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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Power, Politics, and the Church (Part 2)

September 17, 2025 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - Power, Politics, and the Church (Part 2)
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#WordofGod #Imagination #Blessing #Reputation #Politics #Culture #Angels #Confession/PowerofWords #Community

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Power, Politics, and the Church (Part 2) | September 17, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: you know, as a pastor, my job is to help people
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  • Get to know the lord.
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  • That's really the goal of what i engage in most days.
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  • Well, i've got a concept i wanna suggest to you.
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  • Begin to think about jesus as your friend.
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  • I don't mean that in an overly casual way, in a presumptive
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  • Way, but in my life, most of my best memories, most of the
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  • Highlights in my life involve friends, people i enjoy
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  • Being with.
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  • They make places and opportunities and seasons and
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  • Holidays a lot more pleasant, something you look forward to.
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  • Well, rather than think about our faith in terms of something
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  • That's austere and judgmental and rules-based and critical,
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  • What if we imagined jesus as our friend?
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  • I wanna be his friend.
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  • I wanna do the things that please him.
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  • I want to engage in activities that he cares about.
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  • I wanna stay out of the things that he's warned me against.
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  • I wanna live my life as his friend.
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  • That was his designation, not mine.
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  • Well, i've written a book to help you imagine that.
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  • It'll change your faith, it'll bring a new joy to your faith.
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  • I think it'll be a blessing.
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  • Allen: if we are to persist in freedom, it will be because the
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  • People of faith return to god with a clarity about the values
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  • That we believe have shaped our lives and will shape the future
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  • Of the generations who follow.
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  • In luke chapter 4--
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • In luke chapter 4 and verse 14, it says:
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  • "jesus returned to galilee in the power of the spirit, and the
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  • News about him spread throughout the whole countryside."
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  • It's the beginning of jesus's public ministry.
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  • Prior to this time, he's been anonymous.
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  • He's lived in a sleepy little village of nazareth, tucked away
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  • In the hills of galilee, maybe a community of 1500 people, not on
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  • A major road, not on a major water source, no reason for
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  • Anybody to visit.
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  • And at the age of 30, he goes for baptism and then, after
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  • That, into the wilderness for a time of temptation by
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  • Satan himself.
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  • Jesus believed in the devil, so should you.
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  • And he returns to galilee.
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  • Luke tells us--luke's a physician, and he writes with
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  • That eye of a diagnostician from time to time.
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  • He said jesus came back differently.
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  • He came back in the power of the spirit.
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  • And very quickly, his reputation spread throughout the region.
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  • I believe god is spreading the reputation of jesus once again
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  • In the earth.
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  • I wanna be a part of that.
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  • I'm very content to be a part of that in the community where he's
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  • Planted us, but i believe if we will do that with faithfulness
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  • And intentionality, that there will be such an outcome that it
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  • Will spread beyond us.
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  • There's a parallel passage in the book of zechariah.
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  • The word of the lord to zerubbabel.
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  • I bet he was 15 before he could spell his name.
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  • Zerubbabel was given the assignment of rebuilding the
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  • Second--rebuilding the temple.
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  • It was the second temple.
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  • The first one was built by whom?
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  • Solomon. it's not a trick question.
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  • It's good, you go to the head of the class.
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  • Zerubbabel rebuilds the second temple, but there's great
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  • Opposition and there's persecution, there's problems.
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  • They're still an occupied country, and "'this is the word
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  • Of the lord to zerubbabel: "not by might nor by power, but by my
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  • Spirit," says the lord almighty.'"
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  • I think that's the essence of the message for the
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  • Contemporary church.
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  • We've got to return in the power of the spirit.
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  • Not by might, not by power.
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  • We may see expressions of godliness, we may see biblical
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  • Values expressed through political personalities or even
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  • Political parties.
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  • It would be wonderful to have choices between political
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  • Parties who all embraced biblical worldview issues.
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  • I look forward to that day and that opportunity.
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  • But we have to understand that those opportunities will emerge
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  • Because of the people of god who understand the power of god that
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  • Is expressed in the earth.
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  • The greatest power available to human beings is not economic,
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  • Military, or political.
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  • I'm not denying the reality of those things.
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  • They are very real and they can be very powerful.
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  • But we have such a small imagination of god, we have such
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  • A limited understanding of god, such a limited relationship with
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  • God, that we've imagined somehow that the creator of heaven and
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  • Earth and all that is in them and the sustainer of all life
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  • And the one who holds our future is somehow less significant or
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  • Less powerful than an economic idea.
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  • May god help us.
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  • So i'm inviting you and it'll take more than a session or a
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  • Day or a week.
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  • I'm inviting you towards a new imagination, towards a new
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  • Position in your faith.
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  • To believe that obedience to god, that yielding to god, that
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  • Serving god, can empower you not only for the transformation of
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  • Your heart, but impact our world in a way that it can change the
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  • Destiny of nations.
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  • I wonder if the church has the courage to believe that or if
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  • We'll continue to cower in the shadows and say, "we shouldn't
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  • Be political."
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  • I'm not interested in being political.
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  • I'm very interested in engaging our current culture with the
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  • Truth of scripture.
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  • In revelation chapter 12 and verse 7, there's a
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  • War described.
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  • A war.
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  • Says: "there was war in heaven, and michael," one of the
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  • Archangels, "and his angels fought against the dragon," that
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  • Would be satan.
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  • "and the dragon and his angels fought back.
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  • But he wasn't strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
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  • And the great dragon was hurled down--the ancient serpent
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  • Called the devil, or satan, who leads the whole world astray."
  • 00:05:29.345 --> 00:05:33.149
  • What did peter say?
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  • "he ranges throughout the earth like a roaring lion looking for
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  • Someone to devour."
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  • "he was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."
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  • A third of the angels rebelled with satan.
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  • A third of the angels.
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  • Satan was an archangel, and he and a third of the angels
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  • Forfeited their place in the eternal purposes of god.
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  • And because humanity is at the center of god's intent, the
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  • Centerpiece of his creation in this present age, satan has
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  • Found a way to vent his hatred and his rebellion against god by
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  • Trying to destroy that which is at the center of god's purposes.
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  • The question again: with which lion are you aligned?
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  • Not in word; in behavior.
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  • In luke 10, jesus amplifies that passage.
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  • He said, "i saw satan fall like lightning from heaven.
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  • I've given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpion
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  • And to overcome all the power of the enemy."
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  • That's our lord.
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  • He said to us, he's given us what we need to overcome all
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  • Expressions of the power of the enemy.
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  • That's a phenomenal statement.
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  • Now that may be, you know, that power can be expressed through
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  • All of the things available to us.
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  • We were praying our way through covid.
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  • We said the deliverance would most likely be expressed through
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  • Healthcare communities and scientific communities, but it
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  • Would be god who brought the breakthroughs.
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  • He didn't bring them in the timing i would have preferred,
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  • But he's brought a great deal of truth about that season into the
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  • Public square.
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  • God is moving in the earth.
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  • We've seen the protection for our children.
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  • We've seen abortion restrained.
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  • It hasn't been eliminated because it's more a condition of
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  • The human heart than it is a legal arena.
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  • But we're seeing god move in the most remarkable ways.
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  • Are we willing to move with him?
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  • Let me take a moment.
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  • I just wanna walk you through the presentation of scripture.
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  • We're so far separate from it.
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  • We've been invited to say the sinner's prayer to be born again
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  • And to think about heaven, and i'm grateful for that.
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  • I don't want to diminish that, but i want you to think about
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  • Your journey through time and the power that's available
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  • To you.
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  • Men need to engage the word of god.
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  • We need the strength of men combined with the reality of
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  • Scripture, so that we can stand in the place we need to in our
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  • Families and in our culture.
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  • We've sent generation upon generation of young men to the
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  • Battlefields around the world.
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  • How can we do that and not prepare them with the truth of
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  • Almighty god?
  • 00:08:03.833 --> 00:08:06.035
  • What has happened to us?
  • 00:08:06.035 --> 00:08:07.370
  • How did we turn our military into some social experiment?
  • 00:08:07.370 --> 00:08:11.040
  • We said biological sex was confusing.
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  • What a lie.
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  • I have notes.
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  • I promise i have notes.
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  • 2 thessalonians 1: "god is just: he will pay back trouble to
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  • Those who trouble you."
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  • This is written to a church, the church in thessaloniki.
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  • The apostle paul is writing.
  • 00:08:35.197 --> 00:08:36.566
  • He said, "god is just: he'll pay back trouble to those who
  • 00:08:36.566 --> 00:08:38.968
  • Trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us
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  • As well.
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  • This will happen when the lord jesus is revealed from heaven in
  • 00:08:43.506 --> 00:08:46.709
  • Blazing fire with his powerful angels.
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  • And he'll punish those who don't know god and do not obey the
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  • Gospel of our lord jesus."
  • 00:08:55.418 --> 00:08:58.087
  • "well, wait, i thought jesus was all about love.
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  • I thought jesus was like an eternal group hug."
  • 00:09:02.391 --> 00:09:08.197
  • Well, he certainly brought a message of love, it's changed
  • 00:09:08.197 --> 00:09:10.566
  • Our world and changed our lives, but it's not the total
  • 00:09:10.566 --> 00:09:14.370
  • Presentation of jesus and his character.
  • 00:09:14.370 --> 00:09:16.973
  • The line that fascinates me in that passage is that he's
  • 00:09:16.973 --> 00:09:19.642
  • Returning to the earth in blazing fire with his
  • 00:09:19.642 --> 00:09:23.379
  • Powerful angels--
  • 00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:25.381
  • That the angels serve under the authority of jesus.
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  • Our lord has an entire contingent--in one scene in
  • 00:09:31.587 --> 00:09:34.790
  • The book of revelation, 100 million in one scene.
  • 00:09:34.790 --> 00:09:38.561
  • An entire contingent of angels, powerful angels.
  • 00:09:38.561 --> 00:09:44.667
  • So please don't fall into the secular cultural trap that's
  • 00:09:44.667 --> 00:09:48.904
  • Absent any understanding of god or his spirit or his workings in
  • 00:09:48.904 --> 00:09:53.409
  • The earth to imagine that the greatest expressions of power
  • 00:09:53.409 --> 00:09:55.911
  • Are things that we can produce.
  • 00:09:55.911 --> 00:09:58.014
  • Again, i'm not denying their power.
  • 00:09:58.014 --> 00:09:59.548
  • I'm telling you there's a greater power.
  • 00:09:59.548 --> 00:10:02.818
  • There's a greater power.
  • 00:10:02.818 --> 00:10:05.087
  • In psalm 103 and verse 20, it says: "praise the lord, you his
  • 00:10:05.087 --> 00:10:08.724
  • Angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
  • 00:10:08.724 --> 00:10:13.663
  • Praise the lord, all his heavenly host, you his servants
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  • Who do his will."
  • 00:10:18.034 --> 00:10:20.236
  • I like it.
  • 00:10:20.236 --> 00:10:21.570
  • The angels are described as mighty ones.
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  • That phrase, "the heavenly hosts."
  • 00:10:23.773 --> 00:10:25.975
  • I don't do a lot of word studies with you.
  • 00:10:25.975 --> 00:10:29.845
  • They can be tiresome and they can be manipulative, but in this
  • 00:10:29.845 --> 00:10:32.615
  • Case it's really straightforward.
  • 00:10:32.615 --> 00:10:34.784
  • The hebrew word--the old testament is written
  • 00:10:34.784 --> 00:10:36.752
  • Predominantly in hebrew.
  • 00:10:36.752 --> 00:10:38.287
  • The hebrew word there that's translated "heavenly host" is
  • 00:10:38.287 --> 00:10:40.790
  • The modern word in israel for army.
  • 00:10:40.790 --> 00:10:45.027
  • The plural is armies.
  • 00:10:45.027 --> 00:10:47.129
  • So if you translated it most literally without doing any
  • 00:10:47.129 --> 00:10:49.765
  • Injustice to the text, you would say that to the lord and all of
  • 00:10:49.765 --> 00:10:53.736
  • His heavenly armies.
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  • I want you to think about that just a minute--
  • 00:10:56.572 --> 00:10:59.108
  • That there are armies of angels.
  • 00:10:59.108 --> 00:11:02.645
  • Armies of angels.
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  • Language matters, folks.
  • 00:11:03.979 --> 00:11:05.314
  • I know we live in a time when language is being coarsened and
  • 00:11:05.314 --> 00:11:07.516
  • Words and definitions are being manipulated, but
  • 00:11:07.516 --> 00:11:10.553
  • Language matters.
  • 00:11:10.553 --> 00:11:12.054
  • Armies of angels.
  • 00:11:12.054 --> 00:11:13.422
  • Think of all the other ways you could describe a big group
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  • Of angels.
  • 00:11:15.591 --> 00:11:16.926
  • You could call it a crowd of angels or a gathering of angels
  • 00:11:16.926 --> 00:11:19.028
  • Or a collection of angels or a whole host of angels, but the
  • 00:11:19.028 --> 00:11:23.299
  • Language that's chosen by the spirit of god is that there are
  • 00:11:23.299 --> 00:11:26.669
  • Armies of angels.
  • 00:11:26.669 --> 00:11:29.605
  • Well, why do we need armies of angels?
  • 00:11:29.605 --> 00:11:31.340
  • Why do we need armies of these powerful beings that god has
  • 00:11:31.340 --> 00:11:35.377
  • Corrected, that are willing to exert the will of jesus in
  • 00:11:35.377 --> 00:11:38.414
  • The earth?
  • 00:11:38.414 --> 00:11:40.616
  • Because there's one who patrols the earth like a lion seeking
  • 00:11:40.616 --> 00:11:44.553
  • Whom he may devour.
  • 00:11:44.553 --> 00:11:46.489
  • And he hates the purposes of god enough that he incited a war
  • 00:11:46.489 --> 00:11:50.126
  • In heaven.
  • 00:11:50.126 --> 00:11:51.927
  • And when he lost his place in heaven, he decided that he would
  • 00:11:51.927 --> 00:11:55.264
  • Expend what energy was left to him and what opportunity was
  • 00:11:55.264 --> 00:11:58.300
  • Left to him to destroy the pinnacle of god's creation.
  • 00:11:58.300 --> 00:12:03.906
  • And in ourselves, in our own strength, in our own ability, in
  • 00:12:03.906 --> 00:12:06.675
  • Our own wisdom, and our own abilities and capacities to
  • 00:12:06.675 --> 00:12:09.145
  • Organize and plan and execute, we are inadequate to face the
  • 00:12:09.145 --> 00:12:14.383
  • Threat of the lion who would devour us.
  • 00:12:14.383 --> 00:12:17.787
  • We need the help of the lion of the tribe of judah.
  • 00:12:17.787 --> 00:12:25.027
  • Look at 1 samuel 17: "david said to the philistine," if you don't
  • 00:12:25.027 --> 00:12:29.031
  • Remember, this is goliath.
  • 00:12:29.031 --> 00:12:30.966
  • He said, "'you come to me with a sword and a spear and a javelin,
  • 00:12:30.966 --> 00:12:35.604
  • But i come to you in the name of the lord of the armies, the god
  • 00:12:35.604 --> 00:12:43.846
  • Of the armies of israel, whom you have taunted.'"
  • 00:12:43.846 --> 00:12:47.583
  • He's not talking about saul and his army.
  • 00:12:47.583 --> 00:12:49.385
  • They've been hiding in their tents for 40 days.
  • 00:12:49.385 --> 00:12:52.521
  • Morning and evening, goliath has bellowed his challenge and
  • 00:12:52.521 --> 00:12:55.257
  • Nobody would accept it.
  • 00:12:55.257 --> 00:12:57.126
  • And david, a teenager, shows up.
  • 00:12:57.126 --> 00:13:00.062
  • And while the army hides in their tents, they are frightened
  • 00:13:00.062 --> 00:13:02.565
  • Enough that they push a teenage boy onto the battlefield.
  • 00:13:02.565 --> 00:13:08.003
  • Cowardice.
  • 00:13:08.003 --> 00:13:09.605
  • We understand a bit of that.
  • 00:13:09.605 --> 00:13:10.973
  • We've been hiding.
  • 00:13:10.973 --> 00:13:12.308
  • We've been timid and quiet.
  • 00:13:12.308 --> 00:13:13.676
  • "well, we don't wanna be political, we don't want to
  • 00:13:13.676 --> 00:13:15.311
  • Engage in a conversation, we don't wanna hurt
  • 00:13:15.311 --> 00:13:16.912
  • Anybody's feelings.
  • 00:13:16.912 --> 00:13:18.280
  • We don't wanna be judgy."
  • 00:13:18.280 --> 00:13:23.686
  • David understood.
  • 00:13:23.686 --> 00:13:25.254
  • This is david.
  • 00:13:25.254 --> 00:13:26.589
  • This is what fascinates me.
  • 00:13:26.589 --> 00:13:27.957
  • How did he understand?
  • 00:13:27.957 --> 00:13:29.391
  • He'd had a revelation.
  • 00:13:29.391 --> 00:13:30.726
  • We need a revelation of god.
  • 00:13:30.726 --> 00:13:33.162
  • I mean, he's questioned about this.
  • 00:13:33.162 --> 00:13:34.563
  • They said, "why would you face goliath?
  • 00:13:34.563 --> 00:13:36.498
  • He'll break you like a twig.
  • 00:13:36.498 --> 00:13:39.034
  • Why would you do this?"
  • 00:13:39.034 --> 00:13:40.369
  • And he said, "oh, it's really not a problem because," he said,
  • 00:13:40.369 --> 00:13:42.404
  • "i'm a shepherd," and he said, "i watch sheep, and when a lion
  • 00:13:42.404 --> 00:13:44.740
  • Or a bear came," he said, "god delivered them into my hand."
  • 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:48.978
  • Who asks god to deliver a bear into your hands?
  • 00:13:48.978 --> 00:13:51.981
  • I'd get back in my vehicle and leave, right?
  • 00:13:51.981 --> 00:13:57.953
  • One of the mighty men who will serve with david later on, he's
  • 00:13:57.953 --> 00:14:02.358
  • One of the mighty men who was-- he was in charge of david's
  • 00:14:02.358 --> 00:14:04.860
  • Personal guard.
  • 00:14:04.860 --> 00:14:06.562
  • And when his qualifications are read, we just read it in the
  • 00:14:06.562 --> 00:14:09.798
  • Book of samuel.
  • 00:14:09.798 --> 00:14:11.133
  • It was said on a snowy day, he saw a lion in a pit and he went
  • 00:14:11.133 --> 00:14:16.472
  • Into the pit to get the lion.
  • 00:14:16.472 --> 00:14:20.276
  • Not an expression of peta, not to help the lion out of the pit.
  • 00:14:20.276 --> 00:14:25.514
  • He saw a lion in a pit, and he climbed down in the pit to kill
  • 00:14:25.514 --> 00:14:30.753
  • The lion.
  • 00:14:30.753 --> 00:14:32.554
  • That's messed up.
  • 00:14:32.554 --> 00:14:36.558
  • I might have taken a picture, a selfie, me with the lion over my
  • 00:14:36.558 --> 00:14:40.062
  • Shoulder, in a pit.
  • 00:14:40.062 --> 00:14:42.064
  • But i'm not going down.
  • 00:14:42.064 --> 00:14:44.767
  • But out of that experience, david has a revelation of the
  • 00:14:44.767 --> 00:14:48.037
  • Lord, and he can say to this imposing figure that represents
  • 00:14:48.037 --> 00:14:52.841
  • The greatest military might of that moment in the life of
  • 00:14:52.841 --> 00:14:55.878
  • Israel, and he said, "no, no, you will yield to the lord of
  • 00:14:55.878 --> 00:15:00.916
  • Hosts and the god of the armies of israel."
  • 00:15:00.916 --> 00:15:04.019
  • It's the angels that bring the victory.
  • 00:15:04.019 --> 00:15:07.856
  • Church, we have to have a change of reference.
  • 00:15:07.856 --> 00:15:12.861
  • Allen: hey, i've written a new book.
  • 00:15:16.699 --> 00:15:18.067
  • It's called "my friend jesus."
  • 00:15:18.067 --> 00:15:19.902
  • You know, i'm a pastor, a lot of ritual, tradition, a lot of
  • 00:15:19.902 --> 00:15:23.272
  • Formality in the way we know god.
  • 00:15:23.272 --> 00:15:25.507
  • It's not bad.
  • 00:15:25.507 --> 00:15:26.842
  • There's some good things in that, but when i'm in real
  • 00:15:26.842 --> 00:15:28.644
  • Trouble or i have something i wanna celebrate, i call
  • 00:15:28.644 --> 00:15:30.980
  • A friend.
  • 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:32.314
  • Well, i wanna live my life with jesus of nazareth as my friend.
  • 00:15:32.314 --> 00:15:35.617
  • It changes everything in both celebration and when there's
  • 00:15:35.617 --> 00:15:38.687
  • A problem.
  • 00:15:38.687 --> 00:15:40.055
  • I wrote the book to help.
  • 00:15:40.055 --> 00:15:41.390
  • I think it'll open your life to god in a more personal,
  • 00:15:41.390 --> 00:15:43.726
  • Transformational way than ever before.
  • 00:15:43.726 --> 00:15:46.228
  • Enjoy the book.
  • 00:15:46.228 --> 00:15:47.596
  • Female announcer: in his book, "my friend jesus," pastor allen
  • 00:15:47.596 --> 00:15:50.065
  • Shares how friendship with jesus brings clarity, strength, and
  • 00:15:50.065 --> 00:15:53.535
  • Peace in every part of life.
  • 00:15:53.535 --> 00:15:55.504
  • This isn't about following a religion or religious rules.
  • 00:15:55.504 --> 00:15:58.741
  • It's about cultivating a cherished relationship that will
  • 00:15:58.741 --> 00:16:01.477
  • Help your faith become more personal, more joyful, and more
  • 00:16:01.477 --> 00:16:05.047
  • Powerful each day.
  • 00:16:05.047 --> 00:16:06.615
  • Request "my friend jesus" with your donation of $25 or more
  • 00:16:06.615 --> 00:16:10.552
  • Today at allenjackson.com, or by calling...
  • 00:16:10.552 --> 00:16:16.458
  • Allen: revelation 19: "i saw heaven open and there before
  • 00:16:18.627 --> 00:16:24.466
  • Me," this is john again.
  • 00:16:24.466 --> 00:16:25.834
  • "and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called
  • 00:16:25.834 --> 00:16:27.870
  • Faithful and true.
  • 00:16:27.870 --> 00:16:29.872
  • With justice he judges and makes war."
  • 00:16:29.872 --> 00:16:35.044
  • We'll find out who's riding this horse.
  • 00:16:35.044 --> 00:16:36.478
  • It's in the passage.
  • 00:16:36.478 --> 00:16:38.213
  • "his eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.
  • 00:16:38.213 --> 00:16:41.150
  • He has a name written on him that no one knows but
  • 00:16:41.150 --> 00:16:43.052
  • He himself.
  • 00:16:43.052 --> 00:16:44.453
  • He's dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the word
  • 00:16:44.453 --> 00:16:47.289
  • Of god.
  • 00:16:47.289 --> 00:16:48.657
  • And the armies of heaven were following," not a big group of
  • 00:16:48.657 --> 00:16:52.628
  • Angels; the armies of heaven.
  • 00:16:52.628 --> 00:16:55.798
  • Armies have authority, structure, assignment,
  • 00:16:55.798 --> 00:16:59.968
  • Responsibility, accountability.
  • 00:16:59.968 --> 00:17:04.673
  • "riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white
  • 00:17:04.673 --> 00:17:07.276
  • And clean.
  • 00:17:07.276 --> 00:17:08.644
  • Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which he'll strike
  • 00:17:08.644 --> 00:17:11.213
  • Down the nations.
  • 00:17:11.213 --> 00:17:12.548
  • 'he'll rule them with an iron scepter.'
  • 00:17:12.548 --> 00:17:14.550
  • He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of
  • 00:17:14.550 --> 00:17:17.453
  • God almighty.
  • 00:17:17.453 --> 00:17:19.154
  • And on his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king
  • 00:17:19.154 --> 00:17:22.224
  • Of kings and lord of lords."
  • 00:17:22.224 --> 00:17:29.298
  • Again, i wanna just plant a seed.
  • 00:17:29.298 --> 00:17:31.133
  • I want you to begin to think about, i want you to reflect
  • 00:17:31.133 --> 00:17:33.802
  • Upon realms of authority, assigned posts,
  • 00:17:33.802 --> 00:17:37.506
  • Specified responsibility.
  • 00:17:37.506 --> 00:17:39.541
  • The angels clearly have tremendous influence over humans
  • 00:17:39.541 --> 00:17:42.778
  • And activity in the earth.
  • 00:17:42.778 --> 00:17:44.813
  • It's equally true in scripture that they encounter opposition,
  • 00:17:44.813 --> 00:17:47.850
  • Spiritual opposition.
  • 00:17:47.850 --> 00:17:50.185
  • What i'm suggesting is that you and i have to become more
  • 00:17:50.185 --> 00:17:53.288
  • Engaged, more aware.
  • 00:17:53.288 --> 00:17:54.656
  • We've got to learn the dynamics of the spirit.
  • 00:17:54.656 --> 00:17:57.326
  • Too often we have preferred a program or a formula or a
  • 00:17:57.326 --> 00:18:01.864
  • Recitation or we just would sign up for another study as if we
  • 00:18:01.864 --> 00:18:05.801
  • Were gonna study our way to victory.
  • 00:18:05.801 --> 00:18:09.371
  • If that were the case, folks, i would organize food studies.
  • 00:18:09.371 --> 00:18:15.344
  • We would--we're gonna study our way to health and every time we
  • 00:18:15.344 --> 00:18:18.213
  • Get together to study food we're gonna have cookies and
  • 00:18:18.213 --> 00:18:20.949
  • Ice cream.
  • 00:18:20.949 --> 00:18:24.953
  • I don't understand.
  • 00:18:24.953 --> 00:18:26.288
  • We've been studying for months and months, and every time we
  • 00:18:26.288 --> 00:18:27.990
  • Get together, we study hard and we take notes and we look at all
  • 00:18:27.990 --> 00:18:30.659
  • The scientific data and we've eaten gallons of ice cream and
  • 00:18:30.659 --> 00:18:33.996
  • Thousands of cookies.
  • 00:18:33.996 --> 00:18:36.365
  • And we don't seem to be healthier.
  • 00:18:36.365 --> 00:18:40.068
  • I mean, it sounds absurd, but it's what we've done.
  • 00:18:40.068 --> 00:18:44.306
  • We've had study upon study and discussion upon discussion, and
  • 00:18:44.306 --> 00:18:48.210
  • Then we stand apart from the truth of scripture and go,
  • 00:18:48.210 --> 00:18:50.412
  • "well, i know what the bible says, but let me tell you what
  • 00:18:50.412 --> 00:18:52.214
  • I think."
  • 00:18:52.214 --> 00:18:55.951
  • Or we act as if we stand in judgment on the word of god.
  • 00:18:55.951 --> 00:18:58.987
  • We've got to allow it to bring judgment to our lives.
  • 00:18:58.987 --> 00:19:03.425
  • Look at revelation 18: "then a mighty angel picked up a boulder
  • 00:19:03.425 --> 00:19:06.995
  • The size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea."
  • 00:19:06.995 --> 00:19:10.365
  • You know, i'm not a brilliant logician, but by the rules of
  • 00:19:10.365 --> 00:19:13.802
  • Language, if there's a mighty angel, it means
  • 00:19:13.802 --> 00:19:15.737
  • He's distinguished.
  • 00:19:15.737 --> 00:19:18.373
  • There are lesser angels, angels not so mighty.
  • 00:19:18.373 --> 00:19:20.442
  • This one's mighty enough to pick up a millstone.
  • 00:19:20.442 --> 00:19:24.313
  • I've seen those ancient millstones, enormous pieces
  • 00:19:24.313 --> 00:19:26.648
  • Of rock.
  • 00:19:26.648 --> 00:19:28.016
  • It takes animals to move them, beasts of burden.
  • 00:19:28.016 --> 00:19:32.187
  • And this angel picks one up and tosses it into the sea as if it
  • 00:19:32.187 --> 00:19:35.324
  • Were nothing.
  • 00:19:35.324 --> 00:19:36.658
  • In revelation 7: "i saw four angels standing at the four
  • 00:19:36.658 --> 00:19:39.061
  • Corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of
  • 00:19:39.061 --> 00:19:41.964
  • The earth."
  • 00:19:41.964 --> 00:19:43.298
  • I don't believe that's just metaphorical.
  • 00:19:43.298 --> 00:19:44.633
  • I believe the angels had the ability to cause the earth to
  • 00:19:44.633 --> 00:19:47.035
  • Become still.
  • 00:19:47.035 --> 00:19:49.571
  • Forces we don't understand, power we're not familiar with.
  • 00:19:49.571 --> 00:19:54.109
  • It's time for a change.
  • 00:19:54.109 --> 00:19:56.545
  • David understood that power of god.
  • 00:19:56.545 --> 00:19:58.547
  • Those heavenly armies caused goliath to be an insignificant
  • 00:19:58.547 --> 00:20:02.884
  • Speed bump in what god was doing.
  • 00:20:02.884 --> 00:20:05.687
  • What would happen if we had such imaginations?
  • 00:20:05.687 --> 00:20:13.161
  • Matthew 24, jesus is speaking: "at that time the son of man
  • 00:20:13.161 --> 00:20:16.598
  • Will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth
  • 00:20:16.598 --> 00:20:19.434
  • Will mourn.
  • 00:20:19.434 --> 00:20:20.802
  • And they'll see the son of man coming on the clouds,
  • 00:20:20.802 --> 00:20:22.938
  • With power."
  • 00:20:22.938 --> 00:20:25.774
  • We read it, but we don't pay attention.
  • 00:20:25.774 --> 00:20:27.175
  • This doesn't say he's coming back in compassion.
  • 00:20:27.175 --> 00:20:30.679
  • His compassion was presented on the cross.
  • 00:20:30.679 --> 00:20:34.249
  • That was an expression of compassion for all of humanity.
  • 00:20:34.249 --> 00:20:37.419
  • He bore the weight of our ungodliness.
  • 00:20:37.419 --> 00:20:39.955
  • If we will receive the gift, we can prepare--be prepared for
  • 00:20:39.955 --> 00:20:43.158
  • His return.
  • 00:20:43.158 --> 00:20:44.526
  • But when he comes back, he's not coming back with an expression
  • 00:20:44.526 --> 00:20:46.762
  • Of compassion.
  • 00:20:46.762 --> 00:20:48.130
  • He's coming back with a demonstration of the power
  • 00:20:48.130 --> 00:20:50.232
  • Of god.
  • 00:20:50.232 --> 00:20:52.734
  • We want to be prepared for that.
  • 00:20:52.734 --> 00:20:54.369
  • We've been too sloppy.
  • 00:20:54.369 --> 00:20:58.607
  • "with power and great glory.
  • 00:20:58.607 --> 00:21:00.409
  • And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they
  • 00:21:00.409 --> 00:21:03.312
  • Will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the
  • 00:21:03.312 --> 00:21:06.348
  • Heavens to the other."
  • 00:21:06.348 --> 00:21:08.817
  • They'll do in a moment of time which we can't even understand.
  • 00:21:08.817 --> 00:21:13.155
  • There's one last passage.
  • 00:21:13.155 --> 00:21:14.489
  • It's a parable that jesus told.
  • 00:21:14.489 --> 00:21:16.958
  • It's a parable that jesus, in his explanation, said was the
  • 00:21:16.958 --> 00:21:19.628
  • Portrayal of the end of the age.
  • 00:21:19.628 --> 00:21:21.196
  • He's using an analogy of--an agricultural analogy of a field
  • 00:21:21.196 --> 00:21:26.001
  • That was planted with wheat, but when the wheat came and when it
  • 00:21:26.001 --> 00:21:29.504
  • Grew to maturity, there was a liberal scattering of weeds
  • 00:21:29.504 --> 00:21:32.874
  • Amongst the wheat.
  • 00:21:32.874 --> 00:21:35.177
  • And the servants responsible for the yields were distressed.
  • 00:21:35.177 --> 00:21:37.679
  • They were afraid they were in trouble and they said, "shall we
  • 00:21:37.679 --> 00:21:39.781
  • Go pull the weeds?"
  • 00:21:39.781 --> 00:21:41.416
  • And the owner said, "no, we'll separate them at the harvest."
  • 00:21:41.416 --> 00:21:45.387
  • But then jesus explained that the parable was about the end of
  • 00:21:45.387 --> 00:21:48.557
  • The age.
  • 00:21:48.557 --> 00:21:50.826
  • It's in your notes.
  • 00:21:50.826 --> 00:21:52.194
  • It's matthew 13:37: "the one who sowed the good seed is the son
  • 00:21:52.194 --> 00:21:54.796
  • Of man.
  • 00:21:54.796 --> 00:21:56.131
  • And the field is the world, and the good seed stands for the
  • 00:21:56.131 --> 00:21:58.300
  • Sons of the kingdom.
  • 00:21:58.300 --> 00:21:59.634
  • The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows
  • 00:21:59.634 --> 00:22:02.070
  • Them is," whom?
  • 00:22:02.070 --> 00:22:04.206
  • "the devil."
  • 00:22:04.206 --> 00:22:05.574
  • There's two lions, folks.
  • 00:22:05.574 --> 00:22:07.042
  • The question again: which one-- with which one are you aligned?
  • 00:22:07.042 --> 00:22:11.913
  • Don't tell me the group to whom which you belong, the
  • 00:22:11.913 --> 00:22:14.883
  • Denominational flag that you fly, or whether you imagine
  • 00:22:14.883 --> 00:22:19.121
  • Yourself to be protestant or catholic or southern, whatever.
  • 00:22:19.121 --> 00:22:23.925
  • With which of those two personalities, of those two
  • 00:22:23.925 --> 00:22:26.728
  • Lions, are you aligned?
  • 00:22:26.728 --> 00:22:32.834
  • At the end of the age, there's a distinction.
  • 00:22:32.834 --> 00:22:36.138
  • You'll represent one or the other.
  • 00:22:36.138 --> 00:22:39.074
  • Jesus's words, not mine: "as the weeds are pulled up and burned
  • 00:22:39.074 --> 00:22:43.011
  • In the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
  • 00:22:43.011 --> 00:22:45.647
  • The son of man will send out his angels, and they will weed out
  • 00:22:45.647 --> 00:22:51.186
  • Of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
  • 00:22:51.186 --> 00:22:56.024
  • And they'll throw them into a fiery furnace."
  • 00:22:56.024 --> 00:22:59.628
  • I know i gotta wrap it up.
  • 00:22:59.628 --> 00:23:00.962
  • Can we begin--can we begin to imagine, to open our hearts and
  • 00:23:00.962 --> 00:23:04.099
  • Our lives to the spirit of god?
  • 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:07.369
  • Can we take a step today?
  • 00:23:07.369 --> 00:23:08.737
  • Just a first step, a shift in momentum, to align ourselves
  • 00:23:08.737 --> 00:23:13.675
  • With the lion of the tribe of judah?
  • 00:23:13.675 --> 00:23:17.312
  • Could we determine in our hearts to stand firm in the faith,
  • 00:23:17.312 --> 00:23:21.349
  • As peter said, "to resist satan,"
  • 00:23:21.349 --> 00:23:25.220
  • To resist his roars of deception and temptation?
  • 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:31.059
  • We will never find victory by accommodating evil.
  • 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:35.897
  • You can't negotiate with evil.
  • 00:23:35.897 --> 00:23:39.100
  • The only thing evil will yield to is an expression of power
  • 00:23:39.100 --> 00:23:42.103
  • Greater than itself.
  • 00:23:42.103 --> 00:23:45.540
  • God is watching over us.
  • 00:23:45.540 --> 00:23:47.676
  • He will lead us forward.
  • 00:23:47.676 --> 00:23:49.644
  • He's moving in the earth.
  • 00:23:49.644 --> 00:23:51.346
  • I wanna move with him.
  • 00:23:51.346 --> 00:23:58.153
  • We're changing our building, we're reshaping our campus.
  • 00:23:58.153 --> 00:24:01.122
  • We want this community of faith to give expression to that
  • 00:24:01.122 --> 00:24:03.825
  • Desire to see the church gain strength and a voice.
  • 00:24:03.825 --> 00:24:08.296
  • But i believe god will allow us to be a part of that in a much
  • 00:24:08.296 --> 00:24:11.800
  • Broader way beyond just our campus.
  • 00:24:11.800 --> 00:24:14.970
  • God is moving.
  • 00:24:14.970 --> 00:24:17.272
  • We're not in ukraine today, but we can pray for those who are.
  • 00:24:17.272 --> 00:24:20.709
  • We can pray for those who gather at negotiating tables.
  • 00:24:20.709 --> 00:24:24.145
  • We can pray that god will silence the critics who would
  • 00:24:24.145 --> 00:24:26.548
  • Disrupt or diminish, that would let the destruction continue so
  • 00:24:26.548 --> 00:24:31.152
  • That they might profit or gain an advantage or whatever their
  • 00:24:31.152 --> 00:24:34.256
  • Wicked motive might be.
  • 00:24:34.256 --> 00:24:37.459
  • Can we do that?
  • 00:24:37.459 --> 00:24:39.494
  • Will you stand with me?
  • 00:24:39.494 --> 00:24:40.862
  • I gave you a prayer.
  • 00:24:40.862 --> 00:24:45.233
  • We can read it together.
  • 00:24:45.233 --> 00:24:47.435
  • Your prayers matter.
  • 00:24:47.435 --> 00:24:50.305
  • People often say to me they want me to pray.
  • 00:24:50.305 --> 00:24:52.173
  • "pastor, will you pray for this or will you pray for that?"
  • 00:24:52.173 --> 00:24:54.242
  • And i gladly do it, but i want you to pray.
  • 00:24:54.242 --> 00:24:57.779
  • Your prayers matter.
  • 00:24:57.779 --> 00:25:00.348
  • You say, "well, you know, i don't know everything."
  • 00:25:00.348 --> 00:25:01.683
  • Neither do i. i'm not perfect, news bulletin.
  • 00:25:01.683 --> 00:25:07.322
  • Neither am i.
  • 00:25:07.322 --> 00:25:09.057
  • I probably cut you off in traffic last week.
  • 00:25:09.057 --> 00:25:13.028
  • And i probably smiled when i did it, so it's--pray for me.
  • 00:25:13.028 --> 00:25:19.534
  • We don't come before the almighty god because
  • 00:25:19.534 --> 00:25:22.003
  • We're perfect.
  • 00:25:22.003 --> 00:25:23.338
  • We come in the name of jesus.
  • 00:25:23.338 --> 00:25:24.739
  • But we've got to begin to use our voices.
  • 00:25:24.739 --> 00:25:28.076
  • Let's pray together.
  • 00:25:28.076 --> 00:25:29.544
  • "almighty god, forgive us for our unbelief and indifference.
  • 00:25:29.544 --> 00:25:34.382
  • We humble ourselves and acknowledge you as the creator
  • 00:25:34.382 --> 00:25:37.886
  • And sustainer of all things.
  • 00:25:37.886 --> 00:25:40.655
  • Now, open our hearts and our eyes that we may have
  • 00:25:40.655 --> 00:25:44.659
  • Understanding and insight from you.
  • 00:25:44.659 --> 00:25:47.629
  • Deliver us from deception.
  • 00:25:47.629 --> 00:25:49.798
  • Holy spirit teach us, we are listening and we will follow.
  • 00:25:49.798 --> 00:25:54.803
  • Give us now a boldness to believe, to serve and to respond
  • 00:25:54.803 --> 00:25:59.441
  • As never before.
  • 00:25:59.441 --> 00:26:01.276
  • May the name of jesus be lifted high and may his people be
  • 00:26:01.276 --> 00:26:05.614
  • Strengthened, in jesus' name, amen."
  • 00:26:05.614 --> 00:26:09.684
  • God bless you.
  • 00:26:09.684 --> 00:26:13.922
  • Allen: thank you for spending a few minutes with us today.
  • 00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:20.161
  • You know, our goal in doing this is to add momentum to your
  • 00:26:20.161 --> 00:26:23.498
  • Spiritual life, to help open the kingdom of god to you in a more
  • 00:26:23.498 --> 00:26:27.035
  • Practical way, that you could engage in a relationship with
  • 00:26:27.035 --> 00:26:29.638
  • The lord, not be a more faithful church sitter or a bible reader,
  • 00:26:29.638 --> 00:26:33.408
  • But a person who actually knows a living god.
  • 00:26:33.408 --> 00:26:36.177
  • Well, i've written a new book.
  • 00:26:36.177 --> 00:26:37.512
  • It's called "my friend jesus."
  • 00:26:37.512 --> 00:26:38.880
  • To be candid, it's the culmination of years of my own
  • 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:42.517
  • Spiritual journey.
  • 00:26:42.517 --> 00:26:43.852
  • I wanted to peel away all the formality of language and
  • 00:26:43.852 --> 00:26:47.288
  • Routine and ritual, and i really wanted to focus on what it means
  • 00:26:47.288 --> 00:26:50.859
  • To be a friend of the lord.
  • 00:26:50.859 --> 00:26:52.794
  • And that book is intended to give you a pathway to imagine
  • 00:26:52.794 --> 00:26:55.997
  • Your faith in a way that enables it to be more personal,
  • 00:26:55.997 --> 00:26:58.833
  • More transformational.
  • 00:26:58.833 --> 00:27:00.201
  • When i need help, i call my friends.
  • 00:27:00.201 --> 00:27:01.836
  • But when i need real help, i call my friend jesus.
  • 00:27:01.836 --> 00:27:05.106
  • He changes everything.
  • 00:27:05.106 --> 00:27:06.474
  • He's done it many times in my life.
  • 00:27:06.474 --> 00:27:08.343
  • He'll do it in your life.
  • 00:27:08.343 --> 00:27:10.111
  • Read the book, open your heart, there'll be a whole new power
  • 00:27:10.111 --> 00:27:13.348
  • Available to help shape your future.
  • 00:27:13.348 --> 00:27:27.395