was--it broke every imagination that peter and his
  • 00:16:26.234 --> 00:16:30.972
  • Friends had of how god moved.
  • 00:16:30.972 --> 00:16:33.975
  • It was more startling to them than it would have been in
  • 00:16:33.975 --> 00:16:36.377
  • Jerusalem when peter's shadow was bringing healing to people.
  • 00:16:36.377 --> 00:16:40.148
  • Because the jewish people have a heritage of god's supernatural
  • 00:16:40.148 --> 00:16:44.252
  • Involvement in their lives, the miracles and healings, and i
  • 00:16:44.252 --> 00:16:46.687
  • Mean, it's a part of their narrative.
  • 00:16:46.687 --> 00:16:48.756
  • But they don't have an imagination that the non-jews
  • 00:16:48.756 --> 00:16:50.858
  • Are gonna get the same treatment.
  • 00:16:50.858 --> 00:16:52.226
  • Particularly at this point in the first century, and in your
  • 00:16:55.530 --> 00:16:58.666
  • Notes is peter's response.
  • 00:16:58.666 --> 00:17:00.034
  • "peter--he began to speak and he said, 'i now realize how true it
  • 00:17:00.034 --> 00:17:03.905
  • Is that god does not show favoritism but he accepts men
  • 00:17:03.905 --> 00:17:09.811
  • From every nation who fear him and do what is right.'"
  • 00:17:09.811 --> 00:17:15.917
  • I don't know if you can hear it, but when peter makes that
  • 00:17:15.917 --> 00:17:18.986
  • Statement, there's a tectonic shift in the hearts of the
  • 00:17:18.986 --> 00:17:24.826
  • People of god.
  • 00:17:24.826 --> 00:17:26.227
  • Peter said, "i now realize that god does not show favoritism but
  • 00:17:29.330 --> 00:17:36.571
  • He accepts men from every nation."
  • 00:17:36.571 --> 00:17:40.174
  • That has not been the understanding previously.
  • 00:17:40.174 --> 00:17:44.112
  • God did show favoritism.
  • 00:17:44.112 --> 00:17:47.882
  • He had a chosen people.
  • 00:17:47.882 --> 00:17:51.886
  • The jewish people aren't less chosen, but the blessings that
  • 00:17:51.886 --> 00:17:56.457
  • Were given to abraham and to his offspring have been opened to us
  • 00:17:56.457 --> 00:18:01.462
  • Through faith in jesus.
  • 00:18:01.462 --> 00:18:04.565
  • Well, for us we can say amen.
  • 00:18:04.565 --> 00:18:06.100
  • For the people that were the original part of that story,
  • 00:18:06.100 --> 00:18:12.140
  • It is off-putting.
  • 00:18:12.140 --> 00:18:13.541
  • Because it's much easier to think we're god's favorite,
  • 00:18:17.712 --> 00:18:21.082
  • We're special.
  • 00:18:21.082 --> 00:18:24.619
  • And before you get too captivated by that,
  • 00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:31.859
  • I would submit to you, it's what the church has been saying back
  • 00:18:31.859 --> 00:18:34.795
  • To the jewish people for two millennia, "we're special."
  • 00:18:34.795 --> 00:18:40.701
  • The best message i have for the people of god is you're
  • 00:18:44.805 --> 00:18:47.441
  • Not special.
  • 00:18:47.441 --> 00:18:50.478
  • You're not special because of the color of your skin.
  • 00:18:50.478 --> 00:18:53.681
  • You're not special because of your dna.
  • 00:18:53.681 --> 00:18:56.784
  • You're not special because of your hair color or the shape of
  • 00:18:56.784 --> 00:19:00.488
  • Your eyes or your nationality.
  • 00:19:00.488 --> 00:19:05.326
  • What makes us special is the relationship we have with jesus
  • 00:19:05.326 --> 00:19:08.496
  • Of nazareth.
  • 00:19:08.496 --> 00:19:10.598
  • And he recruited from the pile of cracked pots.
  • 00:19:10.598 --> 00:19:17.772
  • So if we have been welcomed into his kingdom, it's not because of
  • 00:19:17.772 --> 00:19:20.641
  • Something that we are or something we have done.
  • 00:19:20.641 --> 00:19:23.778
  • In reality, we were a liability, but the grace of god and the
  • 00:19:23.778 --> 00:19:28.316
  • Mercy of god, we were redeemed from an empty way of life,
  • 00:19:28.316 --> 00:19:32.086
  • Transferred from the--delivered from the kingdom of darkness and
  • 00:19:32.086 --> 00:19:34.655
  • Brought into the kingdom of the son god loves as an expression
  • 00:19:34.655 --> 00:19:38.893
  • Of his grace and mercy that all of creation might look at us and
  • 00:19:38.893 --> 00:19:42.597
  • Go, "glory to god."
  • 00:19:42.597 --> 00:19:46.267
  • Because only god could do that.
  • 00:19:46.267 --> 00:19:49.937
  • You're not special, and what do we do?
  • 00:19:49.937 --> 00:19:52.273
  • Oh no, no, i am special.
  • 00:19:52.273 --> 00:19:55.243
  • I am special.
  • 00:19:55.243 --> 00:19:57.511
  • I read the right translation.
  • 00:19:57.511 --> 00:20:00.548
  • I read the one that paul read.
  • 00:20:00.548 --> 00:20:04.819
  • I am special. i am special.
  • 00:20:04.819 --> 00:20:08.289
  • I take communion in the correct way, and you--
  • 00:20:08.289 --> 00:20:16.430
  • I am special, i am.
  • 00:20:16.430 --> 00:20:19.367
  • I worship in the right way.
  • 00:20:19.367 --> 00:20:23.771
  • I've had across all my years of ministry, there have been more
  • 00:20:27.975 --> 00:20:30.444
  • Complaints about music than anything else.
  • 00:20:30.444 --> 00:20:34.949
  • We're like children.
  • 00:20:34.949 --> 00:20:37.051
  • We have age graded music in the church
  • 00:20:37.051 --> 00:20:40.655
  • Until you get out of sixth grade.
  • 00:20:40.655 --> 00:20:44.792
  • Well, fifth grade now.
  • 00:20:44.792 --> 00:20:46.127
  • Up through fifth grade, we will try to do music
  • 00:20:46.127 --> 00:20:47.495
  • That's age appropriate.
  • 00:20:47.495 --> 00:20:49.563
  • When you make it through the fifth grade, we would like you
  • 00:20:49.563 --> 00:20:51.932
  • To imagine that the music isn't just about your preference.
  • 00:20:51.932 --> 00:20:58.406
  • The people who wish it was more traditional think it's way
  • 00:21:02.543 --> 00:21:04.812
  • Too contemporary.
  • 00:21:04.812 --> 00:21:07.281
  • The people who think it should be more expressive think it's
  • 00:21:07.281 --> 00:21:09.517
  • Way too traditional.
  • 00:21:09.517 --> 00:21:12.286
  • The people who think it should be just organic think it's way
  • 00:21:12.286 --> 00:21:14.689
  • Too produced.
  • 00:21:14.689 --> 00:21:17.325
  • The people who want it to be more technical think we sing the
  • 00:21:17.325 --> 00:21:19.994
  • Same seven words too frequently.
  • 00:21:19.994 --> 00:21:23.864
  • I mean we just--it's so--it's just not--i just--i don't, i
  • 00:21:23.864 --> 00:21:28.169
  • Mean, i just--i--i'm special and i know the right way.
  • 00:21:28.169 --> 00:21:36.544
  • I mean, and it gets worse from there.
  • 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:41.882
  • If i haven't offended you yet, i can keep working.
  • 00:21:41.882 --> 00:21:43.617
  • I can get to everybody.
  • 00:21:43.617 --> 00:21:45.653
  • The purpose of worship isn't music, it's to turn our hearts
  • 00:21:49.857 --> 00:21:52.593
  • To the lord.
  • 00:21:52.593 --> 00:21:55.062
  • To turn our hearts to the lord.
  • 00:21:58.733 --> 00:22:01.469
  • And when peter said, "i now understand that god does not
  • 00:22:01.469 --> 00:22:07.341
  • Show favoritism," it changed the entire discussion.
  • 00:22:07.341 --> 00:22:12.146
  • Now we're ready for the apostle paul.
  • 00:22:12.146 --> 00:22:15.383
  • Now we have only in god's economy would he recruit a
  • 00:22:15.383 --> 00:22:17.651
  • Pharisee to go tell the non-jewish world about jesus.
  • 00:22:17.651 --> 00:22:21.789
  • Well, the greatest threat to the emerging church in the first
  • 00:22:21.789 --> 00:22:24.125
  • Century was the people that were telling him they had to come
  • 00:22:24.125 --> 00:22:26.927
  • Back and obey all the laws of moses, and the best possible
  • 00:22:26.927 --> 00:22:31.599
  • Character to help them refute that argument was a pharisee of
  • 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:35.703
  • The pharisees, but only god would have thought of that.
  • 00:22:35.703 --> 00:22:42.109
  • God is moving in the earth.
  • 00:22:42.109 --> 00:22:44.311
  • Are you inviting him into your life?
  • 00:22:44.311 --> 00:22:47.181
  • Are you asking him?
  • 00:22:47.181 --> 00:22:48.516
  • Are you willing to pray with those who need the supernatural
  • 00:22:48.516 --> 00:22:51.986
  • Involvement of god?
  • 00:22:51.986 --> 00:22:54.488
  • Can you make it less about yourself and more about
  • 00:22:54.488 --> 00:22:58.159
  • Following the direction of the spirit of god?
  • 00:22:58.159 --> 00:23:03.330
  • Jesus taught us to pray.
  • 00:23:03.330 --> 00:23:04.665
  • I put the lord's prayer in there.
  • 00:23:04.665 --> 00:23:07.034
  • When he taught us to pray, he said, "your kingdom come and
  • 00:23:07.034 --> 00:23:09.403
  • Your will be done."
  • 00:23:09.403 --> 00:23:12.072
  • He didn't teach us to pray, "god, do what i want you to do.
  • 00:23:12.072 --> 00:23:16.343
  • I want peter to lay his hands on me.
  • 00:23:16.343 --> 00:23:19.280
  • I traveled all the way from galilee, 'cause i knew peter
  • 00:23:19.280 --> 00:23:22.950
  • When he was a fisherman and i hear these stories now, these
  • 00:23:22.950 --> 00:23:25.553
  • Miracles, and i've made the difficult journey to jerusalem.
  • 00:23:25.553 --> 00:23:29.089
  • It took me a week to get here, and i expect peter to put his
  • 00:23:29.089 --> 00:23:32.393
  • Hands on me and pray, don't tell me to go stand on the side of
  • 00:23:32.393 --> 00:23:35.396
  • The street.
  • 00:23:35.396 --> 00:23:40.601
  • Who does he think he is?"
  • 00:23:40.601 --> 00:23:43.871
  • Well, i don't know.
  • 00:23:43.871 --> 00:23:45.206
  • Are you gonna go home with the same problem you came with?
  • 00:23:45.206 --> 00:23:49.343
  • Some of us have missed the blessings of god.
  • 00:23:53.314 --> 00:23:56.984
  • I wanna pray that the holy spirit will help us.
  • 00:23:56.984 --> 00:24:01.589
  • I don't wanna miss god's invitations because of
  • 00:24:01.589 --> 00:24:03.591
  • My preconceptions.
  • 00:24:03.591 --> 00:24:07.027
  • Can we stand?
  • 00:24:07.027 --> 00:24:08.395
  • You can--you know that prayer well enough, you can say it.
  • 00:24:08.395 --> 00:24:10.431
  • That's not a catholic prayer.
  • 00:24:10.431 --> 00:24:16.704
  • Well, i mean, we get some goofy things.
  • 00:24:20.574 --> 00:24:22.843
  • Well, i'm not praying that.
  • 00:24:22.843 --> 00:24:24.178
  • The romans pray that prayer.
  • 00:24:24.178 --> 00:24:25.679
  • I'm not praying that.
  • 00:24:25.679 --> 00:24:27.047
  • I'm--no, no, no, no, no, no.
  • 00:24:27.047 --> 00:24:33.120
  • Father, thank you.
  • 00:24:36.590 --> 00:24:38.325
  • Thank you for your great love for us.
  • 00:24:38.325 --> 00:24:40.995
  • Thank you for your power that is present to heal and deliver and
  • 00:24:40.995 --> 00:24:44.265
  • Restore and renew, and lord, we come tonight because we're a
  • 00:24:44.265 --> 00:24:51.105
  • People in need of healing.
  • 00:24:51.105 --> 00:24:53.574
  • Some physical healing, lord, others of us need other kinds
  • 00:24:53.574 --> 00:24:58.445
  • Of healing.
  • 00:24:58.445 --> 00:25:00.214
  • We've been disappointed and hurt, and our expectations
  • 00:25:00.214 --> 00:25:04.451
  • Didn't--weren't fulfilled, and it's left us with questions and
  • 00:25:04.451 --> 00:25:11.191
  • Lingering concerns, and it's caused us to stand at a
  • 00:25:11.191 --> 00:25:14.895
  • Distance, and holy spirit, i ask for your help tonight.
  • 00:25:14.895 --> 00:25:19.667
  • Help us to see, give us understanding hearts.
  • 00:25:22.770 --> 00:25:26.307
  • Any place where we have stood apart or we have closed our
  • 00:25:26.307 --> 00:25:32.846
  • Hearts or we have been reluctant or unwilling, we wanna say yes
  • 00:25:32.846 --> 00:25:39.853
  • To you.
  • 00:25:39.853 --> 00:25:41.221
  • We wanna benefit from your direction.
  • 00:25:41.221 --> 00:25:42.790
  • We wanna live and walk in the fullness of the freedom that is
  • 00:25:42.790 --> 00:25:46.060
  • Ours in christ and we ask you for your help.
  • 00:25:46.060 --> 00:25:50.831
  • Bring life to our mortal bodies, health and strength to us.
  • 00:25:50.831 --> 00:25:54.735
  • Bring peace to our souls, hope to us.
  • 00:25:54.735 --> 00:25:59.006
  • We praise you for it tonight, lord, use us.
  • 00:25:59.006 --> 00:26:02.610
  • May we become conduits for your purposes in our families, in our
  • 00:26:02.610 --> 00:26:06.914
  • Communities, in our congregations, and wherever you
  • 00:26:06.914 --> 00:26:09.683
  • Take us.
  • 00:26:09.683 --> 00:26:11.218
  • We thank you for it in jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:26:11.218 --> 00:26:16.523
  • Hallelujah!
  • 00:26:16.523 --> 00:26:19.627
  • Allen: this is the 250th anniversary of our nation.
  • 00:26:23.697 --> 00:26:26.467
  • It's a big deal.
  • 00:26:26.467 --> 00:26:27.801
  • Now, i know a lot of us don't care a whole lot about history.
  • 00:26:27.801 --> 00:26:30.437
  • We didn't have great experiences in school.
  • 00:26:30.437 --> 00:26:32.206
  • I understand that, but here's the reality.
  • 00:26:32.206 --> 00:26:34.642
  • If they can steal our history, they'll rob us of our future.
  • 00:26:34.642 --> 00:26:37.845
  • So history really does matter.
  • 00:26:37.845 --> 00:26:39.847
  • Well, because of that, we have partnered with some good friends
  • 00:26:39.847 --> 00:26:42.249
  • Of our ministries, wallbuilders david and tim barton.
  • 00:26:42.249 --> 00:26:45.653
  • They have the best of the best on this topic.
  • 00:26:45.653 --> 00:26:47.721
  • It's a two-volume set on "the american story," and it helps us
  • 00:26:47.721 --> 00:26:51.291
  • Learn american history with a faith component, with a god
  • 00:26:51.291 --> 00:26:54.862
  • Perspective--how god has been engaged in the unfolding
  • 00:26:54.862 --> 00:26:57.931
  • Narrative of our american story.
  • 00:26:57.931 --> 00:27:00.567
  • That matters because we need god to be involved in the future of
  • 00:27:00.567 --> 00:27:03.771
  • The american story.
  • 00:27:03.771 --> 00:27:05.139
  • That affects our lives, our families, our communities, and
  • 00:27:05.139 --> 00:27:07.908
  • Ultimately our nation.
  • 00:27:07.908 --> 00:27:09.576
  • The books will be a blessing to you, but more than that, i
  • 00:27:09.576 --> 00:27:12.012
  • Believe they'll open your life to the imagination that god is
  • 00:27:12.012 --> 00:27:14.515
  • Moving in the earth, and we can participate with him in the next
  • 00:27:14.515 --> 00:27:17.818
  • Chapters of american history.
  • 00:27:17.818 --> 00:27:20.487
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:20.554 --> 00:27:30.264