How To Get Straight In A Crooked Church

How to Get Straight in a Crooked Church

Luke 13:10-17

INTRO:

I believe that those of you who are students of the word would certainly conqer with me tonight that bible never seeks to conceal or hide the fact that there have been crooked dealings taking place among the people of God.

This book, the bible, the word of God, God breathed and God given information and revelation never attempts to with hold the truth that there were some shady deals going down among his children.

Yes, I’m talking about some of the called, chosen, anointed and appointed men of God who have been involved in some crooked deals.

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Does anybody here know something about the man named Jacob. As a matter of fact he is an original when it comes to crooked dealings.

You know the story about how he crooked and kinived his brother out of his birth right.

Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents.

But Esau was a skill-full hunter and outdoorsman.

You may recall on one occasion when Esau came in one day from hunting and the scripture says that he was famished. He asked his brother Jacob for something to eat and Jacob replied sell me your birthright.

Jacob took advantage of the situation and he took advantage of his brother.

IT WAS A CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN

Do you remember when Isaac had grown old and he was about to pass his blessing on to his oldest son Esau before he died and Rebekah had over heard him making a final request and she instructed Jacob what to do in order for him to receive the blessing.

Jacob again took advantage of the situation and took advantage of his father.

IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN

What about the story of Jacob wanting to marry Rachel and working seven years to take her hand in marriage and then on the morning after the honey moon he realized that his father in-law Laban had tricked him and he had married Lea her sister and not the lady he wanted Rachel.

IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN

What about the story of Jacobs sons who were Jealous of the younger son Joseph and sold him into slavery and schemed a story to convince Jacob that Joseph had died in the paws of an angry beast.

IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN

What about the story of King David the greatest King of Israel. “A man who was after God’s own Heart” Who saw a married woman bathing one day and took her for himself. He got her pregnant and then successfully conspired to kill this innocent man.

IT WAS ANOTHER CROOKED DEAL GOING DOWN

The bible never seeks to keep us in the dark to the reality that there have been some crooked dealings going on among God’s people.

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Not only do I believe that there were some crooked people back in the bible days there were also some crooked churches.

I believe that our text this evenings very clearly illustrates that this church was without question a crooked church.

Let’s note a few things about our text on this evening if you would.

The bible records in Luke 13:11 “that there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself”.

He makes no mention of her name at all he just says “that there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity”

You see her name is not as important as her condition is. Her name alone would probably not claim his attention but her condition certainly would.

Many of you no my testimony and my longing for a Kidney transplant.

However my name alone couldn’t put me on the waiting.

The name Pastor and Preacher may carry a little weight in the church but not in the world.

No my name couldn’t put me on the waiting list but my condition put me on top of the list as a matter of fact it put me on the emergency list.

Moderator Goodwin your name didn’t command attention for you a few weeks ago but your condition did.

So many of our churches seem more concerned about our name than we our about our condition.

We are more worried about our name than we are about empty Sunday school class rooms.

We are more worried about building a name than we are about building people.

We are more worried about our name than we are worried about the condition of our community.

We are so worried about a name that some churches have even slashed Baptist denomination of our name in an strategic effort to build a new name.

We are so worried about a name that some of our churches have assumed new names such as (Example) Bishop Derrick Moore Ministries.