John Gray - Greatest Sermon Ever Lived
- Watch
- Donate
Matthew 24, Matthew 24, Matthew 24. Get a Bible in your hand; if you don’t have one, look at someone else’s. Matthew 24, I’m at the first verse. Oh my God, there are people here who are celebrating their first Thanksgiving without a loved one, without a parent, without a sibling, and that grief can make you not want to wake up. So for you to be lifting your hand right now is literally wrecking hell. For this, I give you praise. I’m not giving you praise for the loss of my loved one; I’m giving you praise for keeping my mind. Oh, for this, I give you PR. Oh.
Matthew 24, first verse: Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. You know, people get impressed with big buildings and nice facilities, and they call them churches. They’re just buildings. If God’s not there, it’s a building. I’m going to say that again for all of the religious folk: this ain’t a church; it’s a building. If God is not here, your house could become a sanctuary if you invite God in. Some say, «I got to get to church so I can feel the presence of the Lord.» You can feel the presence of the Lord in the shower if you invite Him in! Stop localizing God to a Sunday morning experience; He is so much more than that.
And Jesus said to them, «Do you not see all these things? All these nice things, these bricks, these edifices, and all of this tapestry and ornamentation? You see all this? Yeah, this is amazing! Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down.» It’s going to mess you up because it’s going to scare religious people. But I need you to look at somebody and say, «Jesus is tearing all this down.» God, I really love you, and I appreciate your intercession for me. I know you’re always praying for me, woman of God. I thank you, and I’m grateful for you. I want you to find somebody else because they were offended. Look at somebody else and tell them, «Jesus is tearing all this down. He’s going to tear all of this down.»
Now, as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, «Tell us when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?» I want everybody to hear me, and I want you to stay with me; this is critical. What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? For those who don’t know, if you are not familiar with the narrative of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was sent as the full payment for all of the sins of all of humanity for all time, and he is coming back with the last trumpet sound. And the dead in Christ will rise first, and those that remain will be caught up to meet Him in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Jesus Christ is coming back to the earth. This is not a myth; it’s not a game; it’s not a cartoon. This is not a joke. I have dedicated and devoted the entirety of my life to preaching the Gospel.
And Jesus answered and said to them, «Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ.'» The word Christ is not just, «I’m a false Jesus.» I am the anointed one; I’m the one. If you don’t listen to me, nobody else is coming. It’s a lot of really weird prophets and bishops and apostles. Strange, because an apostle is one who saw the works of Jesus face-to-face, but you’re 23 years old, so it’s really hard for me to say that you’re an apostle when you weren’t there when Jesus was functioning on the earth. Can you have an apostolic anointing? Absolutely! Are you an apostle? Just check the word. Tell somebody, «Check the word.» I’m not here to judge you; check the word.
«And will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.» I want anybody to be watching the news: wars, rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Tell somebody, «Not yet.» «For nation will rise against nation.» Is that happening? I’m just checking because you need to know where we are in time. There is a Chronos and a Kairos. The chronological timeline is December 1, 2024. We’ve stepped into the last chapter of 20. There’s 12 chapters in a year. They’re called months, and inside the chapter, a sub-chapter is called days. This is the first day of the last chapter of the year 20124. You’re walking it out, but it was already written. I dare you to praise Him right there. Some of you are like, «Well, why should I praise for now?» You’re still in the book; you’re still alive; there’s still hope; there’s still a chance.
«For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.» Is that happening? I’m just asking. «And there will be famines.» Is that happening? «Pestilences and earthquakes in various places.» Is that happening? Do y’all realize you’re living in the last of the last days? Lord, I’m trying to preach here. Then help me! Then they’re sitting over here just staring at me. Do you understand when Jesus went up into heaven, they were looking at the clouds every day thinking He was coming back in that moment? And we go about our lives like Jesus is not coming back, like He is not right now getting His horse ready.
Watch this: «All these are the beginning of sorrows.» Nobody wants to hear this. «Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you.» There are people that are killed for their faith every day all across this world. If you say you’re a Christian, it could cost you your life. You can say what you want about this country, but you ought to thank God that you can walk around and talk about Jesus without the government telling you to shut up. Because very soon, they’re going to try to shut you up, shut your Bible up, tell you the Bible is hate speech. And it’s going to be some weak, weak, fake Christians who will stop preaching the Gospel because they want to please people-political puppets paid off by interest groups to steer weak-willed sheep in a direction that’s opposite of the Kingdom of God.
Try me if you want to; I’ll take a bullet for my King. I’ll die for my King. You can’t buy me; I’m not for sale. Because I’ll go work at a gas station before I sell the Gospel out to please people. «And you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.» When you really start living for Jesus, people are not going to like you. «And then many will be offended.» That’s already happening. Watch this: «And will betray one another and will hate one another.» Sounds like church. «Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.» Sounds like church. «And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.» But he or she who endures to the end shall be saved. Catch this: «And this Gospel of the kingdom…» I’m sorry, say that again: «…shall be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.»
Run quickly to Matthew 16, quick, quick, quick. Matthew 16, 13th verse: When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying, «Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?» So they said, «Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.» He said to them, «But who do you say that I am?» Simon Peter answered and said, «You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.» Jesus answered and said to him, «Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.»
«And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.» This is the part I want you to grab: «And I will give you the keys of the kingdom.» He’s not giving keys to a church; He’s giving keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. «And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.» These are the words of Jesus Christ. He also declared after he went through the temptation from the devil, the Bible says, «And from that time on he preached, 'repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.'» Jesus' message was not, «Repent because the church is going to grow; we’re going to get more members.» He said, «Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven-the government of Heaven-is getting ready to take over.»
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It’s a paradigm shift. But Jesus didn’t just talk it; He lived what He preached. I could use a hip-hop euphemism: «Walk it like I talk it.» But the title of this message for the few minutes I have you is «The Greatest Sermon Ever Lived.» Lord Jesus, be glorified by the words of my mouth; give me fresh wind and keen discernment. Let not one of my words fall to the ground; let them be precise, filled with salt and light. And I want to thank you for allowing me to stand in this sacred moment and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. I pray that lives will be changed, and souls will be saved, and hearts will be convicted. I want to acknowledge in front of these people that you have chosen to use me. You do not need me; you have never needed me, and you never will.
But you have chosen to utilize me, and I humbly submit. Let me preach with holy boldness and declare the Gospel Kingdom message effectively and efficiently. In Jesus' name, amen. Give the Lord a praise as you take your seat. Last week, I said something I meant then, and I mean it now: Church-the gatherings of the saints- should not be a place where I have to hide the truth of my condition. If I have to hide who I am to impress you, then that means I’m not living in truth. To live a lie is untenable for me. Whatever I am, God already knows; you may not, but He does. And when I come into this place, I come to do business with my King.
It’s very quiet, but I’m going to preach it like I was given it. I have been deeply uncomfortable with the idea and the ideation of church as usual-Sunday services. And I was wondering why, Pastor James; I could not seem to get peace about this thing we call church. And I started getting upset. I said, «God, is it me? Is something missing? What’s going on? I don’t really care for this thing we call church.» And He said, «Me neither. That’s why I’m tearing it down.»
Now, before you go and get upset, get offended, and call me a heretic, let me explain that what we’re sitting in currently is not wrong. Us lifting up Jesus on a Sunday morning is not wrong; us giving God praise is not wrong. What troubles me is that this is often for many of us the only time that we worship Jesus. It’s the only time that we get together, and the reality is, this is not what Jesus died for. He did not die for us to gather once a week for two hours with the people that we left the house with, shake hands with a few people that are familiar, and go home. That’s not what He died for. That is very much Western Christianity, the American version of church, but that is not what Jesus was preaching.
Jesus did not preach membership; He preached baptism unto repentance, freedom from dead works, power over the devil, and authority over spirits- speaking life to dead things, walking in an authority that’s not prideful or arrogant nor self-seeking and self-serving. Today, many preachers want to be stars, and it will sound funny coming from someone who had TV shows and has more stuff in the works. There’s nothing wrong with utilizing all of your gifts, but when you use the church to do it-when you pimp the pulpit for your own profit-I have a problem with it, and so does God.
I’ve walked through seasons of great excess. God had to show me that car, that stuff that you have-you didn’t even really want it. You’re dealing with some pain from your childhood that was never addressed. You think things can give you peace, and they can’t. And I’m going to let you accumulate that stuff so you see how empty it is. You know what’s satisfying? Waking up next to somebody that loves your dirty laundry and kids that get on your nerves, but at least they’re still here. I’m trying to help somebody in here. You ought to thank God for what you have and stop lusting after stuff that you don’t have. Because if you got it, you probably wouldn’t even be talking to God. God kept some stuff from you because He knew you’d act a fool if you got it.
You’re mad at God because He won’t answer your prayer? You need to thank God because you are like your own kids who ask you for stuff that you know they don’t need, but they want it, and get mad because you won’t give it to them. Let them pout. Some of y’all are 46 and pouting because God hasn’t done what you want. God does not exist for you. You think you can manipulate God by turning your head away? You can’t turn away from Him; you can only turn into Him. You call yourself not speaking to God, and with every breath you take says His name. Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh.
I don’t know who this is for, but I need you to put this in the chat feed for those who feel hurt and discouraged because many people battle with depression during the holidays. I need you to keep breathing. Don’t give up now. Tell someone, «Keep breathing.» You didn’t hear me because if you’re breathing, you’re praying. Just breathing is saying His name. Just let your soul say His name because as long as you’re saying His name, He’s close. He’s close to the broken-hearted; He’s close to those with a contrite heart. I’m talking to somebody somewhere in this building or online. I need just a little help in here.
Church is nice, but this is not what He died for. We’re missing a critical component to who Jesus is and to what He preached. He preached the Kingdom. Somebody say, «The Kingdom.» Kingdom over everything. Say it again: Kingdom. The Kingdom over everything. Write this down: Matthew 13, Matthew 13. I’m going to throw out some numbers. Don’t play these numbers, I mean, don’t you play these numbers, Angela. Matthew 13: 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47, 52.
Well, stay with it! You know all the lyrics of your favorite rap song, and you know it in your head two times. Matthew 13: 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47, and 52. That’s how your waistline grew on Thursday-from a 24 to 31, 33, 44, 45, 47, and 52! Matthew 13, I’m going to say it again: Matthew 13: 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47. You know how them scratch-offs be, they be like, «44, 45, 47,» and the only number being there be 46! Not that I know that, but I’ve heard sometimes when you have a scratch-off ticket, and the last one was what? I’m good! You got it, somebody? Go ahead, just look at each one of those verses. Just grab one. Tell me what the first few words say of each one of those verses. Just go look. What does it say? «The Kingdom of Heaven is like.» «The Kingdom of Heaven is like.» What’s the next one? «The Kingdom of Heaven is like.»
Jesus in Matthew 13 just keeps talking about the Kingdom of Heaven. Does He ever say church? Does He ever say Sunday morning? So why do we idolize Sunday mornings? Why do we worship at the altar of our preferred method of engaging God when God is not just relegated to a Sunday morning experience? Church is not what Jesus died for. Woo! Just pray me through because I’m going to preach it like I feel it. That’s why we don’t see what the Bible says because we’re so busy with church. But you know what happens in church? Politics. You know what else happens in church? Clubs, factions, fractions; big me and little you, velvet rope- you can’t sit here. I don’t like her, but you’re going to worship over here and not speak to somebody over there? That’s very churchy of you.
Church is where you can live how you want, give your tithe, make yourself feel better, go back out, still cussing everybody out, still acting like a complete fool, come back in here, and nobody says anything because your checks are big enough for the pastor to be quiet. I’m so glad I’m a tither, and the top tither, and one of the top tithers in this church because nobody buys me. Me and my wife — everything we have, we’ve given away: houses and cars and all of that stuff, and the elders and pastors know. And I’m not saying that to get applause; I’m saying it to let you know I want the devil to know you can’t buy me.
This salary can’t keep me; nothing can hold me. I’m going to preach this Gospel until I die! If I’m broke, I' m going to preach it! If the Lord chooses to bless me, I' m going to preach it! If I have a nice car, I' m going to preach it! If I got a hooptie, I' m going to preach it! I’m going to be grateful if the oil light is on because that means the engine is still running. If there’s smoke coming out the muffler, I' m going to putt-putt-putt up the hill, park the car, preach the word, eat some food, go to sleep, try it again, wash, rinse, and repeat. But the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached from this pulpit.
Praise! No man, no man! Praise break! Green tie, praise break! Praise break! Get up, praise break! Where you at, praise break? Come on, give God the best praise that you can! High five five people; tell them, «It’s the Kingdom!» High! Hey, Elder, it’s the Kingdom! Pastor, it’s the Kingdom! Linton, come on here! I know you’re at movie premieres and things with your baby. It’s the Kingdom! I know you’re getting Oscars and stuff, but it’s the Kingdom. Somebody shout Kingdom! Kingdom over everything! See, Kingdom doesn’t have a color.
I thank God for honest people in my life. Pastor Charles, I was talking to Pastor Charles. I said, «Pastor, there are some things I feel like God is telling me to change. I feel like our service time is probably around an hour, thirty, hour, forty minutes.» That’s a good service time. He said, «Pastor, respectfully, I think you’re right because there are people in this region who are not culturally connected to the black church experience, and they are used to a certain type of flow.» And I understood that. There’s a difference between the way Black folk do church and White folk do church in the South. My son asked me today, «How come more White people don’t go here?» I said, «Well, son, unfortunately, we worship different versions of Jesus.»
Cuz there’s a white Jesus and a black Jesus, and then there’s the real Jesus. I’m here to preach the real Jesus-hair like lamb’s wool, skin like brass. Last time I checked, it’s a color of brown. But I’m not going to make you upset. But many people who go to those churches, if they saw what Jesus really looked like, they’d take their tithe right out of there because their idea of God is connected to their color. But the color is not the Kingdom; the Kingdom is the culture.
I need an eight -second praise break in here! I said, I need an eight-second praise break in here! Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! The other side, though, son, is that white churches normally get out in about an hour. In an hour, here we’re just getting the offering. We’re working on it. Then I preach for like six hours-long story!
Anyway, here’s what’s funny: Church has its own culture instead of rules, and if you don’t come in fitting those rules, they look at you differently. «Who was that sitting next to me?» And you’re ready to judge somebody that you don’t know. You don’t know their story; you don’t know if they were beaten last night; you don’t know if they’re abused; you don’t know if they’re tweaking, trying to get off heroin. And you got the nerve to look at somebody that’s in the church that you didn’t die for like they don’t belong? And you wonder why people don’t want to come to church.
People don’t fool with church, but they’ll rock with the Kingdom! Somebody give me a set of keys! Give me a set of keys! Somebody move quick. Come on, niece; give me a set of keys! Hold on! I want these keys! Nice vehicle! Foreign car! Oh, that’s you? Oh, fancy! You have your house key on here. I’m not going to ask which one because there’s somebody, take a picture, snap it, and be at your house tonight talking about, «Surprise!» I bet you got a mailbox key on here or something. You got a lot of keys on here; it goes to different things.
Now, I don’t know what they open, but you do because you’ve tried these keys, and they work. Now, this is a car key. Other people have a similar key, but your key is programmed for your car. Stop trying to use somebody else’s keys to open doors when God says, «Use the key I gave you.» Use the key of worship I gave you. Use the key of praise I gave you. Use the key of intercession I gave you. Stop being jealous and trying to use other people’s keys when you got keys! Tell somebody, «I got the keys! Keys, keys!»
Am I talking right? Yeah! Jesus did not die for church; everybody understand where I’m coming from? The institution of church is very human, very American. But the Kingdom- somebody shout Kingdom! The Kingdom is its own entity; it’s a set of principles and rules. It is a real place. You know Heaven is a real place? Did you hear what I said? Isaiah said, «In the year King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord, and He was sitting on the throne, and the train of His robe filled the temple.» He was high and lifted up. Micaiah the prophet said before Ahab was killed, «I saw the Lord sitting on the throne and the host of Heaven surrounding Him.»
I need you to understand that Heaven is a real place, and the Kingdom has declared that we are coming to the earth. How does the Kingdom get to the earth? Through Kingdom people. Kingdom people and church people are not the same. Church people will leave a building or a community when they are offended or when the preacher is not preaching what they want to hear. The Bible says they will not endure sound doctrine because there are some preachers that will be okay with you drinking your life away every day and smoking your life away and sexing your life away and cussing your life away, and you’ll go to that church where you can find people with the same familiar spirits you are unwilling to get free from.
Then there are places like this with folk that are ready to do business with the King, who are saying, «God, if you got something to say, I want to hear it so that I can grow closer to you and get better, have more power, more authority so I can cast out some devils in my life, my kids' lives, my spouse’s life, off my job, and out of my family.» Where are the Kingdom citizens at? I need you to shout if you have a passport! You can’t travel to certain countries without a passport! Oh my God!
God says, «I want to invite you into Kingdom citizenship.» How do you become a citizen of the Kingdom? You have to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God, that He is the only and full payment for your sins, and nothing you could do could ever get you to God-not your checks, not your last name, not your pedigree, not your fame, not your nice hair, not your light eyes that you purchased down the street at LensCrafters. None of that is going to help you because God knows the real you.
Same thing with all these people getting plastic surgery; I’m not tripping on that-get your BBL and this, that, and the third-but when you have them kids, them kids are going to have your regular face. That’s why you know church folk from Kingdom folk because church folk will put it on for you, but real life will take it off of you and show you what you really are. That’s why the seven sons of Sceva thought they could play with devils, and that devil whooped all seven of them, and they walked out bloody and naked. God’s saying, «I’m shaking the church because it’s not real, and I’m tearing down everything that’s not real.»
And the only thing that will remain is the Kingdom of God. Now I need somebody to shout in here! I need you! Church is about politics, popularity, placement, money-how much money can we fleece from these goofy sheep? I had a dream last night; I haven’t had a chance to tell it all. I ain’t had a chance because you know I ran out with your son; we had to go get crispy for church. I saw buildings towering as high as I’d ever seen. I couldn’t even see the top. And you know where I was in my word last night. And so I caught a glimpse of the Kingdom.
It was — the sky was purple, and I was outside, and I was screaming to the people. They kept gathering; I said, «God is not in buildings; He cannot be contained in buildings. He can visit them; He can choose to dwell there, but He cannot be contained by them.» I came here last night about midnight, and God was in the sanctuary, just like Pastor Glenn said last week. Y’all don’t hear me in here; I don’t play with the presence of God! You’re sitting in the presence of God, which means miracles actually are happening whether you know it or not!
You mess-you playing with me! You can sit in a sauna and tell yourself all day, «I will not sweat.» What’s going to happen? You’re going to sweat because you’re in the atmosphere that won’t allow for anything but that to happen. Some of y’all are — you can’t help but change because you’re in the presence of God! Something is changing! I need you to just shake three people; tell them, «Something’s changing!»
Does anybody hear what I’m saying? Somebody say Kingdom! Kingdom versus church-that’s the battle! The battle is for the Kingdom versus church culture. Church culture will let you talk about somebody like a dog, and then it will be cool with you to walk up to that person, speak to them like your friend, and walk away with no conviction. But the Kingdom- the Holy Ghost will get a hold of you and say, «You know you ain’t right; that’s dirty what you’re doing.» If you really want the Kingdom, if you see somebody in here that you got a problem with, you’re supposed to go get it right with them before offering because that’s what the Word says!
I can only tell you what the Word says! Somebody say, «It’s the Word!» The Word! But we don’t like the Word if you’re just a church person. Because there’s a lot of gatherings-preachers that don’t live the Word. They’re okay with living how they want, and I’m like, «God, why are you letting that happen?» He said, «That ain’t got nothing to do with me; they' re going-they’ll live, and they’ll die, and I’ll deal with them.»
That’s church. But if somebody tries to come into the kingdom with that foolishness, I’m going to deal with that! Oh my God! But because the sheep don’t know the difference between the church and the kingdom, God has had to tear down every idol. Oh, it’s going to get real uncomfortable for the next three minutes, so just go ahead and loosen up your girdle and let your navel out because I’m going to say what needs to be said. All your favorite preachers-everything that you see that’s been going on-oh my God! I couldn’t believe it! How could that happen? It happened with you! You nasty! You’ve been sleeping around; you cheat, you cuss, and you drink!
The problem is that most pastors are like the Wizard of Oz; they stay behind the curtain, give you a big, big show, but when you get to them, they’re small, they’re weak, they’re insecure, and they need their community to make them feel like a god. But God says, «I’m tearing down every idol. Anything that’s not Me, I' m going to tear it down. Anyone that wants to be worshipped, I' m going to expose them, and you’re going to know that a man can preach, but a man is not God. A woman can preach, but a woman is not God. Only God is God; only Jesus is perfect. Only God is completely holy.
But those of us who are humble enough to say, „God, I’m a mess, but if you can use me, I will submit.“ Am I talking to somebody in here? That is the Gospel of the Kingdom! Big! I was at the highest levels of this Christian industrial entertainment complex; then God pulled the covers back on my issues! Oh my God! Did you hear that? Oh my God! And it wasn’t until last night when one of my spiritual fathers said, „God pulled the covers back not to end your ministry, not to kill you, but to not allow people to make you an idol.“
Because y’all know how quick y’all are ready to worship this bishop, or that pastor, or that evangelist, or that apostle, or that lady, or that man. All of them people need the same Jesus you need, and I need, and I’m tired of us worshiping men. You must only worship Jesus! Jesus is the only one worthy of worship! Does that mean you can live how you want? Absolutely not! And it’s the love of God that allows you to work through your issues in silence. But He’ll use a leader as an example to say, „Play with me if you want to. I will whip you in the store! Just like parents: if you act up in the store, I’ll whip you in the store!“
You act up in church, I' m going to whip you in the church, but you’re still mine. Has anyone here ever been whipped and then disowned? No! I whip you because I love you! I wish you’d love me less! Somebody shout Kingdom! Kingdom! I’m trying to help somebody! Jesus said, „Upon this Rock I’ll build my church.“ You’re like, „But He said He’ll build His church and He said that He’s tearing the church down.“ No, no, no! He’s tearing the thing we made down! If man made it and man is at the center of it, He’s tearing it down!
But if it’s the true church of the Lord Jesus Christ, then, „Upon this Rock I’ll build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, and I will give them the.“ I’m sorry — give me some keys, please! Give me some keys, please! Thank you! Somebody get your keys out! Get your keys out! I’m getting ready to say something this big; it’s going to mess you up.
Anybody ever stayed at an Airbnb? Let me see-if you’ve ever been in an Airbnb, stand up! If you’ve ever been in a really nice Airbnb, throw your hands up! Anybody ever been in an Airbnb? Beautiful bedrooms, the linens spotless, Voss water available in the fridge, peanut M& Ms in a brown wicker basket, a welcome letter with the Wi-Fi passwords and codes? Many Airbnbs have a numerical code that you have to type in to the door, am I right? You got the passcode to the front door. You got the passcode to the garage. You have access to the bedrooms, the bathrooms, the master bath, even Voss.
But then there are a couple of doors that you can’t get into. Wait a minute! But I paid to stay at the house! I welcomed you to the house! But you’re a guest. In order to get into these doors, you need-why don’t we see miracles in church anymore? How come people still get wheeled in and then wheeled out? How come somebody walks in with a demon and leaves with that same demon? Because we had good church, but not a Kingdom move!
Because He said, „I’ll give you the keys of the Kingdom.“ So you could be in the house and not have keys! So you can come in here and shout, but if you want change, you’re going to need some keys! Kingdom keys are rooted in humility, submission, prayer, and fasting. It’s real quiet in here; y’all ready to go? Oh, I know you can’t stand it! You don’t have to like me; I’m just teaching Bible! Why would you come to the house and not access all the rooms? The miracles are in a locked room; the signs and wonders are in a locked room!
You can enjoy this outer court stuff, but if you want the inner court, you’re going to need some keys! So you can’t be a church member and just get a miracle like you want, like you’re at a drive-thru. „Let me get a six-piece Deliverance with some honey mustard! I' m going to get two demonic deliverances; I' m going to need to get this possession out. I got one in the back. We’re going to need three deliverances for her. Let me get two eba ba shos and a Sprite!“ You can’t order like that! You got to come in here with a humility and a determination that says, „I’m not leaving until you bless my soul! I’m not going to let you go!“
If I have to shout for an hour, if I have to worship for an hour, if I have to get on my face, I don’t care what anybody near me thinks, but I did not come here to check church off the box. I want a Kingdom move of God, and I brought my keys! I brought my worship! I brought my praise! I brought my humility! I brought my hallelujah! I thank God for Bishop Donald Clay! What he said to me last night revolutionized my thinking: we’re in church, but we have not seen the Kingdom yet!
When you see the Kingdom, you’ll walk in one way and leave a different way, and nobody will have to touch you; no elder will have to slap oil on you; nobody will have to blow on you with a funky breath. Friday morning, I said good morning to my wife; she was like, „Mm, your breath smells like turkey!“ That was the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in my life! I was deeply offended!
But what I’m saying is this: you’re standing up because the Kingdom doesn’t need — you’re standing up; you’re like, „What, what are we getting ready to do?“ Just stand up! Hush! Here’s what’s funny: as soon as I say „stand up,“ people are like, „Well, it’s time to go.“ That’s church!
And I’m not judging; I love you; I’m not judging. But you’ll leave church, but when it’s Kingdom, I’m staying to the benediction because the benediction is the blessing! Thirty inches of snow fell in Buffalo, New York, over the past couple of days. They sent out a request to fans of the Buffalo Bills to come and shovel snow. They don’t even get tickets to the game, and they got people to come and shovel snow so other people can sit down! That’s church!
Because many people have been carrying the burdens of others while others sit down in comfort. The Kingdom says, „Everybody eats! Everybody gets a seat at the table! Everybody is equal in the eyes of the Living God, even the people you don’t like.“ God loves them because they belong to Him too, and if you got a problem with somebody across the street or across this aisle, you better go to-because God says, „I’m not releasing you from the people that offended you until you go over there and get that right.“
The next time you sin and wonder why that thing still feels heavy is because you still have some unforgiveness somewhere in your life! And the Bible says, „If you don’t forgive men their sins, God won’t forgive you of yours.“ Now, church won’t tell you that, but the Kingdom will! The reason why Thanksgiving, to me, is more valuable than any other holiday is because it is most reflective of Kingdom culture.
Everybody sitting down, eating, talking, laughing, enjoying fellowship- building relational equity. What do you mean? That’s Kingdom! Read the book of Acts: „And they had all things common, distributed each one as they had needs, and they continued in the apostles' doctrine daily, breaking bread from house to house, in simplicity of heart, fellowshipping, talking about how good God had been.“ And God added souls daily! Me preaching, somebody will join today! My prayer is that many will be saved today!
But the true supernatural growth of the church will be at your kitchen table. It’ll be when you invite people over to eat. Because church presents a Gospel message on a Sunday, while Kingdom is-for we are walking this out every day! And Kingdom does not present the Gospel; it lets you see the Gospel lived out in my life! Oh my God!
Church wants you to keep on your face paint and your spiritual makeup because anybody can look good for two hours. Kingdom-oh Lord-says, „Come live with Me! Come stay! Let Me show you how I live!“ Real Kingdom is me taking some young men who want to be married to say, „Let me show you the principles that God had to teach me about speaking to my wife a certain way, about raising my children a certain way. Here’s where you can find that in the Word.“
That’s Kingdom! Church is, „It’s good to see you, man; I’m praying for you.“ But you’re not praying for them? You’re not going to pray, and you haven’t prayed. And even if you did pray, your prayers ain’t getting through because you still got some unresolved sin in your life that you won’t give to God! Hallelujah! I’m tired of church because church doesn’t work, and it never could! Kingdom is where this church gathering, this community, is going! Kingdom means, „Step into my life; I' m going to show you the good and the bad.“
Stop putting on a forward front face for these people, you faker! Show them the real issues! Show them I still blow it, but I go to the Word! I still have things, but at least I’m submitted! Hallelujah! There’s a young man I was talking to over here as I was coming up; he looked sad. I said, „What’s wrong?“ He was like, „Man, I got disciplined by my uncle.“ I said, „Okay! That shouldn’t stop you from worshipping! Get up! Lift your hands!“
I said that because I needed you to know you pouting in the presence of God doesn’t get you anywhere! Get your hands up because your circumstance has nothing to do with the goodness of God! When I ask you to worship, I didn’t ask you to worship me; I didn’t ask you to clap for me; I asked you to lift your hands to God! And I don’t care what you’re going through! God is worthy; He’s worthy!
Now, why aren’t you worshipping? Give him a praise! I’ll wait! The reason why the title of the message was „The Greatest Sermon Ever Lived,“ is that the reason why Jesus-people get this scripture messed up. He is a friend of winebibbers and tax collectors and sinners. He is, and He was completely holy, utterly holy, and completely perfect. How is it that a completely perfect, utterly holy individual could find common ground with winebibbers, tax collectors, sinners, drunks, strippers, twerkers, and the like?
Why do you want to cast people to hell when you were doing some of those same things and are currently still doing some of those same things? We just ain’t caught you yet! Because if Jesus was churchy, those people wouldn’t have fooled with Him! But the streets rock with Jesus because He was Kingdom! And Kingdom prioritizes conversation and community over name-calling and judgment. That’s why Jesus could take the woman at the well and say, „Give me a drink of water,“ and turn that into salvation!
She becomes a prophetic preacher to her whole city when she was a broken woman when He met her! But one conversation turned into conversion, which turned into a revival! So that’s how the Kingdom works! You don’t go judging somebody and trying to shame them into a relationship with Jesus! The Bible said, „It was with lovingkindness that I drew them!“ They don’t want to hear this because nobody wants to hear this, man!
Because you respond better when somebody says, „Shame on you, you dirty sinner, repent!“ You’re saying it wrong! 'Cuz all repent means is to turn! Even your GPS says, „Redirecting route!“ Recalculating route! We all made wrong turns, and even your GPS is gentle with you! I wish we had real GPS! „Fool, you done did this two times, dummy! Turn around! Don’t go that way again, idiot! Stupid! Who gave you a driver’s license?“
Y’all be CRA… I need to have my own GPS! You dumb! Just throw the keys out the window and walk! The Holy Spirit does not beat you up. „Make the turn!“ You ever been driving, and your GPS says, „Take the exit?“ That’s a prophetic declaration for you right now! You’ve been going one way! God says, „I need you to take the exit! Don’t keep going down this road! Take the exit!“
But it says it so gently, and if you miss the exit, it just says, „Recalculating route! Get off at the next available exit! Turn around because I want to get you to your expected end!“ This is the power of the Kingdom! Church wants to send you to hell. Kingdom says, „I’ll fight till you make it to Heaven.“ There’s a difference! I see a wonderful man of God yawning; that means it’s time for me to go!
I saw you, doc; I saw you! Hands lifted! One hand lifted! I love him! Father, I thank you for Love Story, a community of believers that are committed to the Kingdom principles of loving people where they are and walking with them until they are able to stand up on their own! Love is our job; judgment is your job! We won’t compromise the Gospel!
I’m not going to water down the Gospel to get people to come in here-that’s wack! „Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!“ But the community is: I love the truth of you, not the presentation of you, so may we all take off our spiritual makeup and our fakery masks and be able to walk in here and say, „Not doing well today! I’m in need of somebody who’s got direct access to God!“ And then somebody in the group says, „You already have that!“
„Yeah, no, I don’t feel that!“ „I don’t care what you feel! It doesn’t change the truth! The truth is, when Jesus died, the veil of the curtain was ripped from top to bottom, and you and I have equal access to our Father!“ Church wants you to think you need a preacher to get you to God! No! You need a preacher to preach the Gospel, to convict you of sin and lovingly introduce you to the person of Jesus and the power of the Holy Ghost! But you can get to God right now!
And here’s what will happen after church: somebody will still come to me and say, „Would you pray with me?“ Let me stop because I don’t want you to think you can’t! 'Cuz I will agree with you! But your prayer is as powerful as mine! That’s the power of the blood! Ah! They got it, Dad! They got it! There is no big me and little you! We are all walking out this Kingdom Gospel together with one hand up! Lord, seal this word! Get the glory from it in Jesus' name, amen!