2819 Church - THE KING IS HERE | Prepare The Way | Matthew 3:1-17 | Philip Anthony Mitchell

Episode Date: January 2, 2025

In the POWERFUL week FOUR of "THE KING IS HERE," Pastor Philip A. Mitchell "freestyles" through Matthew 3. Welcome to the official Youtube channel for 2819 Church. This channel features powerful and life-impacting messages from Philip Anthony Mitchell and guest communicators. As you listen to these sound biblical messages you can expect to be challenged, stirred, matured and inspired in your faith and walk with God. For more information about us visit 2819Church.org.

To my 2819 family, we welcome you to our guests, we welcome you to the presence of God and to our fellowship. We are a church on mission to be a mighty house of disciple making disciples. And to make Matthew 2819 the second most recognized scripture in the world, to shape the church and to remind her that she has been given a mission that is much greater than our personal ambitions. And that is our mission until the Lord calls me home. We are in a series through the first four chapters of a book called Matthew that was written by a man in the

first century AD, a former tax collector, an outcast Jew who wrote a narrative of his eyewitness testimony of the life of Jesus Christ. If you missed any of those messages, they are available for you online. Today I was supposed to teach through Matthew chapter 3. I'm just going to speed through there really quick and just make some mention of a few things that are important we're just going to tag a title to this text and we're going to cut it down in half

prepare the way prepare the way Father add a blessing to the ministry of your word in Christ's name where can I start announcements we're going to make a ton of them

softly Frank we're going to make a ton of them when this gathering is over announcements our society is riddled with frankly, Frank. We're going to make a ton of them when this gathering is over. Announcements. Our society is riddled with announcements. A new baby. A wedding. Some new initiative.

All over social media we are pummeled with announcements. And as I'm standing here, I think the purpose of them is to hold the attention of the hearer, to get us to focus on something that is important. I want to shift your attention to this place right here. To the murky waters of the Jordan River in Israel. Where in December 2018, I had the unforeseen opportunity to baptize 12 people in the Jordan River. A very nasty,

polluted, murky, ancient, but very special body of water. Thousands, maybe even millions of people from around this country

and around the world travel to this body of water every year to be baptized there. For this body of water is the site of the birth of probably the greatest revival the world has ever known. This murky river is the site of the baptism

of the most significant human being the world will ever know. This murky body of water is the site of probably the greatest announcement the world has ever heard. Matthew, who was an eyewitness of the life of Christ, he recorded that announcement for us. And I just want to read it to you and touch on a few things.

And we're going to leave in Matthew chapter 3, verse 1. Matthew recorded this great announcement. In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea in verse 2 out of John's mouth comes the greatest announcement the world has ever heard announcement meant to capture the attention of every human being for the endless ages of eternity until Christ comes in verse 2 John gives us the most important announcement human beings have ever heard

in the history of the world. Repent. For the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And then Matthew tells us who said it. For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight.

Who was John the Baptist? John the Baptizer, better known as. Matthew just calls him the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He quotes the prophet Isaiah. So we see that this man John the Baptist was prophesied about. His life was prophesied about some 700 years before he was born. John the Baptizer. His father was a priest named Zachariah.

His mother was a devoted woman of God. He was raised in a godly home. He was the cousin of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were six months apart in age. Zachariah's family was old when he was born. He was a miracle child. Luke tells us that a Gabriel, an angel, announced to his parents that you're going to have a son in your old age.

He will be great. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from a very young age from your womb. And he will come preaching in the spirit of Elijah and he will turn back many people from far away from God to being near God. And you will call him John. He was six months older than the Lord

Jesus Christ. Elizabeth, his mother, was the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary and Joseph would no doubt go down south and travel. They would see John. They would see Jesus and his family. And John and Jesus probably spent time as little boys. And John eventually went to live in the wilderness wilderness according to Luke 180. He probably did not see Jesus again until this encounter that we're about to read. It said he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. I was on a type of Masada, a mountain fortress in Israel in 2018. I

took a picture of the wilderness I want to show you that picture this is the wilderness of Judea I snapped this picture from the top of a mountain fortress in Israel in the background in the distance you see the Dead Sea the lowest place on earth nothing grows there there was nothing green in the wilderness but one oasis the scripture says that in this place john gave birth to his ministry not in the comfort of the city not in the limelight of the glories of jerusalem or the decapolis it says that john was in this place he was raised in this place dry, God-forsaken place just outside the city of Jerusalem.

This is where John gave birth to his ministry. Watch. In a dry place. God. I'm talking to somebody right now. This is where John gave birth to his ministry. In a dry place. Don't let nobody tell you God can't bring something good from a dry place.

Don't let nobody tell you God can't work in your life in a dry place. For sometimes the greatest thing that God will do in your life sometimes is born out of a dry place. A place of separation. A place where there's no distraction. A place where there's nobody there but you and God. That's why you should not always despise when you find yourself in a dry place. For sometimes it is the blessing of God

to lead you to a dry place. For there he gets your undivided attention. Where now you have no distractions now your heart has been crushed your mind has been focused and there is nothing else you can do but beg the lord to meet you in that dry place i know a lot about dry places for every time i find myself there i'm there with tears just crying out to the Lord meet me here can anybody testify of finding the Lord in a dry place and sometimes out of your greatest pain your driest seasons your most painful episodes God could give birth to

some of the greatest things in your life. He'll give you visions in a dry place. He'll give you a prophetic word in a dry place. When I was sick with COVID and in a dry place, God spoke to me about something happening right now. He'll give you prophetic visions in a dry place. And notice it didn't say the voice of a savior crying out in the wilderness because the preacher is not a savior. Y'all got to stop worshiping men. There is only one savior. I don't care how big their platform is.

I don't care how big their following is or how big their church is. You need to stop the idolatry of men. It didn't say the voice of a savior crying out. Help me, Holy Spirit. It didn't say the voice of a diva crying out. I'm talking to all the preachers that we just love to be divas. We're more concerned about an outfit than the preaching of the word of God. Give me that camera right there.

Give me this camera. We're more concerned about an outfit than the preaching of the word of God. More concerned about a watch, a plane, a jet, our gator shoes. We're more concerned about all the accoutrements of this life than the word of God. It didn't say a diva was crying out in the wilderness. It said a voice was crying out in the wilderness. It said a voice was crying out in the wilderness. Is that not what we need in this nation? Voices to cry out. Not divas, not saviors, not lowercase J's. There's he won Jesus. We need voices to cry out. Male voices and female voices and old

voices and young voices. Hearts that have been burned by the flames of God's holy throne, the coals from the altar. What are we preaching? What are we preaching? What are we doing? We need voices to cry out. Not the wisdom of men.

But the wisdom of God. For the Lord never said your sermon was alive and active. He said the word was alive and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword. Dividing to the very joints and soles of bone and marrow. He said none of your three points in a poem is active.

John was a voice crying out in the wilderness. Verse 4. I'm just freestyling. Just let me freestyle. It says my Bible ripped. A ripped Bible is a used Bible. Just can I freestyle for a few minutes? Okay, verse four. Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist

and his food was locusts and wild honey. Matthew gave us a detail about his outfit and his diet. He didn't put it there by accident. I would have to imagine that if I was a Jew and I heard Matthew say that he wore a garment of caramels here. And he had a leather belt around his waist. He would remind me of somebody else from the Old Testament. A great prophet named Elijah. Who wore the same outfit. In 2 Kings,

just let me freestyle. I'm in the spirit now. And as I stare at John's outfit, I think about the fact his father was a priest. Somebody know where I'm going with this? So in a patriarchal society, he would have to follow the order of his father.

Robes, pomegranates, bells, priests. But John ain't wearing no robe. He ain't got no pomegranates and bells. The man got on a piece of animal hair. A belt and his food ain't got no pomegranates and bells. The man got on a piece of animal hair. A belt. And his food ain't bread and fish and wine and grapes.

Nah. He's consecrated. He eats locusts and wild honey. And so when I look at John's outfit, I see a man who's separated. A man who was not afraid to break from tradition, to follow the plan and purposes of God for his life. I feel the spirit. Here's a man who was authentic about his calling in Christ. Like authentically a layer. Like he wasn't afraid to be who God called him to be. So he was impressed by culture and was impressed by peer pressure.

The man knew he had a call to be in the wilderness and look a fool. And even though his father was a priest, he wasn't afraid to break tradition, to fulfill the plans and purposes that God had for his life. When I look at his outfit, you know what I see? I see a free man no no no no no no no I see a man who's free a man who ain't bound by what everybody got to say about them a man who don't care if they don't like my post or they don't like my video or they don't like my next Instagram thing because I'm telling you straight like it is they not worried if nobody don't like my next Instagram thing because I'm telling you straight like it is. They're not worried if nobody don't like their posts or like their podcasts because they tell the truth on podcasts. They're not worried about that.

They're free. Do I got any free people in the room right now? Come on, holla at me if you're free. Free. We're going to say what we need to say on this podcast. We're gonna sing these darn songs. We're gonna preach this word. We're gonna write these songs. I said free. Do I got any free people in the room? You're listening to a free man. I ain't preaching for nobody's approval. I've already been down that road and wearing suits every week

to try to suit up, to try to approve, but no, no, no. You're listening to a free man. I wear my own camels here and my own leather belt and I eat my own locusts. I'm a consecrated free man.

How they saying this stuff? I ain't stunting nobody. How they saying this stuff? You ain't fitting a handcuff me to your traditions. I'm a free man. You listening to an urban black expository preacher in Atlanta. There's no context

for that in this city. There ain't no fame for that in this city. There ain't no fame for that in this city. There ain't no audience for an expository preacher in Atlanta, in this city. This is the land of entertainment. And tell them eight steps to their next blessing. That's what Atlanta's all about. Ain't no context for my preaching. I'm not preaching no cathedral.

It ain't 10,000 people. It ain't like 700 people in here. Ain't no context for what I'm doing, but I'm a free man. Whether it's 700 of us or 7,000 of us. Free men. Because you can't give me my reward.

And your amen is not my reward. My reward is going to be next to Shantice when I take that crown off my head and lay it at the feet of Jesus. You know what success is for me? 2 Timothy 4.8 and now I have ran my race I finished my race

we have fought the good fight of faith and now there is later for me a crown of righteousness that the good Lord will give me on that day and I will take it off my head. That's my reward. That's what I'm fighting for. Y'all don't know me. That's what I'm fighting for. A lot of y'all knew this church. You don't know me. I ain't fighting for no following or no platform.

It's not what I wanted to do with my life. I'm fighting for a crown. I'm fighting for seven words, well done. You good and faithful servant. I'm just finished. Can I just flow so i look at john's outfit i see a free man verse five i'm just freestyling trying to get you out of here and then jerusalem and all judea and all the region about the jordan were going out to him and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan confessing their sins this is crazy to me John ain't in the city but what it says Jerusalem you know what that

is that's the whole city went out to the wilderness to see John it says all Judea I've been to Israel you know how big Judea is 56 square miles from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea. The whole region of Judea went out to the wilderness to see John. It says all of the region about the Jordan were going out to see John. So he ain't going to the city to preach. His ministry is so powerful, so anointed, so real, so authentic, so free. The people heard that there was something real that was happening in the wilderness. Watch.

I feel this in my spirit. I feel this in my... They left the comforts. I feel this in my spirit. The people overheard that there was something so real, so authentic, so anointed happening outside of all of the activity and the noise of what was popular. It was so powerful and so real. It wasn't eight steps to a blessing and your best this. No, they heard something real.

Watch. And they left a comfort place, the cities, to go out to an uncomfortable place, the wilderness, to hear a voice crying out in the wilderness. Man, I feel like as I'm just flowing in my spirit, like some of us, we despise that, but you need that. You need to leave the comfort of what you like in your little itching ear. You love to be told you're awesome. You love to be told you're going to be blessed. You love to be told this, that, and the third. But sometimes we got to leave the comfort of all these things that make us feel awesome.

All this secular, humanistic garbage. And sometimes go to a place that's uncomfortable. 2019 is the wilderness. It's uncomfortable. Like, you might get your toes stepped on. That's all right, though. You might leave convicted, but that's all right, though. I might not tell you every Sunday you're going to be blessed, but that's all right, though. You might leave convicted, but that's all right, though. I might not tell you every Sunday you're going to be blessed, but that's all right, though.

I feel like sometimes we got to leave what's comfortable. I don't even know who I'm talking to. Sometimes you got to leave what's uncomfortable to get what you really need. Some of you, what you really need is right outside of your comfort zone. How much minutes can I get? Now, don't tell me to take my time. That's why I'm not using my iPad, because if I go back there, we're going to be here forever.

Put these notes away. If I go back there, there we're gonna be there forever somebody say get the ipad no no no no no no no no just let me just let me flow i'm talking to you sometimes you gotta leave what's comfortable to get what you need. I can't move. I feel this in the spirit. Some of you, you have set up camp in comfort. So you're so afraid to step out your comfort zone, to try something different because you're not familiar with that place.

Some of you got one foot in the kingdom and one foot in comfort. And you're so afraid. Just coming out of comfort might be look, you need to be known this year. Stop running in and running out. It might change your life.

You might end up in a squad and meet the next handshake to the next open door in your life. How do you know the person that won't fund your next venture is not sitting in a squad waiting for you to get in there? But all you do is come in and run out every week. Maybe your comfort zone is to come out of being unknown. Come out of being anonymous.

Meet somebody that one handshake might change your life. Get in a squad. Join a team. Meet friends in the context of relationships. God in a squad. Join a team. Meet friends. In the context of relationships, God might open the next door for you. Have a relationship. Exchange a number in the lobby. Come out of your comfort zone. John was so secure in himself

Courtney he had no gimmicks in his ministry I shouldn't even go there I I shouldn't even go there Lord help me I shouldn't even go there. Lord, help me. I shouldn't go there. We're trying to bring people to church using what vehicle? Naked worship?

Drugs and alcohol? We got all of these tricks. All of these tricks, all of these shenanigans. Like this ain't strong enough to pull a man. Right, Elder Eric? Elder Milton, this ain't strong enough to pull a man. Right, Elder Eric? Elder Milton, this ain't strong enough to pull a man? Like we never read Acts 6 and the word of God reigned and the number of disciples began to rapidly increase?

Somebody say that part. That part. What were they doing? They were being baptized, confessing this. This is not the baptism that you and I have. It's not Christian baptism. This was a baptism of repentance. He was telling them to get your lives right in preparation for the announcement.

That is, something is coming, and get your lives right in preparation for the announcement. That is, something is coming, and get your lives right. In the same way, in this time, they would fix roads for when royalty was coming. He was telling them, get your life right, for something is coming. Verse 7. You know, I'm staring at verse 7, and I had this thought. I need to read it to you, but I just had this thought as I'm staring at verse 7 and I had this thought. I need to read it to you, but I just had this thought as I'm staring at verse 7. You know, not everybody that gets close to you is for you. You know, not everybody that gets near you is for you.

Not everybody that follow you is for you. Some people just want to get near you to investigate. Their motives are not pure. They're going to follow you just to troll you. I've been seeing these cowards make these fake accounts. They come follow me and they want to fight me on every post that I make. Like you coward. Why don't you come out from behind that fake account?

Who am I talking to? Not everybody that gets near you is for you. That's why you got to have discernment about your circles. I'm just staring at this text, verse 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees, there they go, and the Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, you brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Bear fruit and keep them with repentance. Help me, Holy Spirit he saw them the Pharisees let me not assume you know who they are these are two political and religious sects the Pharisees were a big group the Sadducees was a

small group the Pharisees was a conservative group the Sadducees was a liberal group the Pharisees believed in everything in the Lord the Sadducees was a liberal group. The Pharisees believed in everything in the Lord. The Sadducees did not believe anything outside of Moses. No angels, no demons, nothing spiritual. One liberal, one conservative, one big. What's more, choose your political party. They ain't Jesus anyway. You got more faith in red or blue than in God Almighty.

You were Christian before you were Democrat. You were Christian before you were Republican. I'm about to start some trouble right here. So I can talk about the sanctity of life and helping the poor at the same time. Because my allegiance is to the scriptures and not a party. Here come the emails. Here they come. Here come the DMs.

Yes, I can talk about the sanctity of human life. And helping the poor from the same mouth. Because I'm a... Because I'm a Biblicist. Before a Democrat or republican I could say stop killing babies and give to the poor from the same mouth. I could say God called us to help the poor and God was serious about life in the womb from the same mouth.

Like he didn't say to Jeremiah before I formed you in your mother's womb. Like he didn't say about John, he will be filled with the spirit from his mother's womb. You have no idea who you're carrying, mom. I feel like telling them a story, but I don't know if I'm allowed to do it. No. No. No. Let me just say, I know a woman that almost terminated a baby.

That baby today is a mighty young man in the body of Christ. And I paid for two abortions in my lifetime. I was ignorant before I studied the scriptures. But you have no idea what's in that womb. And I just think about, man, how that child was almost lost. And when I stare at that child's life now from a distance, I look at, man, what the devil almost took. And for those of us who have been down that road like I have, the Lord forgives you.

That baby's in heaven. you don't condemn yourself now you just teach people to do better now see can't get no help in a predominantly black church full of democrats now we don't condemn ourselves for those babies that's gone. They're in heaven now. We just teach people to do better now. I'll field your DM and your email when you leave. He called them a brood of vipers. I'm almost done. Venomous snakes is what a viper is.

They hatch on the inside of their mother, and some of them eat their way out. I'd say that these kind of people, man, they destroy people on the inside. He told them, bear fruit and keep in repentance. That is, y'all so religious and spooky, your life don't match your confession, though. Say, you all about that religion, but where's the fruit in your life? You one thing on the platform and another thing in private. Y'all got these long robes and you pray on street corners, but y'all are wicked and full of dead men's bones. He said to them,

man, don't have a mouth that don't match your life. He said, bear fruit and keep him with repentance. And don't presume, verse 9, to say that you yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. That is, don't think just because you're Jewish, you're getting into heaven automatically. No, even you Jews going to come through the same door the Gentiles got to come through. And that door has a name and its name is Jesus. Don't think because you are ethnic Jew, you have an automatic pass into heaven. No, your pass into heaven is the same word for everybody else repent he said for the kingdom of heaven is at hand the kingdom of heaven can i say something about that before i land the plane? The kingdom of heaven is God's rule of grace on the earth. It is here with us partially.

It started with Jesus Christ. It coexists right now with evil. It's why we have the forces of heaven and the forces of evil. It coexists with evil. But one day the kingdom of God will completely overwhelm the whole world in the end. And it will topple every other kingdom in this world. And the only thing that will remain according to Revelations is the kingdom of God. And I want to say to all of you who are believers, look right at me. Everyone in this room who is a believer, look right at me. You cannot understand the teachings of Christ and the ethics of Christ and the principles of Christ and the parables of Christ if you don't understand

the kingdom. I think this is one of the greatest misconceptions in the Western American church. Some of you think that you was just saved to go to church. you don't understand you was rescued from hell, but brought into a kingdom. You were brought underneath the government of a kingdom, and you will never truly understand the teachings of Jesus, and the parables of Jesus, and the ethics of Jesus. You will never really understand it if you don't understand the kingdom. In the kingdom, he teaches you how to do relationships, how to do marriage, how to parent, how to do business, how to do friendships, how to handle your money, how to do. He teaches us these things, how to do it in the kingdom. Like, for example, in the kingdom, the way up is down. Humility.

That's different in the kingdom. In the kingdom, he says, pray for your enemies. That's different than the kingdom you came out of. You won't even understand the rest of Matthew if you don't get the kingdom. If you're saved, you have been brought into a kingdom, a spiritual kingdom that has higher laws, higher commandments, higher principles. Man, the second part of this year, the next series we're going into, I'm going to be talking about human flourishing, teaching you how to work some of the principles in the kingdom. All right, let me, let me, I'm itching to go look at those notes, but I won't. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

No, no, I can't take my time. I want to, but I can't. I want to teach, but I can't. No, I can't. We got growth track. I got to keep it going. What verse am I on? 10, 10, 10, 10, 10.

Y'all flowing with me? 10. Let me, let me. Even now, John said, Matthew recorded that the axe is laid to the root of the trees. And every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. The ax represents judgment. The root of the tree represents time. Notice where the ax is, at the bottom of the tree.

The roots signal to people that time is running out. And the warning he said to them, that for those who are not truly saved, don't have fruit, who's not living this thing for real, that axe is going to hit you in the end. And if there's no fruit there, there's no evidence of salvation. It says those who rejected that, they're going to be cut down and thrown into the fire. You can't pretty this up in Atlanta. The fire is hell. It's eternal damnation. Ain't no way to pretty that up.

Ain't no band-aid over that. Let's just put a rag over that and act like it's not there. They're saying that in the end, those who do not belong to God, they're going to be cast in the lake that burns with fire. How do you not care about your unsaved loved ones and friends? Like, what are you praying about? I wonder. How many people you know that are far away from God, do you call their names before the Father? What if the ax hits them in a car accident and they're not saved? Verse 11, John said, I baptize you with water for repentance. I'm almost done but he

who is coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I'm not even worthy to carry he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire so John told him y'all think my ministry is dope? Nah, nah, nah.

There's somebody coming behind me whose ministry is going to be greater than mine. I baptize you with water in the Jordan. But when he comes, he's coming with two baptisms. A baptism of the Holy Spirit and a baptism of fire. He's talking about Jesus. That means Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? It's not falling down on the floor and dancing in the church.

That's bad teaching. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is Ephesians 1.4, that when a person is truly saved, Jesus baptizes them with the Spirit, Ephesians 1.4, he seals them, so he unzips them, pulls out unrighteousness, puts the Holy Spirit in them, and then zips them back up, Ephesians 1.4, now they have been permanently sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in them is the guarantee of their salvation. The foreshadow of glory divine.

So when a person is saved, Jesus baptizes them. They go down in repentance and come up alive with the Spirit. That's called being born again. A theological term called regenerated. Made alive.

I can see now. I can sense now. I can hear God now. I can understand the Scriptures now. Because for all the atheists, the Scriptures, you can't understand it except the Holy Spirit help you that's why you think there's errors in there because you're not guided by the spirit there's no contradictions in here you just need the teacher the author of the Bible to help you understand it we said the Bible was written by men yes 40 of 40 of them. 39 Jews, one Gentile.

Guided by the Holy Spirit. They wrote over 1,500 years. They lived on three different continents. They spoke three different languages. And yet there is a unity of thought from Genesis to Revelation. That's an impossibility apart from the guidance of the Holy Spirit. You can't get 40 people in a room to agree about nothing. Yet there's agreement from 1500 years.

Three different continents. Three different languages. One unity of thought. You can't understand it without the spirit. So Jesus baptized with the spirit. Then it says it baptizes with fire. Some people think this is zeal.

This is power. This is anointing. That makes for good preaching. We can keep that. But in context, that fire is judgment. I know that as a theologian from the next verse. So that means when it's all said and done, watch. You can run from him, but when it's all said and done, done,

Jesus will baptize everyone. It's just which baptism do you want? What? When it's all said and done Jesus will baptize everyone I don't want you to tweet that put that on a shirt put that on your next story post when it's all said and done

Jesus will baptize everyone some with the spirit for salvation some with fire for damnation it's just which one do you want how you respond to him determines what baptism you get so watch nobody escapes the baptism of Jesus but it's also everybody's going to get baptized

it's just which one do you want I believe right now some beyond this room gonna leave with the baptism of the Spirit in Jesus name the evidence that the fire is not sealed and judgment verse 12 his winnowing fork is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. If you've never been to the Middle East or never studied,

we don't know what this means. His winnowing fork, a threshing floor is a slab of concrete where they use to fix up wheat you would take a winning wing fork and you will pick up the wheat and you throw the wheat up in the air when the wheat hits the air the wind would blow the chaff which is the unusable part of the wheat off of the wheat the chaff gets blown away then the wheat falls down to the ground then you gather that wheat and you put it in a safe place. So the winning fork means separation. It's what the Lord is coming to do

in the end. I'm just going to separate the wheat from the chaff. The chaff is the unusable part. Those who rejected the Lord, those who rejected the gospel, those who want nothing to do with Jesus. The winning fork will separate the wheat from the chaff. He will take the wheat, the saved, and gather them into his barn, heaven and eternal life. The chaff he's going to what? Burn with unquenchable fire.

It's no good to me now. I don't like those hellfire and brimstone preachers. You don't like Jesus. You don't like Matthew or John. And now Matthew closes this section. Are you listening to me? Are you sure? Are you sure?

These last five or four verses, the man who has been hidden for 30 years makes his public appearance. Then Jesus, verse 13, came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him saying, I need to be baptized by you. And do you come to me? That's staggering to me. When John saw his cousin, he says, I can't baptize you. You so great. You need to baptize me. It's almost like John was saying my baptism is for repentance, Lord, but you've never sinned. There's no need for me to baptize you. Thank you, Holy Spirit. I hear something else in the Spirit. It was like he felt unworthy to baptize Jesus.

Is that Taylor? Is that Jordan? Jordan, is that you? Is that Jordan? What's up, Jordan? Where was I? It was like John felt unworthy to baptize Jesus. Like, I feel John.

Like, I know what it is to feel unworthy to serve the Lord. Like, I know I'm not the only person in this room who felt like, man, Lord, I look at my past. When I look at my mistakes and my failures. when I look at my struggles and my identity crisis, when I look at the stuff that I've done and the people I've hurt, when I look at the nasty things I've done in the dark, when I look at the fact I was in church my whole life but wilding out, when I think about me, I'm talking about Philip Anthony Mitchell and the darkness of my heart. When I think about the things I've lusted over and the people I've wounded and offended and all the times I have to say I'm sorry. Sometimes I just feel like I'm not worthy to get up there and preach the word, Lord. Has anybody ever felt unworthy to serve the Lord? Anybody? But look, nobody's worthy to serve him.

That's why his calling is so glorious it's like you was unworthy but he still called you anyway you got a past but he called you anyway he knows the darkness of your heart and is using you anyway come on the man with the microphone still got issues in his heart i still got dark areas I'm trying to work out of my heart. Please don't look at me like I'm perfect. I still struggle. I'm the backside of Romans 7 with Paul. The thing I want to do, I don't do. And the thing I should be doing, I don't do.

And when I find myself doing the thing that I don't want to do and not doing the thing that I should do, I say, man, oh, what a wretched man that I am. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ. I'm trying to, daughter. All right, let's finish. Y'all see I'm at the end. If you got your bible open you know I only got three verses

I did pretty good but Jesus answered him let it be so for now that is serve me anyway I hear the Lord saying to somebody serve me anyway but Lord my life is wretched serve me anywhere

Lord but I'm still sleeping around. Serve me anyway. But Lord, I don't understand the Bible. Serve me anyway. You know, the Lord never called perfect people. He just said, follow me and I will make you. I never see the Lord roll up on no perfect person. He just called people who had issues and said, follow me. And as you follow me, I will make you. That is, as you follow me, I will transform you to what I want you to be. So he called me ratchet and it's transforming me. Still got darkness in my heart, but it's transforming me. Still struggle with lustful desires, but it's transforming me. Still get with lustful desires, but it's transforming me.

Still get jealous of that man's ministry from time to time, but it's transforming me. See, that's too real for them. Too vulnerable. I'm like, my pastor? Really? You was jealous of somebody? Yeah. Yeah.

I'm like, yeah, Lord, I'm holding it down. I'm still on the backside of the mountain. I don't know if anybody knows Philip Anthony Mitchell. Like, what's up with me, Lord, I'm holding it down. I'm still on the backside of the mountain. Don't nobody know Philip Anthony Mitchell. Like, what's up with me, Lord? Yeah. Lord, what about me? Anybody, nobody's never said that before? What about me, Lord?

I'm being faithful, Lord. Why? No. Too real, too vulnerable. The preacher was jealous of another man. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And God asked for forgiveness just like you. Can I free y'all from something? Don't think no preacher is perfect. I don't care if they act perfect on their social media. They all got issues. We all got issues. That's why you should stop worshiping them. And don't think clout is holiness.

There are a lot of people with big followings that are wolves in sheep's clothing. There's a lot of things they take the gospel, we put the word gospel on everything, and we just think that's an automatic sign of approval. We all got issues. Nobody preaching this Sunday morning is perfect. All right. These last, where are my two verses? I made it.

Two verses. I made it to the end. If I had my notes, it would have been much longer. And see, and then guys like me, I'm going to go home, I'm going to look at that outline. I'm like, dang, I should have said that and I was supposed to say this. I'm just telling y'all what preachers talk about because y'all don't really know what goes on behind the scenes. Man, I was supposed to say that. I missed that point. I didn't say that right. I botched that verse.

Y'all should pray for me on Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoon would be hard for our brother. He'd be like, dang, I botched that message. Dang, I've missed that point. Lena know. Like, dang, I was supposed to say that. I missed that. Like, shoot. Y'all want to pray for me? Pray for me on Sunday afternoon. When I be condemning my own self. Like, man, I didn't do a good job. Man, you a failure as a pastor. You could have preached that better. Man, you missed that point.

Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba. I already know when I look at that outline later. I'm like, dang, I was supposed to say that. And I wrote this down. And that was a darn good sentence I put together. Like, man, that sentence was dope. I was supposed to say. I had the highlight on that joint was dope I was supposed to say I had the highlight on that joint too I was supposed to say that

I was praying when I got that sentence and I highlighted that joint like I was supposed to say it just like that the preachers know what I'm talking about studying preparing sermons is hard work the preachers know what I'm talking about studying preparing sermons is hard work like damn you cooked all that food and you missed the gravy the grits

you done left the mac and cheese on the counter like dang I forgot the greens over there last two verses. Last two verses. Oh, I like these verses. God, I'm about to help somebody right here. Oh, every man in the room, listen to me carefully.

I'm going to help the ladies too, but the men, all my brothers, if you're a man, just shout yo. Shout eh. If you're single, shout yo. Ladies, they in here. Better get on a team. I see my brother. Yo. Yo. Somebody's worshiping now.

Yo. He got his hands in the air. Yo. Yo. You single, brother? Yes, sir. Shout yo. Yo.

Yo. Yo. I'm looking for y'all Boaz in the wrong place Boaz in the room all my men I want y'all to listen carefully ladies listen too but for my men listen look at these last two verses All my men, I want you all to listen carefully. Ladies, listen too, but for my men, listen. Look at these last two verses.

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he came up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. Behold, a voice, not the one crying out in the wilderness, now one speaking from heaven. A voice from heaven said, this is my beloved son,

in whom I am well pleased. I want you to peep the text. Jesus, whoa, for my skeptics and my atheists, I want to show you something we serve one God who exists in three co-equal persons God the Father God the Son

God the Holy Spirit the scripture calls it the Godhead theologians call it the Trinity notice the Son is in the water the Father is in the water. The Father is speaking from heaven. And the Spirit is descending like a dove. All three persons of the Trinity operating all at the same time

at this baptism. Like Genesis 1, 26 says, let us, plural, make man in our image and in our likeness. And so he, he singular made them god in genesis elohim plural so notice all three persons of the godhead god the father god the son why are you texting me now? God the Holy Spirit. But I want you to notice something else and I'm done. Jesus just came from

nowhere. He hasn't healed no one yet. He ain't raised no dead bodies yet. He ain't preach a sermon yet. He ain't multiply foods yet. He ain't done nothing

and a voice comes from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased we see the authentication of Jesus can I go deeper but we see the affirmation of Jesus before he did anything not affirming him because of a miracle or affirming him

because he can preach or affirming him because he was a good husband or affirming him because he went to church or the father affirmed him before he did anything that his affirmation was not based on performance. That his affirmation was based on relationship. And I want to have all my brothers in this room where a father failed you or somebody failed you. We're still boys searching for someone to say good job and well done. I want you to know your father in heaven has affirmed you before you did anything. If you are a brother in this room, man, holler at me right now.

If you belong to Jesus, you was affirmed before you did anything. Affirmed in Jesus. And for my sisters, all my ladies say yes. Before you did, this is important because a lot of us are bound by performance-based Christianity. We think if we read enough or if we pray enough or we attend church

enough or we give enough, God will love you more. God loved you before you was in your mother's womb. He called you before the foundation of the world. He knew the day you would be saved. His love for you is not based on performance. It's based on relationship. For Paul wrote to the church inome that while we were still sinners christ died for you

and he said this is how the lord demonstrated his love i'm talking to somebody's room every time you doubt god's love because you failed last week or you feel like you're not being a good person or you miss your quiet time or you haven't been reading or you know you strayed away, every time the devil starts making you feel bad because you feel like you and the Lord are not intimate right now, just find a cross somewhere and just stare at it.

That is the symbol of love. Not your performance. If it was based on your performance, you could brag. So to level the playing field, I know the Lord loves me not because I'm an awesome pastor or I was the perfect husband or the perfect father.

I know he loves me because of the cross. That's how he leveled the playing field for everybody who was saved. that's how he leveled the playing field for everybody who was saved now I want to close with these words because I just feel my spirit I don't even want to look at this or I'll go crazy everybody listen to me I just feel this in my spirit

this whole text was about a man who was a forerunner of Jesus a man who went first Demetunner of Jesus. A man who went first, Demetria, to prepare the way of the Lord. Are you listening to me? I'm done. Listen to me. I know you're not John the

Baptist. I pray what I'm about to say is next. It really gets tattooed to your heart. Christians, I don't even like that word because you can't define it in the Bible. Disciples, that could be defined in the Bible. Disciples, followers of Jesus, listen to me. I know you're not John the Baptist.

But the final words of the Lord before he left was, all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28, 19. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I've commanded you, and I will be with you to the very end of the age.

Look at me. He gave that command to everyone who was saved to work together towards that end. So get married, and hang out with friends and build your business and do your entrepreneurial ventures and do all of that. But as a follower of Jesus, my question to you is what part of your life intersects that great commission? Because if you are a follower, according to these scriptures, some way, somehow, in some shape or form, your life is supposed to be preparing the way for the second coming of Christ. Like no baby in a manger, right? No baby coming to bring peace. The scripture tells us the next time Jesus comes, he's not coming to bring peace. The scripture says he will be

returning on a horse with the armies of heaven behind him. And the scripture says he's not coming to bring peace. The scripture says he will be returning on a horse with the armies of heaven behind him. And the scripture says he's coming to make war against the ungodly and the wicked. He's coming to make war. And that our command, brothers and sisters, is to do

everything we can while we got time to spread the gospel, to win souls. To multiply disciples. To bring as many people aboard the ark of safety as possible. You can do that through your prayers. You can do that through financial support. You can do that through serving.

You can do that through the things you care about. Like the people in your job who's not saved you can pray for them or I don't know the share the gospel support gospel ministries financially some part of your life should be intersected with the Great Commission because we as followers of Jesus have been given the command to prepare the way for his second coming. I'm talking to you now. Before I release you, look at me. I'm asking you a real question

as your pastor. For some of y'all, I'm just your teacher. What part of your life intersects the Great Commission? Man, in my prayers, I'm not just praying for me and my wife and my children I'm crying out for family members who are not saved I'm crying out for friends who are not saved a portion of my income goes back into this church to support gospel ministry I'm serving you right now I'm sharing the gospel in stores.

I'm sharing the gospels online, in DMs, out in the street. I wasn't doing this because I got a platform. I was doing this when I had no platform. Before I knew I was called to be a pastor. I was out there being concerned about the gospel. I'm eternally conscious. It don't matter how young or how old you are. Some part of your life should be

flowing into the stream of the Great Commission, whether in your prayers or your giving or your serving or your desires. Somebody said all of it. That would be perfect, but that's not the American church. My brothers and my sisters,

listen to me. Man, there's a lot of preaching right now. But to what end? I'm just asking you, right? Like, critique me. Critique every, there's a lot of, but to what,

what are we doing? To what end? If we're not about his last words, what are we about? So I ask you one more time before I pray. What part of your personal life

flows into the stream of the great commission your prayers any part of your income the most private part that he can see your service your desires your consciousness

like what is it going to profit us to build everything we want to do and care nothing about the number one command he gave everyone who bears his name well we got to do that together you say pastor i'm afraid i don't know how to share the gospel give somebody an invite card and bring them here. I will do the rest for you. Like, we got to do this thing together as the body. Give me that camera. You don't got to belong to 2819.

You belong to the family of God. Give me this camera right here. I'm talking to every person watching me live right now. Anywhere you're watching me live across the country, I'm talking to you watching me live. I'm talking to you right now in the YouTube're watching me live across the country, I'm talking to you watching me live. I'm talking to you right now in the YouTube chat watching me live. I'm talking to you who will catch this message on demand. You said you will follow him. Jesus, man, what part of your life is flowing into the Great Commission? What are you praying about? Where's all your money going?

Who are you serving? Who are you helping? Who do you care about? What's the desires of your heart? Do you care at all about the thing Jesus called us to do? You don't got to be a part of our church. Man, you could be praying for the gospel to spread. We need an awakening in this nation that the Lord How can I say?

The church doesn't have a mission. The mission of Jesus has a church. Jesus has a mission, so he created a church around the mission and raised up people to be progenitors of the faith and proclaimers of the faith. You can do it in the way that you live. I'll just, I'm the Holy Spirit. You can live right and spread the gospel. You can love people and be kind and forgive.

And man, you'll like to be a witness and spread the gospel. You can do that shy and quiet. They say, man, something is different about her or him, man. Some way, somehow. Somehow. Time is running out. Prepare the way for the second coming of the Lord,

who ain't coming back to make friends. He's coming back to separate and to make war. What group is your family members in? I should go deeper. What group are you in? Family, let's be radical disciple making disciples and radical gospel spreaders in jesus name but i'm coming back to you in this room what group are you in every head bowed every eye closed i'm talking to you it's the most sacred moment of your life. I'm taught, what group are you in? This room is full.

There's people all over. There's hundreds of people in this room. What group are you in? What baptism do you want? Do you want the baptism of forgiveness that leads to life and purpose? Or do you want the baptism of fire that leads to separation?

It's your choice. So I'm talking to you right now, my brother. I'm talking to you right now, my sister. You've been in church your whole life, but you're not saved. Your parents are saved, but you're not saved. You've done religion, but you're not saved. If you died in a car accident on the way home, you're going to get that baptism of fire. You can have the baptism of the Holy Spirit right now. You can be saved right now, forgiven right now, set free right now. God can become your father right now. He'll wipe away your past right now. You can leave a brand new man, a brand new woman right now. This is the most important thing you've ever heard in your life, not later, right now. Here is the answer. You are a sinner and so am I. You have broken God's laws and so have I.

The scripture says if you die in your sin, you're going to be separated from God for all eternity. That's the baptism of fire. But God in his love, not wanting you to perish, sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died a sacrificial death for you. The scripture says if you would just keep it real, keep it 100, no cap, just put your faith in him. Repent. Turn from sin and say, Lord, I trust you. I believe in you. I'm throwing my life on your lap. He says, if you do that, you will be saved. You get the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Your sins will be forgiven. You become a brand new woman. You become a new creature, a brand new man. You leave here today with your name sealed in heaven. You leave here with the promise of eternity. If you die, you'll

be in glory. You leave here to live the rest of your life in purpose the abundant life that jesus died to give you i'm talking to you and you already know who you are i'm gonna count to three nobody can't see you if that's you i want to pray for you nobody can't see you i just want you to throw your hand up and throw it back down when i say three nobody can't see you one the lord is calling you two it's your choice of which baptism you want three be a brand new man or woman. Throw your hand up or throw it back down. One, I see that hand. Keep it up. Two, I see that hand. Keep it up. Three, I see that hand. Keep it up. Four, five, keep it up. Six, keep it up. Seven, keep it up. Eight, keep it up. Nine, ten, in the risers, I see you, brother. 11, I see you.

12, I see you. 13, I see you. 14, I see you. 14, 15, I see you. 16, I see you. 16, 17, I see you. 18, I see you. I see you. 18, I see you 18, I see you I see you, 18, I see you

God sees you 19, God sees you That's boldness God sees you 19, God sees you 19 19 19

19 19 Which baptism do you want? 19 19, 19, 19, 19, 19. Which baptism do you want? 19. Which baptism do you want? 19, 19, 20. I see you. Which baptism do you want?

20. All 20 of you, the Lord knew you would be here on this day. I ain't got to manipulate you. Just tell Jesus you're sorry. Ask him to forgive you for your sins. He can hear you. You can whisper to him or talk to him in your mind. He can read your thoughts.

Just ask him to forgive you for your sins. 21. That's okay. I see you. 21. Ask him to forgive you for your sins. 21. That's okay. I see you. 21. Ask him to forgive you for your sins. 21. 21. Ask him to forgive you

for your sins. Tell him you're sorry. Tell him you surrender. He can hear you. He can even hear your thoughts. You don't even got to talk to him. He can hear your thoughts. And now, Father, in the name of Jesus Yeshua, we thank you for these 21 men and women that have placed their faith in you today.

We thank you, Lord, that you have won them to yourself. You knew that they would be here before the foundation of the world. I pray according to the Holy Spirit, they would receive now the baptism of the Holy Spirit according to Ephesians. That they would be sealed and filled with the Holy Spirit in this very moment. I pray you will give them a love for your word, a love for your presence, a love for community. Teach them your ways and your laws. Deliver them, God, from lies and bondage. Kick open the prison doors and set them free. I thank you, God, that their names are now recorded in heaven. They are your new sons and daughters.

They belong to you. You said their sins have been forgiven as far as the East is from the West. They are brand new creatures. And now, Lord, for those of us who belong to you, you said when one sinner repents, all of heaven rejoices. So, Father, right now we rejoice. We celebrate 21 new brothers and sisters. We celebrate those who have been snatched from the fires of hell.

We celebrate that their eternal destiny has been changed. We celebrate that they are new brothers and sisters. Somebody give a praise right there.