Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: James, chapter five in verse 19. I'm excited we're going to close out the Book of James. We began this journey at the beginning of the year, and today we're going to wrap it up. And I think there's a wonderful challenge commission that comes to each and every one of us. James 519 says this brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
[00:00:35] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:00:36] Speaker A: We're going to pray and ask the Lord to speak to us through His Word this morning, to give us wisdom and revelation. Come on, let's just ask Him for that now. Lord, I just do. I come before you. I thank you for your word. I thank you that it is light, it's life, its instruction, its correction, and rebuke where we need it. So, Lord, I pray that Your Word would accomplish all that you desire it to this morning. Speak to our hearts and change our lives. Holy Spirit, I ask you to come. Pour out your spirit. Release an anointing.
[00:01:05] Speaker B: Now.
[00:01:06] Speaker A: Come on, church, help me pray. Pray with your spirit. Pray with Your understanding right now and ask the Lord to come and to anoint you. Lord, I pray for an anointing. Give us eyes that see and ears that hear in a heart a mind that perceives what your spirit is speaking. Jesus, I ask the very same anointing that was upon you to preach good news to those in need would rest upon me as well, almighty God, and I resist. I rebuke the hand of the enemy, he who would seek to distract, to distort, to confuse, or uproot Your Word as it comes forward. Lord, give us liberty in receiving all you have for us today, and we will be sure to give you all the glory. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray and everybody say Amen. Amen. You may be seated.
[00:01:53] Speaker B: Hallelujah.
[00:01:59] Speaker A: As we come now to the end of the Book of James, this has really, truly become one of my favorite series that I've ever preached. God's given me he's shown me a lot of things, things that I think are very helpful for our entire church and body.
You've talked about the power of words, the value of our prayer. We've even talked about the destructive power of criticism and slander. But one of the things I think it's very interesting that James ends on the note that he does, because for the last number of weeks, we've really dealt with the power of declarations that we make. Are you suffering? Pray.
Are you in victory? Are you overcoming praise? The Lord? Are you sick? Call for people, call for leaders to pray for you. Are you a leader that is being called on to pray? Boy, you better pray the prayer of faith. You better stand and believe that God is going to move as you pray. He talks about the power that as we confess our faults one to another, that God forgives us, that he sets us free and he restores us ayanama better than before. But what I love is he continues in this same line, really dealing with an idea that even if you know somebody who's fallen away from the Lord, if they've gone astray, if they're not where they're supposed to be, there's restoration for them, too.
There's healing for them, too. Even the most broken and lost situation you can imagine. There is restoration for those individuals. Everybody say restoration.
I'm going to come out the gate, really with the heart of the entire message. And this is it. God has a heart to restore people to him. That's really what it all comes down to. Doesn't matter how bad you backslid, how far you've run from God, even if you're blatantly rejecting God's heart and desire is to see people restored into relationship with him.
I'm telling you, I've watched even our senior leader, Dr. James Morocco, I've watched him model this better than probably any other leader that I've seen.
There was a time there was a young man in the church who was he was serving in the church. He was a part of various worship and dance ministries and all of this. And he, I mean, completely turned his back on the Lord, ran into the way of the world and went back to a lot of the things that God had once delivered him from. And dr. Morocco tells a story of how he heard on one occasion he was going through an area and heard that this young man was in a bar. And so he goes into this particular bar. Dr morocco goes into the bar. I don't know. Could you imagine you're sitting in the bar getting drunk after you've been like a leader in the church? You're with people. I mean, it's not like he's just hanging out. It's not like a sports bar restaurant. No, I mean it's like a bar. Bar. And he is acting way off. Okay. You imagine Dr. Morocco walking into the room.
That would freak you out, friend.
But he goes and he lovingly, encouragingly, brings him back, begins to exhort him and encourage him. He doesn't blast him, doesn't rebuke him, but he loves him. Literally back into the fold. This young man. I mean, I don't have time to tell you the whole story, but he ends up not only being completely restored in the Ministry but have I told you? Many of you would know who it is. But he didn't say the name, so I'm not going to say the name. But this young man is now a minister in our church. Leads one of the largest worship ministries within the church. God did a wonderful work because a leader was willing to go into a dark place and to see had a heart to restore this young man.
If you get anything out of the message today, I hope it's that some of you will capture that same kind of heart that as we see people wander from the truth, as we see individuals fall away from the lord, or they're shipwrecked in their marriage or go back to the addiction, whatever the situation may be. May we have a heart not to go and tell everybody about what's happened or well, I told you that's the path that they're I knew that they didn't really have it to begin with. May we get off of that area of pride and that kind of attitude and have a heart that says, lord.
[00:06:39] Speaker B: I'm going to go after them and in love.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: I want to see them restored. James says something very similar to the Book of Galatians, rather says something very similar to the Book of James in Galatians, chapter six and verse one, I want you all to take this to heart. This is very important for us to receive. I'm just declaring that even now we're moving into a season where the times of the holier than thou kind of attitude that so many in the church have is just flying out the window.
How many of you were once in a place of brokenness, be it sin or backslidden or your life was erect and somebody loved you enough to still come into your life and pray for you and be gracious to you? How many of you are thankful that there were people like that in your life? And how many of you think, I.
[00:07:32] Speaker B: Could be that for somebody else?
[00:07:34] Speaker A: That's what I'm praying for today. Galatians six one says this brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he himself is to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not another. So a couple things here. We need to have the attitude that doesn't say, I told you so if somebody ends up blowing it. But our desire is to restore them gently and to bear one another. I love the fact that he actually begins this conversation by saying, brethren, in james said the very same thing. Brothers, sisters, restore people, carry people fulfill the law of Christ in carrying and restoring one another. I mean, think about how you treat your family.
Think about how you treat your son or your daughter. I tell you, I have areas I can't say that I always have patience with them, because I don't. The Lord is helping me.
[00:08:57] Speaker B: Hallelujah.
[00:08:58] Speaker A: But how many understand that I am more gracious to them than just about anybody else is sitting in this room.
I mean, you have a grace for your family in a way that you don't have for anybody else.
They can talk back to you. And I'm telling you, if people in your life talked back to you, imagine a coworker talking back to you the way that sometimes your kids talk back to you.
You wouldn't deal with it, would you? You're like, no, you're dead to me. But you don't do that with your kids, right? Why? Because they're your kids. Because that's your family. And the Lord is encouraging us through scripture to love people the very same way, even if they're not your family.
That that person who talked bad about you, that person who hurt your feelings, that person who wounded you, guess what?
[00:09:49] Speaker B: That's your brother.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: That's your sister. And you're called to help carry burdens and see restoration and to see healing. Everybody needs to go back and listen to Bishop Hooks, the message that he preached on I think it was last Saturday night. You need to go online, find that message. He talks about how people get offended. Your little feelings get hurt and you leave the church.
[00:10:11] Speaker B: Stop that.
[00:10:13] Speaker A: Stop that. You're going to go somewhere else and your feelings are going to get hurt there, too. Just shake that stuff off. Begin to love people like they're your brothers and they're your sisters. Have the heart of Jesus to love one another. When Jesus says you fulfill the law of Christ, you realize what that means. When we restore people, when we gently love people, we're fulfilling the law of Christ.
Most of the law of Christ comes down to one thing.
Anybody know what the one thing is?
[00:10:45] Speaker B: Love. That's right.
[00:10:48] Speaker A: It's not about all the do's and don'ts, the 200 and whatever commandments that we have in the Old Testament. It's not about that. If you can get one commandment down, love the Lord and love people. If you can just love hallelujah. You're not going to struggle fulfilling any of the other commandments, because you're going to treat people right. You're going to talk about them right? You're going to love them back into the kingdom of God. And so we are going to be a people who fulfill the law of Christ. But notice what it says here, Galatians. It says, Consider yourself lest you also be tempted. If you think you're somebody but you're not, you're deceived. And then he says, Examine your own work. So if you're taking notes, I want you to write this down. You are a restorer.
Stay humble.
I want you to put that in quotes. Part of our assignment in the marching orders that James gives us today as we conclude the Book of James. Here's one of his final instructions. If you see people that are wandering from the truth, it's your job to be a restorer. But the Bible reminds us, check yourself, examine your own work, check your own heart, and beware lest you also be tempted? Friend. No. Today your marriage may be wonderful. Your kids are in the house of God. You're not prone to addiction. You're walking in freedom. Your emotions are wonderful. Hallelujah.
But there may be a time where.
[00:12:31] Speaker B: You'Re the one who'sick and needs prayer.
[00:12:34] Speaker A: Where your marriage is struggling, where you are the one who needs financial help, where you need somebody to pray with you about your prodigal children. Today you may be wonderful, but consider yourself lest you also be tempted.
[00:12:50] Speaker B: Are you hearing me today?
[00:12:51] Speaker A: You guys aren't talking very much. Do I need to tell another joke? I'm not going to do it, but.
[00:12:57] Speaker B: I need you to come on board with this.
[00:13:00] Speaker A: We are called to be restorers. We are called to be restorers. We're called to go after the most broken and the hurting situations and be those who will help carry the burden, bear the burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ. In fact, the Bible James has been talking about, and I want you to think about if you're on this list, okay? Because let me just give you some of the bullet points of what James has been dealing with over the last number of weeks.
He begins by talking about people who are hopeless. They've lost everything. They literally had to flee Israel, Jerusalem, because they were under severe persecution. Brothers and sisters were being killed and crucified, and so they had to leave. They were hopeless. James has dealt with people who lack faith. They are double minded. The Bible says they can't decide. Am I for God or am I against God?
James went on to talk about leaders who give preference to rich people over poor people. Poor people, you're going to sit on the dirt floor. Rich people, I'm going to give you a nice seat. He dealt with that. He talks about trials and tribulations. He talked about not just being a hearer of the Word, but also being a doer of the Word. And then he gets real heavy as you move into like chapters three and four. Starts talking about slander, starts talking about lying, starts talking about divisions, talking about living in bitterness and unforgiveness, talks about being worldly even to the point of becoming demonized. Yikes. He talks about pride. He talks about lust. He talks about murder. He talks about adultery, friendship with the world, wrestling against God, having a judgmental attitude. I mean, this is a heavy list right here, and that's just a couple chapters out of James. How many of you have been on that list at one time or another? How many of you still on that list? Maybe even a couple times. Hallelujah. We all find ourselves there. But here is the bottom line. I think it's so interesting that James has spent five chapters talking about watch out for this and watch out for this and guard this.
[00:15:11] Speaker B: And then he ends, restore people.
[00:15:17] Speaker A: Restore people.
[00:15:19] Speaker B: Because, you know, a liar, you know.
[00:15:22] Speaker A: An adulterer, you know, someone whose words bring division. You know, maybe it's you at times that are filled with pride or with arrogance. But our heart, friend, it's not that we need to kick them out of the church or I need to call them out on their sin or I'm going to bring this to the old prayer team that you just need to know about what Brother So and So is going through. We're not doing that.
[00:15:43] Speaker B: We're not doing that.
You're a restorer.
[00:15:47] Speaker A: You're a restorer, and you do so with all humility, realizing, God, you've saved me from a lot, and there's going to be moments in the future I still need saving. And I'm going to be thankful that I set the tone that our heart is to restore people gently and in love and bringing them back into relationship with Jesus. Tell your neighbor I'm a restorer.
Tell your other neighbor I am a restorer.
Hallelujah. You're a restorer. Now, James continues, brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, someone turns him back, let him know, verse 20 that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death.
I want you to realize what it's actually saying here.
Let him know.
He who turns a sinner from error, let that person know. So you just imagine if it's Minister Adele.
And Minister Adele comes to me and says, pastor Jacob, remember this person who's really been struggling and we haven't seen him in church. I went after him. I got them into my life group, and I prayed for them. They've been restored and they have been saved. It is awesome. Now, as much as I'm going to praise Jesus, you know what James is saying. Let them know not the person who's returned to the Lord.
[00:17:21] Speaker B: No.
[00:17:22] Speaker A: Let the person who's been the witness, let the person who's been the restorer.
[00:17:26] Speaker B: Minister Adele, do you realize what you have done?
You have saved a soul from death.
[00:17:37] Speaker A: That's a big deal.
I need you to hear the heart of this. Why do we have a burden to see people restored? Why do I say, give an offering so we can extend the kingdom of God in the earth? Why do we pray for ywammers who are going out to touch nations? Why would we do an outreach like Hell House? Don't we have enough on our plate to do? Why do we do the things that we do? Friend, it's not about building our numbers. It's not about larger offerings. It's not even about improving somebody's living situation or condition. As much as all of those things are important in their own way, we.
[00:18:18] Speaker B: Are on assignment to save souls from death.
It's a big deal.
[00:18:31] Speaker A: You went after somebody whose marriage was broken. Now their marriage is better. Praise God, their marriage is better.
[00:18:38] Speaker B: But beyond that, you may have saved somebody whose soul was headed for destruction.
[00:18:43] Speaker A: You went after that person who went back to their addiction. Praise God, they're walking free from that addiction. But it's not just about their freedom today. You may have just saved their soul from death.
Why did Jesus come?
[00:19:01] Speaker B: Think about this.
[00:19:02] Speaker A: John 316. Do we all know? John 316? Can we quote it all together? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life.
Do you know it?
I want you to talk to me for a second if you're in the first service, don't spoil it. But I want you to tell me what are some of the words that really jump out to you about this passage?
Just talk to me right now. Love. Amen.
He gave his only begotten what's that? Oh believes. Believes. Absolutely. I mean, every word in this thing is so essential. What else jumps out to you?
Everlasting life.
[00:19:52] Speaker B: Yeah. Love it.
[00:19:55] Speaker A: Anybody else?
So in the first service, nobody said.
[00:20:01] Speaker B: This, why did Jesus come so that whoever believes should not perish.
Perish.
[00:20:16] Speaker A: I know this isn't like a popular message. Even hearing something like hell house causes us to cringe and maybe pull back hell is not an idea that we like to think about. Perishing or eternal death is not something that we like to think about. But friend, I think it's very important. Why are we motivated to go for souls? Why are we motivated to go to nations? Why are we motivated to be a part of the instrument that Jesus said, I'm going to save the world and destroy the works of the enemy through this, the church? Why do we feel a burden to be a part of this thing?
[00:20:53] Speaker B: Because without it, people perish.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: Without it, souls will die is very important. So I want you to say this number two, you are a soul saver. I want you to say that out loud. You're a soul saver.
Come on, tell your neighbor. You're a soul saver.
Normally, my verbiage would be soul winner, but James here says you have saved a soul. So that's why I say soul saver. I'm trying to stick to the text.
[00:21:27] Speaker B: Hallelujah.
[00:21:28] Speaker A: But we are attempting to be sure that people do not perish.
That word perish is a Greek word I can't pronounce, so I'm not going to try. But it means to destroy. Fully, literally to destroy, to die, to lose, to mar, to perish. So why? Why would we go into a bar to attempt to draw somebody out of this place of brokenness that God had once delivered them from? Because we want to see them restored in their soul, not prone to eternal death. James says, if you have turned a wanderer back, you have saved a soul from death. And that, friend, is not just death in this life. You understand? In fact, that's one of the things people kind of get messed up. They read the account of Adam and Eve and they partake of the fruit. And Jesus said, the Lord said, you will surely die. They take of the fruit and then they go on living for like 900 more years. Well, what's that about?
Well, they didn't die physically. They began a slow decay in the physical, but spiritually, that day they died.
And I'm telling you, friend, far more frightening, hear me on this, far more frightening than physical death is eternal death. You remember what Jesus said? He said, don't be afraid of those who can kill the body but have no power over your soul. Fear him who has power not only to destroy your body, but also to destroy your soul forever, for all eternity.
We ought to walk with a sense of awareness, like God. One day I will give an account for my life and I will either live eternally with you or I will die eternally separated from you. That's a big deal. And every person within the sound of my voice, every person that you work with that you go to school with, every person that you know, friend, they will either live eternally or they will die eternally.
I gave you a list of scriptures in the notes and let me just give you the references quickly here. I won't quote them all, but Daniel twelve two says that some will experience everlasting life and others will experience shame and everlasting contempt.
[00:23:59] Speaker B: Yikes.
[00:24:00] Speaker A: Jesus said in Matthew 1342 that eternal death is a furnace of fire with wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus said in Matthew 25, verse 41, that there would be a time where some would stand before the Father and he would say, depart from me, I do not know you. And they will be separated from the Father forever into a place of judgment. The Bible says that was reserved for the devil and his angels. You realize Satan is on assignment right now.
He knows that his time is short and all he wants to do is take as many people down with him as he possibly can. In fact, the Bible says, I believe that we are in the last day outpouring of the spirit. I believe in this last day we're going to see the greatest revivings, the greatest soul saved, the greatest miracles, the greatest awakening. I believe for that. But on the other side, the Bible warns us, woe to you, earth in the sea. The devil has come down in this last day with great wrath, knowing his time is short.
I was telling my wife just the other day, have you noticed? Have you noticed? There was a time I knew people like this growing up. 30 year alcoholics still doing their life, mostly functional. 30 year drug addict still doing their life, mostly functional. Still being a father, a mother, still keeping their job, slightly dysfunctional, bound in addiction. But you don't hear many stories like that today. You hear somebody getting hooked on Fentanyl.
And within weeks, within months, they're dead, they're wasted. I mean, my heart breaks, guys. I've heard twice in the last weeks of young people my son's age who are in addiction, living homeless right here in Kona. My wife sees them and just like, come live with me. Like, come into our house. What in the world has gone on that you're in this place looks like a normal young man, but with some of the stuff that's floating out there today, I'm telling you, friend, their life can be in a downward spiral. And within I've watched it. You've watched this within weeks.
They're not who they were because the devil is working overtime to destroy lives. And this is what I've resolved. Why do I contend for revival? Why do we want to expand the church, friend, it's not so we can be the biggest church in Kona. It's not so we can have numbers that are beyond anybody else. The time is short. And every person that comes within the realm of this ministry has the opportunity to surrender their lives to Jesus, to escape the destruction that Satan is attempting to bring on every single life and to step into this beautiful relationship with the Lord eternal life.
I've gone way off of my notes here, but do you hear my heart this morning? We're not playing games.
It's not, I'm going to go overseas so I can get some selfies and I can raise some support.
[00:27:21] Speaker B: No, this is life and death forever.
Eternity hanging in the balance.
[00:27:36] Speaker A: James uses an interesting picture. He talks about those who wander off of the path of truth, and he says you can turn them back on to the path. And Jesus actually talks about paths like this as well. In Matthew, chapter seven, he says, you enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the great gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it. Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way or the path which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Do you ever notice I always heard people talk about, stay on the path, stay on the path growing up. But do you realize there's not only a narrow path, but there's also a narrow gate?
And it's important for you to understand the gate. You get on the path with the Lord and you're going to stay on that path by receiving truth and walking in that truth. That's important. But how do you get on the.
[00:28:36] Speaker B: Path to begin with?
[00:28:39] Speaker A: I know when I start talking about hell and sin and your soul, I know minds immediately go to, oh, I don't know if I'm right with God. And boy, wait, did I cuss more times this week than I did last week? Oh, boy, I'm in trouble. And you immediately start going into performance mode. What did I do? What did I not do?
Did I give more this year than I gave last year? Did I serve more than I did in the last season? And we begin to look at this performance in this works mentality.
[00:29:09] Speaker B: Stop it.
[00:29:14] Speaker A: I'm going to help some of you today.
Do you want to know what it.
[00:29:18] Speaker B: Takes to receive eternal life?
It's so simple.
[00:29:28] Speaker A: Jesus said in John, chapter ten, I believe it's verse nine.
[00:29:34] Speaker B: I am the gate, I'm the door.
[00:29:38] Speaker A: And if anyone enters by me, he will be saved.
[00:29:42] Speaker B: He will go in and out and.
[00:29:44] Speaker A: He will find pasture.
[00:29:47] Speaker B: What do you need to do?
[00:29:48] Speaker A: You only need to do one thing.
Not more good than bad, not most of the Ten Commandments. No, stop.
[00:29:57] Speaker B: You need to do one thing.
You need to come to Jesus, who.
[00:30:02] Speaker A: Is both the good shepherd who will.
[00:30:05] Speaker B: Lead you, and he is the door by which you enter and are saved.
[00:30:11] Speaker A: He is the door, he is the gate.
[00:30:16] Speaker B: All you have to do is come to Him.
[00:30:21] Speaker A: So when I was in Israel, we had the joy of going to Bethlehem.
There's shepherd fields everywhere. And we even went and saw some of the caves where the shepherds would sleep by night, and even the fields where the angels appeared and spoke to the shepherds and declared the coming of Jesus.
[00:30:37] Speaker B: It was awesome.
[00:30:38] Speaker A: But I learned something about shepherds. And what's very interesting is a town like Bethlehem would have one sheepfold but have multiple shepherds. And you just imagine, like if Kona, for example, we have one sheepfold, but there's multiple shepherds. So what would happen is, at night, all of the sheep from the entire city, thousands of sheep, would come into the same fold, the same gate, the same area. But every morning, the shepherd would stand at the gate and he would call out to his sheep, my sheep know my voice. He would call out to his sheep and his sheep knew his voice. And they would come and they would follow their shepherd. Now, there's many other sheep in the pasture, but they knew their shepherd's voice and he would follow the shepherd. They would follow the shepherd out into the fields where they would find water and they would find rest and they would find the food for the day. They'd be able to stretch and to play and to enjoy, and the shepherd would care for them in the field. But at the end of the night, all of the shepherds would bring their sheep back into the sheepfold.
It's beautiful. If you think about what the Lord has done with his church here in Kona. In fact, worldwide, there's only one body.
[00:32:00] Speaker B: Of believers, you understand?
[00:32:03] Speaker A: Now, God has raised up many shepherds like myself, like the pastor down the road, like several who care for souls. And I have the joy of leading people and hopefully doing a good job under the guidance of the great shepherd Jesus. But at the end of the day, all I do is I lead you right back to him.
[00:32:24] Speaker B: Are you hearing me?
[00:32:26] Speaker A: You're getting the picture? The tradition says that as the shepherds would receive the sheep back into the fold, the sheep would literally come between their legs. He would rub between in fact, it was interesting. We had a German shepherd who always liked to walk between my legs, and I always thought there was something to that.
[00:32:44] Speaker B: I don't know.
[00:32:45] Speaker A: Probably means nothing, but that's what the sheep would do. They would come in and Gabriel, come here, and I want you to I'm the gate. I saw you laughing at me, so here you go. So come on. Enter by the hallelujah. Yeah, yeah. So there he goes. Now, notice what he had to do. Okay? Some of the people in the back didn't see come here, Gabriel.
All right, here we go. Enter by the gate. It's narrow, I know, but oh, there we think about this. Okay, that's enough. Thank you, son. All right.
There's a humility, isn't there? There's a coming under. There was contact with me, and there's going to be you want to know where performance goes? Out the way you come to Jesus, the shepherd, the good shepherd, the door of your salvation. What happens is, as you're going through his legs, there were times where the shepherd would ah, stop.
You got into some mess over here. Why are you so dirty? What's going on? And the shepherd himself. Listen, you can't cleanse yourself, the shepherd cleanses you.
And so it takes out this whole performance. I need to do better. I need to do more. I need to serve more. I need to give more. Friend, all of that is a byproduct of walking in relationship with the shepherd. And when you get into mess, this is where people mess me up, man, you talk to people all the time. Coming to the motorcycle run, and we meet in different places. Well, I could never go to that church, because it would burn down the moment I step in.
[00:34:25] Speaker B: No, friend.
[00:34:26] Speaker A: Because if you could clean yourself up enough to earn eternal life, friend, you wouldn't need a savior.
Come with all your mess, come with all your brokenness.
[00:34:40] Speaker B: Just come to the good shepherd, humble.
[00:34:43] Speaker A: Yourself and come into the door and enter into eternal life, where you will.
[00:34:50] Speaker B: Have rest and you will have peace.
[00:34:52] Speaker A: That's what it is. So as you're restoring people in love, that's what you're inviting them to. Boy, you need to put down that cigarette, or you're going to burn in hell.
[00:35:00] Speaker B: No.
With all gentleness, bearing one another's burdens in an attempt to save a soul from death.
Come back to the shepherd.
Come back into the fold.
It's not about what you do.
[00:35:18] Speaker A: Come to if he doesn't like that cigarette, he'll take it.
[00:35:21] Speaker B: Hallelujah.
But it's not for us. It's not for you. It's for him. You just introduce him to Jesus.
[00:35:28] Speaker A: This is why we'd do street evangelism. We'd go down to some of the most broken, hurting areas. We'd go down to the gay district where all the bars were in all of this, and people like boy, well, that's a hard territory, friend. It's no harder than your sin.
I was a drug addict, but getting me set free from drugs was no different than somebody laying down their pride or their greed or whatever your vice is.
The method is the same, whether you're dealing with addicts or homosexuals or people with broken marriages or mind controlling issues.
[00:36:04] Speaker B: Whatever it is, come to the shepherd.
Just come to the shepherd. Just come to him.
[00:36:12] Speaker A: He'll work out your mess. He'll work out.
[00:36:15] Speaker B: Just come to him.
[00:36:22] Speaker A: You're a restorer. Say it. I'm a restorer.
What's the second one?
You're a soul saver. I'm going to preach it again if you don't get it. I'm a soul saver. Say it. I'm a soul saver.
Now, I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this last one, but let me just say verse 20 in the Book of James, chapter five, it says, Let him know turns a sinner, save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. Now, that's very interesting. If you think about it again. I could go back to Minister Adele. Wow, she turned somebody. She returned somebody to the Lord. Minister Adele, do you realize you've saved.
[00:37:03] Speaker B: A soul from death?
[00:37:05] Speaker A: And think about what he says.
[00:37:07] Speaker B: You have covered a multitude of sins.
[00:37:12] Speaker A: We understand that Jesus ultimately is the Savior.
We understand Jesus is the only one who can wash away our sins. But do you realize when you partner with Jesus in his work, you also have the joy of covering a multitude of sins?
That's a big deal. And we all you might be better than your neighbor, but you still have.
[00:37:37] Speaker B: A multitude of sins.
I have a multitude of sins, and.
[00:37:42] Speaker A: There'S no way I could ever undo all my sin.
[00:37:46] Speaker B: I need Jesus.
[00:37:48] Speaker A: Romans 520, where sin is abounded, grace has abounded much more.
[00:37:52] Speaker B: You need grace, you need him.
[00:37:55] Speaker A: Ephesians two, eight and nine. By grace you have been saved. Through faith. You want to know what through faith is coming to the shepherd, going through the door. By grace. Through faith. Not that of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works. You can't do enough. You can't earn it. There's no bragging rights, only humility on your knees coming to Jesus. It's the gift of God.
Are you guys tracking with me today?
Michael, if you'd come and just join me on stage, we're going to pray.
Did I give you the third point?
You are a safe covering.
You are a safe covering.
Not only are you covering a multitude of sin, but I wanted to add.
[00:38:48] Speaker B: This idea in here that you're a.
[00:38:52] Speaker A: Place of safety for people who need it.
A couple weeks ago, we had a.
[00:38:59] Speaker B: Moment preached out of James, confess your.
[00:39:03] Speaker A: Faults one to another, and pray for.
[00:39:04] Speaker B: One another that you may be healed, restored.
[00:39:09] Speaker A: And we had a moment where, I mean, dozens of people I didn't know preaching that message, if people would even.
[00:39:15] Speaker B: Want to respond, to be honest with.
[00:39:17] Speaker A: You, who wants to go down and.
[00:39:18] Speaker B: Confess their sin and shortcomings?
[00:39:19] Speaker A: But they did.
[00:39:20] Speaker B: You did.
[00:39:23] Speaker A: And even I, friend, over my 20.
[00:39:26] Speaker B: Years of ministry, I have heard some of the most crazy confessions you wouldn't even believe.
[00:39:34] Speaker A: But I've never posted on social media.
[00:39:39] Speaker B: You would not believe this confession that I heard today.
Why? Because I'm a safe place.
I'm a safe place, and I will work with Jesus to cover your sins.
[00:39:54] Speaker A: I know that sounds strange to some of you. Some of you furrowing your brow.
[00:39:57] Speaker B: James says, you you. I have covered a multitude of sins.
[00:40:01] Speaker A: We're working in participation with Jesus to.
[00:40:04] Speaker B: Save souls and to cover sin.
That's a big deal.
[00:40:10] Speaker A: Reminded of Noah.
You remember that moment where Noah got.
[00:40:18] Speaker B: Drunk, passed out naked, and one of.
[00:40:23] Speaker A: The sons came in?
[00:40:24] Speaker B: There's a whole message that I preach on this. There's some weird stuff that went on.
[00:40:28] Speaker A: There, but ultimately, the Bible says, he.
[00:40:30] Speaker B: Uncovered his father's nakedness.
[00:40:31] Speaker A: He brought shame to his father, and he blasted that business to the few.
[00:40:36] Speaker B: That were there, but he made it an ordeal.
[00:40:42] Speaker A: But two of the sons.
[00:40:45] Speaker B: Took a cloak, the Bible says, and they backed into the room, and they covered their Father's nakedness, which are we going to.
[00:40:58] Speaker A: Be the kind that uncovers and brings shame?
[00:41:03] Speaker B: Are we going to be the kind that covers?
[00:41:10] Speaker A: Never forget a coworker of mine. I was in the ministry.
[00:41:16] Speaker B: This was a number of years ago.
[00:41:17] Speaker A: And one of the pastors on our.
[00:41:19] Speaker B: Staff had gone into an extramarital relationship.
[00:41:24] Speaker A: He was in the process of being let go, and a number of our.
[00:41:28] Speaker B: Pastors and leaders had to sit down and really discuss, okay, who's going to carry these roles? Who's going to do this?
[00:41:34] Speaker A: And that.
I remember it was one of our.
[00:41:37] Speaker B: Worship leaders actually on staff began to cry during that meeting.
And he said he's like, I can't believe I've not heard about this.
[00:41:50] Speaker A: But he says, it goes to show.
[00:41:52] Speaker B: That we're a people who covers one another's nakedness.
We cover it's.
[00:42:00] Speaker A: Not that we brush things under the rug. No correction was brought to that situation. He was dealt with. He was let go and all.
[00:42:07] Speaker B: There's a moment for confession and freedom and healing.
[00:42:10] Speaker A: I understand that.
But, friend, part of us being a.
[00:42:14] Speaker B: Restorer and being a soul saver is.
[00:42:18] Speaker A: There'S going to be moments where they.
[00:42:19] Speaker B: Begin to tell you, here's why I'm broken, and here's what's keeping me bound right now.
And when those moments come, Jesus said that you can be a vessel that will restore that soul ayanama better than before.
[00:42:43] Speaker A: And you don't want to blow.
[00:42:44] Speaker B: It because you decided to blast that thing all over wherever we want to be, a place of safe covering.
We're going to talk to Jesus about this, and God's going to restore you and raise you up and make you brand new. And there is hope for you. You've blown it, but you come to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, he's going to wash you, he's going to restore you. He's going to make you brand new.
Hallelujah.
Can we all just stand all across this room, right nowhere.
[00:44:16] Speaker A: Feel like what.
[00:44:17] Speaker B: The Lord wants to do today? Is there's a restoration that's going to happen for some of us?
Even as you hear me talk through some of these things, you're sitting on the perspective, I need to be forgiven.
I'm the one who's broken.
I'm the one who's blown it. I want you to hear me so well on this today, friend.
It's not about what you do or don't do.
Forget the religious stuff for a moment. It's about who you know and who you're walking in relationship with. That's what it all comes down to. Do you know the Good Shepherd?
Have you come in through him? He's the door.
[00:45:12] Speaker A: And I know your mind is already going to okay. And then I'm going to do this. Remember baptizing a guy in Lahaina.
[00:45:20] Speaker B: He'd gotten saved in our church.
He's an older gentleman in his 70s.
[00:45:29] Speaker A: Had never walked with the Lord, but.
[00:45:30] Speaker B: He had lost a son, his only son.
He'd gotten married, and then he surrendered.
[00:45:38] Speaker A: His life to Jesus.
And I went over to his house and I baptized him in his pool.
And I remember sitting with him.
[00:45:48] Speaker B: His wife made us some food, and I'm just sitting with him in the hot tub after baptizing him.
[00:45:56] Speaker A: And he said, so I guess now the goal is to live as perfectly as I can and not sin anymore.
[00:46:03] Speaker B: And I said, that's great, but no, because you will.
You will fall. You will sin.
You walk in relationship with him.
You walk hand in hand with Him, not just Sundays, every day of your life.
I need you to hear me on this.
[00:46:31] Speaker A: We get this religious thing so messed up, I sinned again. I need to repent on Sunday.
[00:46:37] Speaker B: No.
[00:46:39] Speaker A: You know when I blow it with my wife? When I say something stupid or I do something that breaks her heart.
[00:46:43] Speaker B: I don't need to get remarried every time, you understand? No.
[00:46:47] Speaker A: I need to humble myself and say.
[00:46:48] Speaker B: Leah, I blew it. I'm sorry.
And we're reconciled, and then we're back in marital bliss. Hallelujah.
That's how it is with Jesus when.
[00:46:59] Speaker A: You walk in relationship with Him all the time, the moment you blow it. You don't have to wait till Sunday. You don't have to wait till Pastor Jacob leads you in a prayer right there in that moment. Jesus, I'm sorry.
[00:47:10] Speaker B: I just blew it there, didn't I?
You reconcile, you humble yourself apologize.
Okay, let's walk.
You keep right on down that path.
I don't know why my heart is so I know why my heart is stirred today, friend.
[00:47:59] Speaker A: I grew up with the religious do's.
[00:48:01] Speaker B: And don'ts and commandments.
[00:48:05] Speaker A: But when I.
[00:48:06] Speaker B: Was dying of a drug overdose, I didn't need a scripture, I didn't need a rebuke, I didn't need a song to quote.
I needed the man Jesus to step down, to raise me up, and he did.
[00:48:35] Speaker A: And there's been seasons, and we all face this performance and do more.
[00:48:41] Speaker B: But even in this recent season of.
[00:48:43] Speaker A: Fasting and prayer, I've been finding myself.
[00:48:46] Speaker B: Where I'll just close my eyes and.
[00:48:50] Speaker A: I'm just walking up to my house or I'm jogging around the neighborhood, and I'll just picture Jesus.
[00:49:00] Speaker B: And I have felt so near to.
[00:49:02] Speaker A: Him in these last weeks and months in a way that I never have before.
And I know there's some of you that you're walking in this guilt of performance, and I can't do enough, and I blew it again.
[00:49:18] Speaker B: And I just want to introduce you to my friend and my shepherd, the lover of my soul, Jesus.
I'm not going to phrase it any differently than that, but if your heart's being stirred in you and you say, I don't think I know Jesus quite like that, I want to pray for you personally. I want you to step out from your seat right now and come and join me right here at this altar. Come on, if that's you, I know your heart's being stirred, and I know there are some if that's you, I want you to come right now.
Come on. You do this religious thing. You may be a leader, but you're here. You say, I want to know Jesus like that. I want to know Jesus like that. Come on. I know I'm asking you to do something bold right now, but if that's you, come on.
Amen. I know there's others. Come on. I know many hearts are being stirred, drawing you into a deeper place of the Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Yeah.
I'll give you a moment longer. I know there's more.
I know there's more.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Amen.
Amen.
[00:51:18] Speaker A: Normally, I wouldn't draw attention to anything.
[00:51:21] Speaker B: That'S going on right here, but can I just highlight look at what's happening right here, arm in arm, bearing one another, fulfilling the law of Christ.
You realize, like you come down to this altar, it's not so I just pray for you, but I just imagine Jesus standing right here, as real as my wife is standing here.
And Jesus is coming alongside hand in hand, arm in arm to walk with you in a greater level of nearness and intimacy than you've ever experienced in your life.
He's coming, he's touching you.
He's with you.
He's near to you.
He's surrounding you.
Everything changes from today forward, not because you do better, but because you're with Him, because you're with Him, you're with him.
Want you to close your eyes right now, and I want you to picture Jesus right in front of I want you to picture him.
You're not talking to me.
We're going to talk to Jesus.
I want everybody within the sound of my voice to pray with me right now.
Picture Jesus, but I want you to say this.
Jesus, I look to you.
You are my shepherd.
You are the door to my salvation.
Jesus, will you be my shepherd?
Will you lead me?
Will you cleanse me?
Forgive my sin?
I'm sorry.
I know I've hurt you, and I.
[00:53:59] Speaker A: Know I can't do it on my own.
[00:54:06] Speaker B: Give me your grace.
Set me free.
I will follow you all the days of my life.
Even when it's hard, you still care for me, and your heart is to restore me.
Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, for your grace.
Thank you for loving me.
Show me how to love you every day of my life.
Help me to remember you, not just on Sundays, but on all days.
I'm yours and you're mine.
Live your life through me.
In Jesus name I pray.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
[00:55:17] Speaker A: Can we just thank the Lord? Can we thank the Lord?
[00:55:23] Speaker B: That's so special. So special.
Yeah.
Wow.
[00:55:32] Speaker A: My time is gone, but I needed to spend a moment in that.
[00:55:36] Speaker B: Let me just say, for those who responded, I don't know everybody who did, but if you're here and it's like.
[00:55:43] Speaker A: What do I do now?
[00:55:44] Speaker B: Pastor Jacob over here at this table.
[00:55:47] Speaker A: Next steps.
[00:55:47] Speaker B: I have a devotion that I'd love to give you. It's a simple thing. If you're getting right with God, it's got some things.
[00:55:54] Speaker A: How do I pray?
[00:55:55] Speaker B: How do I read my Bible? Why is church important?
[00:55:59] Speaker A: A number of simple things like that. And that's a free gift. And we'll have some people there who'd.
[00:56:04] Speaker B: Love to pray with you personally, get to know you. Please stop there.
[00:56:07] Speaker A: Please stop by there before you take off here today.
[00:56:10] Speaker B: It's important.
Wow.
Now.
[00:56:21] Speaker A: You know what I just did.
[00:56:22] Speaker B: Right there, just with this dozen or so people, as restoring soul, saving, covering a multitude of sins.
And do you realize you can do that?
You can do that.
Was in a conference this last week and DJs with me, and I don't.
[00:56:48] Speaker A: Even know how many times people came up and I mean, they were mistaking.
[00:56:52] Speaker B: Him for my son, which is like.
[00:56:54] Speaker A: I'm not that much older than him, but whatever.
But they did. They would mistake, is this your son? And like, no, but what would I do?
[00:57:01] Speaker B: I would introduce them.
[00:57:02] Speaker A: Have you met DJ?
[00:57:04] Speaker B: This is my friend Zaldi.
[00:57:07] Speaker A: And they would get to know each other. And you know what's neat? Like, I've done this with Comma, and I use him as an example because, like, I'll introduce him to guest speakers and whatnot.
[00:57:17] Speaker B: And next thing I know, Comma's gotten their phone number.
[00:57:19] Speaker A: He's followed them, and they're following him on social media, and now he's just best buddies with Paul Goulet or whoever it is. It's awesome, man. Why? Well, I introduced him, and now he's got a relationship with him. Do you realize what we do as the people of God?
You don't have to memorize, like, some liturgy. You don't have to memorize, like I mean, there's great helpful things like the Romans Road, but all you need to.
[00:57:46] Speaker B: Do, introduce somebody to your friend Jesus.
[00:57:52] Speaker A: Introduce somebody to that Good Shepherd, show them the door to salvation, and don't begin to pick on them about, well, that relationship and that cigarette and that's petty stuff. If they get the Savior, the junk will fall off, friend. I'm just telling you, the junk will fall off.
[00:58:14] Speaker B: I wish we had, like, four hour services.
[00:58:16] Speaker A: I have so much I could just tell you, but I don't have time for it all.
[00:58:20] Speaker B: Let me just say, it was a joy.
[00:58:22] Speaker A: Even in our membership class.
[00:58:24] Speaker B: I'm looking around this room and, like.
[00:58:27] Speaker A: All of these people, I've had the.
[00:58:30] Speaker B: Joy of performing their wedding, dedicating their.
[00:58:34] Speaker A: Babies, and I'm like, I'm looking at.
[00:58:36] Speaker B: This and I'm like, God, what a joy that I get to walk with you and seeing people restored.
That's your assignment.
[00:58:51] Speaker A: You might have been down here three.
[00:58:53] Speaker B: Minutes ago, surrendering your life once again to the Good Shepherd, but it's already become your assignment.
Our evangelism team, okay, they're going to go out at 01:00 at Coconut Grove, restoration, Soul Savers, covering a multitude of sins.
They're going to walk with the Good Shepherd.
I hope Jesus becomes so real to you, friend. He's not a religious figure on a crucifix. He's not just a scripture that we quote.
He's real and he's here and we can walk with Him.
How many of you say, Pastor, I want God to use me to restore people, to save souls, and to be.
[01:00:05] Speaker A: A safe place where people can go.
[01:00:07] Speaker B: And have their sins covered.
[01:00:09] Speaker A: Holly, how many of you desire that.
[01:00:11] Speaker B: Just lift your hands as a sign.
[01:00:12] Speaker A: Of surrender right now.
[01:00:14] Speaker B: Come on. My heart burns for this, and I'm going to pray that your heart will burn for it as well.
[01:00:20] Speaker A: Lord, I'm asking right now for every.
[01:00:22] Speaker B: Heart and every hand that is lifted.
[01:00:24] Speaker A: I pray, Almighty God, that you would endow us even right now with the burden of the Lord, that you would.
[01:00:32] Speaker B: Give us your heart for souls and.
[01:00:34] Speaker A: Your heart for people. Lord, it's not just about improving living conditions and life situations. That's wonderful. You want to bless your people. You want to shower them with goodness and mercy. Lord, you want to do so much in this life, but it's more than that. And it begins in the place that there are souls that hang in the balance, eternal life and eternal death. And we, Lord, want to be a people that are used, Almighty God, to see souls saved, that see a multitude of sins covered and washed away. We want to be a people that bring those back in relationship with You, O Jesus, that they will know the good shepherd and walk with the good shepherd. Almighty God, I ask that you would use us, every surrendered heart within the sound of My voice, that you would.
[01:01:21] Speaker B: Use us, Lamb of God, to be Your hand extended to a world that desperately needs it.
Bring us to the teenagers who are addicted to fentanyl.
[01:01:36] Speaker A: Bring us to the people that others.
[01:01:39] Speaker B: Have given up hope on.
Send us to the whosoevers that you came for, Jesus, and we'll introduce them to Your love.
Oh, God. Use us. Use us. Use us.
Come on. Can you just ask? Just say use me, Lord. Say it out of Your own mouth. Use me, Lord. Use me, Lord, to save souls, to impact people, to be Your hand, Your heart, Your love to a world that needs it. Use me, Lord. Use me, Lord. Hallelujah. Come on.
[01:02:22] Speaker A: Can we just thank the Lord like he's doing it?
[01:02:24] Speaker B: Because he is.
[01:02:25] Speaker A: He's doing it.
[01:02:26] Speaker B: He's doing it.
[01:02:27] Speaker A: Hallelujah.
He hears your prayer. And so you better be careful, man, because you're going to start looking at.
[01:02:34] Speaker B: People and thinking like, oh, they're so lost.
[01:02:38] Speaker A: And you're going to go after them.
[01:02:39] Speaker B: And you're going to see them restored. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
[01:02:42] Speaker A: Are you encouraged today?
I sure hope so, man.
[01:02:49] Speaker B: I just feel a love for Jesus today.
[01:02:51] Speaker A: I don't know what it is.
[01:02:52] Speaker B: I hope you be nice to Jesus on my behalf. That's my friend. Be nice to him. Be nice to him. Be nice to Jesus, and we'll all do better.
[01:03:02] Speaker A: Amen. Okay, I need to end this because.
[01:03:05] Speaker B: We have another wonderful ministry. It's going to be coming in in a few moments.
Is there anything else I needed to do, Pastor Leah?
What's that?
[01:03:20] Speaker A: Maybe after service? I don't got any. I'll come with some jokes next week.
[01:03:24] Speaker B: Okay. All right, one more time.
[01:03:28] Speaker A: Can I ask you to lift your hands as I speak a blessing over you today. I speak the blessing of God over.
[01:03:33] Speaker B: You in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
[01:03:36] Speaker A: As Abraham was blessed in every way, may God bless you in every detail of your life as God bless Jacob, changing his name to Israel. May your name Christian, cause you to be fruitful and multiply in all you set your hands to do. When you're tempted and tried, may you come forth victoriously just as Job, resulting in twice as much as you had before. As you raise your children in the admonition of the Lord, may they in turn grow up godly bringing honor to your family name. When you honor God with your tithe, may financial immaterial blessing run you down and overtake you in every area. May the devourer be rebuked and annihilated while others rise up and call you blessed as you wait upon the Lord, obey his word and seek him above all else. May the blessing of strength, courage, protection and favor be your reward. May the Lord watch over and guard your going out and your coming in. King's Kona. May the Lord bless you. May he keep you, may he shine his light upon you, be gracious to you and give you peace. I bless you in the name of the Father, in the name of Jesus and the Holy Ghost. Amen. And amen.
