SERMON INSIGHTS

The Necessity of the New Birth and the Death Economy

Central Spiritual Truth: The old Adamic nature is entirely rejected by God and must be replaced by a new life birthed through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• The Rejection of the First Man: The speaker asserts that the “first Adamic man was nailed on the tree and buried,” and there is “nothing about it that will be accepted.”
• The Death Economy: Every person without Christ is classified as “dead,” regardless of their physical state. This is described as a “complete death economy.”
• The Resurrection Mandate: Just as Jesus rose on the third day as a “new person,” believers must “be baptized and rise up in newness of life.”
• Scriptural Anchor: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

 The Ministerial Mandate: Stripping the Death Clothes

Central Spiritual Truth: The primary responsibility of ministry is to assist the redeemed in removing the habits and mindsets of their former “dead” existence.

• The Lesson of Lazarus: Using the illustration of Lazarus, the speaker identifies the minister’s role as the one who “takes off the death clothes”—the garments the person was buried with.
• Opening New Eyes: Once the old garments are removed, the minister must help the person “see things new” so they can function in their new spiritual reality.
• Raising from Death: Ministry is defined as taking people whom God has “taken out of death” and raising them up to help them walk in life.
• Scriptural Anchor: “And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, loose him, and let him go.” John 11:44.

The Equality and Nobility of God’s Children

In the Kingdom of God, all believers are “noble” and “precious,” and the ministry must reject worldly standards of favoritism and status.

• The Preciousness of the Saints: The speaker emphasizes that “all the children are noble before God” and “precious.”
• The Critique of Favoritism: He warns ushers and leaders against giving “high seats” to the “important” or wealthy while throwing away those perceived as unimportant.
• Universal Equality: “As soon as they enter here, they are the same. There is no difference.”
• Scriptural Anchor: “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” James 2:1.

The Pattern of Servant Leadership

True spiritual authority is demonstrated through humble service and the physical act of “washing feet,” rather than the accumulation of titles or perceived “bigness.”

• The Bishop’s Example: The speaker recounts an illustration from London where a “great bishop” spent an all-night service kneeling on the floor to wash the feet of the congregants, one by one, from row to row.
• Rejection of “Bigness”: He critiques leaders who are “too big” to serve, noting that some “great bishops” would never stoop to minister on people’s feet.
• The Call to Serve: The mandate for everyone, including potential future pastors, is simple: “We are supposed to serve them.”

Exhortations, Prayers, and Calls to Action

• Get the Vision: The speaker exhorts the leaders to “get a vision of what God wants us to do” and to understand the “redemption process.”
• Recognize Potential: He tells those sitting in the pews or serving as ushers, “You too are a potential person,” warning them not to think that only the “OC” (Overseer) will do the work.
• Strip the Garments: A call to action is made to actively “take off these old garments” from those entering the church.

AMEN