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Part 12 of 12
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I don't know why. I don't know how. But in my spirit, I feel that God is orchestrating something. This might be the difference between you and your neighbor—based on the level of praise you've brought to this service, they look at you as though you have no problems in the world.
I don't praise God because He's already done it. Sometimes I praise God because I don't know what He's going to do. But I've lived long enough to know that He's preparing to do something.
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, the Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." This means if I declare something—oh, you better be nice to me today. I can see something. This is why your neighbor better be happy sitting next to you, because they haven't sat next to someone who fears the devil.
Look at them and say: "I'm going to speak something over your life and I need you to speak something over mine." Tell them: "I don't know what you need from God, but I declare over your life: God is orchestrating something."
You didn't bring your praise with you. I'm going to prophesy over you until you wake up. Look at your other neighbor and tell them to get ready because God is orchestrating something. They didn't shout with you. So forget both of them, put your hands on your head and declare: He is orchestrating something in my finances. He is orchestrating something in my career.
Millions didn't make it, but I'm one who is here. You think I sat in line, came up to the balcony to come to church so you could see my Easter suit. The devil is a liar. I came to let the devil know I'm still here. I wish I had a thousand survivors who could just shake three people's hands and scream that I'm still here.
Debt couldn't kill me. My haters couldn't stop me. Sickness couldn't break my resolve. My bad credit couldn't stop me. When I look at my life and think about things, touch somebody and tell them: He is orchestrating something.
When we slip into the corridors of today's text, we find ourselves in a very famous Bible story. You can recite it with me: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
But let me make a parenthetical comment. That verse is not as sweet as you think. That verse is the reason He was killed. When that verse was written—John 3:16 is not a poem. Nicodemus snuck into the wilderness to meet Jesus because anyone caught with Jesus could be killed. This is my problem with 21st-century Christians. So many of you are believers in secret. Now, if you love me, it might cost you something.
Divine tension is the sacred space between God's promise and its fulfillment. It's the space between what He told you and what you actually have. It's the space between the prophetic word you received at church and all the nasty mess you have to deal with in your life.
Some of you are frustrated because whenever your prophecy doesn't match your reality, it generates irritation. When your prophecy doesn't match your reality, it sparks frustration. What if I told you that you're agitated? Not because you don't have money. You're agitated not because you haven't gotten the new house yet. You're agitated deep down because you know in your heart that God cut a covenant with you. But every morning you wake up, it doesn't look like your promise. Your reality doesn't match.
This is called divine tension. It's the equivalent. Here's the analogy: Grab your neighbor and pull them to the left. Now grab the other neighbor and pull them to the right. Okay. Now on the count of three, decide if you want to go right or left. Pull your neighbor.
This is why some of you will get stuck there—because you have your prophecy pulling you toward faith, but you have your problem pulling you toward collapse. How do you sit here like I'm in the wrong church today? Everyone who's not afraid of anybody in their section, jump up and scream: I'm in the middle right now. I'm not what I'm going to be, but I'm also not who I used to be. I just need to touch somebody and tell them: I'm stuck in the middle.
It's tension. It's tension. And for some of you, I'm praying for you because you don't know what to do with this tension. It's the tension between God's promise and its fulfillment. You missed that. It's the tension between His promise and His performance.
The Promise = What He told you. The Performance = What He's doing.
You're frustrated not because you're not expecting it. I never ran a race, but I feel like I might today. You're frustrated because in your heart you know He can and you've seen Him do it for other people. Girl, I'm going to shout here. So you're not angry because you didn't get it. You're angry because you're wondering when it's your turn.
Oh, won't you shout with your fellow laborer today? I need seven people with the spirit of "it's my turn" to jump. So people keep saying you're irritable. Why are you so anxious? Seems like you have an attitude. I'm not mean. I've just been faithful. I've been living spiritually and devoted. I've been paying my tithes and praying. And I'm not jealous of you. I'm just waiting for it to be my turn.
This is the last week of Jesus' life. It wasn't just historical; it was prophetic. Every day sketches a moment in His journey. If you ever felt tension between God and reality, this is it.
Why? Because when I told you God is orchestrating something, that's what we call divine tension, Michael. Write this down in your notes: divine tension. It's the sacred space between God's promise and its fulfillment.
Jesus wakes up on Sunday. It's Palm Sunday. Everyone is shouting "Hosanna." Everyone is shouting "Hosanna." I'm going to say this to people in the back—maybe you'll understand it. You need to be careful because there are people in your life who will shout when things are prophesied, then try to kill you the moment it comes to pass.
I'm preaching here if you're understanding. Let me say it again. There are people—listen to me—there are people who love the idea of your potential, but they often reject the weight of your purpose. Do I need to say that again? They love the idea of your potential. But they can't handle the weight of your purpose.
Make this make sense. Write this down in your notes: When it's prophesied to you, you inspire. And when it comes to pass, you terrify. Michael, when something is a prophecy, it inspires. And when it comes to pass, it terrifies.
That's why people were clapping for you when you said you were going to start a business, but now they don't support you. That's the business actually happening. That's why you all were sitting around talking about what your wedding would look like and laughing and drinking wine and having a good time. But now that your wedding has come, they act like they don't have money to buy a dress.
Because some people don't mind if you get it. They just don't want you to get it before they get it. Pastor Mike, what are you trying to tell me?
There are doors about to open in your life and you're about to celebrate in a way you've never seen before. Listen to me. But you need to realize that there are some people who only clap for the version of you that they can control. Michael, there are some people who only clap for the version of you they can control.
Can I free you? Can I free you? They loved Jesus when He was a Savior. They couldn't stand Him when He became the Christ. You missed it. You missed it. They loved Him when He was a Savior. And they couldn't stand Him when He became the Christ.
Write this down in your notes: Savior means deliverer. Christ means anointed. You missed it. Savior means deliverer. Christ means anointed.
Alright, Pastor Mike, I didn't understand. Hosanna means save us. Savior speaks to what He does. Christ speaks to who He is. You might want to run when I say this. And there are certain people who love what you do. But they wish they didn't have to take it from you.
That's why you have haters in this place. This word is not for everybody because some of you have bad attitudes. This is for everyone who hasn't bothered anybody. Who was kind to people who tried to deceive them? Who was good to people who mistreated them? Have you ever sat at home and said, "What did I do to these people?" You didn't do anything to them. They're just upset because everything they wanted to be and everything they need to be showed up in you.
Are you hearing me up there? Can I free you real quick? This is your last week apologizing for being yourself. I'm preaching to seven of you real now. I need six of you to make a full rotation in your seats and shout: "When I turn this time, God won't just change things, but I'm leaving what I was back there." Prepare yourself to see me walk in another level of boldness.
Listen to me. Listen to me. I have to be careful with what I say because they—on Monday, after shouting "Hosanna" on Sunday. He goes to sleep.
Can you hear Jesus? Don't dig too deep. How would you feel if you went to work and they said, "Girl, we love you." "Brother, we love you." The young people saying, "You're the best." Does that feel good? Let one of you scream: Monday.
Monday. Jesus enters the temple. And He's in the temple and they're gambling in the temple. Jesus enters the temple. They're shooting dice in the temple. They're playing cards in the temple. They're exploiting the temple for sordid purposes. Then Jesus—and nobody's going to say amen to this. And that's okay. He does what you all would leave my church over. Jesus flips the tables.
Jesus says, "Look, you missed it." "If the table is here, then the definition of a true heart" is to flip it upside down. He flipped the tables not because He felt disrespected, but because the church was in a gap between its function and its calling.
Michael, how foolish do I look preaching like this? Does it work? Let me ask you again. Does it work? Can I preach through it? Is this how it's designed? No. Are you saying you're comfortable in this dysfunction? Some of you think you're healthy because you just work. Just because you can do it in a toxic way doesn't mean you're called to do it that way.
Michael, no. He says, "No, this is not the purpose I called this church for." No, no. God doesn't flip what's working right. He only flips what's in the way.
Let me say that again. God doesn't flip what's working right. He only flips what's in the way.
You don't even see the full picture. Jesus arrives at the temple. And He's ready to start preaching. And He can't even get to the pulpit because their stuff is in the way. Pastor Mike, I don't know why things got flipped in the last six months.
Maybe God flipped your relationship upside down because it was in the way. I was doing well. Then suddenly, they laid me off from my job. Maybe He flipped your career path. Because yes, you were making money, but what you have doesn't compare to what you could get, and He knows you'll never leave because you're making more money than before. But the money you're making now will be your tithe later.
So He had to flip it. You all don't love me. He flipped it because there's a gap. Write this in your notes: between function and calling.
Jesus arrives at the church and says, "No, this is not what I created it for." No. This is not what I called it for. No. You're better than this. And this is what I love about Jesus. He didn't take them to the side to have a dialogue. Do you want to know why I love Jesus and why some of us will never grow?
Because you always want your correction to be comfortable. Michael, Jesus says, "No, I'm going to discipline you like a traditional mother wherever you misbehaved." Look at this. Look at this. Can you write this down in your notes?
Sometimes disruption is disguised salvation.
Did you hear what I just said? Sometimes disruption, oh Michael, is disguised salvation. God is saying that what you thought was comfort was actually a chain. So I'm going to flip your life upside down. And you call it chaos. And I call it an escape from prison.
I'm going to preach whether you accept this or not. Listen to me carefully when I say this. Why? (PMJ)? Because sometimes God flips things in your life. Not because He's angry, but because they're off track. He's not trying to destroy you. He's trying to save you.
What looks like chaos is often correction. And what looks like punishment is actually preparation. So if He's flipping the tables in your life, keep going, Mike, because you chose comfort over holiness. You tolerated the dysfunction instead of the sacred place. You turned your purpose into just a performance.
He said, "Mike, tell them that I don't flip tables to hurt them. I flip them to heal them."
Pastor Mike enters the church. I'm going to flip the tables. Okay. Okay. Okay. Promise me you won't act foolishly. Okay. Let's make a deal. Say, "PMJ, when you read this next text, I won't act foolishly unless my heart is touched. And if my heart is touched, the least I'm going to do is get out of my seat. And after that, I won't be responsible for what happens."
Okay. The church is the place where people are supposed to be set free. Jesus comes and can't get in because of so many gambling tables. He flips the tables, Michael. Then verse 14 says: "The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them." You're slow, but you're worth waiting for. Let me say it again.
The church is where people are supposed to be free.
They can't be free because there are people doing everything in the church except what the church is about. So God. Oh. Oh. My God. I didn't notice that when I was being prepared to preach. My God. My God. I didn't notice that when I was studying.
There's nowhere in the Bible where Jesus just kicked them out. When He flips the tables, He makes people make a decision. Either fix yourself or leave. I'm going to solve all your fake friends' problems and your relationships here on behalf of Pastor Mike.
I want you to post this on your page. Hey, how are you? I'm Pastor Mike Junior, I'm their pastor. And they didn't have the courage to remove you from their lives. So let this be notice. This is me flipping the tables in their lives. You have seven days to fix yourself or leave.
I won't chase anybody who doesn't want to be whole in my life. I want you to touch someone next to you and scream: "Make a decision."
Yes. Yes. I'm going to run. I just felt that in my spirit. I just felt that in my spirit. Some of you don't want to shout because you're sitting next to them. So look at them and say, "It's not about you. Trust me, this is not about you."
But tell them that my next praise is because God is removing everything toxic from my life. I don't know who I'm addressing here, but I wish I had 4,000 people praising God for the next ten seconds, because He cleanses my circle, changes my position, changes my friends, and grows my family.
I came with a prophetic announcement for seven people in this room. After you survive the flip. I don't know who this is for. There's something coming and it won't be small.
God said, "The reason I flipped things is because I wanted to make room for what I'm about to bless you with." If you're waiting for a small breakthrough, you can sit down. If you're waiting for a small blessing, you can sit down. If you're waiting for a small amount, you can sit down. But if you know something big is coming your way, I need you to go to somebody and tell them: "Make room."
Make space. Make room. This is the wrong person. Make room. I'm suffering from claustrophobia. You're standing too close. Make room. Tell them: "Don't worry. You won't miss anything. He'll send me so much. And you'll be able to get some of my overflow."
I don't know who I'm speaking to, but you need to touch three people. "And tell them: Make room for more breakthroughs." Make room for the overflow. Make room for more joy. Make room for more peace. Make room for another location. Make room for another property. Make room for another degree. Let somebody touch five people and tell them to make room. Make room.
Sunday. Sunday. Sunday. Hosanna. Monday flipped the tables. Tuesday they try to trap Him. They come to Jesus and say, "I have a question." You were walking on the road and cursed that fig tree. By what authority did you do that?"
They think they caught Him. They're trying to trap Him because if He answers wrong, that gives them the right to crucify Him. They say, "Hey, by what authority did you do that?" Verse 21, Jesus tells them, go back. Jesus tells them: "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you can do things like this and far greater. You can even tell this mountain to be uprooted and it will happen."
Look at this. They say, "By what authority—" I'm trying to be dignified. You're going to have me praying by myself. I did this." Okay. And He tells them in verse 24: "I will tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer me one question."
Oh. Oh. Oh. Jesus, tell us by what authority you do this. Look at the Bible. He tells them right there. Verse 24. I will tell you by what authority I do this. If you answer my question first. You missed it. What's the question? Verse 25. Was the authority of John's baptism from heaven or from men?
They conferred with each other and said, "If we say from heaven, He will ask us why we didn't believe John." I'm going to confuse you. They were trying to trap Him because no matter how He answered, it would expose their hypocrisy.
I want you to understand this. Sometimes God won't give people answers about you. Instead, He'll give them questions they can't answer without exposing themselves.
I'm going to continue my way alone today. No, no, no, no, no. That's why God made you kind to people who ended up attacking you and hurting you. So now when they're in circles with people who hate you, it's hard for them to say bad things about you.
Because the people they're talking to now saw what you did for them. So how can they be so bad when they were my friend six weeks ago? My friend. My friend. Michael, I have a word for seven people in this place. Stop trying to prove yourself to people determined to misunderstand you.
Authority doesn't prove itself. It's revealed through wisdom, fruit, and faithfulness. Because there are some people not looking for truth about you. They're just looking for a way to trap you. And the best way to silence manipulation is not to argue, but to have insight.
Come here. "Who do people say I am?" Jesus knows who He is. I'm not asking you to tell me so I can know. I want to see if you know what people say and if you believe it.
Sunday, Hosanna. Monday, flipped the tables. Tuesday, confronting the haters. Wednesday, quiet. Wednesday, quiet. Wednesday.
Hey, what's wrong? Something's not right. How did we flip the tables on Monday and confront them on Tuesday and then see nobody on Wednesday? Some of you keep having emotional breakdowns because you think quiet means peace.
Just because you're not fighting doesn't mean you're happy. Michael, just because there's no collision doesn't mean they're not plotting evil. When your enemies or the devil are quiet, it might be because they're scheming for your destruction. But when you lack spiritual insight, you'll relax and think silence is peace.
It's quiet. That's what I can't take. I'd rather they curse me out. I hope I don't get spread around for saying this, but the words came out before I thought about it. I'd rather my enemies speak about me than be quiet.
Because what I've discovered in my life is that whenever there's silence, I feel like I'm good. And when I feel like I'm good, I start acting like I'm untouchable. And when you act untouchable, you'll get touched. Michael, Sunday, "Hosanna" shouting loud. "Hosanna" shouting loud. Monday. Loud. Tuesday, imagine commotion. Wednesday silence. Thursday supper.
On Thursday, Jesus was at the table with His disciples. You know it as the Last Supper. I think you all are sleeping here. Let me see if I have a church.
No, look. Look at what He says. Jesus breaks bread with people who will betray Him, deny Him, and abandon Him. No. Stop pretending spiritual perfection. Stop pretending spiritual perfection. He had supper with the disciples. And when things get serious, they all leave.
Here's a word some of you might not like, but it's true. Stop asking for grace at higher levels. Because when you get grace at a higher level, abandonment, betrayal, pain, regret, and suffering come with it. You'd better stop being jealous of what others have. You don't know what they sacrificed to get there.
I wish I had a thousand people who've tasted the bitter and came back, screaming, "Now you're preaching to me."
When your enemies or the enemy are silent, it may be because they're plotting your destruction. But when you lack spiritual insight, you relax and think that silence is peace. It's quietness. That's what I can't handle. I'd rather be criticized. I prefer my enemies to speak about me instead of remaining silent. Because what I've discovered in my life is that whenever silence prevails, I feel like I'm good. And when I feel like I'm good, I start acting like I'm untouchable. And when you act untouchable, you get touched.
Sunday: "Hosanna" shouting loud. Monday: He flipped tables. Tuesday: He faced His haters. Wednesday: Silence. Thursday: Supper. Friday: Crucifixion. Saturday: Burial.
Jesus was at the table with His disciples—the Last Supper. Jesus broke bread with people who would betray Him, deny Him, and abandon Him. Stop pretending spiritual perfection. When things get serious, they all leave.
Here's a word some of you might not like, but it's true: Stop asking for grace at higher levels. When you get grace at a higher level, abandonment, betrayal, pain, regret, and suffering come with it. Stop being jealous of what others have. You don't know what they sacrificed to get there.
If I told you my side of the story, you'd begin to look at others differently. If I told you what really happened, you'd begin to look at people differently.
I'm not preaching to people who are spoiled and crying about everything. I'm preaching to the five of you who have a real reason to collapse in front of your families, your friends, your ex-partners, and your spouses, but you're trying to hold it together.
You ask me why I don't visit you. I chose to stay home. Every time I go out, you treat me like I'm weak. I'm trying to grow and become what God called me to be. But you're really testing my patience. I'm trying to be faithful because I don't want to sacrifice my grace.
He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. I felt that in my spirit.
If He is Christ and God, He knows who's sitting at the table. Yet He has the emotional intelligence to know which tables to flip and which tables to discern. The whole church should have stood in respect for this, but you missed it.
Do you want to know why you keep blocking your blessings? Because you're flipping tables when you should be discerning. You're comfortable at tables when you should be turning them over.
I challenge you to sit here like I'm not preaching. There are six of you here talking about not wanting to feel alone. I'd rather be alone than sit with people conspiring against me. Be careful what table you're sitting at—you might end up on the menu.
Jesus says, "I'm not going to flip this table. It's not on me to flip it." For me, He should have flipped it because people in the church are really bad. They're religious people. These are the people who said they'd support you.
Jesus sits and says, "Look, yes, one of you will betray me." Judas has the audacity to ask, "Is it me?" Has someone ever called you when they didn't really want anything? But when you look back at it now, they were trying to find out if you knew.
Who am I preaching to now? People who say, "I don't want anything. I'm just checking on you." No, I'm good. Are you good? No, you know I love you, right? And I love you too. No, I'm just, you know, we're good. You know, no matter what happened, just know I'm always here for you. And you're on the other end of the phone saying, well, that's great. Like you're saying, is everything okay? No, everything's good. You just know you can't trust some of these people.
But after six months, they say, "Yeah, I see you. I see you." No. Jesus says, "No, it will be the person who dips with me. He's at the table." And Jesus doesn't remove the wrong people from the table.
Listen to your pastor. He exposed them. Why, Pastor Mike? Can you write this down in your notes? Because sometimes exposure is more powerful than removal. Sometimes exposure is more powerful than removal.
Pastor Mike, why didn't you just tell me who they were? Because if I told you, I would have made them heroes. Because you're so used to betrayal that you don't realize you're sympathizing with people you should have removed from your life. So my insight told me that to save you, I had to let you discover it yourself.
Write this down in your notes: Insight is the knowledge of when to feed people and when to release them. I'm preaching a powerful sermon today. Your season of feeding the wrong people is over. I thought seven of you would help me say this. Your season of doing the impossible for ungrateful people is over. Your season of not having all you could have had is over—so that we could have it, only for them to do what serves their interests instead of caring about you.
May the Lord watch between us while we're absent from one another.
Listen to me. Sunday, Hosanna. Monday, flipping tables. No, you're going home with today's sermon. You're not going home saying, "Oh, what a great church." when you don't know what was said. You're going to do this with me. Monday, Hosanna—I'm sorry, Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. You better wake up. You're going to learn your sermon today. This is your Easter sermon and you need to learn it.
What did you learn in church today? And today at Rock City, I learned that on Sunday, Hosanna. On Monday, table flipping. On Tuesday, He was watching people. On Wednesday, He was silent. On Thursday, He was examining people. But on Friday—on Friday—they crucified Him.
They whipped Him on His back. The back I'll run through represents your past. Everyone who is blameless can be quiet. Everyone who has never sinned can sit there and pretend to be perfect. But if you have a past you don't want to show up in your present, you have to shout, "My past is healed."
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.
Michael, it was on Him. By His wounds—oh, I could start a church right here by myself. By His wounds, meaning everything that could have killed you. Everything that makes you sick.
Can you write this down in your notes? Physical sickness is not the only sickness. Please write this down. Spell the word disease (Disease). Break it in half: Dis-ease. Anything that disturbs your peace is a disease.
They put a crown of thorns on His head, Michael, symbolizing the soundness of His mind. I want to prophesy to seven of you up here that no matter what happens in your lives this year, you will not lose your minds.
I don't know who was struggling with anxiety, fear, doubt, and pressure, but I challenge you to put your hand on your head and cry out, "Doubt must come out of my mind. Anxiety must come out of my mind. Fear must come out of my mind."
Your neighbor needs a little strength. So just hold your neighbor's hand, and I'll pray for the soundness of your mind. I pray for your peace that must come out of the thorns on His head.
When they put the thorns on His head, they drove them into His skull until His head began to bleed. The blood doesn't just flow, Pastor Mike—it begins to flow down over His eyebrows. This is a prophecy because in Genesis, when Adam sinned, God told him the earth is now cursed and the earth will bring forth thorns, and everyone from this day forward will have to work by the sweat of their brow.
But when the blood touched His brow, the curse reversed and flipped. I don't know who I'm preaching to here, but I need five real testimonies to touch ten people and shout that it just flipped. This is the wrong person. You need to tell them it just flipped.
Everything the devil tried to do to me, every scheme the devil tried to stop me with—I need you to shake somebody and tell them it flipped. I think you sat next to a hidden hater. Get past that hater and grab another neighbor and tell your neighbor, "Neighbor, something just changed in your life." This is the wrong neighbor. Find another neighbor. Tell them, "Neighbor, something just changed in your life." He's about to move you from "not enough" to "more than enough." From little to very much. I wish I had ten crazy people running and touching the altar—something just changed.
Yes. I said yes. Grab your neighbor's hand and tell them, neighbor, something just changed. I sat next to the wrong neighbor. Grab your neighbor's hand and lift them to their feet and tell them, "Neighbor, I'm lifting you because this is the last year you'll suffer like this. This is your last year of struggle like this."
Look at your neighbor and tell them, neighbor. Sunday they shouted "Hosanna." Monday He flipped tables. Tuesday He had to face His haters. Wednesday silence came. Thursday He had to have dinner. Friday they hung Him high, stretched Him out, and bowed His head for me. He died. But grab your neighbor and tell them, "Neighbor, this is not—this is not the end of the story."
I think you're sitting next to the wrong neighbor, move and tell them, "Later, after three days, He rose." Not with a little power, not with some power, but with all—oh, all the power in His hand. I said it's in His hand. I said it's in His hand.
Do me a favor and grab your neighbor with both hands. Shake your neighbor. You're still not shaking them right. I said shake your neighbor. You're still not shaking them right. I said shake them and move them. Move them and shake them. Shake them and move them. Move them and shake them. Shake them, shake them, shake them. Shake your neighbor and tell them, hold on. Whatever it is, God will do it. God will do it.
He died. I said, "Do you know He died?" He died until the centurion said, "Truly." Glory. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. What do you mean? He told us He'd come back. It's over, man. We saw them seal the tomb. There's nothing we can do. We better hide because they killed Jesus. They're going to kill us too.
Sunday, Hosanna. Monday, table flipping. Tuesday, facing the haters. Wednesday, the enemy conspires. Thursday, supper with fake people. Not that they're fake. Let me correct that. They just didn't have the faith to endure the test. Not everyone who walks away from you is fake. Sometimes your assignment is too heavy for them.
Jesus Christ. Listen to me. Friday He was crucified. Saturday, look at your pastor. Silence. But this is different. In the first level of silence I went through, He was with me. This time I'm sitting in silence. Without Jesus. But early Sunday morning, look at this—the angel appears.
Listen to me, son. He rolls the stone away. He's about to do what no one can preach about. Then He sat on it. So, you didn't even know that. You knew He rolled the stone away, daughter. You didn't know He sat on it. Ask me why. Because if He rolled the stone away and left, the guards would have rolled it back. And when Mary got there, she would have thought He was still inside. So the angel said—read your Scripture to see that when the guards saw Him, they froze like they were dead, then they fled.
Then the angel looked at the women and said to them, do not be afraid. Let me digress. I know you're looking for Jesus, the one who was crucified. I wish I had my own copy of the Bible here. He is not here. He has risen from the dead. This is what I want you to take home with you. Look at this—exactly as He said it would happen.
I don't know what promise God made to you. I came to announce to you: it will happen exactly as He said. Hallelujah. He says, but in case you don't believe me, wait a second. Come and see where His body lay.
You're so worried about people from your past entering your life and destroying it. Don't worry. You want to know why? Because when they come back this time, they'll come to where you were, not where you are now.
They nailed His hands because His hands represent productivity. They nailed His feet because they represent stability. The crown of thorns represents the soundness of His mind. They pierced His side, and the sac around His heart burst. So much so that blood and water flowed out.
I say this every year and I pray you feel it every year. The ultimate sign that you know you are Christ, that you know you are called by God, is your ability to stand with a broken heart, with complete renewal. And I don't know who I'm speaking to today, but I came to tell you something. This is not resuscitation. This is resurrection. Can I say it again? This is not resuscitation. This is resurrection.
You see, resuscitation is when you bring someone back to life temporarily. Brother, Lazarus didn't rise from the dead. He was resuscitated because he died again. Jesus rose from the dead. Because once He was brought back to life, He will never die again. I'll have a service with just myself. Listen to me. Listen to me. They didn't kill Jesus. You can't kill Jesus. He laid down His life.
Resuscitation is about return. Resurrection is about becoming. Resuscitation brings back what was. Resurrection releases what is coming.
I came to speak words into your lives this morning. What awaits you will blow your mind.
Can you hold hands with one another throughout this hall? Let everyone hold someone's hand. Hold their hands throughout this hall. Throughout this hall. Throughout this hall. Maybe you're here and you don't know Jesus. Can you do that for me? Maybe you're here and you don't know Jesus. Listen to me. I don't care if Easter is the only Sunday you come to church. I don't care about that. I'm happy you came here. That's why we're here.
What I'm telling you today is that you can make a decision that will change your life forever. I don't know how to be anything but myself. And that's because I'm free in Jesus.
Heads bowed, every hand connected to someone else's hand. If you're in this hall falling in love with Jesus, fall in love with Jesus. Fall in love with Jesus. I need you. I need you. Every hour I'm blessing myself right now by myself. I'm coming.
If you're in this hall now or watching us online, and today is a day of decision, listen carefully to your church pastor. You may already be saved, but you want a new beginning.
People ask me, "Why did you cut your hair?" Why did you cut your hair? Inside, I just felt like it was time for a new beginning. Last night during my prayer time, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear. He said, "Michael, you didn't realize it. The same way people get baptized publicly to declare their allegiance to God, I was leading you to do something drastic to send a message to everyone who follows you that this is a season of new beginnings."
Maybe you're listening to me now throughout this stadium, online, and all around the world. Maybe you're already saved. Maybe you're called to preach or teach, but you need a new beginning. Brother, you can't come out of here the way you came in. There's so much purpose for your life. The devil wants to destroy you badly. I can literally see demons and fake friends, jealousy and betrayal. I'm calling the blood on your life, man.
With every tear, this is not a sign of weakness. This is your spirit saying we can't continue like we are now. And if you're here today and you know in your heart, you know in your heart, that you need a new beginning.
Heads bowed, eyes closed. Just squeeze your neighbor's hand. Just squeeze your neighbor's hand. Today is not about church membership. I'll find you a church. I just want you to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
If someone squeezed your hand, can you raise it as high as you can? Oh my God. Oh Father, I pray for every hand raised on their behalf. As a priest of this house, I repent. Oh God, on their behalf, oh God, I repent. Whatever we did, intentionally or unintentionally. Every time you called us and we didn't answer. Every time you told us to go left and we went right. Every time you told us to pray and we went to sleep. Every time you told us to love them and we chose to fight them.
Now in the name of Jesus, we repent collectively. For every way we fell short, we repent. We repent publicly. For every way we fell short of God's glory. For every lie, every sin, every abuse—not just sins of commission, but also sins of omission.
Oh God, we thank you that you died for us. So now, oh God, for the person online and the person in this hall who is asking for a new beginning, we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that you rose from the dead with all the power in your hand. And now by faith, we are saved.
Can you celebrate God there, church? Come on, man. Come on. Celebrate God there, church. Come on. Let one of you lift your hands high and tell God only, "Thank you."
Listen to me before you leave. I know everyone wants to get out of here. Let me tell you this before you go. Today is special. Every year, I challenge my church. Listen to your pastor. I want to challenge you today. I don't want you to go to sleep without—I'll say it better—with an altar in your spirit.
If He laid down His life for you, you can lay down your offense for Him. I want you to answer a very important question here today. If there's something happening between you and a family member and things are hard, raise your hand. If you and a parent don't agree, raise your hand. You have a friend you know in your heart God brought together, but things have been wild, raise your hand.
Listen to your pastor. If He laid down His life, you can lay down your pride. Stop. Listen to me. I want to say this from the depths of my heart. Listen to me. If all we do is fill halls, we're no different than any concert that comes to this city. Who cares if 12,000 people come to church if no one leaves changed? I'm not collecting offerings. I'm not here for money. I'm here to show the devil there's a generation rising that will tell hell to go back under your feet. That we are the ones who will turn this world upside down.
Can you accept that? This is your pastor's message to you here today. If He can sacrifice His life for you, you can leave your pride and do your part to fix something broken. Is that acceptable? Were you blessed today? Wasn't this the best Easter ever? The best resurrection for all of you? From my family to your families, we love you. We're praying for every single one of you.
I want to close with a simple prayer. Are you ready? Let every hand rise. You already know. I'll pray for everyone watching us all around the world. We can't wait to bring Rock City church to your cities this fall. It's going to be amazing. Houston, Detroit, wherever we go, it's going to be incredible. Are you ready?
I want to pray a short prayer for you: Lord, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. In the name of Jesus, and let everyone say Amen. We're ready to leave.
