The living archive is loading.
RCCG City of David Sunrise Service
Continue exploring
Connected by scripture or shared themes.
RCCG City of David Sunrise Service
Continue exploring
Connected by scripture or shared themes.
This morning, I want to speak to you on a message titled "A Tale of Two Cities." Many of you may have heard this title before—it's famous from Charles Dickens' novel set in London and Paris during the French Revolution. But this morning, we'll be looking at two very different cities found in Scripture: Capernaum and Nain.
Our text comes from Luke chapter 7, verses 1 through 15. Let me set the scene for you: Jesus had just finished teaching in one city and entered Capernaum, where a centurion's servant was dying. A day later, He traveled to Nain, where a widow was about to bury her only son. These two cities tell us very different stories about faith, hope, and the power of encountering Jesus.
Capernaum was a city loved by Jesus. When Jesus began His public ministry, He made Capernaum His home base. It became the home of Peter and Andrew, and Bible scholars believe James and John also lived there. This was a city where Jesus performed many miracles.
In the passage we read this morning, we see the healing of the centurion's servant. But that was just one of many works Jesus did there. He raised the dead daughter of Jairus in Capernaum. He healed the man with palsy who was let down through the roof by four friends. He cast out demons from a man in the synagogue. He healed the son of a nobleman in the king's court. He performed the miracle of the fishes by the Lake of Galilee, which is near Capernaum. He healed Peter's mother-in-law and many others.
Capernaum was a place of constant divine activity. The sick came, and they were healed. The spiritually oppressed came, and they were delivered. This was a city touched by the power of God.
Then we come to Nain, a small Galilean village about six miles southeast of Nazareth. Interestingly, the name Nain means "green pastures"—it speaks of beauty, loveliness, and pleasantness. Yet when Jesus arrived, the story that unfolded there was anything but pleasant.
When Jesus approached the gate of Nain, He encountered a funeral procession. A young man—the only son of a widow—was being carried out to be buried. The whole city was in mourning. The crowd was silent, weeping, and grieving. On one side of the gate, Jesus was coming with His disciples and a great multitude, full of life and hope. On the other side, the widow and the people of the city were coming with sorrow and despair.
Two cities. Two completely different atmospheres.
Let's examine the centurion's story more closely. When the centurion heard that his servant was dying, he didn't go directly to Jesus himself. Instead, he sent the elders of the Jews to appeal on his behalf. And what did these elders say to Jesus?
"This man is worthy for whom you should do this, for he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue."
The centurion had sown into the work of God. He had invested in His kingdom. He understood that when you give, you build credit—not just in heaven, but in the hearts of people and in the purposes of God.
This brings to mind what we read in Psalm 20:1-3. The psalmist says,
"The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble. The name of the God of Jacob defend thee, send thee help from the sanctuary... Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice."
When you make a demand of God, you can point to what you have sown. You have built credit.
We see this principle throughout Scripture. In Acts 10:4, when the angel appeared to Cornelius, he said,
"Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."
Cornelius had credit in heaven because he had sown.
In 2 Kings 4:8-17, a Shunnamite woman gave hospitality to the prophet Elisha. She wasn't even asking for anything—it was the man of God who discovered her need. Yet because she had sown, she received a son.
In Acts 9:36-41, Dorcas was known for sewing and giving to the poor. When she died, the people she had invested in refused to let her stay dead. They called for Peter, and he prayed her back to life.
Do you have credit in heaven? If you are trusting God to make a way for you, understand that faithful giving and service build a spiritual legacy.
But there is something even more significant about the centurion. When Jesus was coming to his house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus,
"Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Therefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee. But say in a word, and my servant shall be healed."
The centurion understood authority. He said,
"For I am also a man set under authority, having under me soldiers. And I say unto one, 'Go,' and he goes. And to another, 'Come,' and he comes. And to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
He recognized that Jesus operated in a higher authority. Jesus could speak a word, and sickness would obey. He could command, and disease would flee.
Jesus marveled at him. The Scripture says Jesus was amazed and turned to the people following Him and said,
"I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
Here was a Roman soldier—a Gentile, not even of the covenant people—and yet his faith surpassed that of Israel. Why? Because he believed that what God said He would do, He would do it. He didn't doubt. He didn't waver. He simply trusted.
If you are trusting God to make a way for you, believe His word. Believe that what He has promised, He will perform. This is the faith that moves the heart of God.
Now let us turn to the widow at Nain. Her story teaches us very different, but vital, lessons.
The widow had been a blessed woman. She had a husband—representing her present—and a son—representing her future. Satan came and took her husband. She was devastated. But she consoled herself: "At least I have my son. He will take care of me. He will carry on my name."
Then Satan came for the son. She was now about to bury both her present and her future.
Satan has a three-fold ministry: to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Many people underestimate him. They think, "Well, I've lost this much. Surely the enemies have done their worst." No. Satan will not stop until he has destroyed everything.
This is why we must be vigilant. When David lost much—when the Amalekites came and took everything, including the wives of his men—the Scripture tells us that David and his men wept until they could weep no more. But then they did something crucial. They encouraged themselves in the Lord and prayed.
God said to them, "Go after the enemies. You will overtake them and recover all."
Whatever you have lost to the enemy, God will give you the grace to recover it. The Scripture says in Psalm 30:5,
"For His anger endures for a moment, in His favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
I prophesy to your life this morning: Today is your morning of joy.
The widow's companions all wept with her. They gathered around her in sorrow. Fear filled the air. And yet Jesus said to her,
"Weep not."
Why would Jesus tell her not to weep? Because fear is the opposite of faith. When we are consumed with sorrow and despair, we are not operating in faith. We are operating in fear.
When King Jehoshaphat faced a major crisis, what did he do? He didn't gather around mourning. He sent the singers and praisers ahead of the army, singing and thanking God. Praise became his weapon.
I understand it is difficult to sing and thank God when things are tough. This is why I encourage you: get a hymn book. There are times when the words won't come. But those hymns penned by men and women of old who walked in the Spirit—those hymns will liberate you.
Jesus came to the widow and said, "Weep not." Why? Because He had already wept for us. The Scripture tells us in Hebrews 4:15,
"For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin."
I pray for you this morning: You will not weep again. God will meet you in your sorrow and turn it to joy.
Nain means "green pastures," "lovely," "beautiful." But that was not what was happening in this woman's life. Everything was going wrong. Her name spoke of beauty and pleasantness, but her circumstances spoke of bitterness and loss.
Similarly, in the book of Ruth, Naomi had a name that meant "pleasantness," but when she returned to Bethlehem after losing her husband and sons, she said to the people,
"Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me."
Sometimes we have a good name, a good reputation, but underneath there is a lot of mess. We look good on the outside, but inside we are broken.
Listen to what the Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 7:8,
"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
Your ending is not your beginning. God is not finished with you. He will perfect all that concerns you.
In 2 Kings 2:19, when Elisha came to Jericho, the men of the city said to him,
"Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, but the water is not good and the ground is barren."
Sometimes we see people we envy. We think, "They have it all figured out. Look at their life." But if you dig deeper, you find there are broken places, dry places, barren places. Every flaw in your life, God will remove. Whatever is left in your life that is making the enemy laugh at you, the Lord will deliver you. He will perfect all that concerns you, and your joy shall be full.
Jesus went from Capernaum to Nain. In one city, He performed many miracles over time. In the other, He raised a dead man with a single word. But both cities tell the same story: When you encounter Jesus, everything changes.
The centurion made a decision to believe. The widow encountered mercy when she met Jesus. Both had their lives transformed.
Your acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is a decision that determines your life—not just your own life, but the lives of generations to come.
There is a book called "America Is Too Young to Die" by Reverend Leonard Hill. In it, he tells the story of two families. The first was the family of Max Jukes, an atheist. He lived a godless life and married an ungodly woman. When researchers traced his descendants, they found that 310 of his descendants died as paupers. 150 were criminals. Seven were murderers. 100 were drunkards. More than half of the women were prostitutes. From the line of this one man, 540 descendants cost the state one and a quarter million dollars. One family. One godless decision spreading through generations.
Then they looked at Jonathan Edwards, a godly man who feared God and married a godly woman. From his 1,394 known descendants, they found: 13 became college presidents. 65 became college professors. 3 became U.S. senators. 30 became judges. Hundreds became lawyers. 60 became physicians. 75 became army and navy officers. Hundreds became preachers and missionaries. 60 became authors of prominence. One became vice president of the United States. 80 held other public office positions. 295 were college graduates.
The state did not spend money on Jonathan Edwards' descendants. They enriched society.
Why am I telling you this? Because Capernaum and Nain are very near, but very far apart. One city was touched by the presence of Jesus and saw constant miracles. The other city was touched once, and everything changed. But both show us that your decision to follow Jesus has ripple effects that will impact your children, your grandchildren, and generations yet unborn.
Listen to what Jesus said about Capernaum in Matthew 11:23-24,
"And thou Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee."
Jesus had done so many miracles in Capernaum. He had healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, performed mighty works. And yet, despite all of this, many refused to believe and follow Him.
Jesus is saying: You have no excuse. How many more sermons do you need to hear? How many more signs do you need to see? We have heard of people healed. We have heard of the dead being raised. We have heard of the barren conceiving. We have heard of those whom doctors said would die being healed years later.
What else do you want? If all the miracles done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom—a city so sinful that God destroyed it with fire from heaven—Sodom would have repented. But Capernaum, despite seeing all these things, did not. And Jesus says their judgment will be greater.
This word is for us this morning. You have no excuse. The truth you hear in church is the truth. The God you serve is able. The promises in His word are faithful and true.
Capernaum and Nain were very near but very far apart. If you are here this morning and you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior—if you want to change the story of your life and your family line—you can make that decision today.
You can be like the centurion: stepping out in faith, believing God, and seeing your need met. Or you can be like the widow: encountering the compassion and power of Jesus, and having your dead raised to life.
Even though you were born as a tree, you can change the story of your own line. It can start with you. One decision. One commitment to follow Jesus. And generations will be changed.
Come forward. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Let Him be your God. Let your story become a story of redemption, blessing, and glory.
This morning, I want to speak to you on a message titled "A Tale of Two Cities." Many of you may have heard this title before—it's famous from Charles Dickens' novel set in London and Paris during the French Revolution. But this morning, we'll be looking at two very different cities found in Scripture: Capernaum and Nain.
Our text comes from Luke chapter 7, verses 1 through 15. Let me set the scene for you: Jesus had just finished teaching in one city and entered Capernaum, where a centurion's servant was dying. A day later, He traveled to Nain, where a widow was about to bury her only son. These two cities tell us very different stories about faith, hope, and the power of encountering Jesus.
Capernaum was a city loved by Jesus. When Jesus began His public ministry, He made Capernaum His home base. It became the home of Peter and Andrew, and Bible scholars believe James and John also lived there. This was a city where Jesus performed many miracles.
In the passage we read this morning, we see the healing of the centurion's servant. But that was just one of many works Jesus did there. He raised the dead daughter of Jairus in Capernaum. He healed the man with palsy who was let down through the roof by four friends. He cast out demons from a man in the synagogue. He healed the son of a nobleman in the king's court. He performed the miracle of the fishes by the Lake of Galilee, which is near Capernaum. He healed Peter's mother-in-law and many others.
Capernaum was a place of constant divine activity. The sick came, and they were healed. The spiritually oppressed came, and they were delivered. This was a city touched by the power of God.
Then we come to Nain, a small Galilean village about six miles southeast of Nazareth. Interestingly, the name Nain means "green pastures"—it speaks of beauty, loveliness, and pleasantness. Yet when Jesus arrived, the story that unfolded there was anything but pleasant.
When Jesus approached the gate of Nain, He encountered a funeral procession. A young man—the only son of a widow—was being carried out to be buried. The whole city was in mourning. The crowd was silent, weeping, and grieving. On one side of the gate, Jesus was coming with His disciples and a great multitude, full of life and hope. On the other side, the widow and the people of the city were coming with sorrow and despair.
Two cities. Two completely different atmospheres.
Let's examine the centurion's story more closely. When the centurion heard that his servant was dying, he didn't go directly to Jesus himself. Instead, he sent the elders of the Jews to appeal on his behalf. And what did these elders say to Jesus?
"This man is worthy for whom you should do this, for he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue."
The centurion had sown into the work of God. He had invested in His kingdom. He understood that when you give, you build credit—not just in heaven, but in the hearts of people and in the purposes of God.
This brings to mind what we read in Psalm 20:1-3. The psalmist says,
"The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble. The name of the God of Jacob defend thee, send thee help from the sanctuary... Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice."
When you make a demand of God, you can point to what you have sown. You have built credit.
We see this principle throughout Scripture. In Acts 10:4, when the angel appeared to Cornelius, he said,
"Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."
Cornelius had credit in heaven because he had sown.
In 2 Kings 4:8-17, a Shunnamite woman gave hospitality to the prophet Elisha. She wasn't even asking for anything—it was the man of God who discovered her need. Yet because she had sown, she received a son.
In Acts 9:36-41, Dorcas was known for sewing and giving to the poor. When she died, the people she had invested in refused to let her stay dead. They called for Peter, and he prayed her back to life.
Do you have credit in heaven? If you are trusting God to make a way for you, understand that faithful giving and service build a spiritual legacy.
But there is something even more significant about the centurion. When Jesus was coming to his house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus,
"Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Therefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee. But say in a word, and my servant shall be healed."
The centurion understood authority. He said,
"For I am also a man set under authority, having under me soldiers. And I say unto one, 'Go,' and he goes. And to another, 'Come,' and he comes. And to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
He recognized that Jesus operated in a higher authority. Jesus could speak a word, and sickness would obey. He could command, and disease would flee.
Jesus marveled at him. The Scripture says Jesus was amazed and turned to the people following Him and said,
"I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."
Here was a Roman soldier—a Gentile, not even of the covenant people—and yet his faith surpassed that of Israel. Why? Because he believed that what God said He would do, He would do it. He didn't doubt. He didn't waver. He simply trusted.
If you are trusting God to make a way for you, believe His word. Believe that what He has promised, He will perform. This is the faith that moves the heart of God.
Now let us turn to the widow at Nain. Her story teaches us very different, but vital, lessons.
The widow had been a blessed woman. She had a husband—representing her present—and a son—representing her future. Satan came and took her husband. She was devastated. But she consoled herself: "At least I have my son. He will take care of me. He will carry on my name."
Then Satan came for the son. She was now about to bury both her present and her future.
Satan has a three-fold ministry: to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Many people underestimate him. They think, "Well, I've lost this much. Surely the enemies have done their worst." No. Satan will not stop until he has destroyed everything.
This is why we must be vigilant. When David lost much—when the Amalekites came and took everything, including the wives of his men—the Scripture tells us that David and his men wept until they could weep no more. But then they did something crucial. They encouraged themselves in the Lord and prayed.
God said to them, "Go after the enemies. You will overtake them and recover all."
Whatever you have lost to the enemy, God will give you the grace to recover it. The Scripture says in Psalm 30:5,
"For His anger endures for a moment, in His favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
I prophesy to your life this morning: Today is your morning of joy.
The widow's companions all wept with her. They gathered around her in sorrow. Fear filled the air. And yet Jesus said to her,
"Weep not."
Why would Jesus tell her not to weep? Because fear is the opposite of faith. When we are consumed with sorrow and despair, we are not operating in faith. We are operating in fear.
When King Jehoshaphat faced a major crisis, what did he do? He didn't gather around mourning. He sent the singers and praisers ahead of the army, singing and thanking God. Praise became his weapon.
I understand it is difficult to sing and thank God when things are tough. This is why I encourage you: get a hymn book. There are times when the words won't come. But those hymns penned by men and women of old who walked in the Spirit—those hymns will liberate you.
Jesus came to the widow and said, "Weep not." Why? Because He had already wept for us. The Scripture tells us in Hebrews 4:15,
"For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin."
I pray for you this morning: You will not weep again. God will meet you in your sorrow and turn it to joy.
Nain means "green pastures," "lovely," "beautiful." But that was not what was happening in this woman's life. Everything was going wrong. Her name spoke of beauty and pleasantness, but her circumstances spoke of bitterness and loss.
Similarly, in the book of Ruth, Naomi had a name that meant "pleasantness," but when she returned to Bethlehem after losing her husband and sons, she said to the people,
"Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me."
Sometimes we have a good name, a good reputation, but underneath there is a lot of mess. We look good on the outside, but inside we are broken.
Listen to what the Scripture says in Ecclesiastes 7:8,
"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
Your ending is not your beginning. God is not finished with you. He will perfect all that concerns you.
In 2 Kings 2:19, when Elisha came to Jericho, the men of the city said to him,
"Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, but the water is not good and the ground is barren."
Sometimes we see people we envy. We think, "They have it all figured out. Look at their life." But if you dig deeper, you find there are broken places, dry places, barren places. Every flaw in your life, God will remove. Whatever is left in your life that is making the enemy laugh at you, the Lord will deliver you. He will perfect all that concerns you, and your joy shall be full.
Jesus went from Capernaum to Nain. In one city, He performed many miracles over time. In the other, He raised a dead man with a single word. But both cities tell the same story: When you encounter Jesus, everything changes.
The centurion made a decision to believe. The widow encountered mercy when she met Jesus. Both had their lives transformed.
Your acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is a decision that determines your life—not just your own life, but the lives of generations to come.
There is a book called "America Is Too Young to Die" by Reverend Leonard Hill. In it, he tells the story of two families. The first was the family of Max Jukes, an atheist. He lived a godless life and married an ungodly woman. When researchers traced his descendants, they found that 310 of his descendants died as paupers. 150 were criminals. Seven were murderers. 100 were drunkards. More than half of the women were prostitutes. From the line of this one man, 540 descendants cost the state one and a quarter million dollars. One family. One godless decision spreading through generations.
Then they looked at Jonathan Edwards, a godly man who feared God and married a godly woman. From his 1,394 known descendants, they found: 13 became college presidents. 65 became college professors. 3 became U.S. senators. 30 became judges. Hundreds became lawyers. 60 became physicians. 75 became army and navy officers. Hundreds became preachers and missionaries. 60 became authors of prominence. One became vice president of the United States. 80 held other public office positions. 295 were college graduates.
The state did not spend money on Jonathan Edwards' descendants. They enriched society.
Why am I telling you this? Because Capernaum and Nain are very near, but very far apart. One city was touched by the presence of Jesus and saw constant miracles. The other city was touched once, and everything changed. But both show us that your decision to follow Jesus has ripple effects that will impact your children, your grandchildren, and generations yet unborn.
Listen to what Jesus said about Capernaum in Matthew 11:23-24,
"And thou Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee."
Jesus had done so many miracles in Capernaum. He had healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, performed mighty works. And yet, despite all of this, many refused to believe and follow Him.
Jesus is saying: You have no excuse. How many more sermons do you need to hear? How many more signs do you need to see? We have heard of people healed. We have heard of the dead being raised. We have heard of the barren conceiving. We have heard of those whom doctors said would die being healed years later.
What else do you want? If all the miracles done in Capernaum had been done in Sodom—a city so sinful that God destroyed it with fire from heaven—Sodom would have repented. But Capernaum, despite seeing all these things, did not. And Jesus says their judgment will be greater.
This word is for us this morning. You have no excuse. The truth you hear in church is the truth. The God you serve is able. The promises in His word are faithful and true.
Capernaum and Nain were very near but very far apart. If you are here this morning and you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior—if you want to change the story of your life and your family line—you can make that decision today.
You can be like the centurion: stepping out in faith, believing God, and seeing your need met. Or you can be like the widow: encountering the compassion and power of Jesus, and having your dead raised to life.
Even though you were born as a tree, you can change the story of your own line. It can start with you. One decision. One commitment to follow Jesus. And generations will be changed.
Come forward. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Let Him be your God. Let your story become a story of redemption, blessing, and glory.
