00:00:00.000 - 00:00:25.500

[ Silence ] [ Music ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music]

00:00:25.500 - 00:01:09.780

[ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ Still away to these shores ♪ ♪ Still away ♪

00:01:09.780 - 00:01:30.300

♪ Still away home ♪ ♪ I can't go ♪ ♪ To stay here ♪ ♪ My Lord, he calls me ♪

00:01:30.300 - 00:01:52.580

♪ He calls me by the thunder ♪ ♪ The trumpet sounds within my soul ♪ ♪ I can't go ♪ ♪ To stay here ♪

00:01:52.580 - 00:02:30.580

Still away, still away, still away to Jesus. Still away, still away home. I'm not home. I'm not home to stay here.

00:02:30.580 - 00:03:11.060

Green trees are pending, poor sinners stand trembling. The trumpet sounds within my soul. I ain't got long to stay here. Still away, still away, still away to Jesus.

00:03:11.060 - 00:03:38.520

Still away, still away home. I ain't got long to stay. ♪ My Lord, He called me ♪ ♪ He called me by the thunder ♪

00:03:38.520 - 00:04:05.520

♪ The trumpet sounds within my soul ♪ ♪ I ain't got long to stay ♪ ♪ I ain't got long to stay here ♪ ♪ Still away ♪

00:04:05.520 - 00:04:23.560

♪ Still away ♪ ♪ Still away to Jesus ♪ ♪ Still away ♪ ♪ Still away, oh ♪

00:04:23.560 - 00:05:10.000

God, Lord, to save thee. Amen. Let's bow for a word of song of praise. [ Pause ]

00:05:10.000 - 00:06:03.740

[ Singing ] Let your light from the lighthouse shine on me. ♪ Let it shine ♪ ♪ On me ♪

00:06:03.740 - 00:06:27.000

♪ Lord shine ♪ ♪ On me ♪ ♪ Let your light ♪ ♪ From your lighthouse ♪

00:06:27.000 - 00:06:51.200

♪ Shine on me ♪ - Good morning. We thank God and count it a privilege and a pleasure to be standing before you once again

00:06:51.200 - 00:07:05.980

to my pastor and to my brother in the ministry, Reverend Swisher, to all of you, God's children. We're thankful. I'd like for you to turn with me to the gospel,

00:07:05.980 - 00:07:33.280

not the gospel, but the book, sorry, of Romans. It's recorded by Paul, fifth chapter of Romans. I'd like to focus on verses six, seven, and eight. Romans, the fifth chapter, verses six, seven, and eight.

00:07:33.280 - 00:07:57.880

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perventure for a good man, some would even dare to die.

00:07:57.880 - 00:08:16.680

But God commended his love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And that while we were yet sinners,

00:08:18.240 - 00:08:33.240

Christ died for us. I'd like to use for the title of my message this morning, just as I am. Just as I am.

00:08:33.240 - 00:08:49.480

To show you how the spirit works, I believe that's the song for the invitation this morning. Just as I am. And I didn't give that to Don either.

00:08:49.480 - 00:09:13.720

Just as I am. Would you turn with me to that in the hymnal, just quickly? I think that is 145. Verse four.

00:09:13.720 - 00:09:50.800

Just as I am. poor, wretched, blind, sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee to find. O Lamb of God, I come, I come, just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve. Because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

00:09:50.800 - 00:10:22.020

So often we have the misconception that we have to get it right with God before we can come to God. I'm not quite ready to come to church yet. I need to clean up my act. I need to get myself together. There are some things I want to straighten out before. You know how it is. I don't feel quite right, but God accepts us right

00:10:22.020 - 00:10:43.460

where we are. And as I read over this passage of scripture, that one line just kept ringing in my head, and it really speaks to the love of God. Because Because in that while we were yet sinners, if God would have had to wait on us to get ourselves right,

00:10:43.460 - 00:10:59.160

get ourselves together, we would still, he would still be waiting. But he accept us just as we are. There are many that are outside these walls,

00:10:59.160 - 00:11:11.220

walking the streets, And I guess after our rehearsal on Monday night, there was a young lady who came in, and she's been by here several times,

00:11:11.220 - 00:11:25.520

and she came in and caught Brother McKinley and I believe Brother Watterson, we were still here. And she came in and she said she was wet and she was needing some clothes

00:11:25.520 - 00:11:40.800

and she wanted some money to go buy some clothes and she wanted food, and I was looking at her I was looking at her condition and I said, God can still and will accept her just as she is.

00:11:40.800 - 00:11:52.040

No matter what I think about her, no matter what I think about her situation, whether she was for real or not, whether she needed clothes or whether she just wanted

00:11:52.040 - 00:12:04.040

money to go do something else with it, God is still willing to reach down. She doesn't have to fix herself. God will accept her just as she is.

00:12:04.040 - 00:12:14.600

And who am I to look at her or to look at anybody else and claim to be so righteous and so pious and this and that? And then when I read, God said,

00:12:14.600 - 00:12:35.820

while I was yet a sinner, still a sinner, Christ died for us. And that sixth verse, Paul says to the people of Rome, in explaining this thing of justification,

00:12:35.820 - 00:12:48.860

how is it that you can be relieved of the guilt, blameless of the guilt of sin, and then still receive it? And it is through the faith and the belief in Jesus Christ.

00:12:48.860 - 00:13:03.020

And as he deals with justification and talks about the benefits of justification, that we have peace with God, that we have joy in God, that we have glory and we have hope in Him.

00:13:03.020 - 00:13:13.500

Even through our trials and our tribulations, we can still have hope in Him. The benefits of justification, he begins to explain to the people of Rome

00:13:13.500 - 00:13:25.800

that when we were yet without strength, when we were helpless, powerless, we couldn't do it ourselves, Somebody had to give us a helping hand.

00:13:25.800 - 00:13:39.180

Have you ever been helpless? Seems like there's nothing that you could do. You've been sick, laying there on your bed. Nothing that you can do.

00:13:39.180 - 00:13:47.540

Somebody has to help you, even to go and use the restroom. Helpless. That was our state.

00:13:47.540 - 00:14:11.620

That was our former condition before we knew Jesus Christ. We were helpless. The impotent man told Jesus the pool of Bethesda that he had nobody to help him into the pool when there was a troubling of the water. He was helpless. He needed

00:14:11.620 - 00:14:48.700

somebody to give him a helping hand, and that was our condition. We couldn't do it. we were without power, without strength, unable to help ourselves. But in due time, in due time, at the right time, when the timing was right, God, his Son, died for the ungodly. There's something about God's timing, that God is always on time.

00:14:48.700 - 00:15:19.600

He's right on time. He's never too late. I can see Mary and Martha as they begin to see Jesus coming down the way after their brother Lazarus had died. And Martha said, "Lord, if you had been here as to say you're too late, He's gone now, but Jesus is never too late. In due time, at the right time, when

00:15:19.600 - 00:15:41.340

the timing was right, when God's time clock of salvation had reached this point, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the ungodly. And as I look at that seventh verse, very interesting. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die,

00:15:41.340 - 00:15:55.480

"and for a good man would one even dare to die." And I could think in my mind, as we would see the headlines in the Austin American State,

00:15:55.480 - 00:16:10.580

Reverend Rodney Swisher to die for the city of Austin. And then down at the bottom there's a little warn ad saying, "Warn it, are there any volunteers "to take his place?"

00:16:10.580 - 00:16:23.140

Are there any volunteers? Now I could see Courtney and maybe Karen and Joel and Little Rodney probably standing up, but family is excluded.

00:16:23.140 - 00:16:42.740

We're just looking for somebody to take his place. Reverend Swisher, I feel sorry for you, my brother. (audience laughing) But I would venture to think that we'd tell Reverend Swisher

00:16:42.740 - 00:16:59.600

go ahead, my brother, go ahead, die like a man. But would we even dare to take his place? There may be some. But God looked down upon us.

00:16:59.600 - 00:17:37.520

And he was preparing his son Jesus Christ to come and to take our place. Would one even dare to die but God? But God. Now that's a testimony to the believer. Every believer ought to have but God in their lives. That is your personal situation. That whatever you used to be, you can turn it around

00:17:37.520 - 00:18:07.880

with but God. I used to be an alcoholic but God changed my way of thinking. I used to think and hate everybody and couldn't find anything good in life but God showed me that there was something new, that there was something different, that there was hope. I used to, but God, he has a way of turning things around so

00:18:07.880 - 00:18:37.300

that when the situation seems dark and gloomy, but God adds light, the light of a new day to that situation. When your condition seems hopeless, but God adds hope to your situation. The songwriter says, "I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within, seeking to rise no more but the

00:18:37.300 - 00:19:09.620

master. You see how he turns up the sea, heard my despairing cry, and from the waters he lifted me. But God turned the situation around. He died for the ungodly, yes he did, for the ungodly, but God made the difference. He commended, he demonstrated his love toward us. He demonstrated his love and

00:19:09.620 - 00:19:39.780

And this is where you really see the beauty of his love in spite of the fact that through years and ages we couldn't come close to his righteousness. We tried it with the law and still couldn't come close to his righteousness and still he sent out of his love for God so loved this world that he sent his only his

00:19:39.780 - 00:20:11.940

only begotten Son but God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners while we were yet sinners while we were still fooling around and trying to figure our way out of it. God still. While we were yet sinners. When we look at being ungodly, we're talking about a rude and vile people. We're

00:20:11.940 - 00:20:35.600

talking about a people that has no thought and consciousness of a God. Willing to do whatever they want to do, whatever they want to do, because they're doing what they feel. Whatever makes them feel good, that's what they want to do. but it's not according to his will. Unruly people, filthy people when it

00:20:35.600 - 00:21:09.360

comes to sin invading our lives and still he commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Lord just as I am, just as I am, and he's willing to take you and to clean you up and to turn you around and place your feet on solid ground just as you are. You don't have to get pretty for him. Dress

00:21:09.360 - 00:21:28.200

up and make sure you're smelling right. You don't have to do that. I remember when I first started dating my wife, I'd go through this routine of making sure the pants were laid out and they were pressed and making sure after the shirt was laid out and it matched the pants.

00:21:28.200 - 00:21:39.660

And everything was coordinated together. And I took my shower and wasn't shaving then, so I didn't have to worry about that part. But I got myself together, ready for that day.

00:21:39.660 - 00:21:51.320

I made myself look presentable, because I wanted to be right in her eyesight. I wanted to be pleasing in her eyesight. I wanted her to feel like she was walking with somebody,

00:21:51.320 - 00:22:18.440

ashamed to be walking with me, but you don't have to do that with God. We don't have to let Satan fool us into thinking that we have to do all of that to get ready to go before God because he accepts us just where we are, just as we are. While we were yet sinners, struggling, while we were still out in the streets

00:22:18.440 - 00:22:46.400

figuring out that I still have time to come to God. I'm too young right now to deal with church, but when I get a little older then I'll come in the church. While we were still yet foolish thinking that way, God still sent his son to die for us. And yes he died. Christ did die. When I read over the Gospels and all of them

00:22:46.400 - 00:23:15.800

talked about the crucifixion and how he died. None of them really explained what was happening to Christ's physical body as he died. I mean that was speculation, but when he talked about the things that happened to him, the crown of thorns that were placed on his head. The fact that they did hang him on a cross.

00:23:15.800 - 00:23:46.240

The fact that people looked at him and mocked him, spat on him, talked about him. This is a man dying in pain and in agony. Yes he died. The scripture talks about how he died from the third to the ninth hour. How at the sixth hour everything went dark, total darkness, but for three more hours he still hung there. But

00:23:46.240 - 00:24:17.440

everybody was still around the cross. It talks about soldiers gambling over his garments, talking about his dying. But one of the things that I love most about this story is that he got up. That death was only a temporary situation because three days later he got up with all power in his hand and it was the kind of

00:24:17.440 - 00:24:47.800

power that says in spite of how you treated me, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. That's the kind of love that he had, that's the kind of power that he had when he arose that Sunday morning with all power in his head to say that I accept you just as you are. You don't have to put on a front

00:24:47.800 - 00:25:12.640

with me. I know your situation because I'm not looking at the outside, I'm looking at your heart. You may be walking around here looking fine and good but on the inside, I know you're hurting, and that's what I'm trying to reach, that's what I'm trying to get to, and I'll take you just as you are, just as you are. I'm

00:25:12.640 - 00:25:39.040

glad about that this morning. I'm glad about that this morning, that he's willing to accept us just as we are. I struggled with this message. I didn't know how God would have it be put together because I said, "Lord, I'm speaking to church folk here. They're already saved, but in spite of

00:25:39.040 - 00:26:03.100

that, I don't know everybody's condition and I just have to speak the word." So if you're out there and the Spirit is speaking to your heart, He's willing to accept you just as you are. We might be church folk, but there may be some of us who strayed away a little bit from the path and we want to come back, but

00:26:03.100 - 00:26:20.980

we're thinking we have to get it right and get it straight with God, but still even if you strayed away, He can go out there and reach you where you are and bring you back to the path of righteousness. So I don't know who this message is for, but if you're out there this morning, he's willing to accept you

00:26:20.980 - 00:26:55.700

just as you are. Will you come this morning? Will you come this morning? He's standing with an outstretched hand. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He loved us and we love him because he first loved us just as I am. Will you come?

00:26:55.700 - 00:27:20.140

[ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ My life was shed for me ♪ ♪ And now this I give to thee ♪

00:27:20.140 - 00:27:46.960

♪ O Lamb of God, I come ♪ Will you come this way? ♪ Just as I am ♪ [MUSIC]

00:27:46.960 - 00:28:00.760

♪ Of our blood ♪ ♪ To me who's blood ♪ ♪ That cleanses each bond ♪ ♪ O Lamb of God ♪

00:28:00.760 - 00:28:15.760

♪ I come ♪ ♪ I come ♪ ♪ Just as I am ♪ ♪ Those walls are bound ♪

00:28:15.760 - 00:28:46.680

♪ With me alone, with me alone ♪ ♪ My fears and fears within ♪ ♪ Without a man of God I'm not, I'm not ♪ ♪ Just as I am, so regify ♪

00:28:46.680 - 00:29:15.300

♪ Such riches give me, God, of thine ♪ ♪ May all thy gifts give thee ♪ ♪ To my homeland of God I come ♪ ♪ I have come ♪

00:29:15.300 - 00:29:29.700

♪ Just as I am ♪ ♪ Thou wilt receive ♪ ♪ With wealth and honor ♪ ♪ Will freely ♪

00:29:29.700 - 00:29:49.840

♪ Be brought thy right ♪ ♪ I believe, O Lamb ♪ ♪ Of God, I come, I come ♪ [ Music ]

00:29:49.840 - 00:29:59.840

[BLANK_AUDIO]