Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / The Servants Creed - 3/22/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Transcript

The Servants Creed - 3/22/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

• 0:02
  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
• 0:05
  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
• 0:07
  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
• 0:10
  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
• 0:12
  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
• 0:15
  with your friends. Now, let's join
• 0:17
  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
• 0:20
  God.
• 0:27
  And he is faithful. Amen. thankful David
• 0:30
  said, "The Lord is my shepherd." Amen.
• 0:32
  And I appreciate his faithfulness and he
• 0:35
  sure has been good to us. I appreciate
• 0:36
  you being here this morning. And I love
• 0:39
  each and every one of you. Thank you for
• 0:40
  being in the house of God today. And I
• 0:42
  hope you've had a good week. Amen. And
• 0:45
  well, I take I always say this, act like
• 0:47
  Sunday is the last day of the week, but
• 0:48
  really it ain't. It's the first day of
• 0:50
  the week. And Young and Y Liberty to go.
• 0:52
  They done going, so Amen. They don't
• 0:54
  need my liberty. Somebody say amen. But
• 0:57
  I appreciate it. appreciate you being
• 0:59
  here today and thankful I have this good
• 1:01
  crowd here in spite. I'm telling you, if
• 1:03
  you had many phone calls as I got
• 1:05
  yesterday, you would have thought that
• 1:06
  there wouldn't be anybody here this
• 1:07
  morning. So, thank you for being here. I
• 1:10
  mean that. I really do appreciate it and
• 1:12
  I love each and every one of you. Thank
• 1:13
  you for being in the house of God this
• 1:16
  morning. John's Gospel chapter 12.
• 1:18
  John's Gospel chapter number 12. And
• 1:21
  I've been praying about these services
• 1:22
  today. And I want to say this to you.
• 1:25
  You know, you never know who you're
• 1:27
  influencing
• 1:29
  >> in this life. You never know what your
• 1:31
  life has an impact uh on others. You
• 1:33
  never know who's being impacted by your
• 1:36
  life. And I was yesterday I was in a
• 1:38
  meeting. I was in a meeting Friday and
• 1:41
  Saturday, men's meeting down in South
• 1:43
  Carolina and uh there was some young men
• 1:46
  there. It was it was a men's conference.
• 1:48
  What it was, there was over a thousand
• 1:50
  men there, I guess, as far as I could
• 1:51
  tell. It was a it was a big meeting and
• 1:53
  we was there. just went to sit in on the
• 1:55
  meeting and uh they it was a it's called
• 1:58
  the pastors and his men of might
• 2:00
  conference and uh we was there and some
• 2:03
  friends of mine were there. They're
• 2:04
  church folk. I just I just wrote down um
• 2:07
  just due to everything been going on at
• 2:08
  the church. I didn't promote it or push
• 2:10
  it or anything like that. And so we I
• 2:12
  just wrote down uh for the meeting and
• 2:14
  they had a they had a time of prayer
• 2:16
  after one of the sermons. Heard six
• 2:18
  messages. They preached four preachers
• 2:20
  on Saturday morning and every one of
• 2:22
  them preached over 3540 minutes and it
• 2:25
  was good man. I'm telling you I could
• 2:26
  have stood to heard two more yesterday.
• 2:28
  Amen. But it was good. And uh yesterday
• 2:30
  they had a time of prayer um for the
• 2:33
  pastors and the men of men that come
• 2:35
  with them u would pray with their pastor
• 2:37
  and I was there about on the on the
• 2:40
  front row and there's three young boys
• 2:42
  three preachers boys that I love dearly
• 2:44
  and they wasn't able to get to the altar
• 2:46
  with their their dads all their dad's
• 2:48
  pastors and uh they come up there and
• 2:50
  those three pre those three preachers
• 2:52
  boys got around me and prayed with me. I
• 2:54
  didn't know who was there. And uh I I
• 2:56
  stood up. When I was finished praying, I
• 2:58
  looked around. There was all three
• 2:59
  around me praying for me. And they don't
• 3:01
  go to my church. They just But I I was
• 3:03
  just thinking about that. And I was on
• 3:04
  the ride home with that preacher
• 3:06
  yesterday. And and I told him, I said,
• 3:08
  "Thank you for trusting me with your
• 3:10
  children."
• 3:10
  >> Amen.
• 3:11
  >> And uh man, I'm telling you, you don't
• 3:13
  know who's watching your life.
• 3:14
  >> Amen.
• 3:15
  >> You don't know who's impacted by what
• 3:17
  you're doing. And let me say, don't
• 3:19
  quit.
• 3:20
  >> Amen.
• 3:20
  >> Don't quit on God. Don't quit on church.
• 3:23
  And uh I don't care how messed up your
• 3:25
  life's been up to this point. You can be
• 3:26
  an example from this day forward. Amen.
• 3:29
  And don't give up on God. I'm telling
• 3:31
  you, he's got a plan for your life. And
• 3:33
  I do appreciate you being here. You find
• 3:35
  your place. John chapter number 12. If
• 3:37
  you would stand with us in honor
• 3:38
  reverence to the reading of God's word,
• 3:40
  John chapter number 12. And I hope
• 3:43
  you've been praying for the service
• 3:45
  today. Praying God would help us. And I
• 3:47
  need his touch. You pray for me. The
• 3:48
  Lord will give us uh uncction this
• 3:50
  morning as we preach. John 12 verse
• 3:52
  number verse number 20. John chapter
• 3:55
  number 12 verse number 20. The Bible
• 3:58
  says, "And there were certain Greeks
• 4:00
  among them uh that came up to worship at
• 4:03
  the feast. The same came therefore to
• 4:06
  Philillip which was of Bethayed of
• 4:08
  Galilee and desired him saying, "Sir, we
• 4:11
  would see Jesus. Philip cometh and
• 4:13
  tellth Andrew." And again Andrew and
• 4:15
  Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered
• 4:19
  them, saying, the hour is come that the
• 4:22
  Son of man should be glorified. Verily,
• 4:25
  verily, I say unto you, except a corn of
• 4:27
  wheat fall into the ground and die, it
• 4:29
  abideth alone. But if it die, it
• 4:32
  bringeth forth much fruit. He that
• 4:35
  loveth his life shall lose it, and he
• 4:37
  that hateth his life in this world shall
• 4:40
  keep it unto life eternal. Notice verse
• 4:44
  number 26. It'll be our key text for the
• 4:46
  message this morning. The Bible says
• 4:48
  Jesus speaking, "If any man serve me,
• 4:52
  let him follow me.
• 4:54
  >> And where I am, there shall also my
• 4:57
  servant be. If any man serve me, him
• 5:01
  will my father honor." Verse 27, he
• 5:05
  says, "Now is my soul troubled, and what
• 5:08
  shall I say? Father, save me from this
• 5:10
  hour. But for this cause came I unto
• 5:14
  this hour. And he says in verse 28,
• 5:16
  Father, glorify thy name. Then came
• 5:19
  there a voice from heaven saying, I have
• 5:21
  both glorified it and we'll glorify it
• 5:24
  again. I want to preach this morning for
• 5:26
  the help of the Lord out of verse number
• 5:28
  26. Notice in that phrase in the first
• 5:31
  part of the verse where he says, "If any
• 5:33
  man serve me, let him follow me." And I
• 5:36
  want to preach on this thought for just
• 5:37
  a little while. this morning, the
• 5:39
  servants creed. The servants creed. Now,
• 5:44
  I was reading this text and before
• 5:46
  you're seated, I want to say this to
• 5:48
  every one of us this morning. If you've
• 5:49
  been saved by the grace of God,
• 5:52
  salvation in your life is a call and it
• 5:55
  is a command to service. Amen. When you
• 5:59
  got saved, God didn't save you to see
• 6:01
  it.
• 6:03
  >> He didn't save you to see it so sour, as
• 6:05
  one preacher said. Amen. He saved you to
• 6:08
  serve. And I want to preach on that
• 6:10
  thought today with the help of the Lord.
• 6:12
  Let's pray if we could please. Father,
• 6:14
  thank you so much for allowing us to be
• 6:16
  in the house of God today. And Lord, it
• 6:18
  is my privilege to be here. Thank you
• 6:20
  for the opportunity to share the word of
• 6:22
  God. Know it's been different today, but
• 6:24
  God, I'm thankful that you're the same
• 6:26
  and your spirit's the same. Your word's
• 6:28
  the same. And God, you're never going to
• 6:30
  change. And I can say thank you to for
• 6:32
  that fact today. Lord, though it seems
• 6:34
  as many things are changing around us.
• 6:36
  God, I'm thankful that you're always
• 6:38
  consistent and consecutive in our life,
• 6:40
  you're always faithful, and I bless your
• 6:42
  name for that. God, I thank you for
• 6:44
  these people, Lord, that's come out to
• 6:46
  be a part of this service. I pray you'd
• 6:48
  add a blessing to them today. God, I
• 6:49
  thank you for them. I pray if there's
• 6:51
  one here lost today that they would be
• 6:53
  saved before this service is over. God,
• 6:55
  I pray if there's somebody out of the
• 6:56
  will of God, not right with you, I pray
• 6:58
  they'd get right with you today. And
• 7:00
  Lord, I ask you, God, as a result of
• 7:02
  this service, Lord, may every soul leave
• 7:04
  closer to you than we were when we came
• 7:06
  in. And I pray more than anything that
• 7:08
  you would get glory this morning out of
• 7:11
  the preaching of thy word. Save the
• 7:12
  sinner, God, that's nearest hell. Exalt
• 7:15
  your son. We pray. Help our church in
• 7:17
  these days. We pray for these many
• 7:18
  needs, God. You know, every situation,
• 7:21
  every heart in life, every burden that's
• 7:23
  on the heart of your children this
• 7:24
  morning, God. I pray you give them
• 7:26
  strength, Lord, for the days to come.
• 7:27
  and we'll be sure to thank you for what
• 7:29
  you do because we ask it in Jesus' name.
• 7:32
  And all God's children said, thank you
• 7:34
  for standing. You can be seated this
• 7:36
  morning and I appreciate it very, very
• 7:39
  much. This morning we come to John's
• 7:41
  Gospel, chapter number 12. We're coming
• 7:43
  up on this year already. Hard to believe
• 7:46
  Easter is less than three weeks away.
• 7:48
  That's crazy, ain't it? And it's going
• 7:50
  to be here on top of us before we know
• 7:52
  it. But I was thinking about this text,
• 7:54
  of course, this text, John 12. If you
• 7:57
  know anything about your Bible, this
• 7:59
  begins, this marks the beginning of our
• 8:02
  Lord's passion week. You notice chapter
• 8:04
  12 and verse number one. The Bible says,
• 8:07
  "Then Jesus, six days before the
• 8:09
  Passover, came to Bethany." So Bethany
• 8:14
  in your Bible is that town where Jesus'
• 8:16
  friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived.
• 8:19
  And he's coming there to have fellowship
• 8:21
  with them. And I preached a message some
• 8:23
  time ago here at the church. And we
• 8:25
  talked about that time of fellowship and
• 8:27
  those people that were sitting around
• 8:29
  the table there with the Lord. And as he
• 8:32
  comes there, he comes to their home. And
• 8:33
  then he heads from there into Jerusalem.
• 8:36
  Where is the triumphal entry? That what
• 8:38
  we recognize on Palm Sunday. The Bible
• 8:41
  says in verse number 13 that they took
• 8:44
  branches of palm trees and went forth to
• 8:46
  meet him and cried, "Hosana, blessed is
• 8:49
  the king of Israel that cometh in the
• 8:52
  name of the Lord." And so Jesus comes in
• 8:54
  there riding on that donkey and all of
• 8:56
  the men of Israel. Watch prophecy unfold
• 8:59
  before their very eyes. Amen. As Jesus
• 9:02
  rode in on that colt, the fo of an ass,
• 9:04
  and he presented himself there to the
• 9:06
  Jews. But as I said in Sunday school
• 9:08
  this morning, one more time they
• 9:11
  rejected him. And the sad thing is
• 9:13
  that's what men have been doing down
• 9:15
  through the ages. Even since he came and
• 9:18
  even before that, Jesus would present
• 9:20
  himself. Let me say this to you. He's
• 9:22
  presenting himself this morning. But the
• 9:25
  sad thing is there'll still be somebody
• 9:27
  that leaves rejecting him. Though he
• 9:29
  reveals himself time and time and time
• 9:33
  again, THERE WILL STILL BE THOSE who
• 9:35
  refuse to accept his free gift of
• 9:38
  salvation. But I'll say this, that
• 9:40
  doesn't make him any less king.
• 9:42
  >> Amen. He's still God. He's still on the
• 9:44
  throne. He's still King of Kings and
• 9:46
  Lord of Lords. Amen. And I believe soon
• 9:49
  and very soon we'll see him high and
• 9:51
  lifted up and exalted. Amen. But I'll
• 9:54
  say this for the text this morning. The
• 9:56
  Pharisees here in the text, they've
• 9:58
  watched Jesus come in here. And the
• 10:00
  Bible says that as he's entered into
• 10:02
  Jerusalem, there's many people that's
• 10:04
  come up to the feast there. You can
• 10:06
  study history and you'll find that
• 10:08
  people came from all over the world to
• 10:10
  be here in Jerusalem during this time of
• 10:13
  the year, that Passover week. And the
• 10:15
  Bible says there in the verse number 20,
• 10:18
  and there were certain Greeks among them
• 10:20
  that came up to worship at the feast.
• 10:22
  And the Bible tells us, history tells us
• 10:25
  as well that there was in that that
• 10:27
  court, that tabernacle, there was a
• 10:29
  court for the Jews. And then there was a
• 10:31
  court for the Gentiles, those that would
• 10:33
  come in there and worship that had
• 10:35
  really no right to the things of God.
• 10:37
  But there was still a place for them to
• 10:39
  get in and worship there during that
• 10:41
  week. And the Bible says they had came
• 10:43
  up, but they had been hearing about
• 10:45
  Jesus. And they'd been hearing about how
• 10:47
  Lazarus had been raised from the dead.
• 10:50
  And they'd been hearing about all the
• 10:51
  miracles that Jesus had done. And I said
• 10:54
  it in Sunday school this morning. But
• 10:56
  the Bible says in verse number 37 that
• 10:59
  though Pharisees, the Bible says, though
• 11:00
  he had done so many miracles before
• 11:02
  them, yet they believed not on him. And
• 11:06
  in spite of everything that he did, in
• 11:08
  spite of everything that he said, AND IN
• 11:10
  SPITE OF EVERYTHING that he was, they
• 11:12
  refused to believe. But boy, there was
• 11:14
  some people that wanted to see him.
• 11:16
  >> Amen.
• 11:16
  >> Amen. These Greeks had come up and the
• 11:19
  Bible says in verse number 21, they same
• 11:22
  came therefore to Philillip which was of
• 11:24
  Bethaya of Galilee and desired him
• 11:27
  saying sir we would see Jesus. Amen.
• 11:32
  They wanted to see him. They wanted to
• 11:34
  hear about this miracle working man that
• 11:36
  proclaimed himself to be the Messiah.
• 11:38
  And they've come to see him. And the
• 11:40
  Bible says that his disciples Philip and
• 11:42
  Andrew come and tell him. And the Bible
• 11:45
  says in verse number 23, Jesus makes
• 11:47
  this statement to them. Jesus answered
• 11:49
  them saying, "The hour is come."
• 11:54
  >> Basically, in essence, what he was
• 11:56
  saying, he says, "It's time for me to go
• 11:58
  to the cross." And what you're going to
• 12:01
  find through this passage is is Jesus is
• 12:03
  talking about Calvary. From verse number
• 12:06
  23 all the way to verse number 28, Jesus
• 12:09
  is talking about the cross. You see, the
• 12:12
  Jews wanted a Messiah to come and rule
• 12:15
  over them and deliver them from the
• 12:17
  bondage of the government that they were
• 12:19
  under. But you see, Jesus didn't want to
• 12:21
  deliver them from the bondage of the
• 12:22
  government, but he wanted to deliver
• 12:24
  them from the bondage of their sin.
• 12:26
  Amen. And in order for that to happen,
• 12:28
  Jesus before he could ever sit on a
• 12:30
  throne, he first had to be hung on a
• 12:32
  cross. Amen. And the Bible says in the
• 12:35
  text when these Gentiles come to Jesus,
• 12:37
  he says to these men, he said, "The hour
• 12:39
  has come that the son of man should be
• 12:42
  glorified." And you SAY, "PREACHER, WHY
• 12:44
  DID Jesus not reveal himself unto them?"
• 12:46
  Why did Jesus not present himself as
• 12:49
  king unto them so that they could
• 12:51
  worship him? You see, Jesus is not so
• 12:53
  much concerned with the presentation of
• 12:56
  himself to you and I this morning so we
• 12:58
  can say something about him. Jesus wants
• 13:01
  to help you.
• 13:02
  >> Amen. Right?
• 13:03
  >> And here's the thing. Jesus could do
• 13:06
  nothing for those Gentiles at this point
• 13:09
  in time. You say, "Preacher, but he was
• 13:11
  Jesus. He could do anything until the
• 13:13
  sin debt was taken care of." Until the
• 13:16
  cross. You see, Jesus, Matthew chapter
• 13:19
  number 10, he told his disciples, he
• 13:21
  said, "You go to the lost sheep of the
• 13:22
  house of Israel." He presented himself
• 13:24
  to those Jews. And because they rejected
• 13:27
  him, because blindness happened to them,
• 13:30
  they rejected the offer of the
• 13:32
  leadership of the Messiah on this earth.
• 13:34
  Jesus then turns and realizes, hey, the
• 13:37
  cross really is going to happen. And he
• 13:38
  knew it was going to happen. It was for
• 13:40
  it was for ordained in the mind of God.
• 13:42
  Christ was crucified in his mind before
• 13:44
  the foundation OF THE WORLD. BUT HE
• 13:46
  OFFERED IT TO THE JEWS. They rejected
• 13:48
  it. And so because of that, he begins
• 13:50
  his journey toward Calvary. The book of
• 13:53
  Luke tells us that he set his face as he
• 13:55
  would go toward Jerusalem because it was
• 13:57
  at Jerusalem WOULD BE WHERE HE WOULD
• 13:59
  DIE, where he would present himself and
• 14:01
  there he would die for the sins of the
• 14:03
  human race. And so he begins telling
• 14:05
  them number one about his death. In
• 14:07
  verse number 23, his death is realized.
• 14:10
  You say, "What do you mean by that?"
• 14:12
  Well, he says, "The hour has come that
• 14:14
  the son of man should be glorified."
• 14:16
  Now, you remember what Jesus told
• 14:17
  Nicodemus.
• 14:19
  He told Nicodemus in John chapter number
• 14:21
  three, he said, "As Moses lifted up the
• 14:23
  serpent in the wilderness, what did he
• 14:25
  say? Even so must the Son of man be
• 14:27
  lifted up." Amen. And when that serpent
• 14:30
  was lifted, all the judgment of God was
• 14:32
  upon that servant. And when a man looked
• 14:34
  to that brazen serpent on the pole, he
• 14:36
  could live. Amen. And so Jesus had to be
• 14:38
  lifted up on that cross and take ALL THE
• 14:41
  JUDGMENT OF GOD. What did he say? And
• 14:43
  die if I be lifted up, I'll draw all men
• 14:45
  unto myself. Amen. And because he was
• 14:48
  lifted up on Calvary, he would DRAW ALL
• 14:50
  NATIONS, NOT JUST JEWS, BUT GENTILES AND
• 14:54
  ALL people unto himself so that they
• 14:56
  could be saved. And Jesus says in the
• 14:58
  text, "The hour has come that the son of
• 15:01
  man should be glorified." YOU SAY,
• 15:02
  "PREACHER, BUT GLORY DOESN'T THAT
• 15:04
  DOESN'T TRANS TRANSLATE TO THE CROSS."
• 15:07
  YOU UNDERSTAND Jesus was never more
• 15:09
  glorified.
• 15:10
  >> That's right.
• 15:11
  >> Oh, friend.
• 15:12
  >> Amen.
• 15:13
  >> Than he was on the cross.
• 15:15
  God was exalted in the sacrifice of his
• 15:18
  son. The time of his glory was there,
• 15:21
  hanging between heaven and hell. He
• 15:23
  would hang there for the sins of all
• 15:25
  mankind and bring deliverance and
• 15:27
  salvation. And he tells these boys,
• 15:30
  "Hey, it's time, boys. He's ready to go
• 15:33
  to the cross." The
• 15:36
  death is realized in verse number 23.
• 15:39
  But then in verse 24, his death is
• 15:40
  revealed.
• 15:42
  You see, they don't know that he's
• 15:43
  talking about his death. Listen to what
• 15:45
  he says. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
• 15:48
  except a corn of wheat fall into the
• 15:49
  ground and what? Die. So, you see, these
• 15:53
  boys didn't know what he meant. And even
• 15:55
  after verse 24, they didn't know what he
• 15:57
  meant. But you know what he was telling
• 15:58
  them? He said, "Look, I'm going to have
• 16:00
  to die."
• 16:02
  And the thing about it is this morning,
• 16:04
  if your salvation did not come across
• 16:06
  from a c if it your salvation did not
• 16:08
  come into your life from a cross or from
• 16:10
  a bloody Calvary for Jesus that was
• 16:12
  crucified and then risen again. I tr I
• 16:15
  submit to you salvation's invalid.
• 16:17
  Somebody say amen. Hey, we we believe in
• 16:19
  a bloody cross. Amen. The sacrifice of
• 16:22
  Christ was a sacrifice of death for the
• 16:24
  without the shedding of blood there is
• 16:26
  no remission of sins. Amen. And so his
• 16:29
  death was revealed unto them. And he
• 16:32
  revealed it by this illustration. What
• 16:33
  is this illustration that he gives?
• 16:35
  Well, it's the planting of this wheat
• 16:37
  seed. Look what he said. Except a corn
• 16:39
  of wheat fall under the ground. And then
• 16:41
  it's the death, the dying of this seed.
• 16:44
  Not only the planting and the dying, but
• 16:45
  it is the raising. Look what he says. He
• 16:48
  said, "But if it die, it bringeth forth
• 16:50
  much fruit. And then there is the
• 16:52
  bearing of this seed." This seed was
• 16:54
  fruitful. And what do we know about
• 16:55
  Jesus? Him and his death. He offered
• 16:58
  salvation to everyone that would
• 17:00
  believe. And because of his death on
• 17:02
  Calvary, he has reached the nation since
• 17:04
  then through the preaching of the word
• 17:06
  of God. And it was his death that would
• 17:08
  bring forth much fruit. You understand
• 17:11
  this morning that for a seed when it's
• 17:13
  planted in the ground, when that seed is
• 17:15
  there by itself, that thing's alive. But
• 17:17
  when it goes into the ground, what
• 17:19
  happens? That seed has to die. And when
• 17:21
  it bursts forth, what happens? The plant
• 17:23
  rises up out of that. And then on that
• 17:26
  stalk there's many more seeds. Somebody
• 17:28
  say amen. And so you know what? He's the
• 17:30
  firstborn among many brethren. And when
• 17:32
  he was planted, friend, he was planted
• 17:34
  not to stay planted, but he was planted
• 17:36
  to rise up again. And what was he? The
• 17:38
  first begotten from the dead. He's the
• 17:40
  first fruits of them that ra would be
• 17:42
  raised from the dead. Jesus is the one
• 17:45
  that was planted INTO THE GROUND. HE
• 17:47
  DIED THERE. BUT THANK GOD, HE GOT UP
• 17:49
  AGAIN. AMEN.
• 17:50
  >> His death. He revealed his death to him.
• 17:52
  I need to move on quickly this morning.
• 17:54
  I'd say not only we see his death in the
• 17:56
  text, but we see his demand in the text.
• 17:58
  Verse 25. He that loveth his life shall
• 18:01
  lose it, and he that hateth his life in
• 18:04
  this world shall keep it unto life
• 18:06
  eternal. Jesus here is revealed to them
• 18:08
  his death. These men have come wanting
• 18:11
  to see Jesus. And Jesus tells his
• 18:13
  disciples here in the text, he says,
• 18:15
  "Everybody that's going to come unto
• 18:17
  me," he said, "they're going to have to
• 18:19
  lose their life." Say, "What does it
• 18:23
  have to do with?" Has to do with your
• 18:24
  priorities. Notice the text. The Bible
• 18:28
  says in verse 25, "He that loveth his
• 18:30
  life shall lose it." You see, Christ's
• 18:34
  demand is seen in his statement
• 18:35
  concerning man in his life. There must
• 18:38
  be denial of self. What Jesus say in
• 18:40
  Matthew 16:4?
• 18:42
  If any man will come after me, what do
• 18:44
  he say? Let him deny himself. Take up
• 18:46
  his cross and follow me. You see them
• 18:48
  Greeks wanted to see Jesus. But you know
• 18:50
  what? They couldn't go where Jesus was
• 18:52
  going.
• 18:54
  >> You know what? Nobody could go where
• 18:56
  Jesus was going.
• 18:57
  >> But what was he telling them? He was
• 18:59
  telling them, "Boys, it's going to take
• 19:00
  more than just looking at me.
• 19:02
  >> You have to deny yourself." I notice in
• 19:05
  the text not only he speaks of the
• 19:08
  priorities but he speaks of the prospect
• 19:09
  in verse number 25. He that loveth his
• 19:12
  life shall lose it. If the priority is
• 19:15
  placed more upon a man's life and his
• 19:17
  possessions and his operation of his own
• 19:19
  life, then he will lose all of that. But
• 19:22
  he says he that hateth his life in this
• 19:24
  world, what's your Bible say? Shall keep
• 19:27
  it unto life eternal. The prospect of
• 19:32
  his demand shows us shows you and I this
• 19:35
  morning that Jesus when he offers
• 19:37
  salvation it causes about a turning.
• 19:41
  You're not going to come to Christ
• 19:42
  without repentance.
• 19:44
  >> You're not going to live for God without
• 19:45
  being right with him.
• 19:47
  >> You're not going to live for God and
• 19:48
  hold your life in one hand and try to
• 19:50
  hold him with the other. You going to
• 19:51
  have to turn loose of all that and grab
• 19:53
  hold to him lock, stock, and barrel.
• 19:55
  Amen. You going to have to take
• 19:56
  everything that Jesus has to give. I'm
• 19:59
  saying you have to get your priorities
• 20:01
  straightened out because he demands it.
• 20:02
  He said, "He that loveth his life shall
• 20:04
  lose it. If you hang on to what you've
• 20:06
  got, you'll surely lose it and it'll all
• 20:09
  go away." He said, "But if you hate your
• 20:11
  life, that means to esteem it less
• 20:13
  valuable than that which Christ has
• 20:14
  given. He that hateth his life in this
• 20:17
  world shall keep it unto life eternal."
• 20:20
  You see, self-denial leads to this
• 20:22
  promised soon deliverance. Look what he
• 20:26
  said again. He that hateth his life in
• 20:29
  this world shall keep it unto what? Life
• 20:33
  eternal.
• 20:35
  That self-denial is just for a time, but
• 20:38
  deliverance is for eternity.
• 20:40
  >> I'm not even at the message yet. Amen.
• 20:42
  We'll get there in a minute. All right.
• 20:44
  His death, his demand. I see his desire.
• 20:48
  Verse 27. I'm moving quickly. All right.
• 20:50
  His desire. You see, there was he was
• 20:52
  going to present his grace to the world.
• 20:54
  Verse 27. Now is my son trouble. What
• 20:56
  shall I say? Father, save me from this
• 20:58
  hour. But for this cause came I unto
• 21:00
  this hour. What was the cause? He came
• 21:02
  to this hour so he could die and offer
• 21:04
  salvation to the world.
• 21:07
  >> He said this is the reason I'm here. He
• 21:09
  didn't come to work miracles. HE DIDN'T
• 21:11
  COME TO PREACH SERMONS. HE CAME TO DIE.
• 21:14
  >> AMEN.
• 21:15
  >> AMEN. That was his purpose to present
• 21:18
  the grace of God to the world. Not only
• 21:20
  his desire was grace to be presented to
• 21:23
  the world, but his desire was God's
• 21:25
  glory to be proclaimed. Because in verse
• 21:27
  28, look what he says. Father, glorify
• 21:30
  thy name. Exalt yourself.
• 21:34
  That's why we say, Lord, more than
• 21:36
  anything else, get glory to yourself.
• 21:38
  >> That was Jesus desire. And then God
• 21:40
  spoke from heaven saying, I have both
• 21:43
  glorified it and will glorify it again.
• 21:47
  Notice the message this morning. And
• 21:48
  we've considered his death, his demand,
• 21:51
  his desire. But I want you to see his
• 21:53
  delight in verse 26. You see Jesus here
• 21:57
  in the text, he puts this little
• 21:58
  statement here, and I I skipped over it
• 22:00
  for this reason because this is who
• 22:03
  Christ wants us to be. You see, if you
• 22:05
  are saved, God has divinely
• 22:07
  orchestrated. The Bible says Ephesians
• 22:09
  2:8, "For by grace are you saved through
• 22:11
  faith, and that not of yourselves is let
• 22:14
  not of yourself. It's the gift of God,
• 22:15
  not of works, lest any man should
• 22:17
  boast." And what does he say in verse
• 22:18
  10? For we are his workmanship,
• 22:21
  created in Christ Jesus unto what? Good
• 22:25
  works, which God hath before ordained
• 22:28
  that we should walk in them. God didn't
• 22:31
  save you to sit. He saved you to serve.
• 22:34
  >> He saved you to work for him. HE SAVED
• 22:37
  YOU TO WITNESS FOR HIM, TO WIN SOULS FOR
• 22:39
  HIM. HIS DELIGHT is when his children
• 22:42
  serve him. Paul said it this way in
• 22:44
  Romans 12. HE SAID, "I BESEECH YOU. I
• 22:46
  BEG YOU, BRETHREN, THAT YOU PRESENT YOUR
• 22:48
  BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY,
• 22:50
  ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, which is what? Your
• 22:53
  reasonable service." Listen to what he
• 22:56
  says. Four things and I'll be done this
• 22:58
  morning concerning his delight. And I'm
• 23:01
  talking about the servants creed this
• 23:03
  morning. This is who we are. This should
• 23:05
  be who you are this morning. First of
• 23:08
  all, I would say this. Number one, there
• 23:10
  is an opportunity that is a is
• 23:13
  available. Notice verse 25, verse 26.
• 23:16
  What's that first phrase, church? If any
• 23:19
  man serve me, if any man serve me. You
• 23:23
  see, Christ through his death on the
• 23:25
  cross, this event is consuming the text.
• 23:28
  And so, he is still revealing the proper
• 23:30
  life of his servants and the delight of
• 23:32
  that life in in light of the cross. You
• 23:35
  see, if it wasn't for the cross, we
• 23:37
  wouldn't have no ability to serve.
• 23:39
  >> We have the opportunity to serve because
• 23:42
  of the cross. And when Jesus says, "If
• 23:45
  any man serve me," what is he presenting
• 23:47
  to us? Well, number one, this
• 23:49
  opportunity reveals that the candidate
• 23:51
  is open to anybody. Look what he says.
• 23:54
  "If any man," Now, I know that's simple
• 23:57
  this morning, but it's the truth. The
• 24:00
  candidate is open to all. If any man
• 24:04
  serve me, not only the candidate, but
• 24:06
  there is the calling. What is that
• 24:08
  calling? What does he say? if any man
• 24:12
  serve me. You see, our service this
• 24:15
  morning is the calling of God. And you,
• 24:19
  yes, you, you're a candidate.
• 24:22
  >> Amen.
• 24:23
  >> You say, "Preacher, well, I'm not
• 24:25
  available."
• 24:26
  Well, the opportunity is available,
• 24:29
  >> right?
• 24:30
  >> Amen.
• 24:31
  >> Because you're not available doesn't
• 24:32
  mean the opportunity is not there.
• 24:34
  Here's what I'm finding. People feel
• 24:36
  like the opportunity is not there. But
• 24:38
  here's the truth about your life and
• 24:39
  mine. There is always an opportunity to
• 24:43
  serve.
• 24:44
  >> And I'll say this, in light of the fact
• 24:46
  that that opportunity is there, God's
• 24:48
  saying, "Look, the opportunity is open,
• 24:50
  but I'm calling you.
• 24:52
  Serve me. This is your purpose. This is
• 24:56
  who I've made you to be. This is where
• 24:59
  you are supposed to be." You see, Christ
• 25:01
  knew his audience. Christ knew the
• 25:03
  diversity. He knew the Greeks were
• 25:04
  there. He knew the Jews were there. He
• 25:06
  knew the disciples were there. But he is
• 25:08
  revealing this new dispensation as an
• 25:11
  opportunity to all to what? To serve.
• 25:15
  For he himself was a servant. Listen to
• 25:17
  what he said. Matthew chapter number 20.
• 25:20
  Matthew chapter number 20. I encourage
• 25:21
  you to put it in your margin. Listen to
• 25:22
  what Jesus said. Matthew 20 verse number
• 25:24
  28.
• 25:26
  He says this. Even as the Son of Man
• 25:28
  came not to be ministered unto, listen
• 25:31
  now, but to minister
• 25:35
  and to give his life a ransom for many.
• 25:38
  Even as the son of man came not to be
• 25:40
  ministered unto, but to minister. Jesus
• 25:43
  was a servant. Paul said it this way. He
• 25:46
  said in Philippians chapter 2 verse
• 25:47
  number 7, he made him he made himself of
• 25:49
  no reputation but took upon himself
• 25:51
  what? The form of a servant. You know
• 25:54
  what we need a revival of in Meadows
• 25:55
  Baptist Church? Servants.
• 25:58
  >> People want to serve. YOU SAY,
• 25:59
  "PREACHER, I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS."
• 26:03
  SERVE. You say, "What does that
• 26:05
  constitute, preacher?" Anything that
• 26:09
  furthers the work of God. It goes all
• 26:12
  the way from preaching a sermon to
• 26:15
  cleaning the toilets to taking care of
• 26:17
  the grounds.
• 26:19
  >> And I just feel led to do this right
• 26:20
  here. And I would never do this. I'm not
• 26:22
  going to bury you. But how how long you
• 26:23
  been mowing the grass here? 38 years. 36
• 26:26
  >> 36 years. Never asked for a dime.
• 26:30
  >> That's service.
• 26:36
  He didn't ask for a thing. 30 37 years.
• 26:40
  Let me ask you, what are you doing for
• 26:41
  God?
• 26:41
  >> That's right.
• 26:43
  >> The son of man came to minister. He
• 26:46
  didn't come to be ministered unto. He
• 26:47
  came to minister.
• 26:50
  You know what? So many people they come
• 26:51
  to church, this their mindset. What can
• 26:53
  it do for me? I
• 26:54
  >> heard people say this, what do you have
• 26:56
  to offer for the kids?
• 26:58
  >> Let me ask you, what do you have to
• 27:00
  offer for the church?
• 27:02
  >> Why should we allow you to be a member?
• 27:05
  Are you saved? Number one, somebody say
• 27:07
  amen.
• 27:08
  >> Do you even want to live for God?
• 27:11
  >> Brother Josh said it here in revival
• 27:12
  meeting. He said there's some people
• 27:13
  they just want to go to church just
• 27:14
  because it's right thing to do in the
• 27:16
  south.
• 27:19
  >> That's right. Hey, there's an
• 27:20
  opportunity.
• 27:22
  It's available. is you can be a
• 27:25
  candidate. There is a call and he said,
• 27:27
  "Serve me." We are called to be
• 27:29
  servants. Romans 12:1 already said that.
• 27:32
  Notice this. Second of all, not only the
• 27:33
  opportunity that is available, but
• 27:35
  consider second of all the obedience
• 27:36
  that is acceptable. Notice this verse
• 27:38
  number 26.
• 27:41
  If any man serve me, what's them next
• 27:44
  four words, church? Let him follow me.
• 27:47
  The opportunity that's available, it's
• 27:49
  open to all. If you want to serve, there
• 27:51
  is a work for you to do in the work of
• 27:53
  God. But you understand there's a
• 27:55
  criteria.
• 27:57
  You see, you can't serve without doing
• 27:59
  it his way.
• 28:01
  >> That's right.
• 28:01
  >> You can't serve without doing it
• 28:04
  the book's way.
• 28:05
  >> That's right.
• 28:06
  >> You see, service has a criteria. Number
• 28:08
  one, I'll say this about the obedience.
• 28:10
  There's a choice. Look what he says. If
• 28:12
  any man serve me, let him. You know what
• 28:16
  that means? It's on you.
• 28:18
  It's dependence on your choice. Let him
• 28:22
  then not only the choice but there's the
• 28:23
  conforming. Let him follow me. Who's he
• 28:28
  following? He's following Christ.
• 28:29
  >> Amen.
• 28:30
  >> Romans 12 verse number two. We always
• 28:32
  quote verse one. What does he say in
• 28:34
  verse two? Be not conformed to this
• 28:35
  world. Be ye transformed by the renewing
• 28:38
  of your mind that you may prove what is
• 28:39
  that good and acceptable and perfect
• 28:42
  will of God. You know what that means?
• 28:43
  That means you are conforming to Christ.
• 28:46
  >> Amen. You are being made like him. You
• 28:49
  are drawing yourself. He is drawing you
• 28:52
  unto himself. And you know what you're
• 28:54
  doing? The more the closer you get, the
• 28:55
  more like him you become.
• 28:56
  >> That's right.
• 28:58
  >> Obedience is imperative. Let me remind
• 29:00
  you to follow Christ means complete
• 29:02
  submission.
• 29:05
  Think about where he's headed to when
• 29:06
  he's telling them this. He's headed to
• 29:08
  the cross. Calvary is in view. just few
• 29:13
  short days away, probably less than
• 29:14
  seven days, probably like 5 days, Christ
• 29:17
  is going to be hanging on a cross. And
• 29:19
  he knows this.
• 29:20
  >> What's he telling him? If any MAN WILL
• 29:23
  SERVE ME, LET HIM FOLLOW ME.
• 29:26
  JESUS WAS FULLY PERSUADED THAT GOD WAS
• 29:29
  GOING TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. LET ME SAY
• 29:30
  THIS. YOU NEED TO BE FULLY PERSUADED
• 29:32
  THAT GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
• 29:35
  >> That's the only way you'll submit to
• 29:37
  him. FOLLOWING CHRIST, SERVING CHRIST.
• 29:40
  OBEDIENCE MEANS complete submission to
• 29:43
  follow Christ as he was headed to the
• 29:45
  cross. Let me let me give you this
• 29:46
  truth. He was headed to the cross. And
• 29:48
  to follow Christ means we must go to the
• 29:50
  cross.
• 29:51
  >> Matthew 16:24 again. If any man will
• 29:54
  come after me, let him deny himself and
• 29:56
  take up his cross and follow me. When
• 30:01
  you serve Jesus, it means the death of
• 30:03
  sin in your life.
• 30:05
  >> Romans chapter 6 says, "Shall we that
• 30:07
  are dead to sin live any longer therein?
• 30:09
  God forbid.
• 30:10
  >> It means death to sin. It means
• 30:12
  self-denial.
• 30:14
  IT MEANS DEPARTING FROM THOSE WHO ARE
• 30:17
  WICKED in your life. It means being
• 30:19
  directed by the sovereign. IT MEANS YOUR
• 30:21
  LIFE being defined by the scriptures.
• 30:27
  How many of our lives, if we really
• 30:29
  matched them up,
• 30:31
  would fit?
• 30:34
  My life. Would it fit? You know what? I
• 30:36
  know it wouldn't fit perfect, but I hope
• 30:38
  it fits better tomorrow than it did
• 30:40
  today. Let me ask you, does your life
• 30:43
  fit?
• 30:44
  How close are you to this book? Your
• 30:46
  life, your service is defined by the
• 30:49
  scriptures. It's directed by the
• 30:50
  sovereign spirit of God in your life. He
• 30:52
  gives you direction, but the scriptures
• 30:54
  is the guidelines that you go by. He
• 30:58
  says, "If any man serve me, let him
• 31:01
  follow me."
• 31:04
  You see, we are directed and this the
• 31:06
  will is involved in this.
• 31:08
  The choice, it's a choice. It's a
• 31:10
  calling, but it's a choice. You must
• 31:12
  choose to serve Christ. And works
• 31:15
  involved.
• 31:17
  Let me say this. It ain't going to be
• 31:18
  easy being a Christian.
• 31:21
  >> You say, "Preacher, well, I I need
• 31:22
  something that's easy." Well, you're not
• 31:24
  going to find it here.
• 31:26
  >> When you get saved, you know what you're
• 31:28
  doing? You're placing your life in his
• 31:29
  hands. But you know what he commands you
• 31:31
  to do the rest of your life? To take his
• 31:34
  hand and allow him to lead you.
• 31:36
  >> Amen.
• 31:38
  >> You say, "Preacher, but he said he said
• 31:40
  my yoke is easy." Let me ask you
• 31:43
  something. What do you think it Why do
• 31:46
  you think he described it as a as a
• 31:47
  yoke?
• 31:50
  It's a burden.
• 31:53
  >> I'll tell you this, his yoke's a lot
• 31:54
  easier than the yoke of this world.
• 31:56
  >> That's right.
• 31:57
  >> But it ain't going to be easy. But it's
• 31:59
  a whole lot better with him. Somebody
• 32:01
  say amen.
• 32:02
  >> The obedience that is acceptable.
• 32:06
  There's the will of man is involved. The
• 32:08
  work is involved. It's laborious to be a
• 32:11
  servant. If any man serve me, let him
• 32:13
  follow me. Thirdly, moving quickly. The
• 32:15
  opportunity that is available, the
• 32:16
  obedience that is acceptable. Notice
• 32:18
  this. Thirdly, notice the orientation
• 32:20
  that is absolute.
• 32:22
  Say, what do you mean? Notice the verse.
• 32:24
  Verse 26. If any man serve me, let him
• 32:27
  follow me. What's that next phrase? And
• 32:28
  where I am, there shall also my servant
• 32:32
  be. Now, two sides of this. There is a a
• 32:35
  practical look at this. There the
• 32:37
  practical orientation is this. All
• 32:39
  right. Number one, the Bible says, look
• 32:41
  what he said. Where I am, where's Jesus
• 32:44
  at?
• 32:47
  He's in our heart. Amen.
• 32:49
  >> He's in our church. Hallelujah.
• 32:51
  >> Where I am, what's he say? There shall
• 32:54
  also my servant be. Yeah.
• 32:57
  >> How many times are you where he is?
• 33:01
  >> I'll tell you where he's at. He's in
• 33:02
  this Bible. When you get up in the
• 33:04
  morning, it's time to crack the pages on
• 33:07
  and talk to him. That's where you'll
• 33:08
  find him.
• 33:09
  >> Amen.
• 33:09
  >> He's in your prayer closet. When you get
• 33:12
  in there and you got needs that you
• 33:14
  don't know how to fix,
• 33:15
  >> you talk to him. He's there. He's at
• 33:17
  church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and
• 33:19
  Wednesday night and revival meeting.
• 33:21
  >> Amen.
• 33:23
  He's here.
• 33:24
  Where I am, there shall also my servant
• 33:27
  be. You can judge your life by how
• 33:29
  faithful you are to these things
• 33:31
  practically speaking. But it gets
• 33:32
  better. You see, this text does not mean
• 33:35
  practically where I am, there shall also
• 33:37
  my servant be. That's not what he's
• 33:39
  talking about practically. It's a good
• 33:40
  application, but it's not the truth. All
• 33:41
  right, about this text. You ought to be
• 33:44
  where he is. Somebody say amen.
• 33:46
  >> But this this text really means it's a
• 33:48
  prophetical
• 33:49
  implication. Now notice the phrase
• 33:52
  again. And where I am, there shall also
• 33:55
  my servant be. Now what's he been
• 33:56
  talking about? He's talking about
• 33:57
  Calvary, ain't he? He's headed to the
• 34:00
  cross. And what does he tell these boys
• 34:02
  in John chapter number 14 and verse
• 34:04
  number three? Listen to this verse with
• 34:05
  me for just a minute. John 14:3. And if
• 34:08
  I go and prepare a place for you, I will
• 34:11
  come again and receive you unto myself.
• 34:13
  What's that last phrase? That where I
• 34:15
  am, there you may be also. this text,
• 34:19
  Jesus is telling them, boys, I'm going
• 34:21
  to the cross. If any man serve me, let
• 34:25
  him follow me. Where's he headed? He's
• 34:27
  headed to the cross. Look what he says
• 34:29
  in the verse again. If any man serve me,
• 34:31
  let him follow. And where I am, there
• 34:33
  shall also my servant be. What is he
• 34:35
  saying? If you will follow me to the
• 34:37
  cross, when I get on the other side of
• 34:38
  the cross, you'll end up where I'm at.
• 34:41
  >> All right, let me give you this. All
• 34:42
  right, the orientation that is absolute.
• 34:44
  Number one, there's the present
• 34:45
  dwelling. Verse 26, where I am. Christ
• 34:49
  physically was standing before those
• 34:51
  men. But let me remind you something.
• 34:53
  Christ was somewhere else at the same
• 34:55
  time.
• 34:56
  Notice John 3. I love this. John 3. John
• 35:00
  3:3. Jesus says this. And no man hath
• 35:03
  ascended up to heaven, but he that came
• 35:06
  down from heaven, even the son of man,
• 35:09
  listen to it now, which is in heaven.
• 35:13
  That's present tense. So you know what?
• 35:16
  As Jesus was on the earth, where was he
• 35:17
  at still? In heaven. You know what?
• 35:20
  Because I'm saved, I'm present here in
• 35:23
  what is this? Meadows, Danbury, whatever
• 35:25
  you want to call it. Walnut Cove. Amen.
• 35:26
  It's somewhere in there. Amen. I'm here
• 35:29
  right now
• 35:31
  >> at the Meadows Baptist Church. But you
• 35:32
  know where else I'm at?
• 35:35
  >> I'm in heaven.
• 35:36
  >> Amen.
• 35:37
  >> Notice the verse again.
• 35:41
  Where I am, there shall also my servant
• 35:43
  be. There is a present dwelling. Christ,
• 35:45
  as he was on this earth, he was also in
• 35:47
  heaven because he's God. And because he
• 35:51
  is God, he is going to the cross. And he
• 35:53
  is telling them that the cross, hey,
• 35:56
  it's just temporary. You know what he's
• 35:58
  telling them? I'm going to get up, boys.
• 36:00
  You know what we're going to do? And
• 36:01
  when I get up on the other side of this
• 36:03
  thing, you're going with me.
• 36:07
  >> John 14. Again, we always talk about
• 36:09
  this, and I hate to have to preach this,
• 36:11
  but I'm gonna have to do it anyway.
• 36:13
  John 14, we always say, "Man, Jesus has
• 36:16
  been he built the earth in six days,
• 36:19
  rested on the seventh. He's been
• 36:21
  building my mansion for over 2,000
• 36:24
  years." And that sounds real good, but
• 36:27
  the truth is it ain't biblical.
• 36:29
  Notice John 14.
• 36:32
  Let not your heart be troubled. Verse
• 36:33
  number one, you believe in God, believe
• 36:35
  also in me. In my father's house are,
• 36:38
  notice that word, in my father's house
• 36:41
  are, not will be, but are. In my
• 36:44
  father's house are many mansions. If it
• 36:47
  were not so, I would have told you. Hey,
• 36:49
  look, if ain't a home up there for you,
• 36:50
  ought to let you know that.
• 36:52
  >> Notice it again. I go to prepare a place
• 36:55
  for you. You know what he's still
• 36:56
  talking about in verse two? He's not
• 36:58
  talking about heaven. He's talking about
• 37:00
  the cross.
• 37:02
  >> What was preparing a place for us in
• 37:04
  heaven? The cross.
• 37:06
  >> How do we get to heaven? John 14:6.
• 37:09
  Jesus said to them, "I am the way, the
• 37:10
  truth, and the life. No man cometh unto
• 37:12
  the father but by me."
• 37:14
  >> The cross. Ain't that right? Notice
• 37:16
  verse three again. And if I go and
• 37:18
  prepare a place for you, I will come
• 37:20
  again. What's he telling? He's not
• 37:21
  saying he's not telling them, "Hey, I'm
• 37:23
  coming back in the second advent." No,
• 37:25
  he's saying, "I'm going to get up."
• 37:28
  >> He's saying, "I'm going to get up out of
• 37:29
  the grave, boys."
• 37:31
  >> Amen.
• 37:32
  >> Notice it again. I will come again and
• 37:34
  receive you unto myself. Now, you don't
• 37:36
  have to believe this this morning. You
• 37:38
  don't have to. I know it messes up a lot
• 37:39
  of good preaching, but what I believe
• 37:42
  that is is when Jesus comes back, you
• 37:44
  know what he does after he gets up
• 37:45
  again? What does he do to those men
• 37:48
  after he is risen from the dead? You
• 37:50
  know what he does in the upper room? He
• 37:51
  meets with them. What does he tell them?
• 37:54
  He breathes on them and they receive the
• 37:57
  Holy Ghost. Notice the verse. I will
• 38:00
  come again and receive you unto myself.
• 38:05
  He breathed on them, receiving the Holy
• 38:08
  Ghost. Notice the phrase again, that
• 38:09
  where I am,
• 38:11
  there you may be also. After he breathed
• 38:14
  on them, it was just a few short days.
• 38:16
  And what did he do? He ascended, didn't
• 38:17
  he?
• 38:19
  So in John chapter number 12, what's he
• 38:21
  telling them? Where I am, there shall
• 38:25
  also my servant be.
• 38:28
  Prophetically speaking in heaven as he
• 38:30
  is there we will be there as well.
• 38:34
  >> We'll be there with him where I am. You
• 38:37
  say, "How is that, preacher?" Well, he's
• 38:39
  already given the prerequisite. The
• 38:41
  Christian life is summed up in the first
• 38:42
  two phrases. If any man serve me, let
• 38:45
  him follow me. If you spend your life
• 38:48
  following him, you know what you going
• 38:49
  to do? Just like Eno, one of these days,
• 38:51
  God's going to tell you, you're closer
• 38:53
  to my house than you are to yours.
• 38:56
  >> Come home. Amen. IF YOU SPEND YOUR LIFE
• 38:59
  FOLLOWING HIM, you know what you're
• 39:01
  going TO FIND ONE OF THESE DAYS? If
• 39:02
  you've been with him, you're going to
• 39:04
  end your tenure on this side, but you're
• 39:06
  GOING TO START ONE OVER THERE. AMEN.
• 39:08
  HEY, let me let me just back up again on
• 39:10
  that. It's already started.
• 39:12
  >> That's right. Amen.
• 39:13
  >> You're just going to step out of this
• 39:15
  life to be in that life.
• 39:16
  >> Amen.
• 39:18
  >> That'll help you if you let it. Amen.
• 39:20
  >> The orientation that's absolute. Hey,
• 39:22
  where I am, there shall also my servant
• 39:24
  be. settled where he is. If you serve
• 39:28
  him, that's where you going to be.
• 39:30
  >> That's right,
• 39:30
  >> man. I'm thankful. I ain't got a doubt
• 39:32
  in my mind.
• 39:33
  >> Amen.
• 39:34
  >> I'm telling you, the devil has beat me
• 39:35
  all to pieces over the last few days.
• 39:37
  But I can tell you this right now, it
• 39:39
  feels good in my soul. Amen.
• 39:41
  >> I say fooy on that old rascal. Amen.
• 39:43
  >> Amen.
• 39:44
  >> He's a liar and the father of it.
• 39:46
  >> Notice this. I'm done. Verse the fourth
• 39:48
  thing. The orientation that's absolute.
• 39:51
  Notice fourthfully, notice the objective
• 39:53
  that is anticipated in the verse. Verse
• 39:56
  number 26. I, he said, where I am, there
• 39:59
  shall also my servant be. Thank God for
• 40:01
  heaven.
• 40:03
  My home is just around the bend going to
• 40:05
  be there for long. Verse 26, if any man
• 40:08
  serve me, him will my father honor. I
• 40:12
  love this, brother Mike. I love this.
• 40:14
  You see, Jesus is telling them, hey,
• 40:16
  look, if any man serve me, let him
• 40:18
  follow me. And one of these days, if you
• 40:20
  follow me to the end, where I am, there
• 40:22
  shall also my servant be. You're going
• 40:24
  to end up with me. If any man serve me,
• 40:28
  him will my father honor. So that
• 40:30
  service is the precipice of this
• 40:32
  thought. Number one, in the objective,
• 40:35
  there is the prerequisite. If any man
• 40:37
  serve me, this is founded upon what you
• 40:40
  do for Christ. Now, you say, "Preacher,
• 40:42
  if I don't serve him, does that mean
• 40:43
  that I'm not going to go to heaven?" No.
• 40:44
  Here's what here's here's the thing
• 40:45
  about it. All right? You can be saved
• 40:47
  and not serve him. It's very possible.
• 40:51
  But I'll tell you this, you're going to
• 40:53
  live your life in misery because you're
• 40:54
  not going to be sure about it. Number
• 40:56
  one. Number two, when you get there, you
• 40:58
  ain't going to have nothing to give back
• 40:59
  to this back to him. Amen.
• 41:01
  I notice not only the prerequisite in
• 41:04
  the text, but notice also not only the
• 41:06
  prerequisite in the objective, but
• 41:08
  notice the praise. Him or my father
• 41:10
  honor. That that word honor means to
• 41:12
  esteem highly.
• 41:14
  >> Means to place worth upon.
• 41:17
  How much God think you're worth?
• 41:21
  How much God think I'm worth?
• 41:24
  Him will my father honor. What does he
• 41:25
  mean by that? Well, number one, this
• 41:27
  honor the father is earned.
• 41:29
  It's earned honor. Listen to what Jesus
• 41:32
  said. John Luke chapter number 14.
• 41:37
  Luke 14 verse number 10. He gives this
• 41:40
  this parable. Verse number eight. When
• 41:42
  thou art bidden to of any man to a
• 41:44
  wedding, sit not down in the highest
• 41:45
  room, lest the more honorable man than
• 41:47
  thou be bidden of him, and he that bathe
• 41:49
  thee in him come, say unto thee, give
• 41:50
  this man place, and they'll begin with
• 41:52
  shame to take the lowest room. But when
• 41:54
  thou art bidden, go and sit down in the
• 41:56
  lowest room, that when he that bathe
• 41:58
  thee cometh, he may say unto thee,
• 42:00
  friend, go up higher, then shalt thou
• 42:03
  have worship in the presence of them
• 42:05
  that sit and meet with thee. Verse 11,
• 42:07
  for whosoever exalteth himself shall be
• 42:09
  abased, and he that humbleth himself
• 42:12
  shall be exalted.
• 42:14
  >> Amen.
• 42:15
  >> You know what the measure of your
• 42:16
  service is? One preacher said it was
• 42:19
  this way. The way with God, the way up
• 42:21
  is the is down.
• 42:23
  The way up with God's down. And if
• 42:26
  you're going to be exalted, you're going
• 42:28
  to have to first be humbled in this
• 42:29
  life.
• 42:30
  >> I'm talking about the menial things,
• 42:32
  things nobody else wants to do. I'm
• 42:34
  talking about this this this service,
• 42:36
  this honor is earned.
• 42:39
  It's earned by your service.
• 42:41
  It's not only earned honor, but it's
• 42:43
  exclusive honor. Notice the verse again.
• 42:47
  Him will my father.
• 42:51
  Who's that?
• 42:53
  It's God the Father, isn't it?
• 42:56
  >> I want God to honor me
• 42:59
  >> when I get to heaven.
• 43:00
  >> Amen.
• 43:02
  You know, you've heard it said before.
• 43:04
  Why would he say, "Well done," if you've
• 43:05
  not done well.
• 43:09
  I want to hear him say, "Well done, thou
• 43:10
  good and faithful servant."
• 43:14
  It's exclusive. John said it this way in
• 43:17
  1 John chapter number two verse number
• 43:18
  28. He said, "My little children abide
• 43:20
  in him that when he shall appear that we
• 43:22
  may have confidence and not be ashamed
• 43:25
  before him
• 43:27
  >> at his coming." You can be ashamed
• 43:29
  before him. Notice this. I'm done. This
• 43:32
  is earned honor. This is exclusive
• 43:34
  honor. But this is eternal
• 43:37
  honor. The text, if any man serve me,
• 43:40
  him will my father honor. Now, that's in
• 43:42
  the perfect present tense, but I that's
• 43:44
  not the proof I'm going to give. Listen
• 43:45
  to what Peter says. First Peter chapter
• 43:47
  5,
• 43:52
  the crown of glory.
• 43:56
  Most preachers say this is the pastor's
• 43:58
  crown.
• 44:00
  A lot men smarter than I am. They say
• 44:02
  that. But I I think any any shepherd
• 44:04
  that
• 44:06
  leads God's people pastor or no. First
• 44:09
  Peter chap 5. Listen what he says in
• 44:11
  verse number one. The elders which are
• 44:13
  among you I exhort who also am also an
• 44:15
  elder and a witness of the sufferings of
• 44:16
  Christ and also a partaker of the glory
• 44:18
  that shall be revealed. Feed the flock
• 44:21
  of God which is among you taking the
• 44:22
  oversight thereof. Not by constraint but
• 44:24
  willingly. Not for filthy lucer but of a
• 44:27
  ready mind. neither as being lords over
• 44:29
  God's heritage, but being in samples to
• 44:31
  the flock. Verse four, and when the
• 44:32
  chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall
• 44:34
  receive a cl crown of glory that fadeth
• 44:38
  not away.
• 44:43
  The reward of your service is eternal.
• 44:46
  >> Let me ask you this as she begins to
• 44:48
  play. Why in the world would you give
• 44:51
  your life to something that's going to
• 44:52
  blow up?
• 44:55
  It's going to go back to dust. You waste
• 44:58
  your life doing everything else, but
• 45:01
  you're not faithful to the one thing
• 45:03
  that's going to last from here to there.
• 45:06
  One preacher put it this way in that
• 45:07
  meeting this week. Love the way he put
• 45:09
  it. He said, "So many people have common
• 45:12
  sense, but they have no eternal logic.
• 45:16
  They have sense about life here and now,
• 45:19
  but they have no
• 45:22
  eternal logic.
• 45:24
  They never think about what's over
• 45:26
  there. They never think about what's to
• 45:29
  come. They're always living for now.
• 45:32
  And you know what? Here's what you're
• 45:34
  going to find. People that live that
• 45:36
  way, you know what they do? They always
• 45:38
  end up empty.
• 45:40
  But the servants creed
• 45:43
  is I just want him to honor me.
• 45:52
  No doubt in my mind, a servant of God
• 45:54
  wrote this.
• 45:57
  He said, "My soul is living. My life I'm
• 46:00
  giving to serve others willing at
• 46:04
  Christ's own bidding to help those
• 46:07
  crying know of Christ dying. to know of
• 46:11
  our cleansing and of his rising that
• 46:15
  they might believe in answer God's
• 46:18
  calling.
• 46:20
  Let me ask you, are you a servant?
• 46:25
  Servants creed is
• 46:27
  Lord, I'll follow you.
• 46:30
  And one of these days when I followed
• 46:33
  you the last mile of the way and that
• 46:36
  close of the day comes, I'll stand in
• 46:38
  his presence
• 46:40
  and I pray to God, he'll say, "Well
• 46:42
  done." But if I don't finish, if you
• 46:45
  don't finish, we'll not hear it. Every
• 46:48
  head bowed and every eye closed. Some
• 46:49
  are praying this morning. Others need to
• 46:51
  come. Let me ask you, you have eternal
• 46:54
  logic today? You ever thought about
• 46:57
  what's after this?
• 47:01
  You say, "Preacher, I
• 47:04
  preach I never have give too much
• 47:06
  thought about what's
• 47:08
  after this. Church is about the only
• 47:10
  thing makes me think about death.
• 47:14
  Try not to think about it, preacher. It
• 47:16
  makes me uncomfortable."
• 47:19
  Maybe you hear today and you lost. Be
• 47:21
  honest between you and God say,
• 47:22
  "Preacher, I'm not saved. Would you pray
• 47:23
  for me? Just slip your hand up. I'll
• 47:25
  pray for you. Hey, sir. Hey, ma'am. God
• 47:28
  knows your heart.
• 47:30
  Slip your hand up. I'll pray for you.
• 47:32
  God knows.
• 47:35
  You can fool all of us. You don't You
• 47:36
  ain't going to fool God. Let me ask you
• 47:39
  this, child of God. Are you serving him?
• 47:45
  The servants's creed is Lord, I'm
• 47:47
  submitted. Lord, I'm surrendered.
• 47:50
  Lord, I'm settled. that this is the life
• 47:53
  that you've called ME TO LIVE AND
• 47:55
  NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
• 47:59
  If we could get that in our mind, you
• 48:01
  say, "Preacher, would you pray for me?
• 48:03
  God, help me
• 48:05
  to be a better servant."
• 48:09
  God sees that.
• 48:13
  Maybe you're here today and you say,
• 48:14
  "Preacher, I don't know that I've ever
• 48:15
  served God, but I really want to start.
• 48:18
  Would you pray for me?" And preacher,
• 48:20
  help me pray that God will show me what
• 48:22
  I need to do.
• 48:24
  Anybody like that day? Preacher, I never
• 48:26
  served God, but I want to start today.
• 48:30
  Just slip your hand up. I'll pray for
• 48:32
  you. God God wants to help you.
• 48:39
  He'll help you do it. Let me ask you
• 48:42
  this.
• 48:44
  If Jesus were to come back today,
• 48:49
  would you be satisfied with your
• 48:50
  service?
• 48:52
  Paul said when he got to the end this
• 48:54
  life, he said, "I fought a good fight.
• 48:57
  I've finished my course. I have kept the
• 49:00
  faith." What'd he say? Henceforth is
• 49:03
  laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
• 49:05
  which the Lord shall give to me in that
• 49:07
  day, not to me only, but to all them
• 49:09
  also that love his appearing.
• 49:15
  Father, I pray in Jesus name, God, for
• 49:18
  every heart that's here this morning, I
• 49:20
  pray you give grace.
• 49:22
  I pray you give mercy. And Lord, I ask
• 49:25
  you would help us today. Help us to
• 49:27
  serve you.
• 49:30
  Cuz Lord, we deserve nothing. God, we
• 49:34
  have nothing without you. And Lord, I
• 49:36
  pray, God, that you'd help us to serve
• 49:38
  you and surrender to you in these days.
• 49:40
  Lord, we'll be sure to thank you for
• 49:41
  what you do. Save that when it's near as
• 49:43
  tail today in Jesus name. Amen.
• 49:48
  >> Thank you for joining our service today.
• 49:50
  We'd love it if you'd join us in person
• 49:52
  the next time you are able at Meadows
• 49:54
  Baptist Church. Our physical address is
• 49:57
  2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
• 50:01
  Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
• 50:04
  school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
• 50:06
  worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
• 50:09
  worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
• 50:11
  evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
• 50:15
  information, visit us at
• 50:16
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 50:19
  Thanks again for tuning in.