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Manifesting the Kingdom of God pt. 8 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. I'm going to pray in this dimension.
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Psalm 55. Verse 22. It says, cast your burdens
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on the Lord and he shall sustain you. Hallelujah.
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Does this sound like an instruction? Amen? Does
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this sound like an instruction to us this morning.
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Cast your burdens. Do we have burdens? If you
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don't have a burden, you can sit down. But do
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you know that you can even generate a burden
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now? Right? Amen? It says, cast your burdens
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on the Lord. On who? On your parents? On your
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pastors? Some of you, your body is overwhelming
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on us. You are meant to just share it with us,
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but you are casting it on us. Hallelujah. The
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scripture says, cast your burden on the Lord
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and he shall sustain you. He shall never permit
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the righteous to be moved. He will never permit,
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it's a promise of the Lord, that he will never
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permit the righteous to be moved. When we come
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to the New Testament, we will see where he says,
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for he cares for you affectionately. Cast your
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burdens on the Lord, for he cares for you affectionately.
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So I want you to just, whatever burden he came
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into this place with, Whatever body he came into
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this place with. Listen, God is here. God is
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in our midst. Hallelujah. One of the things that
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happened in this place, as the people of God
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gather, is that God lifts up burdens in people's
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hearts. Amen. And that is what God has started
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in this place. And God is lifting up burdens
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in people's hearts. So I just want you to just
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communicate that thing that is a burden in your
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heart. No matter how big it is. No matter how
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small it is. Take advantage of the move of God
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in our midst. The steering of God in this place.
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And communicate to God. Now open your mouth and
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speak to God. Open your mouth and speak to God.
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Speak to God. Speak to God. I want to hear somebody
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speaking to God concerning your circumstance.
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Speak to God concerning your circumstance. Speak
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to God passionately concerning what is the burden
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in your heart. Just like the woman in the temple
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praying to God expecting a child, Praying to
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God, I want you to just pray fervently concerning
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what the burden is. Concerning what the burden
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is. Speak to God concerning that burden. God
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is doing something in this hour. The power of
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God is here to meet our needs. The power of God
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is here to meet your needs. Speak to God concerning
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that thing. Make sure you're praying. Thank you,
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family. concerning your family. Shalikapatusa
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kata lapatusekitakaya. Ashalimbranasisketia.
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Alipranusakata lapranisketia. Mangapatusa kata
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kata kata kata kata. Ilaparusekata lambranasisketia.
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Mangapatusulupranusite. Ishalapusakaya. Mangapatia.
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Maripasusakata. Malapranisisekite. Ishalusakaya.
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Nevabisale, nevabisale, nevabisale. Speak to
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God. Speak to God concerning that issue, concerning
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that matter, concerning that matter. God is interested
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in your situation. The Bible says he will never
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allow the righteous to be moved. He will never
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allow the righteous to be moved. Just speak to
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God at this hour. Speak to God concerning that
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matter in your family, in your life, in your
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family, in your life, in your ministry, in your
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work, even in the practical part of your life,
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whatever it is, whatever burden it is. Speak
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to God. Speak to God. . . . . . . . . Speak to
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God. That is why we are here. We are here to
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pray. That's what we do in the garden of the
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believers. We pray. We pray. We pray. Say, Lord,
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this is what is disturbing my heart. This is
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what is disturbing my heart. This is what is
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disrupting my peace. Father, we thank you, Lord,
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that you are meeting our needs. Thank you, Lord,
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that you are meeting our needs. Thank you, Jesus,
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that you are meeting our needs. You are meeting
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our needs. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy
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Ghost. Thank you, Father, that you are meeting
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our needs. Every practical need in this house
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is met in the name of Jesus Christ. Every practical
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need in Christ is met in the name of Jesus Christ.
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We shall never be moved. Hallelujah. Now, please,
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when you leave this place, make sure that you
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live with a free mind. Hallelujah. Some of you,
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if you come to church, as though you drop your
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burdens by the door, and when you are leaving,
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you pick it up again and you continue throughout
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the week. Hallelujah. When you lay your burdens
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before God, you leave it there. Amen? Leaving
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it there simply means that you don't worry about
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it. Leaving it there simply means that you trust
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God's ability to cater for your needs. Leaving
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it there simply means that you trust God's ability
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to answer the desires of your heart. Hallelujah.
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So I just want to encourage you in this place,
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not only today, but continuously. inculcate the
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habit of committing everything that disturbs
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your heart to God. And trusting that God is sufficient.
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You see, the reason for depression, the reason
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why someone will wake up and say, I'm depressed,
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is because you carry your problems so much on
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your own head. And you forget that you have a
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God that is interested in every detail of your
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life. Amen? So I want to encourage you that this
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should be a habit that at no time, in fact, when
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you catch yourself worrying, sometimes it happens
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to me. Amen? I'll discover that I'm going out
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of order. Going out of order will mean that I'm
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not living in joy. Hallelujah. The spirit of
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God in you is a spirit of what? It's a spirit
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of joy. So at all times, the believer ought to
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be full of joy. Regardless of whatever things
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that are happening in the external, we are not
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saying that challenges will not come. Amen? There
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is no promise that problems will not come. But
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even when problems come, the believer is stable.
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Hallelujah. Because we are sure that we are not
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without help. We are sure that God is our help.
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We are sure that God is able to rescue us in
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all situations. Hallelujah. So I want you to
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be encouraged by this. I want you to be encouraged
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by this because I sense in my heart that a lot
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of people have burdens in their heart. And I
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trust that every burden is lifted up in Jesus'
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name. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's have our seats.
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Let's have our seats. Matthew chapter 16. Matthew
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chapter 16. I want to welcome everybody to church
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this morning. Turn to your left and right and
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welcome your brother, your sister, and say, You're
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welcome to church. If the face by your right
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or your left is new, say, What is your name?
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Ask the person's name. Amen. Matthew chapter
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16, verse 18 and 19. Matthew 16, verse 18 and
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19. I want to welcome those who traveled and
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are back. I can see some faces that have been
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away for a while and some couple of new students
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that have joined us freshly. You're welcome.
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Matthew 16, verse 18. And also I say to you that
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you are Peter. And on this rock I will build
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my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail
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against it. Verse 19. And I will give you the
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keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you
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bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever
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you loose on earth will be loosed where? In heaven.
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Hallelujah. So, we confirm that from the foundation
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of the world, God is building a house. God is
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doing something. God is working. God is building
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a house from the foundation of the world. From
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the inception of time, God is doing something.
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And that house is not a fiscal house, but it's
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something spiritual that God is doing. Hallelujah.
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That house is what we see as the family of God.
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That house is what we see as a church of God,
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that God intends to build a family of people.
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And all nations we saw shall flow to this house
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of God, to this family of God. The intention
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of God, is to have a people that are called His
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own. The intention of God is to have a people
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who are called by His name. And this encompasses
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all nations. All nations. The house of God, we
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saw, will be constituted of people from every
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tribe of the nation. It doesn't matter where
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you're coming from. It doesn't matter your nationality.
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It doesn't matter your skin color. It doesn't
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matter your level of education, the intention
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of God is to have all nation in His house, in
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His family, the house of God. Every tribe, every
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race, every tongue, and of course, every gender.
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Two genders, the two genders. Hallelujah. Now,
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we saw that the Father's house is not just a
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building, even though we see in the In the writings
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of the Old Testament scriptures, the writings
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of Moses and God's way of communicating to the
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prophets of old, we see fiscal buildings, constructions
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of houses and of temples. We see when David wanted
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to build a temple for God and then God executed
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this plan through his son Solomon. And we see
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when Moses came, Moses instituted the tabernacle.
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And over and over and then we see the continuity
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of that even to the time of Christ. And we see
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where Jesus Christ was speaking today to the
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disciples in Matthew 24 from verse 1 and 2 about
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the destruction of the physical temple. And we
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say that the physical temple is actually God's
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way of communicating what he will do in the spirit.
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Hallelujah. That a physical temple is only a
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representation. It is not the real thing. It
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is only a way of communication of God. That God
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is communicating his plan and his purpose. Let's
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look at Matthew 24 once again to remind ourselves.
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And of course, for the interest of those who
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are not here in the previous weeks. Matthew 24,
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from verse 1 to 3. Then Jesus went out and departed
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from the temple, and his disciples came up to
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show him the buildings of the temple. So they
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were showing him the magnificence of the temple,
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how glorious the construction is. And Jesus said
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to them, Do you not see all these things? That
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is referring to the building. As surely I say
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to you, not one stone shall be left here upon
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another. that shall not be thrown down. Now,
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as he sat on the mountain of olives, the disciples
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came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when
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will these things be? And what will be the sign
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of your coming and of the end of the age? And
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we say that the question that was asked in verse
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3 was concerning what Jesus Christ said in the
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previous two verses about the destruction of
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the temple. And in our stories, we saw that Jesus
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Christ was telling them that the error of these
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sacrifices that are done in the temple will end.
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That the error of animal sacrifices, the error
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of ceremonial washings that are done in the temple
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will end. And God will introduce a new system.
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And this new system is what is called... It is
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actually what is eternal. It is what is spiritual.
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Hallelujah. And this new system that God will
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bring to be will be in the death and the resurrection
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of Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ dies and is
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rose again, he's going to usher in a new system
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of worship, a new system of interaction with
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people. And we call this system the family of
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God. We call this system... The kingdom of God.
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We call this new system the church of God. Hallelujah.
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And in Matthew 16 verse 19, we see Jesus similarly
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communicating the plan that he had. Let's go
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back to that Matthew 16 verse 19. He says, and
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I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
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The keys of the kingdom of heaven. So we also
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saw from the scriptures previously that the house,
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that this house or this temple or this that God
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is building is also referred to as land, as a
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land. That is in God's way of communication to
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Abraham, he promised them a land, a people, a
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nation, to Isaac and also to Jacob. And we are
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able to see from Hebrews that this land, is a
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city, the city of God. The heavenly Jerusalem.
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Heavenly refers to something spiritual, not a
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physical Jerusalem, but a heavenly Jerusalem.
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Something that is not physical, but something
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that is spiritual. And we saw that this land,
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this heavenly Jerusalem, is also called the church
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of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11, verse 8. Verse 8.
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Hebrews. Yes. Hebrews 11 from verse 8 to 16.
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It says, By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was
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called to go out to the place which he will receive
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as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing
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where he was going. By faith, he dwelled in the
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land of promise. So what God promised was a land.
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What God promised was a country. By faith he
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dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign
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country dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
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the heirs with him of the same promise. So it
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means that the promise of God to Abraham is the
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same promise that was given to Jacob, to Isaac,
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to Jacob, even to the children of Israel. For
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he waited. This is what Abraham waited for. This
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is what Abraham was promised. For he waited for
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the city which has foundations. whose builder
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and maker is who? It's God. That wouldn't be
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an earthly nation built by men. So what Abraham
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was promised was something spiritual, something
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that is built by God. By faith, Sarah herself
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also received strength to conceive seed, and
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she bore a child when she was past the age, because
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she judged him faithful, Who has what? Has promised.
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God has promised. And God is faithful. Therefore
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from one man and him as good as death were born
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as many as the stars of the sky in multitude,
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innumerable as the sun which is by the seashore.
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This wouldn't be the nation of Israel of today.
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Hallelujah. Because the nation of Israel today
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are not... are not as much as even Nigeria, where
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I come from. They're not even half of my country.
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So we can say that they are the fulfillment of
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God's promise. Amen? So these all died in faith,
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not having received the promises, but having
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seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced
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them, and confessed that indeed they were strangers
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and pilgrims on earth. For those who say such
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things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
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The word homeland here refers to a community.
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Hallelujah. It refers to a community. And truly,
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if they had called to mind that country from
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which they had come out, they would have had
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an opportunity to return. But now they desire
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a better. Now the word better here, We always
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explain to you, it means something permanent.
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Amen? Beta here refers to something permanent.
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They desire something permanent. That is a spiritual
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country. Heavenly refers to what? Spiritual.
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Something spiritual. So, they desire something
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permanent. They desire a spiritual country. Therefore,
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God... It's not a shame to be called their God.
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For he has prepared a city for them. And we explained
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this city on Wednesday. We said this city, what
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does the word city refer to? Of course, from
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the Greek word polis, right? It means what? People.
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For he has prepared a people for them. For he
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has prepared a family for them. Alright? So the
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plan of God is what? It's a family. It's a family.
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Hallelujah. Let's jump to chapter 12, verse 22.
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Hebrews 12, 22. But you have come to Mount Zion
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and to the city to the family, to the community,
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to the country, to the church of the living God,
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the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company
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of angels, to the general assembly and church
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of the firstborn, who are registered in heaven,
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to God the judge of all, To the spirits of just
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men made perfect. To Jesus, the mediator of the
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new covenant and to the blood of the sprinkling
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that speaks better things than the blood of a
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bell. Hallelujah. So we see that the culmination
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of the explanation of all that God is doing or
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what God will do is that he is establishing his
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family on earth. what we call their household,
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what we call the church. Hallelujah. Now, the
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promise that God made to Abraham, to Isaac and
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Jacob, was also made to David. Now, let's look
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at David. 2 Samuel 7. 2 Samuel 7, verse 12. I
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just want you to see the consistency of God's
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plan. Once God says something, He ensured that
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what? That that didn't come to pass. Hallelujah.
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And we saw earlier on in Psalms, He said that
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He will never allow, it is not in God's, it is
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not in God's attitude or culture to allow the
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righteous to be moved. Amen? It is not in God's
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character to allow the righteous to be forsaken.
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And God is committed to His words. The psalmist
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will say that since I was young and now I am
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old, I have never seen what? The sons of the
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righteous do what? Huh? Is he forsaking or begging?
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Begging for bread. Hmm? Okay. He has never seen
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the righteous forsaking. No, he sits. Doing what?
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Begging for bread. And you hear such kind of
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promise and then you say you are depressed. It's
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impossible because God is consistent. God is
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consistent in his promises. And all through scriptures
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we'll see the consistency of God. God's consistency
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goes beyond your own inconsistency. Because God
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is not dependent on you to take an action. Hallelujah.
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The idea of salvation is not because we requested
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for it. Amen. It was on a plan of man. Man never
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sat down and negotiated with God. Please God,
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can you come and die for us? Because we have
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a problem. No. God originated the plan for our
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salvation. And he designed the plan how it will
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be executed. And he alone executed it. Amen.
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So it was not, man never contributed in God's
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plan. of saving men because no one can do it.
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He became man so that he would die to save men.
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Hallelujah. Now let's go back to God's promise
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to David. It says, when your days are fulfilled
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and you rest with your fathers, I will set up
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your seed. Is this similar to what we see in
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Abraham? A seed, right? Similar to who? To Isaac,
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a seat. Similar to who? To Jacob, a seat. I will
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set up your seat after you. Who will come from
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your body? And I will establish his kingdom.
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He shall build a house for my name. This seat
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shall build a house for my name. And I will establish
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the throne of his kingdom forever. Hallelujah.
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I will be his father and he shall be my son.
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If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with
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the rod of men and with the blows of the sons
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of men. This part is concerning Solomon. Hallelujah.
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But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took
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it. Amen. Verse 16. Amen. The house is also the
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kingdom, right? Amen. The house is also the kingdom,
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right? Forever before you. Your throne shall
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be established. How? Forever. And we see this
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promise also reiterated in 1 Chronicles 17. Another
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place where this promise was reiterated. 1 Chronicles
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17 from verse 11. 1 Chronicles 17 verse 11. 11
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to 14. And it shall be that when your days are
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fulfilled. When you must go to be with your fathers,
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that I will set up your seat, that I will set
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up your seat after you, who will be of your sons.
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And I will establish his kingdom. And I will
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establish his kingdom. He shall build me a house,
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and I will establish his throne forever. Verse
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13, yes. I will be his father and he shall be
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my son. And I will not take my mercy away from
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him as I took it from him who was before you.
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And I will establish him in my house and in my
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kingdom forever. And his throne shall be established
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forever. Hallelujah. Now the mercy that God took
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away from Saul is actually the plan of God. Amen.
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Hallelujah. Now, we'll find time to explain that
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subsequently. Psalms 89. We're looking at how
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God declared the promises to David. Psalms 89
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verse 3. Psalms 89 verse 3. I have made a covenant
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with my chosen. I have sworn to my servant David.
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What is the covenant? Let's look at it. Next
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verse. Your seat I will establish forever. Whenever
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you see God establishing the seat of David, you
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will see it is forever. Consistently, it is forever.
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And build up your throne to all generations.
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Hallelujah. To all generations. Sila. Now, if
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you are smart, you will ask this question. Today,
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do we still see the throne of David in existence
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today? Do we still see the son of David on the
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throne of David today as a physical kingdom,
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as a physical throne? Which means that what God
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was promising was not something physical. was
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something that is forever, something that is
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eternal, was something that is spiritual, but
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communicated using physical things. Hallelujah.
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Now from the promise, we would be tempted to
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think, oh, that is Solomon, that is a promise
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of God. Similarly, the way we can easily think
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of Isaac as a promise to Abraham. This house
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of David, which is also called the kingdom of
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David, the Bible says, will last forever. The
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seed will also reign over the house of David
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forever. Hallelujah. Now, the prophet Isaiah
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will later give clarity about this seed of David
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that will last forever, that will reign forever.
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In Isaiah 9, verse 6 -7, we will see that the
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prophet clarified that this He's talking about
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the Messiah. Isaiah 9 verse 6. It says, for unto
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us a child is born and unto us a son is given
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and the government will be upon his shoulder
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and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
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Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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Verse 7. Of the increase of his government and
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peace, there will be no end. Which means that
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he is eternal. Upon the throne of David. Upon
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where? Upon the throne of David and over his
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kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment
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and justice from that time forward. Even forever.
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The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do what? will
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perform this. So, the prophet Isaiah clarified
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that this promise concerning the throne, the
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kingdom of David, the house of David, is actually
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the prophecy concerning the Messiah who will
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come and establish the kingdom, the house of
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David forever. Hallelujah. Also, in Luke chapter
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1 verse 32, we will see that when the angel appeared
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to Mary, he clarified his mission. Luke chapter
34:54
1 verse 32. Luke chapter 1 verse 32. This is
35:05
what the angel said to Mary. He says, he will
35:06
be great and will be called the son of the highest.
35:12
Talking about the baby that will be born. He
35:14
will be called the son of the highest and the
35:17
Lord God will give him what? What will the Lord
35:20
God give him? He will give him the throne of
35:23
his father, David. And he will reign over the
35:28
house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, what
35:34
will happen? There will be no end. So it therefore
35:36
means that that seed of David that will reign
35:39
over the kingdom, the throne of David, the house
35:42
of David forever, is actually God's communication,
35:46
God's communicating his plan of the coming Messiah.
35:49
who will reign forever. Hallelujah. Now, people
35:56
also recognize Jesus as the son of David. Amen.
36:01
It is important that we see in scriptures that
36:04
not only did the angel pronounce Jesus as the
36:06
son of David, but men who existed during that
36:09
time also understood by prophecy that this is
36:13
the Messiah. And the scriptures have spoken that
36:15
the Messiah will come in the lineage of David.
36:20
That the Messiah will be called the son of David.
36:23
That the Messiah will come and inherit the throne
36:27
of David, the kingdom of David, the house of
36:30
David. Let's look at an example. The blind man
36:34
in Luke chapter 18 verse 38. Luke chapter 18
36:42
verse 38. 38 and 39. And he cried out, saying,
36:51
Jesus, son of Joseph, son of Joseph. But I was
36:59
thinking Joseph was the father of Jesus. But
37:04
he said, that means that the blind man had an
37:07
understanding of Jesus as prophesied by scriptures,
37:10
that this is a Messiah. And this man, this Messiah
37:15
is actually in the lineage of David. And he cried
37:18
out saying, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on
37:22
me. Meaning that the Messiah will come along
37:25
with mercy. Alright? Have mercy on me. Then those
37:29
who went before warned him that he should be
37:31
quiet. But he cried out, out loud. Meaning that
37:35
he didn't make mistakes. It wasn't a mistake
37:37
that he called on the son of David. He cried
37:39
out a second time, son of David, have mercy on
37:43
me. Also the Canaanite woman, Matthew 15, 22.
37:51
The woman from Canaan, Matthew. I think this
37:55
woman is a gentile, right? I presume this woman
37:59
should be a gentile. Maybe we'll look at it.
38:03
And behold, a woman from Canaan came from the
38:06
region and cried out to him, saying, Have mercy
38:10
on me, O Lord. Son of who? Son of David. Son
38:15
of David, my daughter is severely demon -possessed.
38:19
So she recognized Jesus as who? As the son of
38:23
David, with whom will inherit the promise of
38:27
the kingdom of David that has been prophesied
38:29
in the scriptures. Matthew 21, verse 9. Matthew
38:37
21, verse 9. Then the multitude who went before
38:46
and those who followed cried out saying, Hosanna
38:50
to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes
38:53
in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
38:56
So the crowd also prophetically envisioned Jesus
39:00
as the Messiah and see him as the one who will
39:04
inherit the throne or the kingdom of David. Hallelujah.
39:10
Or the house of David. Amen. So similarly, we
39:16
will see that the prophet Isaiah also prophesied
39:19
about the keys of the house of David. We saw
39:22
this on Wednesday. Isaiah 22, from Isaiah 22.
39:28
Isaiah 22, verse 23. Then it shall be in that
39:38
day, and I will call myself an Eliakim now. Eliakim
39:45
is actually a character in the scriptures. But
39:48
prophetically, these words were not about Eliakim,
39:52
but it's about the Messiah. Hallelujah. Because
39:55
Eliakim is a type, it's a typology of Jesus.
40:00
Just like Moses is a type of Jesus, just like
40:03
some characters in the scriptures are a type
40:08
of Jesus, but not Jesus himself. They represent
40:12
Jesus. Hallelujah. Then it shall be in that day
40:15
that I will call my servant Eliakim, the son
40:18
of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your rope
40:22
and strengthen him with your belt. I will commit
40:26
your responsibility into his hand. He shall be
40:33
a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and
40:37
to the house of Judah. The key of the house of
40:42
David. I will lay on his shoulder. So the key,
40:48
right, will be laid where? On his shoulder. Do
40:51
you sound like Isaiah chapter 9? The government
40:54
on his shoulder. Power, authority. Key on his
40:58
shoulders. Hallelujah. The key of the house of
41:03
David, I will lay on his shoulder. So he shall
41:06
open and no one shall shut. And he shall shut.
41:11
and no one shall open. I will fasten him as a
41:19
pick in a secure place and he will become a glorious
41:23
throne to his father's house. Do you read verse
41:32
23? Yes, verse 23. So Eliakim, It's a foreshadowing
41:42
of Christ. It's a foreshadowing of Christ. We'll
41:47
see this explained in Revelation 3, verse 7.
41:52
Make a reference to this. Revelation 3, verse
41:58
7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia,
42:06
write, This thing says he who is holy, he who
42:12
is true, he who has the key of what? He who has
42:16
the key of David. He's talking about the Messiah.
42:18
He who has the key of David. He who opens and
42:23
no one shuts. And shuts and no one opens. Talking
42:28
about Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. So in Matthew
42:34
18, 16 verse 19. We will see Jesus makes a promise.
42:39
Let's go back to Matthew, our key scripture,
42:41
Matthew 18 verse 19. Jesus makes a promise. And
42:46
what is a promise? He made a promise. He says,
42:49
I will give you. He's not saying take the key,
42:53
but rather it's a promise. It's still a promise.
42:55
He says, I will give you the keys of the kingdom.
43:00
And for those that have been following us, he
43:01
said these keys is not plural. It's translators,
43:05
right? that made it plural. Okay? He says, I
43:09
will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
43:12
And whatever you bind on earth will be bound
43:15
in heaven. And whatever you lose on earth will
43:19
be loosed in heaven. And we noted that the church
43:28
and the kingdom are synonymous. The church and
43:33
the kingdom are synonymous. The kingdom of heaven
43:38
is where God rules and reigns. The church is
43:45
supernatural. The church is supernatural. Hallelujah.
43:51
It's where God reigns. The church is not a social
43:54
gathering. It's not a club. It's a supernatural
44:00
reality. Hallelujah. All of us that are here
44:05
belongs to a supernatural family. We belong to
44:08
a supernatural family, meaning that we are spiritual.
44:15
I want you to know that the keys, as mentioned
44:19
in verse 19 of Matthew 16, is used, the word
44:24
keys is used as a metaphor for access. The word
44:30
keys is a metaphor. For what? For access. So
44:35
what Jesus will be saying to Peter in this verse
44:39
is that I'll give you the access to what? I'll
44:43
give you the access to what? To the kingdom of
44:46
God. I will give you the access to the kingdom
44:49
of God. I'll give you that. What access is also
44:52
authority. We've seen it previously. I'll give
44:56
you the authority of what? Of the kingdom. I'll
44:59
give you the access which refers to authority.
45:02
We can use power. Amen? Keys is the word kleis
45:10
in the Greek. K -L -E -I -S in the Greek. Which
45:17
metaphorically can also be referred to as power
45:20
or authority since the keeper of the keys, he
45:25
who holds the keys, has the power or authority
45:28
to open or to shut. Amen? So, Jesus made this
45:36
promise to Peter. He says, and I will give you
45:40
the keys. He will give the keys because he actually
45:45
has it. Jesus will give the keys because he has
45:48
the key. The key has been delivered to him. So,
45:58
what will the key mean? We said it means access,
46:02
right? It will enable Peter to do what? To open
46:05
and close, will it? With a key, he'll be able
46:08
to bind and also what? And also loose with a
46:11
key, with the access. So when will this key be
46:15
given? When will this key be given? Huh? When
46:23
will this key be given? Because Jesus was making
46:25
a promise. So this key, will be given in the
46:32
resurrection of Jesus Christ. The key, Lord,
46:37
is a promise that will be given when Jesus has
46:41
died and he rose again. So the key is a product
46:45
of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. If Jesus
46:48
has not died, he can't hand over the key to Peter.
46:53
Hallelujah. So the key is a product of Jesus'
46:58
death. His burial and His resurrection. How did
47:02
we come to this conclusion that is actually a
47:05
product of Jesus' resurrection? When we look
47:07
at the subsequent verses from Matthew 16, we
47:10
discover that in the same line, Jesus went on
47:12
to begin to speak about His death. Matthew 16,
47:15
verse 21. Yes, yes, from verse 20, verse 21.
47:21
Give me verse 21. Verse 21, yes. It says, from
47:25
that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples
47:31
that he must go to Jerusalem and do what? And
47:35
suffer many things from the elders and the chief
47:37
priests and scribes and be killed and be raised
47:42
the third day. Then Peter, because Peter did
47:46
not understand, he took Jesus aside and began
47:50
to chasten him and began to rebuke Jesus, saying,
47:54
far be it, God forbid. Far be it from you, Lord.
48:01
This shall not happen to you. But how will you
48:04
have the key? How will you have access to the
48:09
kingdom if I do not go? Alright? But he turned
48:14
and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan. Now,
48:18
Peter is not Satan. Let's clarify this, alright?
48:25
And then, We cannot prove that Satan entered
48:28
Peter. Except we assume. Hallelujah. So, Satan,
48:37
the word Satan, we've learned that it's what?
48:40
It's opposition, right? It's a word for opposition.
48:44
So, you can be a Satan in this context. I'm not
48:50
saying you are the devil. And I hope that nobody
48:55
is from the devil in this place. And I hope that
48:58
all of us believe and we are from God. Hallelujah.
49:01
So Satan, the word Satan here means opposition.
49:04
Anything that is an opposition is a Satan. The
49:07
word Satan is an opposition. So Jesus said to
49:11
Peter, get behind me, the Satan. You are an offense
49:16
to me for you are not mindful of the things of
49:20
God, but the things of men. For the things of
49:25
men. For it was necessary for the Christ to die.
49:27
It was necessary for the Messiah to die so that
49:30
he can hand over the keys of the kingdom to men.
49:33
It was necessary that the Messiah must die that
49:36
he will hand over the access to the kingdom to
49:41
Peter, to men. Hallelujah. So we can ask again.
49:50
Is this key a literal key or something spiritual?
49:55
Huh? Spiritual? Is this talking of something
49:59
spiritual? Oh, I wish we could have printed some
50:01
keys today, Pastor Chidi. And then we can share
50:04
in church today the keys of the kingdom. But
50:10
then, it's talking of something spiritual, right?
50:15
Something that is not physical, but something
50:18
that is spiritual. Hallelujah. It is not material.
50:26
So what did Jesus give at the resurrection? We
50:30
concluded that this key will be given at the
50:32
resurrection, right? So what is this key that
50:37
Jesus gave at the resurrection? What is this
50:42
key that Jesus gave at the resurrection? Not
50:45
many keys. It's just one key. What did Jesus
50:53
give at his resurrection? Any clue? Jesus gave
51:05
us his spirit as a resurrection. Hallelujah.
51:10
So the keys, or what we call the key, the access
51:14
to the kingdom is actually the spirit. Jesus
51:23
gave the spirit at the resurrection. John chapter
51:28
14 verse 16. John chapter 14 verse 16 to 20.
51:32
Let's look at it. And I will pray the father.
51:42
That is before dying and rising from the dead.
51:46
And I will pray the father. And he will give
51:51
you another helper. In fact, this is the only
51:55
thing that Jesus promised that he would give
51:58
if he searched through all the scriptures. And
52:01
I'll give you another helper that he may abide
52:05
with you forever. The spirit of truth whom the
52:13
world cannot receive because it neither sees
52:16
him nor knows him, but you know him for he dwells
52:20
with you and will be In you. And I will not leave
52:27
you orphans. I will come to you. A little while
52:33
longer. And the world will see me no more. But
52:37
you will see me because I live. You will live
52:40
also. At that day you will know that I am in
52:45
my father. And you in me. And I in you. So before
52:52
Jesus' death and resurrection, he promised the
52:55
Holy Spirit. He gave the gift of the indwelling
53:00
of the Spirit at the resurrection. So do we have
53:04
the key of the kingdom? Amen? Does the believer
53:10
have the access to the kingdom of God? Does the
53:14
believer have the access, the authority of the
53:17
kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven? Hallelujah.
53:21
Do we have the authority of the church? Amen?
53:27
The summary of everything Jesus gave at the resurrection
53:30
is called the Spirit. We can accumulate everything
53:34
and call it the Spirit. Pneumatica. Or is it
53:40
pneumaticus, right? We can classify everything
53:44
that Jesus did as what? As the Spirit. That is
53:48
what he gave us at his resurrection. The indwelling
53:52
of the Spirit in the believer. See, before Jesus
53:57
died, and when he died and rose again, the only
54:02
difference is that the Spirit lives in men. Amen?
54:09
Because before Jesus died, miracles were done.
54:12
Isn't it? Healings were done, isn't it? Jesus
54:17
healed the sick. The apostles performed miracles.
54:20
Even in the Old Testament, people performed miracles.
54:24
Hallelujah. So, Jesus' death and burial and resurrection
54:29
is not really what ushered in the miraculous.
54:34
Amen? The miraculous has been in existence even
54:38
before he died. Hallelujah. But remember, the
54:42
miraculous is a pointer to the fact that the
54:46
indwelling will happen. That the Spirit will
54:49
live in men and men will perform the works of
54:51
the Spirit. Hallelujah. So having the keys will
55:01
enable the believer. When the believer has the
55:04
keys, what will happen? The believer will be
55:06
able to bind and loose. Hallelujah. So we have
55:12
the keys, amen, of the kingdom. So we can bind
55:16
and loose. Can we bind and loose? Right? So what
55:20
does it mean to bind and to loose? Who can help
55:24
us? Eh? I want someone randomly to just help
55:29
us so we can cross this chapter. What does it
55:31
mean to bind and loose? Eh? To what? I didn't
55:38
hear. To imprison. Imprison who? Yes, to imprison
55:47
people. Anybody from school in training center
55:55
should not answer. Binding and losing. Matthew
56:03
chapter 18. Let's look at one here. I was hoping
56:10
we would have more time to explain this binding
56:11
and losing. Anyway, Matthew 18. Verse 15 to 20.
56:21
So we have the spirit in us. All right? We have
56:25
the access to the kingdom. We have the key, the
56:29
keys to the kingdom. So we have the ability to
56:32
bind and to loose. Isn't it? We have the capacity
56:36
to bind and to loose. Hallelujah. So Matthew
56:40
chapter 18 verse 15. Moreover, if your brother
56:44
sins against you, Go and tell him his fault between
56:48
you and him alone. If he hates you, you have
56:52
gained your brother. But if he will not hear,
56:56
take with you one or two more, that by the mouth
57:00
of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
57:04
Verse 17. And if he refuses to hear them, tell
57:08
it to the ecclesia, the church. But if he refuses
57:11
even to hear the church, let him be to you like
57:15
a heathen. Verse 19. Again, I say to you that
57:34
if two of you agree on earth concerning anything
57:39
that they ask, it will be done for them by my
57:42
Father in heaven. For where two or three are
57:47
gathered together in my name, I am there in their
57:53
midst. Hallelujah. So we'll see from this, this
58:01
connects with the key of David, right? Isaiah
58:06
22, verse 22. And Revelation chapter 3, verse
58:09
7. Showing authority. Jesus giving authority
58:17
to the church, to his church, to act on the earth
58:21
under heaven's backing. So I want you to know
58:26
Matthew 18, 18 is related to what? Forgiveness
58:30
and reconciliation. The context of the conversation
58:32
here. You don't bind and lose people. Amen. Or
58:37
this is not talking about spiritual forces. You
58:40
bind and you cast. And people have read this
58:42
scripture wrongly when they want to cast devils.
58:46
They read this scripture, it's a misappropriation
58:49
of scripture. Of course, we have authority to
58:54
what? To cast out devils, right? But this is
58:57
not a scripture for casting out devils. The context
59:00
of the communication here is what? It's reconciliation
59:03
of the brethren. The forgiveness that happens,
59:06
the forgiveness. Hallelujah. So it is related
59:11
to the forgiveness and reconciliation within
59:13
the church. As the context suggests, it is not
59:18
for cursing demons and spirits. So, let's briefly,
59:25
as we close, examine Jesus' instruction at the
59:31
resurrection as recorded in John 20. Remember
59:37
I gave was a hint that the binding and losing
59:41
is in relation to what? Forgiveness and what?
59:45
And reconciliation. Binding and losing is in
59:49
connection to what? Forgiveness and reconciliation
59:51
of sins. This one we see is in relationship between
59:57
brothers and sisters in the church. Amen. So
1:00:02
whatever they bind and lose simply means whatever
1:00:04
they've agreed concerning what offense has been
1:00:07
done. Hallelujah. Now in John chapter 20 verse
1:00:10
19. John 20 verse 19. Then the same day at the
1:00:19
evening, being the first day of the week, when
1:00:21
the doors were shut, where the disciples were
1:00:24
assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and
1:00:26
stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be
1:00:28
with you. When he had said this, he showed them
1:00:32
his hands and his side. Then the disciples were
1:00:35
glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to
1:00:39
them, Peace to you. As the Father has sent me,
1:00:43
I also sent you. As the Father has sent me, I
1:00:48
also sent you. And when he had said this, he
1:00:52
breathed on them and said to them, Receive the
1:00:55
Holy Spirit. The next verse. Now look at this
1:01:02
statement very carefully. If you forgive the
1:01:06
sins of any, what has happened? They are forgiving
1:01:11
them. If you retain the sins of any, they are
1:01:15
what? They are retained. Amen? If you forgive,
1:01:21
but first of all, he breathed on them. Now, we're
1:01:24
going to see, we know when the Spirit was given,
1:01:26
right? In this text, we didn't see the Spirit.
1:01:29
He breathed on them and he said, receive ye the
1:01:31
Spirit. But we didn't see the record that they
1:01:34
received the Spirit in this text. We'll see it
1:01:37
later on in Acts. Hallelujah. But then, because
1:01:41
of the spirit that they have, because of the
1:01:45
gift of the indwelling of the spirit that will
1:01:47
come, they can forgive anyone and then the person
1:01:55
will be forgiven. And when they retain somebody's
1:02:00
sin, that sin will be retained. And how does
1:02:03
a believer forgive and retain sin? That's what
1:02:05
we should be asking. How does a believer retain?
1:02:09
and forgive sin. We've noted that the agency
1:02:14
by which we have access to the kingdom of God
1:02:17
is by the Holy Spirit within us. So how does
1:02:21
a believer forgive and retain sin of men? By
1:02:27
preaching the gospel. Amen? By preaching the
1:02:33
gospel, men believe and are forgiven. When the
1:02:39
believer who has the spirit of God in him, who
1:02:42
has the access to the kingdom of God, preach
1:02:44
the gospel and men believe, their sins are forgiven.
1:02:52
By not preaching the gospel, we keep the sins
1:02:55
of men. We return the sins of men by not preaching
1:02:59
the gospel. And they are not forgiven. Hallelujah.
1:03:05
It means, That the forgiveness that men will
1:03:08
receive in this world depends on men. Do you
1:03:12
know why? Because God has given the access to
1:03:15
the kingdom to men. God has given the access,
1:03:18
the authority of the kingdom of heaven to us.
1:03:21
We the church, we have the access to the kingdom.
1:03:23
So we have the responsibility of making men experience
1:03:28
heaven. God shares with us the access. by which
1:03:35
men will come into the house of God, the family
1:03:39
of God, the household of God. Verse 23 means
1:03:41
that the believer is the determinant by which
1:03:44
the men are saved or not. The Christian is a
1:03:50
determinant by which men are forgiven or not.
1:03:55
Hallelujah. So if you as a believer is not preaching
1:03:59
the gospel to the unsaved, what you're doing
1:04:01
is that you are not releasing forgiveness to
1:04:03
them. Amen? You're not releasing forgiveness
1:04:10
to them. So, what have you been doing with the
1:04:16
access that you have? What have you been doing
1:04:21
with the authority of the kingdom that you have?
1:04:23
What have you been doing with the access to the
1:04:28
kingdom that you have? Are you acting like the
1:04:31
Pharisees? Jesus said that the Pharisees, they
1:04:34
themselves did not enter. Right? And they do
1:04:39
not allow others to enter. That was Jesus' problem
1:04:42
with the Pharisees actually. Because of their
1:04:45
conduct, they do not allow others to experience
1:04:49
the kingdom. Because of their irresponsibility,
1:04:53
they don't allow others to see the knowledge
1:04:56
by knowledge. They don't allow people to understand
1:04:59
the kingdom. They themselves are not willing
1:05:01
to understand because of their unbelief. And
1:05:06
then people are not also. able to understand
1:05:08
thereafter experiencing the kingdom. Hallelujah.
1:05:15
Now we're going to see subsequently how we can
1:05:18
exercise the authority of the kingdom. But what
1:05:21
I want to show to you this morning for you to
1:05:24
go on with an understanding that you should have
1:05:27
is that you as the believer has the authority
1:05:31
of the kingdom. And primarily, the authority
1:05:36
vested on you is to bring others into the family.
1:05:41
And whenever you don't preach the gospel, you
1:05:44
are restraining men from receiving forgiveness.
1:05:47
Whenever you preach the gospel and men believe,
1:05:51
you are giving people forgiveness. Hallelujah.
1:05:56
So I want you to say, I forgive sins. I forgive
1:05:59
sins by preaching the gospel. I forgive sins
1:06:04
by preaching the gospel. I bind and I loose by
1:06:08
preaching the gospel. And men are brought into
1:06:11
the kingdom. And men experience the forgiveness
1:06:15
of God. I just want you to pray for yourself
1:06:18
at this moment. And ask God to help you to be
1:06:27
committed to the responsibility Paul would say
1:06:36
that knowing the knowledge, having the knowledge
1:06:39
of God, knowing the terror of God, we persuade
1:06:44
men because we've known God, we persuade men.
1:06:47
We plead with men. Having an understanding of
1:06:54
God's love, we preach the gospel. Paul would
1:06:57
say, what betides me if I don't preach the gospel?
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You have a responsibility. I have a responsibility.
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We all have a duty to preach the gospel to men,
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to bring men into the experience of the kingdom
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of God, to bring men into the experience of the
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forgiveness of God. You have a responsibility.
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And I want you to go into this week committed
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to this responsibility. Committed to this responsibility
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of telling men about the forgiveness of God.
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That God in Jesus Christ has forgiven sins. That
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God is no longer holding men accountable because
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he has crucified Jesus. He has crucified Jesus
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for our sins. Therefore, the debt of sin has
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been taken away. Therefore, when men believe
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they are forgiven, they are no longer responsible
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for sin because God himself has taken the responsibility
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upon himself and he has given us Jesus who died
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for our sins. If you are a partaker of this free
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gift, you have a duty. Because the salvation
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you receive comes with a responsibility. And
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the responsibility is to tell men about what
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you have received. The end goal is that you become
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a steward of this message. The message of the
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gospel. That men are safe. That men are forgiven
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of their sins. That is the plan of God. To populate
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heaven. That is the plan of God. To have more
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sons in the kingdom. Until next time, stay blessed.