Masterpiece
Number 30
October 29, 2005 Communion
Service
Pastor, Brian Kocourek
1. This
evening, being that this is our communion service and we are commended to come
to this service prayed up and having searched our souls to make sure there is
not unbelief in us, I feel led to take a short sermon on “understanding and what is sin”.
2. Now we know
that sin is unbelief because the Scripture tells us so. John 16: 9 Of sin, because
they believe not on me;
3. John 8: 24 I said therefore
unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he,
ye shall die in your sins.
4. So we see
that sin is unbelief, but it goes even further than just not believing. It goes
to the point that they believe because they just do not understand.
5. We are told by the Apostle Paul
that the princes of this world crucified Jesus the Word made manifest out of
ignorance. 1 Corinthians 2: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
6. The Apostle
Paul further speaks of the unbeliever as being those whom have a darkened
understanding. Ephesians 4: 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart: Notice
here he tells us that what understanding they do have becomes darkened because
of the ignorance that is in them, and because that they are blind in their
heart, and we know that whenever the Scriptures speaks of the heart it speaks
of understanding.
7. When their eyes were opened 64-0212 P:26 Notice He said, "Fools, and slow of heart to
understand the Scripture promise for this age." Fools, said, "Oh,
He's gone. They crucified Him. And we understood He rose again. But, oh, my,
that's just a mystery story that somebody said and we didn't know nothing about it. Oh, I'm telling you; it's the most
miserable thing." He said, "You
fools, and slow of heart to understand that what the Scripture has said for
this age." Amen. There you are. I wish I could blast that to the
ecumenical council. Yes, sir. Slow of heart, knowing the Scripture says these
things, still don't understand it.
There you are. He said, "Fools, and slow
of heart to understand the Scripture that's been prophesied for that day,"
and just exactly how it would happen. And here it's happened. Christ entered
into His glory by suffering first, being buried, died, rose again the third
day. Didn't... That's the way the Scripture said He was to do it, raised up on
the third day. He said, "This is the third day since it has
happened." He said, "Well, that's what I'm trying to tell you."
And still they didn't understand it. Then
He said, "You're fools, and slow at
heart to understand all that the prophets have said, and the Scripture being
said about this day. And here it's happened right before you, and you don't
know it."
8. Notice that Jesus called them fools
because they were slow of heart to understand. And we know the foolish virgin were
called foolish because they just had no oil in their lamp and a lamp without
oil is useless, and can not produce the light that is necessary to walk in a
dark world.
9. The very reason a person is called a fool is because they
have no clue as to what is going on. We call a person a fool that is ignorant,
because they have no desire to know and to understand. And the foolish virgins
were called foolish because they had the Word but they did not seek to fill
their vessel with the Spirit of God until it was to
late.
10. And without
the holy Spirit anointing your vessel, you will never
understand because the Holy Spirit brings the understanding.
11. The Apostle
Paul prayed for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of God to
come to the people.
12. We are
promised in the Book of Daniel that in the last days the elect will understand.
13. Daniel 12: 10 Many shall be
purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none
of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
14. Daniel
2 :21 And he changeth the times
and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding:
15. We find the
Apostle Paul praying that the people would receive an understanding in their
hearts. Ephesians 1: 18 The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints, And notice he used the term eyes of their
understanding because eyes represent to see which means to understand and to
know.
16. Adoption or placing 60-0522E P:88 You know, and
the Bible said you were blind and didn't know it. But here Paul said, "I'm
going to pray that your eyes of understanding..." You understand with your
heart. That's what he's talking about. You look with your eye, but you see with your heart.
17. Man running from presence 65-0217 P:79
I pray that He'll saturate every heart in here with His goodness
and mercy, with understanding. We realize, Father, that's what we need, is to understand.
For if we do not know what we're doing, then how do we know how to do it? But we must have understanding. As Daniel
said he had understanding by the prophet Jeremiah's Writing, and, Father, we
have understanding by the Holy Spirit's Writings as He will reveal It to us in this hour.
18. But the
sinner will not believe because he just has no understanding to believe with. 2 Peter 2: 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken
and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own
corruption;
19. The Apostle
John told us that the Holy Ghost anoints us in order that we might have an
understanding.
20. 1 John 2:19 They went out from
us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt
have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest
that they were not all of us. (Now, if they
were of us then they would have known that and would have remained, but the
fact that they left he says is because they just don’t have the unction from
the Holy Ghost, and thus they just don’t know, nor do they have an
understanding. Notice the next verse, John says, ) 20 But ye
have an unction (that means an anointing ) from (who?) the Holy One, (and what does this
anointing do?)
and ye know all things. 1 21 I have not
written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who
is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the
Christ? (THE ANOINTED ONE) He is antichrist, that denieth the
Father and the Son. (and the reason they
deny the Father AND the Son is because they have not an unction from the Holy
One that they might know.) 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same
hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the
Son hath the Father also.
Now, let’s skip
down to verse 27. 1 John Chapter 2 Verse 27 But the
anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that
any man teach you: but as the same
anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even
as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
20. So you must
have an anointing from God to know and to understand or else you remain in your
sin. Now, I have shown you from 1 Peter 1: 13 and 1 Corinthians chapter 1 that
there is a spirit fo Grace that is to come into the
church to anoint the church with an understanding .
21. Brother Branham said in his sermon called Seventy weeks of Daniel 61-0806 P:36 But you
remember in Daniel 12 He said, "The
wise shall understand in this last days"? It's been given to him. The Spirit of wisdom comes into the church
to make known to the church by the revelation of the Holy Ghost--bringing
the church in and revealing what day that we're living in. Just the same as
Gabriel come to Daniel, the Holy Spirit
comes to the church in the last days to reveal these great, deep, secret
things. Do you understand now?
22. 1 John 5: 20 And we know that
the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know
him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God, and eternal life.
23. Easter seal 65-0410 P:18 The world has
been shut up in doubt for many ages until then, this was proven: not only
talked about, but was proven. I think that anything that's worthwhile...As
Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, teach all nations
and prove to them by demonstrating the power of God to them. These signs shall
follow them that believe." Them who promise and say they believe, He give us a definite understanding of it,
that these signs would follow them that believe. It would be the proof of their
testimony. Now, we can say we believe,
but until we have the proven sign that He said that would be upon us, then we
are just confessing to be believers and not the possession of believers.
24. Proving His word 65-0426 P:58 I got a picture
here, of Brother Lee Vayle's here. I'd like to show you just what taken place
up on the mountain the other day, when all the school kids turned out, just
before this great subject of the open of them Seven Seals. When the school kids
turned out, when I was up in there praying, here was Fire just in a funnel
coming down, then go back up and burst out, and turn around and come back down again.
That's what He said what to go tell the people. We... And there It is, where
the schools of
25. God wants us to know and to understand. That
is why Jesus told us in John chapter 8 that all that will come must first be
taught by the Father.
26. And the
Apostle Paul told us, 1 Corinthians 14: 20 Brethren, be not
children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in
understanding be men.
But the main
reason that God wants us to know is because understanding gives us assurance, and if an assurance then a rest and peace and
trust. Colossians
2: 2 That their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of
the full assurance of understanding,
to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
27. I have heard but
now I see 65-1127E P:85 Now, I don't
care how much the people act in these denominations, say they're looking for
Christ; their actions prove they're not. That's right. Your actions
speaks louder than your words. All they think about is making
denominational members, but there are some people, one here and there, that's
looking for the coming of the Lord. They're watching for though. Only those
will He reveal Himself to; only those
will understand.
28. The Apostle
Paul said, Colossians 1: 9 For this cause
we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire
that ye might be filled with the
knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
29. Look, Paul
was a teacher and a teacher is sent to teach, and what good does it do to teach
if you don’t have anyone to listen and learn. So he prayed that the people
might listen and learn and be filled with the Holy Ghost so they would be
filled with the knowledge of God.. Ephesians 5: 17 Wherefore be ye
not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
30. Trying to do God a
service 65-1127B P:8 But it's so
hard, I, used to bother me so bad, and
then I found out even our Lord was misunderstood in so many things. He'd say
anything, and they'd--be misunderstood. I guess it just has to be that way. But those who are wise will understand.
See? The Bible said so. They'll catch It.
31. Even when
the Apostle Paul was instructing the people concerning the gifts of the spirit
he emphasized that they must be used with an understanding or they become
useless to the people. 1 Corinthians 14: 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth,
but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the
spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. And
then in verse 19 he says, 19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my
voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
32. Luke 24: 45 Then opened he their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
33. Luke 2: 47 And all that heard
him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
34. Mark 12: 33 And to love him
with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and
with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as
himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
35. Easter seal 65-0410
P:44 Now, that quickening power that come upon Jesus quickened Him to manifest every
promise of the Word of that day. So
does the Holy Spirit that come upon us in this day.
If it's not a mockery holy spirit, if it's not the devil mocking the Holy
Spirit, but is the real true Holy Spirit, it'll
manifest the promise of this hour. When It fell
upon Luther, It manifested that promise
of that hour. When It fell upon Wesley, It manifested the promise of that hour. When It
falls in this day, It manifests the promise of this hour.
When It fell upon
Moses, It manifested the promise of that hour. Fell upon Noah, It manifest
the promise of that hour. When It fell upon Jesus, It manifests the promise of that
hour. See? It's the Holy Spirit coming
down to quicken, make alive those people that's foreordained of God to be
in the rapture. Oh, that is, if he's a true eagle, he will understand the
message of the hour: if he's a true eagle.
36. Rising of the sun
65-0418M P:63 The Dynamics,
if It comes upon water it'll just splutter: "Days of miracles is past,
putt-putt-putt; oh, I believe Divine... pomp-pomp-pomp; but they--they don't...
pomp-pomp-pomp." See? but when it hits that one
thousand octane, "Whrrrr" and away she
goes. You see? Now. My. The Dynamics strike that...
But if It strike a chicken, It won't do no good. But
when It strikes a eagle he moves out (Amen.), the
Dynamics with the mechanics. See what I mean? That is, if he is a true eagle
now, he will understand .Let me straighten a little Scripture here for you. (I
think we're off the phone, but we are still here.) St. John 5:24, Jesus said,
"He that heareth My Word, and believeth on him that sent me, has
Everlasting Life."
37. Voice of the sign
64-0214 P:64 Notice. And
when he did... One day He begin to speak to the
people. And He said, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink
His blood, you've no Life." What would doctors say about that? Now, He
never explained it. He never said any...He just come for so many. Them that He foreknew, He come. He said, "No man can
come to Me except My Father draws him. And all the
Father has given Me, they will understand Me. They'll
come. (See?) They'll come. They'll understand it, the one the Father has given Me, whose name's on the Book of Life." He come to redeem them.
38. Pardoned 63-1028
P:81 Our heavenly Father, knowing that--that the sun is swiftly going
down, time shall be no more, one day the great Archangel will step out on the
scene of time, from out of eternity. And the trumpet of God shall sound and
every man and woman will answer to what we know to be the Truth, the Word of
God. There's got to be some standard that God has to have here on earth that
we're to be judged by. And if we took the standard of our church, our
denomination, how far would we miss it? And which denomination would be right?
Therefore, we'd be confused. We wouldn't know what to do. But there is a
Standard and that is Your Word. And Your Word said, "Except a man be borned again he cannot even see the
39. Evening messenger
63-0116 P:126 Now, our
heavenly Father, we give to You this audience, these broken up words has been
lengthy, Lord. Even many has gotten tired and weary, and has gone home, and
maybe some felt a little bad, and, Lord, I--I just can't tell who's in the
audience all the time. And after all, Father, It's Your Word and You know my heart. So... And I'm...
Woe is me if I don't do it. And I--I must do it, Lord. So I pray now that the
people who has understanding of the Word will understand clearly, and I'm sure
those that You've called to Life will, that it's not anything in the world but
a heart full of love for God and His Church that I plead these things. Father,
practically every hand in here went up for a circumcision, to be cut away all the surplus that doesn't belong there. God, help us all.
I stand right with them, Lord. I'm one of them. I'm watching for the coming of
that glad millennium day when sin and shame shall be destroyed forever. And,
Father, while we're in this world we know that we're subject to these things;
we're subject to mistakes; we're subject to sin; we're still walking, and yet
we don't desire to do it. As the Bible said, "Faint not when you're
reproved." But I pray, Father, that the reproving
of the Word cuts me just as hard as it cuts the rest of them. And I pray,
Father, that they'll understand it that way.
40. Go awake Jesus
63-1130E P:20 They do the
same thing today, just the same. See, if He come today, and just in the same
thing, the way He did then, the people today would boo Him and call Him crazy
just as they did then. See? It'd be just the same. And they do do it. They would not understand Him. The world never did
understand the true moving of God. And it never will understand it, because
it's the world. "The world seeth Me no
more," He said, "but you shall see Me, because I'll be with you, and
I'll be in you to the end of the world." If the people could just see that
one quotation from Him, right there, they'd recognize where we're at tonight.
41. God hiding Himself
in simplicity 63-0412E P:65 Could you
imagine a man like Moses, an ordinary man doing the things that he did? Could
you imagine that Elijah, an old, woolly-looking fellow with hairs all over his
body and a piece of sheepskin draped around him, could you imagine God taking a
thing like that, when there stood priests, and clergymen that was robed, and
polished in their theology, just as smooth as they could be? But God bypassed
every one of them. He always does. Tell me one time He ever did it. Never. No, sir.He bypassed the
whole thing to come down to some simple form. He reveals Himself, and works in
simplicity, real simple so that everybody will understand it. That's what makes
Him great. He be--He comes simple, simplifying it. And
now, He bypassed...