Amen, Genesis chapter number four, the verse that I want to focus on is verse number eight,
that says, And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the
field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him, slew him.
This is the story of Cain and Abel when Cain, you know, killed his younger brother Abel,
and it uses the word slew to kind of let us know how bad it was.
You know, it could have just said, And Cain killed him, but that wouldn't really tell
us, you know, as much as the word slew.
You know, for example, if I were to say God killed, you know, Brother Varian, it doesn't
tell us whether it was a violent death, kind of like Ananias and Sapphira, when they died,
when God killed them, they just kind of passed over and died.
But in this situation, they use the word slew because slew is the pattern of the word slay,
which means to kill violently.
So what we see here is that Abel was not just killed, he was killed in a violent, vicious,
wicked way.
The Bible doesn't tell us how it went.
It doesn't tell us whether he took a knife or a stone or whatever the case may be, you
know, but we know one thing from the word slew that he was killed, but it was very violent
the way he was killed.
And I don't know about you, but this isn't really how I want to end my life.
The top 10 ways to die, this isn't even in the top 50, you know, to be slain violently.
Of course, I would love to be 120 and die on my deathbed and serve the Lord for many,
many years when many, many souls see my children and my children's children, you know, but
here's the thing, that's not reality.
That's not going to happen all the time for every single person that lives on earth that
serves the Lord.
And if you have your Bible, go to 1 John chapter 3, while you go to 1 John chapter 3, I'm going
to go to Matthew 23, 33.
And in Matthew 23, 33, Jesus is talking to the Pharisees and this is what he says.
He says he's serpents, he's a generation of vipers.
How can he escape the damnation of hell?
So he's ripping the Pharisees pretty good.
I mean, he's calling them snakes, vipers.
He's yelling at them.
I don't think he's using his soft, still voice in this situation.
You know, he's doing it loudly.
You know, he's probably yelling at them and spectators are looking at Jesus, kind of like,
whoa, you know, what are you doing?
These are the quote, unquote, holy men.
How could you treat them like this?
You know, it kind of reminds me of Pastor Anderson when he was in a radio station in
Botswana and he started ripping that Pharisee in the long gown.
Who knows what I'm talking about?
You know, you'll get to see it in the movie.
You know, but this guy tries to quote the Bible and he's using a watered down version
of the Bible and he's trying to tell Pastor how it is by using like a very watered down.
I think it was one of the worst Bibles you could possibly use.
I don't remember which one it was, but I still remember thinking, man, that's the worst Bible
you can quote from.
And Pastor stopped him on his tracks.
And he said, put that thing away.
It's a bunch of garbage.
It's trash.
Throw it in the garbage.
Get yourself a real Bible.
Get yourself a King James.
I think he said something like that.
Who knows what I'm talking about?
So I can just imagine the staff in that radio station like, whoa, how could you talk to
this holy man of God?
Can't you see how holy he is?
Look what he's wearing.
Look at his dress.
It's neither more pressed out than mine.
I can only imagine even the host, I can only imagine that Pharisee on the inside how he's
feeling.
Like, I can't believe he just embarrassed me like that in front of millions of people
on the radio.
You know, but see, this is what Christ is doing as well.
So just imagine the scene.
It's not a pretty one.
I'm sure it's like you're a vibrant generation of, you know, serpents.
How can you escape hell or the damnation of hell?
So he's ripping them really, really good.
But why is he doing it?
Hey, you should stay there at 1 John 3 and let me read 34.
It says, wherefore behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes and some
of you ye shall kill.
That's a clue why Christ is so mad.
And crucify.
And some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to
city.
And that happened.
When you read the book of Acts, that's exactly what happened.
They're persecuting them from city to city.
Some of them they're crucified and others they're put into death.
That's what Paul said.
I put men, women, and children to death.
But I did it ignorant in unbelief.
That's why the Lord had mercy on him and put him in the ministry.
Well, of course that's going to upset God.
They're not killing murderers.
The Pharisees are not put into death violent criminals.
Who are they put into death?
Let me remind you again.
The prophets.
The preachers.
It says right there, wise men.
Like God gives us wise men for no reason.
He gives us wise men to help us.
To perfect us.
To edify us.
Teachers, evangelists, preachers.
For the perfecting of the saints.
To make things better not worse.
And therefore they're being put to death by the Pharisees.
Why?
Because they're wicked.
They're like Cain and of course God's children are like Abel.
Persecuted, put to death for no reason other than these people are just wicked on the inside.
But verse 35 says this.
And upon you may come all the righteous blood.
You're right there in 1 John chapter number 3.
Obviously I've read from Genesis 4.8 talking about Cain killing Abel.
Why did he kill him?
Well if you know them, great.
I'm just going to put things in remembrance to you.
But for the rest of you guys, if you haven't gone there yet or if you're able to go there,
go to 1 John 3 again.
But I'm going to read from 23, 35 that says that you, talking about the Pharisees, that
upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous
Abel.
Cain can't get any clearer than that.
Abel was a righteous person.
He was not a wicked person.
He didn't get killed by Cain because he was living a wicked life.
He was this wicked individual and Cain had to stop him before he striked again.
Not the case at all.
Christ says clearly that he is righteous.
You're right there in 1 John chapter number 3.
Let's figure out exactly, exactly why Cain ended up killing him.
1 John 3, 11, go to verse number 11.
Christ says, for this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we shall
love one another.
Amen.
Amen to that all day long.
You know, how do you know that I love you?
How do you know that your wife loves you?
How do you know that your kids love you?
Kids, how do you know that dad loves you?
Church members, how do you know that the pastor loves you?
How do you know that church members love you?
Well, what is love?
By this we know that we love the truth of God when we love God and what?
Keep his commandments.
So if your worldly buddy says, hey I love you brother Colin, I love you, ah, hey bro
you want to join me on this?
Tonight bro, it's Friday night, come on man.
You know what's happening?
Hey there's these chicks over there at the party bro, they're single.
Let's go say something to them.
Does that guy really love them?
No.
He wants them to destroy his body, through marijuana, drugs, you name it, through alcohol,
through fornication, whatever the case may be.
But growing up that's what I thought.
Hey, these guys must really like me, they're inviting me to this party.
Where there's drinking, drugs, alcohol, temptation, and who knows what else.
Those people didn't love me at all.
After I read the Bible, I realized what love is, keeping God's commandments.
That's God's love.
How do you know your fiance loves you?
Well, is he keeping God's commandments?
Is he trying to take you to church?
Is he trying to teach you the Bible?
Is he trying to do what's right?
How do you know?
Well, that's a good clue right there.
Hey, this we know, by this we know that we love the truth of God when we love God and
keep his commandments.
You know, but that's just a bonus.
Verse number 12, here's why Cain killed Abel.
That is Cain who was at that wicked one and soot his brother and wherefore soot him?
Because his own works were evil and his brother's wicked?
Wrong?
Evil?
No.
Righteous.
So, why did Cain kill Abel?
Because he hated Abel, because he was righteous.
He made him look bad.
Just like why did he want to kill Jesus?
Because Jesus exposed them, made them look bad.
They were wicked.
They could have said, oh, we're sorry and you know what, we need to change, hey, let's
start doing what's right, let's start obeying the word, let's start doing what God wants
us to do.
Hey, you are the son of God, you've proven it, all these miracles, hey, what were we
thinking?
Bunch of idiots.
Let's follow you from now on.
Favorities didn't do that.
Not even close.
They ended up crucifying him.
Why?
Because Christ was wicked?
Nope.
There was no sin found in him.
Hey, why did they do it?
Because they were wicked.
So, marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.
Hey, this isn't going to be any different in our time.
It's going to get worse and worse, children.
You better realize this truth, and here's the title of my sermon.
You can still lose if you follow the rules.
What rules am I talking about?
These rules, God's rules, God's laws, because let's look at the story I just talked about.
Cain, he won, you could say, Abel, he lost, what did he lose?
He lost his life.
Why?
Because he wasn't following the rules, because he was being unrighteous?
No, because he was being righteous.
And that's not what Kanye West is going to teach you.
Kanye West says, hey, how do I know I'm saved?
Well, look at all the money I'm making, duh.
Hundreds of millions of dollars, this is how I know I'm saved.
The system put me in debt.
No, take responsibility, you put yourself in debt by spending millions of dollars on
your wife's shoes, in her closet, in her dresses, you know, by spending millions of dollars
on dumb stuff.
That's how you got into debt.
By spending millions of dollars on your stupid plans, your stupid projects, Kanye, that's
how you lost all your money.
Don't blame the white man, because that's what he does.
People need to hear how I was put in debt by the system.
Take some ownership.
You made bad decisions with your money, and that's why you're broke.
But guess what, prosperity doesn't mean that you're right with God, but he thinks it is.
And when things go bad, that doesn't mean you're wrong with God either.
So if you have your Bible, what I want you to do is go to Revelation.
Go to Revelation 13, I'm going to read from Hebrews 11.
Once again, the title of my sermon is, you can still lose if you follow the rules.
You can still lose if you follow the rules, and by rules I mean God's laws.
I just have to find a word that rhymes with lose.
I did my best, so forgive me.
Hebrews 11.32 says this, And what should I say more?
For the time will fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah,
of David also, and of Samuel, and of the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stomped them out of the lions.
Amen.
Sounds good, right?
It's like, man, if I serve God, I'm going to do these things.
Let's keep reading.
Quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, and if weakness were made strong,
waxed violently in flight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Like, wow, man, now I see why people serve God.
Look at this.
Look at these miracles.
They're stomping them out of the lions, defeating kingdoms, victory upon victory, women received
their dead race to life.
Woo, that's what I'm talking about.
I can't wait to see this stuff.
Man, I should have been a Christian a long time ago.
Why have I wasted so much time?
I should have been following the Lord years ago.
Look at what's happening.
Look at what's going on here.
Man, I want to see some of this stuff.
How about this?
And others were tortured.
Tortured?
Huh?
Does torture really mean torture?
Not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
Hey, man, I want that.
Well, are you willing to be tortured?
Are you willing to suffer?
Verse 36, and others had trial of cruel mockings.
What?
Such as mockings.
He added the word cruel mockings.
So hey, memorize this verse.
It'll help you out so many.
When you knock on the door, I'm sorry, not interested in relating to this baloney, poo.
I don't know.
Can you get the next door?
That was harsh.
That was some cruel mockings.
Woo, that was hard.
How did you guys do it for years?
Score jeans.
Woo.
Kids, you don't like spankings?
What about a score jean?
Google it.
Find out what it means.
More over our bonds and imprisonments.
What's up with that?
Imprisonments.
Hey, I can't handle prison, you know, these little young gang bangers.
I can't handle prison.
Yo, little homie, you ready to go to jail?
I'm ready to go to jail, big dog.
You ready to get some?
Oh, I'm ready to get some.
I need you to rob this fool.
Hey, I got him.
I got him.
Look, man, you get busted.
Don't be snitching.
I ain't going to snitch.
You'll go to jail for five years.
I'll do ten.
I'll do ten, dog.
I'll do ten.
You know?
Day one in jail.
Mama.
Mama, I need a lawyer.
Here's, here's, here's a card.
Mama, I'm going to send you, I'm going to send you a business card.
This person's really good, mama, all right?
You know I work hard, mama.
You know I work two jobs, mama.
You know?
They're trying to put me in jail for 25 to life, mama.
You know?
You know, it's all talk.
And if it's not all talk, they talk like that because when they think prison, they
think American prisons.
They think American prisons.
I heard of a guy who, he got locked up at age 17 trying to pass drugs through the border.
He was a punk.
He was a gang member.
You know?
Smoke, drink.
You know, tried to prove he was hardcore.
You know, busted at the border.
Sure enough, he's like, ah, they're letting me go.
I'm a teenager.
I don't got nothing to worry about.
I can handle it.
Judge comes back.
Ten years.
First offense in Mexico.
Trying to pass drugs.
Automatic ten years.
Wow.
He thought maybe ten days.
Come on.
The judge won't understand.
I'm just a 17-year-old punk.
I don't know a better judge.
He was thinking maybe ten months tops.
Ten years.
Not in an American prison, but in a Mexican prison.
A Mexican prison.
So day one, he shows up, they throw him in there.
Which one's myself?
Here's what the bail, the bailer said.
Find one.
You know?
So obviously, he finds one, and let me tell you what, it was empty for a reason.
Fair enough.
He goes to bed that night, wakes up the next morning, and he got bed bugs.
Bed bugs all over him.
He's like, oh, what happened?
Am I dying of a plague?
Nope.
All the prisoners say, bro, those are bed bugs.
Welcome to Mexico.
Breakfast wasn't any good either.
Tortillas, they were half rotten.
Beans that smell like they were just rotten.
No meat that day.
That's his life for the next ten years.
Now he ain't as hardcore as he thought he was.
Well it gets even worse.
You don't just have to worry about the food, the bed bugs, you got to worry about the reprobates.
Day two.
Yo, homie, we want them shoes.
You ain't getting my shoes, I ain't going to walk around barefoot for the next ten years.
Oh really?
Bam.
Stabbed in the back.
He took his shoes.
Took them to the hospital.
By a miracle of God, he survived.
How would you guys like to go to that?
Nice little environment, but it says prison.
You don't think Christians are suffering in prison today for no good reason?
I'll tell you one guy who's facing prison, Pastor Bogart down in South Africa.
He's facing prison all because he's hanging out with us, to be honest.
If he kept preaching what he was preaching without ever being associated with us, he
wouldn't be in the situation that he is.
But he said, forget that, I'm not going to forsake you guys because of these people.
So he kept being friends with us, we went down there, sure enough, they knew we were
down there, as soon as we left, boom, they slapped him with prison time.
Thirty days, but they wanted to do ten, ten, and he doesn't even rip that hard in my opinion.
Nothing against you, Pastor Bogart.
But it says, moreover of bonds and imprisonment, and I got back from Puerto Rico during the
mega-marathon with another brother, and we went to this castle, whatnot, but the part
that I liked the most, for a different reason than most people would, is they actually had
like a little prisoner's thing in there, you know, like a little holding cell or whatnot,
maybe if they're soldiers, you know, arrested, the enemy, they throw them in there.
And it was old school, I mean old school.
We walked in there during the day, and it was dark, it had just like this little hole
up there, that light barely went in, just to kind of give the prisoners a little bit
of light, and I walked in, and it wasn't cemented, carpeted, nothing, it was just old school,
you know, it was all dirty, you know, a frankincense, it was going to be all muddy, you know.
And then I'm thinking, man, being in here for a day, that can cause you to start thinking
crazy, and sure enough, I was thinking, man, I wonder what's up with the rats, I'm sure
there haven't been rats in here, but you know what was not in that little prisoner's holding?
There was no bathroom at all.
Where do you think they went to the bathroom?
You think they took them out?
Nope, in the corner, handle your business, now imagine that being you.
So when it says imprisonment, it's not talking about the U.S. prison system, where I saw
a picture of a couple of guys literally having a good time playing the NFL, John Madden 2020,
for hours, having a good old time, who's seen that picture?
Prisoners are supposed to be having a hard time, and they're playing PlayStation, they're
playing checkers, you know, they're getting three meals a day, air-conditioned building,
and when that guy finally came to the U.S., because they let him do half in Mexico, half
in the U.S., he says, man, give me the worst prison in the U.S.
It's still the nicest place to me, nicest place to me, because they don't give you clothes
in Mexico, you don't have clothes, they get old, you're going to be walking around like
a caveman soon, but that's the reality of life, just because you get locked up doesn't
mean it's always in the U.S., people all over the world that are believers, they're getting
locked up in these nasty jails.
But you guys have Revelation 13, stay there, let me just continue reading, verse 37, there
were stone, there were saunasunder, saunasunder, cut in half, they were tempted, they were
slain with the sword, slain with the sword, not one of my top 10 ways to go, they wondered
about it in sheepskin, ghost skin, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, but it doesn't get all
gloom and doom, verse 38, of whom the world was not worthy, who says that?
God says, hey, the world ain't worthy of you, you're suffering for me, but why would these
people saunasunder, cruel mockings, was it because they were wicked?
Absolutely not.
They were following God's rules, and yes, what happened here?
They lost their lives, their reputation, their homes, I mean, they were going around in sheepskins
and ghost skins, wondering about, hey, they were booted out of their place of residence,
you know, they were suffering, why, why were they losing so bad, because they were a bunch
of wicked individuals?
Absolutely not, because they were following God's rules, following God's laws.
Go ahead and look down to Revelation 13, one.
It says, and I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea,
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the
name of blasphemy, and the beast, which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet
was as the feet of a bear, and his mouth, his mouth of a lion, and a dragon gave him
his power and his seed and great authority, and I saw one of his heads as wounded to death,
and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast, and they worshipped
the dragon which gave power unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, who
is like unto the beast?
Who is able to make war with him?
This is of course the antichrist, verse number five.
And it was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was
given unto him to continue forty and two months, and he opened his mouth and blaspheme against
God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, and it was
given unto him to make war with the saints, that's you.
Everybody in this room is a believer, you are the saints, and what happens in the end
times?
Did the saints defeat them, overcome them, like it says in Hebrews 11, nope.
What ends up happening to these people?
It makes it very clear that he made war with the saints to overcome them.
They lost, they're getting defeated, they're getting beat, so are they losing?
You can say yes in the world's eyes, but in God's eyes, absolutely not.
Go to Revelation 20, go to Revelation 20, while you go to Revelation 20, I'm going to
read from Revelation 12, 17, it says that the dragon was wrought with the woman and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed, this is talking about the devil going to make
war, and then we see in verse 13, what exactly that is, and he went to make war with the
remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
So why did the beast go after the saints, obviously he's trying to kill them, they're
keeping the commandments, they're doing things right, they're following God's rules, but
they're still losing.
In the world's eyes, you're right there in verse number 20, I'm sorry, chapter number
20, and I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key at the bottom of his pit and
a great chain in his hand, and they hold on a dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil
and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottom of his pit and
shot him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till
the thousand years should be fulfilled, and after that he must be loosed a little season.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and I saw
the souls of them that were, what, beheaded, beheaded.
So these people followed the rules, and they lost, they lost their heads.
And judgment was given unto them, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the
witness, not for awakeness, but for the witness of Jesus Christ, and for the word of God.
Go to Acts 7 52, Acts 7 52 is a story, one of my favorite martyrs in the Bible.
I'm sure it's, you know, one of your guys' favorite as well, but while you go to Acts
chapter number 7, I'm going to read from Revelation 2.
I'm going to read from Revelation 2, wait, it says to the angel, and now to the angel
of the church in Smyrna, write, these things say the first and the last, which was dead
and is alive, and I know thy works, and tribulation and poverty.
So the church in Smyrna has works, I see your works, I see your suffering, I see your going
through tribulation, I see your poverty, but thou art rich, amen, rich in heaven, it says
I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue
of Satan.
It tells them this, you guys are doing a good job, you guys are working, go to tribulation,
you guys are poor, but yet you're still going on, but remember you're rich, and in verse
number 10 it says, fear none of those things which thou shall suffer.
So these people are working, they're following the rules, they're doing what God wants them
to do, yet God says, hey, don't fear the things you're going to suffer, God's going to allow
them to suffer, why?
That's his will.
It says, behold the devil shall cast some of you, obviously not all of you, but some
of you into prison.
Now of course this is for us today, Mexico has Christians, other foreign countries have
Christians, we have Christians, I'm sure this will happen to us here, I'm sure this will
happen in Mexico, but hey, for the Mexican listeners, don't worry, I know those jails
are really really bad, so your rewards are probably going to be a whole lot better than
us here going to jail in luxury apartments.
And if you don't believe me, talk to Paul Winneberg over there, just how nice the jails
are over in third world countries, I'm sure you loved every day, right brother Paul?
Tell him about the great food you ate, you want to come up here and give a testimony?
No, I'm just kidding.
But he's saying look, don't fear the things that you're going to suffer, the devil shall
cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten
days, but even if you die on day ten, even if you were to just die or get killed on day
ten, for doing what's right, be thou faithful unto death, and he will give you a crown of
life.
I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what would actually make
me jump and leap for joy, because I'm so excited, I can't think of what could possibly make
me just jump and leap for joy, you know, somebody gave me a case with a million dollars, I'd
be like whoa, wow, thank you, somebody gave me, I don't know, a brand new car, whatever
it is, you know, I'd probably be like wow man, that's awesome, but I don't know if I'd
be jumping and acting a fool and looking all crazy, but I don't know, maybe this crown
of life could be one of those things that God says hey, rejoice and leap for joy for
greatest reward in heaven, so yes we're going to suffer, yes we're not going to win every
battle, but look, if you're doing what's right, you're not going to win every battle, let's
just face that, that doesn't mean that God is upset, but one thing for sure, you live
in sin, you break God's rules, you probably will lose every single battle, unless you're
on saving being used by Satan, but if you're right there in Acts number seven, let's just
talk about one of the martyrs in the Bible that was doing everything right, the Bible
says he was filled with the Holy Ghost, and what ended up happening with this individual,
well let's see, verse number 52, which of the prophets have your fathers persecuted,
this is obviously Stephen talking to Jews, and they have slain them, which showed before
the coming of the just one, of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers, sounds
familiar, looks like what Christ did to the Pharisees, he's doing the exact same thing,
because he has the same spirit, who have received the law by the disposition of angels, they
have not kept it, and when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they
gnashed on him with their teeth, but he, being unrighteous and empty of the Holy Ghost, looked
up steadfast into heaven, that's not what it says, but he being full, full of the Holy
Ghost, looked up steadfast into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on
the right hand of God, and said, behold, I see the heavens open, and the son of man standing
on the right hand of God, then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears,
and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the cities, and stoned him, and
the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul, and
they stoned Stephen.
Once again, not one of my top ten ways to go, I don't know about you, who wants to get
stoned to death before they go?
I see that hand over there, no I'm just kidding.
Rough way to go, but you know that that's how God wants you to go, hey, just prepare
your hearts already, so why am I preaching this?
To prepare your hearts, to remind you that hey, the Christian life is not always success,
and God doesn't always want it to be, and we'll talk about that in a second.
So he was stoned, he said, the cast him out of the city, and stoned him, and witnesses
laid down their clothes at his feet, and they stoned Stephen, called upon God, saying, Lord
receive my spirit, you know, and he ended up dying.
Go to Judges 19, please, go to Judges 19, you can just meet me at verse 28, I'm going
to read from Matthew 11.
And it came to pass when Jesus met an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed
this to teach and to preach in their cities.
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
and said unto him, I doubt he that should come, or do we look for another?
Jesus answered and said unto them, go and show John again those things which ye do here
and see.
The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear,
the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them, and blessed is
he, and whosoever shall not be offended in me.
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, what
went ye out into the wilderness to see?
A wreath shaken with the wind, but what went ye out for to see?
A man clothed in soft raiment, behold there there with soft clothing are in kings houses,
but what went ye out for to see?
A prophet, yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
For this is he of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before thy face which
shall prepare thy way before thee.
Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there have not risen a greater
than John the Baptist, notwithstanding he is no longer great.
That's not what it says, notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he.
So we see right here in verse 11, it says among them that are born of women, there have
not risen a greater than John the Baptist.
But what does it say in the beginning?
It says that John in verse number 2 is in prison, is in prison, is he in prison for
being wicked or for being right?
Right.
For breaking the rules or following the rules?
Following the rules.
So what did he lose?
He lost his freedom and he ends up later losing his head.
So what I'm trying to show you is A, these things are going to happen.
Not to everyone, some of you will be cast into prison, some of you will be scorched,
some of you will be slain, some of you will receive cruel mockings.
But at the end of the day, A, if you're following the rules, it's going to be for the best.
God will reward you greatly.
You're in Judges 19, we'll finish up with Judges 19, title of sermon, you can still
lose if you follow the rules.
What rules?
God's rules.
Judges 19, we'll just read the story and then I'll explain it.
And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going.
But none answered.
Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up and got him unto his place.
And it was coming to his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine and
divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts
of Israel.
And it was so, that all that saw it, said there was not such deed done, nor seen from
the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt unto this day.
Consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.
Now flip the page.
What we just read is the story in Judges 19, where this man goes to the land of the Benjaminites.
Sure enough, he's coming home, he went to get his concubine, as he's going home he gets
a little late, he runs to an old man and says, hey, don't stay in the streets, come with
me.
He goes to his house, they're rejoicing, they're eating, then the house gets surrounded by
sodomites.
You don't know what that is?
Google it, you'll figure it out real quick.
So sodomites ends up surrounding the house, sure enough, they want to do harm to this
man.
Don't do it, don't do it.
They end up giving the sodomites the concubine, and they abused her all night.
She ends up dying.
The next day, he takes her, cuts her in pieces, sends her throughout the land.
The next chapter is what happened.
So we're in verse number 20, or go to Judges 20, 12.
So what happens is he sends the parts to the different tribes, they get together, they
have a meaning.
We'll pick it up in verse number 20, or verse 12 of Judges 20.
It says, and the tribes of Israel send men throughout all the tribe of Benjamin, saying,
what wickedness is this that is done among you?
So they send messengers to the tribe of Benjamin, where these people are hiding, and verse 13
says this, now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Bileo, which are in Gibeah,
that we may put them to death.
So they have a meeting saying, hey, this is a wicked thing.
You know, where they at?
They're in the tribe of Benjamin.
You know, they have a meeting, they send the men, hey Benjamin, give these people up.
We need to put them to death for what they've done.
So then what happens in verse number 14, but the children of Benjamin gather themselves
together out of the city, something in Gibeah, to go out to battle against Israel.
So now they have a problem.
Benjamin is not compliant, says, nope, we're not giving these Sodomites up, hey, you want
to go to war?
We'll go to war.
Well, what happens?
Go to verse number 18, it says, and the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of
God and asked counsel of God and said, which of us shall go up first to the battle against
the children of Benjamin?
And the Lord said, don't go, don't go, leave it alone, the Sodomites aren't that big of
a deal.
No, that's not what happens.
They're asking, who shall go first?
And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.
So he's saying, yeah, go, I want you to go to war, go.
And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and they camped against Gibeah, and
the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin.
They're obeying God.
They're following what he told them to do.
And the men of Israel put themselves in a ready to fight against them.
I'm just skipping to verse 21, and the children of Benjamin came forth at Gibeah and destroyed
down to the ground of the Israelites that day 22,000 men.
That's a ton of people, 22,000 men died.
The Israel, the land of Israel, they're the good guys.
They just lost 22,000 people.
For what?
For this obeying God or for obeying God?
For obeying God.
Don't know what to say.
Let's go to verse 22, and the people, the men of Israel encouraged themselves and set
their battle again in a ray in a place where they put themselves in a ray the first day.
And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel
the Lord saying, shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin and my brother?
And the Lord said, go up against him.
And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day and destroyed down to
the ground of the children of Israel again.
18,000 men, all these drew sword.
So what happens?
They go to God, ask him again.
Should we go to battle?
God says go.
So are they disobeying or obeying God?
They're obeying God.
They follow God.
They do what they say.
They go to war.
They battle again and they lose again.
This time 18,000 men.
Verse 26, then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came out to
the house of God and wept and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until even and
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
Then the children of Israel inquired of the Lord for the ark of the covenant of God was
there in those days.
If Aeneas the son of Eliezer the son of Aaron stood before it in those days saying, shall
I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother or shall I cease?
And the Lord said, go up for tomorrow I will deliver them into that hand.
So he's telling them again, go to war.
This time you're going to win.
The first two times they were just obeying God.
They were not in disobedience.
They even make sure that what they're doing is right.
They didn't want to go to war with Benjamin.
They're like, hey let's seek the Lord, which is a smart thing to do, seeking the Lord.
They do it and what ends up happening?
They lose the first battle, lose the second battle.
At that point they could be confused like what is going on?
I can't tell you why these things happen.
All I can tell you is they did lose.
They lost.
They lost following God, following what God told them to do.
But in the end they got the victory.
Go to Psalm 21.
Psalm 21.
But bad things are going to happen even if you serve the Lord.
Bad things will happen.
Don't freak out.
If you read the Bible, this will never offend you.
It's not going to be a shock unto you when you're doing your best to serve the Lord and
bad things happen.
I just heard of a story, you guys probably know about it, of a couple from Verity Baptist
that just lost a child.
Who knows about that?
And these weren't just any church members.
These were church members that were serving, they were faithful.
And the dad was even training.
Pastor Jimenez says, hey, I'm training this guy to be a pastor one day.
I can't tell you why these things happen.
All I can tell you is Roman 828 says they're for the best if you love God and are seeking
Him.
You know?
So if you can, give to this family if you're able to give.
Give to the family.
They have a GoFundMe.
You know, whatever little you can give, it'll help out.
Funerals are super expensive.
But these things happen.
They're serving God.
They're going to church three times a week.
They're going soul winning.
They're going above and beyond trying to serve the Lord by being a pastor.
She wants to be a pastor's wife, et cetera, et cetera.
I don't know them personally, you know, but these things happen.
These things will happen.
So when these things happen, hey, just realize that God is the one that you need to just
focus the most on.
And these things will happen.
So if it happens to anybody in this room, hey, the only thing you can just do at that
moment is just keep the fundamentals.
You know, just keep praying, keep reading your Bible.
You know, it's going to be a tough situation, but at the end of the day, you just have to
trust God that these things are for the best.
And that's just what I want you guys to focus on.
It'll happen even if it's not a child.
There's people in this church who have been booted out for so many from their apartments.
Not one couple, not two couple, not three couples.
You know, me and Brother Ramon, as soon as he moved into his new apartment, that he ended
up getting kicked out of his old apartment for taking a church group to go down there
and get people saved.
And they ended up evicting him for doing that.
It's not like he went down there to go use their pool for fun or something like that,
you know, but he just went down there, hey, I care about my neighbors, I care about these
people in these apartments.
You know, hey, I want to take a group down there, he took a group down there.
It went bad.
The manager was a Christ-hating idiot, you know, so he ended up calling the cops, it
got ugly, and sure enough, they evicted him.
So he ended up moving to a new place and even asked the new manager, hey, I got evicted
because of soul winning, but the manager didn't care.
So he even asked, hey, what about here, if I were to do that here, would I be okay?
Oh, you'll be fine, no big deal.
So he invites me, he's like, hey, man, can you help me knock doors to my new apartment
complex?
Why not?
Show up.
I think it was either the fifth door or around those doors, we're talking to this individual,
they're hearing the gospel, they end up getting saved, while Brother Ramon is witnessing,
I see this guy just standing to the side, listening in the entire time, and I'm thinking
maybe he's interested.
He didn't look sad or mad, he was kind of neutral, but as soon as we were done, he's
like, hey, you guys are done, and we didn't really understand what he meant by that.
He's like, you're done, get up, get out of here, or whatever.
So we didn't know what was going on, Ramon was confused, so we just kept walking or whatever,
and then he gets even more loud, he's like, hey, you're done, I told you, you guys gotta
leave, you can't be trespassing, or whatever.
And then Ramon's like, dude, I'm not trespassing, I live here.
You know, well you guys better get out, he don't live here, so he points to me.
He's like, no, he's with me.
You know, he's like, no, you know, we're done when we're done.
He's like, you're done now.
He's like, you're the get out, I'm gonna throw you out.
And then at some point, I don't even remember what we said, but next thing you know, he's
literally in my face, this close.
Where's Ramon, is he here today?
Am I lying?
Then he gets, like he's up in my face, right?
And he's like, you're the get out, I'm gonna throw you over like the stairs, we're like
on the second floor.
And I'm just like, all right, go for it.
I'm right here, toss me over.
Then he's like, ugh, you know.
So at that point, it's just a stare down, right Ramon?
What was it, like a 30 second stare down?
Like, go for it.
And Ramon's like, all right man, relax, relax.
Am I lying?
And he's like, let's go man, yeah, let's go.
You know, we just walked down.
And starting now, we just go to his apartment.
We're going to his apartment, he's like, man, should we tell the manager?
Let's go tell the manager.
The manager says this was cool, what's going on?
Hey, let's go tell the manager.
So we just told the manager and nothing came about it.
You know, but were we doing something wrong or something right that day?
Obviously, but things went wrong.
Why?
Because Cain, you know, Mr. Apartment Maintenance guy, you know,
didn't like the fact that we were being righteous
because he obviously didn't like Christ at all.
And what is it to him?
No one's complaining, no one's calling the management.
Hey, these people are knocking on my door, they woke up my baby or whatever, you know.
Or my dog, they woke up my dog, you know, get him out of here.
But nowadays, those are babies to people.
But stuff like this will happen, it will happen, you know.
But you guys are right there in verse 21 of Psalms.
I'm just going to read from Psalms 37.
This is a verse that a lot of people have heard probably hundreds of times.
Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall, shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Why am I bringing this up?
I don't know, but the story of Stephen, I thought about it,
and I'm like, man, it's kind of unfair.
He was a good guy, you know, he was filled with the Spirit.
You know, why would God take him out?
He was a great soul winner, you know, a great preacher.
He could have done so much if he just lived a little longer or much longer.
I mean, who disagrees with that?
Do you guys think that Stephen would have just been lame a few years
after that big old, you know, sermon that he gave the Jews?
I think he would have stayed on fire.
I mean, they picked him to help because he already had that reputation
of being faithful and being filled with the Spirit.
That's why they chose him.
And he ends up dying.
I'm thinking, man, why get rid of him?
I don't understand it.
What's going on with that?
Only thing I could think of is verses like Psalm 84-11.
No good thing will I withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Who would disagree that he was walking uprightly?
Nobody would disagree.
You know, he's walking uprightly.
You know, in verses that talk about the young lions do suffer hunger
but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
You're thinking, man, getting murdered like that?
I would first say that, quote unquote, it's horrible, you know?
Like, what's up?
That's it?
That's how his life ended?
All I can say is simply this.
Either that wasn't a good thing or it was.
The fact that he was filled with the Holy Ghost tells us
that was a good thing somehow in God's eyes.
And when you see how people are getting rewarded and killed
and so on and so under, why?
So they can obtain a better resurrection?
Then they can kind of put two and two together.
And then when they see this verse,
they liked themselves also in the Lord
and I think he was pretty delighted in the Lord.
I think he got some stuff out of his chest that day.
He was delighted pretty good in the Lord.
He delighted himself in the Lord
and I think God just gave him the desire of his heart to be honest.
So some of you may be thinking,
I don't know about dying like that.
I'm afraid to serve the Lord now.
Well look, you keep reading the Bible,
you keep serving the Lord, you keep coming to church,
I guarantee you you'll end up like Stephen
and you might even say,
Lord, I want to die for you.
And you'll be like, okay, I'll give you that desire.
Boop.
Get martyred, get rewarded in heaven
and have a better resurrection.
It's kind of how I think this story is really ending.
It's a happy ending, even though it seems like it's not.
It's a happy ending.
You're right there in Psalms 21.
This is David's talking.
Thou hast given him his heart's what?
Desire, and is now withholding the requests of his lips.
All I can say is this, be careful what you pray for.
You just might get it.
Man, it would be cool to die for Christ.
Oh, he heard that.
He hears you, you know.
Careful what you wish for.
You just might get it.
So if I get it down the road,
I'll be like, oh, he was wicked.
That might be actually something that I wanted.
Amen.
So don't feel bad for me at my funeral.
If I get decapitated, you know,
take the little box and put it next to the big box, you know.
Boom.
Combine those things.
Like a magician, you know, separating body parts, you know.
Here's his head.
Put it next to his body.
Boosh.
Close casket, please.
No open caskets that day.
But just remember, you can still lose if you follow God's rules.
Amen.
Let's pray.
Dear Father, thank you so much for all that you've done.
Lord, thank you for all these people that are here.
Father, I just ask you to bless us and strengthen us as we serve you,
and not just that, serve you in times of trouble.
Father, just be there for us, Lord.
When we call, help us to just get whatever's in our life out of it
that's keeping us from you hearing us.
Dear Father, we ask you to just use us in mighty ways.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen.