2819 Church - WISDOM AND WONDER | I Desire Mercy | Matthew 12:1-8 | Philip Anthony Mitchell

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

In the opening weekend of WISDOM AND WONDER, Pastor Philip A. Mitchell delivers a timely and soul-stirring message on Matthew 12:1-8. 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.

I want to welcome all of our digital disciples who are watching in cities across the country and a few pockets around the world. Today we begin a brand new series that I am excited about called Wisdom and Wonder. Wisdom and Wonder and we are going to be walking through the power and the parables of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will be a teaching series through Matthew chapter 12 through 20. We're going to be there probably until NYE.

And because this series is going to be so long, we don't want to say we're in week 44 of the series. And so every chapter will be a season and every message will be an episode. We have nine seasons in this series. Does that make sense to you? Does that make sense? So we have nine seasons in this series. Does that make sense to you? Does that make sense? So we have nine seasons in this block of teaching and different episodes in each season. We'll walk through this show

together that puts Christ on display. We will marvel at the wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will marvel at the parables, short stories that encapsulates powerful kingdom principles. We will unpack those. Some of them are extremely powerful. Gems. And for all my note takers, we're headed to Matthew chapter 12. And I don't want to assume everybody knows who Matthew is. We're at the top of the year.

Matthew was a man who lived in the first century AD. A Jewish man who worked a federal job for the Roman government in the IRS department. He collected taxes from the Jews. And what tax collectors would do, if your taxes was $100, they would charge you $150. If it was $200, they would charge you $300. They would skim off that extra and put it in their pocket. And they made themselves wealthy by doing that. Matthew was a very wealthy

man. He was also excellent at record keeping. That's why his gospel is so thorough. Okay and one day he was Jesus was walking by his job saw Matthew who was despised by his fellow Jews and called him out of his job into full-time ministry, into salvation. He called him out of a life of darkness into a life of light. Matthew surrendered his life to Christ in the first century AD. He went on to die a sacrificial death for Christ. We learn about that in the Fox's book of martyrs and he will go on to write what has become the most read document in the history of the world because the scriptures is the most read document in the history of the world and Matthew's document placed first in the New Testament is the most read document of the 66 it is the most read document in the history of the world and used by the church

for discipleship for over a thousand years you never know what God would do with a surrendered life I'm sure Matthew the tax collector would have never imagined that two thousand plus years from now people be sitting in rooms and gatherings still talking about his name and what he wrote and that's why obedience now is important. You have no idea what God would do on the other side of obedience and being fully surrendered. Some of you haven't even seen the best of you yet. Your life is going to change the course of history for your family coming behind you so for my note takers we're in Matthew chapter 12 today we'll study together and if you're new to our church we study

line by line verse by verse no entertainment here you're not gonna you're going to get that here ever. As long as I'm the pastor, you won't. We study, we read, we learn. Line by line, verse by verse. I want you to be more impressed with the scriptures than my oratory. My oratory.

Today we'll unpack verses 1 through 8 and we'll tag a title to this text words of Jesus himself it'll make sense by the time we get to the end for my note takers we'll call this passage or this episode 1 of this first season we'll call this passage or this episode one of this first season. We'll call this episode. I desire mercy.

Desire mercy. Spirit of the living God, we are weak and tired and wary. But before we do anything else, we now want to feast on the bread from heaven. God, I confess my weakness before you I'm not a machine I struggled this week yet now I stand

in the strength of who you are not in the strength of who I am in my frailty in my tiredness in my warped preparation would you help me now in my warped preparation, would you help me now to break the seals on this next section of Matthew's gospel?

And would you now in this room, in the overflow, the person watching me right now across the camera, the person listening to my voice on audio, would you arrest our attention now? Although some of us are tired, would you keep us from being weary and sleepy? Would you give us supernatural stamina to lean forward into the proclamation of this eternal word, the only thing that is forever settled down here in heaven give us revelation give us insight what do i want to say god where there are things hidden that's going to be addressed in this

message expose it let it well up to the surface of our minds and our hearts. What do I want to say? And God, based on this text, I'm asking now that invisible chains would break and fall off. Bondages would break and fall off and heavy burdens would be laid down at your feet. We will not walk out of this room with chains, bondages or burdens. Let them remain on the floor. May we walk out of here a freer people. We ask in the mighty and majestic and the matchless name of our soon coming king, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you agree with me, would you just say amen?

Thank you, brothers. Now can go get comfortable. Thank you, Frank. Thank you, Sam. I desire mercy. Now, my brothers and sisters, I want to talk to you this morning. I want to talk to you this morning about something that is present in this room,

that is active among us, that is extremely dangerous and damaging to your Christian life and your Christian walk. It often creeps into our hearts and our minds, whether in forms that are subtle or very overt. And it's lurking in some of our hearts, it's lurking in some of our minds. And it was about maybe 20 years ago I first came in contact with this thing that I have learned is extremely dangerous to the Christian life.

I'm going to try to. I was newly saved and it was like my second church. And I remember meeting a brother in that church, young dude, handsome, little swag. Automatically, I was drawn to him. And I saw this brother, he and I talked one day and I noticed that he had a ring but no wife. And one day he and I was talking like,

yo, my dude, I know you've been coming here for a few weeks. I see you got a ring on. Are you married? He's like, yeah, I'm married. I was like, so where's your wife? He said, oh, she doesn't come to the church. I'm like, well, where is she? Well, she's at her family's church. He's like, okay. He's like, why don't you invite her to visit? He said, well, she can't visit. I'm like, well, why? well why he said because her pastor who's the uncle said she's not allowed to visit other churches and I said word yeah she's not allowed to visit other churches so I've just been coming here by myself and and honestly he starts telling me man it's it's I'm very frustrated right now because something is happening. It's taking a toll on our marriage.

Like, so what's going on? He's like, man, that church she be at, like they told her she can't wear makeup. She can't get her ears pierced. Man, we would want to go out on dates, but they told her, man, it's sinful for a Christian to go to the movies. We could barely watch television. She's not allowed to wear pants on Sunday. And our whole marriage just feel like this weight of burden of all of these constrictions. And he said, man, it's taken a toll on my marriage. Like, man, we fight all the time. Man, and I could see my brother was very very frustrated and heavy

and so I said to him why don't you invite you and your wife we'll get up with my wife and I let's have a talk and I remember when I met this sister man she was mentally exhausted it's a true story can't make this up she was emotionally broken and watch she was spiritually anemic almost borderline delusional and although at the time I had no framework for what she was dealing with I had no language for what she was dealing with I would learn like 10 12 years later what she was dealing with. I would learn like 10, 12 years later, what she was dealing with, that young sister was the victim of this powerful word we call now legalism. Legalism, I will come to learn, is extremely dangerous to the life of the believer.

It kind of lodges itself in the life of a Christian and like a cancer undetected, it kind of eats us out from the inside and erodes the vitality that Christ died to give us. Right now as I'm talking to you, there are wives living in legalistic homes under tyrannical husbands. There are bully wives who got husbands

that are living underneath the legalism of a tyrannical wife. I know them. There are teenagers, as I'm talking right now, living in a home with parents who are so legalistic, man, they're counting down the days until they turn 18. teenagers, as I'm talking right now, living in a home with parents who are so legalistic, man, they're counting down the days until they turn 18. They want to go away to college, not for education. They just want to get the heck away from the house. Too many burdens in the house. Man, there are Christians sitting in rooms all across America,

some of y'all sitting in this room right now now who don't even realize you have legalistic thoughts. You have legalistic practices. You got legalistic beliefs. And some of that you have brought on yourself shoulders of other people. What is legalism? I'm going to put a definition on the screen for you right now. Legalism is a type of excessive, strict following of rules and regulations in an attempt to try to foster increase righteousness it is a type of preoccupation right a over preoccupation of sorts watch with rule following even beyond the need to show love grace and

mercy that is we care more about laws than we do human beings and a lot of us have been exposed to legalism through christian books christian conferences christian preachers a lot of us are practicing right now all manner of forms of legalism now when legalism rears its head it generally rears its head in generally three type of ways the first way it rears its head is when we try to make, watch, watch, when we try to make performance God's standard for righteousness. So we think if we pray enough, we will be righteous.

If we read enough, we'll be righteous. If we do fill in the blank enough then i am righteous before god the second way that legalism kind of rears its head is when we make man-made rules and traditions god's standard for righteousness so when we say something like if you're not baptized you can't be saved. But my Bible tells me a man was crucified next to Jesus who was never baptized and the Lord said to him, today you will be with me

in paradise. So I know at least there was one man in heaven who was never baptized. But legalism says if you have not touched that water you're not saved but the scripture teach me in romans chapter 6 that baptism is the outer sign of what christ has already done in your heart it is the wedding ring of salvation does that mean if i'm not wearing my ring, I'm not saved? I don't wear a wedding ring.

Does it mean I don't have a wife? I got a tattoo there. I'm so black you can't see it. I don't like jewelry on my fingers. So if I don't have the ring, I'm not married? So if I've never been baptized, I'm not saved? Man-made rules and traditions. the third way that legalism rears its ugly head

and this is where most of us come in the room when we make personal preferences God's standard for righteousness where we turn our personal preference into doctrine if they don't use the King James Bible, they all go into hell. Because I love the King James Bible. And if you don't use the King James Bible, then whatever Bible you're using is wrong in the sight of God. But that's your

personal preference. So I'm headed to hell and my whole ministry is awash because I use an ESV Bible. See, personal preference is when we go into areas of gray and make doctrine out of gray areas. And the damage of legalism, look at me, is that we create false narratives of performance or false narratives of things we must do to earn righteousness. Other damages of legalism is that it ruins relationships and destroys churches. It ruins marriages. It tears up minds and homes. Another damage of legalism, and probably the worst damage of legalism, everybody look right at me, it diminishes the cross,

the person and work of Jesus Christ. Legalism almost says the blood was not enough. I got to earn something from God in order to be righteous. The cross was not enough. The sacrifice of Christ was not enough. The blood was not enough. Enter in all these false religions, cults, all these things where people are working to try to get approval from God.

Where doctrine says when the Lord sees you, he sees you as justified, as perfectly righteous because he don't see you for you. He sees you through the blood of Christ. I am righteous because of where my savior sits at the right hand of the father. Enter in our text in Matthew chapter 12. you remember Matthew first recorded the genealogy or the family tree of the Lord Jesus to prove to the Jews he was the king of kings he was the Messiah

then you heard Matthew then will record his miraculous birth you remember that you remember Matthew would then record the birth and ministry of his cousin john the baptist then matthew would record the birth of the ministry of jesus and how it began to flourish and begin to blow up man you know jesus ministry was was off the chain he was famous people follow him crowds cities all of that then mat Then Matthew would then record the calling of his first disciples and his anointing them and sending them out. Matthew records the last thing Jesus said to those followers when they came back. And then on the heels of all of that, we pick up right in our text in Matthew chapter 12.

In verse 1. And Matthew says, at that time what time what time I love how Matthew said that he said at that time you're stopping already yes at that time you get through the verse at that time what time Matthew I love the fact that he used these words to tell us the incident we're about to see what happened next in our lives was not that far away from the last thing Jesus said what was the last thing Jesus said before this incident come unto me it's gonna make sense in a moment all of you who are wary and heavy laden you're tired he's talking to people living in a legalistic society it's going to all make sense in a few minutes come unto me all of you who are frustrated weary tired of legalism religion dead rope christianity come unto me all you are weary and heavy laden watch me and i And I, Jesus, will give you rest.

Matthew said it was around that time. Now look at the rest of the verse. Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. Can I teach? His disciples were hungry. They began to pluck the heads of grain and to eat it but when the pharisees saw it they said to him jesus look they're trying to discredit him your followers ain't no good so you're no good look your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. Now,

we're going to unpack these two verses together. The bulk of my message is coming from these two verses, and then we'll finish the rest. I want you to pay attention because there's a few things I need to unpack in this text, okay? I want you to first draw your attention to the fact that Jesus was walking through the grain fields when this happened I've been in a grain field and his followers are walking with him as they're walking through the grain field this is so powerful to me now we're talking about a time when they lived in an agricultural society no Publix no Kroger no food lion I'm trying to hit every stratosphere. I need to go up, right? No sprouts. No Whole Foods.

I got to make sure I hit everybody, right? Down to the bottom. No gas station corner store. I'm not like... No Piggly Wiggly. Pray for you. No Piggly wiggly. I mean, I started at Food Depot.

Every now and then I run in Publix. Now, like, started at Food Depot, right? They're living in an agricultural society. Now, if you read about the culture at times, watch. Food is very hard to come by. Food is scarce. You're talking about a people that's living hand to mouth. Whenever they could get their hand on a grape, some nuts, some berries, some baked bread.

I mean, food was very scarce. Food, watch, was a luxury. I find it so interesting in the providence of God. I love this. That they're walking with Jesus through a grain field at a time from their long travels they happen to be hungry. It would be the providence of God that while they're wrestling with their hunger like many of us are they're standing in a grain field and they have the opportunity to pick the heads of grain and to satisfy their hunger i love how god strategically led them to a place where there was provision for their need and it just reminds me even before i go further than text that god

always has a way to get to us our needs even if it has to be supernatural it can be a check in the mail or the handshake of someone in the gathering and there's a 50 bill there it could be a barber saying you're gonna get free haircuts for a year he's in the room like yo shout out right like and and save money in your budget for other things that's more important but i love the fact that the time of their long travels, we don't know how long they was walking in the heat and hungry. They happened to go through a grain field where there was an opportunity for them to eat. It just reminds me how God divinely provides for his children.

And it says as they walked through the grain fields, his disciples were hungry. They plucked the heads of grain, but the Pharisees said to Jesus, look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful. So I want us to draw your attention to a couple of things.

Who are the Pharisees? Why are they so upset? And why does it matter that this happened on a Sabbath? Why does all that matter? How does that apply to your life? Notice the Pharisees are in the field too. What are y'all doing there?

I thought I was trying to have some private time with my disciples. What are you doing in the field? I feel the same way about trolls. What are you doing on my page? If you don't like what I have to say, why are you following me anyway? Ain't nothing new under the sun. The men who will become the chief antagonist of the Lord Jesus Christ are following him in a field. They stay close enough to watch every move he makes just looking for an opportunity to trap him.

We got people like that in our lives hoping for your downfall. How many of you that had friends and then they betray you, they put a knife on your back and then they're praying for your downfall. They hope you fail. For whoever you are, I pray the Lord prepare a table before you. In the presence of your enemies.

That one of the best ways for God to vindicate you is for you to pray for your enemies and watch God bless you in their face. Right? They're following him. Who are the Pharisees? History tells us in the second century BC, there was this religious group, very radical fanatics. And that that group they split apart right like r&b groups they split and they created two new groups as a result of that group one group was called the essenes i love them a radical group of people who were serious about holiness and righteousness and the laws of god

and if you know history the esses left Jerusalem they left the cities and they built a whole community on the top of a mountain called Qumran and there they copied the scrolls one after the other all of the Old Testament they put them in jars and then at one point time when they was being attacked they all committed suicide because they didn't want to be taken captive in the 1940s this is a side note because i love archaeology a bedouin shepherd was going through jerusalem and one of his sheep ran away and he took a rock and he threw the rock in a crave thinking he was going to hit the sheep and he heard something burst like pottery he went in that cave and he found jars and in the jars were

scrolls in the jars and he pulled the scrolls out the jars there was original copies of the holy scriptures older than the manuscripts even used to write the king james they would then undig all of those caves and find what we have now called the dead sea scrolls manuscripts that were 2,000 years old and had proved to us that the scriptures we have today are accurate. God preserved them as he puts his fingerprint of evidence in the earth. My wife and I had a chance to see the Dead Sea Scrolls

in Charlotte, North Carolina. I don't think they're no longer in the United States. my wife and i had a chance to see the dead street scrolls in charlotte north carolina there i don't think they're no longer in the united states they're now in the antiquity in israel the other group that broke out other than the essenes were the group that became the pharisees and these were men who were serious about holiness and the laws of god and the rights of god and so they made themselves a source of the standard bearers in Israel. They were known as the ones who were the teachers of Israel. They were known as the professors of Israel. If you wanted to know God's word and God's laws,

the Pharisees had all the answers. They grew in power. They grew in influence. So powerful they became. They ended up on the Sanhedrin, which is the supreme court of the Jewish people. So now anytime you walk through the streets of Israel, you will see Pharisees standing on corners and praying out loud

because they wanted to be seen. They're wearing long robes. They got big hats. They prided themselves as being holier than everybody else. These are the Pharisees. Why they're so mad about the Sabbath? What is the Sabbath? History tells us that God, not a cosmic boom, you did not come from soup you didn't come from apes i never seen a monkey turn into a black man at the zoo i mean i may be the same color as one i've never seen one become a man i think it's foolish just to believe from a small dot it exploded and that we have perfect life in order.

It takes more faith to believe in that than the first five words of the Bible in the beginning, God. The scripture says in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, in six literal days, God created the world that we live in right now and he gave it order. Sun, moon, and stars. Every time I look into the sky, man, I just marvel over the creativity of God Almighty. And then on the seventh day, the scripture says God rested,

not because he was tired, but because he was setting a principle and he said he blessed the seventh day and he made it holy and so important was the seventh day called the sabbath that of the 613 laws of Israel it makes it to the top 10 the 10 commandments law number four remember the sabbath day and it holy. I'm going somewhere with this. And what God was trying to teach his people, I'm trying to teach all of y'all to have a good rhythm for your life. Work, rest.

Work, rest. Work, rest. There's nothing virtuous about being a constant workaholic. If God did not do that, he's trying to teach his children, don't live that way. You're living out of rhythm to be a constant workaholic and you never rest you say I don't have time for rest the devil is a lie you're gonna have time for the hospital right and the purpose of the Sabbath, everybody watch,

God created it for one purpose, was for people to rest and take delight in God Almighty. That's it. Now watch, I'm going somewhere with this. The purpose of the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, which is Saturday,

because Scripture says Jesus rose on the first day of the week, which is Sunday. The Sabbath, the only purpose for it, was to rest and just marvel in the goodness of God. Let me repeat that to you. What was the purpose of the Sabbath? Rest.

Just marvel in the goodness of God. That's it. That's the only purpose. Rest and to marvel in the goodness of God. That's it. That's the only purpose. Rest and to marvel in the goodness of God. And the Sabbath was so important because it was one of the only things that distinguished the people of God from their pagan nations. All the other pagan nations had religion. They had sacrifices just like Israel. But none of them had a Sabbath.

And other nations would watch a whole nation shut down for a day. And they would know that, man, these people belong to a God that we don't know. So the Sabbath was something distinctive to separate the people of God, and the other distinction was circumcision. The cutting off of the foreskin of men. But you can't see that underneath his drape. So God needed something else to distinguish his people. So he gave them the Sabbath. Rest, do this, be faithful to it.

People will see and know that you belong to me. I'm trying to. I got to lay this foundation else they won't understand where I'm going. Are you bored? Are you learning? Okay. Thousands of years go by.

Now we're going to get back to text. And by the time Jesus comes, the Pharisees have added to the Sabbath an entire book of rules, laws, and regulations that God never gave to his people. So that by the time Jesus comes to power, the people are now wary it's gonna make sense in a second oh my god i can't wait till i get to the end they are burdened it's gonna make sense in a few minutes they are heavy laden and they are frustrated with all of the rules and regulations of the sabbath i mean this stuff was so laborious that it said on the Sabbath, you can even go three feet past your house. A woman cannot look at herself in the mirror because to pick up a mirror would be work. If you got dirt on your leg, you can only brush it off three times because to go four brushes was work.

If your child fell into a ditch, you couldn't go too deep into the ditch because to go too deep in addiction get your child was work and so what was intended to be a time of delight in god's presence it's gonna make sense in a second by the time jesus came man the people was wary and frustrated with the Sabbath. It went from being a day of delight to being a day of misery. Bondage of just performing all of the rules

and regulations, watch, of the people in charge of teaching us. I'm burning on the inside. Our pastors, our apostles, our prophets. Oh, the prophets. Everybody's a prophet. You're traveling all over the country sitting in rooms. Listen to people strap yokes around your neck with no Bible. Got your heart in a bunch for a year and nothing happens. Because they prophesied lies. I'm going to wake up one day. You better stick close to people that love the scriptures.

Y'all listen to people that don't open the Bible, don't unpack the text. They got more eisegesis than exegesis, which is exit Jesus. Eisegesis, I pick a verse and I make it say what I want it to say to fit my sermon. Exegesis, I teach the scriptures so you can hear what Jesus and the'll make it say what I want it to say to fit my sermon. Exegesis. I teach the scriptures so you can hear what Jesus and the Spirit has to say. And so the Pharisees, who are like our modern day pastors, had strapped to the necks of the people

who trusted them to teach them a weight of rules and regulations that made it too heavy for the people to bear. So now instead of enjoying this day with God, I'm trying to get around it. Now look at the text it says why are your disciples doing what is unlawful on the sabbath watch the question but whose law watch it because according to deuteronomy you don't believe me let me let me read it according to deuteronomy 23 25 it says this is god speaking through moses if you go into the neighbor's standing grain you may pluck the heirs with your hand,

but just don't chop it down. So God gave his people permission to pluck grain with their hand. But the Pharisees thousands of years later said it is unlawful. You better know your Bible. It is unlawful for them to do that on the sabbath but whose law god's law or human law

side note god this is a side note just write it down when the people of israel came out of 400 years of slavery they have warped minds so the father had to teach them so you know they were farmers so they would have fields he would say you could harvest the whole field but leave the corner and don't touch it the corner was for people walking by who were not jews or foreigners they can pick that grain they would see the generosity of god's people and said they are different from every other nation. He was training his people to not eat everything in your house. But through your generosity, you show other people you serve a great God.

So that corner of your field, don't touch it. Let people who are hungry walking by eat all that grain in the corner. Don't eat everything that comes into your house. He was trying to train them. See? Now, this would be the time if I was legalistic, I would say, if you don't tithe, you're going to be cursed. They missed that. Jesus!

Jesus! Let me move on from there some of y'all have been on the past that said if you don't tithe you're going to be cursed you're going to curse and not reading the person who was robbing God

were the priests but we should be generous givers and God was trying to teach us to be generous givers. And God was trying to teach us to be percentage givers. Back to the text. So he says they're doing what's unlawful to do on the Sabbath. But whose law? Not God's law. The oral tradition.

Their laws. Everybody watch. You look at the Pharisees and you look down upon them because what we see here is legalism. But y'all do the same thing. I'm almost done. Really, I am.

But I want y'all to think, y'all do the same thing. How many times have you told somebody you need to do this or God is not going to do this? Right? How many books have we read where somebody told you, if you don't get up at 3 a.m. and light a candle

and float around the room for two hours and spend time with God, he's going to be mad at you. So you have people who are in Christ trying to rise every day at 3 a.m. who don't like to get up early. And every time you don't do it, you feel guilty as if God is mad at you but your guilt is not coming from the father your guilt is coming from some book you read from a Christian who had bad doctrine yes the Lord did tell me to pray but he did not tell me I got to get up at 3 a.m. seven days a week to do that.

What if you work a night shift? Maybe you got to pray in the afternoon. He just wants you to pray. And I'm telling you right now, you know I'm talking to you. You've read books. You've been to conferences where you read read things, watched, and put it into practice. It became a burden to you because you trusted the author, but you never checked the scriptures. So there are people under the sound of my voice right now.

You've got Christian practices that you can't find a scripture to support. And instead of enjoying Christianity, you always feel guilty about some area where you're dropping the ball from a noose you put around your own neck that's not in the word of God. I know what this feels like to read Christian books. Why? You know why? I'm going to tell you what we all do. We read more books from Christians than the person who gave us Christianity.

Am I telling the truth? Y'all got devotionals, Christian books, Christian theology books, and you will pick those things apart, but you don't spend any time reading the scriptures. And so legalism flourishes where there is ignorance of God's word. Chains are going to break today. Watch. I thought I was playing. Some of you was under some pastor that told you if you don't do this, God is going to be mad. You've been doing this thing for years and can't keep it.

But it's legalistic. Who told you to do that? Watch, let me go deeper. Who told you God requires that of you? You're trying to read three chapters a day and can't do it. Because some book told you that you got to read three chapters a day or God is going to be mad at you. And so your reading now becomes a burden. There is no delight because you can't read three chapters a day, but I could get three verses in. You were in churches where you've seen people who were prayer warriors

and they made you say you gotta pray like us you just got saved i've been saved 20 years watch and i expect you to pray like me fast like me sacrifice like me give at the level i give and if you don't do that god is mad at you now this is different from a righteous indignation against immorality and sin that's not what i'm talking about i'm talking about man made rules and regulations that you try to keep in your own heart or you give to somebody else or you feel if I don't read enough today I've fallen short today if you think in your mind man I miss my reading and it hurts you you have seeds of legalism inside you your hurt should not be because you disappointed God your hurt should only be because you disappointed God. Your hurt

should only be because you're trying to strive for discipline. But if you're hurt because you think God is mad, that is legalistic. I'm trying to tell you chains are going to break today. Watch. I'm going to set some of y'all free. You're going to walk out of here in joy because too many of us are doing things, believing things, and holding on to things that God did not strap to your neck. So you got whole denominations built around the fact that women can't wear pants. You take one scripture from Deuteronomy

where it says a woman should not dress like a man. And you turn that into no woman can't wear pants. Let me ask you a question. When Moses wrote Deuteronomy, pants did not exist. Pause. That's why you need Bible teachers. When Moses wrote Deuteronomy, pants did not exist.

So how are you going to take one verse and tell all women they can't wear pants? and build a whole denomination around it and got women enslaved, you got to wear a dress every day? You work a construction job and you got to wear a dress? Watch. And then they say any woman, every woman in here

who wearing pants, stand up for a second. If you got on pants, stand up. Every free woman, stand up. If you right in your jeans and right in your sweats, stand up. Dang, I'm about to say, where my brother's at? If you're a single, no, I'm about to say, if you're a single man, you're watching 2019, there's wives in here, right? Look, we're raising up virtuous women, godly women, Women of character and integrity. I got a lot of Ruths in here.

I gotta hurry up. All right, no, no, don't sit down yet. Stand up. You got on pants. Stand up. Now, listen. Imagine a man getting on this platform and saying, all of y'all are going to hell. Watch. Never mind you have been filled with the spirit by the blood of Christ on the cross. The spirit of God is in you yet you're hell-bound because your genes and while you are standing in your

freedom there are millions of women sitting down in bondage because illegalism sit down to your freedom praise God for your freedom i'm telling you right now if y'all are reading christian books that don't have scriptures to support what they're saying you better shelve them you gotta stop trusting people just because they're famous or they got a big following or they got a claim or their money you got to stop trusting what you read in every book and stop listening to every person with a title you need to learn to love the scriptures read the scriptures check behind people with the scriptures and stop reading Christian books

that don't have the scriptures in the book. I'm going to go deeper. This is why I stopped using devotionals. Some of y'all use devotionals where the author would take a passage and then write a paragraph about what the passage means, send you off on a journey to do something

that the Lord did not even tell you to do. That's why I stopped reading emotive devotionals. My devotions are New Testament letters. I was in Colossians for six months. I'm in Proverbs right now. Those are my devotions. And I'm not against all devotionals, but I am against literature that is not supportive of the scriptures and calls it Christian. Like for example, I should have had the picture, but I don't have it. My daughter was in the whatever bookstore she was in Israel and like I love my kids yo y'all doing good and Israel saw a book and the book said uh a Christian theology for the biblical support for same-sex marriage Now, I don't even have to get past Genesis to tell you

that in the beginning, he created them male and female, brought them together Male and female. Brought them together. I said now a man will leave his mother and father. Be united to his. And the two shall become. A male and a. So what book can you possibly write. With any biblical evidence.

To discredit God. Watch this. I'm going somewhere with this. Then I go to his Instagram and the first picture he got pinned is his marriage to a man. I'm going somewhere with this. Now watch. Watch.

Watch how legalism works. Then you take your personal preference i'm trying to teach you how legalism works you take your personal preference and then you make that doctrine to lead other people into bondage only for them to meet judgment in the end. Like God didn't destroy two cities for that kind of perversion. Now, what you don't hear me saying is I am not anti-gay in terms of I don't hate people who have same-sex attraction. I don't. I love them.

I'm just saying be holy the same way a heterosexual single person needs to be holy. I can't account for same-sex attraction. But I will not condemn you for that. I would just tell you like I would tell a single person. Be holy as God is holy. So what I got to suffer with this my whole life. There's some things I got to suffer

with too. Nobody escapes Christianity without suffering. What if this is my lot until I die it's your lot until you die and you will be rewarded in the end what if he never changes my attraction I was a cereal bed hopper lost count in the hundreds

I thought that was dope no but see in my former life we celebrated that in my Christian life I thought that was dope. No, but see, but in my former life, we celebrated that. In my Christian life, I hate that. Because it damages the soul. So I'm constantly have to pray God to keep healing my soul. So now I hate the lie of the devil that told me being a player was being a man. When being a man is loving one woman. Let me land the plane on the message.

So before you look down at the Pharisees, you've done that too. You've been legalistic, some of y'all, in your own lives. You've tried to export legalism in the lives of others. You've made legalistic posts, you've been legalistic yourself. Some of y'all have done it to your own self. That's why you feel no freedom.

I feel like I should stick in something right here before I finish the message. This is why Jesus said in John 10, 10, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Now, all your life you keep hearing in church, that's the devil. And the devil does kill, steal, and destroy. But if you read it in proper context, the thief that Jesus is talking about is bad teaching. False prophets. That's why later he would say,

my sheep know my voice. What kills, steals, and destroys is bad teaching, bad thoughts, bad beliefs. This is why he'll get to the end of that and say, but I have come to give them and life more abundantly, not life with bondage you got Jesus all wrong nothing about Jesus is bondage you know I gotta say this before I land the plane and we need to stop complaining about

his commandments none of his commandments are bondage all of the teachings of jesus is meant to lead us into life come on ain't nothing god nothing jesus gave us is bondage if you listen to his teaching it's all meant to lead you into life you don't believe husbands right when paul says husbands love your wife that christ loved the church that leads you into life. You don't believe? Husbands, right? When Paul says, husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church, that leads you into life. And when Jesus said, you heard it said, but now I say, it leads you into life. If you study his teachings, you will realize if you apply them, they lead you into the best life possible. Ain't nothing about God about bondage. You don't believe that?

God created a whole garden, put two people in there, said have whatever you want, just don't touch that one tree. Where's the bondage in that? You know what they had? Freedom. Jesus is a liberator. Life in Christ comes with freedom. So how did Jesus respond to legalism of the Pharisees let's finish the message is this making sense to you so we have we have an accusation in the first few verses now we have an argument in the next few verses

verse three everybody watch pay attention Pay attention. Pay attention. And he said to them, have you not read? Pause. Do I got to say anything to you about that? Did anybody hear what Jesus just said? The first thing he says to the legalistic people who had the Old Testament, they had the scriptures,

have you not read? Because had you read, you would know that you're wilding out. Because reading exposes error. I come across a pastor, I'm like, yo, that pastor was wrong. That prophet was wrong. That apostle was wrong.

Man, I got to start listening to Philip Anthony Mitchell more. Shameless. No, I'm just joking. I'm just joking. No, I'm serious. Listen. He says to them, have you not read? Let me, I'm finishing.

Watch. Everybody watch. Watch. This is so powerful. Everybody watch. Watch this. Watch this. Watch the wisdom of Jesus.

Serious wisdom and wonder. I'm closing with this. Everybody watch. No, I'm not closing I'm closing with this. Everybody watch. No, I'm not closing. I'm almost there. But watch. Have you not read? So automatically he's telling you, you can protect yourself from legalism with knowledge.

I'm trying to teach you my note takers. He combats legalism with biblical knowledge. Not with false doctrines not arguing have you not read everybody watch what david did when he was hungry and those who were with him how he entered the house of god did everybody watch. Jesus is a master teacher. And ate the bread of the presence which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those

who were with him, but only for the priests. If you're a student, you can write down 1 Samuel 21 and you will read that when David who was a young man fought a military battle at 17, the king gets jealous. He's on the run for 13 years before he becomes the king of Israel.

While he's out there, he's broke. He's going through. Men start to gather around David. He has 400 men around him. The Bible says they're broke. They're in debt. They're distressed. They're not like that when they get to the top, though.

You got to rock with somebody long enough. As God raises up David, he raised up all the men around David. You got to read. And now they're running from Saul the king. They run up on the temple of God's house. And in the temple, they keep six stacks of bread. One on one side and one on the other side, represents the 12 tribes of Israel. No one is allowed to eat that bread except the

priests. And when the day was over, the priest would take the stale bread, put it in the back, and put fresh bread the next day. No one was allowed to eat that bread except the priest watch it was unlawful watch god but david is running with his men they're hungry they have no food they're in danger he burst up in the temple he runs up on the priest he says yo we hungry first samuel go read it you know we need something to eat i got bread he says to david we don't have common bread for y'all. All we got is the holy bread. David was like, yo, give me that holy bread. Now watch.

Now the priest got to make a decision in the moment. Hold to the law. Hold to the law. or watch or take care of a person in need which one you think is more important to god so the priest makes a decision bypasses the law, gives David the bread. All his men eat. David's like, yo, before I leave, you got a sword? That sword you used to kill Goliath is here. Let me get that too. But watch what Jesus says. Let's continue. I'm about to land a plane. It's going to make sense in a second. Or have you not read, again, appeals to the scriptures.

He makes three defenses. How on the Sabbath, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless. Pastor, I don't understand. You're not supposed to work on the Sabbath. But the priests are in there making sacrifices. And are guiltless. So what is he trying to say to the Pharisees? David did that, you ain't saying nothing about that. The priests do that, you ain't saying nothing about that.

But you got an issue with my dudes picking grain from a field? You're missing it. You hypocrites. How you got selective morality. So watch how Jesus finishes his argument. He says to them, I tell you something greater than the temple is here. Because the temple was the center of Jewish worship. And Jesus says, now you don't have to just worship in a building. I am now your center of worship. So everybody, I don't know if you noticed. Then he says, and if you had known what this means, I desire mercy.

He's quoting the prophet Hosea. So he appeals to a king, David. He appeals to priests. Now he appeals to a prophet. The man who we call a prophet, priest, and king. he said y'all fussing up over what my disciples did but something greater than all your rules all your regulations is standing right in front of you and if you had learned what the prophet was trying to say and i'm i'm getting to the end he's trying to say god desires mercy over sacrifice that is god wants you to have more love and compassion than being legalistic it's not talking about having a righteous indignation against sin because that's me i'm going to cry out from the from the housetop

but what he is talking about is stop strapping to people's lives man-made rules, regulations, your personal preferences that cannot be supported by the word of God. he said if you knew that you would not have condemned the guiltless what did Jesus call his disciples guiltless I love the fact that Jesus is

ferocious in defending those he loves he didn't let his people go down he got in front of them and took that bullet then he says for the son of man last verse watch this is lord of the Sabbath

the son of man is a tagline for deity in the old testament Jesus calls himself the son of man is a tagline for deity in the old testament jesus calls himself the son of man is the is the title he used for himself more than any other title and what he was really saying to those pharisees watch i created the sabbath i was god in the beginning i created it everybody watch where i'm going i can adjust it any way i want. I can do what I want with it. Not to mind you, I totally missed the fact when I was preaching my sermon on the mount where I said, I am now the fulfillment of the Sabbath.

It's going to make sense in a second. So when the Sabbath was supposed to give people rest, Jesus said, I am the new Sabbath. Yes, practice, work, and rest, but I am the new Sabbath yes practice work and rest but I am the new Sabbath is why I can say come unto me all who are weary

and heavy laden with religion and me the new Sabbath I Jesus will give you rest free from rules regulations

unnecessary burdens things God ain't put on you life in Christ is supposed to be life of joy and freedom. I am a free man. I love the word and his commandments. I'm more pure in my heart than I've ever been. I'm more in love with my family than I've ever been.

I'm more secure in who I am than I've ever been. I'm more disconnected from the things of the world than I've ever been. I'm more focused on eternity than I've ever been. I'm more secure in who I am than I've ever been. I'm more disconnected from the things of the world than I've ever been. I'm more focused on eternity than I've ever been. And I've been leaning into his commandments for 20 years. I feel freedom in Christ. That's why I can preach and not be confined by men's approval addiction.

Jesus is your Sabbath. Yes. You know what? I can't close like that. I feel people in here still looking at me like, nah, I don't want to accept that. All right, let me give you this last text. Colossians 2. I love this text. Verse 16. For all y'all religious people. Colossians 2, verse 16, Paul wrote to the church of Colossae. I'm gonna close with this text.

Verse 16, therefore, and what was he talking about before that? Go read. He's talking about being alive in Jesus. Minister to these people, Frank. Nobody move. Listen, what Paul wrote. He makes an argument about life in Christ. And he says to the people of Calais, he said, Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions about food or drink. Why you eat pork? Because I like it. But God said you shouldn't eat pork.

Who did he say that to? The Jews in the Old Testament. That's been fulfilled. You think God has mad at you because you have a hot dog? Or you get bacon with your all-star from Waffle House? I'm trying to break the chains of your religion and your legalism. Therefore, because you are alive in Christ, read before, let no one,

how many people? How many people? How many people? So some of y'all got to go home and get rid of some of them books you got. Bad Christian authors. Stop listening to all these crazy prophets. Everybody with a microphone, a platform, and a following

is not chosen by God. You want to test them? Watch people that preach for long periods of time and never touch the scriptures your prophet preached for three hours and never opened the word of god but she's your prophet though he's your prophet though you ain't never seen him unpack the scriptures they just keep telling you god says god says god says really the word don't support what you just said god says it's a dangerous word i'm chasing after these prophets especially black people anybody with the title prophet

you melt in their hands like butter you're so thirsty for a word about the future instead of getting in your prayer closet. Get in your darn prayer closet. The Holy Spirit will give you glimpses of your future. The Lord showed me what I was doing right now when I was 24 in prayer. I didn't need no prophet

to tell me that. These fake prophets are only about profit. All about money. You're preaching with a gold microphone. You call yourself a prophet? Why you got a gold microphone? I don't care. Yo, these people are crazy. The body of Christ is crazy right now. They love these scriptures and love Christ. Running behind all of these people with titles,

man. It could be some old white man, some old black man that's faithful to the word of God. Listen to him. There's some prophet with 300,000 followers that never opened the Bible. Especially black people. Y'all so thirsty for prophets. Y'all treat them like they're Christ. Stop that nonsense. Look at me. Look at me. Love Christ above every man. Even me. Don't love anyone more than Christ. I'm serious

about this. That's why I tell my children, I am not your hero. I'm only your example of your hero. After Christ, love the scriptures more than all these Christian books. Sorry, I'm sorry. I'm just so I'm sorry. I'm just so frustrated with the American church, man. I'm frustrated with y'all. Y'all be like little jitterbugs. Every time a prophet lies, y'all dance around a room.

It's so embarrassing. When you ever look at somebody cross-eyed, like that don't sit right. The more truth you know, the more lies will sound like static in your soul. Tired of the church, especially in our context. Always running behind foolishness. Man, why do y'all love nonsense and foolishness? How are you going to tell a whole room full of women, Faithfulness. How are you going to tell a whole room full of women, everybody's going to have a husband in six months?

God said that? Really? You know everybody's life in that room? 3,000 people in a room, all of them are going to have a husband in six months? Y'all don't see how ridiculous this is? And then when the eighth month comes and you're still single, you're still supporting that prophet. Their words just fell to the floor. I heard another prophet, oh, this is the

year, God, I'm poor. I'm going to stretch out my hand and give everybody the billionaire anointing. Really? Every Christian is going to be a billionaire? Really? You ain't read the scriptures? You love that stuff because you love your flesh. I got all of our people just

in delusions. I don't want my head in the clouds. I want my foot on the ground. I want my head in the clouds. I want my foot on the ground. I want my face in the scriptures. I want to walk a real Christian life for real. So my expectations of God don't go unmet because I don't put things on him

that he did not say he would do. See? And for men like me, I'm boring. No one want one invite me to their conference i don't care i don't want to be in your platform anyway i'm content to preach right here y'all don't know me i ain't looking for no platform hand to god don't need no platform don't need nobody light don't need nobody singing my praises and trying to bring me to the end I don't need that

if nobody don't invite me nowhere I'm content to keep loving on y'all with the word of God I mean that with my whole heart don't want to put me at their table God will build a table right here call 2819. I ain't chasing that stuff. I'm a free man. I'm going to give an account to one man. And I'm going to stand for that

one man. And I'm going to talk for that one man. I'm going to defend the mockery of that one man. And we're going to rebuke and pray for little Nas X at the same time. And everybody else that's trying to get blasphemy against that one man, that's my savior y'all talking about. We're praying for y'all that you incur the wrath

of his judgment. Y'all keep playing with Give me this camera. Y'all keep playing with Jesus. Give me this camera. Y'all keep playing with Jesus if you want to. The only reason you blaspheming him and breathing is because his grace is allowing you to. But my friend, today is the day of salvation. Today you need to repent.

For a day is coming when all of your foolery is going to end in a fierce judgment. A price you're not ready to pay. You can either know him today as a loving savior. or meet him later as a wrathful judge. All that over preaching about love and grace is going to run out and then judgment is coming. And for all the believers who can hear my voice right now, your eyes are on Christ.

We're living in the last days. Your eyes are on Christ. How much time do you think we got left? I want to love Christ. I want to love his word. I want to love his people. I want to be in community with my brothers and sisters. I want to stay Christ. I want to love his word. I want to love his people. I want to be in community with my brothers and sisters. I want to stay close to the gathering.

I want to have accountability around me. I want to love my wife deeply. I want to disciple my children. I want to live right because he's coming soon. I want to keep dying to my flesh, dying to the world. I want to put aside everything he said we should put aside. I'm so serious. I'm sorry. I was doing something. I was doing something.

Can I just give you this last passage? All right. Paul says, my note takers, Colossians chapter 2, verse 16. Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink, or with regard to festivals or new moon or sabbath these are just a foreshadow just a shadow of things to come but the substance belongs to who

let no one watch the next word shout it disqualify you insisting on which is like an extreme mutilation of your flesh trying to earn righteousness. And the worship of angels and going on in detail about visions and puffed up with reason for his sensuous mind. All that he's talking about people with false doctrines. And hold not to fast of the head from whom the whole body nourished and knit together

through which joints and his ligaments grows with growth is from God. He's saying stay close to the body of Christ. If with Christ you die to all that foolishness, the elementary spirits of this world, why? As if you're still alive in the world, do you submit to these regulations? I can't do this. I can't do that. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do not handle.

Do not taste. Do not touch. Do not, do not, do not, do not. You think all of Christianity, don't do, don't do, don't do, don't do. No, have a steak and a glass of wine. Just don't get drunk. My pastor said that. Read the Bible.

Referring to things that watch this word, that all, watch, all perish as they are used. All the stuff is going to fade away according to human precepts and teachings, man-made religion. These have indeed, I love this, an appearance of wisdom. Oh, they, that's Bishop so-and-so. I know everything he put in his book. It got to be right.

She's been preaching for 30 years. They have an appearance. Of wisdom. But in promoting self-made religion, asceticism, severity to the body, they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. my prayer for you is that we will be a people free from legalism free from passing off legalism to other people i'm praying for some of you in this room to stop

crucifying yourself stop beating yourself up over every time you feel like you fall short. God does not matter to you as much as you think he's mad at you. I'm praying you'll find rest in Jesus Christ. Your Sabbath. And that we would not be a people that live under rules and regulations

of man-made bondage but we will hold fast to these holy scriptures and live the life of freedom and abundance that Jesus died to give you no more bondage. No more chains. No more shackles. I am free.

I like the way that felt. No more bondage. No more chains. No more shackles. I am free. Now let me go on this side. Let me say this one. No more bondage.

No more chains. No more shackles. Man, I am free. Listen to me. Free yourself. Free others. Live in the freedom of Jesus. And where the Bible is gray, the Holy Spirit will guide you.

One more time for the Holy Spirit. No more shackles. No more chains. No more bondage. I am free. So if you can't get up at five to pray, pray in the afternoon. Don't let no man strap around your neck a rule or regulation that Jesus did not give you. Bow your heads with me. Hold one chord for me.

This is a serious moment. It's a serious moment. In the overflow room, across this camera, and if you're listening to my voice right now on audio, across this camera, and if you're listening to my voice right now on audio, wherever you are,

right now in the mighty name of Jesus, I pray every mental, emotional, spiritual, and religious chain in your thoughts, in your heart, in your life, in your daily practices would be shattered and broken right now. I pray you will feel a rush of freedom from heaven.

Lord, deliver us from legalism, from heavy bondages, from burdens, from self-condemnation, from guilt and shame. From the lies of men and bad teaching and bad doctrine. I pray God right now chains break. Shackles fall.

Strongholds between our ears are being demolished. I pray we will be lovers of the scriptures. all strongholds between our heirs are being demolished. I pray we will be lovers of the scriptures, lovers of your presence, and lovers of the freedom that you died to give us. We will be lovers of your teachings and your commandments, and we will walk with you in the abundant life the abundant spiritual life that you died to give us nobody move

it's a serious moment there are men and women in this room people in the overflow people listening to me right now don't move the greatest bondage anybody will ever suffer with is the bondage of the payment for your own sin.

You were born in that bondage. I was born in that bondage. And if you die in that bondage, the scripture tells us you're going to be separated from God for all eternity. Said preacher, I don't believe that. Die and find out was God for real. I was born a sinner and so was you. You walked in this room in bondage.

You're sitting in the overflow in bondage. You're listening to me in bondage and you already know who you are. You're religious. You've done church. You're not born again. You're not alive. But the father in his love

sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ who died a sacrificial death for you and then the father invites you to a table of freedom he says if you would turn from your sin place your faith in my son I will make you my son and my daughter I will forgive you of all your sins I will make you my son and my daughter. I will forgive you of all your sins. I will remove your bondage. I'll make you a brand new creature. You feel it right now. The Lord already working in your heart right now.

You feel him wooing you right now. I can't do it. Only the spirit could do that. People being regenerated right now. Being saved right now. The Lord is wooing you right now. You're saying, preacher, that's me. I feel something stirring in my heart.

I don't know what it is, but I want to turn from my sin. I want to walk away from my life. I want to be with God. I want to know Jesus. I want to do this thing for real. Preacher, that's me. I feel it. Something is moving in my heart.

Come out of bondage. Come out of those chains. Throw yourself on the altar of Jesus. If that's you, man, I want to do something crazy. If you're in the overflow room, get out of that room and run over to this room right now. And if you're in that room, if you're in the room right now, you're saying, preacher, pray for me. This is the greatest moment of your life. I want you to get out your chair. Tell the person next to you, get out of my way.

And that's how everybody stand up. Get out of their way. It could be four of you and come down here right now. Go up there. We're waiting for you. Get out of your seat. Run down here right now. I want to be saved. I'm placing my faith in Christ. He's already working on my behalf. I feel it in my womb. I'm placing my faith in Christ he's already working on my behalf I feel

it in my womb I'm walking out of here a free man a free woman come out of bondage come out of bondage come out of bondage if you're the overflow there is no bondage Jesus, our hearts are open There's no guilt and no shame All our stains erase There is no bondage Every chain is broken

There is no bondage Every chain is broken There is no burden Jesus our hearts are open no guilt no shame

all of it is erased all of it is erased all of it is erased there is no burden There is no more day Please don't move. Everybody in this altar, don't look at me. I'm just a man.

Your focus is not on me. I'm just a man. Your focus is on Christ. Don't look at me. No magic dust no special prayer none of that repentance

tell the Lord you're sorry for your sin ask him to forgive you for your sin I can't save you there has to be a work of the Holy Spirit he know before time who would be saved, who would be for real, who would not. He knew this moment was coming for you before you was born.

I have nothing to do with this. Repent. Tell the Lord you're sorry for your sins. Surrender. He's catching those tears, my sister. Oh yes, that's called repentance. He's catching these tears. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. And now Father, I pray over all these men and women. People watching me across the screen, wherever they are. Salvation belongs to you. I can't do anything. No magic prayer, no pixie dust, no fairy tales, none of that.

Repentance, sovereign regeneration by the power of the Holy Spirit. You know who they are. You save according to your perfect will. I pray for all of these, God, who have turned their faith to you. According to your perfect will, you see the contents of their heart. Fill them with your

spirit. He's catching those tears. We thank you that you're regenerating them right now. You're inciting their names in the book of heaven, the book of life. You're making them sons and daughters. Father, I pray God that you would give them a ferocious love for you, a ferocious love for your presence, a ferocious love for your word, that you would keep them until the day

they see your face. And now Father, you said when one sinner repents, all of heaven rejoices. So Father, right now we rejoice.