Michael Todd - I Will Not Be KingDUMB
Today, I told them in the back that I feel like we’re in a championship game today. It has that energy. I don’t know what all of that is, but you can feel the energy in the room, and I hope you feel it at home. It feels like something special is about to happen, and I truly believe that this is not just the start of a new sermon series; this is the beginning of a new era for our church. If you’re taking notes, I want you to write that down: this is the beginning of a new era. This is not the Hat Company I’m talking about; this is something that God wants to do to flip the page on what our church is known for, what we talk about, and how we are going to maneuver and leave our mark here on this earth. Somebody say, «It’s a new era.»
Now, most of you may have had new experiences with Transformation Church over the last two, three, four years. This church has been in existence since 1999, and eight years ago, Natalie and I took over at the helm. To be honest with you, I shared about the vision last week. We didn’t know we were going to be here; we believed the vision that God gave us, and we started saying, «Yes, Lord.» Somebody say, «Yes, Lord.» We ended up here. I wake up every morning just as shocked as you are that I’m the pastor. No, no, no, no, let me be very clear: I wake up like, «Is this what we do?» Sometimes Natalie and I look at each other and think, «All right, is this our life?» But it’s one of those things that when you follow the plan of God, you will end up in places you never thought you would be, doing the very thing you thought you would never do, making an impact you never thought you could have because we serve a God that’s just that good.
Since we’ve begun this journey, we’ve been doing the things we thought we were supposed to do, and then we ran into a year where God told us, «Here is Holy.» Somebody say, «Here is Holy.» Yes, it is. Last year, we went through that, and when we came out of it, God said, «All right, Mike, close the chapter on how you did things for the last eight years.» I was like, «Hold on, the hardest thing to change is something that worked.» Oh, y’all missed it. This is half the problem with us; we only think we change when something goes bad. We’re supposed to change when God says time is up. It can be in the middle of going well, and God says, «Time’s up.» Ask Abraham; he waited 25 years for Isaac. Everything was going well. If he was a teenager now, God said, «Time’s up. I need him back.» «Hold up, wait a minute! Don’t stop! Get it, get it?» What? You’re telling me to sacrifice what you promised me?
But it was Abraham’s «Yes, Lord» that allowed God to perform a miracle and bring a ram out of the bush. All I’m saying to you is it doesn’t have to be bad for it to be over. It’s not supposed to be falling apart. Well, I guess God is saying, «This is not what we’re supposed to be doing.» Stevie Wonder can see that! What I’m saying to you is that there may be times when God told me that the last eight years have been working, and I thought we were going to run the same play. God said, «Yeah, it was great, but now file that away, and behold, I’m about to do a—somebody say, 'new thing.'»
A lot of times, we think new things come in, like a new building, new people, or something new. God told me the new thing I’m going to do is going to start in your mind because nothing changes until your mind changes. So many times in the body of Christ, we’re trying to promise people a thing when what really needs to change is their thinking. Okay, I don’t want to promise you a thing in this Kingdom series; I want to promise you that you will have changed thinking. When you get changed thinking, everything changes. The Bible says, «As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.» If you think it, that is what you are. Some of you are what you are because, honestly, of what you think. The low self-esteem isn’t because someone told you you were bad. You think of yourself as less than God thinks of you. The depression is not because you can’t get out of this; there’s hope for you. But the thinking that you keep doing is, «There’s no hope for you.» You are living in what you are thinking.
Oh God! God is saying, «Church, change your thinking; change your mind! Give yourself an opportunity to live beyond what you see right now.» You don’t have to be in a new place; you just have to get new thoughts. Oh my gosh! Alright, I’m going to punch you in the mouth spiritually every service, and as long as you keep coming back, I’m going to punch you again. It’s going to build up a tolerance in you spiritually for you to actually have the fortitude to be able to make a difference in this earth. What I’m about to share with you, I honestly have never heard before. I am so full of this Kingdom message, and I wanted to ensure that I was right in line with everything. This Tuesday, Charles and I took a flight down to my oversight pastor’s house, Tim Ross, and I said, «This is what I’m about to preach; isn’t this what the Bible says?»
Everybody has to have someone to whom they’re submitted. Y’all are out here listening to all these internet pastors and internet preachers. You don’t know where they came from and who’s covering them. You better help yourself! I went to him, sat at his dining room table with Charles, and said, «Ain’t this it?» Open Bibles, highlighters, scriptures. I said, «Because I will never be accused of knowingly giving the people of God something that will damage them.» As we sat at that table and the word began to illuminate, y’all, it was like light was coming out of that thing. It was like, «Do y’all see that?» I don’t read this scripture 50, 100, or 1,000 times, and it’s right there. God said, «Michael, I’ve given you an assignment to represent the kingdom to my people.»
Over the next weeks, I ain’t going to lie to you; this message is so big that I’m going to have to cut it up every Sunday and give you what I think you can handle. Even what you think you can handle, you’re going to have to play it almost every day because we have to get repetition to change the way we think. So, I want to let you know that in this series, I’m going to be very transparent. I’m going to be very hot in this series because God is peeling back a lot of the layers of me speaking to people. There’s a part of it, and I’m just telling every pastor there’s a part of when we preach that—because we’re still human—we want to impress people. I know nobody says that anymore, but the reason you get dressed a certain way, the reason you prepare certain things is because you want people to think good of you. You want people to say, «Dang, they’re good at what they do.»
A lot of times in church, a lot of people use fancy words and abstract concepts and say things like «thou,» when nobody says «thou» during the regular week. «Thou, God,» you just got an English accent out of the blue. We do stuff to make it seem grand, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. I’ve made a decision that I don’t want this series to be about impressing; I want it to leave an impression. I want the revelation, the revealed truth from this Kingdom message, to mark your life forever. Could you just give me that Play-Doh real quick? Would you just hand me the Play-Doh real fast? Uh-uh, who’s got it? You got it over there? Throw it to me; I’m going to catch it back. Oh! He almost busted me in the head.
The thing about Play-Doh is, in its raw form, it can keep a shape, but the moment someone puts their hand on it, it doesn’t just leave something that’s impressive; it leaves an impression. The closer you get to this, you’re able to see the veins that were in it; you can actually see where it was. God’s saying, «I don’t want you to hear any more words that are just impressive. I want you to go to your job, and people ask, 'Why are you shaped like that? Why do you talk differently? Why is your character like that? Everybody’s mad when they did that, but why are you smiling? '» Because I’ve been marked. God, through His word, has left an impression on me, and this is what I’m believing for every person in this room.
So as I begin to talk about the kingdom, everybody shout with me, «The kingdom!» You didn’t say it like you’re a part of the rise of a holy rebellion. Somebody shout with me, «The kingdom!» Yeah! I want to tell you about our greatest opposition to receiving this message of the kingdom. I need everybody to write this down. The greatest adversary against your life in the kingdom is not the enemy; it isn’t the devil. Far too often, we blame everything on the devil. «It was the devil!» No, you didn’t plan, and what’s that, devil? No, no, no! The greatest adversary to you getting this in your mind and your heart is not the enemy; it’s ignorance.
If you’re going to understand what Jesus said about the kingdom, you have to divorce yourself from ignorance. Many of us have been in church our whole lives and have never heard a message on the kingdom. Think about it. We use it as a cliché; we put it on a t-shirt: «Thy kingdom come.» But if someone walked up to you on the street and said, «What does that mean?» You would be like, «Well, I mean it’s, uh, thy kingdom come; my church wants the kingdom, thy kingdom too, come. You get it?» No! Hell no! I don’t get that! Church, come on, y’all! We say stuff and think if we say it slowly and put a graphic on it, oh God, that it makes sense. It still doesn’t make sense because we have been ignorant of what? The only message Jesus preached on this earth!
I’m going to prove to you at the end of this service that Jesus talked about nothing else except the kingdom. Your favorite Bible scriptures from Jesus were the illustrated sermons about—guess what? —the kingdom! He would say things like, «The kingdom of God is like,» and then he would go into a story. He was trying to get it through our heads that the only gospel message you need to know to live a victorious life on this earth is the message we’re missing. What I am saying is, you do not have this message, or you would be victorious in every area of your life. I know you don’t know what the kingdom is because I’m looking at you—looking at your marriage, looking at your prayer requests. When you understand the power, the dominance, the authority that Jesus gives us in the kingdom, everything changes.
Over these next weeks, I’m going to introduce you to the «what,» and it’s so crazy we’re at a disadvantage because we don’t know much about kingdoms. Most of us—especially all of us here who were born in the Western Hemisphere, West Side—we are at a very, very low level of understanding when it comes to kingdoms because we were born into democracies and republics. In a kingdom, you don’t get an opinion. So, the reason when you read the Bible you’re picking and choosing is because you were born in a democracy and you think the king cares what you think. Oh my God! Your opinion doesn’t matter in the kingdom! I can already tell this is going to be rough for you because your mama has been telling you, «What do you think?» God doesn’t care what you think!
Oh God! Oh God, Michael, calm down! You have to introduce them to the message so they can receive it. God doesn’t care what you think! He does not care what the political views of the day are. He doesn’t care who’s going to cancel you. His word has been faithful before you, during you, and it will be faithful after you. Kingdoms have risen, and kingdoms have fallen, but the word of God—oh my God! —has remained steadfast through everything. The truth of the matter is, the message of the kingdom is hard when you have an opinion because you think in your 36-year-old brain that you have this life figured out, but you can’t keep streaks out of your drawers. Did I just say that? Oh my God! That came from my spirit! Brown drawers! Oh my God! Oh God! You think you have this life figured out, and you can’t stay faithful to your own word. You said things that you were going to do—unprompted by anybody else—and you can’t keep your word to yourself, and we’re supposed to listen to you on how life is supposed to go?
Everybody has a podcast. Everybody is an influence. Everybody’s a guru at something, yet your wisdom and your knowledge are not tested and proven, but the word of God and His message of the—everybody say, «Kingdom.» Say it like you mean it! Say it like you believe it! His message of the kingdom is the message that we have to understand. Okay, so when I told you that our greatest adversary is not the enemy; it’s ignorance. I want you to know that this is confirmed in the Word of God, in Hosea 4:6. When the Bible says, «My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,» it is interesting to note that when I began to study this scripture, the word «knowledge» in Hebrew means «light.»
My people are destroyed because they lack light in certain areas; they are in the dark in those areas and do not know where things are. The Word tells us that knowledge is light. If we take that simple understanding that knowledge equals light, then when we read scriptures like Psalms 119:105: «Your word is a lamp for my feet,» we understand that the reason I read the Bible is that it shows me light in every area of my life. Yes, the Word of God is knowledge that illuminates my life (John 8:12).
Jesus said, «I am the light of the world.» I am the knowledge that you need in this world. The term «world» here does not refer to the Earth; I am about to explain this. He didn’t say, «I am the light of the Earth»; he said, «I am the light of the world,» where the term «world» refers to systems—every system: governmental systems, educational systems, entertainment systems. I am the light they need in these systems. Oh my God, who is going to take my knowledge into the world’s systems? Meanwhile, we are having prayer meetings to stop sinning, having been in the faith for 50 years and unable to control our appetites. God said, «When will we put childish things away so that we can go into the world and actually turn those people around?» What would happen if we penetrated every system of this world and began to shed knowledge, or light, into those areas? Everybody say, «Knowledge equals light.»
A couple more scriptures—Matthew 5:14. If you don’t like the Bible, this is not the church for you, nor is this the series for you. I don’t want you to hear my words; I want you to hear the eternal words of our Lord and Savior, canonized in this book. It’s about to make so much sense when you get the backdrop of the King in Matthew 5:14. He didn’t just say, «I am the light of the world,» he said, «I’m going to infect you, and you are the light of the world’s systems,» like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. When you gain knowledge of something, you cannot hide it. When you fully understand what God is trying to do, you cannot keep it to yourself. That’s why we need to get back to the beginning; when there was void and nothing on the Earth, what was the first thing Jesus said in Genesis 1? «Let there be light.» I feel this big; let knowledge come.
If you are in the dark in any area of your life—relationships, finances, purity, or understanding your new faith confession—let there be light. This doesn’t mean just sit there and say, «Light it up, Lord.» He said, «Let there be knowledge. Let there be a seeking. Let there be something that understands.» You can binge-watch seven hours of a show that actually leads you further away from God. I’m speaking the truth. You might see people who you know won’t end in marriage, but you tune in to see if it’s love at first sight. There are no winning stories from any of those shows, yet we give our lives to something that keeps us in darkness and then get mad at God. «Well, God, I thought you were going to help.» He said, «You have not sought knowledge in anything I told you to do. You’re broke, but you’re supposed to have money if you would read banking books; stay in the dark. I gave you a word that your marriage was going to be successful, but you’re not married yet. God said you can learn how to do relationships well if you would just get knowledge.» Everybody say, «Light equals knowledge.» Okay, Lord, help the light come in. Could you just lift your hands right now? This has to be your own confession; I can’t do this for you.
Father God, let the light come into every area of my life where I am ignorant, where I have willingly or unwillingly been in the dark. Today, God, I’m asking you to open my mind, give me the mind of Christ, let me see things clearly. Reveal Your truth and give me revelation so that I can be safe in Your wisdom. In Jesus' name, we agree, amen.
So, Hosea 4:6 one more time: «My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.» So we understand that; yay, I need a lot of knowledge. But I need you to read the rest because God emphasizes how important this is. «Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priest.» Hold on, you had a title with My name on it, but if I don’t study to show myself approved, I can no longer step into what is already prepared for me. He said, «If you don’t have a hunger for knowledge or light, I will reject you as my priest, not as my son.» God doesn’t reject you. If I have a business that makes millions of dollars and I have kids who don’t want to know how the business works, who don’t want to understand how I took it from nothing to building a fortune—which they could benefit from for generations—if they don’t want it, I’m not giving it to them. You will not be my heir if you don’t care. That just came to me right there: you will not be my heir if you don’t care.
And that’s why we see even in culture, generationally, people are leaving their wealth to their pets. Look it up. People are skipping their kids to leave billions of dollars. They say, «Nope, not you, uh-uh, not you,» because they don’t want it. Everybody say knowledge. Same thing with our God. You don’t want it; you don’t have to have it, but no, you will not walk in the authority that I have already prepared for you. I reject you. You can’t sit behind this desk and not care about knowing my laws, my precepts, what my original intent was. So when I sat here and looked at this, I thought, «Shoot, I need to understand some new things.»
God is basically saying, «I’m not going to let you misrepresent me just because you’re my son or daughter.» The vision of this church is to represent God to lost and found people for transformation in Christ. He said, «If you don’t tune into this kingdom series and get this knowledge—this light on something you don’t know—I’m not going to let you go out there and claim God told you to do this.» He’s saying, «I have nothing to do with that. That little non-profit they started? They did that on their own. I have nothing to do with that. They didn’t have the character; they wouldn’t understand My words. That little family situation where they think they can live together unmarried and not make a commitment to each other, while doing all the grown-up things? I ain’t in that.»
Oh God, «Well, God doesn’t judge me.» Yes, you’re His son or daughter, but you’re giving up your priestly title. Okay, maybe that’s too deep for week three. But look, the worst part is, «Because you have rejected knowledge or light, I also reject you as my priest. You don’t get the title because you have ignored the law of your God. I also will ignore your children.» Many of us are suffering not from decisions we made but from the decisions our parents made, who did not say, «Yes, Lord,» and now they couldn’t teach us what they didn’t have. There was revelation they were supposed to give us, but they didn’t have it because they would not allow the knowledge of God to come into their lives. Now you’re struggling not because of your actions but because of things you don’t know.
A lot of our parents didn’t teach us how to handle money. The reason you are in credit card debt is that your parents took out loans in your name or made real choices without knowledge. They were trying to purchase a new refrigerator, and their credit was already shot, so they put your name on it, and you didn’t even know. You thought, «Can I get little Spider-Man?» and didn’t know you were $2,200 in debt. It seemed minor at the time, but they didn’t pay it for 22 years. Now you’re struggling to get yourself out of a mess you didn’t even create, finding yourself with Walmart cards, J.C. Penney cards, Finish Line cards, and you got all these cards trying to escape something that someone could have warned you against if they had knowledge.
I’m giving you practical examples because it’s happening in many of our relationships. Many of you are not bad husbands; you just lacked the guidance on how to sacrifice for your wives. That’s why there is a significant assault against men of God, and let me specify black men, because one of the things that the enemy uses to destroy us is ignorance. Just like we saw in that clip earlier, how do you keep someone ignorant? You repeat foolishness over and over again, and the enemy loves it if you put it to a catchy beat. Well, I just like the beat. It’s rap music—all this stuff telling you how to treat a woman, promoting ways to get money; what is this nonsensical rapping? What is going on? No rhyming; it’s just flat-out foolishness. Ignorance, but ignorance repeated gives you an idea that maybe this is how you’re supposed to live your life. My people perish for lack of knowledge.
And on the way to school, our kids just happen to be in the car listening to the same ignorance, and then you get upset when you find them in their rooms doing things you never thought they would do, but you planted the seed. Oh my God, let me focus. You can’t teach someone what you don’t know. Right now, we’re suffering from generational ignorance. People keep talking about generational blessings. Let me tell you what generational curses are. We’ve been redeemed from the curse of the law—that’s what Jesus accomplished for us. So there’s no spooky boogeyman coming when you put your faith in Jesus Christ. There’s no curse that can enter your life because of what Jesus did; it’s finished. But you can still be foolish. You can be saved and foolish. Tweet that: you can be saved and foolish. Yes, you can! Most people are not suffering from a generational curse; they are suffering from generational ignorance. Did you hear that?
And what is not transformed will be transferred. If you don’t change this, if you don’t allow 2023 to be the year that you acquire light and knowledge, saying, «This is not passing to my children,» don’t just buy them J’s; give them knowledge. Don’t just give them a PlayStation; give them principles. Don’t just give them a car; give them character. I’m not even on my main points yet; I have to teach you the Kingdom because it’s the only message that Jesus preached. It’s paramount to your journey and understanding. Everybody shout at me, «The Kingdom!» But if you’re going to understand the Kingdom, you must be humble. I think it was the prophet Kendrick Lamar who said, «Sit down.» I won’t call you anything but be humble. Sit down! It doesn’t matter how many degrees you have or how many zeros are in your bank account. To understand the Kingdom, you must sit down and be humble. Why? Because the Bible says that if you are going to understand the Kingdom, you have to come like a little child. Children understand the Kingdom more than adults do because what do children do? They trust.
You can go up to a child at a certain age and tell them the sky is held up by glue. They will go around believing it. «Yeah, all those little white things are just glue. They call them clouds, but it’s glue.» A child will spend most of their life believing that. Why? Because whoever is in authority, they trust. If God is not your authority, you won’t trust Him. If the Word of God is not the final authority in your life, you won’t trust it; it’s just another book of good ideas that go along with philosophical notions. This is the eternal Word of God. It is the final authority in my life, shaping my marriage, beliefs, and how I live. If you don’t believe that, you don’t trust it; if you don’t trust it, you won’t understand the Kingdom. This is all to say: sit down and be humble.
Because when I looked at the word «light» in Hebrew, it means knowledge, but guess what the word «ignorance» means in Hebrew? Darkness! The enemy is the one who is the king or the ruler of ignorance the chief of any area where you are unaware? In areas where you are ignorant, you grant the enemy authority in your life. The reason we need to know the Word is that when we don’t, we essentially say, «Enemy, come tell me lies.» The Bible says he is the father of lies; that is his negative tongue. If we are ignorant and do not find out what God says, we effectively say, «Come run my life in this area; let me believe lies here.» When I was about to title this series, I thought it should be called «What God Said.»
The word for the year was «Kingdom,» and I realized, «Michael, you can’t title that series Kingdom.» I was amazed that what you told me for Transforming Church was Kingdom. I really didn’t want to create a new graphic. He said, «Michael, you can’t title it Kingdom because my people are kingdom dumb.» The title of this series is Kingdom. We can’t discuss the Kingdom of God because we are ignorant of what the Bible says about the Kingdom. I can put the microphone in front of pastors, and they have no idea what the Kingdom of God is. I can put it in front of prayer leaders, worship leaders, musicians, and theology majors, and they have no clue about the one message Jesus taught.
Everybody say «Kingdom!» This needs to be your confession: I will not be kingdom dumb! Somebody say it! I will not be kingdom dumb; I will not be ignorant about the Kingdom of God. I will know about the King; I will understand what He set up for me before I arrived. I will gain a clear understanding. I don’t know or get it right now, but that’s humility. I don’t understand this at this moment, but I am opening my heart and mind so that I will not remain kingdom dumb. I will not live this life of abundance God has for me, sitting here in ignorance. That would be like Prince Harry or Prince Charles coming to America, leaving the kingdom, and working at McDonald’s.
«Aren’t you Diana’s boy? Don’t you have a royal family? Have you ever been to the Royal Palace? Oh, you lived there. Okay, why are you here living below what you could have? Why are you flipping burgers when you have an inheritance? Why are you begging for shifts when you could be commanding ships?» If that were the case, it was due to their ignorance of their authority. They left the land, the country, the place where they were meant to be. The church has been kingdom dumb, but I believe that by the end of this series, there will be light, knowledge, and revelation—truth that comes from God’s Word—and you will not be kingdom dumb. Somebody say, «I will not be kingdom dumb.» Say it with faith: «I will not be kingdom dumb!»
Okay, Colossians 1:3: «For He, Jesus, has rescued us from the kingdom of ignorance.» Look what it says: «from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His Son.» You do not have to remain ignorant of the Kingdom another day. This is the day you understand. Well, Pastor Mike, how do I do that? There are so many specific things I do not know right now. Calm down! Romans 12:2: «Do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed.» Oh, I like that word! Somebody should name a church that! But everybody say «transformed.» Be transformed by the changing of the way you think. Change the way you think, and you will be transformed. Change your thoughts to align with what God is saying. So, I’m going to give you all these points right here on how to understand the Kingdom. Three simple points are found in the Bible. Three simple points! Write these down. If you don’t remember anything else, just get this:
1. Change the way you think.
2. Turn to God.
3. See the Kingdom.
Just see it! Because if you see something… Have you ever been in the mall? You come in for one thing, but the one thing is at the end of the mall, and you have to pass all of these stores with giant windows. Do you know why they put giant windows in front of stores? It’s because if you only see something. The church tries to get people involved immediately. I’m okay with you just seeing the Kingdom! Oh my gosh, wait until I explain! How many things have we gone back and participated in just because we saw them? All I want you to do in this message is see the Kingdom. The reason you’re attracted to Transformation Church is that you see the Kingdom. You can’t define it all; you don’t know what it is, but you’re drawn to it. I can’t tell you how many people say, «I don’t do Church, but I connect with you.» They don’t say «connect,» but that’s where they are at.
Let them see it! Let them talk! Don’t rush them. They’re not ready to wear it yet; they’re not ready to change clothes yet. But at least they’ve seen someone. «Oh my God, that looks like Jesus! That talks like Jesus! That loves like Jesus!» Everybody say, «See the Kingdom!» When they see your family, they should see the Kingdom. When you go to Starbucks, they should see the Kingdom. The Kingdom should arrive everywhere you go. I’m going to teach you about dominion next week, because there’s a Kingdom dominion. You can’t say the word Kingdom without the root word domain. God said, «Whatever your feet touch, I have given that place to you.» If it’s in government, the banking system, education, or fashion, I have given you dominion! Somebody shout with me: «Dominion!» They have to be able to see the Kingdom. So today, if you’re unsure about all of this, just keep looking, keep watching, and keep coming back! You don’t have to shout along with us; just take your time. All I want you to do is change the way you think, turn to God, and see the Kingdom.
Okay, I’m going to take you to the first message Jesus ever preached. Go to Matthew 4:17. This is like His keynote presentation, after four thousand thirty years of Messianic prophecies and the whole Earth groaning and waiting for this moment. This should be the best, most concise, and impactful message that He ever preached. Look at what He says: Matthew 4:17. «And saying, repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.» Good night, everybody! Thank you so much. I’ll be back tomorrow to do it again!
Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus said, «Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!» Thank you; I’ll see y’all tomorrow! The next day, «Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!» I’ll see y’all tomorrow, same time, same place. Alright, God bless you! I don’t really know if the message is sinking in. Maybe I’ll try something different tomorrow. «Repent! For the Kingdom is at hand!» Thank you! I’ll see y’all soon! The reason He starts telling parables is to relay truths that align with stories because they weren’t getting it when He said it plainly. I said it to you as clearly as I could.
So, the kingdom is like a man who had two sons. The Prodigal Son story is about him trying to explain what the kingdom is. Oh my gosh, y’all are about to start reading your Bibles; it’s going to be a light unto your feet. His whole message had three points: repent. What does «repent» mean? Change the way you think. You’ve been thinking this way; now think this way, but don’t just turn anywhere—turn to God.
The second point is that the kingdom of God is at hand. Watch this! Jesus was the first one to do that, not Usher. Oh God, He was saying, «The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.» These are my commandments; y’all just missed it! Just when you thought I said, «Alright, change your mind, turn to God, and see the kingdom.» Say it with me: «Change your mind, turn to God, see the kingdom.» One more time: «Change your mind, turn to God, see.» You didn’t even do the answer! Why are you not participating? Everybody, change your mind, turn to God. I like that!
What Jesus was saying is, «I’m right here. The kingdom’s right here. Y’all want me to overthrow a government, and the whole way to heaven is standing right in front of you! I’m the fulfillment of the Scriptures. I am what they talked about.» John was trying to prepare the way for Him. Remember what John’s message was before Jesus came? «Repent!» Oh my God, for the kingdom! John was telling everybody He was coming, and when He showed up, they were like, «Okay, so what else? How are we doing in church? What else? I mean, that last time the city was great, but what else? I know that last song, but what else?»
This is it! I’m going to be repeating the same thing to my disciples for three years, and they still aren’t going to get it! Then, I’m going to have to leave it up to them to tell everybody else. They’ll probably make it about other things like money, healing, and prophecy. Oh, we like prophecy! Stand up—your name is Broderick, isn’t it? Yes, Broderick. You live at 1414 East? I believe in prophecy! I’ve been held by prophetic, but that’s just a piece of what’s provided for in the kingdom. Do not miss God by being obsessed with pieces of the kingdom and miss the whole message.
Okay, and that’s why we have to get God’s original plan for humanity—it was for the kingdom. Everybody shout with me: «The kingdom!» I’m trying to shake the ignorance off you. You’ve got to find the original purpose or intent behind what God is saying. I’m going to tell you a churchy word because we’re going to learn a lot of vocabulary in this series that will help you understand what you’re reading when you read the Bible. There’s a word called «precept,» and if you read some of the Scriptures, like «I love your precepts,» and «I will know your precepts,» most of us just read through that and are glad we can pronounce it.
Y’all know when you read the Bible, and it’s like, «I know some of these words»? But I figured out what «precept» means: «pre» meaning «before» and «cept» meaning «thought.» When you hear the word «precept,» it’s the «before thought.» When you understand God’s before thoughts, then you understand what He’s doing right now. One of the greatest things that you can do is go back and find out what the Creator was thinking when He created you—not what people have turned it into, or what people use it for. If you want to find the purpose of something, go to the precept, or the original thought. Before we got here, God had original thoughts about you that you would know the kingdom before you ever arrived.
Psalms 19:8 says, «The precepts, or pre-thoughts, of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.» Hold on! If I learn God’s before thoughts about the kingdom, I get joy in my heart. «The commands of the Lord are radiant.» Look at this word—what does that mean? Class, what does the word «light» mean? When you learn the before thought, it gives joy to your heart and you gain knowledge that comes to your eyes. Psalms 111:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Everybody quotes that part, but watch what it says: «All who follow His precepts, His before thoughts, have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.»
Let me give you one more: Psalms 119:15. «I meditate on your precepts, your before thoughts, and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.» Let me give you a formula that I understand. Once I got this word «precept,» the «before thought» of God, I realized He has a before thought of the kingdom. He wasn’t looking at culture and thinking, «Let me come up with something that fits into the culture.» He said, «Before any of this was here, I had a pre-thought.»
He said, «If you get a precept, then you can get a concept. If you get a concept, then you can get a conviction. When you get a conviction, then you have established a belief. When you have a belief, you get an ideology. And when you get an ideology, then you get a philosophy.» Philosophy is how we live our lives. I just gave you the cheat code! This works in every area of your life. I’m going to say it again, and I’m going to say it fast. Run this back: When you get a before thought, then you get a precept, an idea. Precept turns into concept, concept turns into conviction.
Why am I so passionate up here? It’s because I have a concept of the kingdom. Now I have a conviction about the kingdom, and now that conviction turns into a belief. A belief turns into an ideology, and an ideology turns into a philosophy. And that’s how we live our lives. You live your life off of philosophy. Not to drive the speed limit—that’s some of y’all’s philosophy. The cop can be right there; you got radars, you’ve got police scanners because it doesn’t make sense to you. That idea is dumb, so your idea has become your before thought.
Before you got in the car, it’s like going over the speed limit. Siri says, «You’ll get there in 20 minutes; watch me get there in 15.» Huh! So you had a pre-thought, a before thought. Then it becomes a concept, that becomes a conviction. When you get in that car and that lead foot hits the pedal, you’re yelling at people on your way to prayer. «Get out of the way!» That conviction becomes so deep in you—it’s a belief! That’s why you can’t ride with anybody because if you’re in the passenger seat, «Is this how you plan to drive the whole way?» It’s such a strong belief that now you start trying to convince people you can go five over. I mean, all cops know it! Some of y’all do this. «There’s grace; as long as you’re just going five over,» and now it becomes your ideology, and now it becomes your philosophy, and now you pass it on to another generation.
The reason your kids drive fast is that you drove fast, and we’ve never addressed where the idea came from. We just live out the consequences of what we believe. Okay, Psalms 119:45. This one excited me because if I learn God’s pre-thoughts about the kingdom, look what happens: «I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your before thoughts.» This connects with John 8:32. That’s one of my favorites: «And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.» Look what it says: You won’t just have the truth; you have to know it, and when you know it, it will set you free. «Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!»
What was Jesus saying? It’s as close as receiving me! It’s right here; I’m here! It’s not some far-away cosmic thought; it’s right here. When I thought about the kingdom and God’s thoughts, I was like, «Okay, I see the first time Jesus said something about the kingdom, but let me go and find the last time He said something about the kingdom.» If it’s the same theme over and over again, I can trust and depend on what it’s saying.
You ever heard people say, «Wars and rumors of wars"—that means Jesus is on His way back! Get ready! Jesus is coming! The dude on the street says the world is about to end. Y’all seen those people who are always talking about the end times? «Get ready, 2023; it’s Jesus on the way!» I began to be like, «Where is that in the Bible?» Now I know this offends religious people because you have whole ideologies built on ideas that are not founded in the word of God. Somebody you love told you something that you believed and didn’t fact-check, and now you’re out here teaching your kids this.
You see the morals over there? That leaves Jesus on His way back! Jesus didn’t say that! I’m just going to be real clear; He said the exact opposite! Can I prove it to you? Matthew chapter 24—this is today’s lesson, and it might offend your religion. Here we go, Matthew 24, verse 4. Jesus told them—who told them? I said, who told them? «Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming I am the Messiah! They will deceive many, and you will hear of wars and threats of wars; don’t panic!»
You know, I want to do this old school real quick: some of y’all have been in church when it’s been like this, but there’s like an old school—my roots are a bit Pentecostal, and even a little COGIC in there. Some of y’all are like, «I don’t even know what that is; Church of God in Christ!» What they would do is when they read a Scripture with power, the pastor wouldn’t actually read it; they would have a mother at the front of the church read it. Some of y’all don’t know anything about this, and then the organ would start up. Okay?
And there would be, some of y’all like, «It doesn’t need all this.» This is so much revelation for me; I just want to do this old school. So, somebody get my mama the mic, and Mama B, I want you to read this Scripture! In the middle of it, they would say, «Read!» And I wanted y’all—don’t know nothing about this; I’m taking you back to 1972, 1962, 19… Okay? Matthew chapter 24. Verse 4 through 14—Mother, would you read?
Jesus told them—who told them? Jesus told them. The Messiah, the baby born in swaddling clothes, what’s His name? Jesus! Read! Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming I am the Messiah! Come on, read! They will deceive many! And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic! What is our response to wars and rumors of wars? Don’t panic! I said, «What is our response, Church, to what CNN says, and Fox News says, and MSNBC says when they’re telling you it’s about to be over?» What is our response? Don’t panic!
Okay, hold on. You gotta wait till I say «read»! Yes, sir. Okay? Yes! These things must take place; they must take place! It’s a part of the plan! Everything happening is a part of the plan. «Well, this is going to be a recession year.» It’s part of the plan; some people won’t cry out until they have nothing! Somebody say, «It’s a part of the plan!» But the end won’t follow immediately! So when you hear wars and rumors of wars and you see everything going down, that is a sign for you—not to panic and to know the end ain’t coming!
We have been kings! He said, «When you see all the craziness—don’t trip! I ain’t coming!» Wow! When men think they are women, and women think they are men, when people are killing each other in the streets, when there are wars in families and wars in countries—don’t trip! I ain’t coming! «Nation will go to war against nation.» That sounds like today! Kingdom against kingdom—that sounds like today! My God! There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world—sounds like today!
But all this is only the first of the birth pains with more to come. So, whatever news we hear in 2023, I’m not tripping because God’s already told me! Because I’m a citizen of the kingdom, I’m giving you the pre-thought, the precept. When you see it, don’t panic! It had to happen; I ain’t coming back yet! Calm down, be still, and know it’s me! I’m God! I got the whole thing on my back, and this government shall be on His shoulders; it’s in the Bible!
Okay? There’s more to come, but we’re safe in the kingdom! Read! Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. Do you really want to be a follower of Jesus? This is what they should put on the billboard: «Be a citizen of the kingdom where you will be arrested, persecuted, and maybe even killed.» People are promising houses, cars, and Bentleys! He said, «Every day, you better pick up your cross and follow me! You sure you want to live this kingdom life? Because you’ve got to have some skin in the game!»
I’m saying this to scare you because so many of the people who are leaving and deconstructing their faith are because they were sold a lie. And when you are sold a lie, then you’re frustrated because you don’t see the results! I’d rather tell you the truth, and you’d be ten toes down in what you believe! You already know they might come after me for believing in Jesus the way I’m about to believe in Him. They might try to take away our non-profit status because we are going to believe, but that’s okay. We have enough money to keep this thing running, even if we have to pay taxes on it. See, I’m talking Kingdom. We might lose something for wearing this jersey.
This is why God is separating the fans from the faithful. Don’t stay around here this year if you just want to be a fan. If you don’t want to bleed for this thing, if you don’t want some family members to say you’re crazy for going to that church—yeah, you just don’t understand the Kingdom yet. Don’t worry; I’ll be back to get you because I’ve got to get lights read. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers, and many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. Sounds like deconstruction to me, and many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Keep reading—sin will be rampant everywhere; the love of many will grow cold. Sounds like today. But give them the encouragement, mother; give them the encouragement.
Read: But the one—hold up, hold up, watch me—watch me. Foreign, you’ve got to get good readers these days. I’m training her still. Everybody shout at me! But we serve a God that, no matter what happens, when He from Heaven says, 'But come on, ' whatever happens after that is our guarantee. So the spirit of fear that tries to creep up in somebody: wars and rumors of wars and all the other things gets shut down in the butt. Everybody shout at me! Butt! Fudge! Read: 'But the one…' Had a boy shout, 'Taya! ' Yay! The one who endures! Somebody shout at me! Somebody shout, 'I can’t quit! I gotta keep going! I gotta keep praying! I gotta keep pressing! ' I know I feel this weight on my shoulder, but I ain’t gonna cry! If I gotta crawl, oh, if I gotta get down on my knees, I can’t quit; if you’re not gonna quit, I’ve got a shadow play.
This is the sound of the rise of a holy rebellion. I won’t quit for the One who doesn’t quit that endures. They might be saved; no, they could be saved; they will be! If they play their cards right, they’ll be saved; they will be—all you have to do is last. They thought the scandal was going to take you out, but you lasted. They thought the lies were gonna take you out. Matter of fact, you did do it, and the blood is on your head. And they thought that was gonna take you out, but somebody said I didn’t quit, so I will be safe! Standing everywhere. Mom, could you read the most important part of this entire scripture? This is Jesus talking; there’s not a disciple, this is not a prophet, this is not a major or a minor, this ain’t somebody who knew about Him; this is Jesus talking. He literally says, 'But the one who endures to the end will be saved.'
Just one more time, everybody shout at me: 'I can’t quit! ' You better type that in the chat! Somebody’s getting a tattoo this week: 'I can’t quit! ' I’m telling you right now, the enemy has been trying to come against your mind, telling you to fold this thing up. You better quit 2023 before you get started; it’s gonna be a repeat of last year! The devil is a liar! I can’t—hey! Somebody needs to make a decision, not just 'I can’t quit, ' but somebody say, 'I won’t quit! I won’t quit! ' I’m just noting to anybody that does this: get you a respectful reader, because mine is unruly. Read the last part, mama. And the good—the good news—somebody say good news—about the Kingdom…
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I thought it was the good news about the cross. King! I thought it was the good news… I thought it was the good news about healing, Kingdom. I thought it was about the good news about prosperity, Kingdom. I thought it was about the good news about prophecy, Kingdom. I thought it was about the good news of a big house and a big car. I thought it was the good news about big churches. I thought it was about the good news of small groups. The good news of the Kingdom—can you read? Will be preached throughout the whole world. She about to go off! She had to catch that one. The word is… So what was you about to say? Sure, I’ll sworn for soul. Watch! Remember the scripture that said, 'You are the light of the world'? You are the light of the systems: entertainment system, fashion system, music system, banking system. He is greater—'works shall we do.'
And it says that the good news about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole… Whoa! It’s not earth! This message has to go to boardrooms and to trap houses. You missed it! God, it’s going to take a lot of weeks for them to get this! This message has to be in the temple, and it also has to be on the turf. Until we get into the sports system, the photography system, the marketing system, the social media system… I don’t know what the metaverse is. Let me be honest. For every millennial out here playing like they do, many of us don’t know! I don’t know how to buy real estate in the metaverse yet, because I’m not going to be in darkness or ignorance about a place—a system—that is being created on this Earth that the gospel has to go into. I don’t know where you’re gonna find me in six years; I may be in a room with goggles on, talking about, 'Do y’all get it? '
I don’t. And some religious people will be mad because you want it to happen at Sunday at 11. You’re steeped in tradition and religion, and God said, 'I don’t care about none of that! ' I just need this good news of the… What? Say it like you mean it! To be preached in every single world! Why, though? So that all nations will hear it. So, after everybody hears it, this is a very strong distinction. This is why I’m preaching this: because y’all have to hear it, but He didn’t say you have to receive it. My job is done! Yes! When you hear it, as faith comes by hearing the word of God, if you hear this and you reject it, 'Yo man, they’re this and they’re that, ' and there it is! I’ll see you at the end, I’m going somewhere else, because you heard it but you didn’t receive it. My God! I don’t want you to be Kingdom. I don’t want you to be sitting here with the pearls that Jesus left for us on this Earth.
And we’re sitting here thinking this is an option. This is the Kingdom! And we won’t be Kingdom, we won’t be ignorant until the whole world hears it! This is why you have to share this message this week. You don’t want your family to not hear it. They might hate you, but you’re doing what’s good for them even if they can’t receive it yet! And who knows? Who knows what will happen if you go into your gym this week and you go into your business place? 'Guys, I have something I want everybody to listen to.' Oh, you’re gonna love this! You’re gonna forget about your reputation. I just need 90 minutes. I know you love that show, but just listen to the—just after they hear it, you’re no longer responsible except to watch this: live it! Because people need to see the Kingdom—just hear it! And if you don’t get it like that, watch me work!
Watch me… What? Watch me! I don’t know where that came from, but some of us need to walk it like we talk it! Yeah, y’all, I’m still a little ghetto! Let them see it! Now this is—remember what I said at the beginning? People talking about, 'When you see wars and all this other stuff, that’s when the end is coming.' Jesus tells us the exact opposite! He literally says, 'And the good news about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all the nations will hear it, and then…' And then everybody say, 'And then! ' And then the end will come. Unpack your bags! Everybody’s trying to escape to get to heaven—unpack them duffel bags! Because this is the first message you ever heard about the Kingdom! And if people have been in church this long, I’ve never preached a message about the Kingdom ever, because I wasn’t ready to seek it first.
Next week, I’m not just gonna teach you how to see the Kingdom, I’m gonna teach you how to seek the Kingdom. Okay? Oh God, oh God! Let me just lay out our plan for the next few weeks. Everybody say, 'See the Kingdom! ' Put the little emoji up there so they can get it. This is how simple this class is going to be about the Kingdom! See, today, I just wanted to let you know this is what Jesus talked about! This is what the whole thing is built out of—All your favorite stories are an example of you seeing this. The reason that I do things in excellence, the reason that I give generously, the reason this church is generous, the reason why we try to do the thing—all we try to do is get you to see the Kingdom! That’s it! You may not like it, but you feel something. Something on the inside of you is like, 'I don’t like that he’s black with the braids and that jacket probably is expensive.'
This is just Kingdom! Trip! You understand? Let me stop—let me stop! When you start talking about the Kingdom, you just kind of get ignorant because you understand your authority! Everybody say, 'See the Kingdom! ' So that’s what I want you to do. Then, I want you to seek the Kingdom! Put a magnifying glass on it! I want us to look at scripture so close; I don’t want to be like, 'Dang, that was there the whole time! ' I told the team there are some messages I’m gonna have to go back and see if I need to take them down. See, you’re too prideful for that! That’s it; I was Kingdom. So, I was telling people stuff I did the best! Did you know that Mariah Carey thing? 'I’ma do the best with what I got? '
Oh, that’s what I was doing with the understanding I had! That’s why when people make YouTube videos and do all that other stuff, I’m doing the best with what I got! If I’m wrong, if I’ve done something in error, if I’ve messed something up, the Holy Spirit and my accountability can correct me! You making a YouTube video doesn’t help me! You don’t pray for me! You don’t ask God, 'Let there be illumination or light! ' You want a follower and you’re doing it in the name of Jesus? I don’t know where this is coming from, but you are working against the Kingdom! The truth hurts! When God shows me something, I’m humble enough—that’s why Jesus told us to cast our crowns! Take off all your titles! Take off all your success!
All the zeros you made! All the awards and accolades—take it off! When you come to the King of Kings! Oh, I can’t wait to teach this! He’s not talking about some foreign land of kings! He said, 'I am the King of Kings! ' Oh my gosh, I’m gonna say it one more time! I am the King of Kings! ' There was just a transition that happened in London where the Queen of England died. As soon as she died, her heir was automatically made the king. Was he a king when he was born? Yes! Was he a king as a teenager? Yes! Why? Because he was a son or a daughter of the one who had the authority! I can’t even preach it! But when we’re talking about the Kingdom, He’s saying, 'Your life on Earth, I give you the ability to have the same power I have in Heaven! '
Oh, that’s when the disciples said, 'Teach us how to pray! ' Let me give them one prayer: Our Father who art in Heaven— that’s His domain. Kingdom—His domain. Hallowed be thy name. Let me get under authority: Thy Kingdom, Thy will be done, where? On Earth, as it is where? King of Kings can’t even do it! So I want you to see the Kingdom! I want you to seek the Kingdom! And then, I’m going to teach you how to, watch this: share the Kingdom! Oh God, we’ve got the most silent army in the world! Like, He’s winning all the victories! I said, 'Tell somebody everywhere you go! ' And I’m gonna teach you the biblical way to share the Kingdom! And then I’m going to teach you how to pledge your allegiance to the only one, and I want you to watch this—serve the Kingdom! Everything you do, every place you go, we’re going to see, seek, share—C! Seek! Share!
One more time: see, seek, share! When you learn how to see the Kingdom, seek the Kingdom, share the Kingdom, and serve the Kingdom. OMG! Okay, is it making sense yet? Y’all, is there some lights going on? Okay, um, how many people love Chick-fil-A in the room? How many people love Chick-fil-A in the chat? Yeah, just give me— I want to tell you about my two favorite sauces. This ministered to me this week! This, oh my God—this sriracha! And I don’t know what possessed a man to make such a delightful… y’all can sit down. And then we’re about to go because I saw your feet hurting. Some of y’all were like, 'Alright, Pastor, you’re gonna give me an example—let me sit down! ' So I don’t want nobody to feel awkward! Just real quick, we’re about to leave. This is the most delightful hot sauce in the world! It’s not like, um, Tabasco.
That’s just hot. Ouch! It’s not like Louisiana, because anything you put Louisiana on tastes like Louisiana. I want to share something with you — spiritually, I’m a sauceologist; I want to teach you something. When you put Sriracha in something, it takes on the flavors of what’s there, and then it accentuates it, turning up the heat just slightly to create a nice sensation while you are blessing the Lord on this fast. Um, and then there’s another sauce that brings me great joy. I have to speak about this with reverence and honor because this sauce has gotten me through many bad meals. So, hey, I feel God right now at my mother-in-law’s house. Now, I’m just playing! She can make a couple of things well; breakfast, for example, you’re good at breakfast. I’ve taken this sauce overseas, and I’m not playing! I will leave drawers to put this sauce in my bag. I am ever so grateful for all of the big chain stores beginning to sell it. I want to thank God for the increase.
Okay, Pastor Mike, why are you going on and on about this sauce? Because this sauce is a representation of what many believers settle for. It’s good all by itself! Just one more! My God! But what if I pulled up to Chick-fil-A and they said, «Hello, how can I take your order?» I said, «Yeah, just give me three Chick-fil-A sauces.» «Okay, and what else?» «That’s it, just three Chick-fil-A sauces.» Then, day after day, I come back to Chick-fil-A, and all I ask for is sauces. And somebody offers me, «Well, sir, we see you coming all the time. Would you like to actually have the chicken that goes with the sauce?» «No, I just want the sauce.» Day after day, week after week, year after year, still hungry! Because no matter how many sauces I get, it’s good too, but this can never fill me! My God!
I know I’ve been on the fast; I haven’t had sugar! Lord, forgive me; it’s for you! It’s for the kingdom! Jesus, I forgot — my whole body is like, «Ah!» Seven more days of the fast — glory to God! I’ll be hungry forever just by being more committed to the sauce than to the sandwich. Chick-fil-A is not just the sauce; it’s the sandwich, it’s the service, it’s God’s presence, it’s the Sabbath! All of these cultural businesses — you know why Chick-fil-A is closed on Sunday? Because they decided to honor a kingdom precept. And how many people have woken up on a Sunday wanting Chick-fil-A? It’s almost like, «Oh yeah, I’m gonna go get some.» But I bet you on Monday, it’s not just the sauce; it’s the sandwich, it’s the service, it’s the Sabbath, it’s the sustenance! When I enjoy all of it, it fills me up.
The church has been focusing on the sources of the kingdom. Salvation is a source of the kingdom; healing is a source. If you get the kingdom, it comes with it! You don’t have to pay extra. At these other cheap establishments, they want to charge you $25 for sweet and sour sauce. I’m not saying any names, but your golden arches are broke! You’re not living in the Kingdom! But I have never once been charged for sauces at that kingdom establishment. It’s a kingdom establishment. It’s like, what do they say? «How much do you want? How much healing do you want? How much deliverance do you want?» You don’t need to pay extra for this. You want deliverance, healing, and prosperity? You can have all of it!
You want to dip it in this, dip it in that, and dip it in this? They never judge me because I want it all! Somebody shout, «I want it all!» I want everything that comes with the kingdom. We’ve just been promoting sauces! Come to this church — it’s a church of Polynesian sauce. At this church, you will know the poly of the nation! Come to this church; it’s hot and spicy! This is the Buffalo conference! If you need revelation, come to Revelation Ranch Church! Leave that camp! Leave that camp! Leave that camp! We are the sauce, and everybody’s still hungry! The world doesn’t want what we have because we’re starving! You don’t look full! You don’t look happy! You’re walking around with your sauce, mad because they got blessed! «How did they get a chicken sandwich? They’re going to hell! Hell for you! Hell for your children! Hell for your grandkids!»
«Hey, I’m hungry! Y’all got any extra?» I’ve been trying this God thing, and it’s leaving me empty! Might as well try something else! I’ll keep coming on Sunday — «Search over! Give me what you got!» And this has been the dilemma of humanity since the fall! What we lost was heaven on earth. Eden was an actual place on earth; it was the first representation of heaven on earth. Our sin got us shut out of it, but God said, «I got a plan! I’m going to make somebody just a little lower than the angels.» I don’t even want to use an angel anymore! The last time I used an angel, he became prideful; he forgot who the King was, and he convinced one-third of the angels to follow him. And Jesus confirms, «I saw Satan fall like lightning.»
He said, «I’m going to prove to him that I don’t even need an angelic being to do this! I’m going to put a lesser being, called a human, on this earth and with my help, I’m going to re-establish and expand the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!» See the kingdom, seek the kingdom, share the kingdom. And what’s the last thing, sir? The kingdom! Matthew, chapter 10, verse 5 — this is where we’re going home. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions. This is Jesus' last instruction to the disciples: «Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: the kingdom of heaven is near! Then get the sauces! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons! Get all the sauces you want, but make sure you do first things first — preach this message: the kingdom of heaven is near! Freely you have received; freely you give! The message of the kingdom is simply this: God showed me like this Chick-fil-A sauce. Write it down! Don’t settle for the sauce!
Get what comes with the kingdom! You could have the sandwich, the service, the Sabbath, and the substance — the whole kingdom! From now on, we don’t do it for the culture; we do it for the kingdom! Welcome to the kingdom! Stand with me everywhere! That’s all I can do today! I got 50 more pages of notes! I’m not playing! God has, for some reason, decided to trust me with this message, and I will be His ambassador to represent — oh excuse me! — represent Him till the whole world knows! Could you just lift your hands right now?
Father, I thank you that this message of your kingdom is entering into the hearts and minds of your people. Enemy, I bind you and rebuke you from stealing this seed that has come to transform the way we think! We are not going to copy the patterns of this world, but we will be transformed by changing our minds, turning to God and seeing the kingdom! Jesus, do what only you can do! Holy Spirit, lead us to truth! We thank you, and we give you glory, honor, and praise!
In that same attitude, if you want to see the kingdom in a person, His name is Jesus. God is saying the first way to become a part of the kingdom family is to repent, turn, change the way you think, and turn to God! Jesus is God, and today, if you’re tired of carrying the weight and the load by yourself and doing things your own way, suffering under the consequences of trying to be God in your own life, today I want to offer you the kingdom! His name is Jesus, and He came to be the eternal sacrifice for every person that’s not perfect — just for the ones who would accept Him. Today, I want to give you that opportunity! Pastor Mike, is it that big of a deal? When I tell you it changed me — He took me from being a liar, someone who was a manipulator. I was addicted to pornography, I had ignorance in my heart, and He didn’t make me a perfect person, but He made me a progressing person, and my eternity is secure in Jesus Christ.
Today, I don’t want you to leave. As I was sitting in a funeral on Friday, nobody knew that my Uncle George’s last day would be his last day, but the thing that comforted me was I knew exactly where he was spending eternity because he had made Jesus Christ his personal Lord and Savior. He was sharing it with everybody he knew. Today, I don’t want you to be worried about tomorrow. I want you to be content today because you put your faith in Jesus Christ. This is not an action of works or „do better.“ All He said is, „Believe in me by faith!“ Everybody say, „By faith!“ And today, God is saying, „I can give you eternal life if you would put your faith in me!“
At Transformation Church, we’re a family; nobody prays alone. On the count of three, if you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior, I just want you to slip your hand in the air. This is a serious moment in our church service because this is why we exist! People are going through hell all week! And this is the moment where their lives can change and be transformed forever! One! You’re about to make the greatest decision of your life! Two! I’m proud of you, but forget that; your name is going to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life for all eternity!
If you want to make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior, shoot your hand up! Three! All over the building, I see you! A whole row of people over there! I see you, young man! I see you! I see you, young lady! At home — just put your hand up! Church, y’all can do better than that! I see you! Transformation is happening right now; this is what it’s all about! Now TC, we don’t leave anybody out there to do anything alone! I want everybody to lift your hands, and we’re going to pray this prayer — together, for the benefit of those coming to Christ. Everybody say:
Jesus, thank you for sending your Son just for me! Today I give you my life! I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again with all power just for me! Today I change my mind! Today I change my mind! I turn to you — change me, renew me, transform me! I’m yours! In Jesus' name! Amen!