Church Services That Weaken Believers part 2: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:00 Second, Hebrews 9:14, “The blood of Christ purges our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” You say, “Well, I feel guilty. You know, I I I feel guilty. I listen, buck up.” When you take communion, the blood of Christ will what? Cleanse your conscience. Guiltiness is gone. Amen. Is that scripture? It’s not only scripture, but that’s what God does. This is the effect it has. Ephesians 1:7, we have redemption. That means ransom. God paid a price for you. He paid his life for you. You are his property. You know, when you buy something and you put money into it, how many you know you take care of it? Yeah.

▶ 0:58 And God gave the ultimate price for you. So is he just going to put you on a shelf and let you rust away? No way. He’s going to polish you, clean you up, make sure your mechanisms are working when a guy gets a highowered rifle that they love, you know, and and by God help women that have like have men that love guns and they clean, polish, shine that thing, and they going out to the range shooting it and everything else. And when they do go hunting, let me tell you, that deer don’t have a chance. That gun is accurate. That gun is ready. And bam, that deer gone. Not like me going and shooting a spray of shots trying to hoping I hit that deer and hoping my gun cuz I’ve never cleaned the thing or anything. I’m hoping this thing works. [clears throat] You get the point?

▶ 1:50 See, God purchased you. He’s going to take care of you. He’s going to polish you. He’s going to clean you. He’s going to use you for his purpose. You have a purpose. And he’s not going to let a thief get you. Are you there? Very powerful. You’re ransomed. You’re not your own. And the forgiveness of sin. Now, if God forgives us when we ask him to forgive us, shouldn’t we forgive oursel? Do you know I meet so many people that don’t forgive themsel? Well, I’m just a scatter brain. I’m just a flea on the dog. You know, you’re not. You’re a son of God. You’re kings in this earth.

▶ 2:41 And he’s going to equip you and fashion you so you can be that king. That son of God, that power in the earth, he’s going to forgive you when you make mistakes. But you got to ask him. Amen. Powerful. Very, very powerful. Now, eating the Lord’s supper unworthily. Verse 27, 1 Corinthians 11. Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup unworthily shall be guilty of the body and the blood which is the new covenant of the Lord. Unworthy means unfit, disrespectful, shameful.

▶ 3:36 It’s only used three times in the Bible and two times right here. Guilty means you’re on the wrong side of the law and you’re liable to punishment from violating that law. Now, he’s using some strong words here, church. Are we hearing them? If we eat this communion table, the body and blood of Christ, unworthily, unfit, we will be guilty, liable to the punishment. God’s got to correct us. Hallelujah. Let a man examine his neighbor. Let a man examine his wife.

▶ 4:31 Let the kids examine their their parents. No, it doesn’t say that. But we sure read it into there. We go around examining everybody around and we forget to look in the mirror and start with ourselves. Let a man what? Examine himself. Let a person, he’s not talking about a male here. It’s a person. A lot of times men in the Bible is just talking about a person, human being. And that word examine means to test themselves, to prove themsel, to scrutinize themsel, to recognize whether they’re genuine or not. It’s not the pastor’s job. It’s not my wife’s job. It’s my job to honestly look at myself and see if I have violated the communion table of the blood and the body of Christ.

▶ 5:37 For he who eats and drinks unworthily, disrespectfully, shamefully, unfit, eats and drinks damnation or punishment to himself. Wow. I’ve only been in one church that brought this out while communion was being served. And ask the people before you drink, make sure you examine yourself, make sure that things are right between you and God and you and people. Only one church, and all the places I’ve went, only one church brought this out cuz the church don’t like anything to do with punishment and correction. We just want a God that loves us no matter what. Just whatever. And God says, “No, that isn’t my way.

▶ 6:31 I will correct you.” And he has two reasons for correction. For you and for those that are looking at his church. He has to let the world know that doesn’t believe in him that he does correct his people. Or else he couldn’t judge them on judgment day. How’s he going to send people to hell on judgment day when he lets his people freely get away with it because they just believe? You got it? Now they do not discern. They do not understand clearly clearly see the Lord’s body. All right? For [clears throat] this reason, listen at this. Many are weak, many are sick among you, and many sleep. Now, is he talking about snoring? No. He’s talking about dead.

▶ 7:24 But he used the word sleep. And that’s important. And I want to show you this. Why is it important that he used the word sleep instead of death? We know he’s talking about death because we know how it’s used. But why did he use the word sleep? This very important to you. Okay. Are you learning anything this morning? It is. This is why Paul used the power of the cross, the power of Christ, and the power of the gospel to transform the Corinthian city. Okay. Now 1 Corinthians 10:16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ. Can we say yes? We just read it. Yeah. We’re fellowshipping, partnership with the new covenant of Christ. Got it? When we take the cup, we are taking the new covenant and reminding ourselves of that new covenant.

▶ 8:19 We’re participating in it. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? We agree. The body, the body that rent the veil into, but not just that body. Remember, he broke the bread and gave it to each one, didn’t he? That’s the body he’s talking about here. For we being what? Many are one bread and one what? Body. Oh, other believers are the body of Christ. I’m just part of them. And so when I’m taking of the bread, I’m partaking. I’m being in partnership. I’m being in fellowship with the many membered body of Christ as well as the body of Christ that rent the veil into and brought me into the presence of God.

▶ 9:20 Do you get it? Got it? Two things. The body that rent the veil, the many membered body of Christ says it plainly, doesn’t he? Now you go back there and say he who eats unworthily, disrespectfully, shamefully. Now we understand we may be going into the presence of God but treating our brother badly. And there’s a problem because they’re the body of Christ. See, if I don’t respect my brother, I don’t care what level of Christianity he’s at. If I don’t respect them, I’m in trouble here. 1 John 4:20, if a man say, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a what?

▶ 10:11 Oh my Lord. He just said it plainly, didn’t he? Man, John, don’t mess around like Paul. Paul kind of, you know, lead you in and get you. Paul, John, just bam, you’re a liar. You look down on your brother, you detest your brother. Catholics, how many know Catholics can be saved? They can be part of the body of Christ. It depends on their relationship with Christ. Isn’t that true? It’s true, folks. I’ve preached in the Catholic church. I’ve mingled with Catholics before, and I found some very fine Christians over there. And let me tell you, a lot of you have been to their hospitals and you didn’t complain. They got some fine hospitals all over the world.

▶ 11:07 They don’t ask you your religion when you come in. And let me tell you another thing. Through the dark ages, they kept the Bible alive before the printing press come along. They tenaciously handwrote the scriptures and kept the scriptures alive for us and available. Yeah, they had their problems, but so do Protestants. Do you know the Southern Baptist Church started over slavery? They accepted slavery. Did you know that? Southern Methodists did. How many know that’s not right? How many you know we can’t punish the Southern Baptists today for a mistake they made yesterday? Yeah, they were the biggest denomination in America, Southern Baptists. They also accepted this uh separate but equal. You know, you couldn’t if you were black, you couldn’t get into the white Baptist church.

▶ 12:01 That’s the bottom line. You had to have a building on the property out here and you blacks worship God out here. You guys know this stuff, don’t you? But we want to attack the Catholic Church. And they were wrong. The Inquisition and all that was wrong. But we have our own problems. Those Protestants are not innocent, are we? We complain about the priest being pedophiles and violating these kids. I know all kinds of Baptist ministers that have done it. Are you there? They didn’t make the headlines like others, but let me tell you, I’m I I get around. I’m involved with these folks. Incest. Us Protestants, we have the same problem as everybody else and we got to clean our act up.

▶ 12:54 Could that be an amen? But somewhere we’ve got to respect people for their relationship with Christ no matter what tag is outside the door. Amen. Now that does that mean we approve them? No, don’t approve them. But how you going to help people if you segregate yourself from them? He that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment have we from him that he who loves God loves his brother also. You see, and it starts right here in the local church. Do you respect everybody? Do you accept them? You may not approve them. They may be at the tiniest baby stage.

▶ 13:46 They may be drug addicts and alcoholics and they use profanity like a truck driver and everything else, but they got one thing. They’ve accepted Christ. They’ve accepted his death on the cross and they’re pursuing him. And then you got these big mouths. Yeah. Gosh, they never know how to keep their mouth shut. And they are not baby Christians. They’re just undisiplined. But they’re saying, “And we got to help what?” Nurture and cause each other to grow. Amen, church. Acts 8:3, Saul made havoc of the church, entering in every house, hailing men and women, and committing them to prison. Acts 9, Saul still threatening and slaughtering the disciples of the Lord.

▶ 14:42 I mean, how low and mean and can you go? [clears throat] Acts 8:3, Acts 9:1, Acts 9:4. Here comes Jesus. He comes to Saul personally with bright shining light, blinded his eyes. Some of us need blinded so we know that we need God to open our eyes. And a lot of us, as Jesus said, we think we see. And when we say we see, that’s when we’re blind. He opens our eyes to see. And when you say, “I don’t understand the scriptures,” that is your first step to getting understanding, but you got to apply yourself and read them and so forth and get in Bible studies. And so God comes to Saul and says, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And Saul said, “Well, who are you, Lord?

▶ 15:36 Who are you?” And he says, “I am Jesus whom you’re persecuting.” And then he was made blind. Now, who was Paul persecuting? I’ve told you this before. He was persecuting the church, the many membered body of Christ. And Paul, I mean, Christ when he when he addresses Saul says, “That’s me. The church is me. The many members of believers is me. And when you mistreat them, you’re mistreating me. Do we see that? Hallelujah. Don’t mess around with God’s people. I’m telling you, don’t mess around. He will correct you and you won’t like it, but you’d rather have the correction than the loss of eternal life.

▶ 16:31 Could that be true? Correction’s fine. Now, Acts 5:4, “Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? There you’ve not lied to men, but to God.” And Ananas and his wife later, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost. What does giving up the ghost mean? They died. Right there, they lied. They said they sold property for a certain amount and didn’t. They held it back. And they come to Peter and said, you know, we’ve did this. And Paul says, “Why have you lied to the Holy Spirit? Why have you lied to Jesus Christ? You’re going to die. He’s going to show the whole church you can’t lie. And the Bible says great fear fell on the I mean know that would bring great fear. People say God wouldn’t do that. He did it right here over a little lie like you know saying I sold the property for this amount and I didn’t.

▶ 17:26 Yes. When it is needful to wake up his church, he’s going to get it done. Remember, some are asleep already. They’re weak. They’re sick and they’re asleep already. Well, here’s two that went to sleep quick. Are you with me? God does discipline. Church, David stronger and stronger. 2 Samuel 3:1. And the house of Saul waxed what? Weak and weaker. Why? Because Saul disobeyed the word of God. See, Saul went and inquired of witches. Saul did things wrong. And so what? God kept making him weaker and weaker. And the one that was following God, he kept making him stronger and stronger until finally God had Saul killed in battle and got rid of the problem because Saul wouldn’t change.

▶ 18:25 Are you hearing Paul today? You see Romans 14:1, him that is weak in the faith receive. Some people are weak in the faith. Paul is saying because you don’t discern the Lord’s body is one of the reasons you’re weak. You attack people with your mouth. You you ignore people. If you don’t like them, you you don’t go around them. You got your little click. God says, “I don’t like that.” So you’re not going to be strong to wake you up to change that. Hallelujah. I’m glad I’m sure you’re glad you came to church today. This is the message the church don’t like to hear. They got this fantasy that no matter what they do, God just loves them to death and going to bless their socks off.

▶ 19:17 And they don’t understand why their anger has not been conquered. Why they’re an emotional basket case? Why they are sick? Why they are weak? They don’t, you know, because they just they’re facing their faith and they don’t look how am I treating other people? How am I treating the church of God? 2 Samuel 14 12:14 rather. By this deed you have given great occasion, this is David, to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. The child that is born unto you shall surely die, and I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And and the New Testament reiterates this and reminds us of this. A lot of times our kids are rebellious because of our problems.

▶ 20:21 And David, God caused David’s own sons to rise up against him. And the baby that was born to Bathsheba died so that the enemies of God would know that God did not allow that. He corrected his people. Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s that’s just good common sense. If we don’t have a God that can show that he has power on earth, not only to bless his people, but correct them, we have a worthless God. I don’t know about you, but through my lifetime of Christianity, I need correction. I needed adjustments. And you have to accept them and give into them when they come. 2 Chronicles 21:18, God smoked Jehoram in his bowels with an incurable disease because he seduced God’s people to sin.

▶ 21:19 So God came and allowed Satan to smite him with a disease in the bowels that in the process of time his whole belly just split open. Oh me. I don’t I’m going to say hallelujah and amen. Oh me. [clears throat] And see Paul’s reminding us that God corrects. He loves us. That’s why he corrects us. Ezekiel 14:20. Though Noah, David, and Job, I remember Daniel and Job were there, they would deliver neither son nor daughter, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness. When I send my four serious judgment, painful judgments on Jerusalem. The four is the sword, wars, famine, economic problems, lack of food, drought, uh wild beast, and pestilence.

▶ 22:20 Wild beast is acts of God. It’s part of the volcanoes and the hurricanes and all the rest to cut off man and beast from the earth. He said, “These three perfect men, righteous men, would only deliver themselves by what? Their righteousness. I’m going to come and I’m going to correct those who aren’t living righteous.” Hallelujah. That’s why America right now needs to address the immorality of America. It could change our economic problem much faster,. Right? If we would recognize that God is in the affairs of men. And he’s just wanting us to do right. [clears 1 Thessalonians throat] 4:14, them also which sleep in Christ will God bring with him.

▶ 23:16 Now, I told you, you need to understand this word sleep. You noticed Paul said that they [clears throat] are weak, they are sickly, and they are asleep. They’re dead. But the word sleep means you’re going to what? Wake up. You’re not going to stay dead. Now see the unbeliever, he uses this as death because they die two deaths. They die physically and they die spiritually. We die what? One death. We die physically and we live. We wake up when that trumpet blows and Christ COMES IN THE CLOUDS. WE COME OUT OF THE GRAVE. MAN, WE WAKE UP. BUT THE UNBELIEVER dies the second time in the lake of fire.

▶ 24:08 The second death. The unrighteous. Are you understanding this? See, it’s important that we understand he uses the right word here because he’s out to correct, not separate, not you know, excommunicate you. He’s out to what? Correct. And just because he comes and he makes us weak or he you know and and we get weak and through this process and we get sickly and you know and and we get emotionally messed up and all this doesn’t mean God has given up on us. He’s just trying to what? Correct us. And if we die before our time it isn’t that we’re going to go to hell. It’s that’s part of the correction God used not only to correct us but those what?

▶ 25:04 Who saw you needed correction. Listen folks, I’ve seen people die early. Believers that really love God because they mistreated the people of God. I’ve seen it in my own lifetime. Don’t think this is New Testament stuff. You cannot mistreat God’s people and say you love Jesus. Could that be an amen? John 11:11, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.” If he sleeps, his disciple says he does well.

▶ 25:56 And then Jesus turned to him and said, “Listen, you dummy.” No, he didn’t say dummies. That’s just, you know, that’s my little thrown in thing. What’s the matter with you bird brain? He’s dead. You know, he’s gone. He’s gone. He left this world. He’s dead. But he used sleep. Why? Cuz he is going to bring Lazarus back. It’s not a permanent death. And neither is our death. Even in the chastening, it’s not a permanent death. Do you understand that? It’s important you understand that. 1 Corinthians 15:51, “We shall not all sleep, but all shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye.” You see, we’re going to come out of the grave. As I told you before, Acts 13:36, David, after serving his own generation by the will of God, fell what?

▶ 26:53 Asleep. Okay. One of those people that was resurrected when Jesus was resurrected was who? David. You see, David had a temporary death. He’s going to come back to life. And we need to understand that God is simply correcting his people, not banishing them to hell. Hallelujah. He loves us, folks. And he loves the world. And if he doesn’t correct the church, the world has nothing to be drawn to. Whoever eats this bread, verse 27, eating the Lord’s supper unworthily and drinks this cup unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood and the covenant of the Lord. And many are weak and sick and many sleep because of that.

▶ 27:50 1 Corinthians 11:31, “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” And these people are always saying, “Judge not, lest you be not judged. Don’t judge me.” Well, and we’ve heard Paul say, “Yes, judge. Make judgments.” Why? We need to know what’s right and wrong. And here he says, “Judge yourself and you won’t be what? Judged. If you don’t judge yourself, what do you leave for the rest of us to do? Yeah, you’re an alcoholic. You’re an alcoholic. What were we supposed to do? Close our eyes and say, “Man, he he don’t even drink. Are you there? You know, you got a problem with your temper. What are we supposed to do? Just sit there and go, “Oh, no. That’s the kindest man you ever seen?” No, we have to make a decision. That guy is a loose goose.

▶ 28:45 He don’t have self-control. He loses his temper. We got to make the right decision. I don’t need my kids around a guy like that. I have to make a judgment. I need my kids around somebody with a meek and quiet spirit and be an example to them. I who am a senior Christian can be around a guy and it won’t affect me. But I have to remind him, you know, that’s that’s something you got to deal with, my friend. You got to deal with that. God’s going to get you. [clears Malachi 3:8, throat] you robbed me in tithes and offerings. Obey and I will rebuke the devour for your sakes. He shall not destroy the fruits of your fruits of your ground, nor your vine cast forth before its fruit before the time.

▶ 29:38 All nations will call you blessed, and you shall be a delightsome land. See, Satan is God’s destroyer, God’s devourer. And when I pay my tithes and offerings, as simple as that is, giving God a tenth of my income, then God what? Rebuke. He corrects the devour. He doesn’t correct me. But when I don’t honor God with my finances, then he lets Satan come and what? Take those finances that I wouldn’t give him in the first place. Are you there? You say tithe and yeah, the little thing. Remember God says if you’re faithful in the little thing, God will give you what? The great things, the real riches.

▶ 30:31 And as small as tithes and offering is, God says, “Yes, if you don’t honor that principle, I will correct you. Satan will be allowed to come and through accidents and whatever that money is going to be taken from you with interest.” You say, “I don’t like this kind of preaching.” This is what the American church needs to hear. That we serve a real God. And he loves his people so much that he does correct them so that they are a light to the world. And God shows the world that he deals with his people that sin. Hagi 217.

▶ 31:22 I smoke you with blasting, mildew, and hell, yet you turn not to me. Psalm 78:34, not 3:44, 34. When he slew them, then they what? Sought him and returned after God. Somebody told me that there’s no hope. America cannot turn around. The church in America cannot turn around. And I said, “That is not scripturally true.” Because God has an ultimate weapon. He has a nuclear bomb. He has an atomic bomb. He’s got something that’s just going to shake the gizzards of this world. And that is when he brings plagues or wars, they’re going to turn to me cuz they’re going to realize they need me. Their medical doctors can’t do it.

▶ 32:14 Their armies can’t do it. They need me. And folks, that’s what we saw at 9/11. The churches were filled. With religious people praying. Now wait till the next one comes. They were only in church about three months. Wait till the next one comes. Let me tell you, God can get this world’s attention. He [clears throat] knows how to do it. Don’t ever limit your God. But how many of you know this is not the way to find God? No. Just seek him. Just serve him. It’s enjoyable. It’s great. What the problem? So, you got to give up a few of your under your unrestrained lifestyles. It’s going to destroy you in the end anyway. All he’s asking you to do is give up things that’s going to hurt you. He ain’t asking you to give up anything that’s good for you.

▶ 33:10 Just serve him. And when God deals with the rest of the world, you will get very little effects of that discipline. That’s scriptural. I ain’t got time to show you that. [clears Verse 32. Throat] But when we are judged, we are chasened. What? Chasened, disciplined, corrected by the Lord. You see, why does he bring witness to correct you? Why weaknesses? Why does he bring sickness? To correct you. Why does he bring death early? To correct you and correct those around you. So that they know not to do that outlandish thing that we may not be what? Condemned and punished with the man.

▶ 34:01 Hallelujah. Oh I can handle that. Hallelujah. You see why does he do this? So, we don’t get the second death that we’re not condemned with the world. [sighs Hallelujah. And gasps] Folks, this is a great God. But you have to recognize your faults. You have to admit them. And you have to turn from them. You see, that’s when the blessings of God come. Isn’t that a beautiful God? Yes. And I guarantee you, I’ve watched it all my Christian life. I’ve kept notes. And he gets them. Let me tell you, he gets them. I’ve watched him get them for decades.

▶ 34:52 I kept records of it. And this Bible is true. Believers or non-believers, these flagrant non-believers, they get punished just like we do. Why? Because he wants them to turn to him, not be condemned with the world. Man, I like that. Hallelujah. He’s out for my good. 1 Corinthians 5:5, deliver him to Satan. Remember, for the destruction of the flesh, so the spirit may be what? Saved in the day of the Lord. Hebrews 12:6, whom the Lord loves, he what? Chastens, and he scourges, beats every son whom he receives. Verse 10 of Hebrews 12, God chasens us for our what? Profit. He corrects us and disciplines us for our profit that we might be partakers of his what?

▶ 35:46 Holiness. Why does he want us to live holy in this world? Because that is the being of the light to the world. And they ask and inquire of the hope that is within us. When we live like they do, we’re not a light to the world. [clears. Hebrews 12:11, throat] “No chastening seemed joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of what?” righteousness. Yeah, we don’t like to go through these things. And so, the faster we restrain ourselves, the shorter the chasening. Do you understand? This is really good stuff. Now, you know, don’t be looking at yourself if you get the flu or something. Oh my God, God’s chasing me. Ah, we got to get balanced.

▶ 36:43 Oh, I had a car accident. Oh, God’s punishing me. God’s chasing me. What did I do wrong? Listen, accidents happen. Sicknesses come. But you know when it’s God, when he brings that correction, he is dealing with your conscience. Changing you and you recognize it and you hear it and you say, “Yes, Lord, I got it.” Hallelujah. God help us Christians to be balanced. Isn’t that true? [clears throat] So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait. Wait for each other. You see what they were doing? They were mistreating the body of Christ. Wait means to terry. Wait means to expect, accept, and reach out to receive.

▶ 37:40 And in this case, it’s your brother. And they weren’t doing that. They weren’t accepting. They weren’t expecting this brother to grow. They weren’t reaching out to them. Let me show you how the word is used in other places. John 5:3, the important folks waiting, expecting, reaching out to receive and accepting for the moving of the water. What were they wanting to be done? Healed. They were waiting for something to happen. They were expecting something to happen. Say, we’ve got to expect our brother to change. Not waiting for time to go by. It’s waiting expecting God to touch them. Acts 17:6, Paul waited for them.

▶ 38:31 Both Silas and Timothy at a at Athens. He expected them to come and they arrived and he what? Receive them. James 5:7, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth. He has long patience for it until he receives the early and latter rain. He doesn’t see anything. The He’s got seed in the ground, but nothing’s there. Doesn’t bother him at all. Why? He has expectation. He knows it’s going to grow and at the end there’s going to be fruit. And that’s how we got to look at one another. You may be shallow. You may be a baby. You may be below a baby in Christianity, but the Bible tells us that you’re going to grow. He’s going to finish the good work in you. I’m going to love you. I’m going to receive you. I’m going to accept you. So then, my brothers, wait for each other. If one is hungry, let him eat at home. So that when you meet together, it may not be in the result of judgment.