We invite you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts, chapter number one. The book of Acts, chapter number one. We'll begin reading with verse number nine. And when he, Christ, had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly unto heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus," that's the title of our lesson today, this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go. Then return they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath-day journey." We look last message, last week's message was out of Revelation chapter 3 and verse number 20. And although it is almost 99.9% preached as Jesus standing outside of the sinner's heart knocking for the sinner to make a decision and let him in. We found out looking at the Bible that it wasn't as Christ standing outside the church saying if any man, any individual in organized religion will open up his heart to me I will come into him and he will sup with me and I will sup with him. So we begin to see that the Lord Jesus Christ was not involved in organized religion. Jesus Christ's kingdom is an organism. It's a born again body of believers. And I want us to make sure we see that today and understand and see where did he leave And how shall he come back? Therefore, how shall you be looking at this thing? And we have been deceived by the organized religion, the harlot system, as to what this is all about. Now, it says this same Jesus is the same person. Acts chapter 1, verse 1, the former treatise that is the book of Luke. This is Luke writing to the friend Theophilus. He said, that former treatise that I made, talking about writing the book of Luke, of all that Jesus began both, and here is a description of the gospel, to do and to teach, until the day in which he was taken up. After that, he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." So it's the same person. It's this same Jesus. And then, it shall be in the same manner, shall so come. In verse number 11 it says, this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner. It's the same person going to come back exactly in the way that he went. Now, that opens up a different understanding of what we're supposed to believe as far as the true church and the kingdom of God is concerned. Go with me to Luke Luke 24 and verse number 50. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. That's how the book of Luke ends. So this same Jesus, the very person, individual, the human God-man, I'll say it that way, is coming back exactly as the same person that he was when he left. And then he shall come back in like manner as how he left. Who did he leave with? Not one single high priest. Not one single Sadducee. Not one single Pharisee. Not one single lawyer or leader of the Jews. But his people, the born-again people of God. Look with me to Hebrews chapter 9 and verse number 28. Hebrews 9, 28. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of thee many, listen, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. He will appear to those that look for him. What were they doing when he left? Looking up steadfastly into heaven. You men of Galilee, Why stand ye here gazing? What were they doing? Looking after him. To whom shall he appear when he returns? To those that look for him. And what do those last four words mean in Hebrews 9, 28? Without sin unto salvation. Without any more provision for forgiving a single more sinner, another sinner, or one more sin, it's gonna be done. It's finished. unto salvation. What does that mean? Unto a full and complete salvation. What will be the completing of salvation? Glorification. So the Lord Jesus Christ, the same person that went, is going to come back in the same way that he went. How did he go? With people who were born again, those of Bethany, not those of Jerusalem. He didn't leave from the temple. He didn't leave from a synagogue. There wasn't a single high priest or Pharisee or Sadducee with him. It was just those of the believers in the town of Bethany. It's where he left from. What do you know about Bethany? It's the city where Mary and Martha and Lazarus lived. It's where they gathered together, those who really believed and loved the Lord. So we understand that this is how Jesus left And that's how he's going to come back to those who look for him. He's not going to be coming back to an organized church. He's not going to be coming back to an organized religion. He's going to be coming back to the organism of those who may have been in organized religion, Revelation 320, come out of her my people. He said, I stand at the door of the church. and not. Y'all are involved in organized religion. But I got saved as a member of an organized church. I have had people contact me in this past week after hearing that last message and said, Brother Gene, that's the way it happened with me too. I was already a church member. I was already baptized, as far as they were concerned. But then the Lord saved me. That's what Revelation 3.20 is saying. I'm standing here at the door of organized religion calling individual people that are involved in organized religion, calling them out. Come out of her, my people, lest ye be partaker of her sins and of her plagues. Now, Jesus said in John 14 and verse number 19, Something that we have repeated many times and it's still in my Bible, so I'm gonna say it again John chapter 14 and verse number 19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more Just a footnote you need to take that and put that beside John 3 16 for God so loved the world What is he talking about? The world of human beings. That world of the angels had fallen and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And God is saying, but this world of the human beings that I have created, I'm going to send my son into it, not to condemn that world, but that those that are therein may be saved. Didn't do that for the world of the angels. As soon as they sin, They were put in chains of darkness, Peter said. There is no redemption for angels. But God so loved the world of human beings, that he sent his only begotten son, that not every one of them, without exception, shall be saved, but whosoever believeth in him. But they do have opportunity to believe on him. So he says, the world seeth me no more. But ye see me, because I live, ye shall live also. You shall see me, not visibly, but in the experience of his life. The world seeth me no more, but you see me. How? Because I live, you shall see me in the experiencing of the spiritual life that I shall give you. It is a seeing Christ by experience. Matthew 23, the book of Matthew chapter 23 and verse number 39. Matthew 23, 39. He says, make it verse 38. He says to the house of Israel, well, might as well make it verse 37 to see that he's talking to physical Jerusalem. Matthew 23, 37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sin unto thee. How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Therefore, what's the result? Verse number 38 of Matthew 23. Your house, the temple of God, the temple of the Jews, behold, your house is left unto you desolate. The temple is desolate. I will not involve myself with that temple anymore. Now, how shall he deal with Israel anymore? Verse 39. For I, Christ, say unto you, you Jews, you shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, that's going to have to be a confession with their mouth, till you shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Only until you as individuals confess me with your mouth and receive me as your Lord. I will save, Romans chapter 11, I will save individual Jews by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said their denial of Christ made the gospel come to you Gentiles. Now you Gentiles preaching the gospel shall be able to have the Jews receive that and come to Christ. So the temple is left desolate. He said, not one stone shall be left upon another. He said, your house is left to you desolate and you will not see me until you as individuals, as I knock on religion's door and you as an individual within organized religion hears my voice and opens that door and comes and sup with me and I will sup with you. So individuals are to be saved out of organized religion. Jews are Gentiles. That's the way that it is. You shall not see me till you say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Let me read you a verse in 2 Kings. The book of 2 Kings. Chapter 21. in verse number 13. And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets in verse number 10. Now 2 Kings 21 and verse 13. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab. And I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. Like a man when he gets through eating, he turns his plate upside down and wipes it out. He said, that's how I'm going to deal with Jerusalem. Your house is left unto you desolate. I'm going to wipe you out like a man wiping a plate, turning it upside down, and shaking off all the remaining food particles. So we see that the Lord Jesus Christ has given us clear understanding that he is through with organized religion. The Bible says in Romans chapter 11, all Israel shall be saved. Well, that's one of the little segments of a verse. They break off pieces of verses and stick it together with other verses. And they've come up with a false concept of what God's true salvation is all about. And that little verse says, all Israel shall be saved. But if you'll read your Bible, it speaks of in Galatians chapter six and verse five, or is it chapter five and verse six? You look at it, you can look it up. It says the Israel of God. And Israel is not talking about the nation of Israel. He's wiped it out. Their house is desolate. They have nothing to approach him in because the temple has been destroyed. And he tells you that he is not going to come back to organize religion because he shall come back, quote, in like manner. How did he leave? In what manner did he leave? Was there a single high priest there when he ascended? No. Was there a single Sadducee there when he ascended? No. Was there a single Pharisee there when he ascended? No. He ascended among born-again believers like those in the town of Bethany talking about Lazarus and Mary and Martha and Simon the leper and the harlot that he, was it Mary Magdalene? Anyhow, the harlot, those people that had been born again, that's who he's coming back among and because those are the ones that he left from. Let me read you, and I've mentioned this in the last several messages, let me read you 1 Corinthians Chapter 15. Not the whole chapter. I'll tell you the verse in just a minute. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, you don't have to surmise. You don't have to guess. It is inspired scripture of names that saw him after his resurrection prior to his ascension. The world sees me no more. The church didn't see him anymore, organized religion. But these born-again believers are actually listed out and given their names. And you have a list of those who saw him during the 40 days where he gave them many infallible proofs, Luke said. All right, go to 1 Corinthians 15. and beginning with verse number 3. Paul says to the Corinthian church, I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received. I didn't give you anything but what God gave me. And everything God gave me, I gave you. How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Verse 4. And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. All right. Now verse 5, he's going to start listing out by individual names those people who only saw him after his resurrection and prior to his ascension. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse number 5, that he was seen of Cephas, which is Peter, then of the 12. So Peter saw him and the 12 disciples saw him. After that, he was seen above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. Some have already died. So we see that he was seen of Cephas and the twelve, and then of five hundred brethren. No religionists, just born-again believers. Verse number seven. After that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time, that is, on the road to Damascus. Dear friend, you don't have to wonder. When Jesus said in John 14, 19, the world seeth me no more, You need to understand that he's telling you that he is not going to be seen by a single person who is not a born-again believer. And the angel said he's going to come back in like manner as you have seen him go. So we read you Hebrews 9 28 and said he will appear to them who look for him. Now Organized religion gets all excited and hooping, hollering, carries on about the second coming of Jesus. And they talk more about getting out of here than they do about him getting in here. They talk about, well, we won't have to have any more diseases. We won't have to pay tax anymore. We won't have any more problems. We'll just have a big time in heaven. And it's all about them. But wait a minute. It's not all about them. It's all about Christ, this same Jesus. That's the title of our lesson. He is the focus of all of our attention. He shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go. How did you see him go? With not a single organized church member laying eyes on him. The world sees me no more and that's exactly what happened. Nobody who was not born again saw him after his resurrection and prior to his ascension. I just read you the inspired Word of God giving you the actual list of those who did see him during that period of time. And there's some people that's not mentioned in here. Nicodemus is not mentioned in here. There are other people. The rich young ruler is not mentioned in here. It said he went away sorrowful and Jesus loved him. Must not have been a love according to and unto salvation. It must have just meant having an affection for him and feeling sorry for the man that he denied Christ. Why? because he had much possessions. What did Jesus tell him he must do? Sell all that you have and give to the poor. And he said, I ain't going to do it. I like having servants. I like people dressing me in the morning, preparing my meals, cleaning my house, looking after me, and being seen as a very important man because I got a lot of money. And I ain't giving all that up. But dear soul, the Bible said, if any man have the love of the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Read your Bible. 1 John chapter what? 2 and verse 13 through 16, right in there somewhere. So we understand and see that we have been sold a bill of goods. The harlot church and can I use the word pastor of the harlot church? The head of the harlot church is the angel of light. Who is the angel of light? Satan. And brother Bobby just spoke a verse a minute ago to me when I first got here. He said he's sitting in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. That's exactly right. And one of the things that's going to shock most dedicated, devoted church members is to find out that they've been following Satan and not Jesus. What did he say? Depart from me, I never knew you. You knew a spiritual being and you got that warm fuzzy feeling when old lady long tongue hit that high note and singing Amazing Grace, and you got all excited and said, oh, didn't we have a wonderful service today? And it was just foolishness. It wasn't anything but emotionalism. I talk about a warm and fuzzy feeling, and people think that that's the Spirit of God, but it is not. The Spirit of God does not lead you to feel warm and fuzzy about what you're doing in organized religion, the Spirit of God leads you to worship the person of Jesus Christ, period. That's the way it is. He comes to take of mine, Jesus said, and show it unto you. So, Jesus did not leave from a synagogue. He did not leave from a temple. He did not have a single organized individual hierarchy around him when he departed. It was just his disciples and those who were there at Bethany. The same Jesus is going to come in like manner. So if you are all caught up with all this wonderful feeling of fellowship and can't hardly wait to get over there on Sunday so you can get your neck hugged and bless the hearts and pat the backs of people that you hug their necks and you get all excited and you go away and saying, man, didn't we have a good time at church? What do you mean good time? You don't say anything about sin being forgiven. And the Bible said neither were they thankful. If you don't go away from church, being thankful that God has saved you, I really don't think you've been to true church. Because, dear soul, neither were they thankful, and their foolish heart was darkened, and professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And he shall say to them, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. For I was hungry, you didn't feed me. I was naked, you didn't clothe me. And they said, when did we see you like that? He said, inasmuch as you did it not unto one of the least of these, you did it not unto me. You didn't have the spirit of benevolence and Christian charity and of love, for God so loved that he gave. You didn't have any of the feelings and the kind of life that exemplifies the person of the Lord Jesus. And if you go away from church without a deep humility in your soul of saying, thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord, for giving to me thy great salvation, so rich and free. Then I don't think you really been to church. You've been to organized religion and got yourself satisfied with the taste of a social gospel and with the warm fuzzy feeling of organized religion. But that's not what it's about. It's about this same Jesus. It's about shall come in like manner. And how shall he come? He shall appear to those who look for him without another provision for sin unto a full and complete salvation." And here is the list of those that saw him that he gave them understanding of who he was, as Luke says, after many infallible proofs for 40 days. he gave them understanding of many, I'll read it to you again, Acts 1, 2. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, after he suffered, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Who was that bunch? I read it to you. They're listed out in 1 Corinthians 15 and beginning with verse 4 through 8. Go with me to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians chapter number 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 beginning with verse 14. First Thessalonians 4.14, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and we do, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Now, wait a minute. Think about this. You went to your mama's funeral, your granny's funeral. You believed and still do that they were God's children. You saw that body be put in a casket. You saw that casket being lowered into the depth of the earth. You left that cemetery knowing that you left your granny or your mama, whoever it was, their body down in the heart of the earth, right? Yes. Where are they? You say, well, I believe they were the Lord. Wait a minute. You just saw them put in the earth. Are you sure? Yes, I'm sure. Why? Because their spirit was taken back to God. And all of the spirits of God's people from Abraham all the way down are with him that have died since then. Listen. Verse 14, 1 Thessalonians 4. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. They're all coming back on the day of resurrection. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain we walked away or drove away from the cemetery, we're still here. We're alive and remaining. Unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent or precede them which are asleep. Our being alive and remain, still having our spirits in our bodies, for death is a matter of separation. What are you talking about? When God separates the soul from the body, you're dead. The body goes into the earth. The soul, the spirit of the believer, goes to be with the Lord. So there they are with the Lord. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ, shall rise first. They are coming back. The spirits of those who are with God are coming back with him at the same time God's raising their bodies up out of the grave and going to put them back together and glorify them. So he's going to bring all of those that have already died in the Lord with him. And their bodies are going to come up out of the graves. I'm reading you the Bible. Listen. for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, bringing them with him, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, we born-again believers, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds And did not it say in Acts chapter one that they looked after him until a cloud received him out of their sight? Yes, it did. So it says, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. They are coming back in their spirits with Christ in the clouds. Their bodies will be raised from the graves and put back together in the clouds, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, and so shall we, all of us, be with the Lord. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. and this is something I can do for you and I am doing if you believe what I'm saying. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Go with me to the fifth chapter of the book of John. John chapter five. I don't know what verse, I'm just going to have to find it when I get there. John chapter five. Verse 25, John 5, 25. Truly, truly, verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, watch it now, and now is. That's not March the 15th, 2025, now is. It's now is when he said it 2,000 years ago. He said it's gonna start right now while I'm saying it. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is. when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live. I stand at the church door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open unto me, I will come in unto him. You are born again by hearing the voice of God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. He said that's going to start right now while he was on earth. Drop on down. Verse number 28 of John chapter 5. Marvel not at this. You can't see anyone being born again. John chapter 3 and verse 8. It's like the wind blowing. You can't tell which it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone, everyone that's born of the Spirit. That's the same way it happens to every one of them. So he says, you can't know this, but I'll prove it to you. by the resurrection at the end of the age. Verse 28. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, and this time it doesn't say, and now is. It's something that's gonna come. Being born again, and now is, is being raised from the dead spiritually. We're dead in trespasses and sins. And regeneration, being born again, is a spiritual resurrection. He said, but to prove the spiritual resurrection, because you can't see the Holy Spirit quickening and making a person alive, John 3, 8. But I'll prove it to you by making them alive physically. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. Everybody that's dead is going to hear the voice of the Son of God. Now, what kind of resurrection is it? One general resurrection of all the dead in Adam's race, but two different distinctions. And shall come forth, number one, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. All are going to be raised. God's going to bring the saints with Him that have been with Him throughout all eternity, throughout all time, that haven't died physically. And He's going to reunite their bodies with their spirits in the air, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them, and we'll all meet the Lord in the air, their bodies being connected with their spirits, and our bodies being glorified He shall change our vile body into the likeness of his glorious body. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. And he says that's going to happen at one general resurrection of everybody, but some are going to be to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of damnation. So we understand and see Dear soul, this same Jesus is coming back in like manner. That's the way that it happened. Now, there was another coming of Jesus. What are you talking about? In Luke chapter two, Luke chapter 2. We're going to look at verse number 7. But the Lord spoke to Mary when she said, how shall these things be? Because I don't know a man. And that's what she said in Luke chapter 1 and verse 34. And in verse 35 of Luke chapter one, the angel said, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing, or this Holy One, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. All right. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. I change not. Therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. I changed not. In the same way that he came the first time, being born of the Virgin, is a pattern of the same way that he shall come the last time. How was it? Was there a single high priest that saw him born? No. Was there a single Sadducee, Pharisee, leader of the Jews? that saw him born. No! How did it happen? Luke chapter 2 and verse number 7. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. And we get so excited And we hear the choir singing down at the mall, you know, and we have to go because our daughters and granddaughters and sons and grandsons are singing in it, and we have to go. And they sing, away in a manger, no crib for, oh, isn't that lovely, isn't that wonderful? But you don't really think this thing out. You think, away in a manger, oh, isn't that quaint, isn't that good? She brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. You do understand that Mary did not have a group of young women to give her a shower. Oh, look how cute. A little pair of blue pajamas with the feet in them. He's going to look good in those. Oh, look how cute. A little onesie. We're going to put them on him. And I didn't know what a onesie was until I got married and we started having children. But you got to understand, Mary did not have a shower to give her all these gifts. And you get that warm, fuzzy feeling away in a manger, no crib for a bed. Oh, isn't that lovely? Really? Do you know what a manger is? The manger is the same word, stall, S-T-A-L-L in Luke 13 and verse 15. It's a cow barn. There was no room in the hotel. They were filled up. You'll have to sleep with the animals. Go out there in the cow barn. The manger, that word is stall. S-T-A-L-L. I'll say it right. S-T-A-L-L in Luke 13 and verse 15. Well, what are swaddling clothes? Rags. Strips of cloth. They were not articles of clothing. They were just strips of cloth that she had saved, and they began to wrap these pieces of individual clothes around him and bind him up. Now, do you understand? You want to worship this Jesus at the Christ mass. That's where the word Christmas comes from. It's a Roman Catholic term. It's the mass wherein we celebrate Christ and his birth. So it's the Christ mass or Christmas. That's where we get it. So we think, oh, isn't that wonderful? We're going to celebrate the birth of Jesus. And we got food galore, people everywhere, presents. It's going to take you another year to pay off your credit card. And we think, well, this is great. We're celebrating Jesus. No, we're not. We're celebrating the Roman Catholic and the deceptive concept of organized religion of how our fictitious Jesus was born. That ain't the way it was. They were in a smelly old cow barn, cow manure, smelly old cows, smelly old donkeys. It was awful. That's how he came the first time. And dear soul, I'm not so sure. I can't prove it. But that place where he was put to sleep was probably a trough where they put the cow feed in. Now, what kind of God have you got? This same Jesus. Oh, we have a big celebration down at the church. Got a big old Christmas tree in the sanctuary. An old sister so-and-so decorates it every year, and she just does a wonderful job. And the kids are all excited about it, and we have a time where we give fruit baskets out to the widows and we have old Santa Claus come and give candy out to the children on a certain night that the church gets together to celebrate Christmas. We're so far away from God, it's no wonder that we're going to hear, depart from me ye that work iniquity, I never knew you. Dear soul, we need to understand that Jesus Christ came the first time without even anybody to provide him with proper clothing. Strips of rags wrapped around him in a cow stall appeared under shepherds watching old smelly sheep that came to see him. And they were the ones that God gave understanding to that was to let everybody else know that a king is born. And then years later, while the young child was in a house, read your Bibles, wise men came from the east, from the darkness of the east. And dear soul, after the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled his responsibility of his death, burial, and resurrection, those of us that were called of God. You see your calling, brethren. First Corinthians chapter one. Not many mighty, not many noble are called. He says. After the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, hath God chosen. These are the people God wants to be around. I'm reading you 1 Corinthians chapter 1, beginning with verse 26. And the base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen. Yea, and the things which are not, to bring to naught, to bring to nothing, things that are. Why? That no flesh should glory in His presence. It's not the high and mighty. It's not the one that can drive up in the churchyard in the most expensive car and wear the most expensive clothes. It's that poor sinner out yonder that God has come to. And dear soul, we're going to be in sad shape because we like Mary and Joseph, lost contact with the son, Jesus, when he was 12 years old because they were involved with their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And we are so involved with our kinsfolk and acquaintances of religion that we don't know where Jesus is. We don't even know this Jesus I'm trying to talk about today. And I feel bad that I can't really convey to you how I really feel it, but I'm trying to make you understand you don't know this poverty-stricken Jesus who had to be born in a stinking cow barn wrapped up in rags and only known by lowly shepherds. who watched their flocks by night. And only years later did he come to be worshipped by wise men. And God has made unto us, made him unto us wisdom. And God has made us wise in the knowledge of God and in the revelation of Jesus Christ to our souls. How wonderful. But for whom are you looking? Well, we're going to have a great time. Jesus is going to come back. Man, we're going to go to heaven. There won't be any more ingrowing toenails. Won't be any more COVID-19. We won't have to pay income tax. There won't be any more death and sorrow. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. All I'm hearing from organized religion along those lines is us getting out of here. We're not hearing anything about him getting into here. And it says he's not going to appear except to those who look for him. I wonder today, are you like I was for seven years, a lost church member, baptized, was in the organized organization of religion, and I still got my little New Testament they gave me when I joined the church. But last week we tried with our very best to get you to understand that Revelation 320 is talking about Christ outside of organized religion, and I'm proving it to you today. He didn't come physically to organize religion. He didn't come physically to a temple or a synagogue. He came to a cow barn. And he did not leave in the midst of organized religion from a synagogue or from a temple. He said, the temple's no more. I'm going to turn y'all upside down and wipe you out like a man wipes a dish. the world sees me no more and for 40 days he showed himself to those that I read you the list of those who actually saw him and then those men of Galilee stood gazing and he said the angel said this is how it went this is how he's coming back now I have tried my best to be faithful to you in giving you God's word and showing you that we need to be careful about being so satisfied with our membership in organized religion that we do not make sure, make our calling and election sure, that we are identified with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, my soul. So his first coming was in a cow barn to a little probably teenage woman, Mary, very young, poor, didn't have a shower to give her a bunch of gifts, just had rags to wrap the holy son of God in as he came forth from her womb in a cow barn. I wonder what Jesus you are worshiping today. I wonder if you are worshiping the figment of religion's imagination or are you thankful to God that he became so lowly and condescended to men of low estate that this is how he came the first time in Luke 2, 7. This is how he left in Acts chapter 1 and verse 11. And according to the angels, this is how he's coming back. So he shall appear to those who look for him. To whom are you looking? For whom are you looking? Dear soul, I trust we are looking for the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who has chosen these kinds of people to be with him. You see your calling, brethren. Not many, not mighty, not many noble are called. God surrounds himself with the foolish things and the base things and the things which are not, that no flesh should glory in my presence. That's what he said. That's who he calls. And what about you? Do you want that fellow or that woman shabbily dressed sitting by you in church? Don't you like to sit among those who are dressed like you in your finery, drive up in your fancy automobile? But their soul, that's what Jesus said, the reason that they never knew him is because they didn't take care of those who were naked, those who were hungry. God have mercy, this same Jesus. I try my best to be faithful to give you everything God has given me. And I pray with all my soul, that we would wake up from the concepts of organized religion. And I'm so thankful that Grace Baptist Church, still an organism, still a church, but we have no building, we have no property, we have no real estate, but neither did Jesus. Not here or there, It's where the church is, it's where Christ is, but where the eagles are gathered together, that's where the carcass is. Where the carcass is, there the eagles are gathered together. And I pray with all my soul that as we, what we call it, meet online, that you're actually meeting with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and fellowshipping in spirit eating his flesh and drinking his blood. And remembering Revelation 3.20 is Christ knocking at the church's door because he's outside of organized religion, speaking to one individual inside of it. And that's how it really is. May God help us. Thank you for your prayers. Amen. Many times I'd heard the story I'd often heard his name But I sought for this world's glory Like a moth drawn to But God reached down in mercy And touched this heart of mine Now I stand amazed At a cross I gaze That's bathed in a light divine have seen the glory of love and grace so free. It's shining from the face of one who gave himself Now the world holds no more beauty I rise for only one For I behold what thrills my soul In Jesus Christ, God's Son As I travel down life's highway The world is ever near For its siren song drifts my way and falls upon my ear. But a sweeter voice is calling from him who reigns above. As I look on his face I find daily grace to work Of love and grace so free It's shining from the face of the one Who gave himself for me Now the world has no more beauty In Jesus Christ, God's Son.