Pamätať na Pána
Mohli by sme, samozrejme, začať s Pánovým stolom, lebo to je dobré miesto, ktoré si všetci pamätáme. Pamätať na Pána pri Jeho stole, o tom je tento text. Ale Pavol povedal, že máme vziať kalich a piť krv a jesť kóšer chlieb na pamiatku, aby sme pamätali na to, čo On urobil pre nás. A ako to robíte, nechceme, aby z toho bol nejaký zvyk, nejaká každodenná vec; chceme naozaj prísť a pamätať na Pána. Vidíte? Pamätajte, že to bola Jeho milosť a Jeho milosrdenstvo, a to je tá jediná vec, ktorá nám dáva tu jedinú nádej, ktorú máme. Bez ohľadu na to, čo by ste kedy urobili, nie je nič, čo by bolo čo i len blízko ku tomu, čo Kristus pre vás urobil.
Nikdy nehovorte, „Toto je koniec,“ o nič viac ako hnedé listy na stromoch hovoria, že to je koniec. To jediné, čo sa musí stať, je, aby Boží časový cyklus prešiel okolo svojej osi, až dokiaľ príde čas na príchod Syna Božieho. A každé živé stvorenie, ktoré kedy zomrelo v Kristovi, znovu povstane. V Jeho Prítomnosti, pamätajme na Neho. Ó, keď prichádzam na koniec svojej cesty, chcem zomrieť v Jeho Prítomnosti, pamätajúc na Neho, že On je vzkriesenie a Život. On je ten pravý.
A tak, ako prichádzame ku stolu Pánovmu… Ten stôl Pánov, ako som to tu pred chvíľou vysvetľoval, on nie je… Veríme, že to, čo nazývame „komúnia“, je branie chleba. Umiestňujeme to nesprávne… Umiestňujeme tú správnu vec na nesprávne miesto. To nie je ten chlieb, na ktorom záleží, nie je to to víno, na ktorom záleží, je to ten kóšer chlieb a to víno. Ale to, čo tá komúnia znamená, je „rozprávať“ a mať rozhovor s Ním, pamätajúc Naňho. Myslím, že to je ten najpožehnanejší čas zhromaždení. Vidíte? Každá hodina nášho života by mala byť komúniou.
Komúnia s Pánom je ako oáza na púšti. Je to ako jar pod rybníkom, okolo ktorého prechádza cestujúci, zastavuje sa a pije vody, až kým neuhasí svoj smäd. To znamená pamätanie na Pána. Prichádzať podľa poriadku Jeho stola, kde keď prechádza ten pútnik, ktorý cestuje tu po zemi spolu s nami, že môžeme prísť ku Jeho stolu a piť z Jeho požehnaní a z Jeho milosti a z Jeho Slova v obecenstve okolo Jeho Slova, pokiaľ sú naše smädné duše nasýtené. A potom opustíme toto miesto uctievania, občerstvení, uspokojení; a znovu sa pôjdeme stretnúť s problémami tejto púšte, problémami životnej púte. Áno, oáza v púšti, kde sa občerstvujeme, keď sme smädní.
1Ďakujem, brat Neville. Som tak rád, že tu môžem byť, brat Neville, a že mám tú príležitosť znovu sedieť v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi. Čísla mi nikdy neprekážali, vždy ma povzbudzovali. Viete, ja sa pri nižších počtoch cítim viac doma, lebo myslím, že taká je cirkev. Áno, mám na to miesto Písma, hovorí sa tam, „Neboj sa, malé stádečko, je to dobrá vôľa tvojho Otca, aby ti dal Kráľovstvo.“ A ja by som... Ja chcem byť v ten deň započítaný do toho malého stádočka, do toho, ktorému On povedal, „Neboj sa.“ A sme veľmi radi za tú možnosť prísť dnes večer sem.
2Ani som sem neprišiel s úmyslom hovoriť. Len pred chvíľou niekto prišiel ku dverám, keď som sa pripravoval, chystal som si nejaký kontext na text, ktorý chcem použiť rovno v nadchádzajúcich zhromaždeniach vo Phoenixe a Tucsone a tých oblastiach. A naozaj som sa kŕmil na Duchu, viete, tie dobré veci Božie, rozmýšľal som hlavne o Ultimáte, téma o Ultimáte, Konečnej inštancii. A prišla moja žena a povedala mi, že vonku je niekto, kto by ma chcel navštíviť, a ja som to veľmi dobre nepochopil, až potom neskôr povedala, „Budeš dnes večer v zbore?“
3Povedal som, „Myslím, že áno.“ A tak som sa len snažil držať v Duchu toho, čo som robil. A ona sa vrátila a povedala, že to bol nejaký chorý človek, ktorý chcel, aby som sa zaňho modlil. Povedal som, „No, tak potom pôjdem jednako dolu do zboru a budem sa modliť za chorých.“ Ja vždy, to je... Viete, tieto veci sú... mali by sme sa k nim dostať čo najrýchlejšie, ako sa bude dať, keď sú ľudia chorí a v potrebe. Každý, kto bol kedy chorý, vie, ako si oceniť, čo to znamená byť uzdravený Božou veľkou uzdravovacou mocou. A je to tak nádherná vec, také privilégium.
4No, budúcu nedeľu, ak Pán dá, ak brat Neville a nikto z ostatných nemajú nič zvláštne na pláne, rozmýšľal som, že budúcu nedeľu by som ľuďom kázal svoje vianočné posolstvo, lebo nechať ich... Niektorí prichádzajú zďaleka a viete, ako Georgia a podobné miesta, a tým pádom budú mať dosť času na vianočné nákupy a podobne.
5A Billy práve vyšiel a povedal mi, povedal, že moja sestra Delores, budúcu nedeľu večer tesne pred zhromaždením má nejaké darčeky pre deti, nejaký malý program, na ktorý pôjdu, viete, nejaké vianočné divadlo, ktoré tu chcú predstaviť pred začiatkom zhromaždenia. A povedal som, „Takže to bude na budúcu nedeľu večer, že?"
Povedal, „Áno.“
Povedal som, „Tak to potom nebude prekážať.“
6No, vidíte, budúci utorok je Štedrý deň, takže ak… alebo budúci utorok, v ten týždeň sú Vianoce. Tak to by bol príliš veľký nátlak na ľudí, aby potom museli ísť rýchlo domov na Štedrý večer a v pondelok, čiže som myslel, že… áno, dva týždne. Tak veru, o dva týždne. Tak som si myslel, že možno dnes večer prídem a dám ľuďom vedieť, ak Pán dá a ak brat Neville nemá niečo špeciálne. Väčšinou rád dávam svoje vianočné posolstvo cirkvi a moje veľkonočné posolstvo a čokoľvek Pán dá na moje srdce, aby som to podal. A budúcu nedeľu, ak Pán dá, budúcu nedeľu ráno dám...
7A ten dôvod, prečo to väčšinou robím ráno a nie večer, je ten, aby tí, ktorí cestujú zďaleka, aby mali ešte celé popoludnie na cestovanie, aby sa mohli dostať domov, vidíte. Aj keď ja by som to radšej robil večer, myslím, že večer je oveľa lepší. Mám rád to večerné zhromaždenie, keď zájde slnko a tak. Bol to Boh v záhrade Eden, ktorý v chládku večera prichádzal a hovoril s Adamom. Vidíte, čiže mám rád večerné zhromaždenie. Ale keďže tu máme takéto okolnosti, bude lepšie, ak to bude ráno, aby sa ľudia mohli dostať domov.
8A som vďačný za to, že sa nám tu modlitebňa rozširuje k ďalšiemu miestu za nami, takže budeme mať trocha pridaného priestoru. Po všetkých tých sporoch a hádkach, nakoniec to tu máme. Viete, starý brat Bosworth zvykol mať taký zmysel pre humor, hovorieval, „To dieťa, ktoré najviac plače, dostáva najviac pozornosti.“ Tak to je celkom, viete, myslel som si, že občas sa nám oplatí trochu vykrikovať, nemyslíte?
9Chcel by som pochváliť brata Anthonyho a jeho spoločníkov tu za tú nádhernú hudbu. Práve som prišiel a počul to. A viete, tie nástroje sú trúbky. Chcel som, aby jedno z mojich detí, aspoň jedno z nich hralo na trúbku. Ja… na nejaký dychový nástroj.
10 Becky začala s klavírom, ale teraz prechádza tým tínedžerským obdobím, poznáte to, že to chce už teraz vzdať. A tak začala… Učiteľ povedal, že musí začať s populárnou hudbou. No, ja nemyslím, že… viete, čo mám na mysli, predohry a tak ďalej z klasickej hudby, aby sa mohla dostať k náboženskej hudbe. Keď potom dostane lepšie známky, myslí si, „No, nechám to tak.“ A ja… u detí je to problém. Jednako to musí od začiatku byť povolanie Božie. Myslím, že jej sestra Sára tam vzadu ju predbehne a to nikdy ešte nemala lekciu. A tak, keď tam je to povolanie Božie, je to lepšie, keď tam je ten dar.
11Ale páči sa mi trúbka. Pamätám si, keď sa tam na rohu posväcovala táto modlitebňa, že tam pol dňa vyhrávali na trúbky, „Tam pod krížom, kde môj Spasiteľ zomrel, tam, kde som prosil o odpustenie svojich hriechov, tam bola na moje srdce uplatnená tá Krv,“ keď som tam dával svoj text do toho hlavného kameňa.
12A pamätám si, že jeden večer v metodistickej cirkvi Trojica, keď starý doktor Morrison… Mnohí z vás, ktorí ste v tých dňoch boli na svete, si pamätáte doktora Morrisona, starého svätého človeka. Asbury stratilo jedného z najväčších ľudí, keď prišli o doktora Morrisona kvôli starobe, bol to zbožný starý muž. A vždy som ho rád počúval kázať. A išiel som si ho vypočuť tam do metodistickej cirkvi Trojica. A v jeden večer na jeden malý balkón vystúpili dvaja chlapci, akurát, keď som ja so ženou išiel hore, a oni takto držali vo vzduchu trúbky a tie svoje nástroje a hrali tam, „Tam pod krížom, kde zomrel môj Spasiteľ!“ Ten veľký kríž na vrchu sa tam točil. Ja som tam len stál na ulici, pozdvihol som svoje ruky a hneď som začal chváliť Boha. Nemohol som tomu odolať.
13V znovuzrodenom kresťanovi je určitá emócia, keď to pulzuje, je tam niečo, čo sa musí stať, jednoducho to tak je. Ó, ja… Nič nie je také ako staromódny kresťan. Tak veru. Nie je tomu nič rovné, z mojej skúsenosti, nevymenil by som to za žiadne bohatstvá sveta ani za celý svet ani za celú slnečnú sústavu, za to, čo ma Ježiš naučil zo Samého Seba.
14Je určitý muž, ktorý s nami sedí, vždy, keď sa tam otočím, moje srdce poskočí. Je to muž… Nedávno som ho videl, ako prijíma komúniu, chodí s barlou. Povedal ti niekto niekedy, že vyzeráš ako Oral Roberts? [Ten brat hovorí, „Nuž, brat, povedal si to ty, hneď, ako si sem vstúpil. Čakal som, kým na to prídeš.“ - pozn.prekl.] Hovorím ti, vždy keď…. Koľko… Videli ste Orala Robertsa, asi všetci z vás. On vyzerá presne ako Oral Roberts! Len som sa náhodou obzrel. Myslím, že je trochu väčší, ako je Oral. Ale ten spôsob, ako má učesané vlasy, a jeho čelo a jeho črty, vždy tak trochu dôstojne vyzerajúci človek, sedí ako Oral. A vždy mi napadne, „Brat Oral?“ Vyzerá presne ako on.
15Brat Oral tu začína nejakú biblickú školu, ak sa nemýlim, alebo niečo podobné. Nedávno som o tom počul. Čo to je? [Brat Neville hovorí, „Univerzita.“ - pozn.prekl.] Univerzita. Áno, brat Carl Williams je jeden z jeho hlavných zakladateľov alebo niečo podobné, akurát neviem teraz, čo to presne je.
16No, pamätajte, v nedeľu, ak Pán dá, začneme… Mám veľkonočné… alebo skôr vianočné posolstvo. A potom… Som vďačný za to, že sa tu začína modlitebňa. A potom dúfam, že to nielen pridá na počte, ale že tu pridá na milosti, ktorú Boh udelí nášmu zboru, nášmu hnutiu, nášmu… nie hnutiu, ale nášmu zhromaždeniu, ktoré tu spolu máme. Milujeme to.
17A, rád by som len povedal toto. Nechcem zaberať veľa času. Ale je veľa veci, ktoré by som mal povedať, ale zabralo by to príliš veľa času. Ale rád by som povedal toto, je to niečo, čo nemôžem povedať. Sú veci (každý tomu rozumie), ktoré viete, je to v Mene Pánovom, ale jednako to nemôžete povedať. Vidíte, musíte si to nechať pre seba. Vidíte? Ale je určitá udalosť, ktorá prichádza, a nejaký čas tu už je, udalosť, ktorá sa má stať, na ktorú som bol upozornený, keď som sledoval, ako sa Duch Svätý pohybuje medzi ľuďmi na tom mieste, a oni nevedeli o žiadnej pozemskej veci, ale videli, ako sa Duch Svätý k tomu pohybuje. Prezradím to, ak Pán dá, niekedy, keď sa to bude hodiť. No, pamätajte, to ukazuje, že je medzi nimi Boh.
18Ako niekto, myslím, brat, áno, povedal som to pred chvíľou, brat Neville povedal, že, „Boh nepočíta naše zlé konanie vo Svojich očiach.“ Keď sa ten vidiaci išiel pozrieť na Izrael a mohol to vidieť s tým prirodzeným okom a v akom neporiadku to bolo, ako zle sa zachovali a ako mali byť prekliati. Ale to, čo ten biskup nedokázal vidieť, bola tá udretá Skala a ten medený had, ako to vykonávalo zmierenie. Vidíte, keď sa Balám pozrel na Izrael, videl dôvod ich prekliať. Vidíte? Ale keď sa na nich pozrel Boh, On videl to zmierenie. On povedal, „Si ako jednorožec.“ Amen. „Kto ti dá niečo do cesty? Aké zbožné, aké spravodlivé sú tvoje stány!“ Tak ich vidí Boh. Vidíte? Nie to, ako ich vidia ľudia, nie to, ako ich videli veľkí hodnostári; ale to, ako ich videl On.
19A, ó, Bože, nech je to moja porcia! Nech je to moja porcia, lebo ja v sebe nemám nič, čo by som si mohol nárokovať. „Nič v rukách neprinášam, len k Tvojmu krížu ľnem.“ Vidíte, to je všetko, čo máme.
20No, toto je večer modlitebného zhromaždenia, alebo nie večer modlitebného zhromaždenia, ale toto je tu nejaká evanjelistická skupina. Radi umiestňujeme Slovo. A možno by som k vám rád dnes večer hovoril aspoň na pár minút. Mnohí z vás, ktorí by si radili otvorili Písmo… No, viete, to zvláštne je, hneď sa to presne otvorilo na ten text, ktorý som išiel prečítať. Tak veru. Zvláštne. Bola to 1. Korinťanom, 11. kapitola, a mám tu zapísané nejaké poznámky, niekde tu, ktoré som mal na mysli, ak to teraz nájdem, v 1. Korinťanom, v 11. kapitole. Hneď tu, je to rovno tu. Tak veru.
21No, pred tým, ako pôjdeme do Slova, pristúpme k tomu Autorovi, ktorý je tým Slovom, aby sme poprosili o milosť a o Jeho požehnania, zatiaľ čo študujeme Toho, ktorý je Slovom. Pomodlime sa.
22Ó, Pane Bože, plný milosti a milosrdenstva, ktorý bol počas vekov ochotný, po tom, ako človek zhrešil a vytvoril tú veľkú priepasť medzi sebou a Tebou, takú, ktorú sám nemohol prekročiť. Bol absolútne, kompletne stratený, bez cesty návratu. Ale ten Boh plný milosti bol ochotný vziať náhradu za jeho miesto a priviesť ho späť. To vzrušuje srdcia všetkých, ktorí Ťa kedy poznali, Pane, ako si Ty vo svojej veľkej láske a milosti vzal náhradu. A ako sme to práve vyjadrovali, Pane, na tú Náhradu sa dnes večer spoliehame, že Ten, ktorý zomrel namiesto nás hriešnikov, Ten spravodlivý, ktorý na Seba vzal našu nespravodlivosť. V Ňom máme dôveru.
23Teraz s vážnosťou pristupujeme k Jeho Slovu so sklonenými srdciami a hlavami, v úcte a v rešpekte s vďačnosťou. A prosíme, aby si k nám dnes večer poslal milosť skrze Ducha Svätého a dal nám ten Chlieb Života, ktorý potrebujeme, aby sme mohli vytrvať. Ty vieš presne, čo potrebujeme, a my vieme, že Ty si zasľúbil, že ak budeme prosiť, tak to obdržíme.
24Myslíme dnes večer, Pane, na tých, ktorí sú chorí a v potrebe, aby im bola udelená milosť Božia v hojnosti. A, Otče, modlíme sa za tých, ktorí upadli, aby v nich tieto nadchádzajúce sviatky vyvolali v ich srdci spomienky na to, kde kedysi boli a ako odpadli mimo Tvojho obecenstva. Bože, modlíme sa, aby sa navrátili (udeľ to, Pane), navrátili k zhromaždeniu, zhromaždeniu tých prvorodených, aby sa navrátili tam, kde je milosť a milosrdenstvo a láska a dobrota a uzdravenie našich duší, našich myslí a našich tiel. Udeľ to, Pane. Požehnaj dnes večer Svoje Slovo. Posilni nás všetkých a daj nám Tvoje požehnania, lebo o to prosíme v Ježišovom Mene. Amen.
25No, na chvíľu by som chcel upriamiť vašu pozornosť na 1. Korinťanom, 11. kapitolu, 23., 24. a 25. verš.
Lebo ja som prijal od Pána, čo som vám aj vydal, že Pán Ježiš v noci, v ktorej bol zradený, vzal chlieb
a poďakujúc lámal a povedal: Vezmite, jedzte, toto je moje telo, ktoré sa za vás láme. To čiňte na moju pamiatku.
Tak tiež i kalich, keď bolo po večeri, hovoriac: Tento kalich je tá nová smluva v mojej krvi; to čiňte, koľkokoľvek ráz by ste pili, na moju pamiatku.
26Ak by som tento malý text mal nejako nazvať, bolo by to: Pamätať na Pána. Znie to ako večer, ktorý… alebo posolstvo, ktoré som mal kázať minulú nedeľu počas večeri Pánovej. Ale chcem na to ísť z trochu iného uhla, len na pár minút, zatiaľ čo spojíme svoje myšlienky na uctievanie Pána.
27Mohli by sme, samozrejme, začať s Pánovým stolom, lebo to je dobré miesto, ktoré si všetci pamätáme. Pamätať na Pána pri Jeho stole, o tom je tento text. Ale Pavol povedal, že máme vziať kalich a piť krv a jesť kóšer chlieb na pamiatku, aby sme pamätali na to, čo On urobil pre nás. A ako to robíte, nechceme, aby z toho bol nejaký zvyk, nejaká každodenná vec; chceme naozaj prísť a pamätať na Pána. Vidíte? Pamätajte, že to bola Jeho milosť a Jeho milosrdenstvo, a to je tá jediná vec, ktorá nám dáva tu jedinú nádej, ktorú máme. Bez ohľadu na to, čo by ste kedy urobili, nie je nič, čo by bolo čo i len blízko ku tomu, čo Kristus pre vás urobil.
28Tento týždeň som mal jednu smutnú skúsenosť, a jednako tak chválebnú, mohol by som to tak nazvať. Pochovával som brata, ktorý tu raz s nami sedel. A mnohí z vás viete o tej udalosti. Bol to náš drahý brat Rogers, Busty Rogers, ako sme mu hovorili, Everett. A brat Banks Wood tu a brat Sothmann, išli sme spolu na pohrebnú bohoslužbu.
29A išiel som autom v snehu na to staré miesto, kde som ho pokrstil asi pred dvadsiatimi piatimi rokmi. Vtedy, keď som ho pokrstil, bolo to v blatovej vode, na meno Pána Ježiša Krista. Ako sme prechádzali tým starým známym mostom pri Totten‘s Forde, rozprával som sa s mojimi bratmi a povedal som, „Jedného dňa, keď tam mal určitý denominačný kazateľ jeden veľký stan, povedal, 'ten extrémista' tam dolu v tej baptistickej cirkvi, ktorý krstí ľudí na Meno Ježiša Krista.“ On povedal, „Akákoľvek osoba, ktorá tak bola pokrstená, nie je pod mojím stanom vítaná.“
30A zrovna vtedy tam sedeli niektorí, ktorí boli pokrstení na Meno Pána Ježiša, a to bol brat George Wright a jeho rodina. Oni len… To jediné, čo mohli urobiť, bolo neísť späť.
31A tak v ten deň pri tom brode, on odišiel z toho zhromaždenia a sledoval, ako tam stálo jeho zhromaždenie. A išiel som k tomu miestu. A dosť v tých kopcoch pršalo a tie blatové polia boli vymývané a tie malé prítoky zablatili celú tú rieku Blue River. Vstúpil som do vody po pás. A ja… Jeden z dôverníkov, alebo skôr diakonov, mi podal Bibliu a prečítal som to miesto, kde Peter povedal na deň Letníc, „Čiňte pokánie, každý jeden z vás a buďte pokrstení na Meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie vašich hriechov a príjmete dar Ducha Svätého.“
32Bol to práve ten deň, kedy tam ležala Georgie Carterová a snažila sa zodvihnúť svoje ruky, vážila len niečo vyše tridsať kilogramov, ležala bez pohybu v posteli deväť rokov a osem mesiacov. A jej ľudia, tá cirkev, do ktorej patrila, ktorá povedala, že ak niekto vôbec príde na moje zhromaždenie, bude vylúčený z obecenstva v cirkvi. A tak v ten istý večer, ona bola hneď uzdravená. A potom chcela byť pokrstená rovnako ako to malé dievča Nale, ktoré tam bolo; videl som videnie a poznáte ten príbeh, jej ruky a nohy boli vytiahnuté; išiel som vo videní a v moci Ducha, položil som na ňu ruky a ona odtiaľ vyšla a bola uzdravená. A ona patrila k tým istým. Bola to metodistická cirkev. Ten metodistický kazateľ, brat Smith, bol ten, ktorý tam stál na brehu so svojím zhromaždením.
33A začal som tam krstiť kresťanským krstom podľa Biblie. A asi v tom čase, keď som pokrstil asi päť alebo šesť ľudí, zrazu sa akoby vrece roztrhlo, tam hore na kopci. Prišla tam vyobliekaná metodistická skupina, aby boli pokrstení na Meno Pána Ježiša. A jeden po druhom, ženy v hodvábnych, letných šatách tam vychádzali z blata, utierali si slzy z tváre, zmývali si rúž a vyznávali, že chcú byť pokrstené.
34A z tej skupiny vyšiel jeden silný chlap so širokými ramenami a vojenským účesom, širokou tvárou, vyšiel tam v takom modrom vojenskom obleku. Povedal, „Ja som tiež urobil svoje rozhodnutie.“ To bol Busty Rogers, bez toho, že by mu to niekto povedal. Tam som ho pochoval na Meno Pána Ježiša Krista na základe jeho vyznania.
35A minulý týždeň sme ho pochovali v Milltowne. A kázal som kázeň: Dokonalosť Vzkriesenia. Bol som misionárom, videl som rôznych bohov a filozofov; asi všetkých, ktorí sú mimo kresťanstva, je to len filozofia, ako veriť, že je toto, tamto alebo niečo iné. Ale existuje veľký Stvoriteľ, ktorý stvoril toto všetko! Musí byť Stvoriteľ, ak existuje stvorenie. A ak existuje stvorenie, bolo stvorené Stvoriteľom. Dielo každého človeka odráža jeho samého. On je dobrým stolárom, robí dobrú prácu, on buduje. A ak je dobrým mechanikom, tak robí dobrú prácu. Vaša práca len odráža vás. A Božie stvorenie odráža Boha. A Boh stvoril všetko za určitým účelom. A všetko, čo slúži Božiemu účelu, keď to zomrie, tak to má vzkriesenie. Povedzte mi jednu vec. A spomenul som veľa vecí, ako kvety a stromy.
36A ako slnko každé ráno vychádza, je to, akoby sa narodilo malé dieťa, je slabé, jeho lúče sú slabé. Asi o desiatej je to už tínedžer. A o dvanástej žiari vo svojej sile, v kráse ženskosti alebo mužnosti. A asi o druhej popoludní je na tom asi tak ako ja. A potom o piatej už to začína byť ako starý otec, už klesá. A nakoniec jeho lúče na zemi slabnú a ono zomiera. Je to jeho koniec? Ono slúžilo Božiemu účelu. Ono vzkriesilo rastlinný život, ako prechádzalo cez zem. Všetky rastliny, ktoré by boli bývali mŕtve ten rok pred tým, ono ich vzkriesilo. Je to koniec toho, keď slúži Božiemu účelu? Ono ďalšie ráno znovu povstáva s novým životom! Každý strom robí to isté, všetko ostatné, mesiac, hviezdy, slnečná sústava, všetko má nejaké zasľúbenie.
37A ak človek slúži Božiemu účelu, jeho vzkriesenie je tak isté ako čokoľvek iné. To jediné, čo sa musí stať, že Boh čaká na ten správny čas, tak, ako to robí teraz.
38Tie veľké listy práve opadli zo stromov. Tam, kde sú na tej veľkej zemskej hrudi všetky tie červené, zelené, modré, hnedé, všetky rôzne farby, pod ktorými mŕtva ležala Božia príroda. Boh si zasadil kyticu. Ale On vie, že keď zasadí svoje kvety, že na jar príde vzkriesenie! Svet sa musí otočiť okolo svojej osi, až sa nedostane späť na tú stranu, kde je slnko, a potom povstane v pohrebných kvetoch.
39Nikdy nehovorte, „Toto je koniec,“ o nič viac ako hnedé listy na stromoch hovoria, že to je koniec. To jediné, čo sa musí stať, je, aby Boží časový cyklus prešiel okolo svojej osi, až dokiaľ príde čas na príchod Syna Božieho. A každé živé stvorenie, ktoré kedy zomrelo v Kristovi, znovu povstane. V Jeho Prítomnosti, pamätajme na Neho. Ó, keď prichádzam na koniec svojej cesty, chcem zomrieť v Jeho Prítomnosti, pamätajúc na Neho, že On je vzkriesenie a Život. On je ten pravý.
40A tak, ako prichádzame ku stolu Pánovmu… Ten stôl Pánov, ako som to tu pred chvíľou vysvetľoval, on nie je… Veríme, že to, čo nazývame „komúnia“, je branie chleba. Umiestňujeme to nesprávne… Umiestňujeme tú správnu vec na nesprávne miesto. To nie je ten chlieb, na ktorom záleží, nie je to to víno, na ktorom záleží, je to ten kóšer chlieb a to víno. Ale to, čo tá komúnia znamená, je „rozprávať“ a mať rozhovor s Ním, pamätajúc Naňho. Myslím, že to je ten najpožehnanejší čas zhromaždení. Vidíte? Každá hodina nášho života by mala byť komúniou.
41Komúnia s Pánom je ako oáza na púšti. Je to ako jar pod rybníkom, okolo ktorého prechádza cestujúci, zastavuje sa a pije vody, až kým neuhasí svoj smäd. To znamená pamätanie na Pána. Prichádzať podľa poriadku Jeho stola, kde keď prechádza ten pútnik, ktorý cestuje tu po zemi spolu s nami, že môžeme prísť ku Jeho stolu a piť z Jeho požehnaní a z Jeho milosti a z Jeho Slova v obecenstve okolo Jeho Slova, pokiaľ sú naše smädné duše nasýtené. A potom opustíme toto miesto uctievania, občerstvení, uspokojení; a znovu sa pôjdeme stretnúť s problémami tejto púšte, problémami životnej púte. Áno, oáza v púšti, kde sa občerstvujeme, keď sme smädní.
42Malo by to byť tak s každým uctievajúcim. To uspoko-… Je to tak pri každom pravdivom uctievajúcom, že oni sa túžia spolu stretnúť. Je niečo na obecenstve, čo je Božské, je to prikázané Bohom a je to sväté, posvätné. A tí spravodliví po tom túžia.
43Ako povedal Dávid, že jeho duša „bola smädná po Bohu, ako jeleň prahne po vode z potoka.“ Ten malý zranený jeleň, z ktorého psy odhryzli kusy mäsa a vytrhli to z neho. A on tam stojí, smädne a sleduje. So svojím zmyslom, ktorý mu Boh dal, dokáže zacítiť vodu na míle, cíti to. A drží tú svoju malú hlávku hore, zatiaľ čo krváca a zomiera. A vie, že ak sa mu niekedy podarí dostať k prameňu, tak bude žiť. Nikto ho potom nechytí. Ak sa môže dostať k tej vode, potom ho neodradí žiaden pes, ktorý ide po ňom, lebo on vie, že našiel ten životodarný zdroj.
44A keď sa cirkev dostane do toho miesta, kde Kristus pre nás znamená toľko, že máme smäd po Jeho Prítomnosti a byť jeden s druhým, je to potom životodarný Zdroj. Žiaden diabol vás nikdy nepredbehne. Dokonca aj samotná smrť je tam porazená. Ó, čo za nádej! Čo za miesto! Občerstvime sa tam. A keď to robíme, pamätajme na to, že to je On, ktorý nám toto umožnil. On bol ten, ktorý pre nás urobil tieto veci, musíme pamätať na Neho. Lebo pamätajte, kedysi sme boli cudzincami a bez Boha, pohania, odvádzaní nemými modlami. Ale pamätajte, Kristus zomrel nie pre Židov, ale pre každé stvorenie z Adamovej upadnutej rasy, za nich Kristus zomrel.
45Ako prichádzame pamätať na Neho v čase Jeho jari komúnie, malo by nám to pripomenúť tie časy, kedy bol Izrael na svojej ceste. A oni išli vo svojej línii povinností, boli na ceste z Egypta do svojho vyslobodenia, do zasľúbenej zeme, a práve pri svojej povinnosti zostali bez vody. A všade, kde sa pozreli, bolo sucho, pod každým kopcom tam mali byť pramene, ale nebol tam žiaden. A oni zomierali na púšti. A potom sa tam objavila tá Skala a tú skalu Mojžiš udrel a vyšiel z nej dostatok vody. Každý smädný muž, každá smädná žena, dieťa, dokonca aj každé smädné zviera, každý mohol piť z hojnosti tej vody.
46Ako Ján 3:16, to zlaté miesto Biblie, hovorí, „Lebo tak Boh miloval svet, že dal Svojho jednorodeného Syna, aby každý, kto verí (verí, má komúniu, pamätá na Neho), nezahynul, ale mal večný život.“ Pamätať na Krista, ktorý bol tou Skalou, ktorá bola za nás udretá, aby zachránila hynúci svet, hynúcich pohanov, hynúcich Židov, hynúci svet. Kristus dal Svoj Život v hojnosti, aby každý, kto má hlad a smäd, ako povedal prorok, „Hľa, poďte ku zdroju, kúpte si odo Mňa mlieko a med zdarma.“ Príďte, lebo je to komúnia, príďte s pamätaním na Pána.
47Znovu si spomínam na pamiatku Pána na mieste občerstvenia, pri studni zvanej Beerlahairoi, čo v hebrejčine znamená „Studňa toho, ktorý žije a vidí ma.“ Hagar bola neporozumená, ale jednako bola na svojom mieste služby. Neporozumená, zle posudzovaná a bola vyhnaná, nemala kam ísť, mala hynúce dieťa a vo fľaši sa jej minula voda. A ten malý chlapec plakal. A jedine srdce matky dokáže porozumieť, čo to znamená počuť ten plač po vode, ako jeho malý jazýček začal napúchať a jeho pery prahli a jej malé dieťa slablo viac a viac. Vyhnaná, priamo na svojom mieste služby, nemala kam ísť. Sama bola bez vody, až vyžmýkala tú poslednú kvapku na jeho malé prahnúce pery. A potom bola tá fľaša prázdna a ona ju položila a išla ďalej. A ten malý chlapec kričal po vode a bol slabší a slabší; bolo to jej jediné dieťa.
48Bezpochyby jej nevinné srdce kričalo, „Ó, Bože, čo som urobila? Čo som urobila?“ A nedokázala zniesť pohľad na to, ako jej dieťa v náručí zomiera, tak ho len položila pod krík. A vzdialila sa asi na vzdialenosť výstrelu z luku, asi niekoľko stoviek yardov alebo tak a uvidela malý strom. Kľakla si pod neho a začala plakať. Divila sa, „Prečo?“ Ak urobila to, čo bolo správne, prečo by sa jej toto stalo? Koľkokrát si myslíme, že naše choroby a utrpenia, ale možno je to všetko len pre to, aby sa ukázala milosť a milosrdenstvo. A zatiaľ čo nad tým premýšľala, počula, ako sa nakoniec tie slabé výkriky o vodu vytratili.
49Počula Hlas, ako ku nej prehovoril a povedal, „Prečo plačeš? Za čo plačeš?“
50A ona sa pozrela hore a uvidela, ako buble studňa. Čo za prameň občerstvenia! Beerlahairoi, možno som to zle vyslovil, B-e-e-r-l-a-h-a-i-r-o-i, čo znamená „Studňa toho, ktorý žije a vidí ma! Toho, ktorý nemôže zomrieť! Melchisedech! El Šadaj! Ten, ktorý žije a vidí ma, poznajúc moje potreby, On na mňa pamätá. A tam On na mňa pamätal tak, ako som aj ja pamätal na Neho, a ja viem, že On žije a On sa mi zjavil tu na púšti pri tejto studni.“
51Ó, či by sme to mohli uplatniť teraz v tejto hodinovej kázni, práve dnes, kedy púšť cirkví, denominácií a sociálnych kazateľov Evanjelia a móda tohto sveta, kedy sa to sem všetko votrelo, vytvorilo denomináciu a rozbilo to.
52A vtedy pomyslieť na to, že dnes večer tu znovu pri tejto studni stojí Ten, ktorý žije a vidí ma. Toto by malo znamenať pre skutočného uctievajúceho pamätanie na Krista. Áno. Ó, ona bola neporozumená a vyhnaná. Ježiš povedal, keď bol tu na zemi, „Ja som tie živé vody, Ja som vodami života.“
53A chcem tu načrtnúť ďalšiu malú myšlienku, ktorá mi prichádza na myseľ. Keď bol Ježiš na súde, a len pre to, aby sa Mu vysmievali… Bol poslaný od Piláta k Herodesovi. No, Pilát to nemusel urobiť, a viete, on si snažil z toho umyť ruky. Ale keď je to raz na tvojich rukách, musíš urobiť svoje rozhodnutie. Nemôžeš to hodiť na niekoho iného. Si to ty, ako jednotlivec. Ale On, On bol poslaný k Herodesovi, len aby sa Mu vysmievali, lebo mal meno činiteľa zázrakov, a tak ďalej, a bol vyhnancom z cirkvi. A tak sám Pilát, on si myslel, že Ho len pošle Herodesovi a možno to vyrieši tie ich nezhody, ktoré medzi sebou mali.
54A tak Ježiša vzali cez ulice a priviedli Ho do miesta, kde sa stretol s vyšším súdom, s Herodesom. A keď sa stretol s Herodesom, Herodesovi bola daná jeho jediná príležitosť! Aký hlúpy môže človek byť? Ak by len Herodes vedel, že priamo pred ním stojí vyplnenie všetkého, čo hovorili hebrejskí proroci, a smädu tohto sveta, všetko to pred ním stálo, vyplnenie každého mudrca a proroka, ktorý kedy prehovoril. Tá príležitosť, aby uspokojil svoje hriešne srdce s milosťou a milosrdenstvom. Čo za hlúpy človek to bol!
55Ale jednako nie až tak hlúpy ako dnešný človek, ktorému je predstavená tá istá vec, lebo my sme už mali o dve tisíc rokov viac Jeho učenia, Jeho milosti. Čo za bláznivú vec to Herodes urobil, keď pred Ním stál a nikdy Ho nepoprosil o milosť a milosrdenstvo, nikdy Ho nepoprosil o odpustenie svojich hriechov. Vôbec nevedel, že tam stojí… Nemyslím si, že ten človek si uvedomoval, že pred ním stojí taká Osoba. Nech to na chvíľu vsiakne. Lebo ten Človek nemal veľké meno v nejakom sociálnom postavení, v rôznych organizáciách či kluboch, a tak ďalej, s ktorými bol Herodes združený. On nikdy nemal také meno.
56Ale mal ho medzi ľuďmi, ktorí poznali Bibliu a vedeli o tom zasľúbení. A keby som na to mal ísť ešte silnejšie, povedal by som, že tí, ktorí boli predurčení do Večného Života, oni to rozpoznali hneď v tej chvíli, ako tam On stál.
57Ale Herodes sa toto nenaučil, on o tom vôbec nevedel. Čo za smutná vec! Všetci tí proroci o tom hovorili štyri tisíc rokov, to vyplnenie kriku sveta stálo priamo pred ním. Priamo tam v jeho prítomnosti stálo všetko to vyplnenie. A ako to môžem znovu povedať, mysleli by sme si, že to bol bláznivý muž, lebo urobil hlúpe rozhodnutie, všimnite si, že on Ho nikdy neprosil o milosť. On od Neho chcel, aby ho zabával. „Ó, počul som, že Ty si ten činiteľ zázrakov.“ Chcel zábavu namiesto milosti.
58To je presne to, čo dnešný svet vyjadruje, práve to Herodesovo rozhodnutie, keď vidia toho Krista, ktorý činí zázraky a robí to isté, čo robil vtedy, a to všetko, čo oni chcú, je, „No, ukáž mi, ako robíš toto alebo tamto.“ Hovoríte, že Herodes bude na tom zle? Človek dnešného dňa bude na tom ešte horšie! Herodes mal štyri tisíc rokov skúseností, prorokov a mudrcov. My máme šesť tisíc, a oproti tomu, čo mali oni vtedy, máme super učenie! Istotne. Čo to len spôsobilo! Presne tak to je aj dnes, to isté!
59O čo išlo? Herodes sa nad tým nikdy vážne nezamyslel. On sa nikdy nepozastavil, aby sa nad tým zamyslel.
60A presne tak to je aj s ľuďmi dnes. Oni vidia niečo veľké, trochu ich to zaskočí, ale oni sa nepozastavia na dostatočne dlho. Snažia sa vypočuť si nejakého rabína alebo teológia, ktorý im to všetko nejakými argumentami vyvráti. A jednako, keď pomyslím na Jeffersonville, ako často by som sa nad vami vznášal ako sliepka nad svojimi malými, ale vy ste nechceli. Ako rád by som vás zhromaždil! Ako rád by som z tohto miesta urobil miesto, kde by sa stretli všetky národy, ale vy ste to nechceli. Vidíte? Rozumiete?
61Čiže vidíte, na čo si Herodes bude musieť pamätať v ten deň? Jeho veľká príležitosť, on ju odmietol. A teraz niekde v regióne stratených, on dnes večer spomína na to, čo s tým urobil. Ale teraz je už neskoro.
62Nech sa to nestane nám. Toto je náš čas navštívenia. Pamätajme na Krista, že On je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. Židom 13:8. Nečakajme, kým prídu tie regióny odsúdených, niekde v dimenzii, kde sa už nebude dať ísť do Prítomnosti Božej, a váš čas na zemi sa skončí a v ten hroznej nočnej more budete spomínať na to, ako ste mali tú príležitosť a odmietli ste ju. Nech si to títo mladí ľudia všimnú. Nech si to každý všimne!
63Herodes sa nad tým nikdy seriózne nezamyslel. Jeho jediná príležitosť, on len chcel byť zabávaný, chcel, aby mu Ježiš predviedol nejaké číslo, ako vytiahne zajaca z klobúka alebo niečo podobné. On Ho považoval za nejakého kúzelníka. „Počuli sme, že dokážeš predviesť rôzne kúsky. Rád by som si pozrel, ako nejaký teraz urobíš.“
64Chcem toto povedať so všetkou úctou. Ale koľkokrát povedali dnešní takzvaní kazatelia, že, „Ak je Duch Svätý, ak veríte, že Duch Svätý je ten istý, ako bol na začiatku, chcem vidieť, ako vezmete toho a toho tu alebo tohto alebo tamtoho človeka tam, túto ženu tu. Ja vám ich privediem. Chcem vidieť, ako to dokážete.“
65Či si oni uvedomujú, že to je ten istý duch (nie, neuvedomujú), ktorý povedal Ježišovi, „Ak si Ty Syn Boží, vezmi tieto kamene a urob z nich chlieb. Ak si Ty Syn Boží, povedz nám, kto Ťa udrel po hlave. Ak si Ty ten prorok, povedz nám, kto Ťa udrel,“ s handrou okolo Jeho tváre, udierali Ho po nej a potom si navzájom podávali palicu a hovorili, „Povedz nám, ak si Ty ten prorok. Povedz nám, kto Ťa udrel a vtedy Ti uveríme. Povedz nám, ak si Synom Božím. Sme v srdci úprimní. Ak si Ty Syn Boží, zostúp z kríža a budeme veriť, že Ty si ten Syn Boží.“
66Zaujíma ma, či mnohí ľudia dnes, aj muži aj ženy, mladí a starí, nestoja na tom istom mieste. A jedného dňa na to budete pamätať, ako ste boli v Jeho Prítomnosti, pri Jeho Zdroji; a chceli ste vidieť nejaký kúsok alebo nejaký trik, „Vtedy by som uveril. Keď mi prejde mráz po chrbte a urobím toto alebo tamto, vtedy uverím.“ Vidíte, nejaká senzácia, je to čisté modlárstvo! Nech len...
67Viete, Ježiš v jednom prípade povedal, On sa opýtal otázku. Rád by som sa toto dnes večer opýtal cirkvi. Ježiš povedal, „Prečo? Prečo? Prečo Ma nazývate 'Pánom‘ a nečiníte tie veci, ktoré som vám prikázal, aby ste činili? Prečo Ma nazývate 'Hospodinom' a nedodržujete Moje Slovo? Prečo Ma nazývate 'Pánom' a zapierate to, čo som vám prikázal, aby ste kázali a učili?“ Čo to je? Čo to spôsobuje? Je to preto, lebo medzi nimi a Slovom stojí nejaká denominačná tradícia. A čokoľvek, čo stojí medzi vami a Bohom, je modla, ona zaberá miesto Boha. Prečo hovoríte „Pán“? Pán znamená „vlastníctvo,“ Pán vlastní majetok. A ak Boh vlastní mňa a ja som Jeho a On ma jedného dňa odvrátil od tej nesprávnej cesty a zavolal ma za určitým účelom, čo iné mám robiť, ako vyplniť Jeho túžbu, ako to On urobil s Petrom. Ako môžem robiť čokoľvek iné, ako dodržiavať Jeho Slovo? „Prečo Ma nazývate 'Pánom'?“
68Chcem tu spomenúť ďalšiu osobu, spomenúť ho tu. Čo takto Judáš, ako si Ho má on pamätať? Hovoríme o pamätaní na Pána. Judáš dnes večer, až dokiaľ nepominie, bude musieť spomínať na to, ako predal svoje prvorodenstvo. On predal Ježiša pre osobný zisk. My hovoríme zle o Judášovi. Hovoríme, že bol špinavý, zlý človek, nemohol by patriť na žiadne miesto do žiadnej spoločnosti, nepatrí do Neba. Prečo? On predal svojho Pána po tom, ako mal tú príležitosť byť učeníkom, byť apoštolom, to najvyššie povolanie v Biblii, vyššie ako prorok. On mal tú príležitosť byť apoštolom, ale on predal to právo pre osobný zisk. A teraz na to musí spomínať. Tak on pamätá na Ježiša: osobný zisk.
69A chcel by som vedieť, koľko z takých dnes večer stojí za kazateľňou, nosiac na sebe rúcho zboru, sediac na stoličke diakona alebo na mieste pokladníka, dôverníka alebo akákoľvek je ich pozícia v cirkvi, alebo kazateľ za kazateľňou a stále predávajú svoju príležitosť pre osobnú pochvalu, „Doktor, Biskup taký a taký,“ pre osobnú pochvalu, osobný zisk.
70Jeden človek mi raz povedal, „Ja verím, že to je Pravda. Ale ak by som to mal kázať, tak by som skončil ako žobrák na ulici.“
71Pamätáte si toho bohatého muža a Lazara, aké bolo ich posledné, večné štádium? Hoci jeden z nich mal… bol žobrákom, ten druhý bol boháč, ale jedného dňa sa ten obraz zmenil a obaja si na to vedeli spomenúť. A tak ľudia dnes večer nadávajú na Judáša, ako Ho predal za osobný zisk, pričom veľa z nich dnes robí to isté, predávajú Ho pre osobný zisk.
72Ten kňaz toho dňa si tiež bude pamätať na to, ako Ho predal, predal svoju šancu stať sa Jeho služobníkom, stať sa Jeho učeníkom, obrátiť sa k Nemu. Oni to predali za mamonárstvom otrávenú žiarlivosť. Závideli Mu Jeho náuku. Dokonca keď mal ešte len dvanásť rokov, akokoľvek ich vedel predbehnúť; a oni nerozpoznávali, že to bol Mesiáš. Nedokázali to, čo On dokázal. A báli sa, že by stratili svoju prestíž v očiach vyššie postavených ľudí, a tak predali svoju príležitosť. A oni sú rovnako vinní, ako bol aj Herodes.
73A dnešný člen cirkvi je na tom tak isto. Ak by mali dôveru vo svoje denominácie, a tak ďalej, v tých dňoch a báli sa o svoju prestíž, boli vyhodení zo synagóg, čo to vtedy bolo? Bolo to modlárstvo! Uctievanie modlárskeho vyznania alebo modlárskeho cirkevného náboženstva namiesto prijatia Slova, ktoré bolo pred nimi zamanifestované.
74A oni videli Slovo Božie. Biblia hovorí, „Videli sme Ho a dotýkali sme sa Ho.“ Ľudské bytosti vložili ruky na to doslovné, živé, zamanifestované Slovo živého Boha; a dovolili, aby medzi nimi stáli tradície a vyznania, hrnce a nádoby na umývanie, také nečisté veci stáli medzi nimi a živým Bohom. Áno.
75Čo to bolo? Oni mali predsudky. Mali predsudky proti Jeho čistému, jasnému Písmu Evanjelia, ktoré On vyučoval, bolo to Slovo Otca. Oni Mu závideli. Mali proti nemu predsudky. A pokiaľ ešte majú pamäť, čo si v pekle určite budú pamätať, takto sa na nich bude pamätať. Takto si ho budú musieť pamätať.
Poviete, „Ó, to boli farizeji.“
76Je jedna pani, ktorá zvykla chodiť do tejto cirkvi. Ó, myslím, že mnohí z vás ju poznáte, žije tu dolu ulicou. Ona odpadla. A zakaždým, keď ju vidím, ona sa ku mne rozbehne, stisne mi ruku a hovorí, „Brat Bill, modli sa za mňa. Som odpadnutá.“ Jej muž je… Nie, myslím, že žijú tu na tejto ulici. Videl som ju v Duchu, videl som na nej Ducha Božieho, ako tancovala, radovala sa, a tak ďalej. A ona odpadla. A nedávno tu ležala v nemocnici, zomierala, aspoň tak si to oni mysleli. A poslal pre ma, aby som sa za ňu išiel pomodliť.
77Spolu s jej mužom boli naozaj dobrí ku mojej žene, keď bola moja žena ešte malé, otrhané dievča so zafúľanou tvárou, oni jej občas kúpili nejaké šaty a podobne, aby mohla chodiť do školy. Bez ohľadu na to, aké malé to je, nemôžete urobiť niečo pre Boha bez toho, aby na to On pamätal. „Koľkokoľvek ráz ste vykonali niečo pre Mojich maličkých, urobili ste to pre Mňa.“ A ako chlieb po vode, ono sa to vráti.
78Ležala tam táto chudobná, odpadnutá žena, plakala a držala ma za ruku. A ona… Povedal som, „Nuž, sestra, pomodlím sa za teba.“
79A na vedľajšej posteli pri nej ležala žena s prekríženými rukami a pozerala na mňa. A po jej boku stál jej mladý syn, mohol mať asi dvadsať rokov, taký typický moderný „Ricky“.
80Nemám nič proti nikomu, kto sa volá Ricky, ale je to také… V minulosti také meno vôbec nebolo. Elvis a Ricky, je to také moderné meno. Ak máte dieťa, ktoré sa tak volá, tak ho oslovujte jeho stredným menom alebo mu dajte nové.
81A ako tam tak sedela, pozrela sa, ja som začal skláňať hlavu a videl som, ako sa pozerala naozaj… Ona povedala, „Počkajte! Zatiahnite ten záves!“
82Povedal som, „Ja som sa prišiel len za túto pani pomodliť. Nie ste veriaca?“
83Ona povedala, „No, takto vám poviem, my sme metodisti, ale chceme, aby ste zatiahli ten záves!“
„Áno, pani,“ a zatiahol som ten záves.
84Vidíte, je to to isté. Tak isto je to aj dnes, také predsudky! Ako mohla vedieť, akým som kazateľom? Nikdy som tú ženu nevidel. Len ona pravdepodobne od niekoho počula, že verím v uzdravenie chorých, a ona bola učená proti tomu. Ona s tým nemala nič spoločné, ona si z toho zmyla ruky. Bála sa, že by to na ňu spadlo. Nebojte sa, nespadne, rovnako, ako si ani Pilát z toho nemohol umyť ruky.
85No, nechcem tým povedať nič zlé proti metodistom; to bola len jedna žena. [Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.] Vidíte? Mohol to byť len jej prístup. Nemyslím si, že všetci metodisti sú takí, lebo som sa za mnohých z nich modlil. Oni ma zavolali, aby som sa išiel za nich modliť a boli medzi nimi vykonané znamenia a divy. Nikdy to nie sú tí samotní ľudia v tých cirkvách; je to ten systém, pod ktorým sú, ten je tomu na vine. Ale ona bola jedna z takého druhu. Čo to bolo? Čistá závistlivá jedovatá, diablom posadnutá žiarlivosť.
86Mohol by som niečo povedať. Raz na jednom zhromaždení tu v meste, ktoré tu raz bolo, ľudia sa ma pýtali, prečo ma tam nezavolali. Tu to poviem, lebo som doma. Ale jednako, nie je tam žiaden dôvod, je to len žiarlivosť, je to vyznanie, je to modlárstvo. Ako by sme radi každého objali, ale keď sa vám tak vyhýbajú… Ježiš to chcel urobiť. Pamätajte, jedného dňa na to budete musieť spomínať. Budete si to musieť pamätať.
87Pripomína mi to jedno svedectvo, ktoré bolo nedávno povedané. Jeden kazateľ išiel hore výťahom, tu v Heyburnovej budove. A s týmto kazateľom v tom výťahu tiež stáli traja ďalší muži a oni nevedeli, že tento človek bol kazateľ, aspoň myslím, že nie. A ako išli hore, všetci zastavili na ôsmom poschodí. A jeden z nich sa obrátil na toho kazateľa a povedal, „Vieš čo? Toto je asi najbližšie k Nebu, ako sa kedy dostaneme.“
88„Nuž,“ ten kazateľ povedal, „myslím, že máš pravdu. Máš pravdu, lebo pokiaľ dôverujeme vo svoje vlastné zásluhy, toto je najďalej, ako sa kedy dostaneme.“ Tak veru. Pokiaľ máte dôveru v to, čo robíte, pamätáte na to, čo ste vy vykonali. A som si istý, že mnohí z vás vedia, že sme nič nevykonali, nič si nezaslúžime. On povedal, „Predpokladám, že ak dôverujeme vo svoje vlastné zásluhy, toto je najďalej, ako sa kedy dostaneme.“ Nuž, ak sa na to spoliehame, Ďalej sa nedostaneme.
89Ale, ó, rád by som niečo povedal. Ak môžem zabudnúť na to, kým som bol, a pamätať na to, kým On je, ak len môžem pamätať na Ježiša, ak si len môžem spomenúť na Neho na kríži, ak len môžem pamätať na to, čo On pre mňa vykonal a ak môžem pamätať na tú hodinu, kedy On zmyl moje hriechy a dal mi Ducha Svätého, aby ma viedol, potom som pozdvihnutý nad všetko, čo drží túto zem. Som pozdvihnutý nad každú zemskú vec do ponebeských miest v Kristu Ježišovi, kde s Ním môžem mať obecenstvo. Tam v Jeho Prítomnosti, zabúdajúc na to, kým som ja niekedy bol, zabúdajúc na všetky moje hriechy a všetko ostatné, lebo oni sú v mori zabudnutia. Zabudnúc na všetku moju minulosť, zabudnúc na všetko a len pamätať, že On ma urobil Svojím vlastným skrze Jeho vlastnú smrť. On vzal moje miesto. A ja nemám právo ísť nikam inam ako do pekla, On vzal moje miesto a pozdvihol ma z pekla. On tam išiel za mňa. On ma pozdvihol skrze Jeho milosť a hojnosť až doteraz, kedy sme synmi a dcérami Božími a sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi, radujúc sa a pamätajúc na Neho, ktorý nás dosiaľ previedol v bezpečí. A s bijúcou vierou v našich dušiach, ktorá nás tlačí ďalej, a s milosťou, že On ma prevedie.
90A očami viery vidím Jeho Písmo vyplnené. „Všetkých, ktorých On predzvedel, tých povolal; a tých, ktorých povolal, tých ospravedlnil; a všetkých, ktorých ospravedlnil, tých aj oslávil.“ A preto s týmto na mysli, stojím v zhromaždení ľudí, kde je Duch Boží, a ktorí sú vyzdvihnutí, aby sedeli v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi. Vyhliadame tú hodinu, kedy sa konečne skončí táto mizerná forma ľudského života, ktorá má smrteľný tlkot srdca, kedy sa len raz zastaví, kedy bude premenené a dostane srdce Ducha, ktoré bude biť navždy ponad to, bez choroby, bez smútku, bez staroby alebo čokoľvek iného.
91Pamätajte na Ježiša. Keď sa v dome vyprázdni nádoba a už nie je viac múky, pamätajte na Ježiša. Keď doktor hovorí, že už nie je šanca, pamätajte na Ježiša. Keď ťa diabol pokúša... ako spievame našu záverečnú pieseň, „Keď sa okolo nás zhromaždia pokušenia, vzdychni to Sväté Meno s modlitbou.“
92Pamätať na Ježiša, pamätať na to, že On sa navráti. Ten istý Ježiš, ktorý bol z nás odobratý, sa znovu podobným spôsobom navráti tak, ako sme Ho videli ísť do neba. Pamätajte, On sa navráti pre Svojich vlastných.
93Pomodlime sa so sklonenými hlavami. S týmto krátkym, potrhaným posolstvom stále vo svojom srdci, či by ste chceli, aby On na vás teraz pamätal? Ak áno, len pozdvihnite svoje ruky a niečo špeciálne, „Pane, pamätaj na mňa.“ Ako ten básnik povedal, „Pamätaj na mňa, keď stekajú slzy.“
94Náš Najvyšší Svätý Otče, v hojnosti sme si užili Prítomnosť Ducha Svätého, ako nám ukázal Slovo Života, ako si pamätáme na tú jamu, z ktorej sme boli vytrhnutí a vzatí, a boli sme utvorení ako Božie deti skrze milosť Ježiša Krista. Pamätám si na Neho, keď mi doktor pozrel do tváre a povedal, „Už len pár minút.“ Pamätám na Ježiša. Pamätám na Ježiša, keď som bol pri oltári a kričal som pre milosť a moja duša bola zaťažená bremenom, pamätám na tú ťarchu, ktorá ma opustila, Ježiš vzal moje bremeno. Pred pár mesiacmi som sedel na lavičke, pozeral som sa do hlavne pušky, aby som vystrelil na svoj cieľ a satan si musel pomyslieť, „Toto je teraz moja príležitosť.“ A keď tá zbraň vybuchla a tá hlaveň a telo a celá tá zbraň sa rozletela, oheň vystrelil všade okolo mňa a snažil som sa povstať na nohy, krv vytekala, pamätám si, že to bol Ježiš. Keď sa ten lekár pozrel a videl, že sa nič zlé nestalo, on povedal, „Viem jedno, a síce, že Pán tam musel sedieť a ochraňovať Svojho služobníka, lebo po takom výbuchu by bol človek normálne rozmetaný na kusy.“ Ó, Bože, ako si všetci pamätáme na tie veci!
95Prichádzame ku Zdroju, ktorý je naplnený Krvou, ktorá prúdi zo žíl Emanuela. Požehnaj nás spolu dnes večer, Pane. Ty poznáš každý cieľ a motív za každým srdcom, ktoré tu pozdvihlo ruku. Ty poznáš tu túžbu a potrebu. A ako Tvoj služobník, Pane, ja idem s nimi a spolu vychádzame z tejto modlitebne a ideme poza oblaky a mesiac a hviezdy a celú mliečnu dráhu, až sa dostávame do Prítomnosti Božej. A predo mnou je rozprestrený zlatý oltár, na ktorom leží tá Obeť, na ktorú pamätáme, Ježiš, ktorý povedal, „Len proste Otca čokoľvek v Mojom Mene a Ja to udelím.“ Nech naša viera nezlyháva, Pane, ale nech pamätáme, že prijímame to, o čo prosíme, ak tomu veríme, ako pamätáme na to, že Ježiš zomrel, aby to pre nás zabezpečil a zaistil to.
96Pane, vidíme, že ty zväčšuješ našu budovu. Bol si to Ty, ktorý si to pre nás urobil, ktorý si nám dal rozšíriť túto cirkev. A vieme, že si to bol Ty, Pane, ktorý nám vôbec túto cirkev na začiatku dal. Modlíme sa, aby si požehnal všetko toto úsilie.
97Pane, modlíme sa za nášho pastora, brata Nevilleho, Tvojho pokorného, dobrosrdečného a verného sluhu. On je ochotný akokoľvek slúžiť bez ohľadu na to, či to je zadná stolička, alebo treba upratať zbor. Kdekoľvek ho Ty potrebuješ, tam on chce byť nástrojom, aby Ti slúžil, kdekoľvek zavoláš. Modlíme sa, Bože, aby si ho požehnal.
98Bože, táto veľká skúška, cez ktorú som práve prešiel, a títo dôverníci, ktorí tu pri mne stáli, a táto cirkev, ktorá sa za mňa modlila, a nakoniec prišlo víťazstvo. Ó, Bože, modlím sa za nich. Tiež na nich pamätám, Pane, a som si istý, že Ty tiež.
99Pamätáme na tie požehnania, ktoré si nám dal. A pamätáme na Tvoje Slovo, že Ty nás nikdy nezanecháš. Staroba s nami nič neurobí, Ty na nás vždy budeš pamätať, keď už svet viac nebude a čas sa vytratí do večnosti. Píše sa niečo také ako, „Či môže matka zabudnúť na svoje dojčené dieťa? Ja na vás nikdy nemôžem zabudnúť. Ste vyrytí na dlaniach Mojich rúk,“ tie klince vyryli naše mená. Vieme, že Ty na nás pamätáš, Pane.
100A nech si vždy v našich najdrahších spomienkach ako náš Spasiteľ, náš Uzdraviteľ, náš Kráľ, náš Milenec, náš Život, naša slnečná žiara, naše všetko vo všetkom, tá nevyčerpateľná fontána Božej milosti a lásky k nám, upadnutým ľudským bytostiam z Adamovej rodiny. Udeľ to, Pane, ako sa teraz porúčame Tebe a odchádzame z tejto modlitebne dnes večer, pamätajúc na Ježiša. Amen.
101Pamätáte na Neho? Milujete Ho? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] Myslím, že teraz v tejto potrhanej kázni môžeme povedať toto. Pavol povedal, „Čokoľvek robíme, robíme to v Duchu.“ Vo všetkých veciach by sme mali pamätať na Neho. Nerobme rozhodnutie, pokiaľ nepamätáme na Neho; nerobme nič, lebo to bude len rozumové. Ak nepriateľ udrie jedno líce, pamätajme na to, čo On urobil pred tým, ako udrieme naspäť. Pamätajme na Jeho skutok. Ak niekedy treba urobiť rozhodnutie, počkajme, pamätajme na to, aké rozhodnutie si myslíme, že by On urobil, a nech je potom to naše rozhodnutie. Ak sa začneme ponáhľať, pamätajme na to, že On sa nikdy neponáhľal. Vidíte? Ak začneme byť prehnane úzkostliví, len pamätajme, že On prebýva vo večnosti a čas pre Neho nič neznamená. Je to ten motív a cieľ nášho srdca. Pamätajme na Neho.
102A pamätajme teraz na Neho, ako spievame túto pieseň v Duchu Jeho Prítomnosti, „Milujem Ho“. Ak prebývate v láske, prebývate v Bohu, lebo Boh je láska. Tí, ktorí prebývajú v Bohu, prebývajú v láske. Vidíte? A láska nemá žiadnu nenávisť. Láska nežiarli. Láska sa nenadúva. Láska nevyvádza. Láska je vždy jemná, milá, odpúšťajúca, príjemná. Bez ohľadu na to, akí nepríjemní sú ostatní, láska vždy zostáva sama sebou. Láska je ten ultimát milosti. Láska je pre nás Božím ultimátom. A po tom, ako zmizli všetky dary a podobne, naše proroctvo, naše jazyky, naše výklady a všetko, čo sme kedy urobili, keď prichádza láska, je to to ultimátum. Je to ponad všetko, lebo všetko ostatné zlyháva. Je to rozhodnutie Najvyššieho súdu. Je to ten hlavný stožiar. Je to Polárka, ktorá sa drží na tej istej úrovni. Je to ten kompas, ktorý nás vedie. Láska je to ultimátum. Pamätajme na to, zatiaľ čo spievame, „Milujem Ho!“
Milujem Ho, milujem Ho,
lebo On prv miloval mňa,
a vykúpil mi spasenie
na kríži Golgoty.
Milujem Ho, milujem Ho,
lebo On prv…
No, pamätajte, „On ma miloval a dal Svojho Syna.“
A vykúpil mi spasenie
na kríži Golgoty.
103 Teraz, zatiaľ, čo naša sestra hraje akordy tejto piesne, [Brat Branham začne hmkať Milujem Ho – pozn.prekl.] vezmime teraz v tejto slasti obecenstva, zatiaľ čo tu spolu sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristovi, vezmime všetko z našich sŕdc. A pamätajte, Božie Slovo tak hovorí. Ja som jeho sluha. On je tu. Podajme si teraz s niekým ruku a povedzme, „Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat.“ Ak máte nepriateľa, postavte sa, choďte za ním, „Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat,“ ako znovu spievame refrén tejto piesne a navzájom si podávame ruky. Urobte to teraz, naozaj príjemne v Duchu.
Milujem Ho, [Brat Branham hovorí, „Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat Roy.“]
Milujem Ho,
lebo On prv miloval mňa
a vykúpil mi spasenie...
[Brat Branham podáva ruky.]
Teraz so zodvihnutými rukami.
Milujem Ho, milujem Ho,
lebo… (Pamätajte na Ježiša!)
A vykúpil mi spasenie
na kríži Golgoty.
104Skloňme teraz naše hlavy a hmkajme to. [Brat Branham začína hmkať Milujem Ho – pozn.prekl.] Pamätať na Ježiša! [Brat Branham pokračuje v hmkaní.]
On prv miloval mňa.
[Brat Branham pokračuje v hmkaní.]
...na kríži Golgoty.
105Zatiaľ čo naša sestra jemne hrá akordy piesne, poprosím nášho dobrého brata… Brat Neville, máš niečo, čo chceš povedať? V poriadku. Poprosím brata Collinsa tam vzadu, nášho oddaného brata tu, jedného zo spolupracovníkov, aby nás rozpustil s modlitbou, zatiaľ čo skláňame naše hlavy. Brat Collins.
1 Thank you, Brother Neville. So glad to be here, Brother Neville, and the--the opportunity to set in these Heavenly places again, in Christ Jesus. And numbers never did bother me, it always excites me. You know, I'm more--I'm more at home when I'm with a small number, 'cause that's what I think the Church is. Yeah, I have a Scripture for that, says, "Fear not, little Flock, it's your--your Father's good will to give you the Kingdom." And I would... that's the little Flock I want to be numbered with at that day, the one that He said, "Not to fear." And we're very happy for the privilege of coming down tonight.
2 And I didn't come with the intention of speaking. Just a few moments ago there was someone who had come to the door, and while I was in some study, getting some context ready for some text that I want to use now right away in the oncoming meetings of Phoenix and Tucson, and through there. And I was just getting really feed up in the Spirit, you know, of the good things of God, about an Ultimate, and a subject on Ultimate. And my wife come and she told me that there was someone come to see me, and I--I didn't get it just right, then afterwards, why, said, "Are you going to be down at the church tonight?"
3And I said, "I think so." And I went on trying to keep in the spirit of what I was doing. And she come back and said it was a sick man was coming to be prayed for. I said, "Well, then, I'll go down to church, anyhow, see, and it's pray for the sick." I always, that's... You know, those things are... we should get to them as quick as possible when people are sick and needy. Ever who's been sick knows how to appreciate what it means to be healed by God's great healing power. And such a wonderful thing it is, what a privilege.
4 Now, next coming Sunday, if the Lord is willing, Brother Neville and none of them has anything special, I thought next Sunday morning I--I'd bring my Christmas message to the people, because letting them--letting them... Some of them come from far away, you know, and like Georgia and different places, and that'll let them get back in time to do their Christmas shopping and things.
5And Billy just come out and told me, said my sister, Delores, next Sunday evening just before service, has some kind of a little--a little gifts for the kids, a little program here they're going to, you know, a little Christmas play that they want to put on before the services start. And I said, "Well, that'll be in the Sunday evening won't it?"
Said, "Yes."
I said, "That won't interfere a bit, then."
6 Now, see, next Tuesday is Christmas eve, then if... or next Tuesday, a week, is Christmas. So that would press the people, you see, and then have to go back home on Christmas eve, and on Monday, so I thought that I... yeah, two weeks. That's right, two weeks is right. So I thought maybe I'd come tonight and let the people know, if the Lord is willing, and Brother Neville has nothing special. That, I usually like to give my Christmas message to the church, and my Easter message, and whatever the Lord puts upon my heart to give. And next Sunday, the Lord willing, next Sunday morning I give...
7 And the reason I take it of a morning instead of an evening, where the people that comes from far away, they have the afternoon to travel so they can get home, you see. And I would rather have it at night, I think the evening is much better. I--I like the evening service, when the sun goes down, something, another. It was God in the garden of Eden, to Adam, would come up in the cool of the evening and talk to Adam. See, and I like the evening service. But, and the way the circumstances are here, that it would be better that I had it of a morning, and so the people can get away.
8And I'm grateful that the tabernacle is being extended out here into the next place out a-past us here, having some more room added to it. After all the stewing and fussing, finally we got it anyhow. You know, old Brother Bosworth used to have a sense of humor, said, "The baby that cries the loudest gets the most attention." So that's kind of a whole lot, you know, and so I think it pays us to cry a little bit once in a while, don't you think so?
9 So, and I want to comment Brother Anthony and his associates here for that lovely music. I just walked in and heard that. And, you know, them instruments is trumpets. I've wanted one of my children, at least one of them, to play a trumpet, I--I... and them blowing instruments.
10Becky started on the piano, but she's at that little teen-age something, you know, that's, she wants to give it up now. And--and she started... The teacher said they'd have to start on popular music. Not, now, I don't mean... you know what I mean, overtures, and so forth, of classic music, in order to get the religious music to it. When she gets up to her high grades in that, then she thinks, "Well, I'll just quit." And I--I... kids are a problem. And, anyhow, it has to be a calling of God, to begin with. I believe her sister, Sarah, back there is going to beat her, anyhow, and never had a lesson. So, so then the calling of God is better when it's gifted like that.
11But I like a trumpet. I remember when they dedicated this tabernacle out there at the corner, the trumpets rang for a half a day out here, "Down at the cross where my Saviour died, down there for pardon from sin I cried, there to my heart was the Blood applied," when I was dropping in my context into the cornerstone.
12 And I remember one night at Trinity Methodist church, when old Doctor Morrison... Many of you people that lived back in my days remember Doctor Morrison, an old sainted man. Asbury lost one of the greatest man since Asbury, when they lost Doctor Morrison, to his age, a godly old man. And I always loved to hear him preach. And I went over to hear him over at the Trinity Methodist church there. And that night, two boys stepped out in a little balcony just as wife and I were walking up, and they were holding their trumpets in the air like that, and those instruments there, and they played that, "Down at the cross where my Saviour died!" That big cross up on top, revolving around. I just stood on the street and lifted up my hands, just begin to praising God right out. I couldn't help it.
13There is some kind of an emotion within a born-again Christian, when It pulsates, there's something has to happen, that's all there is to it. Oh, I... There's nothing like an old-time Christian. That's right. Wouldn't take nothing for it, my experience, wouldn't swap it for no riches of the world, or the whole world, nor all the solar system and all, for what Jesus has taught me of Himself.
14 There's a certain man that's sits with us, every time I look back my heart jumps. It's a man I see him taking communion, other night, walks on a crutch. Did anybody ever tell you you look like Oral Roberts? [The brother says, "Well, brother, you did, right as I walked in here now. I been waiting for you to recognize that."--Ed.] I tell you, every time I... How many... You've seen Oral Roberts, nearly all of you. If he don't look like Oral Roberts! I just happened to look back. And I--I think he's a little bigger man than Oral is. But just to look the way he combs his hair, and his forehead and his features, and always kind of a dignified-looking person, sitting like Oral. And so I--I always think, "Brother Oral?" Looks just something like him.
15Brother Oral is starting some kind of a Bible school out there now, I believe, or something. I heard about it the other day. What is it? [Brother Neville says, "University."--Ed.] University. Yes. Brother Carl Williams is one of his ultimates on it, of some sort, I don't know just what it is now.
16 Now, now remember, Sunday, the Lord willing, we'll start, I have the Easter... or the Christmas message. And then I'm--I'm grateful about the tabernacle being started. And then I hope that this will be not only an addition to number, but it will be the addition to grace that God will grant our church, our movement, our... not movement, but our congregation that we have assembled together. We love it.
17And--and I'd just like to say this. I'm not going to take much time. But, I have many things I ought to say, but I'm not, it would take too much time. But, I'd like to say this, it's something that I cannot say. There's things (everyone understands) that you know, and it's in the Name of the Lord, yet you cannot say it. You see, you've got to keep it to yourself. See? But a certain event that's moving up, and has been for some time, that's fixing to take place, that I have been alarmed at watching the Holy Spirit move among the people to that spot, and them knowing not one earthly thing, see, but see the Holy Spirit moving to that. I'll reveal it, the Lord willing, some convenient time. Now, remember, that shows God among them.
18 As someone, I believe, brother, yes, said a while ago, Brother Neville said that, "God, not accounting our--our disorder among us, our misbehaving in His sight." That the seer that went to look upon Israel, and could see it with the natural eye, and how unorderly it was, how that they had did wrong and they should be cursed. But what the bishop failed to see was that smitten Rock and that Brass Serpent, see, making atonement. So, you see, when--when Balaam looked upon Israel, he saw a reason to curse them. See? But when God looked upon them, He saw the atonement. He said, "You're like a unicorn." Amen. "Who will put anything in your way? How godly, how righteous are thy tents!" That's the way God saw them. See? Not the way man saw them, not the way the--the great dignitaries saw them; but the way He saw them.
19And, O God, let that be my portion! Let that be my portion, for I have nothing within myself that I could claim. "Nothing in my hands I bring, just simply to Thy cross I cling." See, that's all we have.
20 Well, this is prayer meeting night, or not prayer meeting night, but this is kind of an evangelistic group here. We--we like to place the Word. And maybe I'd like to speak to you tonight for a few minutes. Many of you that would like to turn in the Scripture... Well, do you know, the strange thing, that opened just exactly to it, to the text that I was going to read. Yes, sir. Strange. That was First Corinthians, the 11th chapter, and some notes that I had wrote down here, somewhere in here, that I was thinking of, if I can find it just now, on First Corinthians, the--the--the 11th chapter. Right here it is, right here. Yes, sir.
21Now, before we approach the Word, let's approach the Author, see, Who is the Word, that we might ask for mercy and for His blessings while we study Him Who is the Word. Let us pray.
22 O Lord God, full of grace and mercy, Who has been willing through the age, after man had sinned and put that great chasm between him and Thee, one that he could not cross back by himself. He was absolutely, totally lost, without a way back. But the God of... full of all grace, was willing to take a Substitute in his place, and brought him back. That has thrilled the hearts of all that's ever known of Thee, Lord, how that in Thy great love and grace You took a Substitute! And as we have just got through expressing it, Lord, it's on that Substitute that we rely on tonight, that One Who died instead of us sinners, that righteous One Who was taken upon Him our unrighteousness. It is in Him that we trust.
23Now we solemnly come to His Word, with bowed hearts and heads, in reverence and in respect and in gratefulness. And asking that You will send to us tonight, grace, by the Holy Spirit, and will give us the--the Bread of Life that we need to sustain us. You know exactly what we have need of, and we know that Thou hast promised that if we would ask we shall receive.
24 We would remember tonight, Lord, all those that we know that's sick and needy, that the grace of God will be given to them in great abundance. And, Father, we pray for those who have fallen away, that this coming-on holiday will bring a remembrance to their heart, that from where they once was, and have fallen to the outward space of Your fellowship. God, we pray that they'll return (grant it, Lord), return to the congregation, to the--to the Assembly of the Firstborn, return back to where there is grace and mercy, and love and kindness, and healing of our souls, our minds and our bodies. Grant it, Lord. Bless the Word tonight. Strengthen us all, and give us of Thy blessings, as we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
25 Now, for just a few moments I'd like to call your attentions to First Corinthians, the 11th chapter, 23rd, 24th, and 25th verse.
For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had gave thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, and eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
26If I should call this just a little text that I'd like to refer to, would be this: Remembering The Lord. It sound like a night that... or a message that should been preached on last Sunday, in the Lord's supper. But I want to approach it just in a little different angle for a few minutes, while we collect our--our thinkings together, and in worship of the Lord.
27 We could, of course, begin with the Lord's table, because that is a good place where we all remember. Remembering the Lord at His table, which, really, the text refers to that. But, that's, Paul said that we are to take the cup and--and to drink the--the blood, and to eat the kosher bread, in remembrance, to remember what He did for us. And as--as you do it, you don't want to make it just a common, everyday thing; you want to really come, remembering the Lord. See? Remember that it was His grace and His mercy, and that alone, that gives you the only hope that you have. No matter what you would ever do, there is nothing nowhere that can anyways come near what Christ did for you.
28 I have had a sad experience this week, and yet a glorious one, I could call it, I buried a brother that once set with us here. And many of you know the occasion. It was our gracious Brother Rogers, Busty Rogers, as we called him, Everett. And Brother Banks Wood here, and Brother Sothmann, we went together to the funeral service.
29And--and I took a ride in the snow, out to the old place where I had first buried him, about twenty-five years ago. That time when I buried him, it was in muddy water, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we passed over the old familiar bridge there at Totten's Ford, I was speaking to my brethren, and said, "One day when a certain denominational minister had had a--a big tent there, he said, 'That little radic' down there at the Baptist church, that's baptizing the people in the Name of Jesus Christ.' He said, 'If any person that even was baptized in such a way, would not even be welcome under my tent.'"
30And at that time there happened to be some sitting there that had been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and that was Brother George Wright and his family. They just... Only thing they could do was not go back.
31 So that day at the ford, oh, he just left his meeting and had come down to kind of watch on, and his congregation was standing there. And I got up to the place. And there had been a rain up the hills up there, and the muddy fields had washed in, its little tributaries had got the Blue River very muddy. I walked out into the water, around waist deep. And I... One of the trustees, or deacons, rather, handed me the Bible, and I read where Peter said on the Day of Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
32 It was that day that Georgie Carter was laying there, trying to raise her hands, only weighing about sixty-something pounds, been nine years and eight months in the bed, without moving. And her people, the church that she belonged to, had said, if anybody even come to my meeting, they'd be excommunicated from their fellowship at the church. And so it was that same evening that she was instantly healed. And then she wanted to be baptized like the little Nail girl that was up there; that I had saw a vision, and you know the story, her hands and legs drawed up; and went in the vision and the power of the Spirit, laid hands upon her, there she come out and was healed. And so she had belonged to the same. Well, it was a Methodist church. The Methodist minister, Brother Smith, was the one standing on the bank with his congregation.
33And I started to baptizing in the Bible, Christian baptism. And about the time I had baptized five or six people, all of a sudden the lines and file broke up, there on the hill. Here come that Methodist bunch right down with their good clothes on, to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And one by one, ladies in their pretty silk and summer garments, walking out through that mud, wiping the face with tears, and lipstick washing off, coming out to--to make--make confession and--and to be baptized.
34 And along with that bunch, a strong, wide-shouldered, kind of a GI haircut, wide face, sturdy-looking man walked out there with his pretty, blue serge suit on. He said, "I, too, have made my decision." That was Busty Rogers, without anybody telling him anything. There I buried him in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, upon his confession.
35And last week I placed him under the sod at Milltown. And I spoke on the sermon of: The Perfectness Of The Resurrection. I have been a missionary, and seeing the different gods and the philosophers; and that's all any of it is, outside of Christianity, it's only a philosophy, how that they believe this, that, or the other. But the great Creator Who made the creation! There has to be a Creator if there is a creation. And if there is a creation, it was made by a Creator. And any man's work reflects himself. He's a good carpenter, he does good work, he builds. And if he's a good mechanic, he does good work. Your work only reflects you. And God's creation reflects God. And God made everything for a purpose. And everything that serves God's purpose, when it dies, it has a resurrection. Tell me one thing. And I brought in many things, like the flowers and the trees.
36 And how the sun comes up of a morning, a little baby born, it's weak, its rays is. About ten o'clock, it's a teen-ager. And at twelve o'clock she's shining in her strength, in the beauty of woman- or manhood. And about two o'clock in the afternoon, it's getting about like me. And then about five o'clock in the afternoon, it's getting like grandfather, she's laying down. And finally her rays cool off from the earth, and she dies. Is that the end of it? She served God's purpose. She raised up the botany life as she come across the earth. All the plants that would been dead the year before, she raised it up. Is that the end of her when she serves God's purpose? She rises again the next morning, with a new life! Every tree does the same, everything else, everything, moon, stars, solar system, everything promises.
37And if a man serves God's purpose, there is a resurrection just as sure as anything. Only thing it has to do, is, God just waiting on time, just like He is now.
38 The great leaves has just falled off the trees, fallen off, rather. Where the red, green, blue, brown, all different colors across the great breast of the earth, where God's nature layed dead beneath it, God just planted out His bouquet. But He knows when He plants the bouquet, there's a resurrection in spring! The world has to just to come around its orbit until it gets back right with the sun again, and it will rise in funeral flowers.
39Never say, "This is the end," no more than the leaves, brown on the tree, says it's the end. Only thing it has to do, is for the time cycle of God to float around, until the time of the coming of the Son of God. And every living creature that ever died in Christ will come forth again. In His Presence, remembering Him. Oh, when I come to the end of my road, I want to die in His Presence, remembering Him, that He is the resurrection and Life. He is that One.
40 Then as we come to the table of the Lord. The table of the Lord, as I have explained it here before, is not... We believe what we call "the communion" is--is the taking of the bread. We place the wrong--the--the wrong... We place the right thing in the wrong place. It isn't the bread that matters, it isn't the wine that matters, that's the kosher bread and the wine. But the thing that is, is, communion means "to talk to," and, in talking to Him, remembering Him. I think it's the most blessed time of the services. See? Every hour of our life ought to be a communion.
41 A communion with the Lord is like an oasis in a desert. It's like the spring underneath the pond, that where the--the traveler coming by, stops and drinks the water till he quenches his thirst. That's remembering the Lord. Coming by the order of His table, where the passing pilgrim that--that's sojourning here on earth with us, together, that we can come by His table, and there drink of His blessings and of His grace and of His Word, in fellowship around His Word, until our thirsty souls are satisfied. And then we leave the place of worship, refreshed, satisfied; going out to meet the desert's problems again, the problems of life's desert. Yes, an oasis in the desert, refreshing ourselves, making ourself when we're thirsty.
42 It should be with every worshipper. It satis-... It is with every true worshipper, that they long to get together. There's something about the fellowship that--that's Divine, it's ordered of God, and it's holy, sacred. And the righteous are thirsting for it.
43As David said, that his "soul thirsted after God, like the hart did the water brook." The little wounded deer that the hounds has jerked plugs from its side, and it's--it's jerked away from it. And it stands, panting and watching. Where, smelling with its sense that God give it, it can smell water for miles. And it holds its little head in the air while it's bleeding it's life out. And it knows, if it can ever get to that spring, that it can live. No one's going to catch him then. He can ever get to water, he'll fool every dog you could put after him, for he knows he--he's found the life-giving resource.
44 And when the church gets to that place, where that Christ means so much to us that we thirst to get in His Presence and with each other, it's a Life-giving Resource. No Devil can ever overtake you. Even death itself is defeated there. Oh, what a hope! What a place! Refresh ourself. And, in doing so, remembering Christ was the One Who made it possible for us. He was the One Who did these things for us, we must remember Him. For, remember, once we was aliens and without God, Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols. But, remember, Christ died not for the Jew, but for every creature of Adam's fallen race, Christ died.
45 As we come to remember Him at His spring of--of communion, it--it ought to remind us of back in the time like Israel was in their journeying. And they come, yet in the very line of duty, on their road from Egypt to their deliverance, to the promised land, and, in their very act of duty, got without water. And it was dry in every look, place, every... under every hill that where there should be springs, there was none. And they were perishing in the desert. And then there appeared the Rock, that Moses smote this Rock and from it came abundance of water. Every thirsty man, every thirsty woman, child, or even every thirsty beast, could drink abundance of water.
46 As John 3:16, the golden text of the Bible, said, "As God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (believeth, commune, remembers Him) shall not perish, but will have Eternal Life." Remembering Christ was our Rock that was smitten, to save a perishing world, a perishing Gentile, a perishing Jew, a perishing world. Christ gave forth His Life in abundance, that everybody that hungered and thirst, said the prophet, "Lo, come ye to the fountain, buy of Me milk and honey without price." Come, because it's the communion, come in remembrance of the Lord.
47 I can think of the remembrance of the Lord again at a place of refreshment, in the well called Beerlahairoi, which means in the Hebrew tongue, "The well of Him that liveth and seeth me." Hagar, misunderstood, yet in the line of duty. Misunderstood, misjudged, and was cast out, with no place to go, with a perishing child, and the water was spent in the bottle. And the little fellow was crying. And only a mother's heart would know what it meant to hear that cry for water, as his little tongue swelling, and his lips parched, and her baby weakening every minute. Cast out, right in the line of duty, no place to go. She had done without, herself, till she squeezed the last drop over his little parching lips. And then the bottle was dry, and she laid it down and started on. And the little fellow screaming for water, and he got weaker and weaker; and her only child.
48 No doubt but what her innocent heart would cry out, "O God, what have I done? What have I done?" And she couldn't stand to see the child die in her arms, so she laid him under a bush. And she went about a bow shot, probably a hundred yards or more, and seen a little tree, and she knelt down and there she begin to weep. For she wondered, "Why?" If she did what was right, why should this thing come upon her? Many times we think that of our sickness and afflictions, see, but maybe it's all done to show grace and mercy. And while she thought, she heard the little faint cries as they finally faded out, for water.
49She heard a Voice speak and said, "Why weepest thou? What are you weeping for?"
50And she looked up, and she saw the well bubbling up. What a spring of refreshment! Beerlahairoi, I may have that pronounced wrong. B, double e, r-l-a-h-a-i-r-o-i, which means, "The well of Him that liveth and seeth me! Him that can't die! Melchisedec! El Shaddai! Him that liveth and seeth me, knowing my needs, He's remembered me. And there He remembered me as I remembered Him, and I know that He liveth and He has sprung up here in the desert, this well."
51 Oh, could we apply that in an hour's message right now, of this day now, when the desert of the churches, the denominationals, and--and the--the--the social Gospel preachers and the--the fashions of the world has creeped in, and has denominated and broke up.
52And then to think that there stands again tonight, at the well of Him that liveth and seeth me. That's what remembering Christ should mean to the worshipper. Yes. Oh, she was misunderstood and was cast out. Jesus said, when He was here on the earth, "I am the living Waters, I am the Waters of Life."
53 And I want to draw another little thought here that comes to my mind. When Jesus was on trial, and for nothing else but mockery's sake, by... He was sent from Pilate to Herod. Now, Pilate didn't have to do that, and, you know, as he tried to wash his hands of it. But once on your hands, you got to make your decision. You can't push it on somebody else. It's you, as an individual. But He, He was sent to Herod, just to--to make a--a mock of, because He had quite a name of being a miracle-worker and so forth, and He was an outcast from the church. So Pilate himself, he thought he'd just send Him over to Herod, and maybe it would kind of straighten up the old grudge they had, one against the other.
54 And so Jesus was taken across the streets and down through the places till He met the higher court, Herod. And when He met Herod, and Herod was presented with his only opportunity! How foolish can a man be? If Herod would have only knew that standing before him was the fulfillment of every Hebrew prophet of the long... and the church of the world, which stood before him, the fulfillment of every sage and prophet that had ever spoke. The opportunity to have satisfied his sinful heart with grace and mercy. What a foolish man he was!
55And yet not as much foolish as a man today that's presented with the same thing 'cause we've had two thousand more years of His teaching, of His mercy. But what a--a foolish thing that Herod did when he stood before Him and never asked Him for grace and mercy, never asked for pardoning of sin. He never knew that standing... I don't think the man realized that standing before him was such a Person. Let's let that soak for a minute. Because the Man had not such a--a social name of great social standings, of different organizations and--and clubs, and so forth, that He was associated with. He didn't have a name like that.
56 But He did have, among the people that knowed the Bible and knowed the promise. And may I go a little stronger, them that were predestinated unto Eternal Life, they recognized it the moment He stood there.
57But Herod hadn't learned this, he never knew it. What a sad thing. All that the prophets had spoke of for four thousand years, the fulfillment of the cry of the world stood before him. There in his presence stood all the fulfillment. And as I might say this again, we'd think he was a foolish man 'cause he made a foolish decision, for, you notice he never asked him for mercy. He asked Him to--to entertain him. "Oh, I have heard that You are a--a miracle-worker." He asked for entertainment in the stead of mercy.
58That's what the world, today, expressing back the very decision of Herod, when they see the miracle-working Christ doing the same thing today that He did then, and the only things they require, "Let me see you do such-and-such." You say Herod will have a bad place to stand? The man of this day will have a worse place to stand! Herod had four thousand years of experience, the prophets and sages. We've got six thousand, with a super teaching to what they had then. Certainly. What a thing it did! So is it today, same thing!
59 What was the matter? Herod never give it a serious thought. He never stopped to consider.
60And that's the way with the people of today. They see this great something, it's got them startled, but they don't stop long enough. They're trying to listen to some rabbi or some theologian who explains It all away. And yet, how when I think of Jeffersonville, how oft would I have hovered you as a hen would her brood, but you would not. How oft would I have gathered you? How oft would I have made this the--the garden spot where all nations would have flown into, but you would not. See? See?
61Now, see what will Herod have to remember in that day? His grand opportunity, he turned it down. And yonder somewhere in the regions of the lost, tonight, he's remembering what he did about it. It's too late now.
62 Don't let that be to us. This is our visitation time. Let's remember Christ, that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. Don't wait till some regions yonder, in the damned, in that dimension where you cannot go in the Presence of God, and your time is up on earth, in the nightmare of horror you'll remember you had your opportunity and turned it away. Let the young people take notice to this. Let all take notice to it.
63Herod never give it a serious thought. His only occasion, he only asked to be entertained, and that Jesus might do some kind of a trick, take a rabbit out of the hat, or, you know, or something. He thought He might be, in otherwise, he regarded It as like a magician. "We've heard that You can do pranks. Let me see You do Your prank now."
64 And may I say this with reverence. But how many times has so-called ministers of this day, has said, "If there be a Holy Ghost, if you believe that the Holy Ghost is just like it was in the beginning, let me see you take old So-and-so over here, or this, oh, this man over here, this woman over here. I'll go get them. Let me see you perform it."
65Do they realize that that's the same spirit (no, they don't) that said to Jesus, "If Thou be the Son of God, take, make these stones bread. If Thou be the Son of God, tell us who hit You on the head. If You're a Prophet, tell us who hit You," with a rag around His face. Hit Him on the head, and then pass the stick one to another, said, "Tell us, if You're a Prophet. Tell us who hit You, we'll believe You then. Tell us, if You are the Son of God. We're honest in our hearts. If You're the Son of God, come down off the cross and we'll believe You're the Son of God."
66 I wonder if many people today, both men, women, young and old, are not standing in that same spot. And you're going to remember, someday, that you were in His Presence, at His Fountain; and wanted to see a prank, or wanted to see a trick or something another, "That'd make me believe It. Let me have a shiver over my back, and let me do this or that, I'll believe It." See, some sensation, is plain idolatry! Let me...
67 You know, Jesus said in one case, He asked a question. I'd like to ask the church tonight this. Jesus said, "Why? Why? Why do you call Me your 'Lord,' and do not the things that I commanded you to do? Why could you call Me 'Lord,' and keep not My Word? Why can you call Me 'Lord,' and deny the things that I have commanded you to preach and teach?" What is it? What does it? It's because that some denominational tradition stands between them and the Word. And anything that stands between you and God, is an idol, it takes the place of God. Why call you "Lord"? Lord means "ownership," Lord owns the property. And if God owns me, if I am His, and He turned me around one day when I was on the wrong road, and called me for a purpose, what am I to do but to fulfill His desire, like He did Peter. How can I do anything else than to keep His Word? "Why do you call Me 'Lord'?"
68 I want to call another fellow here, see about him. What about Judas, what he has to remember Him by? We're talking about remembering the Lord. Judas tonight and, oh, until he's no more, will have to remember that he sold his birthrights. He sold Jesus for personal gain. We ridicule Judas--Judas. We say he was a filthy, bad guy, he's not fit for no place or no society, he isn't fit for Heaven. Why? He sold his Lord, after he had the opportunity to even to be a--a disciple, to be an apostle, the highest calling in the Bible, higher than a prophet. He had the opportunity to be a--an apostle, and sold that right for personal gain. And now he has to remember that. That's how he remembers Jesus: personal gain.
69And I wonder how many of them tonight yet stand in the pulpit, yet wear the robe of the choir, sit in the seat of the deacon, or take the place of the treasurer, trustee, or whatever it might be, his position in church, or the minister at the pulpit, and still selling his opportunity for personal praise, "Doctor, Bishop So-and-so," for personal praise, personal gain.
70 A man said to me once, "I believe that's the Truth. But if I preached that, I'd be begging there in the street."
71Do you remember the rich man and Lazarus, what their last and their Eternal stage stood at? Though one had... was a beggar, and the other was a rich man, but the picture changed one day and both of them could remember. So, people tonight holler about Judas that sold Him for personal gain, and so many do the same thing today, sell Him for personal gain.
72The priest of them days will also remember they sold their chance of Him, their chance to become His servant, to become His disciple, to become a convert to Him. They sold it for green poisoned jealousy. They were jealous of His Doctrine. Why, when He was just twelve years old, He could stump them any way; and not recognize it, that that was Messiah. They could not do the things that He did. And they were afraid that they would lose their prestige before the higher up-and-up people, and they sold their opportunity. And they're just as guilty as Herod was.
73 And the church member of today is the same. If they trusted in their denominations and so forth, them days, and was afraid of their--of their prestige, they'd be put out of the synagogues, what was it then? It was idolatry! Worshipping an idol creed or an idol church religion, instead of accepting the living Word which was manifested before them.
74And they saw the Word of God. The Bible said, "We have seen Him and handled Him." Human beings laid hands upon the literal, living, manifested Word of the living God; and let traditions and creeds stand between them, washing pots and pans, such a filthy thing stand between them and the living God. Yes.
75What was it? They were prejudice. They were prejudice against His clean, clear-cut Gospel Scripture that He was teaching, the Father's Word. They were jealous of Him. They were prejudice of Him. And as long as they have a remembrance, which, still in hell they'll remember, that's the way they'll be remembered. That's the way they'll have to remember Him.
You say, "Oh, that was the Pharisees."
76 There's a little lady that used to come to this church. Oh, I suppose maybe many of you know her, she lives down the street here a ways. She had fallen away. And everytime I see her, she runs to me, puts her hands in mine, "Brother Bill, pray for me. I'm backslid." Her husband is a... No, I think they live right up the street here. I've seen her in the Spirit, seen the Spirit of God on her, and her dancing, rejoicing, and so forth. And she had fallen away. And she was laying recently in the hospital out here, dying, they thought. And she sent for me to come pray for her.
77She and her husband was awfully good to my wife, when my wife, a little, ragged, dirty-faced girl, and they would buy her a little dress or something now and then, to help her to go to school. No matter how little it is, you can't do one thing for God 'less He remembers it. "Insomuch as you have done unto the least of these My little ones, you've done it unto Me." And like bread upon the water, it will return.
78 There laid this poor, little, backslidden woman, crying, holding my hand. And she... I said, "Well, sister, I'll--I'll have prayer for you."
79And laying next bed to her was a woman laying there with her hands crossed, looking at me. And her young son sitting by her side, of about twenty, a modern ricky-looking.
80So, not no disregard if somebody's name should be Ricky, but I mean that's a... you never heard of a name like that in days gone by. Elvis and Ricky, and it's just a name of the age, you see. If you got a child named that, call it its middle name, so, or give it one.
81 Then when she sitting there like that, looked over, and I started to bow my head, and I seen her looking real... She said, "Wait a minute! Pull that curtain!"
82I said, "I was only going to offer prayer for the lady. Aren't--aren't you a--a believer?"
83She said, "I'll tell you now, we are Methodists, and we want you to pull that curtain!"
"Yes, ma'am," and I pulled the curtain.
84See, the same thing. The same thing today, so prejudiced! How did she know what kind of a minister I was? I had never seen the woman. But she probably had heard somebody say that I believed in the healing of the sick, and she had been taught against it. She had nothing to do with it, she washed her hands of it. She was afraid it would fall on her. Don't worry, it won't, no more than Pilate could wash it off of his hand.
85 Now, that isn't saying anything disgracefully about Methodist people; that was just one woman. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] See? It might have just been her attitude. I don't think all the Methodist people would be like that, 'cause I've prayed for many of them. They call me to pray for them, and signs and wonders has been done among them. It never is the people in them churches; it's the system that they're under, that's what does it. But she was one of them kind. What was it? Pure green-eyed poison, Devil-possessed jealousy.
86I could say something. At--at a certain meeting that was here in the city one time, and they asked why they didn't call me to it. But I'll just pass that because I'm at home. But, and however, no reason, it's just jealousy, it's creed, it's idolatry. How that we would like to throw our arms to everyone, but when you're shunned... Jesus wanted to do it. Remember, someday you've got to remember that. You've got to remember it.
87 Just reminds me of a testimony that was made recently. A minister, and was on an elevator going up, over here at the Heyburn Building. And there were three man standing with this minister on the--on the elevator, and they--they didn't know this man was a minister, I suppose not. And as they went up, they all stopped at the eighth floor. And one man looked around to the minister, and said, "You know what? This is just about as close to Heaven as we'll ever get."
88"Well," the minister said, "I--I suppose you're right. I--I guess that you are right, for as long as we are trusting in our own merits, this is as close as we'll ever be." That's right. As long as you're trusting in what you do, you're remembering what you done. And I'm sure that most of us know we didn't do nothing, we're not deserving of anything. Said, "I suppose if we're trusting our own merits, this is as far as we'll ever get." Well, if we're trusting, that's as far as we'll get.
89 But, oh, I'd like to say something. If I can forget what I was, and remember what He is, if I can remember Jesus, if I can remember Him at the cross, if I can remember what He done for me, and I can remember the hour that He washed away my sins, and give me the Holy Spirit to guide me, then I'm lifted above everything that holds this earth. I'm lifted above every earthly thing, into Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, where I can fellowship with Him. There in His Presence, forgetting what I ever was, forgetting all my sins and everything, because they're in the Sea of Forgetfulness. Forgetting all my past, forgetting everything, and remember that He made me His Own, by His Own death. He took my place. And I that had not a right to go nowhere but to hell, He took my place and lifted me from hell. He went there for me. And He lifted me up by His grace abundance, until now we are sons and daughters of God, and we sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ever rejoicing and remembering Him Who brought us safe thus far. And with pulsating faith in our souls, pressing us, and by grace He'll take me on.
90 And by eyes of faith I see His Scripture fulfill, "All that He foreknew, He has called; all that He called, He has justified; and all that He has justified, He has glorified." Therefore with this in thought, I stand in the congregation of the people, where the Spirit of God is, and are lifted up to sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Looking for the hour when this vile figure of human life that's got a mortal heartbeat, and which has to stop someday, when it'll be changed and given a heart of the Spirit that will beat throughout all ceaseless time beyond that, without sickness, without sorrow, without old age or anything.
91 Remember Jesus. When the barrel gets empty at the house, and there's no more flour, remember Jesus. When the doctor says there's no more chance, remember Jesus. When the Devil is tempting you; as we sing our dismissing song, "when temptations around us gather, breathe that Holy Name in prayer."
92Remembering Jesus, remembering that He will come again. The same Jesus that was taken away from us will return again in like manner as we have seen Him go into Heaven. Remember, He will return for those of His Own.
93Let us pray, and with our heads bowed. And with this little broke-up Message still in your heart, would you like for Him to remember you now? If you would, just raise your hands, and some special thing, "Lord, remember me." As the poet said, "Remember me when tears are falling down."
94 Our Most Holy Father, we have immensely enjoyed the Presence of the Holy Spirit, as He has shown to us the Word of Life, as we remember the pit from which we were hewn and have now been taken from that pit and molded into God's children, by the grace of Jesus Christ. I remember Him, when a doctor looked in my face and said, "It's just a few more minutes," I remember Jesus. I remember Jesus, when I was at the altar crying for mercy and my soul was burdened down, I remember the load that left me. Jesus took my burden. A few months ago, sitting on the bench, looking down the scope of a gun barrel, to shoot a target, and Satan must have thought, "This is my opportunity now." And when the gun exploded, and the barrel and stock and the gun action went every way, and the fire flew all around me, and I tried to raise to my feet, and the blood spurting, I remember it was Jesus. When the doctor, when he looked and seen no harm done, he said, "The only thing I know, that the Lord must have been sitting there, too, protecting His servant, he should have been blown to pieces by such an explosion." O God, how we all remember those things!
95 We come to the Fountain filled with Blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins. Bless us, Lord, together tonight. You know the--the objective and the motive behind every heart that raised a hand. You know the desire and the need. And as Your servant, Lord, I--I come with them, and--and up out of this Tabernacle now (by faith) we go, beyond the clouds and the moon, and the stars and the--the milky white way, and now we arrive in the Presence of God. And stretched across in front of me is a golden altar, on there lays the Sacrifice that we remember, Jesus, that said, "Just ask the Father anything in My Name, I'll--I'll grant it." Let our faith fail not, Lord, but let us remember that we receive what we ask for, if we believe it, as we remember Jesus died to secure it for us and to make it sure.
96 Lord, we see that You're increasing our building. It was You that did this for us, that give us this extension of the church. And we know that it was You, Lord, Who gave us the church in the beginning. We pray that You would bless these efforts.
97Lord, we pray for our pastor, Brother Neville, Your humble and gracious, faithful servant. Is willing to minister in any capacity, no matter if it's in the back seat or if it's to clean up the church. Wherever You need Him, there he wants to be instrumental, to serve You wherever You call. We pray, God, that--that You bless him.
98God, this great trial that I've just come through, and these trustees who stood by me, and this church who--who prayed for me, and finally the victory came. O God, I pray for them. I remember them, too, Lord, and I'm sure You do.
99 We remember the blessings that You have been to us. And we remember Your Word, that You would never leave us nor forsake us. Old age will have nothing to do it, You'll still remember us, when the world shall be no more and time shall fade into Eternity. It is written something like this, "Could a mother forget her suckling babe? I can never forget you. You're engraved upon the palms of My hands," the nails that engraved our names. We know that You remember us, Lord.
100And may You always be in our fondest memories, as our Saviour, our Healer, our King, our Lover, our Life, our Sunshine, our All-in-All, that inexhaustible fountain of God's grace and love to we fallen human beings of Adam's family. Grant it, Lord, as we commit ourselves to Thee now, going from the Tabernacle tonight, remembering Jesus. Amen.
101 Do you remember Him? You love Him? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Now I think, in our little broken Message, we might say this. Paul said, "Whatever we do, we do in the Spirit." In all things we should remember Him. Let's not make a decision until we remember Him; let's do nothing, 'cause it'll be rational. If the enemy smites one side of the cheek, let's remember what He did before we smite back. Let's remember His action. If there is a decision to be made, let's wait, remember what kind of a decision we think He would make, then let that be our decision. If we get hasty, let's remember He never was in a hurry. See? If we get over anxious, remember He dwells in Eternity, time means nothing to Him. It's the motive and objective of our heart. Let's remember Him.
102 And let's remember Him now as we sing this song in the Spirit of His Presence, I Love Him. If you dwell in love, you dwell in God, for God is love. They that dwell in God dwell in love. See? And love has no hatred. Love is not jealous. Love is not puffed up. Love doth not misbehave itself. Love is always gentle, sweet, forgiving, kind. No matter how bitter the others is, love remains itself. Love is the ultimate of grace. Love is God's ultimata for us. After all other gifts and things has vanished, our prophecy, our tongues, our interpretations, all that we've ever done, or whatmore, when love comes in, it's the ultimate. It's above all, 'cause all other fails. It's--it's the Supreme Court's decision. It's the tie Post. It's the North Star that keeps the seamen level. It's the Compass that guides us. Love is the ultimate. Let's remember it as we sing, "I love Him."
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first...
Now remember, "He loved me, and gave His Son."
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
103 Now while our sister chords this song for us, [Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.] let's just in sweetness of fellowship, while we're sitting together in Heavenly places in Christ, now take all, everything from your heart. And remember, God's Word says so. I am His servant. He's here. Then let's just shake hands with somebody, and say, "God bless you, brother." If you've got an enemy, rise up and go to him, see, "God bless you, brother," as we sing the chorus again and shake hands with one another. Won't you do it now, real sweetly in the Spirit.
I love Him, [Brother Branham says, "God bless you, Brother Roy."] I love Him
Because... first loved me
And purchased my salvation
[Brother Branham shakes hands.]
With our hands up now.
I love Him, I love Him
Because... (Remember Jesus!)
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
104 Now let's bow our heads and hum it. [Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.] Remembering Jesus! [Brother Branham continues humming.]
He first loved me.
[Brother Branham continues humming.]
On Calvary's tree.
105Now as our sister chords, sweetly and softly, I'm going to ask our good brother... Brother Neville, you got a word you want to say, anything? All right. I'm going to ask Brother Collins back there, our loyal, little brother here, one of the associates, if he would dismiss us in prayer. While we bow our heads, Brother Collins.
1Ďakujem, brat Neville. Som tak rád, že tu môžem byť, brat Neville, a že mám tú príležitosť znovu sedieť v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi. Čísla mi nikdy neprekážali, vždy ma povzbudzovali. Viete, ja sa pri nižších počtoch cítim viac doma, lebo myslím, že taká je cirkev. Áno, mám na to miesto Písma, hovorí sa tam, „Neboj sa, malé stádečko, je to dobrá vôľa tvojho Otca, aby ti dal Kráľovstvo.“ A ja by som... Ja chcem byť v ten deň započítaný do toho malého stádočka, do toho, ktorému On povedal, „Neboj sa.“ A sme veľmi radi za tú možnosť prísť dnes večer sem.
2Ani som sem neprišiel s úmyslom hovoriť. Len pred chvíľou niekto prišiel ku dverám, keď som sa pripravoval, chystal som si nejaký kontext na text, ktorý chcem použiť rovno v nadchádzajúcich zhromaždeniach vo Phoenixe a Tucsone a tých oblastiach. A naozaj som sa kŕmil na Duchu, viete, tie dobré veci Božie, rozmýšľal som hlavne o Ultimáte, téma o Ultimáte, Konečnej inštancii. A prišla moja žena a povedala mi, že vonku je niekto, kto by ma chcel navštíviť, a ja som to veľmi dobre nepochopil, až potom neskôr povedala, „Budeš dnes večer v zbore?“
3Povedal som, „Myslím, že áno.“ A tak som sa len snažil držať v Duchu toho, čo som robil. A ona sa vrátila a povedala, že to bol nejaký chorý človek, ktorý chcel, aby som sa zaňho modlil. Povedal som, „No, tak potom pôjdem jednako dolu do zboru a budem sa modliť za chorých.“ Ja vždy, to je... Viete, tieto veci sú... mali by sme sa k nim dostať čo najrýchlejšie, ako sa bude dať, keď sú ľudia chorí a v potrebe. Každý, kto bol kedy chorý, vie, ako si oceniť, čo to znamená byť uzdravený Božou veľkou uzdravovacou mocou. A je to tak nádherná vec, také privilégium.
4No, budúcu nedeľu, ak Pán dá, ak brat Neville a nikto z ostatných nemajú nič zvláštne na pláne, rozmýšľal som, že budúcu nedeľu by som ľuďom kázal svoje vianočné posolstvo, lebo nechať ich... Niektorí prichádzajú zďaleka a viete, ako Georgia a podobné miesta, a tým pádom budú mať dosť času na vianočné nákupy a podobne.
5A Billy práve vyšiel a povedal mi, povedal, že moja sestra Delores, budúcu nedeľu večer tesne pred zhromaždením má nejaké darčeky pre deti, nejaký malý program, na ktorý pôjdu, viete, nejaké vianočné divadlo, ktoré tu chcú predstaviť pred začiatkom zhromaždenia. A povedal som, „Takže to bude na budúcu nedeľu večer, že?"
Povedal, „Áno.“
Povedal som, „Tak to potom nebude prekážať.“
6No, vidíte, budúci utorok je Štedrý deň, takže ak… alebo budúci utorok, v ten týždeň sú Vianoce. Tak to by bol príliš veľký nátlak na ľudí, aby potom museli ísť rýchlo domov na Štedrý večer a v pondelok, čiže som myslel, že… áno, dva týždne. Tak veru, o dva týždne. Tak som si myslel, že možno dnes večer prídem a dám ľuďom vedieť, ak Pán dá a ak brat Neville nemá niečo špeciálne. Väčšinou rád dávam svoje vianočné posolstvo cirkvi a moje veľkonočné posolstvo a čokoľvek Pán dá na moje srdce, aby som to podal. A budúcu nedeľu, ak Pán dá, budúcu nedeľu ráno dám...
7A ten dôvod, prečo to väčšinou robím ráno a nie večer, je ten, aby tí, ktorí cestujú zďaleka, aby mali ešte celé popoludnie na cestovanie, aby sa mohli dostať domov, vidíte. Aj keď ja by som to radšej robil večer, myslím, že večer je oveľa lepší. Mám rád to večerné zhromaždenie, keď zájde slnko a tak. Bol to Boh v záhrade Eden, ktorý v chládku večera prichádzal a hovoril s Adamom. Vidíte, čiže mám rád večerné zhromaždenie. Ale keďže tu máme takéto okolnosti, bude lepšie, ak to bude ráno, aby sa ľudia mohli dostať domov.
8A som vďačný za to, že sa nám tu modlitebňa rozširuje k ďalšiemu miestu za nami, takže budeme mať trocha pridaného priestoru. Po všetkých tých sporoch a hádkach, nakoniec to tu máme. Viete, starý brat Bosworth zvykol mať taký zmysel pre humor, hovorieval, „To dieťa, ktoré najviac plače, dostáva najviac pozornosti.“ Tak to je celkom, viete, myslel som si, že občas sa nám oplatí trochu vykrikovať, nemyslíte?
9Chcel by som pochváliť brata Anthonyho a jeho spoločníkov tu za tú nádhernú hudbu. Práve som prišiel a počul to. A viete, tie nástroje sú trúbky. Chcel som, aby jedno z mojich detí, aspoň jedno z nich hralo na trúbku. Ja… na nejaký dychový nástroj.
10 Becky začala s klavírom, ale teraz prechádza tým tínedžerským obdobím, poznáte to, že to chce už teraz vzdať. A tak začala… Učiteľ povedal, že musí začať s populárnou hudbou. No, ja nemyslím, že… viete, čo mám na mysli, predohry a tak ďalej z klasickej hudby, aby sa mohla dostať k náboženskej hudbe. Keď potom dostane lepšie známky, myslí si, „No, nechám to tak.“ A ja… u detí je to problém. Jednako to musí od začiatku byť povolanie Božie. Myslím, že jej sestra Sára tam vzadu ju predbehne a to nikdy ešte nemala lekciu. A tak, keď tam je to povolanie Božie, je to lepšie, keď tam je ten dar.
11Ale páči sa mi trúbka. Pamätám si, keď sa tam na rohu posväcovala táto modlitebňa, že tam pol dňa vyhrávali na trúbky, „Tam pod krížom, kde môj Spasiteľ zomrel, tam, kde som prosil o odpustenie svojich hriechov, tam bola na moje srdce uplatnená tá Krv,“ keď som tam dával svoj text do toho hlavného kameňa.
12A pamätám si, že jeden večer v metodistickej cirkvi Trojica, keď starý doktor Morrison… Mnohí z vás, ktorí ste v tých dňoch boli na svete, si pamätáte doktora Morrisona, starého svätého človeka. Asbury stratilo jedného z najväčších ľudí, keď prišli o doktora Morrisona kvôli starobe, bol to zbožný starý muž. A vždy som ho rád počúval kázať. A išiel som si ho vypočuť tam do metodistickej cirkvi Trojica. A v jeden večer na jeden malý balkón vystúpili dvaja chlapci, akurát, keď som ja so ženou išiel hore, a oni takto držali vo vzduchu trúbky a tie svoje nástroje a hrali tam, „Tam pod krížom, kde zomrel môj Spasiteľ!“ Ten veľký kríž na vrchu sa tam točil. Ja som tam len stál na ulici, pozdvihol som svoje ruky a hneď som začal chváliť Boha. Nemohol som tomu odolať.
13V znovuzrodenom kresťanovi je určitá emócia, keď to pulzuje, je tam niečo, čo sa musí stať, jednoducho to tak je. Ó, ja… Nič nie je také ako staromódny kresťan. Tak veru. Nie je tomu nič rovné, z mojej skúsenosti, nevymenil by som to za žiadne bohatstvá sveta ani za celý svet ani za celú slnečnú sústavu, za to, čo ma Ježiš naučil zo Samého Seba.
14Je určitý muž, ktorý s nami sedí, vždy, keď sa tam otočím, moje srdce poskočí. Je to muž… Nedávno som ho videl, ako prijíma komúniu, chodí s barlou. Povedal ti niekto niekedy, že vyzeráš ako Oral Roberts? [Ten brat hovorí, „Nuž, brat, povedal si to ty, hneď, ako si sem vstúpil. Čakal som, kým na to prídeš.“ - pozn.prekl.] Hovorím ti, vždy keď…. Koľko… Videli ste Orala Robertsa, asi všetci z vás. On vyzerá presne ako Oral Roberts! Len som sa náhodou obzrel. Myslím, že je trochu väčší, ako je Oral. Ale ten spôsob, ako má učesané vlasy, a jeho čelo a jeho črty, vždy tak trochu dôstojne vyzerajúci človek, sedí ako Oral. A vždy mi napadne, „Brat Oral?“ Vyzerá presne ako on.
15Brat Oral tu začína nejakú biblickú školu, ak sa nemýlim, alebo niečo podobné. Nedávno som o tom počul. Čo to je? [Brat Neville hovorí, „Univerzita.“ - pozn.prekl.] Univerzita. Áno, brat Carl Williams je jeden z jeho hlavných zakladateľov alebo niečo podobné, akurát neviem teraz, čo to presne je.
16No, pamätajte, v nedeľu, ak Pán dá, začneme… Mám veľkonočné… alebo skôr vianočné posolstvo. A potom… Som vďačný za to, že sa tu začína modlitebňa. A potom dúfam, že to nielen pridá na počte, ale že tu pridá na milosti, ktorú Boh udelí nášmu zboru, nášmu hnutiu, nášmu… nie hnutiu, ale nášmu zhromaždeniu, ktoré tu spolu máme. Milujeme to.
17A, rád by som len povedal toto. Nechcem zaberať veľa času. Ale je veľa veci, ktoré by som mal povedať, ale zabralo by to príliš veľa času. Ale rád by som povedal toto, je to niečo, čo nemôžem povedať. Sú veci (každý tomu rozumie), ktoré viete, je to v Mene Pánovom, ale jednako to nemôžete povedať. Vidíte, musíte si to nechať pre seba. Vidíte? Ale je určitá udalosť, ktorá prichádza, a nejaký čas tu už je, udalosť, ktorá sa má stať, na ktorú som bol upozornený, keď som sledoval, ako sa Duch Svätý pohybuje medzi ľuďmi na tom mieste, a oni nevedeli o žiadnej pozemskej veci, ale videli, ako sa Duch Svätý k tomu pohybuje. Prezradím to, ak Pán dá, niekedy, keď sa to bude hodiť. No, pamätajte, to ukazuje, že je medzi nimi Boh.
18Ako niekto, myslím, brat, áno, povedal som to pred chvíľou, brat Neville povedal, že, „Boh nepočíta naše zlé konanie vo Svojich očiach.“ Keď sa ten vidiaci išiel pozrieť na Izrael a mohol to vidieť s tým prirodzeným okom a v akom neporiadku to bolo, ako zle sa zachovali a ako mali byť prekliati. Ale to, čo ten biskup nedokázal vidieť, bola tá udretá Skala a ten medený had, ako to vykonávalo zmierenie. Vidíte, keď sa Balám pozrel na Izrael, videl dôvod ich prekliať. Vidíte? Ale keď sa na nich pozrel Boh, On videl to zmierenie. On povedal, „Si ako jednorožec.“ Amen. „Kto ti dá niečo do cesty? Aké zbožné, aké spravodlivé sú tvoje stány!“ Tak ich vidí Boh. Vidíte? Nie to, ako ich vidia ľudia, nie to, ako ich videli veľkí hodnostári; ale to, ako ich videl On.
19A, ó, Bože, nech je to moja porcia! Nech je to moja porcia, lebo ja v sebe nemám nič, čo by som si mohol nárokovať. „Nič v rukách neprinášam, len k Tvojmu krížu ľnem.“ Vidíte, to je všetko, čo máme.
20No, toto je večer modlitebného zhromaždenia, alebo nie večer modlitebného zhromaždenia, ale toto je tu nejaká evanjelistická skupina. Radi umiestňujeme Slovo. A možno by som k vám rád dnes večer hovoril aspoň na pár minút. Mnohí z vás, ktorí by si radili otvorili Písmo… No, viete, to zvláštne je, hneď sa to presne otvorilo na ten text, ktorý som išiel prečítať. Tak veru. Zvláštne. Bola to 1. Korinťanom, 11. kapitola, a mám tu zapísané nejaké poznámky, niekde tu, ktoré som mal na mysli, ak to teraz nájdem, v 1. Korinťanom, v 11. kapitole. Hneď tu, je to rovno tu. Tak veru.
21No, pred tým, ako pôjdeme do Slova, pristúpme k tomu Autorovi, ktorý je tým Slovom, aby sme poprosili o milosť a o Jeho požehnania, zatiaľ čo študujeme Toho, ktorý je Slovom. Pomodlime sa.
22Ó, Pane Bože, plný milosti a milosrdenstva, ktorý bol počas vekov ochotný, po tom, ako človek zhrešil a vytvoril tú veľkú priepasť medzi sebou a Tebou, takú, ktorú sám nemohol prekročiť. Bol absolútne, kompletne stratený, bez cesty návratu. Ale ten Boh plný milosti bol ochotný vziať náhradu za jeho miesto a priviesť ho späť. To vzrušuje srdcia všetkých, ktorí Ťa kedy poznali, Pane, ako si Ty vo svojej veľkej láske a milosti vzal náhradu. A ako sme to práve vyjadrovali, Pane, na tú Náhradu sa dnes večer spoliehame, že Ten, ktorý zomrel namiesto nás hriešnikov, Ten spravodlivý, ktorý na Seba vzal našu nespravodlivosť. V Ňom máme dôveru.
23Teraz s vážnosťou pristupujeme k Jeho Slovu so sklonenými srdciami a hlavami, v úcte a v rešpekte s vďačnosťou. A prosíme, aby si k nám dnes večer poslal milosť skrze Ducha Svätého a dal nám ten Chlieb Života, ktorý potrebujeme, aby sme mohli vytrvať. Ty vieš presne, čo potrebujeme, a my vieme, že Ty si zasľúbil, že ak budeme prosiť, tak to obdržíme.
24Myslíme dnes večer, Pane, na tých, ktorí sú chorí a v potrebe, aby im bola udelená milosť Božia v hojnosti. A, Otče, modlíme sa za tých, ktorí upadli, aby v nich tieto nadchádzajúce sviatky vyvolali v ich srdci spomienky na to, kde kedysi boli a ako odpadli mimo Tvojho obecenstva. Bože, modlíme sa, aby sa navrátili (udeľ to, Pane), navrátili k zhromaždeniu, zhromaždeniu tých prvorodených, aby sa navrátili tam, kde je milosť a milosrdenstvo a láska a dobrota a uzdravenie našich duší, našich myslí a našich tiel. Udeľ to, Pane. Požehnaj dnes večer Svoje Slovo. Posilni nás všetkých a daj nám Tvoje požehnania, lebo o to prosíme v Ježišovom Mene. Amen.
25No, na chvíľu by som chcel upriamiť vašu pozornosť na 1. Korinťanom, 11. kapitolu, 23., 24. a 25. verš.
Lebo ja som prijal od Pána, čo som vám aj vydal, že Pán Ježiš v noci, v ktorej bol zradený, vzal chlieb
a poďakujúc lámal a povedal: Vezmite, jedzte, toto je moje telo, ktoré sa za vás láme. To čiňte na moju pamiatku.
Tak tiež i kalich, keď bolo po večeri, hovoriac: Tento kalich je tá nová smluva v mojej krvi; to čiňte, koľkokoľvek ráz by ste pili, na moju pamiatku.
26Ak by som tento malý text mal nejako nazvať, bolo by to: Pamätať na Pána. Znie to ako večer, ktorý… alebo posolstvo, ktoré som mal kázať minulú nedeľu počas večeri Pánovej. Ale chcem na to ísť z trochu iného uhla, len na pár minút, zatiaľ čo spojíme svoje myšlienky na uctievanie Pána.
27Mohli by sme, samozrejme, začať s Pánovým stolom, lebo to je dobré miesto, ktoré si všetci pamätáme. Pamätať na Pána pri Jeho stole, o tom je tento text. Ale Pavol povedal, že máme vziať kalich a piť krv a jesť kóšer chlieb na pamiatku, aby sme pamätali na to, čo On urobil pre nás. A ako to robíte, nechceme, aby z toho bol nejaký zvyk, nejaká každodenná vec; chceme naozaj prísť a pamätať na Pána. Vidíte? Pamätajte, že to bola Jeho milosť a Jeho milosrdenstvo, a to je tá jediná vec, ktorá nám dáva tu jedinú nádej, ktorú máme. Bez ohľadu na to, čo by ste kedy urobili, nie je nič, čo by bolo čo i len blízko ku tomu, čo Kristus pre vás urobil.
28Tento týždeň som mal jednu smutnú skúsenosť, a jednako tak chválebnú, mohol by som to tak nazvať. Pochovával som brata, ktorý tu raz s nami sedel. A mnohí z vás viete o tej udalosti. Bol to náš drahý brat Rogers, Busty Rogers, ako sme mu hovorili, Everett. A brat Banks Wood tu a brat Sothmann, išli sme spolu na pohrebnú bohoslužbu.
29A išiel som autom v snehu na to staré miesto, kde som ho pokrstil asi pred dvadsiatimi piatimi rokmi. Vtedy, keď som ho pokrstil, bolo to v blatovej vode, na meno Pána Ježiša Krista. Ako sme prechádzali tým starým známym mostom pri Totten‘s Forde, rozprával som sa s mojimi bratmi a povedal som, „Jedného dňa, keď tam mal určitý denominačný kazateľ jeden veľký stan, povedal, 'ten extrémista' tam dolu v tej baptistickej cirkvi, ktorý krstí ľudí na Meno Ježiša Krista.“ On povedal, „Akákoľvek osoba, ktorá tak bola pokrstená, nie je pod mojím stanom vítaná.“
30A zrovna vtedy tam sedeli niektorí, ktorí boli pokrstení na Meno Pána Ježiša, a to bol brat George Wright a jeho rodina. Oni len… To jediné, čo mohli urobiť, bolo neísť späť.
31A tak v ten deň pri tom brode, on odišiel z toho zhromaždenia a sledoval, ako tam stálo jeho zhromaždenie. A išiel som k tomu miestu. A dosť v tých kopcoch pršalo a tie blatové polia boli vymývané a tie malé prítoky zablatili celú tú rieku Blue River. Vstúpil som do vody po pás. A ja… Jeden z dôverníkov, alebo skôr diakonov, mi podal Bibliu a prečítal som to miesto, kde Peter povedal na deň Letníc, „Čiňte pokánie, každý jeden z vás a buďte pokrstení na Meno Ježiša Krista na odpustenie vašich hriechov a príjmete dar Ducha Svätého.“
32Bol to práve ten deň, kedy tam ležala Georgie Carterová a snažila sa zodvihnúť svoje ruky, vážila len niečo vyše tridsať kilogramov, ležala bez pohybu v posteli deväť rokov a osem mesiacov. A jej ľudia, tá cirkev, do ktorej patrila, ktorá povedala, že ak niekto vôbec príde na moje zhromaždenie, bude vylúčený z obecenstva v cirkvi. A tak v ten istý večer, ona bola hneď uzdravená. A potom chcela byť pokrstená rovnako ako to malé dievča Nale, ktoré tam bolo; videl som videnie a poznáte ten príbeh, jej ruky a nohy boli vytiahnuté; išiel som vo videní a v moci Ducha, položil som na ňu ruky a ona odtiaľ vyšla a bola uzdravená. A ona patrila k tým istým. Bola to metodistická cirkev. Ten metodistický kazateľ, brat Smith, bol ten, ktorý tam stál na brehu so svojím zhromaždením.
33A začal som tam krstiť kresťanským krstom podľa Biblie. A asi v tom čase, keď som pokrstil asi päť alebo šesť ľudí, zrazu sa akoby vrece roztrhlo, tam hore na kopci. Prišla tam vyobliekaná metodistická skupina, aby boli pokrstení na Meno Pána Ježiša. A jeden po druhom, ženy v hodvábnych, letných šatách tam vychádzali z blata, utierali si slzy z tváre, zmývali si rúž a vyznávali, že chcú byť pokrstené.
34A z tej skupiny vyšiel jeden silný chlap so širokými ramenami a vojenským účesom, širokou tvárou, vyšiel tam v takom modrom vojenskom obleku. Povedal, „Ja som tiež urobil svoje rozhodnutie.“ To bol Busty Rogers, bez toho, že by mu to niekto povedal. Tam som ho pochoval na Meno Pána Ježiša Krista na základe jeho vyznania.
35A minulý týždeň sme ho pochovali v Milltowne. A kázal som kázeň: Dokonalosť Vzkriesenia. Bol som misionárom, videl som rôznych bohov a filozofov; asi všetkých, ktorí sú mimo kresťanstva, je to len filozofia, ako veriť, že je toto, tamto alebo niečo iné. Ale existuje veľký Stvoriteľ, ktorý stvoril toto všetko! Musí byť Stvoriteľ, ak existuje stvorenie. A ak existuje stvorenie, bolo stvorené Stvoriteľom. Dielo každého človeka odráža jeho samého. On je dobrým stolárom, robí dobrú prácu, on buduje. A ak je dobrým mechanikom, tak robí dobrú prácu. Vaša práca len odráža vás. A Božie stvorenie odráža Boha. A Boh stvoril všetko za určitým účelom. A všetko, čo slúži Božiemu účelu, keď to zomrie, tak to má vzkriesenie. Povedzte mi jednu vec. A spomenul som veľa vecí, ako kvety a stromy.
36A ako slnko každé ráno vychádza, je to, akoby sa narodilo malé dieťa, je slabé, jeho lúče sú slabé. Asi o desiatej je to už tínedžer. A o dvanástej žiari vo svojej sile, v kráse ženskosti alebo mužnosti. A asi o druhej popoludní je na tom asi tak ako ja. A potom o piatej už to začína byť ako starý otec, už klesá. A nakoniec jeho lúče na zemi slabnú a ono zomiera. Je to jeho koniec? Ono slúžilo Božiemu účelu. Ono vzkriesilo rastlinný život, ako prechádzalo cez zem. Všetky rastliny, ktoré by boli bývali mŕtve ten rok pred tým, ono ich vzkriesilo. Je to koniec toho, keď slúži Božiemu účelu? Ono ďalšie ráno znovu povstáva s novým životom! Každý strom robí to isté, všetko ostatné, mesiac, hviezdy, slnečná sústava, všetko má nejaké zasľúbenie.
37A ak človek slúži Božiemu účelu, jeho vzkriesenie je tak isté ako čokoľvek iné. To jediné, čo sa musí stať, že Boh čaká na ten správny čas, tak, ako to robí teraz.
38Tie veľké listy práve opadli zo stromov. Tam, kde sú na tej veľkej zemskej hrudi všetky tie červené, zelené, modré, hnedé, všetky rôzne farby, pod ktorými mŕtva ležala Božia príroda. Boh si zasadil kyticu. Ale On vie, že keď zasadí svoje kvety, že na jar príde vzkriesenie! Svet sa musí otočiť okolo svojej osi, až sa nedostane späť na tú stranu, kde je slnko, a potom povstane v pohrebných kvetoch.
39Nikdy nehovorte, „Toto je koniec,“ o nič viac ako hnedé listy na stromoch hovoria, že to je koniec. To jediné, čo sa musí stať, je, aby Boží časový cyklus prešiel okolo svojej osi, až dokiaľ príde čas na príchod Syna Božieho. A každé živé stvorenie, ktoré kedy zomrelo v Kristovi, znovu povstane. V Jeho Prítomnosti, pamätajme na Neho. Ó, keď prichádzam na koniec svojej cesty, chcem zomrieť v Jeho Prítomnosti, pamätajúc na Neho, že On je vzkriesenie a Život. On je ten pravý.
40A tak, ako prichádzame ku stolu Pánovmu… Ten stôl Pánov, ako som to tu pred chvíľou vysvetľoval, on nie je… Veríme, že to, čo nazývame „komúnia“, je branie chleba. Umiestňujeme to nesprávne… Umiestňujeme tú správnu vec na nesprávne miesto. To nie je ten chlieb, na ktorom záleží, nie je to to víno, na ktorom záleží, je to ten kóšer chlieb a to víno. Ale to, čo tá komúnia znamená, je „rozprávať“ a mať rozhovor s Ním, pamätajúc Naňho. Myslím, že to je ten najpožehnanejší čas zhromaždení. Vidíte? Každá hodina nášho života by mala byť komúniou.
41Komúnia s Pánom je ako oáza na púšti. Je to ako jar pod rybníkom, okolo ktorého prechádza cestujúci, zastavuje sa a pije vody, až kým neuhasí svoj smäd. To znamená pamätanie na Pána. Prichádzať podľa poriadku Jeho stola, kde keď prechádza ten pútnik, ktorý cestuje tu po zemi spolu s nami, že môžeme prísť ku Jeho stolu a piť z Jeho požehnaní a z Jeho milosti a z Jeho Slova v obecenstve okolo Jeho Slova, pokiaľ sú naše smädné duše nasýtené. A potom opustíme toto miesto uctievania, občerstvení, uspokojení; a znovu sa pôjdeme stretnúť s problémami tejto púšte, problémami životnej púte. Áno, oáza v púšti, kde sa občerstvujeme, keď sme smädní.
42Malo by to byť tak s každým uctievajúcim. To uspoko-… Je to tak pri každom pravdivom uctievajúcom, že oni sa túžia spolu stretnúť. Je niečo na obecenstve, čo je Božské, je to prikázané Bohom a je to sväté, posvätné. A tí spravodliví po tom túžia.
43Ako povedal Dávid, že jeho duša „bola smädná po Bohu, ako jeleň prahne po vode z potoka.“ Ten malý zranený jeleň, z ktorého psy odhryzli kusy mäsa a vytrhli to z neho. A on tam stojí, smädne a sleduje. So svojím zmyslom, ktorý mu Boh dal, dokáže zacítiť vodu na míle, cíti to. A drží tú svoju malú hlávku hore, zatiaľ čo krváca a zomiera. A vie, že ak sa mu niekedy podarí dostať k prameňu, tak bude žiť. Nikto ho potom nechytí. Ak sa môže dostať k tej vode, potom ho neodradí žiaden pes, ktorý ide po ňom, lebo on vie, že našiel ten životodarný zdroj.
44A keď sa cirkev dostane do toho miesta, kde Kristus pre nás znamená toľko, že máme smäd po Jeho Prítomnosti a byť jeden s druhým, je to potom životodarný Zdroj. Žiaden diabol vás nikdy nepredbehne. Dokonca aj samotná smrť je tam porazená. Ó, čo za nádej! Čo za miesto! Občerstvime sa tam. A keď to robíme, pamätajme na to, že to je On, ktorý nám toto umožnil. On bol ten, ktorý pre nás urobil tieto veci, musíme pamätať na Neho. Lebo pamätajte, kedysi sme boli cudzincami a bez Boha, pohania, odvádzaní nemými modlami. Ale pamätajte, Kristus zomrel nie pre Židov, ale pre každé stvorenie z Adamovej upadnutej rasy, za nich Kristus zomrel.
45Ako prichádzame pamätať na Neho v čase Jeho jari komúnie, malo by nám to pripomenúť tie časy, kedy bol Izrael na svojej ceste. A oni išli vo svojej línii povinností, boli na ceste z Egypta do svojho vyslobodenia, do zasľúbenej zeme, a práve pri svojej povinnosti zostali bez vody. A všade, kde sa pozreli, bolo sucho, pod každým kopcom tam mali byť pramene, ale nebol tam žiaden. A oni zomierali na púšti. A potom sa tam objavila tá Skala a tú skalu Mojžiš udrel a vyšiel z nej dostatok vody. Každý smädný muž, každá smädná žena, dieťa, dokonca aj každé smädné zviera, každý mohol piť z hojnosti tej vody.
46Ako Ján 3:16, to zlaté miesto Biblie, hovorí, „Lebo tak Boh miloval svet, že dal Svojho jednorodeného Syna, aby každý, kto verí (verí, má komúniu, pamätá na Neho), nezahynul, ale mal večný život.“ Pamätať na Krista, ktorý bol tou Skalou, ktorá bola za nás udretá, aby zachránila hynúci svet, hynúcich pohanov, hynúcich Židov, hynúci svet. Kristus dal Svoj Život v hojnosti, aby každý, kto má hlad a smäd, ako povedal prorok, „Hľa, poďte ku zdroju, kúpte si odo Mňa mlieko a med zdarma.“ Príďte, lebo je to komúnia, príďte s pamätaním na Pána.
47Znovu si spomínam na pamiatku Pána na mieste občerstvenia, pri studni zvanej Beerlahairoi, čo v hebrejčine znamená „Studňa toho, ktorý žije a vidí ma.“ Hagar bola neporozumená, ale jednako bola na svojom mieste služby. Neporozumená, zle posudzovaná a bola vyhnaná, nemala kam ísť, mala hynúce dieťa a vo fľaši sa jej minula voda. A ten malý chlapec plakal. A jedine srdce matky dokáže porozumieť, čo to znamená počuť ten plač po vode, ako jeho malý jazýček začal napúchať a jeho pery prahli a jej malé dieťa slablo viac a viac. Vyhnaná, priamo na svojom mieste služby, nemala kam ísť. Sama bola bez vody, až vyžmýkala tú poslednú kvapku na jeho malé prahnúce pery. A potom bola tá fľaša prázdna a ona ju položila a išla ďalej. A ten malý chlapec kričal po vode a bol slabší a slabší; bolo to jej jediné dieťa.
48Bezpochyby jej nevinné srdce kričalo, „Ó, Bože, čo som urobila? Čo som urobila?“ A nedokázala zniesť pohľad na to, ako jej dieťa v náručí zomiera, tak ho len položila pod krík. A vzdialila sa asi na vzdialenosť výstrelu z luku, asi niekoľko stoviek yardov alebo tak a uvidela malý strom. Kľakla si pod neho a začala plakať. Divila sa, „Prečo?“ Ak urobila to, čo bolo správne, prečo by sa jej toto stalo? Koľkokrát si myslíme, že naše choroby a utrpenia, ale možno je to všetko len pre to, aby sa ukázala milosť a milosrdenstvo. A zatiaľ čo nad tým premýšľala, počula, ako sa nakoniec tie slabé výkriky o vodu vytratili.
49Počula Hlas, ako ku nej prehovoril a povedal, „Prečo plačeš? Za čo plačeš?“
50A ona sa pozrela hore a uvidela, ako buble studňa. Čo za prameň občerstvenia! Beerlahairoi, možno som to zle vyslovil, B-e-e-r-l-a-h-a-i-r-o-i, čo znamená „Studňa toho, ktorý žije a vidí ma! Toho, ktorý nemôže zomrieť! Melchisedech! El Šadaj! Ten, ktorý žije a vidí ma, poznajúc moje potreby, On na mňa pamätá. A tam On na mňa pamätal tak, ako som aj ja pamätal na Neho, a ja viem, že On žije a On sa mi zjavil tu na púšti pri tejto studni.“
51Ó, či by sme to mohli uplatniť teraz v tejto hodinovej kázni, práve dnes, kedy púšť cirkví, denominácií a sociálnych kazateľov Evanjelia a móda tohto sveta, kedy sa to sem všetko votrelo, vytvorilo denomináciu a rozbilo to.
52A vtedy pomyslieť na to, že dnes večer tu znovu pri tejto studni stojí Ten, ktorý žije a vidí ma. Toto by malo znamenať pre skutočného uctievajúceho pamätanie na Krista. Áno. Ó, ona bola neporozumená a vyhnaná. Ježiš povedal, keď bol tu na zemi, „Ja som tie živé vody, Ja som vodami života.“
53A chcem tu načrtnúť ďalšiu malú myšlienku, ktorá mi prichádza na myseľ. Keď bol Ježiš na súde, a len pre to, aby sa Mu vysmievali… Bol poslaný od Piláta k Herodesovi. No, Pilát to nemusel urobiť, a viete, on si snažil z toho umyť ruky. Ale keď je to raz na tvojich rukách, musíš urobiť svoje rozhodnutie. Nemôžeš to hodiť na niekoho iného. Si to ty, ako jednotlivec. Ale On, On bol poslaný k Herodesovi, len aby sa Mu vysmievali, lebo mal meno činiteľa zázrakov, a tak ďalej, a bol vyhnancom z cirkvi. A tak sám Pilát, on si myslel, že Ho len pošle Herodesovi a možno to vyrieši tie ich nezhody, ktoré medzi sebou mali.
54A tak Ježiša vzali cez ulice a priviedli Ho do miesta, kde sa stretol s vyšším súdom, s Herodesom. A keď sa stretol s Herodesom, Herodesovi bola daná jeho jediná príležitosť! Aký hlúpy môže človek byť? Ak by len Herodes vedel, že priamo pred ním stojí vyplnenie všetkého, čo hovorili hebrejskí proroci, a smädu tohto sveta, všetko to pred ním stálo, vyplnenie každého mudrca a proroka, ktorý kedy prehovoril. Tá príležitosť, aby uspokojil svoje hriešne srdce s milosťou a milosrdenstvom. Čo za hlúpy človek to bol!
55Ale jednako nie až tak hlúpy ako dnešný človek, ktorému je predstavená tá istá vec, lebo my sme už mali o dve tisíc rokov viac Jeho učenia, Jeho milosti. Čo za bláznivú vec to Herodes urobil, keď pred Ním stál a nikdy Ho nepoprosil o milosť a milosrdenstvo, nikdy Ho nepoprosil o odpustenie svojich hriechov. Vôbec nevedel, že tam stojí… Nemyslím si, že ten človek si uvedomoval, že pred ním stojí taká Osoba. Nech to na chvíľu vsiakne. Lebo ten Človek nemal veľké meno v nejakom sociálnom postavení, v rôznych organizáciách či kluboch, a tak ďalej, s ktorými bol Herodes združený. On nikdy nemal také meno.
56Ale mal ho medzi ľuďmi, ktorí poznali Bibliu a vedeli o tom zasľúbení. A keby som na to mal ísť ešte silnejšie, povedal by som, že tí, ktorí boli predurčení do Večného Života, oni to rozpoznali hneď v tej chvíli, ako tam On stál.
57Ale Herodes sa toto nenaučil, on o tom vôbec nevedel. Čo za smutná vec! Všetci tí proroci o tom hovorili štyri tisíc rokov, to vyplnenie kriku sveta stálo priamo pred ním. Priamo tam v jeho prítomnosti stálo všetko to vyplnenie. A ako to môžem znovu povedať, mysleli by sme si, že to bol bláznivý muž, lebo urobil hlúpe rozhodnutie, všimnite si, že on Ho nikdy neprosil o milosť. On od Neho chcel, aby ho zabával. „Ó, počul som, že Ty si ten činiteľ zázrakov.“ Chcel zábavu namiesto milosti.
58To je presne to, čo dnešný svet vyjadruje, práve to Herodesovo rozhodnutie, keď vidia toho Krista, ktorý činí zázraky a robí to isté, čo robil vtedy, a to všetko, čo oni chcú, je, „No, ukáž mi, ako robíš toto alebo tamto.“ Hovoríte, že Herodes bude na tom zle? Človek dnešného dňa bude na tom ešte horšie! Herodes mal štyri tisíc rokov skúseností, prorokov a mudrcov. My máme šesť tisíc, a oproti tomu, čo mali oni vtedy, máme super učenie! Istotne. Čo to len spôsobilo! Presne tak to je aj dnes, to isté!
59O čo išlo? Herodes sa nad tým nikdy vážne nezamyslel. On sa nikdy nepozastavil, aby sa nad tým zamyslel.
60A presne tak to je aj s ľuďmi dnes. Oni vidia niečo veľké, trochu ich to zaskočí, ale oni sa nepozastavia na dostatočne dlho. Snažia sa vypočuť si nejakého rabína alebo teológia, ktorý im to všetko nejakými argumentami vyvráti. A jednako, keď pomyslím na Jeffersonville, ako často by som sa nad vami vznášal ako sliepka nad svojimi malými, ale vy ste nechceli. Ako rád by som vás zhromaždil! Ako rád by som z tohto miesta urobil miesto, kde by sa stretli všetky národy, ale vy ste to nechceli. Vidíte? Rozumiete?
61Čiže vidíte, na čo si Herodes bude musieť pamätať v ten deň? Jeho veľká príležitosť, on ju odmietol. A teraz niekde v regióne stratených, on dnes večer spomína na to, čo s tým urobil. Ale teraz je už neskoro.
62Nech sa to nestane nám. Toto je náš čas navštívenia. Pamätajme na Krista, že On je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. Židom 13:8. Nečakajme, kým prídu tie regióny odsúdených, niekde v dimenzii, kde sa už nebude dať ísť do Prítomnosti Božej, a váš čas na zemi sa skončí a v ten hroznej nočnej more budete spomínať na to, ako ste mali tú príležitosť a odmietli ste ju. Nech si to títo mladí ľudia všimnú. Nech si to každý všimne!
63Herodes sa nad tým nikdy seriózne nezamyslel. Jeho jediná príležitosť, on len chcel byť zabávaný, chcel, aby mu Ježiš predviedol nejaké číslo, ako vytiahne zajaca z klobúka alebo niečo podobné. On Ho považoval za nejakého kúzelníka. „Počuli sme, že dokážeš predviesť rôzne kúsky. Rád by som si pozrel, ako nejaký teraz urobíš.“
64Chcem toto povedať so všetkou úctou. Ale koľkokrát povedali dnešní takzvaní kazatelia, že, „Ak je Duch Svätý, ak veríte, že Duch Svätý je ten istý, ako bol na začiatku, chcem vidieť, ako vezmete toho a toho tu alebo tohto alebo tamtoho človeka tam, túto ženu tu. Ja vám ich privediem. Chcem vidieť, ako to dokážete.“
65Či si oni uvedomujú, že to je ten istý duch (nie, neuvedomujú), ktorý povedal Ježišovi, „Ak si Ty Syn Boží, vezmi tieto kamene a urob z nich chlieb. Ak si Ty Syn Boží, povedz nám, kto Ťa udrel po hlave. Ak si Ty ten prorok, povedz nám, kto Ťa udrel,“ s handrou okolo Jeho tváre, udierali Ho po nej a potom si navzájom podávali palicu a hovorili, „Povedz nám, ak si Ty ten prorok. Povedz nám, kto Ťa udrel a vtedy Ti uveríme. Povedz nám, ak si Synom Božím. Sme v srdci úprimní. Ak si Ty Syn Boží, zostúp z kríža a budeme veriť, že Ty si ten Syn Boží.“
66Zaujíma ma, či mnohí ľudia dnes, aj muži aj ženy, mladí a starí, nestoja na tom istom mieste. A jedného dňa na to budete pamätať, ako ste boli v Jeho Prítomnosti, pri Jeho Zdroji; a chceli ste vidieť nejaký kúsok alebo nejaký trik, „Vtedy by som uveril. Keď mi prejde mráz po chrbte a urobím toto alebo tamto, vtedy uverím.“ Vidíte, nejaká senzácia, je to čisté modlárstvo! Nech len...
67Viete, Ježiš v jednom prípade povedal, On sa opýtal otázku. Rád by som sa toto dnes večer opýtal cirkvi. Ježiš povedal, „Prečo? Prečo? Prečo Ma nazývate 'Pánom‘ a nečiníte tie veci, ktoré som vám prikázal, aby ste činili? Prečo Ma nazývate 'Hospodinom' a nedodržujete Moje Slovo? Prečo Ma nazývate 'Pánom' a zapierate to, čo som vám prikázal, aby ste kázali a učili?“ Čo to je? Čo to spôsobuje? Je to preto, lebo medzi nimi a Slovom stojí nejaká denominačná tradícia. A čokoľvek, čo stojí medzi vami a Bohom, je modla, ona zaberá miesto Boha. Prečo hovoríte „Pán“? Pán znamená „vlastníctvo,“ Pán vlastní majetok. A ak Boh vlastní mňa a ja som Jeho a On ma jedného dňa odvrátil od tej nesprávnej cesty a zavolal ma za určitým účelom, čo iné mám robiť, ako vyplniť Jeho túžbu, ako to On urobil s Petrom. Ako môžem robiť čokoľvek iné, ako dodržiavať Jeho Slovo? „Prečo Ma nazývate 'Pánom'?“
68Chcem tu spomenúť ďalšiu osobu, spomenúť ho tu. Čo takto Judáš, ako si Ho má on pamätať? Hovoríme o pamätaní na Pána. Judáš dnes večer, až dokiaľ nepominie, bude musieť spomínať na to, ako predal svoje prvorodenstvo. On predal Ježiša pre osobný zisk. My hovoríme zle o Judášovi. Hovoríme, že bol špinavý, zlý človek, nemohol by patriť na žiadne miesto do žiadnej spoločnosti, nepatrí do Neba. Prečo? On predal svojho Pána po tom, ako mal tú príležitosť byť učeníkom, byť apoštolom, to najvyššie povolanie v Biblii, vyššie ako prorok. On mal tú príležitosť byť apoštolom, ale on predal to právo pre osobný zisk. A teraz na to musí spomínať. Tak on pamätá na Ježiša: osobný zisk.
69A chcel by som vedieť, koľko z takých dnes večer stojí za kazateľňou, nosiac na sebe rúcho zboru, sediac na stoličke diakona alebo na mieste pokladníka, dôverníka alebo akákoľvek je ich pozícia v cirkvi, alebo kazateľ za kazateľňou a stále predávajú svoju príležitosť pre osobnú pochvalu, „Doktor, Biskup taký a taký,“ pre osobnú pochvalu, osobný zisk.
70Jeden človek mi raz povedal, „Ja verím, že to je Pravda. Ale ak by som to mal kázať, tak by som skončil ako žobrák na ulici.“
71Pamätáte si toho bohatého muža a Lazara, aké bolo ich posledné, večné štádium? Hoci jeden z nich mal… bol žobrákom, ten druhý bol boháč, ale jedného dňa sa ten obraz zmenil a obaja si na to vedeli spomenúť. A tak ľudia dnes večer nadávajú na Judáša, ako Ho predal za osobný zisk, pričom veľa z nich dnes robí to isté, predávajú Ho pre osobný zisk.
72Ten kňaz toho dňa si tiež bude pamätať na to, ako Ho predal, predal svoju šancu stať sa Jeho služobníkom, stať sa Jeho učeníkom, obrátiť sa k Nemu. Oni to predali za mamonárstvom otrávenú žiarlivosť. Závideli Mu Jeho náuku. Dokonca keď mal ešte len dvanásť rokov, akokoľvek ich vedel predbehnúť; a oni nerozpoznávali, že to bol Mesiáš. Nedokázali to, čo On dokázal. A báli sa, že by stratili svoju prestíž v očiach vyššie postavených ľudí, a tak predali svoju príležitosť. A oni sú rovnako vinní, ako bol aj Herodes.
73A dnešný člen cirkvi je na tom tak isto. Ak by mali dôveru vo svoje denominácie, a tak ďalej, v tých dňoch a báli sa o svoju prestíž, boli vyhodení zo synagóg, čo to vtedy bolo? Bolo to modlárstvo! Uctievanie modlárskeho vyznania alebo modlárskeho cirkevného náboženstva namiesto prijatia Slova, ktoré bolo pred nimi zamanifestované.
74A oni videli Slovo Božie. Biblia hovorí, „Videli sme Ho a dotýkali sme sa Ho.“ Ľudské bytosti vložili ruky na to doslovné, živé, zamanifestované Slovo živého Boha; a dovolili, aby medzi nimi stáli tradície a vyznania, hrnce a nádoby na umývanie, také nečisté veci stáli medzi nimi a živým Bohom. Áno.
75Čo to bolo? Oni mali predsudky. Mali predsudky proti Jeho čistému, jasnému Písmu Evanjelia, ktoré On vyučoval, bolo to Slovo Otca. Oni Mu závideli. Mali proti nemu predsudky. A pokiaľ ešte majú pamäť, čo si v pekle určite budú pamätať, takto sa na nich bude pamätať. Takto si ho budú musieť pamätať.
Poviete, „Ó, to boli farizeji.“
76Je jedna pani, ktorá zvykla chodiť do tejto cirkvi. Ó, myslím, že mnohí z vás ju poznáte, žije tu dolu ulicou. Ona odpadla. A zakaždým, keď ju vidím, ona sa ku mne rozbehne, stisne mi ruku a hovorí, „Brat Bill, modli sa za mňa. Som odpadnutá.“ Jej muž je… Nie, myslím, že žijú tu na tejto ulici. Videl som ju v Duchu, videl som na nej Ducha Božieho, ako tancovala, radovala sa, a tak ďalej. A ona odpadla. A nedávno tu ležala v nemocnici, zomierala, aspoň tak si to oni mysleli. A poslal pre ma, aby som sa za ňu išiel pomodliť.
77Spolu s jej mužom boli naozaj dobrí ku mojej žene, keď bola moja žena ešte malé, otrhané dievča so zafúľanou tvárou, oni jej občas kúpili nejaké šaty a podobne, aby mohla chodiť do školy. Bez ohľadu na to, aké malé to je, nemôžete urobiť niečo pre Boha bez toho, aby na to On pamätal. „Koľkokoľvek ráz ste vykonali niečo pre Mojich maličkých, urobili ste to pre Mňa.“ A ako chlieb po vode, ono sa to vráti.
78Ležala tam táto chudobná, odpadnutá žena, plakala a držala ma za ruku. A ona… Povedal som, „Nuž, sestra, pomodlím sa za teba.“
79A na vedľajšej posteli pri nej ležala žena s prekríženými rukami a pozerala na mňa. A po jej boku stál jej mladý syn, mohol mať asi dvadsať rokov, taký typický moderný „Ricky“.
80Nemám nič proti nikomu, kto sa volá Ricky, ale je to také… V minulosti také meno vôbec nebolo. Elvis a Ricky, je to také moderné meno. Ak máte dieťa, ktoré sa tak volá, tak ho oslovujte jeho stredným menom alebo mu dajte nové.
81A ako tam tak sedela, pozrela sa, ja som začal skláňať hlavu a videl som, ako sa pozerala naozaj… Ona povedala, „Počkajte! Zatiahnite ten záves!“
82Povedal som, „Ja som sa prišiel len za túto pani pomodliť. Nie ste veriaca?“
83Ona povedala, „No, takto vám poviem, my sme metodisti, ale chceme, aby ste zatiahli ten záves!“
„Áno, pani,“ a zatiahol som ten záves.
84Vidíte, je to to isté. Tak isto je to aj dnes, také predsudky! Ako mohla vedieť, akým som kazateľom? Nikdy som tú ženu nevidel. Len ona pravdepodobne od niekoho počula, že verím v uzdravenie chorých, a ona bola učená proti tomu. Ona s tým nemala nič spoločné, ona si z toho zmyla ruky. Bála sa, že by to na ňu spadlo. Nebojte sa, nespadne, rovnako, ako si ani Pilát z toho nemohol umyť ruky.
85No, nechcem tým povedať nič zlé proti metodistom; to bola len jedna žena. [Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.] Vidíte? Mohol to byť len jej prístup. Nemyslím si, že všetci metodisti sú takí, lebo som sa za mnohých z nich modlil. Oni ma zavolali, aby som sa išiel za nich modliť a boli medzi nimi vykonané znamenia a divy. Nikdy to nie sú tí samotní ľudia v tých cirkvách; je to ten systém, pod ktorým sú, ten je tomu na vine. Ale ona bola jedna z takého druhu. Čo to bolo? Čistá závistlivá jedovatá, diablom posadnutá žiarlivosť.
86Mohol by som niečo povedať. Raz na jednom zhromaždení tu v meste, ktoré tu raz bolo, ľudia sa ma pýtali, prečo ma tam nezavolali. Tu to poviem, lebo som doma. Ale jednako, nie je tam žiaden dôvod, je to len žiarlivosť, je to vyznanie, je to modlárstvo. Ako by sme radi každého objali, ale keď sa vám tak vyhýbajú… Ježiš to chcel urobiť. Pamätajte, jedného dňa na to budete musieť spomínať. Budete si to musieť pamätať.
87Pripomína mi to jedno svedectvo, ktoré bolo nedávno povedané. Jeden kazateľ išiel hore výťahom, tu v Heyburnovej budove. A s týmto kazateľom v tom výťahu tiež stáli traja ďalší muži a oni nevedeli, že tento človek bol kazateľ, aspoň myslím, že nie. A ako išli hore, všetci zastavili na ôsmom poschodí. A jeden z nich sa obrátil na toho kazateľa a povedal, „Vieš čo? Toto je asi najbližšie k Nebu, ako sa kedy dostaneme.“
88„Nuž,“ ten kazateľ povedal, „myslím, že máš pravdu. Máš pravdu, lebo pokiaľ dôverujeme vo svoje vlastné zásluhy, toto je najďalej, ako sa kedy dostaneme.“ Tak veru. Pokiaľ máte dôveru v to, čo robíte, pamätáte na to, čo ste vy vykonali. A som si istý, že mnohí z vás vedia, že sme nič nevykonali, nič si nezaslúžime. On povedal, „Predpokladám, že ak dôverujeme vo svoje vlastné zásluhy, toto je najďalej, ako sa kedy dostaneme.“ Nuž, ak sa na to spoliehame, Ďalej sa nedostaneme.
89Ale, ó, rád by som niečo povedal. Ak môžem zabudnúť na to, kým som bol, a pamätať na to, kým On je, ak len môžem pamätať na Ježiša, ak si len môžem spomenúť na Neho na kríži, ak len môžem pamätať na to, čo On pre mňa vykonal a ak môžem pamätať na tú hodinu, kedy On zmyl moje hriechy a dal mi Ducha Svätého, aby ma viedol, potom som pozdvihnutý nad všetko, čo drží túto zem. Som pozdvihnutý nad každú zemskú vec do ponebeských miest v Kristu Ježišovi, kde s Ním môžem mať obecenstvo. Tam v Jeho Prítomnosti, zabúdajúc na to, kým som ja niekedy bol, zabúdajúc na všetky moje hriechy a všetko ostatné, lebo oni sú v mori zabudnutia. Zabudnúc na všetku moju minulosť, zabudnúc na všetko a len pamätať, že On ma urobil Svojím vlastným skrze Jeho vlastnú smrť. On vzal moje miesto. A ja nemám právo ísť nikam inam ako do pekla, On vzal moje miesto a pozdvihol ma z pekla. On tam išiel za mňa. On ma pozdvihol skrze Jeho milosť a hojnosť až doteraz, kedy sme synmi a dcérami Božími a sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi, radujúc sa a pamätajúc na Neho, ktorý nás dosiaľ previedol v bezpečí. A s bijúcou vierou v našich dušiach, ktorá nás tlačí ďalej, a s milosťou, že On ma prevedie.
90A očami viery vidím Jeho Písmo vyplnené. „Všetkých, ktorých On predzvedel, tých povolal; a tých, ktorých povolal, tých ospravedlnil; a všetkých, ktorých ospravedlnil, tých aj oslávil.“ A preto s týmto na mysli, stojím v zhromaždení ľudí, kde je Duch Boží, a ktorí sú vyzdvihnutí, aby sedeli v ponebeských miestach v Kristu Ježišovi. Vyhliadame tú hodinu, kedy sa konečne skončí táto mizerná forma ľudského života, ktorá má smrteľný tlkot srdca, kedy sa len raz zastaví, kedy bude premenené a dostane srdce Ducha, ktoré bude biť navždy ponad to, bez choroby, bez smútku, bez staroby alebo čokoľvek iného.
91Pamätajte na Ježiša. Keď sa v dome vyprázdni nádoba a už nie je viac múky, pamätajte na Ježiša. Keď doktor hovorí, že už nie je šanca, pamätajte na Ježiša. Keď ťa diabol pokúša... ako spievame našu záverečnú pieseň, „Keď sa okolo nás zhromaždia pokušenia, vzdychni to Sväté Meno s modlitbou.“
92Pamätať na Ježiša, pamätať na to, že On sa navráti. Ten istý Ježiš, ktorý bol z nás odobratý, sa znovu podobným spôsobom navráti tak, ako sme Ho videli ísť do neba. Pamätajte, On sa navráti pre Svojich vlastných.
93Pomodlime sa so sklonenými hlavami. S týmto krátkym, potrhaným posolstvom stále vo svojom srdci, či by ste chceli, aby On na vás teraz pamätal? Ak áno, len pozdvihnite svoje ruky a niečo špeciálne, „Pane, pamätaj na mňa.“ Ako ten básnik povedal, „Pamätaj na mňa, keď stekajú slzy.“
94Náš Najvyšší Svätý Otče, v hojnosti sme si užili Prítomnosť Ducha Svätého, ako nám ukázal Slovo Života, ako si pamätáme na tú jamu, z ktorej sme boli vytrhnutí a vzatí, a boli sme utvorení ako Božie deti skrze milosť Ježiša Krista. Pamätám si na Neho, keď mi doktor pozrel do tváre a povedal, „Už len pár minút.“ Pamätám na Ježiša. Pamätám na Ježiša, keď som bol pri oltári a kričal som pre milosť a moja duša bola zaťažená bremenom, pamätám na tú ťarchu, ktorá ma opustila, Ježiš vzal moje bremeno. Pred pár mesiacmi som sedel na lavičke, pozeral som sa do hlavne pušky, aby som vystrelil na svoj cieľ a satan si musel pomyslieť, „Toto je teraz moja príležitosť.“ A keď tá zbraň vybuchla a tá hlaveň a telo a celá tá zbraň sa rozletela, oheň vystrelil všade okolo mňa a snažil som sa povstať na nohy, krv vytekala, pamätám si, že to bol Ježiš. Keď sa ten lekár pozrel a videl, že sa nič zlé nestalo, on povedal, „Viem jedno, a síce, že Pán tam musel sedieť a ochraňovať Svojho služobníka, lebo po takom výbuchu by bol človek normálne rozmetaný na kusy.“ Ó, Bože, ako si všetci pamätáme na tie veci!
95Prichádzame ku Zdroju, ktorý je naplnený Krvou, ktorá prúdi zo žíl Emanuela. Požehnaj nás spolu dnes večer, Pane. Ty poznáš každý cieľ a motív za každým srdcom, ktoré tu pozdvihlo ruku. Ty poznáš tu túžbu a potrebu. A ako Tvoj služobník, Pane, ja idem s nimi a spolu vychádzame z tejto modlitebne a ideme poza oblaky a mesiac a hviezdy a celú mliečnu dráhu, až sa dostávame do Prítomnosti Božej. A predo mnou je rozprestrený zlatý oltár, na ktorom leží tá Obeť, na ktorú pamätáme, Ježiš, ktorý povedal, „Len proste Otca čokoľvek v Mojom Mene a Ja to udelím.“ Nech naša viera nezlyháva, Pane, ale nech pamätáme, že prijímame to, o čo prosíme, ak tomu veríme, ako pamätáme na to, že Ježiš zomrel, aby to pre nás zabezpečil a zaistil to.
96Pane, vidíme, že ty zväčšuješ našu budovu. Bol si to Ty, ktorý si to pre nás urobil, ktorý si nám dal rozšíriť túto cirkev. A vieme, že si to bol Ty, Pane, ktorý nám vôbec túto cirkev na začiatku dal. Modlíme sa, aby si požehnal všetko toto úsilie.
97Pane, modlíme sa za nášho pastora, brata Nevilleho, Tvojho pokorného, dobrosrdečného a verného sluhu. On je ochotný akokoľvek slúžiť bez ohľadu na to, či to je zadná stolička, alebo treba upratať zbor. Kdekoľvek ho Ty potrebuješ, tam on chce byť nástrojom, aby Ti slúžil, kdekoľvek zavoláš. Modlíme sa, Bože, aby si ho požehnal.
98Bože, táto veľká skúška, cez ktorú som práve prešiel, a títo dôverníci, ktorí tu pri mne stáli, a táto cirkev, ktorá sa za mňa modlila, a nakoniec prišlo víťazstvo. Ó, Bože, modlím sa za nich. Tiež na nich pamätám, Pane, a som si istý, že Ty tiež.
99Pamätáme na tie požehnania, ktoré si nám dal. A pamätáme na Tvoje Slovo, že Ty nás nikdy nezanecháš. Staroba s nami nič neurobí, Ty na nás vždy budeš pamätať, keď už svet viac nebude a čas sa vytratí do večnosti. Píše sa niečo také ako, „Či môže matka zabudnúť na svoje dojčené dieťa? Ja na vás nikdy nemôžem zabudnúť. Ste vyrytí na dlaniach Mojich rúk,“ tie klince vyryli naše mená. Vieme, že Ty na nás pamätáš, Pane.
100A nech si vždy v našich najdrahších spomienkach ako náš Spasiteľ, náš Uzdraviteľ, náš Kráľ, náš Milenec, náš Život, naša slnečná žiara, naše všetko vo všetkom, tá nevyčerpateľná fontána Božej milosti a lásky k nám, upadnutým ľudským bytostiam z Adamovej rodiny. Udeľ to, Pane, ako sa teraz porúčame Tebe a odchádzame z tejto modlitebne dnes večer, pamätajúc na Ježiša. Amen.
101Pamätáte na Neho? Milujete Ho? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] Myslím, že teraz v tejto potrhanej kázni môžeme povedať toto. Pavol povedal, „Čokoľvek robíme, robíme to v Duchu.“ Vo všetkých veciach by sme mali pamätať na Neho. Nerobme rozhodnutie, pokiaľ nepamätáme na Neho; nerobme nič, lebo to bude len rozumové. Ak nepriateľ udrie jedno líce, pamätajme na to, čo On urobil pred tým, ako udrieme naspäť. Pamätajme na Jeho skutok. Ak niekedy treba urobiť rozhodnutie, počkajme, pamätajme na to, aké rozhodnutie si myslíme, že by On urobil, a nech je potom to naše rozhodnutie. Ak sa začneme ponáhľať, pamätajme na to, že On sa nikdy neponáhľal. Vidíte? Ak začneme byť prehnane úzkostliví, len pamätajme, že On prebýva vo večnosti a čas pre Neho nič neznamená. Je to ten motív a cieľ nášho srdca. Pamätajme na Neho.
102A pamätajme teraz na Neho, ako spievame túto pieseň v Duchu Jeho Prítomnosti, „Milujem Ho“. Ak prebývate v láske, prebývate v Bohu, lebo Boh je láska. Tí, ktorí prebývajú v Bohu, prebývajú v láske. Vidíte? A láska nemá žiadnu nenávisť. Láska nežiarli. Láska sa nenadúva. Láska nevyvádza. Láska je vždy jemná, milá, odpúšťajúca, príjemná. Bez ohľadu na to, akí nepríjemní sú ostatní, láska vždy zostáva sama sebou. Láska je ten ultimát milosti. Láska je pre nás Božím ultimátom. A po tom, ako zmizli všetky dary a podobne, naše proroctvo, naše jazyky, naše výklady a všetko, čo sme kedy urobili, keď prichádza láska, je to to ultimátum. Je to ponad všetko, lebo všetko ostatné zlyháva. Je to rozhodnutie Najvyššieho súdu. Je to ten hlavný stožiar. Je to Polárka, ktorá sa drží na tej istej úrovni. Je to ten kompas, ktorý nás vedie. Láska je to ultimátum. Pamätajme na to, zatiaľ čo spievame, „Milujem Ho!“
Milujem Ho, milujem Ho,
lebo On prv miloval mňa,
a vykúpil mi spasenie
na kríži Golgoty.
Milujem Ho, milujem Ho,
lebo On prv…
No, pamätajte, „On ma miloval a dal Svojho Syna.“
A vykúpil mi spasenie
na kríži Golgoty.
103 Teraz, zatiaľ, čo naša sestra hraje akordy tejto piesne, [Brat Branham začne hmkať Milujem Ho – pozn.prekl.] vezmime teraz v tejto slasti obecenstva, zatiaľ čo tu spolu sedíme v ponebeských miestach v Kristovi, vezmime všetko z našich sŕdc. A pamätajte, Božie Slovo tak hovorí. Ja som jeho sluha. On je tu. Podajme si teraz s niekým ruku a povedzme, „Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat.“ Ak máte nepriateľa, postavte sa, choďte za ním, „Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat,“ ako znovu spievame refrén tejto piesne a navzájom si podávame ruky. Urobte to teraz, naozaj príjemne v Duchu.
Milujem Ho, [Brat Branham hovorí, „Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat Roy.“]
Milujem Ho,
lebo On prv miloval mňa
a vykúpil mi spasenie...
[Brat Branham podáva ruky.]
Teraz so zodvihnutými rukami.
Milujem Ho, milujem Ho,
lebo… (Pamätajte na Ježiša!)
A vykúpil mi spasenie
na kríži Golgoty.
104Skloňme teraz naše hlavy a hmkajme to. [Brat Branham začína hmkať Milujem Ho – pozn.prekl.] Pamätať na Ježiša! [Brat Branham pokračuje v hmkaní.]
On prv miloval mňa.
[Brat Branham pokračuje v hmkaní.]
...na kríži Golgoty.
105Zatiaľ čo naša sestra jemne hrá akordy piesne, poprosím nášho dobrého brata… Brat Neville, máš niečo, čo chceš povedať? V poriadku. Poprosím brata Collinsa tam vzadu, nášho oddaného brata tu, jedného zo spolupracovníkov, aby nás rozpustil s modlitbou, zatiaľ čo skláňame naše hlavy. Brat Collins.
1 Thank you, Brother Neville. So glad to be here, Brother Neville, and the--the opportunity to set in these Heavenly places again, in Christ Jesus. And numbers never did bother me, it always excites me. You know, I'm more--I'm more at home when I'm with a small number, 'cause that's what I think the Church is. Yeah, I have a Scripture for that, says, "Fear not, little Flock, it's your--your Father's good will to give you the Kingdom." And I would... that's the little Flock I want to be numbered with at that day, the one that He said, "Not to fear." And we're very happy for the privilege of coming down tonight.
2 And I didn't come with the intention of speaking. Just a few moments ago there was someone who had come to the door, and while I was in some study, getting some context ready for some text that I want to use now right away in the oncoming meetings of Phoenix and Tucson, and through there. And I was just getting really feed up in the Spirit, you know, of the good things of God, about an Ultimate, and a subject on Ultimate. And my wife come and she told me that there was someone come to see me, and I--I didn't get it just right, then afterwards, why, said, "Are you going to be down at the church tonight?"
3And I said, "I think so." And I went on trying to keep in the spirit of what I was doing. And she come back and said it was a sick man was coming to be prayed for. I said, "Well, then, I'll go down to church, anyhow, see, and it's pray for the sick." I always, that's... You know, those things are... we should get to them as quick as possible when people are sick and needy. Ever who's been sick knows how to appreciate what it means to be healed by God's great healing power. And such a wonderful thing it is, what a privilege.
4 Now, next coming Sunday, if the Lord is willing, Brother Neville and none of them has anything special, I thought next Sunday morning I--I'd bring my Christmas message to the people, because letting them--letting them... Some of them come from far away, you know, and like Georgia and different places, and that'll let them get back in time to do their Christmas shopping and things.
5And Billy just come out and told me, said my sister, Delores, next Sunday evening just before service, has some kind of a little--a little gifts for the kids, a little program here they're going to, you know, a little Christmas play that they want to put on before the services start. And I said, "Well, that'll be in the Sunday evening won't it?"
Said, "Yes."
I said, "That won't interfere a bit, then."
6 Now, see, next Tuesday is Christmas eve, then if... or next Tuesday, a week, is Christmas. So that would press the people, you see, and then have to go back home on Christmas eve, and on Monday, so I thought that I... yeah, two weeks. That's right, two weeks is right. So I thought maybe I'd come tonight and let the people know, if the Lord is willing, and Brother Neville has nothing special. That, I usually like to give my Christmas message to the church, and my Easter message, and whatever the Lord puts upon my heart to give. And next Sunday, the Lord willing, next Sunday morning I give...
7 And the reason I take it of a morning instead of an evening, where the people that comes from far away, they have the afternoon to travel so they can get home, you see. And I would rather have it at night, I think the evening is much better. I--I like the evening service, when the sun goes down, something, another. It was God in the garden of Eden, to Adam, would come up in the cool of the evening and talk to Adam. See, and I like the evening service. But, and the way the circumstances are here, that it would be better that I had it of a morning, and so the people can get away.
8And I'm grateful that the tabernacle is being extended out here into the next place out a-past us here, having some more room added to it. After all the stewing and fussing, finally we got it anyhow. You know, old Brother Bosworth used to have a sense of humor, said, "The baby that cries the loudest gets the most attention." So that's kind of a whole lot, you know, and so I think it pays us to cry a little bit once in a while, don't you think so?
9 So, and I want to comment Brother Anthony and his associates here for that lovely music. I just walked in and heard that. And, you know, them instruments is trumpets. I've wanted one of my children, at least one of them, to play a trumpet, I--I... and them blowing instruments.
10Becky started on the piano, but she's at that little teen-age something, you know, that's, she wants to give it up now. And--and she started... The teacher said they'd have to start on popular music. Not, now, I don't mean... you know what I mean, overtures, and so forth, of classic music, in order to get the religious music to it. When she gets up to her high grades in that, then she thinks, "Well, I'll just quit." And I--I... kids are a problem. And, anyhow, it has to be a calling of God, to begin with. I believe her sister, Sarah, back there is going to beat her, anyhow, and never had a lesson. So, so then the calling of God is better when it's gifted like that.
11But I like a trumpet. I remember when they dedicated this tabernacle out there at the corner, the trumpets rang for a half a day out here, "Down at the cross where my Saviour died, down there for pardon from sin I cried, there to my heart was the Blood applied," when I was dropping in my context into the cornerstone.
12 And I remember one night at Trinity Methodist church, when old Doctor Morrison... Many of you people that lived back in my days remember Doctor Morrison, an old sainted man. Asbury lost one of the greatest man since Asbury, when they lost Doctor Morrison, to his age, a godly old man. And I always loved to hear him preach. And I went over to hear him over at the Trinity Methodist church there. And that night, two boys stepped out in a little balcony just as wife and I were walking up, and they were holding their trumpets in the air like that, and those instruments there, and they played that, "Down at the cross where my Saviour died!" That big cross up on top, revolving around. I just stood on the street and lifted up my hands, just begin to praising God right out. I couldn't help it.
13There is some kind of an emotion within a born-again Christian, when It pulsates, there's something has to happen, that's all there is to it. Oh, I... There's nothing like an old-time Christian. That's right. Wouldn't take nothing for it, my experience, wouldn't swap it for no riches of the world, or the whole world, nor all the solar system and all, for what Jesus has taught me of Himself.
14 There's a certain man that's sits with us, every time I look back my heart jumps. It's a man I see him taking communion, other night, walks on a crutch. Did anybody ever tell you you look like Oral Roberts? [The brother says, "Well, brother, you did, right as I walked in here now. I been waiting for you to recognize that."--Ed.] I tell you, every time I... How many... You've seen Oral Roberts, nearly all of you. If he don't look like Oral Roberts! I just happened to look back. And I--I think he's a little bigger man than Oral is. But just to look the way he combs his hair, and his forehead and his features, and always kind of a dignified-looking person, sitting like Oral. And so I--I always think, "Brother Oral?" Looks just something like him.
15Brother Oral is starting some kind of a Bible school out there now, I believe, or something. I heard about it the other day. What is it? [Brother Neville says, "University."--Ed.] University. Yes. Brother Carl Williams is one of his ultimates on it, of some sort, I don't know just what it is now.
16 Now, now remember, Sunday, the Lord willing, we'll start, I have the Easter... or the Christmas message. And then I'm--I'm grateful about the tabernacle being started. And then I hope that this will be not only an addition to number, but it will be the addition to grace that God will grant our church, our movement, our... not movement, but our congregation that we have assembled together. We love it.
17And--and I'd just like to say this. I'm not going to take much time. But, I have many things I ought to say, but I'm not, it would take too much time. But, I'd like to say this, it's something that I cannot say. There's things (everyone understands) that you know, and it's in the Name of the Lord, yet you cannot say it. You see, you've got to keep it to yourself. See? But a certain event that's moving up, and has been for some time, that's fixing to take place, that I have been alarmed at watching the Holy Spirit move among the people to that spot, and them knowing not one earthly thing, see, but see the Holy Spirit moving to that. I'll reveal it, the Lord willing, some convenient time. Now, remember, that shows God among them.
18 As someone, I believe, brother, yes, said a while ago, Brother Neville said that, "God, not accounting our--our disorder among us, our misbehaving in His sight." That the seer that went to look upon Israel, and could see it with the natural eye, and how unorderly it was, how that they had did wrong and they should be cursed. But what the bishop failed to see was that smitten Rock and that Brass Serpent, see, making atonement. So, you see, when--when Balaam looked upon Israel, he saw a reason to curse them. See? But when God looked upon them, He saw the atonement. He said, "You're like a unicorn." Amen. "Who will put anything in your way? How godly, how righteous are thy tents!" That's the way God saw them. See? Not the way man saw them, not the way the--the great dignitaries saw them; but the way He saw them.
19And, O God, let that be my portion! Let that be my portion, for I have nothing within myself that I could claim. "Nothing in my hands I bring, just simply to Thy cross I cling." See, that's all we have.
20 Well, this is prayer meeting night, or not prayer meeting night, but this is kind of an evangelistic group here. We--we like to place the Word. And maybe I'd like to speak to you tonight for a few minutes. Many of you that would like to turn in the Scripture... Well, do you know, the strange thing, that opened just exactly to it, to the text that I was going to read. Yes, sir. Strange. That was First Corinthians, the 11th chapter, and some notes that I had wrote down here, somewhere in here, that I was thinking of, if I can find it just now, on First Corinthians, the--the--the 11th chapter. Right here it is, right here. Yes, sir.
21Now, before we approach the Word, let's approach the Author, see, Who is the Word, that we might ask for mercy and for His blessings while we study Him Who is the Word. Let us pray.
22 O Lord God, full of grace and mercy, Who has been willing through the age, after man had sinned and put that great chasm between him and Thee, one that he could not cross back by himself. He was absolutely, totally lost, without a way back. But the God of... full of all grace, was willing to take a Substitute in his place, and brought him back. That has thrilled the hearts of all that's ever known of Thee, Lord, how that in Thy great love and grace You took a Substitute! And as we have just got through expressing it, Lord, it's on that Substitute that we rely on tonight, that One Who died instead of us sinners, that righteous One Who was taken upon Him our unrighteousness. It is in Him that we trust.
23Now we solemnly come to His Word, with bowed hearts and heads, in reverence and in respect and in gratefulness. And asking that You will send to us tonight, grace, by the Holy Spirit, and will give us the--the Bread of Life that we need to sustain us. You know exactly what we have need of, and we know that Thou hast promised that if we would ask we shall receive.
24 We would remember tonight, Lord, all those that we know that's sick and needy, that the grace of God will be given to them in great abundance. And, Father, we pray for those who have fallen away, that this coming-on holiday will bring a remembrance to their heart, that from where they once was, and have fallen to the outward space of Your fellowship. God, we pray that they'll return (grant it, Lord), return to the congregation, to the--to the Assembly of the Firstborn, return back to where there is grace and mercy, and love and kindness, and healing of our souls, our minds and our bodies. Grant it, Lord. Bless the Word tonight. Strengthen us all, and give us of Thy blessings, as we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
25 Now, for just a few moments I'd like to call your attentions to First Corinthians, the 11th chapter, 23rd, 24th, and 25th verse.
For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
And when he had gave thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, and eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
26If I should call this just a little text that I'd like to refer to, would be this: Remembering The Lord. It sound like a night that... or a message that should been preached on last Sunday, in the Lord's supper. But I want to approach it just in a little different angle for a few minutes, while we collect our--our thinkings together, and in worship of the Lord.
27 We could, of course, begin with the Lord's table, because that is a good place where we all remember. Remembering the Lord at His table, which, really, the text refers to that. But, that's, Paul said that we are to take the cup and--and to drink the--the blood, and to eat the kosher bread, in remembrance, to remember what He did for us. And as--as you do it, you don't want to make it just a common, everyday thing; you want to really come, remembering the Lord. See? Remember that it was His grace and His mercy, and that alone, that gives you the only hope that you have. No matter what you would ever do, there is nothing nowhere that can anyways come near what Christ did for you.
28 I have had a sad experience this week, and yet a glorious one, I could call it, I buried a brother that once set with us here. And many of you know the occasion. It was our gracious Brother Rogers, Busty Rogers, as we called him, Everett. And Brother Banks Wood here, and Brother Sothmann, we went together to the funeral service.
29And--and I took a ride in the snow, out to the old place where I had first buried him, about twenty-five years ago. That time when I buried him, it was in muddy water, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we passed over the old familiar bridge there at Totten's Ford, I was speaking to my brethren, and said, "One day when a certain denominational minister had had a--a big tent there, he said, 'That little radic' down there at the Baptist church, that's baptizing the people in the Name of Jesus Christ.' He said, 'If any person that even was baptized in such a way, would not even be welcome under my tent.'"
30And at that time there happened to be some sitting there that had been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and that was Brother George Wright and his family. They just... Only thing they could do was not go back.
31 So that day at the ford, oh, he just left his meeting and had come down to kind of watch on, and his congregation was standing there. And I got up to the place. And there had been a rain up the hills up there, and the muddy fields had washed in, its little tributaries had got the Blue River very muddy. I walked out into the water, around waist deep. And I... One of the trustees, or deacons, rather, handed me the Bible, and I read where Peter said on the Day of Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
32 It was that day that Georgie Carter was laying there, trying to raise her hands, only weighing about sixty-something pounds, been nine years and eight months in the bed, without moving. And her people, the church that she belonged to, had said, if anybody even come to my meeting, they'd be excommunicated from their fellowship at the church. And so it was that same evening that she was instantly healed. And then she wanted to be baptized like the little Nail girl that was up there; that I had saw a vision, and you know the story, her hands and legs drawed up; and went in the vision and the power of the Spirit, laid hands upon her, there she come out and was healed. And so she had belonged to the same. Well, it was a Methodist church. The Methodist minister, Brother Smith, was the one standing on the bank with his congregation.
33And I started to baptizing in the Bible, Christian baptism. And about the time I had baptized five or six people, all of a sudden the lines and file broke up, there on the hill. Here come that Methodist bunch right down with their good clothes on, to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And one by one, ladies in their pretty silk and summer garments, walking out through that mud, wiping the face with tears, and lipstick washing off, coming out to--to make--make confession and--and to be baptized.
34 And along with that bunch, a strong, wide-shouldered, kind of a GI haircut, wide face, sturdy-looking man walked out there with his pretty, blue serge suit on. He said, "I, too, have made my decision." That was Busty Rogers, without anybody telling him anything. There I buried him in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, upon his confession.
35And last week I placed him under the sod at Milltown. And I spoke on the sermon of: The Perfectness Of The Resurrection. I have been a missionary, and seeing the different gods and the philosophers; and that's all any of it is, outside of Christianity, it's only a philosophy, how that they believe this, that, or the other. But the great Creator Who made the creation! There has to be a Creator if there is a creation. And if there is a creation, it was made by a Creator. And any man's work reflects himself. He's a good carpenter, he does good work, he builds. And if he's a good mechanic, he does good work. Your work only reflects you. And God's creation reflects God. And God made everything for a purpose. And everything that serves God's purpose, when it dies, it has a resurrection. Tell me one thing. And I brought in many things, like the flowers and the trees.
36 And how the sun comes up of a morning, a little baby born, it's weak, its rays is. About ten o'clock, it's a teen-ager. And at twelve o'clock she's shining in her strength, in the beauty of woman- or manhood. And about two o'clock in the afternoon, it's getting about like me. And then about five o'clock in the afternoon, it's getting like grandfather, she's laying down. And finally her rays cool off from the earth, and she dies. Is that the end of it? She served God's purpose. She raised up the botany life as she come across the earth. All the plants that would been dead the year before, she raised it up. Is that the end of her when she serves God's purpose? She rises again the next morning, with a new life! Every tree does the same, everything else, everything, moon, stars, solar system, everything promises.
37And if a man serves God's purpose, there is a resurrection just as sure as anything. Only thing it has to do, is, God just waiting on time, just like He is now.
38 The great leaves has just falled off the trees, fallen off, rather. Where the red, green, blue, brown, all different colors across the great breast of the earth, where God's nature layed dead beneath it, God just planted out His bouquet. But He knows when He plants the bouquet, there's a resurrection in spring! The world has to just to come around its orbit until it gets back right with the sun again, and it will rise in funeral flowers.
39Never say, "This is the end," no more than the leaves, brown on the tree, says it's the end. Only thing it has to do, is for the time cycle of God to float around, until the time of the coming of the Son of God. And every living creature that ever died in Christ will come forth again. In His Presence, remembering Him. Oh, when I come to the end of my road, I want to die in His Presence, remembering Him, that He is the resurrection and Life. He is that One.
40 Then as we come to the table of the Lord. The table of the Lord, as I have explained it here before, is not... We believe what we call "the communion" is--is the taking of the bread. We place the wrong--the--the wrong... We place the right thing in the wrong place. It isn't the bread that matters, it isn't the wine that matters, that's the kosher bread and the wine. But the thing that is, is, communion means "to talk to," and, in talking to Him, remembering Him. I think it's the most blessed time of the services. See? Every hour of our life ought to be a communion.
41 A communion with the Lord is like an oasis in a desert. It's like the spring underneath the pond, that where the--the traveler coming by, stops and drinks the water till he quenches his thirst. That's remembering the Lord. Coming by the order of His table, where the passing pilgrim that--that's sojourning here on earth with us, together, that we can come by His table, and there drink of His blessings and of His grace and of His Word, in fellowship around His Word, until our thirsty souls are satisfied. And then we leave the place of worship, refreshed, satisfied; going out to meet the desert's problems again, the problems of life's desert. Yes, an oasis in the desert, refreshing ourselves, making ourself when we're thirsty.
42 It should be with every worshipper. It satis-... It is with every true worshipper, that they long to get together. There's something about the fellowship that--that's Divine, it's ordered of God, and it's holy, sacred. And the righteous are thirsting for it.
43As David said, that his "soul thirsted after God, like the hart did the water brook." The little wounded deer that the hounds has jerked plugs from its side, and it's--it's jerked away from it. And it stands, panting and watching. Where, smelling with its sense that God give it, it can smell water for miles. And it holds its little head in the air while it's bleeding it's life out. And it knows, if it can ever get to that spring, that it can live. No one's going to catch him then. He can ever get to water, he'll fool every dog you could put after him, for he knows he--he's found the life-giving resource.
44 And when the church gets to that place, where that Christ means so much to us that we thirst to get in His Presence and with each other, it's a Life-giving Resource. No Devil can ever overtake you. Even death itself is defeated there. Oh, what a hope! What a place! Refresh ourself. And, in doing so, remembering Christ was the One Who made it possible for us. He was the One Who did these things for us, we must remember Him. For, remember, once we was aliens and without God, Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols. But, remember, Christ died not for the Jew, but for every creature of Adam's fallen race, Christ died.
45 As we come to remember Him at His spring of--of communion, it--it ought to remind us of back in the time like Israel was in their journeying. And they come, yet in the very line of duty, on their road from Egypt to their deliverance, to the promised land, and, in their very act of duty, got without water. And it was dry in every look, place, every... under every hill that where there should be springs, there was none. And they were perishing in the desert. And then there appeared the Rock, that Moses smote this Rock and from it came abundance of water. Every thirsty man, every thirsty woman, child, or even every thirsty beast, could drink abundance of water.
46 As John 3:16, the golden text of the Bible, said, "As God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (believeth, commune, remembers Him) shall not perish, but will have Eternal Life." Remembering Christ was our Rock that was smitten, to save a perishing world, a perishing Gentile, a perishing Jew, a perishing world. Christ gave forth His Life in abundance, that everybody that hungered and thirst, said the prophet, "Lo, come ye to the fountain, buy of Me milk and honey without price." Come, because it's the communion, come in remembrance of the Lord.
47 I can think of the remembrance of the Lord again at a place of refreshment, in the well called Beerlahairoi, which means in the Hebrew tongue, "The well of Him that liveth and seeth me." Hagar, misunderstood, yet in the line of duty. Misunderstood, misjudged, and was cast out, with no place to go, with a perishing child, and the water was spent in the bottle. And the little fellow was crying. And only a mother's heart would know what it meant to hear that cry for water, as his little tongue swelling, and his lips parched, and her baby weakening every minute. Cast out, right in the line of duty, no place to go. She had done without, herself, till she squeezed the last drop over his little parching lips. And then the bottle was dry, and she laid it down and started on. And the little fellow screaming for water, and he got weaker and weaker; and her only child.
48 No doubt but what her innocent heart would cry out, "O God, what have I done? What have I done?" And she couldn't stand to see the child die in her arms, so she laid him under a bush. And she went about a bow shot, probably a hundred yards or more, and seen a little tree, and she knelt down and there she begin to weep. For she wondered, "Why?" If she did what was right, why should this thing come upon her? Many times we think that of our sickness and afflictions, see, but maybe it's all done to show grace and mercy. And while she thought, she heard the little faint cries as they finally faded out, for water.
49She heard a Voice speak and said, "Why weepest thou? What are you weeping for?"
50And she looked up, and she saw the well bubbling up. What a spring of refreshment! Beerlahairoi, I may have that pronounced wrong. B, double e, r-l-a-h-a-i-r-o-i, which means, "The well of Him that liveth and seeth me! Him that can't die! Melchisedec! El Shaddai! Him that liveth and seeth me, knowing my needs, He's remembered me. And there He remembered me as I remembered Him, and I know that He liveth and He has sprung up here in the desert, this well."
51 Oh, could we apply that in an hour's message right now, of this day now, when the desert of the churches, the denominationals, and--and the--the--the social Gospel preachers and the--the fashions of the world has creeped in, and has denominated and broke up.
52And then to think that there stands again tonight, at the well of Him that liveth and seeth me. That's what remembering Christ should mean to the worshipper. Yes. Oh, she was misunderstood and was cast out. Jesus said, when He was here on the earth, "I am the living Waters, I am the Waters of Life."
53 And I want to draw another little thought here that comes to my mind. When Jesus was on trial, and for nothing else but mockery's sake, by... He was sent from Pilate to Herod. Now, Pilate didn't have to do that, and, you know, as he tried to wash his hands of it. But once on your hands, you got to make your decision. You can't push it on somebody else. It's you, as an individual. But He, He was sent to Herod, just to--to make a--a mock of, because He had quite a name of being a miracle-worker and so forth, and He was an outcast from the church. So Pilate himself, he thought he'd just send Him over to Herod, and maybe it would kind of straighten up the old grudge they had, one against the other.
54 And so Jesus was taken across the streets and down through the places till He met the higher court, Herod. And when He met Herod, and Herod was presented with his only opportunity! How foolish can a man be? If Herod would have only knew that standing before him was the fulfillment of every Hebrew prophet of the long... and the church of the world, which stood before him, the fulfillment of every sage and prophet that had ever spoke. The opportunity to have satisfied his sinful heart with grace and mercy. What a foolish man he was!
55And yet not as much foolish as a man today that's presented with the same thing 'cause we've had two thousand more years of His teaching, of His mercy. But what a--a foolish thing that Herod did when he stood before Him and never asked Him for grace and mercy, never asked for pardoning of sin. He never knew that standing... I don't think the man realized that standing before him was such a Person. Let's let that soak for a minute. Because the Man had not such a--a social name of great social standings, of different organizations and--and clubs, and so forth, that He was associated with. He didn't have a name like that.
56 But He did have, among the people that knowed the Bible and knowed the promise. And may I go a little stronger, them that were predestinated unto Eternal Life, they recognized it the moment He stood there.
57But Herod hadn't learned this, he never knew it. What a sad thing. All that the prophets had spoke of for four thousand years, the fulfillment of the cry of the world stood before him. There in his presence stood all the fulfillment. And as I might say this again, we'd think he was a foolish man 'cause he made a foolish decision, for, you notice he never asked him for mercy. He asked Him to--to entertain him. "Oh, I have heard that You are a--a miracle-worker." He asked for entertainment in the stead of mercy.
58That's what the world, today, expressing back the very decision of Herod, when they see the miracle-working Christ doing the same thing today that He did then, and the only things they require, "Let me see you do such-and-such." You say Herod will have a bad place to stand? The man of this day will have a worse place to stand! Herod had four thousand years of experience, the prophets and sages. We've got six thousand, with a super teaching to what they had then. Certainly. What a thing it did! So is it today, same thing!
59 What was the matter? Herod never give it a serious thought. He never stopped to consider.
60And that's the way with the people of today. They see this great something, it's got them startled, but they don't stop long enough. They're trying to listen to some rabbi or some theologian who explains It all away. And yet, how when I think of Jeffersonville, how oft would I have hovered you as a hen would her brood, but you would not. How oft would I have gathered you? How oft would I have made this the--the garden spot where all nations would have flown into, but you would not. See? See?
61Now, see what will Herod have to remember in that day? His grand opportunity, he turned it down. And yonder somewhere in the regions of the lost, tonight, he's remembering what he did about it. It's too late now.
62 Don't let that be to us. This is our visitation time. Let's remember Christ, that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. Don't wait till some regions yonder, in the damned, in that dimension where you cannot go in the Presence of God, and your time is up on earth, in the nightmare of horror you'll remember you had your opportunity and turned it away. Let the young people take notice to this. Let all take notice to it.
63Herod never give it a serious thought. His only occasion, he only asked to be entertained, and that Jesus might do some kind of a trick, take a rabbit out of the hat, or, you know, or something. He thought He might be, in otherwise, he regarded It as like a magician. "We've heard that You can do pranks. Let me see You do Your prank now."
64 And may I say this with reverence. But how many times has so-called ministers of this day, has said, "If there be a Holy Ghost, if you believe that the Holy Ghost is just like it was in the beginning, let me see you take old So-and-so over here, or this, oh, this man over here, this woman over here. I'll go get them. Let me see you perform it."
65Do they realize that that's the same spirit (no, they don't) that said to Jesus, "If Thou be the Son of God, take, make these stones bread. If Thou be the Son of God, tell us who hit You on the head. If You're a Prophet, tell us who hit You," with a rag around His face. Hit Him on the head, and then pass the stick one to another, said, "Tell us, if You're a Prophet. Tell us who hit You, we'll believe You then. Tell us, if You are the Son of God. We're honest in our hearts. If You're the Son of God, come down off the cross and we'll believe You're the Son of God."
66 I wonder if many people today, both men, women, young and old, are not standing in that same spot. And you're going to remember, someday, that you were in His Presence, at His Fountain; and wanted to see a prank, or wanted to see a trick or something another, "That'd make me believe It. Let me have a shiver over my back, and let me do this or that, I'll believe It." See, some sensation, is plain idolatry! Let me...
67 You know, Jesus said in one case, He asked a question. I'd like to ask the church tonight this. Jesus said, "Why? Why? Why do you call Me your 'Lord,' and do not the things that I commanded you to do? Why could you call Me 'Lord,' and keep not My Word? Why can you call Me 'Lord,' and deny the things that I have commanded you to preach and teach?" What is it? What does it? It's because that some denominational tradition stands between them and the Word. And anything that stands between you and God, is an idol, it takes the place of God. Why call you "Lord"? Lord means "ownership," Lord owns the property. And if God owns me, if I am His, and He turned me around one day when I was on the wrong road, and called me for a purpose, what am I to do but to fulfill His desire, like He did Peter. How can I do anything else than to keep His Word? "Why do you call Me 'Lord'?"
68 I want to call another fellow here, see about him. What about Judas, what he has to remember Him by? We're talking about remembering the Lord. Judas tonight and, oh, until he's no more, will have to remember that he sold his birthrights. He sold Jesus for personal gain. We ridicule Judas--Judas. We say he was a filthy, bad guy, he's not fit for no place or no society, he isn't fit for Heaven. Why? He sold his Lord, after he had the opportunity to even to be a--a disciple, to be an apostle, the highest calling in the Bible, higher than a prophet. He had the opportunity to be a--an apostle, and sold that right for personal gain. And now he has to remember that. That's how he remembers Jesus: personal gain.
69And I wonder how many of them tonight yet stand in the pulpit, yet wear the robe of the choir, sit in the seat of the deacon, or take the place of the treasurer, trustee, or whatever it might be, his position in church, or the minister at the pulpit, and still selling his opportunity for personal praise, "Doctor, Bishop So-and-so," for personal praise, personal gain.
70 A man said to me once, "I believe that's the Truth. But if I preached that, I'd be begging there in the street."
71Do you remember the rich man and Lazarus, what their last and their Eternal stage stood at? Though one had... was a beggar, and the other was a rich man, but the picture changed one day and both of them could remember. So, people tonight holler about Judas that sold Him for personal gain, and so many do the same thing today, sell Him for personal gain.
72The priest of them days will also remember they sold their chance of Him, their chance to become His servant, to become His disciple, to become a convert to Him. They sold it for green poisoned jealousy. They were jealous of His Doctrine. Why, when He was just twelve years old, He could stump them any way; and not recognize it, that that was Messiah. They could not do the things that He did. And they were afraid that they would lose their prestige before the higher up-and-up people, and they sold their opportunity. And they're just as guilty as Herod was.
73 And the church member of today is the same. If they trusted in their denominations and so forth, them days, and was afraid of their--of their prestige, they'd be put out of the synagogues, what was it then? It was idolatry! Worshipping an idol creed or an idol church religion, instead of accepting the living Word which was manifested before them.
74And they saw the Word of God. The Bible said, "We have seen Him and handled Him." Human beings laid hands upon the literal, living, manifested Word of the living God; and let traditions and creeds stand between them, washing pots and pans, such a filthy thing stand between them and the living God. Yes.
75What was it? They were prejudice. They were prejudice against His clean, clear-cut Gospel Scripture that He was teaching, the Father's Word. They were jealous of Him. They were prejudice of Him. And as long as they have a remembrance, which, still in hell they'll remember, that's the way they'll be remembered. That's the way they'll have to remember Him.
You say, "Oh, that was the Pharisees."
76 There's a little lady that used to come to this church. Oh, I suppose maybe many of you know her, she lives down the street here a ways. She had fallen away. And everytime I see her, she runs to me, puts her hands in mine, "Brother Bill, pray for me. I'm backslid." Her husband is a... No, I think they live right up the street here. I've seen her in the Spirit, seen the Spirit of God on her, and her dancing, rejoicing, and so forth. And she had fallen away. And she was laying recently in the hospital out here, dying, they thought. And she sent for me to come pray for her.
77She and her husband was awfully good to my wife, when my wife, a little, ragged, dirty-faced girl, and they would buy her a little dress or something now and then, to help her to go to school. No matter how little it is, you can't do one thing for God 'less He remembers it. "Insomuch as you have done unto the least of these My little ones, you've done it unto Me." And like bread upon the water, it will return.
78 There laid this poor, little, backslidden woman, crying, holding my hand. And she... I said, "Well, sister, I'll--I'll have prayer for you."
79And laying next bed to her was a woman laying there with her hands crossed, looking at me. And her young son sitting by her side, of about twenty, a modern ricky-looking.
80So, not no disregard if somebody's name should be Ricky, but I mean that's a... you never heard of a name like that in days gone by. Elvis and Ricky, and it's just a name of the age, you see. If you got a child named that, call it its middle name, so, or give it one.
81 Then when she sitting there like that, looked over, and I started to bow my head, and I seen her looking real... She said, "Wait a minute! Pull that curtain!"
82I said, "I was only going to offer prayer for the lady. Aren't--aren't you a--a believer?"
83She said, "I'll tell you now, we are Methodists, and we want you to pull that curtain!"
"Yes, ma'am," and I pulled the curtain.
84See, the same thing. The same thing today, so prejudiced! How did she know what kind of a minister I was? I had never seen the woman. But she probably had heard somebody say that I believed in the healing of the sick, and she had been taught against it. She had nothing to do with it, she washed her hands of it. She was afraid it would fall on her. Don't worry, it won't, no more than Pilate could wash it off of his hand.
85 Now, that isn't saying anything disgracefully about Methodist people; that was just one woman. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] See? It might have just been her attitude. I don't think all the Methodist people would be like that, 'cause I've prayed for many of them. They call me to pray for them, and signs and wonders has been done among them. It never is the people in them churches; it's the system that they're under, that's what does it. But she was one of them kind. What was it? Pure green-eyed poison, Devil-possessed jealousy.
86I could say something. At--at a certain meeting that was here in the city one time, and they asked why they didn't call me to it. But I'll just pass that because I'm at home. But, and however, no reason, it's just jealousy, it's creed, it's idolatry. How that we would like to throw our arms to everyone, but when you're shunned... Jesus wanted to do it. Remember, someday you've got to remember that. You've got to remember it.
87 Just reminds me of a testimony that was made recently. A minister, and was on an elevator going up, over here at the Heyburn Building. And there were three man standing with this minister on the--on the elevator, and they--they didn't know this man was a minister, I suppose not. And as they went up, they all stopped at the eighth floor. And one man looked around to the minister, and said, "You know what? This is just about as close to Heaven as we'll ever get."
88"Well," the minister said, "I--I suppose you're right. I--I guess that you are right, for as long as we are trusting in our own merits, this is as close as we'll ever be." That's right. As long as you're trusting in what you do, you're remembering what you done. And I'm sure that most of us know we didn't do nothing, we're not deserving of anything. Said, "I suppose if we're trusting our own merits, this is as far as we'll ever get." Well, if we're trusting, that's as far as we'll get.
89 But, oh, I'd like to say something. If I can forget what I was, and remember what He is, if I can remember Jesus, if I can remember Him at the cross, if I can remember what He done for me, and I can remember the hour that He washed away my sins, and give me the Holy Spirit to guide me, then I'm lifted above everything that holds this earth. I'm lifted above every earthly thing, into Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, where I can fellowship with Him. There in His Presence, forgetting what I ever was, forgetting all my sins and everything, because they're in the Sea of Forgetfulness. Forgetting all my past, forgetting everything, and remember that He made me His Own, by His Own death. He took my place. And I that had not a right to go nowhere but to hell, He took my place and lifted me from hell. He went there for me. And He lifted me up by His grace abundance, until now we are sons and daughters of God, and we sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ever rejoicing and remembering Him Who brought us safe thus far. And with pulsating faith in our souls, pressing us, and by grace He'll take me on.
90 And by eyes of faith I see His Scripture fulfill, "All that He foreknew, He has called; all that He called, He has justified; and all that He has justified, He has glorified." Therefore with this in thought, I stand in the congregation of the people, where the Spirit of God is, and are lifted up to sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Looking for the hour when this vile figure of human life that's got a mortal heartbeat, and which has to stop someday, when it'll be changed and given a heart of the Spirit that will beat throughout all ceaseless time beyond that, without sickness, without sorrow, without old age or anything.
91 Remember Jesus. When the barrel gets empty at the house, and there's no more flour, remember Jesus. When the doctor says there's no more chance, remember Jesus. When the Devil is tempting you; as we sing our dismissing song, "when temptations around us gather, breathe that Holy Name in prayer."
92Remembering Jesus, remembering that He will come again. The same Jesus that was taken away from us will return again in like manner as we have seen Him go into Heaven. Remember, He will return for those of His Own.
93Let us pray, and with our heads bowed. And with this little broke-up Message still in your heart, would you like for Him to remember you now? If you would, just raise your hands, and some special thing, "Lord, remember me." As the poet said, "Remember me when tears are falling down."
94 Our Most Holy Father, we have immensely enjoyed the Presence of the Holy Spirit, as He has shown to us the Word of Life, as we remember the pit from which we were hewn and have now been taken from that pit and molded into God's children, by the grace of Jesus Christ. I remember Him, when a doctor looked in my face and said, "It's just a few more minutes," I remember Jesus. I remember Jesus, when I was at the altar crying for mercy and my soul was burdened down, I remember the load that left me. Jesus took my burden. A few months ago, sitting on the bench, looking down the scope of a gun barrel, to shoot a target, and Satan must have thought, "This is my opportunity now." And when the gun exploded, and the barrel and stock and the gun action went every way, and the fire flew all around me, and I tried to raise to my feet, and the blood spurting, I remember it was Jesus. When the doctor, when he looked and seen no harm done, he said, "The only thing I know, that the Lord must have been sitting there, too, protecting His servant, he should have been blown to pieces by such an explosion." O God, how we all remember those things!
95 We come to the Fountain filled with Blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins. Bless us, Lord, together tonight. You know the--the objective and the motive behind every heart that raised a hand. You know the desire and the need. And as Your servant, Lord, I--I come with them, and--and up out of this Tabernacle now (by faith) we go, beyond the clouds and the moon, and the stars and the--the milky white way, and now we arrive in the Presence of God. And stretched across in front of me is a golden altar, on there lays the Sacrifice that we remember, Jesus, that said, "Just ask the Father anything in My Name, I'll--I'll grant it." Let our faith fail not, Lord, but let us remember that we receive what we ask for, if we believe it, as we remember Jesus died to secure it for us and to make it sure.
96 Lord, we see that You're increasing our building. It was You that did this for us, that give us this extension of the church. And we know that it was You, Lord, Who gave us the church in the beginning. We pray that You would bless these efforts.
97Lord, we pray for our pastor, Brother Neville, Your humble and gracious, faithful servant. Is willing to minister in any capacity, no matter if it's in the back seat or if it's to clean up the church. Wherever You need Him, there he wants to be instrumental, to serve You wherever You call. We pray, God, that--that You bless him.
98God, this great trial that I've just come through, and these trustees who stood by me, and this church who--who prayed for me, and finally the victory came. O God, I pray for them. I remember them, too, Lord, and I'm sure You do.
99 We remember the blessings that You have been to us. And we remember Your Word, that You would never leave us nor forsake us. Old age will have nothing to do it, You'll still remember us, when the world shall be no more and time shall fade into Eternity. It is written something like this, "Could a mother forget her suckling babe? I can never forget you. You're engraved upon the palms of My hands," the nails that engraved our names. We know that You remember us, Lord.
100And may You always be in our fondest memories, as our Saviour, our Healer, our King, our Lover, our Life, our Sunshine, our All-in-All, that inexhaustible fountain of God's grace and love to we fallen human beings of Adam's family. Grant it, Lord, as we commit ourselves to Thee now, going from the Tabernacle tonight, remembering Jesus. Amen.
101 Do you remember Him? You love Him? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Now I think, in our little broken Message, we might say this. Paul said, "Whatever we do, we do in the Spirit." In all things we should remember Him. Let's not make a decision until we remember Him; let's do nothing, 'cause it'll be rational. If the enemy smites one side of the cheek, let's remember what He did before we smite back. Let's remember His action. If there is a decision to be made, let's wait, remember what kind of a decision we think He would make, then let that be our decision. If we get hasty, let's remember He never was in a hurry. See? If we get over anxious, remember He dwells in Eternity, time means nothing to Him. It's the motive and objective of our heart. Let's remember Him.
102 And let's remember Him now as we sing this song in the Spirit of His Presence, I Love Him. If you dwell in love, you dwell in God, for God is love. They that dwell in God dwell in love. See? And love has no hatred. Love is not jealous. Love is not puffed up. Love doth not misbehave itself. Love is always gentle, sweet, forgiving, kind. No matter how bitter the others is, love remains itself. Love is the ultimate of grace. Love is God's ultimata for us. After all other gifts and things has vanished, our prophecy, our tongues, our interpretations, all that we've ever done, or whatmore, when love comes in, it's the ultimate. It's above all, 'cause all other fails. It's--it's the Supreme Court's decision. It's the tie Post. It's the North Star that keeps the seamen level. It's the Compass that guides us. Love is the ultimate. Let's remember it as we sing, "I love Him."
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first...
Now remember, "He loved me, and gave His Son."
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
103 Now while our sister chords this song for us, [Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.] let's just in sweetness of fellowship, while we're sitting together in Heavenly places in Christ, now take all, everything from your heart. And remember, God's Word says so. I am His servant. He's here. Then let's just shake hands with somebody, and say, "God bless you, brother." If you've got an enemy, rise up and go to him, see, "God bless you, brother," as we sing the chorus again and shake hands with one another. Won't you do it now, real sweetly in the Spirit.
I love Him, [Brother Branham says, "God bless you, Brother Roy."] I love Him
Because... first loved me
And purchased my salvation
[Brother Branham shakes hands.]
With our hands up now.
I love Him, I love Him
Because... (Remember Jesus!)
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
104 Now let's bow our heads and hum it. [Brother Branham begins humming I Love Him--Ed.] Remembering Jesus! [Brother Branham continues humming.]
He first loved me.
[Brother Branham continues humming.]
On Calvary's tree.
105Now as our sister chords, sweetly and softly, I'm going to ask our good brother... Brother Neville, you got a word you want to say, anything? All right. I'm going to ask Brother Collins back there, our loyal, little brother here, one of the associates, if he would dismiss us in prayer. While we bow our heads, Brother Collins.