When Jesus Goes to Church - 3/12/26 - Bro. Josh Montgomery - Meadows Baptist Church

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

And I appreciate the reality of that

tonight. And it's good to be in the

house of the Lord this evening. Amen.

Appreciate you being here on a Thursday

night. I don't remember what day of the

week it was. And it's good to be in

church tonight. Thank you, preacher, for

the invitation to come. I got to be

here. I guess it was sometime last year

when brother Jarvis is here and meeting.

And it's good to be back here with you

at Meadows. And we appreciate your

pastor and his friendship. I just like

to hear him talk. I really do. And uh

and I appreciate that. And uh I tell

you, he is the countryest boy I've ever

heard from Delaware in my life. Amen.

And uh but I appreciate him. Appreciate

his family. And it's just a joy to be

here. Then I appreciate Brother Austin.

And uh we are Are we friends?

>> Yeah, we're brothers. Uh I don't know if

we're friends, but uh no, I I don't have

a closer friend in the world than

Brother Austin Elkins. He's one of my

good buddies. We um we've come up

preaching together thanks to brother

Davey Shelton. He kind of made us be

friends and I'm glad that he did. And

I'll tell you there ain't nothing I

wouldn't do for brother Austin and there

ain't nothing he wouldn't do for me. So

we just go around doing nothing for each

other.

And uh but uh I know you've had good

preaching the last few nights.

>> But all good things must come to an end.

So take your the word of God with me

tonight and find the Gospel of Luke

chapter number two. The Gospel of Luke

chapter number two. Preacher, once

again, thank you for letting me come.

I'm looking forward to these nights

together. I've been in meeting in

Monroe, North Carolina the last three

nights. And if I'm not and then we got

revival meeting starting Monday night at

our church, brother Jimbo seat. So, if

I'm not right with God by next Thursday

night, I'm just going to quit, okay?

Because being in church five night,

eight nights straight plus Sunday. If

that don't do it, ain't nothing going to

do it. But, uh, we try to give you the

burden of our heart tonight and be a be

a blessing to you. And it's good to see

brother Dakota and his wife here tonight

as well. They came through our church

when they was in missions and it's good

to see him tonight as well. And we're

thankful for the Lord's kindness and his

mercy in our lives. Amen. The Gospel of

Luke, chapter number two tonight. And

I'm going to begin our reading in verse

number 21. And I'm going to read several

verses. So, if you'll bear with me, I'll

read down through verse number 38

tonight for our text. But do not worry,

I am a 30-minute preacher. We will

synchronize our watches together because

uh I have been taught, brother Jimbo

taught us it pays by the job, not by the

hour. Amen. But I know you've worked

hard all day. You've been in church all

night or all week, not all night, all

week. And uh yeah, I get picked on more

for my time limit than I do anything. So

I said, don't put a time limit on the

Holy Spirit. I'm like, I don't I put a

time limit on preachers that can't tell

time. Okay? And uh so let's stand

together for for the reading of his word

tonight. Luke chapter 2 verse number 21.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

And when eight days were accomplished

for the circumcising of the child, his

name was called Jesus. I know who that

is. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> Which was so named of the angel before

he was conceived in the womb. And when

the days of her purification according

to the law of Moses were accomplished,

they brought him to Jerusalem to present

him to the Lord. As it is written in the

law of the Lord, every male that openeth

the womb shall be called holy to the

Lord, and offer a sacrifice according to

that which is said in the law of the

Lord, a pair of turtle doves or two

young pigeons. And behold, there was a

man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon.

The same man was just and devout,

waiting for the consolation of Israel.

And the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it

was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost

that he should not see death before he

had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came

by the spirit of the Lord into the

temple. And when his parents brought in

the child Jesus to do for him after the

custom of the law, then took he up he

then took he him up in his arms, and

said, Blessed be God, and said, Lord,

now let us thy servant depart in peace

according to thy word. FOR MINE EYES

HAVE SEEN THY SALVATION, which thou has

prepared before all the face of the

people, a light to lighten the Gentiles,

and the glory of thy people Israel. And

Joseph and his mother marveled at those

things which were spoken of him. And

Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary

his mother, "Behold, this child is set

for the fall and rising again of many in

Israel. For a sign which shall be spoken

against, yeah, a sword shall pierce

through thine own soul, that the

thoughts of many hearts may be

revealed." And there was one Anna, a

prophetist, the daughter of Thaniel, the

tribe of Asher, and she was a great age,

and had lived with an husband seven

years from her virginity. And she was a

widow of four four score and four years.

And she departed not from the temple,

but served God with fasting and prayers

night and day. And she coming in that

instant gave thanks likewise unto the

Lord and spake of him to all of them

that look for redemption in Jerusalem.

Heavenly Father, I thank you one more

time tonight for the opportunity we have

to stand and preach the word of God.

Thank you Lord for this pastor in this

church and their desire to have a

meeting in these days. Thank you, Lord,

for what you've already done this week.

The good reports we've heard. We give

you glory for that. We do not want to

just assume that you're going to help us

tonight. But we ask you that you'd be so

kind to cleanse me of sin, Lord, to

empty me of self, fill us with the

spirit of God tonight. May we see no man

save Jesus only. And what you do, we'll

thank you and give you glory for it. For

we ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen. Thank you for standing. You can be

seated tonight. When we come to Luke

chapter number two, there are a few

things that we see in the text. By way

of introduction, I note in verse number

21, there is a what I call a

certification. We note in this text that

Mary and Joseph, they they have brought

Jesus to the temple to fulfill uh the

custom of the law. There's a

certification. There is a custom in

verse 22, verse 23, and verse 24. They

are offering according to the law of

Moses what Moses declared that when a

male child was born, they were to bring

that baby UH TO THE TEMPLE on the eighth

day to offer the sacrifices in the law

of Moses. SOMEBODY SAID, "PREACHER, WHY

ARE THESE VERSES IMPORTANT?" WELL,

they're important to remind us that

Jesus did not come to destroy the law,

but he came to fulfill the law. AND

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID. HE HE FILLED

THE LAW TO THE FULL. WHAT MAN COULD NOT

DO. I'M GLAD Jesus did. AND I'M GLAD

TONIGHT I'M NOT SAVED BY MY

RIGHTEOUSNESS. I'M NOT SAVED BASED ON

WHO I AM OR WHAT I'VE DONE. BUT THANK

GOD I'M SAVED BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT PAUL

SAID. HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US

WHO KNEW NO SIN THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE

THE RIGHTEOUS OF GOD IN HIM. I TELL YOU,

IF YOU GET TO HEAVEN TONIGHT, it won't

be because of your good works. IT WON'T

BE BECAUSE OF YOUR WATER BAPTISM. AND IT

WON'T BE BECAUSE OF YOUR CHURCH

MEMBERSHIP. BUT OLD SYDNEY COBALT SAID

IF SOMEONE ASKKED ME HOW I MADE IT

QUICKLY I'LL SAY IT BY THE BLOOD OF THE

LAMB I made it through. And so there is

a custom and there is certification. But

I'm interested in these verses. We note

the church in these verses. Now we

understand I'm using the term church in

a subjective manner. We understand that

and that the New Testament assembly of a

church was not yet a meeting yet. We

understand that Jesus has not said I

will build my church in the gates of

hell. We understand all that. We

understand the church is still a mystery

that has not been revealed uh to the

APOSTLE PAUL YET. WE GET THAT. But

here's what I want us to think about.

The temple uh to those Jews was a place

where they would come together and

worship the Lord. IT WAS A PLACE THEY

WOULD COME and assemble together and

they would read the scriptures and

reason. You'll recall later in our

Lord's ministry in Luke chapter 4 that

Luke 4 · chapter mention

he would go in that synagogue and he

would read from the Torah. He would read

from THE OLD TESTAMENT. YOU KNOW WHAT

CHURCH OUGHT TO BE? IT'S A PLACE WHERE

WE OUGHT TO SACRIFICE. It's a place

where we ought to have the scriptures

preached. IT'S A PLACE OF WORSHIP. THEY

WOULD SING PSALMS. PSALMS UH IN THAT

TEMPLE. IT REMINDS ME OF WHAT WE DO IN

THE CHURCH. Can I get amen out of that?

>> And so, here's what I'm saying by a

practical application of this. This is

the first time in our Bible where Jesus

physically enters the temple in his

human body. Would you agree with that? I

understand the glory of God falls in the

in the tabernacle and in the temple in

the Old Testament. I UNDERSTAND THAT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN OUR MIND'S EYE.

THE FIRST TIME JESUS EVER ENTERED the

temple, he's 8 days old

>> and he enters that temple. I want to

preach very simply for just a few

moments on Jesus goes to church. When

Jesus goes to church, I don't know about

you tonight, I want to go to church

where Jesus goes to church.

>> I WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN A CHURCH WHERE

JESUS IS WELCOMED.

I know that all sinners ought to be

welcome and we ought to welcome sinners

because they need the gospel. BUT I TELL

YOU, OUGHT TO INVITE PEOPLE TO CHURCH.

BUT IF WE GO TO CHURCH AND HE'S NOT

THERE, all is vain. UNLESS THE SPIRIT OF

THE HOLY ONE COMES DOWN. WE NEED JESUS

MORE THAN WE NEED anything else in our

services. We need his touch. WE NEED HIS

POWER. WE NEED HIM WORK IN OUR LIVES.

AND WE NEED WHAT THIS TEMPLE HAVE. WE

NEED JESUS TO SHOW UP IN OUR SERVICES.

All about you. I'm tired of dead

religion. I'M TIRED OF DEAD CHURCH. I

WANT GOD'S TOUCH. I WANT GOD'S PRESENCE.

I WANT GOD'S BLESSINGS AND HIS POWER UH

TO BE MANIFESTED in the church.

>> Well, it's interesting. Jesus goes to

church and there are some people, if you

will, there are some people in this

temple. And there are three things I

want to emphasize about the about these

folks when Jesus went to church. And I

believe we can take these principles and

these lessons tonight, and I believe

it'll help us when we go to church.

FIRST OF ALL, WHEN JESUS WENT TO CHURCH,

there was someone expecting him.

>> I'm going to back that up and SAY IT

AGAIN. WHEN JESUS WENT TO CHURCH, THERE

WAS SOMEONE THERE THAT WAS EXPECTING

HIM. We read in verses 25, 26, and 27,

we was introduced TO A MAN BY THE NAME

OF SIMEON. YOU KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS,

PREACHER, ABOUT SIMEON? HE WAS waiting

for him.

>> He was wait Praise God. I feel good

about it now. HE WAS WAITING FOR THE

CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL. WAS YOU EXPECTING

JESUS TO SHOW UP WHEN YOU GOT THE CHURCH

TONIGHT? WELL, DON'T EXPECT HIM TO SHOW

UP. AND DON'T EXPECT HIM TO SHOW UP IF

YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR HIM. SIMEON HAD

BEEN SERVING GOD for many years. AND THE

HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD HAS SPOKE TO HIM AND

SAID HE WOULD NOT DIE TILL HE SAW THE

CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL. SIMEON DIDN'T

KNOW WHAT DAY HE WAS GOING TO SHOW UP,

PASTOR. BUT HE KEPT ON GOING. HE KEPT ON

BEING FAITHFUL. SOMEBODY SAY, "WELL,

PREACHER, OUR SERVICES ARE DEAD." AND IT

WASN'T A SHOUTED OUT SERVICE. WELL, YOU

KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO? IF HE DON'T

SHOW UP SUNDAY MORNING, I'M GOING TO GO

BACK SUNDAY NIGHT. AND IF HE DON'T SHOW

UP SUNDAY NIGHT, I'M GOING TO GO BACK

WEDNESDAY NIGHT. YOU KNOW WHY? I WANT TO

EXPECT JESUS TO SHOW UP IN MY CHURCH.

>> There's that old story that small church

that had planned a special prayer

meeting because they had been in a time

of drought. And they got together to

pray and this one little boy showed up

at the prayer meeting and he had an

umbrella and they all began to laugh at

him, make fun of him. They said, "WHY'D

YOU BRING AN UMBRELLA?" HE SAID, "CUZ

I'm expecting rain." I'm going to tell

there's A LOT OF PEOPLE. THEY SAY,

"WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CHURCH AND

WORSHIP, BUT THEY DON'T BRING AN

UMBRELLA. THEY'RE not expecting JESUS TO

SHOW UP." OH, BUT THANK GOD FOR SIMEON

HERE. HE HAD BEEN THROUGH 400 YEARS.

THERE'S BEEN 400 YEARS OF SPIRITUAL

DARKNESS AND NO WORD FROM GOD. BUT THAT

HADN'T KNOCKED SIMEON OUT OF CHURCH.

HE'S STILL STAYING FAITHFUL. HE'S STILL

SERVING GOD. HE'S JUST WAITING FOR THE

DAY UH THAT THE SON OF GOD WALKS THROUGH

THOSE DOORS. HEY, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE A

CHILD OF GOD. YOU STAY FAITHFUL IN THE

CHURCH. YOU STAY EXPECTING CUZ IT MIGHT

BE ONE DAY THE DOORS OPEN AND THE SON OF

GOD WILL MANIFEST HIS PRESENCE AND WILL

MANIFEST HIS TOUCH IN OUR midst this

evening.

>> I see. H how did how did how was Simeon

expected him? Well, his expectation was

based on the scriptures.

>> Watch what he said in verse 25. He's

waiting for the consolation of Israel.

How did Simeon know that Christ was

coming? I'm This will be real deep. You

have to back up. You really got to

think, put your thinking cap on here.

I've been to Bible college. You really

got to think with me right here. You

know how Simeon knew that Jesus is GOING

TO SHOW UP?

>> COME ON.

>> He'd been reading the book,

>> right?

HE'D BEEN LISTENING TO WHAT THEM OLD

TESTAMENT PROPHETS SAID.

>> HE HAD READ ISAIAH'S SCROLL.

>> HE KNEW UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN AND

UNLESS A SON IS GIVEN. HE KNEW THAT HE

HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT. HE KNEW ONE

DAY JUST SOMEBODY SAID, "PREACHER, HOW

DO YOU KNOW THAT JESUS WANTS TO SHOW UP

IN OUR CHURCH?" HERE'S WHAT HE SAID. HE

HE REMINDS US NOT TO FORSAKE THE ASSEMB

OF OURSELVES TOGETHER. HERE'S WHAT HE

SAID IN PSALM 22. HE INHABITS THE

PRAISES OF ISRAEL. AND I'M TELLING YOU

TONIGHT, I'M EXPECTING JESUS TO SHOW UP

AT CHURCH CUZ I'VE BEEN IN THE BOOK.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, they want to

have a they want to have a Sunday only

religion. They don't pick up their Bible

all week. They don't pray. They don't

study. They don't ask GOD TO MOVE. BUT

PREACHER, THEY EXPECT THEM TO SHOW UP ON

SUNDAY, BUT THEY AIN'T been in the BOOK

ALL WEEK.

>> DON'T EXPECT HIM TO SHOW UP IF YOU AIN'T

BEEN IN THE BOOK. SIMEON'S EXPECTATION

WAS BASED ON THE FACT THAT HE KNEW THE

SCRIPTURES.

>> If you ain't spend time in the book,

don't expect them to show up.

>> Amen. That's right.

Bible said, "Blessed are they which

hunger and thirst after righteousness,

for they shall be filled."

>> His expectation was based on the

scriptures. His expectation was based on

the spirit. Notice what your text says

in verse 26. I'm just a Bible preacher.

And it was revealed to him by the Holy

Ghost that he should not see death

before he'd seen the Lord's Christ.

Watch verse 27, PLEASE. AND HE CAME BY

THE SPIRIT INTO THE TEMPLE.

>> Let's get theological for a second. This

is still Old Testament economy because

you don't have a New Testament without

the death of the testator. So, we're

still in the Old Testament economy here

in Luke chapter number two. And so, we

understand that the Holy Ghost did not

indwell the believer until after the day

of Pentecost. SO SIMEON DOES NOT HAVE

THE INDDWELLING SPIRIT. Ain't that

right? The spirit would come ON A MAN

AND COME OFF a man in the Old Testament.

But here's Simeon that don't HAVE THE

HOLY SPIRIT IN HIM. HE'S JUST GOT THE

HOLY SPIRIT ON HIM.

>> And and he got TO THE TEMPLE.

>> BUT WE GOT PEOPLE THAT SAY THEY'RE

SAVED.

>> THEY SAY THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES IN

THEM,

>> BUT HE DON'T GET THEM TO CHURCH ON

SUNDAY.

>> I WISH I HAD SOMEBODY. I MEAN, WE GOT

PEOPLE THEY SAY THEY'RE SAVED AND THEY

AND I AIN'T FUSSING AT Y'ALL. YOU'RE

HERE on a Thursday night, but I'm We

talking about all them other people that

just show up on Sunday morning. Y'all

don't want somebody said, "You talking

about people?" You better believe I'm

talking about that crowd. Amen.

>> I'm 34 years old, BEEN IN CHURCH ALL MY

LIFE. I have no I'm a preacher's kid,

been pastoring 13 years. I have no shame

left.

>> I love it.

>> WELL, I LOVE JESUS AND EVERYTHING, but

we ain't going to be back Sunday night.

>> YOU MEAN THE SPIRIT OF GOD INDWELLS YOU?

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE HOLY GHOST OF GOD.

YOU SAY LIVES IN YOUR HEART AND HE CAN'T

GET YOU BACK ON SUNDAY NIGHT. HE CAN'T

GET YOU TO PRAYER MEETING ON WEDNESDAY

NIGHT. HE CAN'T GET YOU TO REVIVAL

MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT. I KNOW IT'S

WALMART NIGHT TOMORROW NIGHT. I KNOW

IT'S BASKETBALL NIGHT. BUT YOU SAY THE

HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU AND HE DON'T

GET YOU TO CHURCH. I AIN'T BUYING IF

YOU'RE SELLING, FRIEND.

>> HEY, this is preaching better than I

thought it would.

>> HE WAS EXPECTING HIM CUZ THE SCRIPTURES

TOLD him to look for him. He is

expecting him because the spirit led him

there.

>> I uh I've been pastoring 13 years, but I

was faithful to church before I started

pastoring.

>> I mean, at 6:30 on Sunday mornings, my

eyes open. MY TRUCK STARTS, MY SUIT

FLOATS TO ME. MY TRUCK IMMEDIATELY

ALREADY GOES IN DRIVE. YOU KNOW WHERE

IT'S HEADED ON SUNDAY MORNING?

BOJANGLES.

>> And then I GO TO CHURCH. SOMEBODY HELP

ME. AMEN.

I mean, you got to have a little bit of

help on Sunday morning. Amen. I go, you

know what I do, pastor? I go by Bo James

on Sunday morning, get me a country

fried ham biscuit, AND THANK GOD I'm not

under the law. I'm under grace. Amen.

Praise. AND I EAT THAT HAM BISCUIT, AND

I GO TO THE HOUSE OF GOD. BUT YOU KNOW

WHAT? MY TRUCK WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

IF IT WASN'T IN MY CHURCH PARKING LOT on

Sunday. YOU KNOW WHY? CUZ THAT'S WHERE

I'M SUPPOSED TO BE. HEY, DAVID SAID,

"I'D RATHER BE A DOORKEEPER IN THE HOUSE

OF MY GOD THAN TO DWELL IN THE TENTS OF

THE WICKED." EVERYTHING GOOD HAS EVER

HAPPENED IN MY LIFE. IT HAPPENED IN THE

HOUSE OF GOD. I GOT SAVED IN CHURCH. I

GOT CALLED TO PREACH IN CHURCH. I MET MY

WIFE AT CHURCH. I PROPOSED TO HER AT

CHURCH. SHE AIN'T BEEN BACK SINCE. I GOT

MARRIED AT CHURCH. AMEN. I JUST THANK

GOD FOR CHURCH.

>> YES.

>> His expectation was based on the spirit.

His expectation was based on the

scriptures. His expectation was based on

the saints. Right.

>> He's not the only one there looking for

Jesus. You're

>> right.

>> Cuz Anna's there.

>> Right.

>> You know, one of the reasons I like to

go to church cuz I got my brothers and

sisters there.

>> And the Hebrew writer said, I quoted a

minute ago, we're not to forsake the

assembling of ourselves together. Now,

watch how somebody said, "Well, you

shouldn't talk about them people don't

go to church." Well, somebody forgot to

tell Paul because Paul said, "As the

manner of some is."

>> He's talking about them people laid out

church, TOO.

>> BUT EXHORTING one another. WHAT IS THAT?

SO MUCH THE MORE. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN WE GO TO CHURCH? IT ENCOURAGES ME

TO SEE, THANK GOD, THAT FAMILY'S NOT

QUIT. THEY'RE STILL SERVING GOD. WE'RE

STILL IN THIS THING TOGETHER. AND I'LL

TELL YOU, SIMEON, HE MIGHT HAVE GOT

TIRED ONE DAY AND DIDN'T FEEL LIKE

GOING, BUT HE KNEW SISTER ANNA'S GOING

TO BE THERE. AND SO, I DON'T WANT TO

DISCOURAGE HER, SO I'M GOING TO GO. AND

SISTER ANNA MIGHT HAVE GOT UP ONE

MORNING AND SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I

REALLY DON'T FEEL LIKE GOING, BUT SHE

KNEW, BUT SIMEON'S GOING TO BE THERE."

AND SO, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO ENCOURAGE

ONE ANOTHER. HIS EXPECTATION WAS BASED

ON THE SCRIPTURES, BASED ON THE SAINTS,

AND BASED on the spirit of God.

>> Y'all picking up what I'm throwing down

tonight?

>> When Jesus went to church, somebody was

expecting him. Number two, when Jesus

went to church, someone was embracing

him.

>> Look at verse 28, SPEAKING OF SIMEON.

THEN TOOK HE UP IN his arms.

>> Woo.

SIMEON WAS JUST NOT JUST SATISFIED WITH

JUST SHOWING UP AND KEEPING JESUS at arm

distance.

>> BUT WHEN JESUS SHOWED UP, I NOTICED THEY

CAME. Verse 28 and verse 29. THEY DIDN'T

COME TO CHURCH JUST TO SIT THERE, BUT

THEY CAME WITH A DESIRE TO SEE JESUS.

>> You know, they could have made reasons

to not go.

>> You're right.

>> Their age didn't stop them. They're both

old.

>> Yeah.

>> But they didn't allow their age to stop

them. They didn't allow their

afflictions to stop them.

>> They didn't allow their attitudes to

stop them.

>> They didn't allow the atmosphere of the

day. Remember, no word from God for 400

years. They just kept on going.

>> They came. They got closer.

>> Verse 28 and verse 38, when they both

saw Jesus, both Anna and Simeon.

They ran right where he is at.

>> You know, you got that crowd. You got

that crowd. They they want to go to

church because it's the right thing to

do socially in the south.

>> But then you got that other crowd.

They're not satisfied with just sitting

on a church pew.

>> They want to get closer to Jesus.

When when Jesus showed up at church,

there was somebody expecting him and

there was somebody embracing him. Simeon

took him up in his arms. The American

church mostly has a mentality they just

want to attend church enough to make

themselves feel better. Y

>> we're living in a day and and I know

it's the first time I preached here and

I've only got one more night left and I

don't want to make y'all mad at me, but

we're living in a day and age where

people have a kid rock church mentality

>> brother

>> or a jelly roll mentality

>> where you know you can still drink and

cuss and dope and run around and be

immoral but still claim the name of

Jesus. I'M NOT BUYING THAT, FRIEND.

I don't see how I CAN'T GET AWAY WITH

THINKING A bad thought without the Holy

Spirit convicting me. But they CAN TAKE

GOD'S NAME IN VAIN AND DRINK ALCOHOL AND

PROMOTE THAT WICKEDNESS AND EVERYBODY

THINKS THEY'RE SAVED AND RIGHT WITH GOD

AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST.

>> Come on.

>> Amen.

>> We got an American church today that,

you know, when Aussie Osborne died, he's

in heaven now, but he cursed God his

whole life.

>> Come on now. Help me.

AND

>> I'M TELLING YOU, WE DON'T NEED THAT KIND

OF RELIGION. WE NEED PEOPLE SAYING, "I'M

NOT GOING TO STAND ON THE BACK BURNER. I

JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE ENOUGH TO GET ME

IN, BUT DRAW ME NEAR. DRAW ME NEAR."

HEY, THE JAMES SAID THEY THAT DRAW N OF

GOD, HE'LL DRAW N OF YOU. PRAISE GOD.

AND I'M GLAD TONIGHT THAT HIS STEPS ARE

A WHOLE LOT BIGGER THAN MY STEPS.

>> You know, that's what revival meetings

about. It's about getting closer to

Jesus.

You know, a lot of people have a

different definition of revival. Thank

God for souls getting saved in revival.

>> But brother Gentry, you brother Gentry,

right? Well, you don't know me, but I've

know your name, preacher, I think you

testify this. Revival's for the saved.

>> You're right.

>> And if the saved get right with God,

sinners will start getting saved. That's

what Psalm 51 said. And so, here's what

WE NEED IN THE CHURCH. WE NEED GOD'S

PEOPLE TO GET CLOSER to Jesus. So, the

sinners WILL SEE SAY, "HUH, THERE'S

SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THEM." RIGHT.

>> Is that not what DAVID SAID IN PSALM 51

WHEN HE GOT RIGHT? THEN WILL I teach

transgressors your ways and sinners

shall be converted UNTO THEE. IF GOD'S

PEOPLE GET RIGHT, sinners will start

getting saved. I believe that tonight.

>> I'm talking about on Sunday morning when

the doors of the Meadows Baptist Church

are open, will there be anybody here

expecting him?

>> You're right. Come on.

>> We're not preaching to I appreciate our

guests being here. We're not preaching

to the church down the road. my burden

in these two nights, my responsibility

to preach to this church. Will there be

anybody here Sunday expecting Jesus?

>> Come on.

>> Will there be anybody here Sunday

willing to embrace Jesus?

>> They came. They were close. They were

changed.

>> I guarantee you they never

>> they never forgot the day

>> when Jesus

>> walked IN THEIR CHURCH.

>> IT CHANGED THEIR LIVES FOREVER. RIGHT.

>> AND I'LL TELL YOU, IF YOU EVER GET IN A

MEETING WITH JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

OF GOD BEGINS TO MOVE AND THE HOLY

SPIRIT OF GOD BEGINS TO WORK, YOU'LL

NEVER GET OVER IT.

>> OH, you can think back in your mind, and

I can too, of some services where God

showed up.

>> And you tried to explain it, but it you

couldn't explain it.

>> One Feder said it was just better felt

than felt. All right? I mean, you tried

to explain, you tried, you you tried to

say, "You should have been there." And

they said, "What happened?" Well, you

just should have been there. You're

right.

>> You can't explain it. I'll tell you,

they never forgot it.

>> Well, preacher, that was real good. And

days gone by.

>> I got 10 minutes left. And

>> I'm going to be honest with you tonight.

I thank God. Now, I love my heritage.

All right. My oldest boy, his middle

name is Maize after Maize Jackson.

>> My bum boy is named Sitler after Dr.

Harold B. Sitler. And my little girl is

named Joyce Myers. I mean, we we name

our kids after preachers. I'm just

kidding. Her name's Judah. All right.

Just wanted to see if you were awake to

see if you were listening. Okay. All

right.

My little girl name is Judah Rain. My

boys I named them after preachers. I'm

going to tell you something

respectfully. God didn't die when Harold

Sitler died.

>> And God didn't die when Percy Ray died.

>> God didn't die when these great men of

God thank God for the ministries. BUT

THEY'LL be the FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU,

DON'T THINK ABOUT US. GOD'S STILL GOD.

YEAH.

>> HERE'S WHAT MADE THE difference in those

days. There are people in them churches

and revival meetings that was expecting

Jesus. And there are people in them

revival that was embracing Jesus.

>> You're right.

>> There was somebody there expecting him.

There was somebody there embracing him.

But number three, when Jesus stood up at

church, there was somebody there

exalting him.

>> Amen.

>> Look, look, look at the text. Look at

the text. Verse 29 through 40. Simeon

and Anna both begin to exalt the Lord in

these verses. THEY BOTH BEGAN TO LIFT

HIM UP and brag on him.

>> Amen.

>> THE PSALMIST SAID, "OH, MAGNIFY the Lord

with me." That's

>> right.

>> And here's where we get in trouble. We

expect the preacher to magnify the Lord.

>> You're right.

>> We expect the preacher to have church

all by himself.

>> But that ain't what David said. AND LET

US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER. DAVID'S

SAYING, "I'M GOING TO NEED SOME HELP

WITH THIS. I'M GOING TO NEED HELP EXON.

SO, I NEED HELP FROM THE CHOIR AND I

NEED HELP FROM THE SPECIAL MUSIC AND I

NEED HELP FROM THE CONGREGATION AND I

NEED HELP FROM THE MEN AND I NEED HELP

FROM THE LADIES AND I NEED HELP FROM THE

YOUNG PEOPLE. LET US EXALT HIS NAME

TOGETHER.

>> NOW, here's the interesting thing about

this. They're magnifying and exalting

Jesus in this passage

and he's only eight days old.

>> He ain't done nothing yet.

>> You're right. Come on.

He ain't done nothing yet.

I mean, he's not confounded the doctors

and the lawyers in the temple at age 12.

He's not been baptized in the River

Jordan yet. And the Holy Ghost come down

on the dove. And God said, "It's my

beloved son and whom I'M WELL PLEASED."

HE HASN'T defeated temptation OVER THE

DEVIL BY SAYING, "IT IS WRITTEN. HE HAS

NOT YET walked by the Sea of Galilee and

called out TO THOSE FISHERMEN, SAYING,

follow me, and I'll make YOU FISHERS OF

MEN." HE HAS NOT YET TURNED THE WATER TO

WINE. HE'S NOT TOLD NICODEMUS, YOU MUST

BE BORN AGAIN. HE'S NOT SAVED THE SOUL

OF THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. HE'S NOT

HEALED THE MAN OF THE POOL OF BETHESDA.

HE'S NOT PREACHED THE SERMON ON THE

MOUNTAIN. HE'S NOT CLEANSED THE LEPERS.

HE'S NOT OPEN THE BLINDED EYES. HE'S NOT

SAVED THE TAX COLLECTOR. HE'S NOT HEALED

THE DEAF. HE'S NOT HEALED THE LAME. HE'S

NOT RAISED THE DEAD. HE'S NOT BLESSED

THE CHILDREN. HE'S NOT WALKED UP

CALVAR'S HEEL, LAID DOWN HIS LIFE. HE'S

NOT YET KICKED THAT STONE AWAY AND

WALKED OUT ON RESURRECTION MORNING. HE'S

NOT YET ASCENDED BACK TO THE FATHER UH

TO BE OUR MEDIATOR AND OUR INTERCESSOR.

HE AIN'T DONE NOTHING YET.

>> RIGHT.

>> But they still thought he was worthy to

exalt

>> and magnify.

>> You know what this teaches us? We are

not to worship the Lord for what he

does.

>> We are to WORSHIP THE LORD FOR WHO HE

IS.

>> Somebody say, "Well, when the Lord does

something good, I'll praise him. He done

has

>> if Simeon and Anna thought he was worthy

enough to brag on when he was only 8

days old.

>> He hadn't answered their prayers.

>> He hadn't met their needs.

>> HE'S NOT YET WENT TO CALVARY YET.

>> HE'S NOT YET DONE EVERYTHING HE SAID

HE'D DO. BUT THEY SAID HE'S STILL WORTHY

AND HE'S STILL WONDERFUL. WELL, I'M

LOOKING AT A CROWD TONIGHT. IF YOU'VE

BEEN SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND BEEN

WASHED IN THE BLOOD, JESUS HAS DONE MORE

FOR YOU THAN HE DONE FOR SIMEON AND

ANNA. AND I'LL TELL YOU TONIGHT, IT'S

TIME THAT GOD'S PEOPLE GET OFF THE STOOL

AND DO NOTHING AND SAY, "BLESS THE LORD,

OH MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT'S WITHIN ME.

BLESS HIS HOLY NAME." WHEN JESUS SHOWED

UP, SOMEBODY WAS EXALTING HIM.

>> AMEN.

>> Somebody was exalting him. You know what

they were exalting him about? I'm done.

They were exalting him because he was

sufficient.

>> Verse 29, Simeon says, "Lord, now let us

thy servant depart in peace according to

thy word." You know what Simeon said?

I've seen him. That's all I need to see.

I don't need I DON'T NEED TO SEE

ANYTHING ELSE. JESUS IS ENOUGH.

>> HALLELUJAH.

>> JESUS IS ENOUGH. THAT'S ALL I NEED TO

SEE WAS HIM. AND I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN

JESUS SHOWS UP, IT'LL GO BEYOND THE

PREACHER. IT'LL GO BEYOND THE CHOIR.

IT'LL BE ALL BEYOND THE SPECIAL. BUT

JESUS WILL BE ENOUGH.

a wife only because of what she does for

him. He loves the meals that she cooks.

He loves the laundry she does. She loves

the house that he cleans. But suppose

one day she becomes sick

>> and no can no longer do those things. If

his love disappears, it proves he never

loved her. He only loved what she did.

>> That's how a lot of people treat Jesus.

>> You're right. Come on. But I'll tell

you, if he never answered another

prayer,

>> if he had another need,

>> if he never put another breath in my

body,

>> oh, Micah Henson said, "If this were my

last day,

>> I'd shout Jesus all the way."

>> AMEN.

>> IF HE NEVER BLESSED ME AGAIN, HE'S

WORTHY TO WORSHIP FROM NOW TO ETERNITY.

>> AMEN.

>> He was sufficient. You remember there?

I've got I got four minutes. He didn't

put no time on, but I do that. Okay.

You remember there Joseph is in Egypt.

Genesis 45. He sends them wagons to

Jacob to go get his daddy. Jacob don't

believe the word of his brethren. I

mean, they do have a habit of lying.

Y'all remember that story?

>> And when Jacob saw the wagons that

Joseph sent, he said, "It is enough.

I'll go and see Joseph before I die."

And when he got there, Brother Gentry,

you know what Jacob said to Joseph? Now

let me die

>> now that I've seen thy face. He didn't

ask He didn't ask Joseph, "Well, can you

take me on a tour of Egypt?"

>> That's right.

>> Can you take me to see the pyramids? No.

He said, "All I wanted to see was you."

>> We got a lot of people, they talk about

heaven, way I can't wait to see walls of

Jasper. I can't wait to see gates of

pearl. I can't wait to see a street of

gold. I'm going to tell you, honey, if

that's all you think about heaven is the

material things you have a carnal

mindset about heaven. HEAVEN'S NOT WALLS

OF JASPER. HEAVEN'S NOT GATES OF PEARL.

BUT HEAVENS, WHAT SIMEON SAW WHEN HE SAW

HIS FACE,

>> he was sufficient.

>> He was seen. In verse 30, and 32, my

eyes have seen thy salvation.

>> He was supreme. I'm cutting a lot of

this out. Verse 33, 34, and 35. You what

Simeon's talking about there? He said,

"This child is set for the fall and rise

again of many in Israel." He's going to

die, but he's going to rise.

>> Amen.

>> How'd he know that? He'd been reading

the book.

He was supreme.

>> Amen. I'm done. Verse 36, 37, 38. He was

shared.

>> Anna comes in. Look at verse 7. Verse

38. I'm done. And she coming in in that

instant gave thanks likewise to the

Lord. When she saw Jesus, she said,

"Praise God, he's here."

>> But watch what she did. And spake of him

to all them that look for redemption in

Jerusalem. Yeah.

>> You see, when Jesus showed up, she

wasn't satisfied keeping it to herself.

>> But she began to tell everybody else,

>> right?

>> He's here.

>> He's here. In fact, Mark 2 said it was

noised that he was in the house.

>> Right.

>> I wonder Sunday morning

>> here at Meadows Baptist Church. You know

in that temple there were many priests,

many worshippers, many religious people,

but only a couple people that day was

expecting Jesus. Only a couple people

embraced him. Only a couple people

exalted him.

Are you going to be in that crowd?

>> Come on.

>> Are you going to be on that crowd that's

expecting Jesus?

>> You're looking for him to show up in the

singing. You're looking for him to show

up in the testimony.

>> You're looking for him to show up in the

preaching. You're looking for him to

show up in the prayer time. Are you

expecting? And when he shows up, are you

going to stay where you're at? Are you

going to embrace him? Are you going to

get closer?

>> Yeah.

>> And then are you going to exalt him

>> for who he is?

>> That's what ought to happen when Jesus

comes to church. Let's stand together. I

appreciate your attention. Father, I

thank you tonight for the liberty to

preach the word of God. Thank you, Lord,

for helping us tonight. Lord, I pray

that there'd be somebody here tonight

that say, "I want to expect Jesus. I

want to embrace him. I want to exalt

him." Lord, if there's one here tonight

that doesn't know you as their savior, I

pray God that you deal with their heart

and conviction. save them by your grace.

But help all of us to draw closer

tonight in Christ's name. The sisters,

play it. If God's touched your heart

tonight,

are you going to be that one expecting

him? Are you going to be that one

embracing him? Are you going to be that

one that'll exalt him?

Folks are praying, you mind the Lord

tonight

when Jesus goes to church?

Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For

more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.