Sunday sermon by pastor Rajesh Mathew, 11 October 2021

Acts 1:11-1 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manneras you saw Him go into heaven.”

• The angels are saying, this SAME Jesus will come back for you on the clouds. Even this morning, I am declaring that Jesus Christ will come back for a glorious church. Our worship is for this Jesus. It doesn’t matter whether you are a bishop, a big shop or a book shop, we worship Jesus!
• A Man of God said something that I have treasured a lot-- anybody who wants to do the will of God in their lives, there is always some resistance. Just when you decide to go to church on Sunday morning, you feel tired. Just when you decide that you should worship God, there is resistance. Just when you decide to serve Him and do His will, there is a resistance.

This morning let that resistance be broken from your life. The easiest way to discern is to see the resistance.

• Jesus got into the boat with the disciples to go over to the other side. There was a storm, roaring waves and boisterous winds and water filled the boat. The disciples thought they will die. They were shouting and worried. Why? Because there was something glorious that the Lord was planning to do after going across to the other side, there was bound to be resistance on this side. This morning, if you declare that “no matter what, I will do God’s will and I will go over to the other side. I will do what God wants me to do,” His presence will come upon you.
• Jesus always wanted to go forward. Paul wanted to do God’s will. But they went forward no matter what.

“we will keep moving and keep going forward”.

• When you are heading towards your destiny, there seems like a storm coming your way. Sometimes when you are about to married, there is a storm that the devil sends against you. Let the devil hear your voice this morning.

Mark 1: 29-31- 29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

• Jesus was ministering in the synagogue and the disciples were with him. Miracles happened there. From there, Jesus went to the house of Simon peter. The Word says, BUT, Simon’s mother in law was sick with fever. It was a great visitation of Jesus. ‘BUT’, there was an issue in this home. This morning when Jesus comes into your home, there is victory.
• If you do not have a love for Jesus even after all this worship, then it is wasteful. • Many people do not speak about Jesus often. They want the deeper things like Hebrews or Greek or Latin or other complex subjects.

But is Jesus really your hero? Is there admiration in your heart towards Jesus? Many do not see him as their hero. Is He your mentorship?

• Everything form A to Z is Jesus. Jesus is our example. We usually give our admiration, worship to others but today decide in your heart that Jesus is the centre of your worship. Jesus is my worship, my God, He is my Hero, He is my cornerstone, He is my refuge, there is no one like Him. Jesus is the Star of the show!

J- He is my Justifier E- He is my Example S- He is my Satisfaction- even if I don’t have a single penny in my pocket, he is my satisfier U- He is my Unifier- the One who makes you one with the Father (John 17- Just as the Father and I are one, so is the Lord making us with Him). Let there be a grace and anointing that makes you One with Him. S- My Solution

Jesus is my solution. If Jesus can’t handle something, nobody else can! This morning know that there is nothing that He doesn’t have a solution for.

• Many people who go through life, their heart is not with Jesus. We preach about Elijah, Elisha, Paul, Mary, Peter. These are all nice messages to hear and we feel good but the centre of all preaching is Jesus. If you have not seen Jesus in the Bible, then there is an issue!
• When you look at your life, look at all creation, you should be able to say, “I see Jesus everywhere”.

There is nobody who can love you like Jesus. There is no gospel without Jesus.

• Paul was lifted to the third heaven, he healed the sick, even his very handkerchief casted demons. Even after all this Paul is saying, “That I might know HIM.”
• Lord, open my eyes and open my heart to know you deeply!” the Same Jesus that walked with John, who healed the blind man. Lord, I want to know you better Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:5- 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

• We do not preach about ourselves. But about Jesus. Even if you are speaking about holiness, prosperity or baptism, it has to come and be centred around the person of Jesus Christ. There is no Christianity without Jesus.

I went to a house some time back and they were in a great trouble but when I went there, I understood that they do not have Jesus in their lives!

There are 6 things to remember from this portion of scripture

1. JESUS WANTS TO COME HOME WITH YOU

• The people had heard His sermon in the synagogue but Jesus went with Peter to his house. Because Jesus wants to get involved in your life. Jesus is so keen on coming home that sometimes He even comes uninvited! Zacchaeus never invited Him but Jesus volunteered to go and meet him in his home. Peter suddenly realized that not everything is well at home.
• 1 Timothy 3 says if you are a deacon then you should first learn to run your home well. Don’t be a prayerful woman at church and a bad wife at home. Don’t be a committed man at church and a bad man at home. Don’t be a managing director at your company and not know how to

manage your children at home. Peter must have said you have done miracles in the church, that is good but do so, in my home!

Take JESUS home.

• There is no pain like family pain. We usually hear there is no place like home. Well, for that to be true, Jesus has to be there in that home.
• Peter said, Lord, you have been good to me, please be good to my family too. • People are selfish with their calling. Today you ask Jesus, “Come into my home Lord and touch my mother, father, my in-laws, my brothers, my sisters in law, my nieces, my nephews, uncles and aunts. Come Lord Jesus come.”

Get ready to see your family saved! A fresh move of the Holy Spirit in your homes. Jesus loves me but He loves my family too. Jesus wants you to take Him to your relatives, to your friends. Jesus is anxious to come to your home. Wow! What a fried we have in Jesus.

2. JESUS NEVER LEAVES YOU THE WAY HE FINDS YOU

• He will always make you better. Declare this- ‘He will make me better! He is working on me’.

Positive change is coming to your life, to your business. The same Jesus is working in your and my life.

3. JESUS IS A LIFTER

• Jesus lifted up Peter’s mother. David said, ‘Thou oh Lord are the glory and the lifter of my Head’. • You will not be put to shame. In those very areas where you fear being put to shame, God will lift you right there. For some people, the devil shows them their entire life as a video highlighting all those moments of defeat, guilt, shame and distress s them. This morning the Holy Spirit is removing those tapes against your life. Jesus said, I came to give you life and life in all its abundance.
• People did not like Zacchaeus. He was a publican but Jesus loved him. He went to his home. • A woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. Did Jesus put her to shame? No! The people only saw her past and present. But Jesus knew her future. He went to her and did not condemn her and said to her “sin no more”. He meant that she had the potential to not sin anymore in future.
• I see that potential. It doesn’t matter what you have been addicted to in the past. But Jesus says, I see potential in you. Sin no more!

God is giving me the grace, the ability and the potential to sin no more.

• In Luke 7, Jesus while sitting in the house of a Pharisee, was visited by a woman. She fell at his feet. And began to kiss His feet and the people who sat there said, if He was truly a prophet then He would have known what kind of a person she is.
• Sometimes, Jesus doesn’t care about your opinions. Because Jesus is looking and saying, does anybody see what she is doing now? She broke that expensive alabaster jar and is kissing my feet.
• There are people who will only see your past but the Lord looks at you now and at your future. It doesn’t matter what your yesterday is but I will make a better tomorrow for you.

Even if there is no heaven, I’m still cool with Jesus.

I had extreme nature, no purpose, no joy, no meaning. I dare not forget from where He picked me up. Even if there was no heaven, I know that my life has become better because of Jesus. The Son of God lifted me up.

4. THERE IS NO SITUATION THAT JESUS CAN’T HANDLE

• Peter’s Mother in law was strapped to the bed and was burning with heat. The Lord came and touched her and immediately she was healed. There was no need for extra prayer. Get ready for some ‘immediately’s’ in your life. In Jesus name, immediately let some healings happen.

One person came and said to me, I have brain, kidney issues. The anointing was strong upon me and I just said, ‘be healed!’ The person asked me, when should I come next for prayer? God had already healed the person immediately but he still wanted to come for prayer. You don’t need to pray for months together. Jesus is not saying that I will remove it little by little, but will heal you immediately.

• Fever decided to leave as soon as Jesus came. The word says, ‘Fever left’. In Jesus Name, let the devil leave. When Jesus shows up migraine and cancer has to go. Hallelujah!
• Not just disease, but shame, failures, disappointment as to go. Whatever was the feeling that the devil is tormenting you with, it has to go because Jesus is here.
• Fever is saying “Jesus is here, I will have to go”. Let debt go, let curse go emotional distresses go! • Jesus is the light of the world. No darkness is too dark to keep away light! When Jesus comes darkness has to leave. Immediately. There is something that only Jesus can do.

Lazarus was stinky. Jesus can handle stinkiness. Your stinky life can be handled by the Lord.

• Jeremiah prophet was tired and upset. God asks Him ‘is there anything too difficult for Me’? It may be your wedding, business’s launch, your debt, your childless condition, ministry. Is there anything too hard for the Lord?
• Jeremiah says, “Oh Lord God thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and nothing is too difficult for thee.”

5. SERVICE IS PROFITABLE

• Peter’s mother in law’s faith is not spoken about in the Bible. As soon as she was healed, she began to serve the Lord. If you need a deliverance from the Lord, He needs to know that once He allows that you will serve Him. If you are blessed financially, will you use his finances to serve me.
• What made her well? She decided to serve! Some of us are like this- though we are healed, we say- let me just rest a bit to recoup fully and start working tomorrow.
• Will you tell the Lord- My children will serve you my family will serve you? I will serve you Lord. • Dorcas in the Bible had died. Many other women stood there and cried. Peter was compelled to heal her because she used to help everybody. She was of service to the kingdom. • One more thing I want to say- Herod killed James. Saul wanted to destroy all Christians. Herod only killed one person but Saul wanted to destroy all children of God. But he had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus because the Lord knew that Saul would serve Him and that Jesus knew that Saul will be an asset to the church.

You are saved to serve HIM. Are you serving Jesus in some way or the other?!

The Holy Spirit is saying that God will give miraculous escapes from death for those who are not a liability but an asset to the church.

• In 1 Samuel 16, There was a Word that God said, man looks outwardly but God looks at the heart! He looks at the heart which means that He looks at the attitude. He knew that David will look out for the sheep.

If you are ready to look after the Father’s sheep, God will honour you most certainly!

Exodus 8:1- 8 And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

• There was only one reason to rescue them--- so that they might serve HIM. No matter how old your bondage is, if you would only be certain that you wish to serve Him.

The only justification for setting you free is that you would serve Him.

6. JESUS HAD ONLY ONE AGENDA AND THAT IS YOU

I AM GOD’S AGENDA!

• Let me ask you to do this- Do not look at Jesus without any spirituality. Can you find a nicer person than Him? Who is like that? He heals the leprous, he loves children, loves sinners. Who is like Him?
• Peter had not told Jesus about his mother in law’s fever. Jesus figured and He wanted to help in your life. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Holy Spirit and fire and He went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil.

God’s agenda is to find your oppression and to heal you.

• We all have a “To do” list stuck on our fridges. Jesus had a TO- DO list – to heal Peter’s mother in law today!
• I thought, when Jesus went over to the other side in a boat with His disciples. When he crossed over, there was a man possessed by 6000 demons. God set Him free. Jesus went right back to where he came from for another ministry. That effort Jesus took by getting into the boat, facing the storms, boisterous winds, water filling into the boat was all just to set one mad man free! I am on God’s agenda.

He will find you and help you!

• You are the world to Him.

You might not be good enough for the world but you are good enough for Jesus. You might not be good enough for your husband or for your children but you are good enough for Jesus.

Even if a storm comes, I will cross it! I am in the Jesus’s TO-D0 list. Thissame Jesus! You are in God’s agenda.