Going to Extremes | Randy Skeete

Summary

Randy Skeete’s message, “Going to Extremes,” argues that God’s standard is not mere outward religiosity but a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees’ legalism by reaching the heart. He emphasizes that the Sabbath belongs to God, not any church, and then moves into Matthew 5 to show that Jesus intensifies the law by identifying anger with murder and lust with adultery. The central hope of the sermon is that humans cannot meet God’s standard on their own because the carnal mind is hostile to God. Instead, believers must surrender fully to Jesus, receive His sinless life as a gift, and remain in that relationship daily through prayer and Bible study. The sermon closes with an appeal for recommitment and total surrender to Christ as the only way to enter God’s kingdom.

Highlights

• The sermon opens by stressing that the Sabbath belongs to God, not to any denomination 🌿
• Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 is used to show that righteousness must go beyond surface-level rule-keeping 🔥
• Anger is framed as heart-level murder, and lust as heart-level adultery, raising the bar dramatically 😮
• The preacher highlights that no human can save themselves because the natural mind is opposed to God 🚫
• Christ’s righteous life is presented as the covering that makes believers acceptable before the Father 🙌
• A strong call is made for complete and repeated surrender to Jesus, not just a one-time gesture 🙏
• The message ends with testimony, prayer, and an invitation to recommit or впервые give one’s life to Christ 💒

Key Takeaways

• God’s standards don’t get lowered; we get lifted by Jesus Christ ✨
• Outward obedience isn’t enough—God cares about the heart, thoughts, and motives 💭
• Anger and lust are treated as serious spiritual problems, not just private feelings ⚠️
• Salvation is a gift: Christ’s sinless life covers the believer when they surrender fully 🎁
• Daily abiding in Christ through prayer and the Word keeps that relationship alive 📖
• The Sabbath is presented as God’s holy day, not the property of any church ⛪

Overview

This sermon is all about taking God seriously—maybe even more seriously than people are usually comfortable with. Randy Skeete starts by grounding the audience in worship and then makes a bold claim: the Sabbath is not owned by Adventists, but belongs to God. From there, he moves into the theme of “going to extremes,” meaning moving beyond shallow religion into true spiritual depth.

The core of the message comes from Matthew 5, where Jesus says righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. Skeete explains that Jesus pushes obedience beyond outward actions into the inner life. Murder begins with hatred, and adultery begins with lust. In other words, God is not just after behavior modification—He wants a transformed mind and heart.

The sermon’s answer is Jesus Christ. Since people cannot meet God’s perfect standard on their own, they must surrender fully and daily to Christ, who covers believers with His righteousness. Skeete repeatedly returns to the idea that salvation is personal, not inherited, and that abiding in Christ through prayer and Scripture is what keeps believers in that saved relationship.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 07:30: Opening Worship and Introduction The chapter opens with a call to worship from Psalm 100, emphasizing joyful praise, thanksgiving, and God’s everlasting goodness and mercy. The speaker greets the congregation, underscores that the Sabbath belongs to God rather than any church organization, and welcomes online viewers while stressing that salvation and judgment are matters of individual responsibility.
• 07:30 - 17:30: The Call to Higher Righteousness The speaker opens with prayer, thanking God for life, mercy, Sabbath blessing, healing, and protection for the audience, guests, children, and Puerto Rico. He then introduces Matthew 23 and explains that Jesus acknowledged the scribes and Pharisees as occupying Moses’ seat of authority, so their teaching should be respected even though their behavior should not be imitated because they are hypocrites.
• 17:30 - 27:30: Why Human Righteousness Falls Short Jesus teaches that true righteousness must exceed the outward morality of the scribes and Pharisees. He begins explaining this by showing that God’s standard reaches beyond external obedience to the inner life: anger without cause is treated as murder in the heart, and lustful looking is treated as adultery in the heart.
• 27:30 - 40:00: Christ’s Sinless Life as Our Substitute Jesus presents believers with an impossible standard—a pure, sinless mind—and the speaker explains that Christ personally came to save each individual. By giving oneself to Jesus and accepting Him as personal Savior, a sinful person is counted righteous because Christ’s character stands in place of theirs, so God views them as though they had never sinned.
• 40:00 - 52:30: God’s Character: Mercy, Justice, and Judgment God reveals Moses his character in Exodus 34 as both merciful and just: gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving sin, yet also not clearing the guilty or ignoring punishment.
• 52:30 - 62:30: Invitation to Full Surrender and Recommitment The speaker emphasizes that admission to God’s kingdom is not based on human perfection but on being covered by the righteousness of Christ. Using an illustration about death and a hospitalized woman, he reminds listeners that there is nothing to fear in death for those in Jesus and urges anyone who has not done so to recommit their life to Christ.

Going to Extremes | Randy Skeete Transcription

• Segment 1: 00:00 - 02:30 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord, he is God. It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name for the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations. God is good >> and all the time. >> How are you? It's very nice to see you in God's house >> on his holy day. >> The Sabbath does not belong to Seventh Day Adventists. The Sabbath belongs to God. >> The Bible tells us more than once, it is my day. My day, my Sabbaths, my day. It is entrusted to us that on this day we will honor God in a very special way. But the Sabbath is not the possession of the 7th Day Adventist Church. It is God's holy day. Always remember that. >> That's one good reason why no human organization can change that day. It does not belong to humanity. Yes, the Bible says the Sabbath was made for man. It was made for our benefit, our blessing. But the Sabbath legally and rightfully belongs to God. Therefore, he alone can change what is his. Can you say amen? >> Amen. >> I welcome those of you online, wherever you are on God's green earth. Thank you very much for joining us and may the Lord really bless you individually. You know, Eli tells us the gospel deals with individuals. We are saved as individuals. We are judged as individuals. You do not stand on the judgment day as a family. But God bless all families. On judgment day, you stand as an individual.
• Segment 2: 02:30 - 05:00 So when we read the verse, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. How should we read that verse to be truly truly accurate? For God so loved me. And I'll talk about that in the message. For God so loved me. That's not selfishness. That's an accurate rendering of John 3:16. Those of you in the basement, God bless you. You are with us. We see you with the eye of faith. Is there anyone present this morning? Is it morning? Yes. Is it still morning? >> You are not a seventh day Adventist. May I see your hand? Ah, would you stand? What's your name? Andrea, you were here before. Yes. You know during the week I was wondering where did Andrea go? She came once and she vanished. Andrea, it is nice to see you again. God bless you. Bless you. Say amen for Andrea. >> Say it again. >> Thank you, Andrea. God bless you. I really mean that. Anybody else? You're not a Seventh Day Adventist. Where's Joshua? Tell him I asked for him and I'm sorry I didn't see him. Anybody else? You're not a Seventh Adventist. May I see your hand? Where? Oh, hi my brother. Would you stand? We want to take a good look at you. What's your name? >> Jose. Oh, Jose Louise. How are you, Jose? Nice to see you. Where are you from? Puerto Rico. >> Who invited you, Jose? Thank you very much for bringing God's son. Jose, God bless you in everything you do. >> May God bless your health, protect you from harm and danger, bless your children, and save you when he comes. Say, "Amen for Jose." >> Say it again. >> Amen.
• Segment 3: 02:30 - 05:00 >> God is good. >> And all the time. >> Bueno. >> Amen. Anybody else? you're not a Seventh Day Adventist. I believe we have guests online wherever you are. Thank you so much for joining us. We are delighted with your presence
• Segment 4: 05:00 - 07:30 even though you may be thousands of miles away. Our subject for this morning, going to extremes. What did I say? Going to extreme. Going as far as you can up. Going to extremes. Uh, have you already taken care of this? Nobody said yes. >> Oh, you have? All right. What did you do? >> If you're not using it, but if you're using it, what should you do? Turn the volume all the way down. Thank you for remembering. Favor number two. While I'm speaking, pray for me. >> Not out loud, quietly. In your heart, what will you say? Lord, put your words in that man's mouth. I really want to tell you what the Bible says. >> My opinion does not matter. Are you with me? >> When God made the world, he said, "Let there be light." He said, "Let there be a firmament." The entire universe was made by God's word, not mine. Trouble entered the world when Adam listened to somebody else's word. Are you with me? And so ask God to put his word in my mouth. Jeremiah 1:9, "Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth." And the Lord said unto me, "Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth, and those are the words I desire to speak." Favor number three, think as you listen. You must never listen to anyone without thinking. Isaiah 1:18. Come now. Let us do what? Reason together. The mighty God invites you to come. Let's reason together. Why do you beat your husband? Let's talk about it. Let's reason. Why do you don't go to church? Let's talk. Why are you failing your classes in school? Let's talk. God says, let's reason. Why do you no longer pray? Let's talk, says God. I will listen. Say amen for God. Let's pray. Father in heaven,
• Segment 5: 05:00 - 07:30 you're a good God. You really are. And I love you. I also like you.
• Segment 6: 07:30 - 10:00 Thank you for your mercies to me. I am alive today, Father, because of your goodness, not because of vitamin E, C, or A. Thank you, Father, for this holy day, for the presence of your spirit, and that there are people on this earth who still respect your Sabbath day. If we've sinned, forgive us, God. Remove the sin and change our minds so that we fall in love with right doing. Bless all those present online and in this building. A special blessing on Andrea and Jose, our guests. Lord, touch them very personally. Father, dear God, take possession of my mind, my memory, my mouth. Speak through me, dear God. Literally, Father, speak through me that your name may be glorified and your people blessed. Put a double blessing on the children. Father, touch the sick and bring relief and healing. bless Puerto Rico in every way, at every level, dear God. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Let God's people say, "Amen." And amen. Go with me to Matthew 23, the first gospel written by a man who was a tax collector, which is just about the same thing as saying he was a thief. The tax collectors would take too much taxes. They'd give the Romans theirs. They'd keep the rest. And the Jews absolutely hated the tax collectors, the publicans. Matthew 23, we read from verse one. Let me know when you're there. >> Then spake Jesus to the multitude and to his disciples. The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do but do not ye after their works for they say and do not. Let's look at the first two verses again. Then spake Jesus to the multitude and to
• Segment 7: 07:30 - 10:00 his disciples. The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's seat. In other words, Moses had a seat of authority and power
• Segment 8: 10:00 - 12:30 and administrative control. The Pharisees and the scribes occupied a similar position in the sense they were the spiritual leaders of God's people. And Mo God tells uh Jesus tells the people when they speak to you, listen to them. In other words, respect the authority of the church. I need a louder amen than that. Amen. >> That is still too weak. >> Respect the authority of the church. >> Are you with me? >> Then he tells them, "Whatever they tell you to do, that do, but don't do as they do because they say, but they don't do. They're hypocritical." Now, let's look at the scribes and Pharisees. There were several groups that Jesus interacted with almost always negatively. the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, the Zealots. Then there was a group called the Essenes, but they have withdrawn into some desert area. And some people believe John the Baptist was one of them, but the Bible does not say that. Of all those groups, I want us to take a look at two, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees developed during the period between Malachi and Matthew. It was a period of 400 years with no prophet. Between Malachi and Matthew, no prophet. The Jews were a people accustomed to prophets. For 400 years, God sent no prophet. So when John the Baptist came, they went in large crowds to see him. Why? They had not had a prophet in 400 years. And here comes this new prophet. So they went off into the wilderness in droves to see John the Baptist. The Pharisees during that period of prophetic silence. They developed and they stressed holiness not only during temple worship but holiness in every area of life. Seven days a week. Everything you do had to be an act of holiness. The Pharisees developed that kind of lifestyle. The
• Segment 9: 10:00 - 12:30 Sadducees trace their descent from Zadok. Zadok was a priest in the days of David and also in the time of Solomon. And Zadok was part of the true line of
• Segment 10: 12:30 - 15:00 priests. And so the Sadducees, they dominated the temple. And the temple was the center of Jewish worship. The Pharisees, they dominated the teaching of the people. So the people really respected the Pharisees. They were very popular with the common people. They taught and they encouraged the people to be faithful to the traditions and to the teachings of Moses. The Sadducees, most of them were the high priests. They were very closely connected to the Romans. So they had these connections and they were very wealthy. They were the upper class. They were elite. Now these two people keep them in mind of those two groups. Keep that in mind. Let us go now to Matthew chapter 5. Matthew 5. Our subject going to extremes. It is now 20 minutes to 12. I'll release you before 12:30 comfortably before. Please don't worry. I know there's food downstairs, but this is more important food. Can you say amen? >> All right. Do you have Matthew? >> What chapter did I say? Five. We'll read from verse 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to what? Fulfill. Let's look at the first two words of verse 17. What are those first two words? Don't even think it. You see, behavior flows from thinking. If you think it, the chances are you'll do it. Jesus says, "Don't even think it." Are you getting me? >> Don't even think it. Don't think I've changed the Sabbath. Don't even think it. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy but to fulfill the very opposite. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tit shall in no wise pass from the
• Segment 11: 12:30 - 15:00 law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments,
• Segment 12: 15:00 - 17:30 and shall teach men so, whoever teaches people to break the law, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Let me say that again. This is Jesus. Jesus says, "Anyone who teaches people to break the law will be considered least in the kingdom of heaven." Not that the person will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those in the kingdom will consider that person as least. And whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Now, I want you to look at this. You have you the least or you're the greatest. >> Jesus says you're the least when you attack the law. You considered greatest when you promote the law. Amen. >> You're not with me. I wish I could speak Spanish. Jesus said, "Anyone who breaks the law and teaches people to break the law will be considered low." Anyone who obeys the law and teaches others to obey the law will be considered great. Amen. >> So greatness or the lack of greatness is connected to our attitude to God's law. >> For I say to you verse 20 of Matthew 5 that except your righteousness shall do what? Exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, he shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Except your righteousness shall what? Exceed. What's our subject? Going to exceed. Jesus could have added the righteousness of the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Essenes. By the way, the Zealots, they were opposed to Romans by practicing violence. In the days of Jesus, there was a group called the Zealots. They were zealous for Jews, you see. And so some would carry swords and they would kill Roman soldiers. They were assassins. And we get the word sakari. That's who they
• Segment 13: 15:00 - 17:30 were. They carried these weapons and when they could they would attack Roman soldiers. They were assassins.
• Segment 14: 17:30 - 20:00 One of Jesus's disciples was one. A zealot was one of the 12 disciples. Jesus will call anyone and change that person. Can you say amen? He will call a violent member of society and change that man or woman. >> And so Jesus said, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. We can add the Sadducees. Ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now the question then can arise since the Pharisees were considered so holy and the scribes the law the lawyers were considered so holy the Sadducees were the priests they were holy in quotation marks how can someone's righteousness exceed theirs but Jesus said the only way you can enter heaven is if you have a righteousness that exceeds this. Then if I were there, I would say to Jesus, "How? Give me an example of righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees and Essins and Zealots and whatever else." Let's go to verse 21. What's our subject? Going to ext. Are you at verse 21? Read with me. Heath heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother Raka, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, "Thou fool," shall be in danger of hellfire. Let's look at that again. Now Jesus is giving an example of righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, which is what he requires of his disciples.
• Segment 15: 17:30 - 20:00 He tells us in verse 21, "Ye have heard, it was said by them of old time, thou
• Segment 16: 20:00 - 22:30 shalt not kill." That's commandment. Um six for the Pharisee and a scribe and a Sadducee. It meant don't kill people physically. So if I haven't shot you, I didn't kill you. If I didn't cut your head off, I didn't kill you. Jesus takes that higher. He says, "No, no, no, no. The standard in heaven is so high. You do not have to kill someone physically. You can kill them right here by your attitude towards that person. Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." In other words, you are guilty of murder. The Bible says, "He that loveth not his brother is a murderer." 1 John 3:15. Now that's a high level of righteousness. It exceeds the righteousness of the scribes. For the scribes and the Pharisees and others, it was simply don't commit physical murder. But Jesus said by your attitude, by your resentment, by your constantly attacking people, you are killing them here and in heaven, you are murderer. In other words, he tells the disciples, "That's the righteousness I want from you. No murder here. If there's no murder here, there can be no murder here." Are you with me? Because it starts here. The righteousness God wants begins here or here. >> Verse 27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, whosoever, come on, lookth on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already where? In his heart. Not a mortel room in his heart. Now this is a high level of righteousness which means the law of God because Jesus picks two commandments. What are they?
• Segment 17: 20:00 - 22:30 >> Thou shalt not kill. What's the other one? Thou shalt not commit adultery. He picks two commandments to teach what high righteousness is. If you look at a a woman and you start with your head, the Bible says you've committed
• Segment 18: 22:30 - 25:00 adultery. Now, lusting does not produce pregnancy. Are you with me? Lusting does not produce disease. But in the eyes of God, if I lust, I'm an adulterer and I need to confess. And if I do not confess, I cannot enter the kingdom of God. So sin is not merely what you do physically. Sin is how you think. Are you with me? >> When you realize that, you must come to this conclusion. I can't reach that standard. It's too high. I cannot reach that standard. But Jesus said, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case, he said, there is no way you can enter heaven. Because Christ came to die, not to change your fist. The Bible does not say, "Create in me a new kneecap. Create in me a new elbow. Create in me a new heart. >> Ezekiel 36:26. A new heart also I give you. A new spirit will I put within you. Jesus died to change this, not this. When this is changed, this behaves differently. >> Are you following me? >> When this has changed, this behaves differently. When this has changed, the reproductive organs behave differently. And that's as tend as I can put it. That's the standard Jesus has for us. The ten commandments of God affect the way we think, not just physical behavior. Christ came to renew the mind. And so he tells his disciples, you see those holy men, your righteousness must go beyond this or you cannot enter the kingdom. Now,
• Segment 19: 22:30 - 25:00 no human being can do that because we're born with a mind that's corrupt. Go to uh Romans chapter 8. Let me show
• Segment 20: 25:00 - 27:30 you what I mean. Romans 8. I have good news for you. Don't look so depressed. Romans 8. It's uh 10 minutes to 12. Do you have Romans 8? >> My friends online, I hope you're still with us. My friends downstairs, I hope you're not sleeping. Romans 8. Reading from what verse? What verse do you think I'll read? No, not one. Good try, but not one. Seven. Seven. Because the carnal mind is what? Enmity against God. Now pause. Wait a minute. We are born with a mind that hates God. Jesus said to enter heaven, you must have a mind that does not lust. Let me say it again. Jesus said, "If you lust, you're an adulterer." Where do we lust? >> In the mind. What does Romans 8:7 say? The carnal mind is enmity against God. Keep reading. For it is not subject to the law of God. What does the law of God say? Thou shalt not commit adultery. What does Jesus say? You commit adultery in your mind first. So, we've got a problem. Jesus tells me, "You must obey me in the mind first." I say to him, "But I was born with a mind that hates your law. I need help from outside. Let me say it again. I need help from someone else. >> And that person is Jesus. >> Because Jesus never lusted. He never killed. >> He told the scribes and Pharisees, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" He said, "The prince of this world cometh, John 14:30, and has nothing in me. >> Satan may have something in me and with great respect in you." He had nothing in Jesus. >> Jesus when he came out of the waters of baptism, the father said, "This is my
• Segment 21: 25:00 - 27:30 beloved son in whom I am well pleased." But without faith, it is impossible, come on, to please God. Therefore, the father looked to Jesus because Jesus
• Segment 22: 27:30 - 30:00 lived a life of faith. And faith is impossible without the word of God. So Jesus tells me, you need a mind that's pure to enter heaven. And I was born with a corrupt mind. So Jesus confronts me with something impossible. In other words, I am 5t tall. and he tells me, "Jump up and dunk the basketball." I said, "But Jesus, I need a ladder because I'm so small." Here's what Jesus does. Listen to this quotation. The book Steps to Christ explains it very clearly. Page 62, paragraph 2. What did I just say? Steps of Christ, page 62, paragraph 2. Father in heaven, as I speak the words to come, speak through me dear God. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen. Listen carefully. If you give yourself to him, who is him? Jesus Christ. and accept him as your savior, not as the savior of the world. You must understand Jesus left heaven and came to this earth to Puerto Rico to San Juan to save Jose. >> This is no joke. Jesus left heaven, came to Michigan in Elite to say to save me. >> You must see Jesus as a personal savior. >> And so the quotation says, "If you give yourself to him and accept him as your savior, but save you from what?" Give me one word. sin and the wrath that comes with sin. If you give yourself to him and accept him as your savior, then as sinful as your life may have been, no matter what you've done, how many people you've killed or raped or stolen from, you for Christ's sake, you are counted righteous. Here's God the Father who sent Jesus
• Segment 23: 30:00 - 32:30 and he's watching and he sees me. I've committed murder, rape, robbed banks, you know, mugged old ladies, whatever, all these things, practice slavery. I have done all of that and the father is watching me. And I meet Jesus and I realize this is the only person who can save and I give my life to him and I accept him as my savior. If I do that with all of this, the character of Jesus stands in place of mine >> and the father looks down and looks at me as though I had never sinned. There are men and women in prison who need to understand if you give your life to Jesus even though you are behind bars because the state put you there in the eyes of God you are son of heaven >> but two things are required give yourself to him >> and accept him as your savior >> there are people who say I am too wicked to go to church. Well, Jesus came because you're wicked. You know what Jesus said? I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus said, "They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick." The whole world was sick. Jesus came, but he wants to stress the individual side of salvation. I am your savior. I am your savior. as if no one else is alive on the face of the earth. >> And so when you give yourself to him and accept him as your savior, you surrender, you realize his death on Calvary paid the price. Matter of fact, Jesus overpaid. So Satan can have no complaints. Then sinful as your life may have been, no matter what you've done, for Christ's sake, you're accounted righteous. Christ's character stands in place of your character. >> And you are accepted before God just as if you had never sinned.
• Segment 24: 32:30 - 35:00 As long as you give yourself to Jesus. >> Amen. >> Not the church. The church comes later. You give yourself to Jesus. You say how you say it. >> Don't you tell your girlfriend I love you. Don't you tell your husband I love you or your cousin or your mother. Say it. When you go to court and you give testimony, what do you have to do? What do you have to do in the courtroom? Pray. Well, no, not really. What do you have to do? >> Take an oath. You can't just think the oath. You have to say it. Those of you who fly, I'm always on planes flying. If you sit in a exit row, the flight attendant comes to you and says, "I need a verbal response. Are you able to assist in an emergency?" You have to say yes out loud. They tell you I need a verbal response. Say yes or no. If the answer is no, we move you to some other seat. But let us know your answer verbally. How do I give myself to Christ? I say it. Father, I surrender my life to you >> because I realize I cannot save myself. That standard is too high for me. Someone has to take me that high. And that someone is Jesus Christ. >> Your salvation lies with a person called Jesus Christ. >> Why is it you can't save yourself? Let us say you lived on this earth. You've only committed one sin, a small one. You stole a banana from the supermarket and it wasn't even ripe. A small sin. Huh? Small sin that is enough to keep you out of heaven. Because in heaven, there's no sin. Follow me closely. How many sins did Adam commit? What did God do? put him out. Teaching us God does not tolerate one sin.
• Segment 25: 35:00 - 37:30 The only person who ever lived and never committed a sin. Name him Jesus Christ. The Bible calls him the second or the last Adam. The first Adam committed one sin and the whole world was cursed. Now, you didn't hear what I said. The first Adam committed one sin and the whole world was cursed. >> The second Adam lived a sinless life and through him people can be saved. >> Everyone born into the world is born needing a savior >> from what? From sin. The power of sin, the presence of sin, the the the the the condition of sin. Every person born needs a savior and that savior is Jesus. And when the angel came to Joseph in a dream, the the earthly father of Jesus, he said, "Thou shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus." Why? For he shall save his people from their sins. But Jesus himself said, "The blind cannot lead the blind." Therefore, a sinful savior cannot save sinners. Let me say it again. Jesus said, "The blind cannot lead the blind. They both end up where?" In a ditch. A sinful savior cannot save sinners. They both will end up in hell. And so, our savior Jesus never ever sinned. That life is what he offers to you and me >> as a covering. That's why the wages of sin. Come on. >> Finish the verse. But a gift of God, >> the gift, the gift. Are you with me? The gift of God is eternal life. A gift is received, not paid for. Amen. >> And Jesus stands wherever he stands in heaven and he tells you in me, "Come to me." Matthew 11:28, "All ye that labor and are heavy laden." I told you, I'm always flying on planes. People come on planes with backpacks. They're so heavy they walk like this.
• Segment 26: 37:30 - 40:00 Jesus said, "Sin is like a backpack. You carry it. Your spine is bent. The lad is so heavy. Guy said, "Come, let me remove that backpack so you can stand how?" Upright. No one enters heaven like this. You have to be upright spiritually. Jesus says, "You give me that weight. I can carry it and I can stay upright. If you carry it bover, you can't enter. The sinless life of Jesus is a gift to you. >> The only condition is believe with all your heart >> that he came to save you. >> Something else you need to believe. I cannot what? Ah, God bless whoever said that. I cannot save myself and I don't want to perish. The Bible says it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. You see, God is both a God of love and a God of judgment. He's a God of mercy and a God of punishment. Do you understand what Jesus saves you from? The wrath of God. Not just from sin, the wrath of God. Go to uh Exodus 32 quickly. Ex not 32, 33. And father, continue to give me the words to speak to your people. It's now 6 minutes after 12. I'm in good time. I'll release you before 12:30. What book did I say? >> What chapter? >> Reading from verse 18. This is Moses speaking to God. When you found it, let me know. >> And he said what? I beseech thee, show me thy glory. Moses wanted to see the brightness of God. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee. And I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and will be merciful to and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And he said, "Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me, and you cannot look at
• Segment 27: 37:30 - 40:00 the face of God, you die." Moses wanted to see God's face. And God understood that. That's why God said, "You cannot
• Segment 28: 40:00 - 42:30 see my face." God decided to show Moses his goodness or his character. Now go to chapter 34. Here comes God to show Moses his character. Chapter 34, we read from verse 5. Our subject, going to extremes. Are you in 34? >> Are you in verse five? And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God. Read it with me now. Merciful, come on. Gracious, come on. Long-suffering, come on. Abundant in goodness and truth. Come on. Keeping mercy for thousands. Come on. Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. Stop. Look at that list again. This is my character, says God. The Lord God. Give me the list again. Come on. For verse six. The Lord God. >> Merciful. Come on. >> Gracious. Come on. >> Long-suffering. Come on. Abundant in goodness and truth. Come on. Keeping mercy for thousands. Come on. Forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Anything you do, he'll forgive. That's God. Isn't that nice? >> Yes. That's his character. But he wasn't finished. He wasn't finished. Let's keep reading. And that will by no means clear the guilty. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation. That's the character of God. Judgment on sinners. You are as quiet as a graveyard. You liked merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands. You like that forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and cheating on the taxes. He forgives everything. But you don't like visiting. I will not clear the guilty. I will visit the iniquity and its punishment on the children, the children's children, unto the third and
• Segment 29: 40:00 - 42:30 to the fourth generation. That is part of the character of God. Punishing sin. God Jesus wants to keep you from that. >> Thanks for the amen. But uh >> let me tell you something. Yes.
• Segment 30: 42:30 - 45:00 When the world got wicked in the days of Noah, what did God do? >> He sent a flood and destroyed how much of the world? The whole world. Is God a God of love? >> Did he destroy Noah's world? Yes. First, he moved Noah out of the world because the Bible says the ark was on the very top of the waters and the waters were above the mountains. So, in a sense, he removed Noah, then destroyed the world. When Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities on the plain got so wicked, what did God do? He sent fire and did what? Burned them up. First he took Lot out, then burned them up. You see, God takes out the righteous, then burns up the sinners. He takes out the righteous, drowns the sinners. The same God, listen to me carefully, the God of love is a God of punishment. He must be a God of punishment because he hates sin. But he prefers to save not to punish. >> God's love is greater than his wrath. It must be God punishes only so much as he needs to, but he blesses us all the way beyond anything we can deserve. >> And so the Bible says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Jesus wants to save us from sin and from the wrath of God that comes upon the sinner. >> How does he do that? He covers us with his life. Because God recognizes one standard and that standard is who can guess? >> Perfection. Give me another word starts with an S. >> Sinlessness. Let me say it again. God recognizes one standard, sinlessness. We cannot give him that. Jesus came live the life God wanted. >> And because he's human as we are, we can come to him and he can cover us with his sinless life which he lived as a human being. It's a gift.
• Segment 31: 42:30 - 45:00 >> All he's waiting for you to do is come
• Segment 32: 45:00 - 47:30 to him and say, "Father, I cannot save myself. I recognize Jesus Christ as my savior and as far as I know how, I give my life to him." When you do that, with all of this, Jesus covers you with his righteousness. >> And when the father looks, he sees the righteousness of Christ. In the Old Testament, when someone sinned, what did they bring to the tabernacle? >> An animal as a sacrifice representing Christ. Before he came, he brought an animal. What condition was the animal supposed to be in? >> Perfect. No blemish, no spots, nothing. Now think with me. When the sinner brought the animal, here's a sinner. Here's the animal. Who had to be without spot and blemish? >> The animal, no spot, no blemish. In order to confirm that the animal had no spot or blemish, here's the sinner with the animal. Here's the animal. Whom did the priest examine? >> The animal, not the zer. Ah, nobody's listening. >> The priest examined the animal representing Jesus, not the person who brought the animal. The priest assumes, of course, by bringing the animal, you're saying, "This is my hope. Jesus is my only hope." Yes. But the priest examines the animal, not the person. When you give your life to Christ, God looks at you, he examines Christ. >> How much sin does he find? >> None. But where is Christ? >> Yes. You see, in the judgment, God does not judge your knee. He doesn't judge your head. He judges. >> And that's where Jesus reigns >> by putting the law in your heart. >> Are you with me? So God looks in your heart and he sees the righteousness of the law which is Jesus Christ. And he says, "Fine, sit on my right hand." >> Did you hear me? Sit at my right hand in Jesus Christ. Don't let Christ leave
• Segment 33: 45:00 - 47:30 you. Don't step out of Christ. Sit on my right hand in Jesus Christ. >> Let me say it again. When you accept
• Segment 34: 47:30 - 50:00 Jesus as your savior and Jesus is in here, God judges the inside and he sees Jesus >> his righteous life. He sees the righteous law and that's fine with him. He judges Jesus in you. >> There's no need to really judge you in the sense that God knows you're not perfect. He knows you've already sinned once or twice or two million times. He judges Jesus. And when he sees the life of Christ covering you, that satisfies the father because a righteous God must be satisfied because sin is a threat to God's eternal kingdom. And so Jesus says, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven." You come to Christ, you're wearing a dirty shirt. It has blood on it, mud, everything. Jesus removes it and gives you a clean shirt, >> which is his righteousness. He doesn't use his clothes to cover your dirty shirt. He removes your dirty shirt and covers you with his righteousness, >> his clean shirt. Now he expects you to keep it on. Are you with me? >> By daily surrender, >> keep it on. And so he tells us in John 15, abide in me. The Greek word meno means stay, remain, continue. Abide in me. You read John 15:es 1 to10, he uses the word abide. Abide. Abide. How do we do that? Prayer, study of the word. But some people come to Jesus and then two weeks later, no Bible study, no prayer, no nothing. You're not abiding in Christ. For his righteousness to remain effective, you must abide in him. How do we do that? Through the word and prayer. What's the subject going to extreme?
• Segment 35: 47:30 - 50:00 Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. And that extreme righteousness is the life of
• Segment 36: 50:00 - 52:30 Christ offered to us as a gift when we give ourselves to him and accept him as our savior. As much as God loves you, he cannot accept you based on your life. Let me say it again. God is not an earthly parent. He's a heavenly parent. >> Earthly parents are sinful as sinful as their children. Our heavenly father is a sinless God. >> He hates sin. As much as he loves you, he cannot tolerate your sin. That's why he's in Christ. When he looks, he must see the life of Christ covering you and me. >> The life God required of Adam before Adam's sin is what he requires today. Because God does not lower his standards, he lifts people up. Can you say amen? God does not lower his standards, he lifts people up. How? through Jesus Christ. >> Won't you give your life to Jesus? >> He's a man who is also God. You can't see him, but he's alive. He still has human form in heaven. He came from the grave, raised himself. The Bible says the father raised him. What it means is the father told him when to get up. Jesus raised himself. That is the power he gives you to come up from the grave of addiction. >> The power that brought him from the dead is the power he gives you and me to come up from the grave of alcoholism, the grave of pornography. We can rise from those graves by the same power that brought Jesus from the grave. >> Daily surrender. Daily surrender. Because if you're not surrendered to Christ, you're surrendered to Satan. I don't care how decent you are. A life not surrendered to Christ is a life led by Satan. How many of you want a place in God's kingdom? Can I see your hand? >> Do you really mean that? Stand up with me.
• Segment 37: 50:00 - 52:30 20 minutes after 12, you're standing to say, "I want a place in God's kingdom." I've got a quiz question for you. Listen
• Segment 38: 52:30 - 55:00 carefully. What's the standard for admission to God's kingdom? Perfection, sinlessness, or the righteousness of Christ? Are you covered by that righteousness? I got a text this morning from a I have a daughter, not biological, but a daughter studying medicine in some foreign country. She had asked me to pray for a lady who had been hospitalized. She wrote me this morning. She said, "Dad, the lady died." Then she posted a picture. Nice young lady died. And I said, "I'll pray for the family. Death is always sad, whether you expect it or not." And I wondered, was she covered in the righteousness of Christ. There's nothing terrifying about death if you're in Christ. Are you with me? There's nothing terrifying about death if you're in Jesus Christ. >> And so I ask you, are you covered by the righteousness of Christ? >> You can only say yes if you can say to the father, I have given my life to Christ. When you do that, he covers you with his sinless life. And the father accepts his life on your behalf. >> The father views you as just and right with him because you're covered by the life of Jesus Christ. >> Amen. >> If there's someone who wants to say, "Father, this message has opened my eyes. I want to recommmit my life to Christ right now. If you'll say that, come. Let's pray. Come. I want to recommmit my life to Christ. Come right here. Come quickly. Recommmit my life to Christ. Come. God bless you, sister. Don't look around. You just come. Remember, salvation is individual. I want to recommmit my life to Christ. Come. Then I have another question to ask you.
• Segment 39: 52:30 - 55:00 In other words, I'm coming to say, "Father, I give myself to Jesus again." It must be done constantly. It's not once and for all. It's a constant thing because the devil is constant in his attacks upon us. The call is simple. I want to recommmit my
• Segment 40: 55:00 - 57:30 life to Christ. Come. And we're going to say it. Anybody else? Second question, anyone listening to me online in this building, you have never fully given your life to Christ. I said fully. And that's the only way to give it. You have never fully given your life to Christ. You'd like to do that now by saying, "Father, I surrender my life to you totally. Take my life and guide me." You've never done that before. You want to do that now? Can I see your hand? You've never done it before. Never done it before. And you'll do it now. A lot of people think they've given their lives to Christ. They haven't. They've given their lives to church, not Christ. You've never consciously of your own free will, without pressure on anyone, given your life to Christ. You'd like to do that now. Can I see your hand? If you're online, God bless you. God bless you. You're going to do that right now where you are. give that life to Christ. Anybody else? >> You've never consciously God bless you. You've been nice and decent and we we're glad for that. But you've never said, "God, here is my life. Every area of my life, take it and guide me." You've never done that. You want to do that now. I saw two hands. Who's the third? never given the when you give your life to Christ, your life becomes his and God protects what's his. He defends what's his. Are you with me? Anybody else? God bless you. God bless you. Now, we're going to pray. I want you to pray the first 20 seconds. All I want you to say is, "Father, I either I recommmit my life to you or as in the case of those who raise their hands, I am giving my life to you now completely. Take my life and cover me with the righteousness of Christ." I want you to say that in your
• Segment 41: 55:00 - 57:30 heart. 20 seconds. That's all you need. Then I'll pray. Heads bowed. Start praying now.
• Segment 42: 57:30 - 60:00 Dear God in heaven, thank you so much for Jesus. Thank you father for the simplicity of the gospel. The righteous life of Christ stands in our place when we give ourselves to him. Father, three hands were raised to say, "I am giving my life to Jesus." Accept that dear, God, and help them to believe that you're a God who keeps his word and that you have now covered them in the righteousness of your son. And it's up to them to make that surrender every day. And for those who came to say, "We recommmit our lives to Jesus Christ. receive them, Father, and reassure them of your love for them. Do the same for those online. Dear God, help us to surrender to Christ, accept him as an individual savior, and to walk in that relationship. Now dear God, grant your spirit to all those who've made that surrender a special measure of your holy spirit, father, the spirit of Christ to sustain them this day. Please God, reserve a place for us in your kingdom until that day when you come and you are coming. Through the power of your word, studied and obeyed, keep us faithful to the end. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Let God's people say, "Amen." And amen. Don't move. What will you take from the message? 25 after 12. Raise your hand. Tell us what will you take from the message. You've got to take something. Yes. Our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. And the only way that happens is if our righteousness is the righteousness of Christ. Yes, my pastor. >> God's standard is perfection and sinlessness only possible through Jesus Christ. God will not change his standard to suit sinners. He loves you too much for that and
• Segment 43: 57:30 - 60:00 respects himself too much for that. Somebody else, what will you take from the message? Yes.
• Segment 44: 60:00 - 62:30 >> Complete surrender to Jesus. >> Complete surrender. Don't hold back any area of your life. Total surrender to Jesus Christ. Yes, my brother. >> When we surrender, he covers us with the righteous life of Christ. And when he looks, that's what he sees. But stay in that relationship. Stay. >> If you step out, you're in danger. Yes. >> Yes. If Christ is in us, when God looks, he examines Jesus and he sees the standard he wants. Oh, I thought I saw a hand over here. Anybody else? Yes, my sister. >> God. >> Yes. God does not lower his standard. He raises us through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It lifts us to that standard that he will never change. Even angels are held to that standard. Psalm 103 verse 20. Somebody else, what will you take from him? Yes. You cannot save yourself, nor can I. You can be decent, educated, well-dressed. You cannot save yourself. That's why we have a savior. If you could save yourself, it would have been a waste of time for Jesus to come. One more. What will you take? Yes. >> Jesus wants us to have a pure mind. We were born with a corrupt mind. Our pure mind is the mind of Jesus. That's why the Bible says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." and the mind of Jesus does not sin. Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever more. Let God's people say amen and amen. We have a potlet downstairs I believe brother pastor. Is that true? There is. No. >> Is there comedia downstairs? Okay. God bless you. God bless you. We have a baptism at 4:00. We want you here.