I'm looking for a harvest for my God is real. Hey everybody, welcome to Spiritual Impact. We've got another good show for you. I know you're going to have a topic here in just a minute.
It's going to be absolutely wonderful that you're going to teach us today. But I'm Associate Pastor Steve Rose. This is my Pastor Tim Parton. And again, I'm going to welcome you back to Spiritual Impact.
This is kind of the time we get together. Just talk about the Word of God. You know, Pastor Steve, I hope everybody's been enjoying the programs and everything as much as we've been enjoying coming in and getting to open up God's Word. We've talked about this before.
The story that we read in the Bible, you know, you can just read over them. And we're going to take time and allow your mind to paint the picture, to set the scene. It just kind of puts you right there. And we want to talk today on a subject that we're going to call designated encounters.
And we can also throw in there that a lot of times they become life-changing events. We find many of those in Scripture. So we may bring several of these to the forefront, but we'll talk specifically on a couple. But, you know, if you've got something you'd like to know a little bit more about, if you can email us and all our questions on the screen at various times, I want to take a quick moment and invite you to the church.
But, you know, Pastor Steve, God's Word, we could study it from now on and just scratch the surface. It's always good because it's like the hidden treasures. When we get in there and we search through the Scripture, you know, with all our heart and we search for God, guess what it says? We will find Him.
And when you're talking about sitting there and we go and we look and we start studying the Scripture and really take time to think about it. It also gives us what we call application. And that's what we need today is how does that Scripture apply to us today? Because it's just as relevant today as it was when it was penned.
I'm looking forward to this teaching today to see what these events are, these designated encounters. Alrighty. Well, we talk about letting your mind paint a pincer. So let's do that.
We're going to go to Luke chapter 19. We're in the city of Jericho, so kind of visualize that. And of course, Pastor Steve, everywhere that Jesus went, there was usually a pretty big sized crowd would follow. Here's no different than people that were following.
There was a fella in the city by the name of Zacchaeus. Bible says that he was a tax collector. So you know, he was a real popular person within the city. Bible says that he was very rich and he probably got rich by the name of the city from other people.
So he wanted to see Jesus. Now here is a tax collector, which would be another form of an ungodly person that we could look at in that sense. But he saw, he knew that Jesus was coming by. The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was a man of small stature.
So he couldn't see over the multitude. So he said, you know what? There's a sycamore tree right here. So you know, visualize in your mind, in your mind, here's a grown man climbing up a sycamore tree in the midst of all this multitude because he wants to see Jesus.
And Jesus continues coming closer to that sycamore tree. And guess what happened? Jesus just so happens to stop right under that tree pastor. I know that's something.
One of the things I found about Zacchaeus I really like is his desire. See, man, if we had that desire today, you know, do we go to church expecting to see Jesus to find something in the scriptures going to speak to our hearts? So we just go on, that's just Jesus. He's just passing by again.
But you know, I tell you, I love to get into service and feel the Spirit of God dealing with hearts and seeing the Spirit of God change lives. And this word is a living word. It changes us. It becomes a part of us and is able to save our soul to the other most.
You know, the living word of God within inside our lives will transform us. It is life-changing. When we come to know Jesus is Savior, it can't help but change your life and it changes it for the better. But, you know, Zacchaeus had that desire.
You know, a lot of times people give up too easy. And Zacchaeus could have easily said, you know what, there's just too many people. I'll try to catch him another time. But Zacchaeus was determined.
He was not going to let anything stop him. He saw a means of a way to get his heart's desire. Even if it meant climbing a tree. Now how many people to get your heart's desire with God are willing to go above and beyond something that, to other folks may look kind of crazy.
I'm sure people are looking, what's that nut tax collector doing climbing that tree? Yeah. And you see when you look at the crowd, it was there that day. There were so many people he couldn't get to Jesus.
But yet his heart was determined. And when he climbed that tree, guess what? God knows the difference. The Word of God was walking through that day knew the difference between people playing games and people with the hearts of desire to see him.
He just stopped him right there to say, hey Zacchaeus, I know. Come on down. You know, and that's why we wanted to talk about this as designated encounters. From the foundation of time, Father God, our Creator, he knew that scene would be playing out in the portals of time.
And the fact that Jesus stopped right under the tree where Zacchaeus was at. But what I find fascinating is what Jesus said to him. When he looked up there and he saw Zacchaeus, he said Zacchaeus, make haste. Make haste and come down for today.
I must be at the house. Amen. What we do for God, sometimes we need to learn how to do it quickly. There are times that we will move slower.
But there's times that God wants to move suddenly. And I think sometimes if we're not careful, we miss those suddenly moments. We miss those designated encounters. And it's passed us before we realize that.
But Zacchaeus was focused. You know, his eyes was fixed upon Jesus. And when Jesus stopped under the sick of mortuary, his eyes was fixed on Zacchaeus. Hey, thank you.
I knew him by name. Yeah. See, that's the gift for. There's no tax collection.
That's right. I knew him by name. And that's the savior that we have. You know, no matter where we're at, what condition we're in, he knows where we're at.
He knows it's by name. And see, that's why he's the savior who's been touched in all way and tempted in all way as we are, but yet without sin. Amen. I love you, man.
You know this story as well as I do, what happened to Zacchaeus's house? I know, I like, when we read here from chapter 19, he says, Jesus entered and passed through Jericho and behold, there was the man talking about Zacchaeus. He said he ran and formed and climbed up into that sick and mortuary to see him, for he was passed that way. He looked up and saw him and said, Zacchaeus, make haste, come down.
For today, I like this abide at the house. I'm going to live there. I'll tell you that's the way the word of God needs to be in us when we need to abide in the word of God. But he says, and he made haste.
He was obedient. He says he came down to see him with joyfully. How are you? In the hypocrite crowd, come along.
I'm telling you, ain't that something? All the time. You believe this guy? It's just when they saw it.
They all murmured, saying that he was going to be the guest with a man. It's amazing how when God's doing something good in the church world, a lot of times just kind of tries to find something negative. Because it didn't fit their idea of how something should happen, how something should take place. How many times have you had somebody say, pastor, I really don't like the Williams are doing this at church, or maybe you ought to preach on this sometimes.
We have to preach on what God lays on. Amen. That's right. But once Jesus got to Zacchaeus's house, his whole household was saved.
Yeah, and when you look at this too, you know, you're talking about what happens when that person comes into your congregation that maybe not dressed as well as everybody else, or they're in a batch ape, and there's a sinner. You know what? What God says we all sinned, and fall short of the glory of God every day. But you know, sometimes the church, even today, will shine sinners.
Oh yeah. And at the church in the last several weeks, you know, it's one thing to preach the love of Christ. It's another thing to show it. And if you proclaim it, they will be opportunities for you to show it.
And we've had situations where God has opened up that door where we've been able to witness, tell people about God's love, and you help people. God is love. And none of us should be condemning any of us. You know, but these people, they were, every time they go to Jesus, he's going with that tax collector.
Why is he not with us? You know, we want to be around him too. But we notice here, not only did Zacchaeus climb the tree, but he did some running. He got ahead of the crowds.
Hey man, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. And Zacchaeus had a true change of heart because he told Jesus, you know, I will pay back anything that I've wronged up to four fold. I mean, that's a pretty good change of heart for somebody that was alive, that enjoyed taking money from everybody else. And then when you see, I love when he says that, and he says that in verse 8, says Zacchaeus stood and said, Lord, the Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor.
And he says, if I've taken anything from any man by false accusation, I was storing four fold. But look, and Jesus said in him, this day salvation is coming. That's good Zacchaeus, but today's salvation has come. Salvation can't come completely without repentance first.
There must be repentance for salvation to take effect. Because if we're not truly repentive and godly sorry for the wrongs that we have done to our fellow men and the wrongs we've done in being disobedient to God, that godly sorrow is how that we know that, you know what, Bob says, you know that you pass from death into life because you love the brethren. If you've got hate in your heart, then you don't love them. And if you've got hate in your heart, you've got to get rid of it because God can't bless over that.
But Zacchaeus was obedient, he was hungry, he was thirsty. He went above and beyond to get where he could just get a glimpse of Jesus. Zacchaeus himself didn't know what was going to take place. He was hoping to see the master.
But the master stopped and I like what you said earlier, called him by name and said, you need to hurry, get down here son. So we'll paraphrase it, paint this picture in your mind. Jesus is saying, Steve come on with me, be quick about it. I've got to go to your house.
You going to drag your feet on that? No. I bet Zacchaeus came down from that tree a lot faster than he went up. Oh absolutely, absolutely.
I love that again. It's just that in Jesus said in him, this day of salvation come to this house for as much as he also is a son of Abraham. For the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. That answers the Pharise questions to go back there and they were saying he's going to be with the sinner.
That's why he says, not the whale that needs the physician. He says it's them that are sick and we have the great physician in him. And I said, there's lots of these encounters that we find in the word of God. Well kind of before we go to the next one we're going to talk about a man that is responsible for writing a big portion of the New Testament named Paul.
His name was Saul, but on the road to Damascus he was about to encounter one of these designated encounters or life changing events. I was going to say, he's going down there and he's going down as an enemy. Isn't that the way we were? I mean when we loved the world, I mean we was the enemy of God right there.
He loves us. Remember that old song that he used to sing in church when we were going up? I went there to fight but old man that night, God surely got a hold of me. I see it.
I see it on the way. He says around about the new day he said I've seen a lot above the sun. Ain't that something? When the night or the day that you see the salvation of God.
That's what he was getting ready to see the salvation of God. And I like this too. When he failed at the ground he says, Lord who art thou? He said that he knew that he's taught his greater than him.
And how do you like to hear, I am Jesus. I'm not persecuting. Wow. That would get your attention.
I'm going to tell you. That's strong. Amen. But you know what?
When we immediately recognize who's calling out to us and Paul instantly was converted. You know and people talk about Paul. Paul thought he was doing good. He thought he was doing what he was supposed to do by protecting the law and this and that.
But Jesus came for everybody and it took a long time for the gospel message in that day to get around and the disciples they suffered a lot of persecution spreading to God's from the message. Paul himself, he was struck blind and God spoke to a man named Anais to go pray for Paul. Now Paul had letters in his pocket to have the Christians put in jail. So Anais was very hesitant because he said Lord, he's got papers to put us in jail and things like that.
But God told Anais don't be afraid. And see that's the thing Paul had a lot of things to overcome too. Because when you're looking at it from a law enforcement perspective, that would be a great way to say hey now I'm in evangelist. I'm going to preach Christ.
Show me where the apostles are. Show me where the disciples are. And so for a long time the disciples wouldn't have anything to do with him because they wanted to see if what he was doing was really true. But you know that didn't discourage Paul.
Paul kept preaching. Now when you go outside and somebody takes you outside the city of Stonya and leave you for dead, a lot of people give up that point. Not Paul. He says he got back up and went right back in and preached the word again.
He didn't quit. That's the way we got to do. We got to persevere. All those things that were done to Paul, the stonings, the beatings, the imprisonments, he called them minor afflictions compared to the glory that awaits.
And that's the way we've got to be. The enemy is going to always be showing up. But we're promised by God himself that I will never leave you. Amen.
I will never forsake you that I will go with you always even to the end of the world. And then we have the promise through Jesus Christ that at the end of this world, the end of this life, then we step into eternity with him forever. So I'm glad that there was a night in my life that God began to deal with an old center boy. I had that designated encounter.
Because you know Pastor Steve, people say I'm not ready to get right with God. I'm not ready to turn over a new leaf. I've got things you can't come to God unless the spirit is drawing you. You can't be saved just whenever you want to or turning over a new leaf and saying, you know what, I used to do that.
I'm going to quit doing that. I'm going to try to be a good fella. We can't be a good fella. I mean, it's not in our capability.
That's right. That's the whole problem. See, that's what we think though, isn't it? So many times we think, you know, once I get straightened up, once I get cleaned up, you know, if you're going to wait for yourself, you're not going to make it.
You're going to have to have the Holy Spirit of God who that's the gift. I love when you get saved with the grace of God that you get a gift. That's the gift of the Holy Spirit. And then the Holy Spirit is the one that helps us to produce the works that's pleasing to God.
That brings forth the fruit of righteousness. You know, we kind of left off maybe a little quick there on Zacchus. I want to go back for just a minute. The same people that were criticizing Jesus for going into Zacchus' house.
I wonder how they felt when he came out of his house, him and Jesus, and the same person that had been basically tax collectors back in those days were hated and kind of a fancy thief. But they saw a change. When Zacchus came out of his house and started paying back people that he knew he had wronged. And so Matthew was a tax collector too.
Look what he wrote about Jesus and the life-changing power that Jesus has. So when you can see an evident change, you know that something has taken place. We want to talk about two men by the name of Cornelius and designated encounter. He was a man that he had means.
He was a man of authority and the one time God gave him a vision. You know, he had a heart for God, but he longed and had that hunger for more. See, I think sometimes the Christian world has gotten comfortable where they're at. And they have lost their hunger.
They've lost their passion, their zeal, their desire. And they just, you know, I'm on my way to heaven just waiting for the ride to show up. God wants so much more for us. He wants so much more out of us.
Absolutely, yes he does. God didn't. In God's people, you see these search, I'm on Team Jesus. Well, Team Jesus doesn't have any bench-warmer.
That's right. That's right. You see a lot of people, a lot more comfortable that way, aren't they? Because you know what?
Out on the field, that's where the battle takes place. It is, it is. But I'm going to tell you, we need those fiery trials that try us because it builds our faith and it builds our trust in the Word of God. But he saw us all this vision with an angel of God coming in and saying to him, Cornelius said your prayers and your arms have come before up for a memorial before God.
He had been seeking God. He had been so in seat. He had been doing everything he knew to do. He started telling the Word of Peter, was that?
You need to go talk to Peter. And you see when you look at that, that always brings me back to you more perfectly, to know Jesus more perfectly. The only way you do that is to spend time with Him, to know the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God.
It's important to hear the preaching of the Word. It's also very important to read and study the Word of God yourself. Amen. Now, God doesn't do anything in half measures.
That's right. When God is dealing with you, He's dealing with me. Like in the church, people come, I'm going to say this for all pastors. God speaks to you before He speaks to the congregation.
Or if it's another way around, maybe we're not spending enough time listening to what God has to say, because that's a pastor's job is we go here from God and bring it back to the people. But Peter, being a Jew, had a vision himself before Cornelius got there and had all the manner of the four-footed bees and everything. And Peter was told to rise, kill and eat. And of course, he says, not so.
Nothing common or unclean has entered into me. So, you know, we've got to be careful because you stated a while ago, a lot of times people come into the church. And maybe they don't look like you do. Maybe they don't dress like you do.
But you know what? God has led them there. And it's up to you and I to show forth the love of God. And Peter was rebuked in his vision by God.
I have cleanse common or unclean. So, when Cornelius got there, Peter prayed for him and Cornelius and always household received. The blessing were baptized. They were baptized received the Holy Ghost.
You know what? God has a purpose. And when you're hungry and you're thirsty, God's going to make a way for you to be filled. That's why I encourage anybody out there.
You know, we can say, well, I can serve God at home. You need to fellowship. Yes, you do. Everybody needs to fellowship.
He tells us not to forsake the sin of ourselves together. And the man or son is. And so much more as you see the day approaching. In the day in which we live, we need one another.
We need to encourage one another. The Bible also says no man lives to himself. No man dies to himself. I firmly believe if you've got a home church, you need to be there as often as possible.
When the doors are open, if you don't have a home church, then I encourage you to find one that teaches the true Word of God and get in there and work like Zacchaeus and Cornelius and everybody else here. And we could go on and on because there's one other encounter that we didn't discuss here that we want to mention briefly. And that's Hebrews, chapter 9, verse 27. That's right.
Has to do with death. And when we go to man, once to die and after this, the judgment, folks, we're not spending the rest of our life in this world. But we are in eternity. One of two places.
Jesus is near. You have to make the effort to open up your heart and allow him to come in. Pastor Steve, he says, I stand at the door and I knock. But what's your job?
You got to open the door. There you go. And so I truly believe too that when, what are you doing with my knock on the door? Don't you look, see who it is?
So you know who it is. So the Savior is knocking on the door, knocking on the door of the heart. And all you got to do is open it up. That's how close he is.
He says, you know when the Word of God says we groped around in the darkness and trying to find our way in the darkness, but he's just right there. He's that close. Just by prayer of faith. Amen.
And you know, and anybody somebody that's been watching the program, you're not watching by chance. I believe that somebody out there, maybe this is your designated encounter. It's your opportunity for us to tell you about a man called Jesus who loves you so much. They went to a cross, died for you, didn't stay dead.
Rose again. That's right. And the beauty is, he's coming back soon in the very same. You take us to Lord and prayer.
Father, as we come to you Lord, we've given the Word of God as you've given it to us. And every Father Lord, we thank you for this fellowship and time that we go back and we talk about the Lord. You said our name was written in a book of remembrance and we said talk about you. But every Father Lord, I'm asking the Lord for those that are viewing.
And every Father Lord that you touch their hearts, their lost. All they got to do is call upon the name of Jesus. Ask for forgiveness of sin and trust in their heart that you are alive and you are alive. We praise you.
We thank you for all things. Thank you for the words of opportunity that's open. Thank you for every person that's joined us on the show. These things we ask you, thanks for in Jesus' name.
Amen. Amen. We appreciate everybody that tuning in and watching spiritual impact. I believe it's a designated encounter.
God has opened up the doors. God is doin' things in these last days because by means of television and radio and internet and things, the gospel message is being preached farther than it's ever been before. And I believe that as we continue to do these things we are going to reach the loss. We may not get everybody, but we'll get those that God has assigned for us to go after.
It's always good, Pastor Stephen. We appreciate so much the chance to just share God's love in Scripture. and we hope and pray that everybody is enjoying spiritual impact. Amen, we'd like to invite you to the Mennant Life Worship Center.
We're 923 Deli Parton Parkway and you also can check out our website at alwc-severeveal.com and you can call us at 865-366-1173, leave your name and number and we'll get back to you. It's been a great pleasure to be here on Spiritual Impact with you until we see you again. Pray for us and we love you. Amen.
Hello everybody, this is Pastor Tim Parton of Abundant Life Worship Center. For those of you that live in the Subrieval area or maybe you just visit from time to time, we'd like to take a moment and invite you to come visit us at the church. We're located at 923 Deli Parton Parkway right here in Subrieval. Our service times are Sunday morning at 11 a.m.
Wednesday evening at 630. We just love sharing the Word of God. We're just a family church so we invite you to come, grow with us. God bless.
We're just a little faith. We are never alone. So this battle I won't fear, because I can hear the sound.