Michael Todd - Full Plates, Empty Tables, Silent Servants
Here we go, week three of a series that we’ve been calling Who’s the Minister Here? And in case you just tuning in, I want to say welcome. I’m crazy, I’m black, and yes, I’m wearing yellow camo pants. And this is about to be the most impactful message and the most deploying message in this entire series. The whole premise of this thing is that most people think I’m the minister, but I’m not the minister here. The Bible tells us that pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, their whole job is to equip the minister. Yes, you. To do works of service. I dare somebody say, I’m the minister here.
Come on, say it right now. «I’m the minister here.» And that’s why God doesn’t need another pastor or a bishop or apostle in government or in entertainment or in the music industry or in teaching. He needs you to take ownership of the calling that he’s placed on your life. And if you would just stand up and not be silent he said my ministers already in every place that I need them to be and last week we talked about all right if we’re gonna be the minister we’re gonna have to mature and so we’re not gonna be a Toys R Us minister we’re gonna be a maturing minister and this week I believe God told me that it would be irresponsible of me if we would go through this entire series and then not deploy people. So like if we would talk about, oh, I’m the minister here, but all you do is sit back on your couch and be like, oh, I love Transformation Church.
Boy, I watch Pastor Mike all the time. Oh, he’s so good. No, no, no, no, no. That does not move the kingdom of God forward. Many times all that does is pacify the things that are in us and a lot of times this just perpetuates selfishness within our heart because as long as I’m healed, as long as I’m whole, as long as me and my family is taken care of, screw everybody else. But God said that’s not what I did when I came to send Jesus to die. He said the whole purpose was I’m gonna take this, I’m gonna sacrifice, I’m gonna become what everybody else needs so that I can serve the whole world. And my thing is if God said through Jesus greater works what we do, where’s your sacrifice? Where’s your service? What are we doing to take this message beyond our mess? I just said something.
How do we take the message beyond our mess? I just said something. How do we take the message beyond our mess? Because y’all know we just want the message. Oh, Lord, I hope everybody got a word for me today. And I hope that God does have a word for you today. But how many words do you need before you say somebody else needs this? How many prayers do you need before you offer up one prayer?
I’m just asking you a question right now. How many times do you need to God to come through for you until you’re an agent to come through on God’s behalf for somebody else? What I’m saying to you is church, if we don’t get beyond our seat of comfortability and what benefits us. We will never do what God created us to do as the church was to become an example and then take it to other people. And today, your pastor’s on one. I’m about to come real strong at you this morning as we end this series. And I want you to buckle up. Somebody say buckle up. I want to see it in the comments right now. I’m watching you right now. Buckle up because we’re about to go to another level.
Now, one of the things that I have to admit that as we’ve been in quarantine, it sucks. First off, second thing I need you to know is that I miss having tons of people around. Usually my house is like the epicenter of like gathering and communication. So I decided today we’re going to have a house party. Now, if anybody’s ever been to a house party, there are like four key ingredients that you need for any successful house party. The first thing you need, and you might not think this is essential, but I’m telling you it’s essential. The first thing you need for any house party is a table. Okay, you need a table. Can y’all bring me out a table real quick? Because the reason that you need a table at a house party… No, no, no, no, no, no. No, we won’t be at the table the whole time. But the thing about the table is the table is the gathering place. It’s the place that everybody comes around.
Now, maybe not for some of y’all because somebody in your family can’t cook, but at a black household, when my mama’s there, my wife is there, and some of these people, where we gather is around the table. Everybody say the table. And the reason we get around the table is because of the second ingredient that we need is food. When you get around the table, y’all, there’s some fried chicken here, some mashed potatoes, some mac and cheese, some green beans, some roast. And I told them to bring real food because I may get hungry during this message.
So that’s real food. I’m gonna eat some of it in a little bit. But the reason to have any good house party, you need a table because it’s the gathering place, then you need food. And then the third thing that you need, and some of y’all don’t know nothing about this because y’all eat in silence, but you need a playlist. You cannot have a good house party without good music. DJ, could you put me on some music, please? Ah! Hey, now you know. Hey, you know food tastes better. When you got some good music. That was good. My God, turn the music off. My God, today. Where That was good. My God. Turn the music out. Come on. My God. Where that chicken from? My God.
Now, I got to swallow it. Hold on. Glory to God. Now, I got a table, the gathering place. I got the food because it’s the substance. I got the playlist. I got the atmosphere. The only the substance. I got the playlist. I got the atmosphere. The only thing that I need is people. Travis, where are the people that are supposed to be here for my example? Hold on one second, y’all. You forgot to invite the people? There’s about 100,000 people on line right now, Travis. Are you trying to get fired? I need people here because the table’s set, the food is there, the atmosphere is right, The atmosphere is right, but who was over the invites? Y’all missed it. There’s no Travis out here. Travis is you. Because at the end of the day, I think this is how God feels every Sunday. It’s when he comes in and he makes a table, the church, the gathering place.
And no, it’s not happening in a building, but it’s happening all over the world. And then he sets food. And that’s why me and him are in the kitchen all week long trying to say, is this the dish we’re supposed to cook? Is this what I’m supposed to season this with? Less of me, more of you. Teach me, great chef, how to make this meal. The food is here. The atmosphere is set. The worship that just went forth. The giving. Our hearts are open. But where are the people? The mood is here. The atmosphere is set. The worship that just went forth. The giving. Our hearts are open. But where are the people? And the crazy thing about it is the people is not the pastor’s job. The people is not the worship team’s job. The people is the minister’s job.
So if we are a church that is going to move the message of Jesus Christ, if people are going to get nourished, if people are going to be able to heal from this world’s anemic level of living, they’re going to have to come to a gathering place where there is nutritious food, where they can get in the right atmosphere and they can be transformed. But who’s over the invites? And this is where my burden is, because I felt like as I was praying this week, God said, Michael, I’m servants. Full plates, empty tables, and silent servants. I need you to write that down. That’s the title of my message today. I’m going right for the gusto. This is the season where the church stops allowing full plates, empty tables, and silent servants. empty tables and silent servants. For too many years of my own life, I was around things that could transform other people’s life and never shared it with them.
I was in atmospheres where people were getting healed, delivered, and set free, and then I would go outside of there and see people addicted to all kinds of substances and never even offer them Jesus. I’m not coming at you. I’m telling my own story. This thing has a way of making you feel like you’re okay if you’re on the inside and not sharing what you have with anybody on the outside. But I came to put a stop to that today because we are the ministers here and we believe in what this thing is that we are claiming right now and Christ is the answer to the whole world’s problem but how will they know if somebody don’t tell them and I’m sitting here in this moment and I’m thinking about next week being Easter now I need everybody to understand I couldn’t have planned.
I couldn’t have planned that we were in the middle of a pandemic. I couldn’t have planned that I literally, me and Charles were looking at a clip from 2016, I think it was, when I said, I’m gonna do a series called, «Who’s the Minister Here?» I didn’t, this could have happened anytime. And we’re the week before the greatest celebration of the Christian faith. And I need you to understand why this is the greatest celebration of the Christian faith, I feel like preaching right now. It’s because there are other religions and there are other gods, little g, but the thing that separates our God from every other God is all of them died, but only one got up.
Oh, y’all don’t hear me in the building today. All of them died, but only one caught up with power and love and grace and mercy and conquered death hell and the grave I dare somebody to say he got up he got up and because he got up he’s not a statue because he got up he’s working in the affairs of your life right now because he got got up, the addiction to pornography that used to hold me down no longer has a hold on me because he got up. I feel like fighting somebody. I don’t know what’s happening up here because he got up. And that’s why we celebrate Easter. It’s because God made a plan for us to be reconciled back to him through Jesus Christ. And Jesus died and he went into the tomb and they thought he was going to stay there.
But on that third day, that mug rolled away and he got up. And because he got up, look at me. You can get up. Because he got up. No matter what is on you right now. No matter what tomb you think you’re in. This ain’t even my message. But somebody needs this encouraged. No matter what’s going on in your life. Because he got up. He said that you’re supposed to follow my pattern. He said the only reason God sent him to earth. Is so that we could know how to walk. So you got to take the end too — so whatever tomb you’ve been lying in Whatever tomb your marriage has been in whatever tomb whatever they thought they killed I feel this thing God said because I got up You can get up, and that’s why I want everybody to understand me today.
The reason the church must be the loudest bullhorn for what is about to happen next week is that we have the antidote to everyone’s problem. Would you have the cure for coronavirus and keep it for only yourself? The question is, if you had the cure right now and the government couldn’t find it, but you had mixed together some ingredients and created it in your house, you would be considered a terrorist if you had the cure and did not share it with others. I want you to think about that right now. Just as if we had the cure for coronavirus, we would share it with everyone. We have the cure for humanity, and His name is Jesus. But why then do we have full plates, empty tables, and silent servants?
Today, I want to inspire you: no longer will I know what changed me and not tell someone. No longer will I be able to stand by while I see people abusing substances just to function during the day. I serve a God whose name is the Prince of Peace. There’s no way I could sit and listen to everyone’s hurt and pain and then make a blasphemous statement like, «I’ll pray for you,» knowing that when you walk away, you’re never even going to pray to God on their behalf. How dare we have the answer? Do you remember where you used to be? I think some people have forgotten, Charles. I think some people have forgotten, Bree. I think some people have forgotten, Mama. All of us were given the cure of Jesus Christ. And no, we’re not perfect; because in this sin nature, we will never be. But we’re progressing.
You used to curse everyone out. You used to slide into DMs to get satisfied. You used to drink just to have fun. But look what God has done in your life! You wouldn’t offer that to someone else? I know it sounds strong, but what’s going to wake us up? The entire world is shut down, and your mouth is still shut. Everyone is looking for an answer, and you are still not going to say anything? You see celebrity after celebrity, and your favorite sports stars—everyone wants to do a worship night on their Instagram Live. And you are still not going to share it with the people who are right around you? What will it take? The death toll just in the U.S. has risen over 4,000 people in one week. Are you thinking about the eternities of those people? Or are you just hoping we can get back to normal?
No, no, no. I want you to think about that. There are more people who could fill this arena right now, and they will no longer take another breath on this earth. Did you care for one moment where they spent the rest of their lives? The question really isn’t why they’re gone; it’s why are you still here? For me, as the Lord chastised me this week about whom I’ve invited to church, whom I’ve shared my personal testimony with, and how I’ve used social media to engage people, not just in laughs but in life change, He said to me, «Michael, I can’t have any more full tables or full plates; I need to see empty tables and silent servants.»
Today, I have to help you because some of you don’t understand that God came for whoever would accept Him, whoever would give their life, whoever would listen. Some of you are wondering, «Who does 'whoever' include?» Let me help you with that list. This is who Jesus came for: He came for the lost and the found, the broken, the hurt, the addicted, and the self-righteous. And here’s my question: If you can remember just for a second where you came from, would you raise a hand in the comments when I say something that applies to you? Would you throw up a high five like, «Ooh, pastor, that was me»?
If you were broken or lost, or if you were hurt, if you were addicted, if you were self-righteous, wealthy, a college student, or an atheist—cool God, the single parent—this is whoever God has died for. He died for the blue-collar worker, the drug dealer, the churchgoer, the homosexual, the liar, the Democrat, the Republican, the racist, the hypocrite, the fashionable, the fashionless, the nerd, the president, and the prostitute. He died for whoever. When we start trying to classify who is worthy of the grace of God, we have just become, as the Bible tells us, enemies of God. Hold on, hold on, hold on. When I died, He said, «For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever would believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.»
The gospel is for whoever. I’m here to expand someone’s faith because I believe that next weekend, all over the world, we are going to see hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of salvations. I need someone’s faith to agree with me right now—not just at Transformation Church, but all over the world. Thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of salvations—because this whole thing is about open hearts. I want you to understand; God isn’t trying to enter someone’s head. He’s trying to enter your heart. Do you know that many times, we can be so deep and spiritual about stuff that we don’t even pay attention to practical matters?
The trends show us, every trend shows us, that people’s hearts and minds are more open to the message of Jesus Christ next week than ever in an entire year. During Easter weekend, I found this Google search, and I want to show it to you. This right here is when the word «church» was input into the Google search bar. I want you to see that the highest time the word «church» was searched is around Easter. This is when people are saying, «Hey, I’m not going to try this any other time, but right now I’m going to see what church I should go to. Is there a church around me?» The next highest time is Christmas. What I’m trying to say is that people’s hearts are open, but why are God’s ministers and servants silent?
Do you know that when they did a study, they asked a hundred thousand people if they would come to church? Thirty-nine percent said they would go on Easter, twenty percent were unsure, and forty-one percent said no. This means that sixty-one percent of the population is currently not planning on participating in something that could transform their lives. That would be like them saying there’s a cure for coronavirus, and sixty-one percent of the population deciding they will not get that vaccine. All statistics tell us that if someone they know or come in contact with them would give them a personal testimony—"Yeah, I tried it out. It’s good. You should probably come"—then people would have the opportunity to find the cure or transformation in Christ.
And that’s why I am burdened with this right now. I’m burdened because this is the cure for humanity’s disease or dis-ease. Every person experiencing dis-ease right now, Jesus is the answer. I remember an old song that said, «Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him, there’s no other. Jesus is the way.» So, Jesus is the answer for the world today; above Him, there is no other; Jesus is the way. My question is, do you really believe it? The church was not called Christians; they were called «The Way.» And I need to stop right here because everyone who has been watching Transformation Church and Transformation Nation, I have a serious ask of you right now: Don’t just represent the brand because it’s popular. Don’t just come here because you think I’m a cool pastor and funny.
All that was bait; I’m trying to enlist you into an army—an army that is going to believe in and represent this brand of Jesus Christ—not Transformation Church. Because there are people watching who don’t even go to this church; they go to another church. I don’t care what church you go to. I care about the kingdom you represent. And I’m asking you, can we literally populate heaven and plunder hell this week? I’m asking you to start this initiative. I feel the presence of God. Some of you are thinking, «When is he going to get to the point?»
Baby, if you haven’t grasped the point yet, you are asleep. What I’m saying right now is the point is that He did not save you for yourself; He saved you for someone else. If He could do it with you—baggage, brokenness, mistakes, and all—despite how you continue to fall, but He still saved you, you are the poster child for the grace of God. And God is saying to all of us right now, «Would you represent me to the entire world, whether they are lost or found, for one reason: they can be transformed in Christ?»
Come on! Somebody should give God praise right there. If you are going to be the minister you have been called to be in your house, on your block, I dare you to say, «I’m the minister here!» Come on! I want to take you to a story in Luke chapter 14 to illustrate this whole thing for you real quick. In Luke chapter 14, the backstory is that Jesus is in the house of a Pharisee, someone who is super religious and kind of a hypocrite. He heals a man on the Sabbath—a man who was swollen like Sherman from «The Nutty Professor.» He heals him, and people start to judge. But then some others say, «Yo, let me sit by Jesus.» They were trying to gain status. Jesus then says, «Let me teach these boys a lesson in humility,» and He tells a parable.
Just for everyone who is a nerd right now, the word 'parable' comes from a different translation meaning 'to come alongside to help.' So, Jesus would tell parables or stories to aid in understanding a truth. That’s why you hear of words like 'paramedic'—they come to help you medically; or 'parachute'—they save your life if you are thrown from a plane; or 'paraclete'—that’s another name for the Holy Spirit, the one who comes alongside to help us. This is the thing you need to know; God wants to help us. So, He gives a parable in which He says, «Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, 'What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the kingdom of God! '»
That would be awesome, wouldn’t it? Then Jesus replied, «Yeah, that would be awesome, huh? Let me tell you a story: A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant or his ministers to tell the guests, 'Come, the banquet is ready. This food is going to be amazing; I put my grandmother’s hot cooking in it. It’s going to be delicious! ' But they all began making excuses. Listen to these replies: 'Hey, bro, I just bought a whole bunch of land; my real estate game is way up. I bought a field, and I must go check it out. Please excuse me; tell my friend I’ll catch him next time.' Another one said, 'Oh, don’t worry about it; I can’t come today because I just bought five pair of oxen—or shoes or earrings, I don’t know what you call it— but I need to try them all on. Please excuse me; I cannot come because I’m about to be flaunting.' Then another said, 'This is my favorite excuse: Hey, I have a wife; I can’t come.'
Some of you know that’s a real excuse. 'Bro, are you coming? No, you know Shaniqua; she doesn’t play like that. I have to go cook.' At the end of the day, they all had excuses. The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was serious and said, 'Okay, go quickly! ' Somebody say, „Go quickly!“ 'Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' After the servant had done this, he reported, 'There’s still room for more! ' Ooh, I love this! So, his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and go to the places where people don’t normally search for others. Go behind the hedges; urge anyone you find.'» You find it important to come so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited, which is so sad, will get even the smallest taste of the banquet.
Point number one: the church is the table where people come to be fed. The reason it’s time for us to invite like never before is that this is the gathering place. There is no one in the world who would not come to a table where they could eat everything they desired, as much as they wanted, for free. It was already prepared for them. The reason someone might not come to this table is that they did not know or were preoccupied. And this is the state of our world. We have two groups of people: those who do not know, and we’re about to fix that today because we are the ones who invite, or they are distracted by the blessings of God instead of the blesser. What I’m telling you is some of us have been in a place where we’ve been so consumed with the blessing that we forgot about the blesser.
And God’s message to all of us is, you better remember whose table this is. You better remember who gave you the ability to acquire the land. In fact, I made the land. In fact, I made you from the dust of the land. In fact, you better remember this, and this is why, church, I’m trying to get people to understand that we have to invite people to the table of Jesus Christ. Because this is where people can actually receive food that nourishes them. The news is not giving anything nourishing. Scrolling through Instagram will not increase your faith. It’s not going to provide you with what you need to deal with your kids. You see all the details of the coronavirus, and you think, well, if I kill one of my kids, they can just add to the death toll. That’s not going to help anything. But that’s why we have to invite them to the table.
And let me tell you about the chairs around the table because I believe this analogy can help change and transform your life. This is the head of the table, where I sit, along with pastors, leaders, and prophets. This is the place where the person serving the food sits. I’m the one with the food. I’m responsible for preparing this meal, ensuring that it is done well, that it is gluten-free, organic, and everything that all you bougie people need. My job is to ensure that the table is set every week. That’s why I spend so much time praying, researching, and trying to do this; I want to make sure every time you tune in, log in, and come into this building, you don’t have to worry about whether there is good food on the table.
And this is why it’s so important for pastors to take their place and be who God created them to be. You cannot treat pastoring as a side gig. This must be your main responsibility because when you are sitting in that chair, chair four, you are the lead servant. And when you become a lead servant, you are more responsible than anyone else for what they eat. Look at what 1 Peter 5:2-3 says to every pastor and leader: «Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.» So this is a trusted position. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly, not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. What if you get nothing from it except that you served God? What if they never applaud? What if you don’t receive a paycheck? But what if the accolade next to your name is «servant of God»?
It says, «Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.» That’s why people ask, «Pastor Mike, why do you put all this stuff online and share everything?» All I’m trying to do is show reality. I’m trying to be hot—humble, open, and transparent—and lead by my good example. Is it perfect? No, but it is progressing. And anything I do wrong, I will say, «This is not me,» because I want to be a good example for you. And I’m telling everybody, that’s a hot seat. People clamoring for that seat at the table—them ain’t the seat you want to be in unless you count the cost. Look at what James 3 says: «Dear brothers and sisters, not many of us should become teachers in the church.»
Not too many of us probably want this position. Why? Because those who teach will be judged more strictly. So every time I get up here, sitting at this table and speaking to you, God is not judging me on the same level he’s judging you. Why? Because he has entrusted people into my care. If I don’t care about it, if I don’t pray for y’all, if I don’t ask God to correct me, if I don’t humble myself, God says, «We’ll talk. I have something for you.» Because you’re not going to lead my children to slaughter. You’re not going to send them down paths of manipulation or paths that make them work for my grace. You better watch what you say. That’s why I’m encouraging you; I do not take this lightly. I pray. I kneel every time I come up here and say, «God, listen to me less and you more.»
Don’t let my opinion go out; let your word go out, God. You know how to control this tongue. Change my mind. Change my heart. Because if we could ever have life-giving churches everywhere, where everyone sitting in that chair is concerned and properly prepared for the people coming to the table, I think more people would come and feast on the filet mignon of the word rather than just chicken nuggets. Hear what I’m saying to you: it is my job to collaborate with the Holy Spirit and ensure we’re serving up the filet mignon. And some of y’all are like, «Filet mignon? What is that?» It’s the best cut of meat; it’s the most tender part. You can eat it without any sauce. That’s what God wants for you, but it only comes if you’re sitting at the right table.
So I’m encouraging everyone; it doesn’t have to be Transformation Church; I promote other churches and leaders all the time, just make sure you’re in a life-giving place where the chef cares about what you eat. Because if you eat well, you’ll start to live well. And I’m encouraging you right now: don’t eat junk and expect to live a healthy, godly life. I have to move on. Let me talk to you about chair number three. Chair number three excites me because many of you have moved to this chair during this series. Chair number three is for maturing ministers, those who are proactive in their relationship with God. This chair is for people who will not only say they are a part of what’s happening but will also serve it. They will stay connected to it. They are the ones who will be in place and share their faith and sow into it.
When you start maturing, you will do those four things: share, serve, sow, and stay. They are sold out to the vision. I just want to thank Transformation Church, because many of you are maturing believers. During this pandemic, offerings, giving, and service have not gone down; they have increased. People said, «In this moment, I’m not going to anchor myself in what society is saying. I’m going to drop my anchor in what I know works.» And we’ve been able to help, partner with people, be on the front lines, and meet people’s needs all because of your maturing ministerial beliefs. This is not something you get into and out of depending on what’s happening in the world. You will serve, share, sow, and stay.
As your pastor, I want to say thank you. Lives are being transformed all over the world because of maturing ministers. Now, about chair number two—this is something I need to say—oh wait, one more thing about chair number three. Chair number three is for the first responders spiritually. So when you hear about someone needing prayer, when you sit in chair number three, thank you, Holy Spirit. When you sit in chair number three and you hear about someone needing something, you don’t just keep eating. You get up from the table. When you hear about a family that’s broken and lost, you don’t just sit there eating. You get up from the table and ask, «What do you need? Do you need your drink refilled? Can I help you with something?»
If we are going to be the church of Jesus Christ, maturing believers are not there to be served; we are there to serve others. Let me tell you about chair number two people. These are individuals who are fresh in their faith. I love this because this chair is for everybody. They say, «You know what? I’m sick of living my own way, and I’ve made a decision for Jesus Christ.» There are many people watching right now; something in your heart is tugging on you, and you think, «Maybe this is it. Maybe that’s the guy. Like, maybe I know he’s wearing a 'Verified by God' t-shirt. Is that a sign for me, Lord?» And he’s saying, «Yes, this is my sign that I want you to move from being around the table. I want you to accept me as your Lord and Savior and progress in your relationship.»
Yes, one day you will mature and become a minister, but right now, I’m so glad you are just at the table. It’s like the father in the prodigal son story who said, «I want to throw a party for my son who was far away.» And what did they do when he returned? They threw a house party. They set the table with food. Why? Because the son who was once lost is back home. Today, Transformation Church, I want to tell you that during this series, 1,447 people have come home. Oh, y’all don’t hear me! They took their seat at the fresh believer’s table and said, «I don’t want to eat out in the elements anymore. I want to come into the house. I want to sit at the table and be considered a son.»
I’m telling you, for everyone watching me right now, that is available to you today. The last chair I want to discuss is the first chair. This first chair is the most important chair because it is for people who are far from God. If you give me just a few moments, I want to explain this to you. This chair does not know any scriptures. This chair still carries the scent of what they’ve been through. This chair might still use foul language at the table. Some of you religious folks are offended right now. This chair is meant for those who do not know how to eat at the table. If I came to your church and your little dish was laid out, I’ve learned that people who have never been at a table like this don’t know how to act when it’s time to eat.
So if I visited your table, and because I was so hungry that I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, please don’t think it’s strange if I put my hands in everything. And then someone says, «Oh no!» They just ruined the whole meal for those who have never had this type of desperation before. See, when I’m hungry, when I haven’t eaten, and I don’t know where my next meal is coming from, and I’ve experienced trauma, I come to the table and I might not know how to behave. Excuse me; please be patient with me. I was molested as a child, and nobody has ever let me sit at a comfortable table before. Every time I’ve come to any table, they wanted me to pay before I ate. Transformation Church, I don’t care how people eat when they come to our table. Because when they’re in chair one, we expect it.
When you come broken, hurt, lost, and trying to hold yourself together, people shouldn’t judge you for the way you receive this word. They want to tell you that you can’t sit at the table. You can’t dress like that. You can’t act like that. You can’t smell like that, baby. You don’t know what I’ve been through. It’s the grace of God that I’m just sitting at the table. And if we as a church don’t say, «Do you need some more? Is there any more?» Matter of fact, you don’t have to; you can have the whole bowl. You can stand here. We’ve got more in the back. We drink from a well that doesn’t run dry. We remember where we used to be until the church starts inviting people to Chair One that we know aren’t going to act right.
Y’all know we all have that cousin that never acts right. I don’t know what his name is for you, but I have one. I’m not going to call him out because he might be watching, but we all have a cousin that doesn’t act right. Do you stop inviting him? Do you stop praying for him? And the sad truth is that many of us have, and that’s why there are people who are far from God but close to you, and they still can’t eat. They’re far from God, they’re close to you, and you still won’t invite them to the table. And so that’s why when God looks down at churches, at the organization, he says, «Man, I sent my servants, my ministers. I made them to be born into that family for such a time as this. I put them at that job. I did that all so that they could tell them and show them and be an example to them.»
Oh, but I forgot; they want every weekend to have an unbothered, un-messy meal. So they would rather have full plates, empty tables, and be silent servants. That’s not the church we’re going to be. Everybody wants to reach people until we start having to reach people. «Hold on, you mean I’ve got to invite them? Hold on, you mean I’ve got to give them a ride? Hold on, you mean I’ve got to serve them?» Church, Jesus tells us that he came not to be served, but to serve. What makes you think that if we’re going to be like him, we get to opt out of his chief job description? Serve. And that’s why, for all of us in this room, we have to get people to this table.
To what John 6:35 says, «the bread of life.» Jesus literally says, «I am the bread of life.» Why wouldn’t we bring people who are starving for something real to the place where they could get healed, whole, delivered, set free, and then go back out to transform somebody else’s life? Luke 14:17 says, «When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants, his ministers, you and me, to tell all the guests, 'Come, the banquet is ready.'» Are you telling the guests? Are you going to text somebody this week? Are you going to answer the Great Commission?
Now, let’s take it back just for one second. That word «commission,» it seems like a big word, but look at what the definition of «commission» actually means. It means an instruction, a command, or a duty given to a person or a group of people. So it’s not deep. If we were at a barbecue and I have a big family—five brothers, all kinds of cousins, all that other stuff—usually what happens when somebody’s cooking and it’s not fully ready yet is that everybody is playing dominoes, some people are playing basketball, and others are watching the game. The person who’s in charge of the food usually grabs a little kid and brings him over, saying, «Hey, go tell everybody it’s time to eat.»
That little kid, maybe seven years old and not able to read a full book yet, goes around and says, «Y’all, it’s time to eat! It’s time to eat!» They can interrupt anything. They can walk into any situation not because of their own merit, but because they’ve been commissioned. They were commissioned by someone who had the authority to tell them to share the good news that the table is set and the food is ready. They didn’t have to worry about «pottying» on themselves because you’ll still make messes when you’re immature. They didn’t have to worry about who they got into a fight with; they had been commissioned. And people more mature than them listened to them because of the good news they had to say.
What I’m encouraging you is that everything in you that would make you feel disqualified—that you’re not enough, that you’ve done too much. When God gives you a Great Commission, not just a regular commission but a Great Commission, it’s not about the deliverer of the news; it’s about the deliverer—the one who wants to give you the food. And I’m asking you, will you please just go? Tell people, «The food is ready, the table is set, and they have a seat with their name on it.» There is nothing like walking up to a table and seeing a card that has your name on it. And that’s what personal invitation does. That’s what Matthew 28:19 says: «Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.»
What are you saying, Pastor Mike? All ministers—somebody say, «That’s me!» Come on. «That’s me!» All ministers must go to whoever and invite them to the table. That’s all I’m trying to say. That’s why I’m so passionate up here. Because if it wasn’t for somebody in my life inviting me to the table—yeah, I had parents that loved God, and yeah, I grew up in church, but I hadn’t given my life to God. Some of y’all think pastors just end up born in the fourth chair. No, baby. It wasn’t until just recently in the past decade that I really started maturing. For years of my life, I claimed to be a Christian. I still sat in this chair. I said, «Believer, hallelujah,» «Corona; nothing but faith over fear,» but I was still sitting in this chair.
It wasn’t until somebody really came and shared with me, «You know you don’t have to live like that, right? You know that God really, really, really purchased all the crap you’re dealing with. He took the stripes for your healing, shame, and condemnation. He dealt with that grief too. Give your life to him.» And when I gave my life to him, I transitioned to this chair. This is the thing I want everybody to know: This chair is not better than this chair. This chair is not closer to God than this chair. This chair doesn’t mean that you’re better than everybody else. All this chair means is you’re not in control anymore. And every time you go to another chair, you realize how much you don’t know and how much God is in control.
See, when you go from this chair to being a fresh believer and you move to this chair to being a maturing minister, this is when you know. If it wasn’t for the grace of God, this is when you know, «Child, if you catch me on the wrong day, I might still cuss you out.» But if it wasn’t for the grace… come on y’all, let’s be real. This chair knows that it’s only God. When you get to this chair, I’m going to tell you a secret: when you sit to this chair, my only job is to occupy this chair until the host comes into the room. I only sit here keeping things going until God steps into the room. And when God steps in, I give him the chair, and I’m sitting here at your service. «What do you want me to say? Who do you want us to give to?»
Because the goal is not that people would fall in love with who’s in this chair, unless it is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the one who paid the price for the meal to be made. I preach this series, «Who’s the Minister Here,» because my job is that as more people come into this room, whoever is sitting in the maturing minister chair would follow my lead. When God gets up and sits down in the room, we get up, and we start serving. There are more people that need chairs, so the maturing ministers get up, and we don’t say, «Who’s going to serve me? Where’s my plate?»
We’re trying to serve. We can convince people. They’re saying, «Hold on, there are so many people, and I’ve been able to sit here, and I’m a fresh believer. I want to mature.» We start turning all these chairs into places of service, where we can stand behind and serve humanity, serve people in government, and let the God of the universe talk to every person that sits at this table. They don’t need another word from a man; they need a touch from God. They don’t need some inspiration; they need an encounter. What are you saying, Pastor Mike? It’s time for you to go and get everybody.
Verse 21 says, «Go and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.» Let me tell you something: you have to invite the poor, people who can’t meet any of your needs. You have to invite the crippled, those we’re going to have to serve. You’re going to have to invite the blind, people who don’t see the way you see, and the lame, those who are going to need continual help. That’s who we—the church, the ministers—are called to go invite. And that’s why Romans 10:14… write this down, underline it, highlight it, tattoo it on your chest: «But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?»
We’ve got the cure for something that humanity is dying for. Will you tell them? What are you saying, Pastor Mike? My last point: If I don’t go, they won’t know. You need to think about that. Every person you scroll past thinking, «Oh, that’s sad they’re going through that,» DM them. Call them. Text your cousins. Text your family members. Because if I don’t go, «Well, somebody else will do it.»
There’s somebody; there’s someone’s church service they’ll go to. No, if I don’t go, they won’t know. Next week is Easter, and I’m believing for Transformation Church to see the greatest harvest of souls that we’ve ever seen in the history of this church. I’m literally—my faith, my crazy faith, I’m believing for tens of thousands of people to get saved next week. But do you know how absurd that would sound? For me to get up here in front of the thousands of people watching and say, «There are tons of people going to get saved next week, and we prepared the table. I made the food. I probably won’t sleep all week just trying to make sure I’m saying the right thing for God’s people—people who will come one time. The atmosphere will be ready; the worship’s going to be crazy next week"—but where are the people? Who’s over the invite?
I declare to you, as the ministers in our homes, in our communities, and on our jobs, that this was the last Sunday for this church where there would be somebody who needed to eat at this table today. The reason they ate is because they didn’t know. You can deny us once we give you the invitation. That’s all good; at least you know there’s food, there’s healing, there’s nourishment for you. But it will never be on us again that there would be full plates, empty tables, and silent servants.
Today I want to pray for you. I want to pray that something would stir up inside of you that can never be shut down again. We’re talking about eternity here—heaven and hell. And we have the ability to do something about it. Do you know how powerless Corona becomes when you know your eternity is secure? Y’all are missing the point. So many people are fearful about leaving this, but do you know what we get after this? That’s why I don’t care if this is going to take me out; let it come, because that means I’ll get my crown and be with Jesus. But I can’t imagine what it feels like to live with no uncertainty of what tomorrow holds. You’re trapped in fear, and today it won’t be on our hands anymore. Lift your hands all over this place. Everybody that’s listening to me, everyone that is watching on rebroadcast:
Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you that you’ve already ordained these people, Father God, to be your ministers. Father God, you’ve commanded us to mature in your word. And now today, Father, you are commissioning us to go. Go into all the world. Not just the earth, but the systems: governmental systems, educational systems, our technology systems. Every system, God. And make disciples, Father God. The table is ready; the food is ready, Father God. And now we will invite the people to a great feast. Father, next week we celebrate the greatest victory that has ever happened in human history. And God, I thank you that the tables will be so packed with the grace of God. The good news. And I thank you that there will not be one person left at the table whom we could have invited. Father, when the servant came back after inviting everybody, the report was that there was still more room.
And today, Father God, I thank you that we would make a connection with that person, invite them personally, Father; text them, call them, Father God, and invite them because there’s still room. I declare that the spirit of invitation would rise up within us. We wouldn’t be able to go to these places and not see your children and realize that they’re your passion and you want a relationship with them. Father, thank you that next week will be a huge house party. That people from all different walks of life—atheists, Buddhists, everybody, Father God—lost and broken, will come into this place and eat the best food they’ve ever tasted. And Father, we’ll step back and allow you, the host, to have an encounter with them. We believe in you. We thank you. And we trust you, Lord. In Jesus' name, we agree. Somebody say amen.
And today, Father God, I thank you that we would make a connection with that person, invite them personally, Father; text them, call them, Father God, and invite them because there’s still room. I declare that the spirit of invitation would rise up within us. We wouldn’t be able to go to these places and not see your children and realize that they’re your passion and you want a relationship with them. Father, thank you that next week will be a huge house party. That people from all different walks of life—atheists, Buddhists, everybody, Father God—lost and broken, will come into this place and eat the best food they’ve ever tasted. And Father, we’ll step back and allow you, the host, to have an encounter with them. We believe in you. We thank you. And we trust you, Lord. In Jesus' name, we agree. Somebody say amen.
Come on, clap your hands right there. Type amen in the comments. Now listen, listen, listen, listen. I need you to have action behind this. Don’t just say amen and then think, «All right, what’s on Netflix?» I need you to do something. This week, I want to present to Transformation Church, Transformation Nation, what I’m calling the «Win is in the 10» challenge. The «Win is in the 10» challenge, okay? And this will inspire you to take action. What I’m asking you to do is dedicate 10 minutes every day to pray for those who are far from God. I want you to call them by name. There are people you know who are far from God, so don’t leave anyone out. Oh, I know they’re crazy, but you don’t know that they might be one moment away from turning their entire life around. In fact, last night, while they were praying to not wake up, they might have said, «God, if you’re real, send somebody to tell me.»
Well, we’re going to pray for them every day this week. We’re going to pray for 10 minutes, and we’re equipping you to do that. On the Transformation Church app, you can go there, and online, you’ll find a section that says «This Week at TC.» You’ll see the header, and there are actual prayers in scripture. You don’t even have to fake it. We will teach you how to pray for these people for 10 minutes every day, and join us at noon online. Every day this week, we’re going to pray for those who are lost. The second thing I want you to do is give 10 personal invitations to the table this week. If you can talk to somebody face-to-face, that’s best; don’t just DM them—talk to them face-to-face, FaceTime someone; if you can’t do that, call them and say, «Hey, I was thinking about you. I really want you to come to church with me.»
Yes, come to church with me. I’m going to send you the link because I want you to be a part of what’s happening, and I promise you, listen to me as your pastor—I will not embarrass you. I may embarrass Natalie, but I will not embarrass you. I’ll honor their time. I’ll speak a gospel message that tells them the good news. And I’ll take it. In fact, I’m telling you right now that I’m going to honor their time. I’ll share a gospel message that tells them the good news, and I’m telling you right now, I’ll be preaching a message called «The Middle.»
In this message, God has given me a revelation about what happens when we’re in the middle and what occurs when He gets in the middle. And I’m telling you, this word is already in me and nobody wants to miss it because it’s going to give you hope and lead people to Jesus. I want you to invite 10 people. Let me say it like this: at least 10 people. Some of you will hear the gravity of this message and you’ll invite everyone you see, everyone you know to this table. The last thing I want you to do is share a message to help prepare people’s hearts. Share it 10 times this week. Go to Facebook and share a message. Go to YouTube, copy the link, and share it. If you’re a little more seasoned, ask your grandchildren or your child; they’ll show you how to do it. But I want you to share.
This is prime time; they are literally thinking about lowering the internet speed for everyone because of how many people are online now. And I’m just thinking, how many people are watching things that are draining them? What if we could provide something that would open their hearts and prepare them to receive Jesus? I’m making a suggestion. Last Easter, I preached a message called «Thirst Trap.» I want you to send that message to at least 10 people. Share it with 10 people. Some of you are going to do it 10 times every day because there are so many people who need God. Some of you will do it 10 times every day because there are countless people who need God. We are making a decision as a church that we will no longer allow God to make a way for us, leaving empty tables, full plates, and empty chairs. I said that all wrong. Forgive me. Oh, God. Y’all know what I mean. I’m done. I’m tired. I love you all so much. Can we pray together?
Father, I thank you for every person watching online. And I thank you for those who need to make a decision to move from chair one to chair two, God. They’re far from you right now, but they need to be close, God.
If that’s you right now, wherever you are, I want you to lift your hand right now. I’m going to pray for you. Come on, if that’s you, raise your hand. At Transformation Church, let’s pray this prayer together. Y’all know we’re a church; we’re a family. We don’t pray alone. I want everyone who wants to make Jesus Christ their personal Lord and Savior and go from chair one, far from God, to a fresh start in God, to pray this prayer. Say:
God, thank you for sending Jesus just for me. Today, I give you control of my life. I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again, just for me. Change me. Renew me. Transform me. I’m yours. In Jesus' name, amen.