WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.280 Welcome, podcast family. 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:03.600 My name is Joanna, and thank you for tuning in today. 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:07.599 If you haven't already, please be sure to follow our podcast to stay up to date each week. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:09.919 We believe that God has a powerful word for you today. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:12.160 So let's dive into this amazing message. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:18.480 If you're taking notes today, the title of my sermon is Tell Them. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:20.800 Everyone say tell them. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:23.839 I need to tell them I lost my chapstick. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:26.399 So whoever them is, I lost my chapstick. 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:27.359 So you know what I'm saying? 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:29.120 Just help a brother out when you get a chance. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.719 Nothing crazy, but uh yeah, tell them that I lost my chapstick. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:33.359 No, I'm playing. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:33.920 Tell them. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:36.320 Oh, look at your neighbor and say tell them. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.719 Look at your neighbor you don't like as much and say, tell them this awkward. 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:42.960 They chose you second. 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:43.600 I'm just saying. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:46.479 Now, if you're a spouse, you you got a reason to be mad today on the right. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.439 No, I'm playing. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:49.840 Oh, I'm excited. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:51.039 Tell them. 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:54.159 Now, if I was you, I'll be asking two questions. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:55.520 Tell them what? 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:59.280 And then the second question I'll be asking this, who is them? 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:02.240 This ain't proper English, but we'd be okay. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:04.000 Should probably be like, who are they? 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:05.519 But no, no, no, we're not gonna do that here. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:06.959 We're gonna say, who is them? 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:11.040 Who is them, and what do I need to tell them? 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:12.719 I'll tell you who them is. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:15.359 Them are the people you work with, live with. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:19.439 Those are the people that come in, you come in contact with every day, every week. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:25.920 Every time you're in the grocery store, every time you're doing something, those are the themes. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:28.400 And then tell them, tell them what? 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:42.239 Tell them about Jesus, tell them about how good he is, tell them about how he healed you, tell them about how he restored you, tell them about how he made you whole, tell them about the goodness of God, tell them about how you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for God. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:52.319 Tell them about how he healed your family, tell them about how he blessed you financially, tell them about how he broke the chains off of your life, tell them about how he restored you, tell them about the goodness of God. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:54.079 Can somebody testify? 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:56.000 Has God been good to you? 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:59.760 Oh, come on, if God's been good to you, can we give him a praise break in this place? 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:01.439 Come on, somebody. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:09.840 Well, if God has been good, then why are you so quiet? 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:12.560 If God has been good, why don't you tell them? 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:14.000 We like telling good news. 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:22.800 You got the best news that has ever existed that Jesus Christ came to this earth, he conquered death, hell, and grave, he resurrected on your behalf. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:26.960 Tell them get the word out, tell them. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:31.680 Even in the Bible, Jesus would send them, he would say, Go back and tell them what I have done for you. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:34.719 Have you gone back and told people what God has done for you? 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:52.560 Tell them our job is to tell people about the goodness of God, tell people about the presence of God, tell people about the Spirit of God, tell them our job is to tell them, and this is why we have to tell them is because God uses us to reach them. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:54.879 He uses us to reach them. 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:58.159 Do you know that God is gonna use you to reach the people around you? 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:00.479 Do you know that you're the solution to your kids? 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:12.879 You're the solution to your family, you're the solution to your coworkers, your drunk uncle, God's gonna use you to tell him, your crazy auntie, God's gonna use you to tell her, your cousin that wants nothing to do with God because he knows everything. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:16.479 God's gonna use you to tell him or her. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:18.479 God uses us. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:25.439 And there's an awkward tension because God uses people to reach people. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:29.360 God uses people to reach people. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:31.759 And if I proved it with scripture, would you tell them? 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:34.000 Okay, we'll prove it with scripture then. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:34.639 Let's do it. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:37.840 Go to Romans chapter 10, verse 14. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:44.319 And we're gonna prove it with scripture that it's our job to tell them because sometimes I be like, Jesus, you got all power. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.280 You can just crack the sky and write the gospel in the cloud. 00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:48.879 Like, why do I gotta tell them? 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.840 Jesus, you like like you could I am Jesus, believe in me. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:55.919 Like, you got all kinds of ways to get this word out. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.280 Why do you need me? 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:05.919 And I'm gonna show you why it's because without God, we can't, but without us, God won't. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:11.759 God uses his people, God has always used his people from the beginning of time. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:16.160 When the Israelites needed to know something, God used Moses to tell them. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:24.000 All throughout the Bible, when when the world needed to know something, God used the disciples to tell them, God uses his people to spread his message. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:25.600 Romans chapter 10, verse 14. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:26.959 When you guys are there, say ready. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:29.680 Okay. 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:36.720 It says, How then shall they call on him and whom they have not believed? 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:37.439 They don't believe. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:38.720 How will they call on him? 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:42.959 And how should they believe in him of whom they have not heard? 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:43.920 How can they believe in him? 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:45.120 They ain't heard about him. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:50.319 And how should they hear without a preacher? 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.560 And how should they preach unless they are sent? 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:06.000 As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings and good things. 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:07.920 I'm gonna read the end of it. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:12.720 It says, verse 15, and how shall they preach unless they've been sent? 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:19.120 As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:22.720 How can they preach if they have not been sent? 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:24.480 In other words, here's what the Bible is saying. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:28.720 The Bible's saying we don't need a preacher, we don't need a pastor, excuse me, we do need a preacher. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:35.360 We don't need a pastor, we don't need a microphone, we don't need a theologian, we don't need church service. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:36.639 No, no, no, no, no. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:38.000 He's saying we need a preacher. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:38.959 What is a preacher? 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:41.120 A preacher is one who proclaims the word of God. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:42.959 A preacher is one who proclaims the word of God. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.959 Every last one of you guys are a preacher. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.920 I'm not the preacher, ain't the guy up here standing home with the microphone. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:48.959 No, I'm a pastor. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:50.000 We're all preachers. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:06:00.560 I may be preaching this morning, but you can go to your job and preach, you can go to your car and preach, you can go to Walmart and preach, you can preach in your family at the family function, you can preach at date night. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:01.519 You can preach. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:02.800 You are the preacher. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:05.680 And the thing is this they cannot know God. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:09.199 How can they know that he's calling them if they've never heard of him? 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.639 And how do they hear from him if you won't tell them? 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:18.480 It's your job to tell him, it's your job to carry the gospel, it's your job to carry the good news. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:22.639 And the Bible says, How beautiful are the feet of those who carry the gospel of peace? 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:25.360 You start carrying the gospel of peace, you have beautiful feet. 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:25.759 Why? 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:33.120 Because your feet is moving people to the kingdom of God, it's moving people to change, it's moving people to healing, it's moving people to restoration. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:37.600 Our job is to tell people about Jesus, our job is to tell people about his goodness. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:39.199 How beautiful are the feet. 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:46.079 And what you have to know, church, is Jesus didn't just save you to save you, Jesus saved you to send you. 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.319 He didn't just save you to save you, he saved you to send you. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:55.439 In other words, as a believer, you don't just get saved to sit, you get saved to be sent. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:07:03.839 God's gonna send you all across the world, all across the city, all across your job, all across your family, so you can tell them about the goodness of God. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.040 You weren't saved to sit, you were saved to be sent. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:18.959 God is sending you out, he's sending you out to be a preacher and to share the gospel, to share your testimony, to share your story, because your story is gonna bring him glory. 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:19.680 Let me say it again. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:23.600 Your story is going to bring him glory. 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:27.120 You weren't just saved to sit, you were saved to be sent. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:28.560 God is calling you. 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:31.439 And my answer is when God calls you, do you answer? 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:37.839 When God calls you, when you pick up the phone, do you say, Here I am, Lord, send me? 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.040 Or do you say, I'm not ready, Lord, send someone else? 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:45.360 And I believe many of us say, Lord, I'm not ready, send someone else. 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:45.680 Why? 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:50.639 Because I'm still a little crazy, and I may tell them about Jesus, then the next day set it off. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.160 But you need to quit setting it off, and you need to set it off for Jesus. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:56.639 And guess what? 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:00.079 You're not the logo of Christianity. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:07.839 He is so even if you did drop a ball, this is why we're not pointing people to us, we're pointing people back up to Christ. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.319 We don't need you to be perfect to tell them. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:18.079 You're not telling them you're perfect, you're telling them that he's perfect, you're not telling them you have it all together, you're telling them that he's putting you together. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:21.759 You are sharing the good news and telling them about him. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:24.000 You're telling them about him. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.879 So tell them, tell them, tell them. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:30.560 You gotta say, God, here I am, send me, God, here I am, I'm ready. 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:34.639 God, here, use me because God says, if not you, then who? 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.639 If not you, then who? 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.600 God says, I use people to reach people. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:41.279 We're God's plan A. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:47.519 God will always use people, eat all the way to the point when God needed to save humanity, He became a person. 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:48.000 Why? 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:52.399 Because God says everything that's done on earth will be done through people, even salvation. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:56.320 That's why Jesus became a man because it was God using people. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.159 God always chose to use people. 00:08:58.240 --> 00:08:59.679 You are a part of God's plan. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:03.039 Without us, without God, we can't, but without us, God won't. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.039 God always works through his people. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:07.039 When God was gonna destroy the world, what did he do? 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:07.919 He used Noah. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:08.240 Why? 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:13.200 Because God uses people and he wants to use you. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:14.559 Will you let him? 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:16.799 Will you let him use you? 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:23.200 And and and to be used by God is not hard, it's not rocket science, it's easy. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:27.360 I'm gonna make it very crystal clear to you what God wants from you today. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:32.480 And if you would do this, you would be a part of changing lives in eternity. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:34.159 Acts chapter 1, verse 8. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:40.399 It says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:42.240 When the Holy Spirit comes, guess what he brings? 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:43.519 He brings power. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:54.080 And you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 00:09:54.480 --> 00:10:06.399 God says, You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:12.240 God says, You use you receive power from the Holy Spirit and you shall be witnesses. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:14.159 Let me tell you what God did not say. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:16.639 He did not say you shall be theologians. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:30.399 He did not say you shall be apologists, he did not say you should be scholars, he did not say you should be all-knowing, he did not say you should be professional Christians who knows everything about the Bible. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:43.919 He did not say you should be historians who knows all the history about all the about all the old testament and how it all was laid down, and you know about the Pentateuch, and you know about the Torah and all the deep fallacies of creation. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:51.360 He did not say that you would be a new creationist and you know the difference between creation and evolution, how evolution is a lie. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:53.360 He did not say any of that. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:56.639 He said, You shall be witnesses. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.039 Do you know what a witness is? 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:02.879 It don't take much to be a witness. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:09.360 You ain't gotta be smart to be a witness, you ain't gotta brush your teeth to be a witness, you ain't gotta come your hair to be a witness. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:15.200 To be a witness, you just had to be somewhere and have saw something and have experienced something. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:16.399 Oh, I can be a witness. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:16.799 Why? 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:19.120 A witness is I saw when it went down. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:22.799 I was standing right there, I saw the difference and I saw the change. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:24.080 He said, be a witness. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:32.320 In other words, I am one, I saw Jesus, I saw his power, I saw his healing, I saw his spirit, I'm a witness. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:37.600 I don't have to be qualified to be a witness in the courtroom. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.159 All I gotta do is have seen something. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:47.360 And what we mistake as Christians, and this is why we don't share the gospel, is we didn't know Jesus called us to be witnesses. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.840 We thought he called us to be attorneys. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:52.720 I don't want to be an attorney. 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:53.919 I don't know enough. 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:55.600 I can't go into a courtroom. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:56.639 I don't know the law. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:58.080 I don't know how all this works. 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:02.720 But what I do know is I saw what I saw that I saw. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:06.480 I can't tell no other story. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:08.399 All I can tell is my story. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:09.840 I saw what I saw. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:11.759 I saw a witness on TV. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:20.720 It was this lady, boy, she was telling me on there, but she was like, I saw one hat on a red shirt, one hat on a white shirt, and one hat on a black shirt. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:25.519 They grabbed them TVs at Black Friday, they ran my double right there. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:40.000 She didn't have the word there, she didn't have to have proper English and grammar, she didn't have the number personification words, she saw a red shirt, a white shirt, and a black shirt, and they ran up with some TVs and then it was driving that kind of car. 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:42.000 That's all you gotta do to be a witness. 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:42.960 Here's what I know. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.799 I know I was broken and then I'm hoe. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:47.039 I know I was lost and then I'm fouled. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.240 I know I didn't know which way to go, and now he's correcting me. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:53.120 I know that my heart was broken and he put it back together. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:54.480 I don't know everything. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:55.519 Oh, but I know him. 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:56.720 Oh, come on, somebody. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:00.799 If you say I know Jesus, give him a shout of praise in this place. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:05.360 I don't have all the answers. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:07.600 Oh, but I know Jesus. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.639 I am a witness. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:14.639 And to be a witness, all you have to do is take the stand. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:19.279 Are you willing to take the stand for Jesus so somebody can be saved? 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:20.399 Are you willing to tell them? 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:22.080 Are you willing to take the stand? 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:32.480 God has called you to be witnesses, and all a witness does is tell their story. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:41.120 Now I know this may not be too appeasing because there's other words for witnesses that we don't like, and the other words we got for witnesses is snitches, right? 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:44.960 When I grew up, they said snitches get snitches. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:46.879 I don't want no snitches, I'm good. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:49.679 So to be a snitch is derogatory. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:51.200 But Jesus is saying, be a witness. 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:53.840 In other words, he's saying, be a snitch for me. 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:56.559 What does a snitch do? 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:02.879 A snitch is said they tell you what they saw, they tell you what happened, and the snitch is always pointing at somebody. 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:11.279 It's about time you start snitching, and you point at God, and you point at his goodness, and you point at his faithfulness, and you point at his power. 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.960 This is so cheesy. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:13.919 Oh my god. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:15.759 Oh my god. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:16.720 I was writing that down. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:18.000 I was like, am I really gonna say that? 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:19.360 I was like, I ain't gonna take myself too serious. 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:20.080 I'm gonna say it. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.919 We're gonna snitch for Jesus. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:26.080 What you learn about today at church? 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:26.960 About being a snitch. 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:28.480 What church you go to? 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:31.200 I just want you to know, Pastor Nick snitched back in the day. 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:32.159 I held that down. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.759 But I snitch about the goodness of Jesus, you know what I'm saying? 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.159 Oh my gosh. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:42.720 Okay. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:46.639 You're a witness, you're just telling what Jesus has done. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:51.039 Because there's some places where the Bible ain't allowed, but guess what? 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:52.480 They can't ban your story. 00:14:55.440 --> 00:15:08.960 Maybe, maybe, maybe you can't tell your athletes about scripture, but you can tell them your story about how the man on the middle cross came and interrupted your path and turned your life around. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.320 Well, Dennis, we're calling you to the office. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:13.840 Who's the man on the middle cross? 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:17.120 I know my life was changed by the man on the middle cross. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.960 Well, who's the man on the middle cross? 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:19.519 I don't know. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:22.879 You need to go find out who the man is on the middle cross. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:28.399 But the man on the middle cross saved my life, changed my life, restored my life. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:38.480 And I will testify and I will be a witness, author of the world, author of my job, author of my family. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:45.440 Some of you guys have been on drugs, and now you know that some of your old drug-headed friends they're gonna say, What happened to you? 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:50.960 And you're gonna say, Come get coffee with me, because I'm gonna tell you about the man on the middle cross. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:54.639 I don't have to get high no more because he's the most high God. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.320 Uh oh, come on, somebody. 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:59.039 I'm telling you, he put me in my right mind. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:03.039 He started me on my way, he gave me, he put food on my table. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.039 I got a reason to praise. 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:14.480 And when you start telling them about what he's done for you, all of a sudden they're gonna say, if he changed you, can he change me too? 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:16.720 If he healed you, can he heal me too? 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:21.600 If he put your marriage back together, how crazy y'all was, what could he do with us? 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:38.159 And you are to be a witness, and you just testify, you're not to be an attorney, you don't have to debate, you don't have to know all the theological terms, you don't have to know where the dinosaurs went and it don't exist no more. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:43.360 You don't have to know the age of the earth, is it 20 million years old or is it 6,000 plus years old? 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:47.919 I'll tell you it's 6,000 plus years old because that's when he created the earth. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:50.960 But you don't have to know those answers. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.080 All you have to do is know him. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:58.320 Do you know him? 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:00.559 Do you know him? 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:06.319 Because if you know him, everything changes. 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:10.720 Here's what the Bible says The Bible says this is so cool. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:13.519 Revelation chapter 12, verse 11. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:31.039 It says, and they overcame him, we're talking about the enemy, by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.119 Let's read this again. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:44.480 It says, and they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony, they did not love their lives to the death. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:46.480 They overcame by two things. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.640 The first one makes sense, the second one not so much so. 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:49.680 Let's dig into it. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:51.279 They overcame by the blood of the lamb. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:51.680 What's that? 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.119 That's the blood of Jesus. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:54.720 This is the blood of the Lamb. 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:56.480 This is the cleansing blood. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.279 This is the blood that was spilled at the cross of Calvary. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:03.759 This is the blood that pays for our salvation, our sanctification, our restoration. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:08.160 This is the blood of Jesus, and we're reconciled. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:14.480 We've been bought with a price, we're reconciled, we're brought back into proper alignment with God through his blood. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:17.599 His blood has the power, the blood is enough. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:20.799 The blood don't need help, but the blood don't need anything. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.519 But then there was something that was added. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:30.400 And it said, in the words of their testimony, it says, We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:32.720 The blood is what Jesus has done. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:36.640 The testimony is your story about what the blood has done. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:42.799 So when you give your testimony, it's saying, This is what the blood's done for me. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:44.160 It makes the blood personal. 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:47.200 The blood has saved everybody, healed everyone, cleansed everyone. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:50.799 But your testimony says, This is what his blood has done for me. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:53.119 And hell hates the blood. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:19:00.640 But hell also hates the testimony because both of them partnered together to bring salvation to the world. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:03.759 They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:12.720 It didn't say by the words of your eloquent theological words, it didn't say about you knowing about all the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:13.279 That's beautiful. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.000 You want to learn it? 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:14.400 Learn it. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:18.319 It said they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.759 Your testimony has power. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:21.359 Your story has power. 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:22.480 There's power in your story. 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.240 And let me tell you why your story is so powerful. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.920 There are some people that don't want to hear about the blood. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:33.599 There are some people that had a family member that distorted the picture of the blood. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:36.960 There are some people that never stepped foot in this church yet. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:42.400 There are some people that never crack open the Bible, which means you may be the only thing of him they see. 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:50.319 And when you start telling your story about how he's changed your life, the Bible says the Holy Spirit comes upon you. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:20:08.160 And then the Bible says power comes upon you, which means you're not just telling your story and happenstance, there's a spiritual power that comes upon you, and there's an anointing that comes upon you, and your story now is not just a mundane story, it's a powerful story of testifying of God's goodness. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:13.920 And what you have to know is this you're not just telling your testimony and happenstance. 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:17.519 God could have already arranged an appointment with this person. 00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:20.000 He could have already been talking and speaking to them. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:25.119 They could have came to God the night before you and said, God, if you're real, send me a sign. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.359 And here you come with your coffee talking about some. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:28.799 Let me tell you my story. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.960 Translation, you're their sign. 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:38.240 There's power in the blood, and there's power in your testimony. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:39.839 What did Jesus do for you? 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:40.720 How did he heal you? 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.680 How did he cleanse you? 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.200 And the beautiful thing is, you ain't gotta know all the scripture to tell your story. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:49.839 All you have to know is who you were before him, and now who are you after him? 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:54.079 That's the power of testimony. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:55.759 And I'm gonna show you this. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:17.680 I have without the people with eloquent debates and arguments and lofty thoughts and persuasions, and they heard me, but they never got saved. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:27.759 But I went in the spirit of the Lord and in the power of his word and the gospel and my testimony, and I saw thousands get saved. 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:34.960 You don't have to know everything to be effective in the kingdom of God. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:48.720 Matter of fact, I've seen some that know everything and they can't save nobody, they can't lead nobody to Christ, they can't win no souls to the kingdom of God, they know everything, but you can know everything and still not know the king. 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:55.519 You can know history and still not know history. 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.680 You can know the Bible and still know. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:05.680 Know the God of the Bible, you can know Hebrews and still not know Heroes. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:12.160 You can know the Greek and still not have the gospel shoes of peace on your feet. 00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:22.960 You can know the Old Testament and still be hesitant to be proof and evidence that he conquered death, hell, and grave, and he is heaven sent. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:29.839 You can know everything about the apostle Paul and still come to church and put up a wall. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:37.599 It's not about knowing everything, it's about do you know the king? 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:44.960 And if you know him, you have a testimony that'll reach them. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:47.839 Can we give God a shout of praise in this place? 00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.440 Oh my gosh. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.680 But do you know God? 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:03.119 Do you know him? 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:06.960 All you have to do is know him. 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:08.319 And here's the deal. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:10.240 We go back to the courtroom thing. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:17.440 In the courtroom, our job is to bring evidence. 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.759 Whenever there's a trial, trial is based on what? 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:21.680 It's based on evidence. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:27.119 And evidence can be presented in two ways. 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:32.079 It can be material or testimonial. 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:37.680 Material is Jesus gave two forms of evidence in Revelation 12. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:37.920 There. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.920 The first thing he said is they overcame by the blood. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:40.640 What is blood? 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:45.119 Blood, whenever you're on a court scene, whenever you're in the court, blood is evidence. 00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:45.920 It's evidence. 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:48.240 When your blood was on the scene, that's evidence. 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:50.000 If there's a weapon, that's evidence. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.359 Fingerprints, that's evidence. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:53.119 Video surveillance, that's evidence. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.240 That's physical evidence. 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:56.400 But do you want to know what else is evidence? 00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:58.559 A testimony. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:09.759 And they bring a witness to the stand to testify because your words of what you saw is just as much evidence as physical material. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:18.240 In other words, the blood of Jesus was exhibit A, and your testimony is exhibit B. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:25.200 And both of those come together to convict hearts to believe in Jesus to be saved and be restored. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:26.400 Can we give them a shout of praise? 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:33.359 Somebody we're bringing evidence. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.960 You have to have evidence. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.759 There was a story. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:43.759 There's a story in the Bible, I believe John 9, and there was a blind man, and Jesus made clay. 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:46.160 We go through how he did all that, but he made clay. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:48.079 The man put clay on his eyes. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:50.720 Man had been blind since birth. 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:52.960 Eyes popped up and he was able to see. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:54.160 The Pharisees heard about it. 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:55.279 They brought him inside the temple. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:58.480 They started investigating him, saying, What happened? 00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:00.799 How did you get how did you get your sight back? 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:04.160 They started, he started telling them about Jesus and they didn't like it. 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:05.279 So they was like, you know what? 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:06.160 We're done talking to you. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:07.440 They told his parents to come. 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:09.839 And when his parents came, they said, Was your son born blind? 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:11.119 They said, Yes, he was always blind. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:12.799 They're like, Well, how did he get his sight back? 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:14.640 And they like, he's a grown man, I don't know. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.440 Go ask him. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:17.519 What are you asking me for? 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:20.880 Then they brought him back, they started asking him, and they're interrogating him. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.200 And the man said, I don't know about all that. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:25.920 I don't know about all this Jesus stuff, all the questions you asked. 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:26.960 He said, I don't know. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:28.880