Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Oh, come on. Let’s give him a great big hand right now.
I thank God.
Anybody thankful for his goodness in your life?
Come on. Anybody thankful that your life got turned around one day?
Happy Easter, Champion Center.
Easter, good to see everybody. So glad you’re in the house. And I looked around our auditorium here today and I thought to
myself, you know, there’s a lot of people who made the extra effort to be here. There are people who invited people to come. There are people who
came because somebody invited them. And here we are all together, different locations.
And I want to welcome you in Yakamal. I want to welcome you in Dupont. I want to welcome you in Belleville. I want to welcome you online. I want to welcome you right here in Tacoma.
I also know that some people that come into our services are not used to what we do. all the commotion and all the
bouncing and all the hand raising and and you know criteria number one is well
Bible says shout to the Lord with a voice of triumph clap your hands all your people like it’s all over it’s
so so so God God likes it but then secondly just an real life analogy is if you you know if you love football they score a touchdown what do you do? Yep.
You love baseball and it’s in the late innings and your team somehow pulls it off and gets some other people home.
What do you do? So much greater than that is that there was a day when Jesus had died on a cross on Friday.
And hey, you know, one more thing, let me just tell you. I I yesterday morning I woke up and I just kind of I don’t know why I just went in and researched a
little I don’t know just floating around and something to do with Easter and a little unique interesting dynamic is
that it is believed that f Jesus was crucified on Friday.
Two dates are given in the Hebrew calendar and that date
according to Hebrew scholars was April 7th
or one other date that gives. And I thought just how real it felt to me that
on Friday we celebrated April 7th this year
we celebrated the suffering of Christ.
And yeah it it really is it really is a part of history.
It’s it’s never by anyone who understands or studies history, it’s never been denied
that this is a real event that really happened. And we don’t even really know
uh where Jesus was buried because he’s not there. And there’s no skeleton.
Okay. Congratulations to everybody who was baptized on Friday night. 108 people. 108 people.
God’s doing something really special in our church right now. And I want to tell you about next weekend. First of all, Friday night is what it’s called. One big night. This is youth, young adults.
Belleview location. Everybody’s going from all the location. Transportation worked out for for everybody to get to
go. all the young people that want to get to go. It’s we’re going to Belleview Friday night and Pastor Sheila, my wife, is going to be there with all of the
youth and young adults. She’ll be speaking on Friday night. It’s going to be a great fun night. Sunday of next week, one of our favorite preachers,
Pastor Lonnie Keane, is going to be in the house next week.
And we’re going to give everybody another opportunity. You may know somebody that didn’t quite make it Friday night. They want to get baptized.
We’re going to have baptisms again next weekend. Does that sound like a great weekend coming up?
You may be seated.
Say with me as you sit down, “My heart is open. My heart is open. My mind is ready. My mind is ready. Make me better, God. Make me better, God.
By your word. By your word. I receive it. And I believe it. I believe it. And I won’t be the same again.
In Jesus name. Shout a great big amen.
I’m going to talk a few minutes somewhere around 30 and and then I’m
going to give you an opportunity to choose, if you haven’t already, God’s plan for your life.
I’m saying that because I think some of you really want to make that decision.
and you just need a little bit of runway to help you adjust and prepare and get there.
I want to thank everybody at every location for staying with us until the end of our service, until the very end.
I want to thank you for having respect enough for the final closing part of our service because some of the best things
happen in the final moments. So, thank you for that in advance.
Today, I’m talking about the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel of the kingdom.
I wonder is there any parents or youth who this week you you colored eggs
like got involved some with an egg in some way, shape or form?
Uh because lots of fun stuff happens around what we call Easter eggs, coloring eggs and and and hiding eggs.
And kids have fun, families have fun.
We’ve all heard the nursery rhyme about a famous egg named Humpty Dumpty.
You remember Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. So Humpty Dumpty on top of the world.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. And we don’t know, we don’t know like why he fell.
We just know he had a great fall.
And we do know that the government got involved in trying to fix them.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
could not put Humpty together again.
the most powerful people in the land who had access to the greatest resources couldn’t pull it off.
No stimulus package was enough and no act of Congress was enough.
Let let me ask you a question. Have you ever had someone say to you, “I have bad news. I have good news. Which one do you want first?
Have you ever had that?
Well, I don’t know how you respond, but I always respond and say bad news first.
I just think it’s the sequence of Easter, you know, like that. I didn’t plan on saying that. I don’t know. It is a good thought though.
Friday comes before Sunday. Bad news first.
But I like to bet get the bad news out of the way and I I like the good news to
be the last thing that I hear, the thing that will linger in my mind. So that’s
how we’re going to approach this right now.
First, some bad news. Humpty Dumpty might be a nursery rhyme, but it’s also the story of fallen humanity.
And no reasonable person would look at the world around us and deny the broken,
messed up, goofed up, screwed up. You can add your words to it human condition.
Right.
And the bad news is that all the king’s horses
and all the king’s men won’t be able to put Humpty together again.
So if your hope is in that, if your hope is in the government
or the powerful people in the land to end all the confusion and to stop all
the strife by now maybe you can see that they’re not making things better.
They may have access to the greatest funding package and
may have access to the the the greatest power in the world,
but there’s no there’s no stimulus package, no act of Congress that’s enough.
The the world is broken.
It’s broken beyond repair.
That’s the bad news.
The good news that I have for you today is what is known as the gospel of the kingdom.
And you may say, “Well, I don’t know what.” Well, that give me a give me a few minutes. Let me see if I can explain it at least a little bit.
The gospel doesn’t take you out of the world or out of the crazy,
but it provides you with everything that you need to navigate through brokenness and
disappointment and pain and discouragement and despair and hopelessness
that you have already experienced or are going to experience in life.
The gospel of the kingdom is God’s good news.
The word kingdom is in the New Testament 162 times, mainly referred to by Jesus himself.
After his resurrection, scripture says that he appeared to people over a period of 40 days. And it
clearly says he spoke about the kingdom of God. In fact, I’m going to put the scripture up. It says after
his suffering, he appeared to them over 40 days and he spoke about what? Spoke about what?
Now, you may hear messages on faith, love, joy, peace. All of that’s good.
But I want you to know that the central message of Christ is the message of his kingdom.
Scripture often refers to the message of the kingdom as the gospel of the kingdom.
Mark chapter 1 says, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee.” What was he preaching?
Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
The word gospel literally means good news.
Can you say that with me? Good news. Can you say it again? Good news.
Can you turn to a neighbor and say, “Good news.” Jesus came bringing to a broken world
the message of good news. He came proclaiming an optional way of life.
other than the Roman way, the Greek way, the Pharisee way, the Sadducee way. Th
those are those were Jewish religions and sex. He came he came proclaiming an option, a different way.
He preached that God is a good God.
See, they had taken ten commandments and in their zeal to be in control, they had turned it into 613 rules.
I’m talking about the Jewish religion.
Jesus came proclaiming that God is good and he encouraged people to have faith in God.
That God is a God who wants to bless us.
that he hears and answers prayer, that he forgives our sins, that every person matters to him.
Jesus said, “I’ve come that you might have life.” He said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I came
that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Let me tell you what else he said. He said that salvation is not gained by by being good enough
but rather by faith in the perfect and finished work of Jesus who conquered sin and death. This is the
gospel. He proclaimed that we are in right standing with God. We are justified with God just as if we never
sin. We are favored. We are blessed. We have victory over the world. The promise of eternal life through him.
Somebody shout good news.
Come on. Is anybody thankful for the gospel of the kingdom? Can you clap your hands right now?
Secondly, let me tell you this. The gospel of the kingdom is for everyone.
A lot of people don’t realize how unique and intentional the gospel is in its inclusiveness.
The world that Jesus stepped into was segregated.
Nationalities, ethnicities, people groups keeping to themselves.
The Bible refers to the separation as walls of hostility.
You ever felt like you see that around town today at work?
Anybody? I I’ve been there. I’ve seen walls of hostility. Yeah, that’s what the Bible calls the
separation, segregating, bias of different people groups.
And the scripture says that Jesus tore down the walls that separated people.
I’m talking about the gospel of the kingdom. That’s right.
I said, I’m talking about the gospel of the kingdom.
In the in the first few years after the resurrection, the kingdom grew and people from every walk of life, Romans,
Greeks, Jews, Ethiopia, Ethiopians,
people from Syria, Malta, Morocco, Southeast Asia, common people, poor
people, rich people, outcast, upper class in the year, listen to me, this is
pretty amazing, in the year 40 AD, which was if Jesus died in 33,
7 years after, it’s estimated that there were about 50,000 believers. Some say as low as
five, high in 50 by 40 AD. But here’s the profound amazing thing
is by the year 300 AD, 250 years later,
there were over 5 million Christians. Five.
Talk about growth.
You know why? Is because no longer was religion or or the gospel just put into
one group of people. It was for everyone.
And God made sure that the disciples knew that. He made sure that they understood. He appeared in visions. He
had big talks with people like Simon Peter. You probably heard of him. and said, “Don’t you dare call what I call clean unclean?
And don’t you dare call what I call common uncommon.” Like, “Do not dare try
to separate and segregate the people that are my people. The gospel is for
everyone.” And today people all over the world are citizens of this kingdom.
If you have issues with people of different race, then you have issues with God
and the gospel of the kingdom.
Thirdly, the gospel of the kingdom is the foundation of life and family.
Everybody ready?
Some of you ready to not not be happy with me?
No apology. The gospel is pro-life.
The gospel is pro- marriage. The gospel is pro- family.
The gospel places high value on you.
The gospel places high value on your marriage.
The gospel places high value on your children.
God knew you before you were born.
I’m talking about the gospel of the kingdom. I’m not talking about what the opinions of a friend is. I’m not talking
about what the world will tell you. I’m just talking about the gospel of the kingdom. God knew you before you were
born. You were made and and I’ve been made in the image and the likeness of God.
This is the gospel.
And the family is under attack today because the family
is the first institution established by God as the foundation for the health and well-being of society.
Think about that.
When the family breaks down, crime goes up.
We can’t build prisons and jails to accommodate
because when the family breaks down, we have weward sons and daughters,
sons and daughters without direction and guidance and parenting in their life.
When the family breaks down, poverty goes up, abuse goes up,
gender confusion happens, role confusion happens.
We’re now living in a world that denies absolute truth.
I want you to look at a quote by GK Chesterton. It goes like this. It
says, “When men stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing. They believe in anything.”
Let it let it sink in because maybe you’re like me. You’re like, “How can people believe this stuff?
How how does Facebook with a straight face say there’s 58 genders?
58 gender options.
H how do you? Because when people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing. They’ll believe in anything.
Our government is supposed to promote and protect the family.
But instead, government joins hands with the enemy who has come to steal.
kill and destroy.
Who has come to steal, kill, and destroy? Please think about what I’m saying to you today. Is what
we’re doing taking us to a place of life?
I’m talking about in the world and the decisions we’re making taking us into a place of blessing and prosperity and
clarity and direction for our life and our family. Is it creating legacy?
Is it giving hope? Is it giving us truth?
The answer is absolutely no. But it’s not just people. Satan is real.
The enemy has come. He’s still doing what he’s always done.
He steals. He kills. And he destroys.
And I know I know the government puts laws into effect to undermine family, to redefine family, try to replace family.
But let’s not just be mad at the government. Let’s look beyond that and see what is really going on in our world
today. Is that there is a colliding of kingdoms.
The kingdom of God is colliding with the kingdoms of the world.
Jesus came to give life, abundant life even in the middle of a fallen world where things are chaotic and crazy.
Jesus came with good news.
Can I talk a little bit more to parents for a minute?
Parents, your family is way too important and your children matter way too much to be passive about doing life in the community of the church.
I’m telling you, there is no other place to go.
The one positive thing that’s happening around the world right now is it’s all being melted down to one clear option.
And that is the gospel of the kingdom.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will stand forever. That’s what God’s declared. Make sure, parents, that
the that the kingdom is the foundation of your family.
Make sure that you’re aware that the enemy is trying everything he can to move in to our children at a very very
young age and to set up residence in their mind. Make sure you understand and don’t just blow it off or say, “Oh, come
on. You’re dramatizing it. You’re over.” No, no, no, no, no, no. If you don’t understand this yet, then you don’t you
don’t read very much and you don’t see very much. Ask somebody to help you out.
This is not five years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago. Things have shifted in our world today. And and there is an
allout attack on our children to confuse our children, to sexualize our children.
Parents, don’t let it happen to your kids.
Last point, the gospel of the kingdom is of first importance.
So, let me read and show you the scripture just so a couple of them actually. The apostle Paul after the resurrection he wrote this. He said
brothers and sisters I want to remind you of the gospel that I preached to you which you received and on which you have taken your stand.
By this gospel you are saved if you hold firmly to the word that I preached to you.
Otherwise you believed in vain.
Now, many of you can tell he’s leaning in.
He’s not he’s not mixing words. He’s not taking a chance on not being understood.
And here’s the next line. For what I received, I passed on to you
as of first importance.
that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scripture.
I I want to talk to all of you today, including those who would just say, “I’m a Christian,”
but you’re not active in your faith. I I want to include you in these comments.
Our first obligation is not to culture.
Our first obligation is not to the racial, cultural or gender identity of any group.
Our first obligation is not to maintain family traditions of religion or party politics.
Our first obligation is not to keep in sync with longtime friends and maintain their approval.
CS Lewis said this. He said, “You can’t get second things by putting them first.
You get second things only by putting first things first.” Now, think with me for a moment.
Because when I say what I just said in the last minute and a half, 90 seconds, two minutes, some of you went on the inside.
You went, you’re trying so hard to get happy.
You’re trying so hard to get accepted.
You’re trying so hard to fit in, have friends. Just think about it for a moment.
If you put your happiness first, it’s guaranteed that a 100% guaranteed that you won’t be happy.
Why? Because happiness is not a first thing.
And when you try to make second things first things, you miss out on both things.
If you like if you if you want to be liked by everyone or even a specific peer group
of people and and if that’s of first importance to you, you you will be miserable and you will be liked by fewer people.
It’s just the way it works.
Jesus explained it like this. He said, “But seek first
the kingdom of God.
Seek first his plan, his purpose, what he says, his will.”
And then he said, “And all these other things will be added to you.
The whole context of scripture is it’s worded like this. It’s that he started his message by saying don’t
worry about your life, what you will wear, what you will eat.
Don’t don’t worry about second things and don’t put them first.
But here’s what you do if you want the best life this side of eternity is that you seek first
the kingdom of God.
And then all those things that you’re reaching for, you’re trying to get that gets added in.
You you find better friends than you have before. God makes sure that all the desires of your heart, he finds the
right people the right time, the right way, the right if you put first things first.
See, I it’s like it’s like a what’s called
syntax in linguistics. It’s called syntax.
And some of you Especially those of you in education, you know what I’m talking about. But but it’s, you know, I if you
take a sentence and use the same exact words and you just change the order, it comes out the outcome is totally different.
Like like if you say the dog hit the car, that’s a whole lot different word
picture in your mind than the car hit the dog.
Same words, different order changes outcomes.
I’m not here on this Easter to tell you not to want good things for your family.
I’m not here to tell you to not desire the best life possible here.
In fact, I’m hopefully just helping you to actually get it straight so that you can experience that.
I’m not here to try to rob you of joy in your marriage and take away the the greatness of being with your kids and
having a legacy that you’re proud of and you’re thankful for and a closeness and a bond with your children. It’s quite the opposite.
I’m simply saying to you today that syntax matters. I said syntax matters.
You don’t change the order of things and expect the same outcome.
And you know the dog the dog is actually a lot better off when the dog hit the car.
He might have shook his head a little bit. Whoa, what was that, right? But that’s a whole different outcome.
Back to Humpty Dumpty just for a moment. The condition of fallen humanity.
As many people know, I spoke real candidly and direct and clear about current issues that are facing us today.
And I I did it again today.
And I’ve had people say to me like I mean I know it makes some people uncomfortable when I just say any little
thing like about current events and they call it politics. I call it morality.
Come on. So, so I know I know I know and sometimes I’m asked why why do you say what you say?
And I’m going to tell you why today.
Because I believe that the truth will save people.
Trust me, I don’t do it so people will all be happy. My popularity’s probably gone down definitely with some people.
But I believe that the truth will set men free.
And I believe that truth will triumph.
I believe in a world that’s fallen and broken and filled with chaos and confusion that the only hope is truth.
That’s right.
The only source of light, clarity, and salvation for us and our children is truth.
And the gospel is synonymous with the truth. The gospel
is the bedrock of all truth.
And we’re called to speak the truth in love, not speak lies in love.
Speak truth in love.
And for all of you who again might wonder, can I just tell you lies don’t help anyone.
They don’t save anyone and they hurt everyone.
And if you’re a Christian and you’ve been away from church, I’m asking you to come back to the church.
It it it doesn’t it doesn’t have to be champion sinner,
but let today be the beginning of a new Sunday habit for you in your life.
And dad and mom, if you want to honor the cross, be part of the church that Jesus loves and died for.
Come on, let’s give the Lord a great big hand. And let’s thank him.
Come on, let’s thank him for the gospel
Jesus.
Oh, the world. Oh, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus.
Oh,
thank you Jesus.
I’m going to lead you in a prayer of salvation, a prayer of new beginnings. And I’m not
sure who I’m talking to, but somebody is at a crossroads in your life.
And you may not realize it, but you’re not here by coincidence. And the way you got here was not happen stance.
It was orchestrated by God because he wants you to be part of his family.
And he wants he wants you to experience the life he came to give you. And so I’m going to ask everyone who would to join
me in this simple prayer. And I’m going to ask you to include yourself. Even if you haven’t prayed in a long time or
ever, if you want to go God’s way, I’m just going to invite you to join us in
this prayer. Everybody say with me, Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, welcome to my world. Welcome to my world.
I ask you to come into my life. to forgive me of all my sin.
Forgive me of all my s and to make me a new person.
I believe I believe that you died you died and that you rose again. You rose again.
And I receive I receive your gift your gift of eternal life. eternal life.
And I boldly declare I boldly declare
I’ll never be the same again. In Jesus name.
I want to be the first to welcome all of you.
In fact, in fact, let me do this. If you just prayed that prayer and you got a new life, why don’t you let us all know in the room right now just by putting a
hand up in the air. Come on, put your hand up high. Come on, put your hands up high.
Yes. Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome.
All over the room today, we welcome you to the family of God. God bless you.