Keep Going Pt. 4

Hey, what's up everybody, this is Pastor Keith Battle, and we're about to go into the sanctuary for part four of Keep Going. When I was a kid, I remember this comedy routine by Abbott and Costello, and it would go something like this, who's on first, what's on second, I don't know, third base. And they would go back and forth, and it would be a very frustrating dialogue. And I thought about it in today's message. When you ask the question, who's on first, if it's not God, it's going to be a very frustrating journey. Make sure he's first in your life. Check this out. We're about to go into the sanctuary. Colossians chapter two, verse six says this. These are our foundation verses, and now just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Everybody say keep going. Continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught. Thank y'all for the font size. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will, watch this, this part, and you will overflow with thankfulness. You will overflow with thankfulness. One of the signs that you have deep roots in Jesus is thankfulness overflows in your life. Let me ask you a question. What's overflowing in your life? May I ask this respectfully? What are you full of? Worry, lust, anger, depression, fear, love, joy, peace. The Bible says when you have deep roots in Christ, one of the things you overflow in

your life is thankfulness. That's one of your signs. We ain't going to go into that today, but I just want you to think about that. You may be seated. Colossians chapter two, verse six. The reason why this, this, I want to go back to the foundation of this series, because the impetus for this series is right here in this phrase. You must continue to follow Him. Where we get the title for this series, Keep Going, is all about that phrase. You must continue to follow Him. It is easy walking with Jesus. The best way I can describe it is like walking on a treadmill that is on. As long as you're walking, you're going to be all right. The moment you stop, you're going backwards. You're going to fall away. And because why? Because the pull of the world, the pull of the flesh, demonic pulls, there's always something to resist our continuing. Are y'all listening to me? So you have to keep walking. There's no neutral ground in the Christian life. Either you're moving forward or you're drifting backwards, even if you don't know it. And so you have to make up your mind that I'm not going to stop moving forward spiritually. I have to continue my spiritual journey. I have to, I have to complete the race that is before me. I have to keep going. You have to make up your mind that going backwards, going back is not an option. I am not going back to the life I used to live and the person I used to be. He brought me out of that. Amen.

You might have to say sometimes, I don't know what I'm going to do, but I know what I'm not going to do. I am not going back to that. I am not quitting on God. I am going to keep going. But in order to do that successfully, the B part of this verse says you must continue to follow Him. And in order to do that successfully, you must understand and appreciate the A part of the verse, which says now, just as you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Which means that there's some kind of qualifier in the first half of this verse, which should inform the way we follow Jesus. Are y'all tracking with me? In other words, if I must continue to follow Jesus, just as I accepted Christ Jesus, there must be something to Christ Jesus being Lord that is critical to my following Him. And I believe that is true. And the way I want to illustrate that is the way I've been illustrating it in this series. The best way I can describe it is, is with a cross and a throne. Jesus Christ is, once you have accepted Him into your life, the first position He plays in your life because of the cross is He's your Savior. That means He saved you from what? From eternal destruction, from eternal death. He saved you by His work on the cross. But Jesus is also Lord because, because this work on the cross is actually finished. It's a check mark for Jesus. He did on the cross was paid a penalty for our sins. It has been paid in full. It has been completely paid off and now Whether or not Jesus is Savior and Lord in your life is based on your decision He is eternally Savior and Lord positionally But he is only personally Savior and Lord when you make a decision The first decision is I accept him as my Savior

You can do that one time and he remains your Savior because he has paid for all your sins that position was your Savior But in order for him to be Lord, you must make this decision over and over again and it is a combination because even a combination of you taking up your cross and Bowing before his throne you taking up your cross and bowing before his throne because watch this the person who's Carrying the cross is submitted to the person who's on the throne I'm gonna say that again. The person who is carrying the cross is submitted to the person who's on the throne That's why there's no way God could want you to be Want you to have Jesus as your Savior and not as just as your Lord Because in order for Jesus to only be your Savior that would make you the Lord Because instead of keeping him in throne many of us have dethroned him put our place in the Lord And in his seat and we have recrossed him So we've taken him back just be my Savior. That's all I need. Just keep me from going to hell But I'll run things in this life. I don't want you to be all up. You know, you're doing too much Lord It's like a 9-1-1 God. I'll call you when I need you But that means he must support your agenda. No, that's not how it works I'm your Savior and your Lord So you must dethrone yourself reenthrone him and make sure you're bowing at a place that you're tempted to sit at And you had to do that daily you had to take up your cross daily That means I watch this I lay down my life now. He already laid down his he already gave his up And when you think about it when people want control of their life They're on the throne of their life. The person on the throne of life has the authority and The person over here is submitted and I'm saying This is where we this is where we belong this is where he belongs And he belongs there not just because of what he's done Not because just because of what he's done but because of he is he he belongs there just based on his innate nature as God This seat is for the King of Kings This seat is for the Lord of Lords. This seat is for the Alpha and the Omega This seat is for Emmanuel this seat is for Christ Jesus our Lord, this is not our seat somebody say get out of his seat

But it's not just that he innately deserves it He has done the work on the cross to earn this place because after he died on the cross Philippians 2 9 says and now God has highly exalted him and Given him a name that's above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should That sound like throne talk and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father What I'm saying is he also he did he doesn't just deserve it. He also earned it Look at Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9. I want to show you something Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9 Because you can't follow him if you don't really know who he is and the position he's supposed to play in your life What we do see is Jesus Who for a little while was given a position a little lower than the angels and watch this Because he suffered death for us. Where'd he do that on the cross? What happens that now he is crowned with glory and honor, that's the throne God by God's grace Jesus takes the death of everyone that watches his work on the cross has qualified him to be on the throne and When we're on the throne, we're in the way of his plan and his agenda and it's critical that we understand this Let me show you something else. See it's not only important that we That we get him on the throne of our life. How do you do that? Lord, I submit my life daily to you and sometimes throughout the day how I'm a handle this situation Sometimes it's situational you're in a situation in the middle of the day and you got two ways to deal with this You know what? I know what I feel like doing right now. Let's kill me for a minute Let me get right back to you and you go to the bathroom not to go to the bathroom go to bathroom to pray And say Lord, you know what? I'm thinking about doing, you know what I'm thinking about saying, but what would glorify you? You know what's best, you know, sometimes the way you handle The way the way you show the lordship of Jesus Christ is through silence Amen thank you. I told all my aunts and uncles to clap when he got quiet You know how you handle you represent the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Zion Woodbridge, you do it by just shutting up and saying, God, may I only speak what you had me to speak, even though I got a whole lot to say.

Because if I'm in charge, you're going to hear it. You ever put a, watch this, watch this, ooh, this is so good. We get to see it every day in this country. When you put immaturity on the throne, anything comes out of their mouth. That's just how it goes. We got a perfect example. I'm saying, and before you say amen to that, watch your mouth. He says this, watch this, this is Hebrews 4, 16. Let us come boldly to the, not the cross. Let's come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. For there, where, not at the cross, you get something different from the cross than you get from the throne. The reason why you got to keep God on the throne is because there's something that you can only get from the throne. There we will receive his mercy. Watch this, that's what the cross provided. The cross provided the mercy from our sins. Let me describe mercy to you. Sometimes, you know how you should be grateful? Sometimes you got to be grateful for what God has done for you. That's something to be grateful for. I'm God, I'm glad of what you did for me. But sometimes you need to be glad for what he didn't do to you. Ooh, I wish the four, I wish y'all was over here at the four

because these people acting like they ain't never did nothing but all I need you to do is go back in your mind for a few minutes and I'm talking about look at the stuff that, okay, I'll do it like this. How many parents in here? Parents, just parents for a second. As a parent, a parent, here in Prince George County, you're a parent. As a parent, have you ever in a moment, now don't call Child Protective Services against me. Have you ever in a moment just, almost, now some of you most all, but I'm saying almost. Anybody feel what I just did right there? I'm just saying, I will. I'm supposed to be light-skinned, I really am. Because my mama told me I will knock the black off of you. I should be fair-skinned, but now I'm saying if you have almost, if you have mercy on your child and you ain't even holy and perfect and righteous, how many times do you think God, now I'm only talking to people who know you a while. Where my wild people at? I know y'all at Zillow. I know y'all saying, I'm talking about stuff you did that you know only God got you. You're supposed to be locked up, you're supposed to be dead,

you're supposed to be somewhere. The fact that you survived that, the fact that he was gracious enough to get you out of that, that's mercy right there. Somebody ought to thank him for the mercy. When you look at what you, I'm talking about what you was in. That it wasn't your skill that got you out, God just eased you out. And then, and then he don't even bring it up. That's mercy. That's mercy. And you get that at the throne and you get grace, watch this, to help us when we need it most. That grace right there is the enablement and the power to do stuff that we cannot do on our own. Sometimes when you don't feel like doing what you gotta do, you don't feel like getting up to do it, you don't feel like taking care of your family, you don't feel like cooking, you don't feel like taking somebody to school, you don't feel like doing your assignment, God will give you the grace to do it. And when you lay your head down at night, you can say, God, I thank you. I didn't even want to do it, I didn't feel like doing it, I didn't care about doing it, I'm sick and tired of doing it,

but I did it because it's what I'm supposed, how many understand the grace? And I'm saying you can only get that at the throne. But here's the problem, how do you get it if you're on it? How do you get that power when you're the one on the throne? That's self-deistic. When you operate in self-deity, that means you have to go to yourself for power that you don't have. You are limited as a human being, you are finite, you are incomplete, you are fallible, you are leaving God out and you need him. That's like saying, hey, hey me, let me, show me what I, what me should do. That's backwards. No, Lord, I need you. And that's why you gotta, that's why you gotta just get him on the throne, you gotta keep him on the throne. And let me tell you why. If you don't learn to keep, prayer is such an important part of our spiritual journey. Who are you praying to? who if you're on the throne, you can't you. Okay, let me do it like this. There is a danger. There's a danger amongst believers to be involved in idolatry unknowingly. There's only, I don't think people even know

that they're dabbling in idolatry because you think that idol worship is I make a God and I bow before the God and I worship him. That's not just idolatry. Sometimes the God you're worshiping is yourself. I do what I want. When the baby's on, I go where I want. I'm grown. You worship the God of comfort. So if it's uncomfortable, you're not doing it. So you can't follow him even when it hurts because as soon as it hurts, I ain't messing with it. That's just, you know, that's serious. Really? So now you are now the God of your life. You're the God of your throne. Sometimes, let me show you a quick example. This is throughout scripture. In second Kings chapter 17, this driver says disaster came upon the nation of Israel. They had disaster come upon them. Why? Because the people worshiped other gods, which means they were sinning against the Lord, their God, who had brought them safely out of slavery in Egypt. The one that really was worthy of the worship wasn't getting it. He says, the reason why you got disaster is because you're an idol worshiper.

Now, you're saying, well, I don't worship idols. Let me just tell you something. You can worship an idol not even knowing you're worshiping. Because watch this. You've made it as important in your life as God. This is how you know. What has your attention? What gets your primary, what gets your best energy, your best result, your best? Some of you, I'm going to go straight out there. I'm just out there. Here it is. Some of you know who your idol is? Your child. Your child is such an idol, it's messed your marriage up. If you smile, we'll know it ain't you. You say that ain't idolatry, it's love. That's some high love. It's up there. Some of you, your idol is your job. Your idol is your reputation, your image. Some of you, your idol is your house, your car. Some of you idolize your yard. You will fight somebody about your grass. I'm coming to you. Some of you, your idol is your sorority. Your fraternity. We don't know who's most important in your life. It's all equal to you. Why y'all quiet?

Some of you worship your favorite team. I'm not gonna put her out there. My wife goes to sleep at nine o'clock. If my wife is up after nine o'clock, she don't even know she up. But she knows she from New York. So these Knicks been winning, she'd be up at midnight watching the game like this. She don't even know what a double dribble is. Go Knicks. I'm not saying it's idolatry, it's getting there though. People travel all over the crown wearing cowboy fans. How about, I ain't gonna joke with y'all, I'm gonna start with the commanders. You don't think this is worship? How about this? How about a Sunday game at one o'clock that you skip church to go to tailgate at nine? Nine. You already there. If you arrive at a game at nine, do you know what time you had to get up and shower and pack the coolers and get the hot dogs and all that stuff ready? You would've spent your whole day. Then you go in the game, you fellowship them out in the parking lot. You're having a good time. That sound like church. Then you go in and clap for a team that don't even know you.

Win or lose, you stay after the game for the after, what do they call the after tailgate? Is it the after tailgate? You're there till seven, eight o'clock. That's a whole day that was given. Is that a God? Only you can answer. You say, well, that's, you're doing too much for us. No, I'm saying, I'm saying, I'm saying, God says you. have no other God before me. Now, well, how do I know, pastor? Let me show you something. Let me show you something. Let me show you something. In the Bible, in second, no, I don't want to go there yet. This is what I want to do. I want to read something from second Kings chapter 17, because sometimes people say, but I love God and I worship God. I'm telling you, you can worship God and still be an idolater at the same time. And I'm going to show it to you. Second Kings chapter 17, this is what it says, beginning of verse 33. Although they worshiped the Lord, they worshiped the Lord. They continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came. You can do both. And this is still going on today. You think? Where am I? Verse 34. They continue to follow their former practices instead of truly worshiping the Lord and obeying the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands. He gave the descendants of Jacob, whose name he changed to Israel. Verse 35, for the Lord had made a covenant with the descendants of Jacob and commanded them, do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or sacrifice to them. That's clear. But worship only the Lord who brought you out of Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Bow down to him alone and only offer sacrifices to him. Verse 37, be careful at all times of the debated decrees, regulations, instructions, that he wrote for you. You must not worship other gods. You think God's trying to make a point? 38, do not forget the covenant I made with you and do not worship other gods. Sounds like he's serious about this. Verse 39, you must worship only the Lord, your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies. Verse 40, but the people would

not listen and continue to follow their former practices. So while these new residents worship the Lord, they also worship their idols. And to this day, the descendants do the same. You cannot just base it on some of you were here just now saying, who am I that you keep me on your mind? God, I'm just a friend. That's what I'm is. I'm just a friend. But look at your life. You know what these people did? They didn't put their idols over God. They put them beside him. We worship God and idols. It's all equal to us. And God says, I am the Lord, your God. There is no God beside me. He won't share his throne with anyone. And I'm just saying, we need to take an evaluation of our life to say, oh, y'all know I was when I grew up, I thought I was going to be a comedian. That was my only goal in life was to be a comedian. I know you can't tell. I was accosted into this work. I'm doing this under, I am compulsed, constrained to do this job. Two of my favorite comedians were Abbott and Costello, and they had this routine and I can't remember it now. It's been so long, but it would start like this. It was a who's on first. What's on second. I don't know. Anybody remember that? So, so, but, but what I love about it is here's the question y'all, and it still begs to be asked, who's on first? Who's on first in your life? In the beginning, God, first four words of the Bible gives us his position. In the beginning, God, he's first. And if anybody has an equal place in your life, even if it's you, if it's your spouse, if it's your career, whatever it is, anybody has an equal space to God in your life because he has no rivals. He has no equal. Anybody that's equal to him in your life, that's on you. You did that. Fix it. In Southeast Washington DC, there's a, there's a landmark called the big chair. On Wednesday nights, when, when I meet with people, anybody can come to this and we discussed the message. Sister Julia, I don't know her last name, Julia Zelo. What's up Zelo? Julia said, being on God's throne reminds me of the big chair in Southeast Washington. And she says, think of how foolish it would look for somebody to be sitting up in that chair. And she says, that's how foolish we look sitting in God's seat. But you may not be able, I don't know if you can see it, but it's a family down at the base of the chair. They are so small proportionate to the chair that it's not only, it's not only foolish for them to try to get in, it would be dangerous. It's dangerous to be in God's seat. You know, there are only two Things that would make somebody try to get in that seat.

Ignorance and arrogance. Because we know better. How many understand what I'm saying? We know better. Only ignorance and arrogance will make you do that. So I want to ask you, if ignorance and arrogance will make you get in the big chair, what is driving you to stay in his chair in your life? Hey, one of the things we have to keep in mind as we move into our week, as we've just completed part four of Keep Going, is where are you investing your time? One leader that I know says that children spell love, T-I-M-E. And because they know that when you invest time with them, when they say, will you play with me? Will you take me outside? Will you play catch with me? Or whatever it is, they feel like they're in the right place. They feel like that's love. And one of the ways you can tell where your God is, is who gets the best of your time. Do you start your day with God? How do you end your day? Your time is a great indicator of where he's positioned in your life. Is he on the throne? Or are you there? See you next week. Don't forget to subscribe and share, like and comment as well.

God bless you.