From the Pulpit
From the Pulpit
Matthew 8:1-4 (Embracing Mobile Ministry) Dr. Lloyd Scott 8/23/26 7:00 PM
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Antioch East 176th Anniversary Bible Conference, 7:00 P.M.
Dr. Lloyd Scott from Port Arthur, TX.
Matthew chapter 8. Let me rush to say, Brother Jim, I've heard you preach many times. And we share so much, but you didn't slip that one in on me. And uh I'm gonna give you the credit the first time I preach it. But after that, that's my sermon. And uh the benefit I have, y'all, is that see, I'm from the other side of the track. And so when I go to the conference, whatever I hear, this is what I do. What do I do, Brother Rumble? Uh what do I do to the sermon? What color? Black and eyes. I black and eyes it. Y'all know what black and eyes is. I take it across the track and I can preach everything I heard over there on the other side of the track. Y'all can't do that because y'all bump into each other. So I'm taking this across the track, brother. And I'm gonna ring the bell with this one. Somebody gonna hear this. Oh, Sandra and Kathy. They're here tonight. Nah, their brother was my best friend in high school. We shot dice together. Glad to see y'all. Love y'all, dear. If you have your Bible, I I I spoke to Hope. I said, baby, I'm having the time of life at the B and B to wake up with those uh I got chance to Brother Jim ate the chips that the jackasses were supposed to eat. And he has not fed them yet. But I went over and fed Mo and Willie this morning. And when I got ready to walk away, Mo was saying, come back. But I I've had a wonderful time. And I'm looking to come back. Y'all come y'all come invite me back during deer season. Praise God. I would love to come back during this season. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not putting it out there, but I'm putting it out there. I do a deer camp revival. You don't have to pay me. But if I don't get no deer meat, somebody gonna get hurt, okay? I'm through. Take a deep breath. Matthew chapter eight. All right. Matthew chapter eight. Verses one through four.
SPEAKER_01Verses one through four.
SPEAKER_02When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him, and behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will be thou clean. And immediately. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said unto him, See that thou tell no man, but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them. Father, we pray afresh tonight that you would give ears to hear and hearts to receive. In Jesus' name, amen. This morning, our thrust was the inward attitude of the church. Is there any forgiveness in the place? Are we treating each other right? That was the inward reach because we can do nothing without effective until we get it right on the inside. And so tonight it's we want to deal with the outward thrust. And I want to embrace, I want to embrace this text. Embracing mobile ministry, embracing mobile ministry. Brother Ron don't know it, but he deputized me to come to Antioch East on your 176th church anniversary. Wow. You guys have been kicking the pig for a long time. That's a long time. And you are still strong. You're still vibrant. You're still being blessed. And you ought to give God a hand for keeping you together for 176 years. I have been invited to come and check the books of the Antiochites Baptist Church. And I've been authorized and deputized to do a forensic audit. And y'all do know that's dealing with a criminal. And to ask you a question. For 176 years, have you just been meeting, greeting, and eating? Because one thing you don't do is get between a bat, a baptist, and a biscuit. And if all you're known for is meeting, greeting, and eating for 176 years, it's been a waste of time. But it's not whether or not you're eating and meeting and greeting, but have you been preaching and reaching and teaching? Because the last time I I heard Jesus say, Go ye into all the world.
SPEAKER_00That's right.
SPEAKER_02And to preach the gospel to every creature. Raina and Geiger have a book entitled Simple Church. Simple Church. Simple Church. And they suggest if the church is doing these things, regardless of where you are, if you live in the woods and got the goods, the world will be the path to your door. Well, we're in the woods. So what? You are in a place where the word of God can still go forth. And people can still be saved. Raymond Geiger said, This is what the church ought to be doing, and we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Just do what Jesus said do. He said we ought to be evangelizing sinners. Can I tell you what's wrong with us? We're looking for polished folk who are low on no maintenance. We want people who are well and whole and no problems. They'll come in and fit in with us and we'll go on our merry way. But you need to be looking for people who are hurting, who need saving.
unknownI tried. I tried.
SPEAKER_02They say in the book that we need to be edifying saints. We ought to be building one another up today. And I think I tried to suggest this morning that Paul said that you need to be tender-hearted, you need to be kind to one another. And you need to be tender-hearted, and you need to be forgiving of one another. And while I'm on that, this is a sermon for this morning. But if you missed it, I need you to repeat these words. Forgiveness is the best gift I can give to myself. I wish I had a witness here. Now, I my I got a point right here that says shout. If you had given me a button, I'd push the shout button. Yeah, shout button. Cowboys just won the Super Bowl. That's what I'm talking about. I know you can do it. Okay. They said that we need to be embracing scripture. We need to stick with the book. And um, you know, uh you got so much foolishness out there. You got so many ministries, and they are popular with this foolishness.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02And that God wants you well and thinking well of yourself, being wholesome and have good thoughts about yourself. He wants you to be a servant who will sacrifice for his glory.
unknownThat's right.
SPEAKER_02And see, uh the word context is when you put in order, properly interpret what's being said over over against what it means. And the word con is from uh it's it's a demonic word, which means it's it's means by witchcraft to deceive. And when you take scripture out of context, that's the spirit of the Antichrist. And folks may flock there by the thousands, but God has not put his hand upon it. They say in their book that we ought to be encouraging folk who are suffering. And I told you this morning, if you've never walked in my shoes, don't tell me racism don't exist. I love you, but don't tell me that if you haven't walked in my shoes and experience what I have experienced. And when you walk in my shoes, guess what? You'll discover this brother may be right. Do y'all hear me? They say we need to be empowering the spirit, walking in the spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Are y'all with me? They say we need to engage society. We are not called to follow the crowd. We are not thermometers that tell the temperature, we are thermostats that set it. And when you see wrong wherever it is, don't cover it up, tell it like a T I is. If you do something to me, I'm plotting and planning. I'm gonna get you back. But he says, Love your enemy. Are y'all with me? Matthew chapter 6, verses 1 through 4, he gives them purpose. This is all happening on the mountain. He says, and when you do arms, uh, Ron, I I I hate to tell you this, but I gotta tell you the truth. There are some folk you can't afford for them to do anything for you because their motives are not pure. They will do it, but every time you see them, they will remind you of what they did 40 years ago. Yeah, and you haven't said thank you. You didn't say thank you every time you stood up. Now, Pastor called some names this morning, he called some names tonight, and somebody's here fuming because you didn't call their name. I ain't talking about nobody, I'm just talking about what I'm talking about. Are y'all with me? Whatever you do, have the right purpose in mind. Chapter 6, verse 5 through 18. He talked them, talked to them, taught them about prayer. And when you pray, and when you pray, can I tell y'all something about prayer? Prayer is not the eloquence or the etymol etymology, the words you use to impress God. Prayer is when you get on your knees and reach heaven. I've shared with them that was an old deacon at the Lily of the Valley Church where I had my my beginning in as a Christian in Sunnyside, Texas, Houston, Texas. And every Sunday, when they have devotion, you know, you got this deacon who can't sing. That's what we have across the track, who wants to sing but can't sing. And we got this one brother who wants to pray all the time. And we had a brother named was Howard Gray. We knew what he was gonna say when he got up there. Our father, with y'all in heaven, Hollywood be thy name. I'm truthful, y'all. Thy kingdom come, and you know they put it in the key. Thy will be done on us as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily and lead us in no temptation, but deliver us from evil for thine in the kingdom, the power and the glory forever, and for the next five minutes, all he said was, Lord, have mercy. Have mercy, Lord. Mercy, Lord, Lord, and so I said to the pastor, I said, Pastor, you know, I'm I'm in seminary now, and I think we would do well if we find someone else who knows how to articulate the King's English and who knows how to ask the Lord for a little bit more. Why don't you find somebody else to pray? Because all Deacon Gray is going to ask for is mercy. Y'all missed it. That old man sleeps the lone sleep now, but he taught me something. Prayer is when you pray from your heart and you reach heaven. If all you're saying is Lord. Are you with me?
unknownYes, sir.
SPEAKER_02In Matthew 6, verse 19, and then chapter 7, verse 1 through 6, he gives prohibitions. He says three things lay not, judge not, and give not. Lay not treasures on earth, and y'all got a bunch of stuff up in here, but don't you put your hopes in your stuff because the Lord can do one or two things, He can take your stuff from you or take you from your stuff. Have I got a witness yet? He says, judge not. You hear me? And so don't condemn folk because they are not where you are in faith. Because remember, your dress hadn't always been that long. We're not gonna talk about the fifty-seven shipping no more. I haven't had my medicine, and he says, give not that which is holy to the dog. In other words, don't spend any time trying to convince the devil of anything. Because he's not the leper, will never change his spots. Are y'all with me? Verse 7 through 12, this is Matthew 6. He says, You have privileges. Ask and it shall be. Seek and ye shall knock in the door. And then in chapter eight, it moves to progression. And when he had come down from the mountain. So for the next three hours, I want to talk about when you embrace mobile ministry. Number one, when you embrace mobile ministry, in verse two, you will encounter the misery of man. There came a leper and worshiped him. Said, Lord, if you can, if you will, you can make me whole. Now, you will encounter the misery of man. You will never know hurt until you go to where hurt is. And you cannot remain in the suburbia of life and say there is no hurt if you spent no time in the hood. Don't y'all get quiet on me. Are y'all with me? There came a lecturer, a leper. What do you see when you encounter the misery of man? You see this man's his affliction is described. He there came a leper. Leprosy, I guess the best way to explain it was the COVID of the day. It came with restrictions and restraints and refusals. They lost their job and their benefits. They had to hang out in a leper call colony. And whenever they moved, they had to let everybody know their business. Leper coming. But here comes a leper. Do y'all hear me? No. His affliction is described. But I'm gonna give you this next little bite of this apple. And if y'all don't get up and shout and jump over pews, I'm gonna get my pistol out my truck, and it's gonna be on up in here. If y'all don't shout over this, I can't help y'all at all. There came a leper and worship him. Y'all got it. Some of y'all got it. Y'all don't hit me. His affliction is described, but his adoration is defined. He has not asked the Lord for anything yet. But he comes with worship in his heart. Robert Siegler said, worship is to declare the work, the worth, and the wonder of God. I have a question. Is God worth anything in your life? Well, I just don't feel like it today. What if the Lord said, I don't feel like waking you up this morning? Is he worthy of every praise? He worshiped him. His adoration was over, his heart was open to God.
unknownYes, sir.
SPEAKER_02His application was detailed. He said, Lord, if you will, I know you can. He let his request be made known. If you let your request be made known unto God, the peace of God will guard your heart in Christ Jesus. In other words, he will fix your heart and you will know what to ask for. He did not doubt the power of God. I know you can. I just want to know if you will. Anybody here know Jesus will? Who opened doors? That I cannot see. Jesus will.
SPEAKER_00Yes, you will.
SPEAKER_02Who will make a way? When there is no way. Oh, I wish I was across the track tonight. I'd kick that pig up in here. Jesus will. Anybody here know he will? When you embrace mobile ministry, you will encounter the misery of man. In verse 3A through 3C, when you embrace mobile ministry, you should employ the methods of the master. Now, let me tell you what you don't shouldn't do. Don't go to another meeting that says WWJD. I went to a What Would Jesus do meeting. Don't waste another dime. Just DWJD. Just do what Jesus did. I wish I had a witness here. And what Jesus does, first of all, is gives us a template for ministry. And Jesus put forth his hand. Hold it. This is a leper. He's unclean. We shouldn't touch him. He's contagious. But Jesus shows us a template that we may need to do ministry in a new way. Reach out and touch. Are y'all with me? He gives a template for ministry. And he touched him. He gives a timely message. He says to the brother, I will. The man just asked him, Will you? And Jesus says, I will. Anybody here know tonight that God will answer prayer? Are you a recipient of God answering prayer? Matter of fact, these brothers that had been sick, but they're here tonight because you called on the name of the Lord in their behalf. You said, Lord, will you? And he said, I will. Are y'all with me? And he gives the brother a transcending moment. He says to him, Be thou clean. Now, they haven't gone to the priest, they haven't showed themselves, they haven't brought any turtle doves, no bullets, no ram. They haven't shaved their head. He hadn't shaved his head. He had not burned his clothes. You know, all of this rigma roar that goes with the tradition of being healed. And Jesus give the brother a transcending message. You don't have to wait on all of that. Just take a word from me. Matter of fact, we got a song that's kicking in the hood now. Just a word from the Lord. Won't God make a way? Won't He do it? Well, point three. I got three points. I don't know if they remember the first one or the second one. When you embrace mobile ministry, you will encounter the misery of man. Go to where people are hurting. You should employ the methods of the master. Just do what Jesus did. And you can enjoy the manifestations of miracles. Let me just do this for you. That was a shout point. The book says and immediately. That ain't me. If it ain't the Lord, amen. If it ain't the Lord, the book says immediately. So I I looked up the word immediately. And uh I looked it up in the Greek, and uh that didn't satisfy me as much as Howard Gray, who couldn't pray. He said immediately, it's faster than right now and quicker than already. I don't know how fast that is, but can I give y'all an idea of how fast immediately is? Do you remember when the Hebrew boys were in the fiery furnace? Well, the story is told that God was sitting on the throne and uh the Hebrew boys were cast in the fiery furnace, and the Lord looked down and said uh to Gabriel his messenger angel, How soon can you get there? And Gabri says, I can get there in a millisecond. And the Lord said, and God said, That's not fast enough. And he turned to Michael, his warring angel, says, The three Hebrew boys are in the five and thirties. How soon can you get there? And and Michael said, I can get there in a nanosecond. And the Lord said, That's not fast enough. And so the Lord God turned to Jesus, who was sitting on the throne, said, How soon can you get there? And from the five and thirties, Jesus said, I'm already here. Immediately immediately a wonder was performed. A word was shared. Jesus told the brother, tell no man. I don't know why the Lord I'll I'll ask him when I get to heaven. I I can why you told the brother not to tell nobody. Because if you read some verses down, he told him not to tell it, but the brother couldn't keep his mouth shut because he just like a bunch of us black Baptists. I said I wasn't gonna tell nobody, but I couldn't keep it to myself. Are y'all with me now?
unknownYes, sir.
SPEAKER_02He gave he gave the brother a walk. He said, Go thy way and show yourself to the priest. Now, can I help y'all here? The truth is, when the Lord has done something for you, you really don't have to say a word. Just show up in the place. Are y'all with me now? Just like the maniac who was in the in the who was in the in the grave cutting himself, and Jesus healed him and he told him to go show. He didn't say go tell nothing, but just go home and show yourself. And when God has done something for you, it will show up in you.
unknownYes, sir.
SPEAKER_02And then he said, offer the gift of Moses as a testimony, and this is where the witness comes in. Because when you go into the temple, now you didn't ask the priest to inspect you, you didn't ask him to look over you and see if you've been healed, and all of that ritual that comes in Leviticus 13 and 14 that deals with leprosy, had to be locked up for eight days and cut and shave his hair, burn his clothes, take a bath, all that stuff, and then eight days later do all this stuff over again. He said, You just gone into the temple and offer the gift of Moses, offer him a sacrifice. And guess what you ought to have tonight? Because all of us have had a leprous heart at some time or another. We ought to show up in the place with a thank you, Lord, for what you have done for me. Offer the gift. Are y'all with me? Songwriter said, What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart. I have light for my soul, for which long I have sought, since Jesus came into my heart, since Jesus came into my heart, since Jesus came into my heart.
SPEAKER_00Floods of joy, oh my soul, like the sea below since Jesus came into.