Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Reverend Ben Coopers podcast, offers an inviting space for listeners to explore Christianity and spiritual growth with wisdom, humor, and a deep commitment to biblical truth. Through Rev. Ben's engaging conversations with guests, the podcast not only explores the timeless wisdom of the Bible but also tackles the pressing issues of life, faith, and hope in a way that is accessible, thought-provoking, and enriching. Whether you’re seeking spiritual nourishment, answers to life’s big questions, or simply a place to reflect on your faith, the Rev Ben podcast is a valuable resource on your journey.
In each episode, Rev. Ben guides listeners through profound theological reflections, personal stories, and practical insights drawn from the Bible and the broader Christian tradition.
Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast
Rediscovering the True Meaning of Christmas Through the Power of the Cross (#801 - Elim) WB
What does the Christmas season truly mean beyond the glimmering lights and festive trees? As we navigate these prophetic times, we challenge the commercialization and pagan influences in modern celebrations, urging a transformative focus on Jesus Christ as Savior and coming King. Together, we'll explore how churches and ministries can embrace their mission to spread the authentic message of Christ's birth, reaching people from all walks of faith.
Our conversation takes a deep dive into the Gospel of John, chapter 12, verse 12, where the profound connection between Old and New Testament prophecies is revealed. The momentous entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, as predicted by Zechariah 9:9 over 550 years before, underscores the consistent and powerful rhythm of God's word. We invite you to reflect on these biblical truths and consider how they resonate in our lives today, especially during the holiday season.
Lastly, we confront the modern-day practices that may overshadow the true essence of the cross and the message of Christianity. By examining various biblical passages, we emphasize the importance of prioritizing the spiritual meaning of Christ's sacrifice over secular traditions. With compelling imagery and heartfelt discussion, we encourage believers to rise to their true calling and celebrate a Christmas where Jesus is exalted above all. Join us as we renew our commitment to the teachings and significance of Jesus Christ's ultimate sacrifice for humanity.
Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast connects with a global Christian audience through powerful long-tail keywords optimized for maximum search engine visibility. These include phrases such as “True meaning of Christmas in Christianity,” “Prophetic fulfillment in the Gospel of John,” “Biblical teachings on Christmas traditions,” “Jesus Christ as King and Savior podcast,” and “Connecting Old and New Testament prophecies.” By addressing themes like “How to focus on Jesus during Christmas,” “Christian discussions on pagan influences in holidays,” and “Understanding the true essence of the cross,” the podcast appeals to believers seeking deep, faith-based insights. With keywords like “Spiritual awakening during Christmas season,” “Bible prophecy podcasts for Christians,” and “Church mission to spread the Gospel message,” the show stands out in the Christian podcasting community. These targeted keywords ensure relevance and inspire engagement, making the podcast a go-to platform for believers exploring biblical truths and Christ-centered living.
This podcast offers insight into faith, prayer, Bible teachings, courage, hope, gospel truths, salvation, grace, redemption, kingdom living, worship, discipleship, devotion, prophecy, community growth, and ministry impact, inspiring listeners with Christ-centered discussions and a commitment to kingdom culture.
Dive into powerful discussions that explore timeless biblical truths, providing Christian perspectives on modern-day issues. From discipleship and Christian living to overcoming challenges through a biblical worldview, this podcast equips you with the tools to walk boldly in faith. Whether you're seeking inspiration, biblical answers, or guidance for daily living, Reverend Ben Cooper's Podcast offers insight and encouragement rooted in scripture and designed to inspire.
Key Topics Covered:
- Faith and Prayer
- Bible Teachings
- Discipleship and Christian Living
- Overcoming Life’s Challenges
- Spiritual Growth and Kingdom Living
- Gospel Truths, Grace, Redemption, and Salvation
- Hope, Courage, and Faith-based Encouragement
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
Welcome to Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We are a radio and podcast ministry based here within the UK. Your support is vital through prayer and through sowing a seed of faith. We are so thankful to have so many people around the globe downloading and listening to our podcasts, whether you are on Spotify, apple Podcast, google, alexa, amazon Music and so many other platforms. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. We would love to hear from you as you partner with us as we reach the world for Jesus Christ. Please send us an email through our contact form on. Also, you can find our latest books on Amazon under.
Speaker 1:Your financial gifts play a crucial role in supporting our radio ministry, helping us share the gospel through these podcasts and providing free copies of the Gospel of John and Bibles around the globe. Please pray for this ministry as we stretch out beyond the boundaries, as we walk by faith. If you'd like to support our mission, please consider clicking the support button on Spotify, apple Podcasts or Buzzsprout. You can give a one-time gift or set up a regular contribution of three pounds, five pounds, eight pounds or 10 pounds. You can also leave a legacy by clicking in the links within pastorbencoopercouk. Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry as we spread the message of hope far and wide through this radio ministry. So, whether you are on the daily commute or at home listening to our podcast, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy.
Speaker 2:Good evening and welcome. God bless you wherever you are, in the mighty name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. May God strengthen you and bless you wherever you are at this moment in time, as we just get into the Word of God this evening, we apologise for the bit of a back echo that just comes across the mics, because we're in a large church, obviously we're not in the studio, but we hope it's okay. Just to get through. You know, because we're in the large church, obviously we're not in the studio, but we hope it's okay, just, uh, just to get through. You know, we're trying. We're trying, we're trying just sort things out, but we're getting there. But may god bless you wherever you are joining us for this podcast, for this live stream this evening. Whatever you are across the world. May god bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of jesus christ. We're going to turn to the gospel of john. We're going to turn to the Gospel of John. We're going to turn to the Gospel of John and we're going to go to chapter 12 and we're going to go to verse 12. So, as we get ready for the scriptures, I just pray that you will find and you will feel the love of God, the power of the Holy Spirit in your life and you will find the refreshing move of God just over your life. We are living in very, very powerful times. We are living in very, very powerful times. We are living in very, uh unusual times.
Speaker 2:As human beings, you know, we are seeing the prophecies unfold. We are wandering up to, we're coming up to, the silly season in church. You know, we've got the tree out, we've got the pagan tree out. We sat here. You know it's already out. The green tree is out, the lights are on it, it looks great. But who are we worshiping, jesus christ? Are we worshiping, uh, foreign gods? Yeah, I get it. I get it. I get it. So come on, let's be in prayer.
Speaker 2:Father, in the name of jesus, we bow before you tonight as the king of kings and the lord of lords, and father, as we go into that silly christmas time of the church messing around, father, we pray that we won't ever engage, dear god in in tinsel christianity, father, that we dear't ever engage, dear God, in tinsel Christianity. Father. That we, dear God, will know the truth and the truth will set us free, lord, that we won't get caught in the hype. We won't get caught in all the razzmatazz and the commercialization and the pagan festival that it is, but we will, dear God, spread the good news of Jesus Christ, that the Savior came, the King is alive, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. So right now, lord, father, we pray for everyone, dear God, we pray for every church, as churches are preparing, as ministries are preparing. Dear God, for this message, lord, that the message will go out in power over this Christmas time, as we reflect and as we be still, and we know that you are God. So, lord, we pray for every church, every denomination, that the name of Jesus Christ will be exalted, that Jesus Christ will be lifted up, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, spirit of the Living God. We thank you that there is power in the name of Jesus and as we come before you tonight, we ask you, father, lord, seriously, from the bottom of our heart, lord, that this that this Christmas, through every church, every denomination, jesus Christ, dear God, not as the baby Jesus, but as the coming King, the coming King will be redeemed Lord, the Redeemer Lord, that we will see the Redeemer Lord. That we won't get too caught up in the razzmatazz and the tinsel and all that stuff that goes along with the commercialization of Christmas, but, lord, that we will stand on the word and we will know, and we will know that, because he lives, we can face tomorrow. So, lord, at this critical time this season, we pray, lord, that many people, dear God, from other faiths will come into churches across the nation and will receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We pray, dear God, for from other faiths, will come into churches across the nation and will receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Speaker 2:We pray, dear God, for the atheists this Christmas time, dear God, as they sit around their Christmas table, dear God, and as they spend time with their families, lord and friends, and whatever atheists do over Christmas, because they got no hope. So I don't know what they're hoping in. But, lord, I pray that you'll give them peace and they will find the redeemer. I pray for those, lord, in Hinduism. I pray, lord, for the witches. I pray, dear God, for those in black magic, white magic, pray for those that practice Freemasonry, that are involved in that occult. I pray, dear God, for those, lord, that are serving foreign gods, lord, that are that are serving foreign gods, and we pray, lord for those that serve Islam.
Speaker 2:We pray, lord, that many lives will be transformed at this season, that this will be the season when the power of God will sweep through every church. Lord, that we won't see the green tree lit up, dear God, in the pagan way, but when we look at the tree, when we look at that green tree, we will see through that tree and we will see the real tree, the cross of Calvary. That we will see the cross, the cross through every pagan tree, dear God. That we will see Jesus Christ, lord, that you will be and you are the king at this Christmas time. So, father, we pray for this season. As the churches prepare, as life prepares, lord, as commercialized Christmas is pressing already, father, we pray that we will be your ambassadors and we will deliver the word of God in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen, amen and amen.
Speaker 2:Brothers and sisters, wherever you are across the world, we thank God for your lives. We thank you so much for sharing all this stuff out across the world of podcasts. We thank you for those that listen on on amazon music, those that listen to apple uh through the apple devices, those that listen through every device. We thank you so much for those that, uh, that just sow a seed into the ministry and everything that's going on. We are so blessed for the tens of thousands of downloads. We are hitting some serious, crazy numbers and may God bless every one of you. And, yes, we are entering into that time.
Speaker 2:You know, december is upon us. The church in many areas will get all the strange things, all the strange vibes, but what we got to do is Bible believing. You know, we are John 3, 3. We are John 3, 3. We are born again. We are spirit filled, we are believers in Christ Jesus and we are his ambassadors. And it's critical for us to make sure that the word gets out in truth. It's critical that we stand up for the gospel in Jesus Christ. You know, christmas trees are going up and everything's going on and everybody's trying to get in that rhythm. But I just pray. It's very interesting, isn't it what? Who's going to sit on top of the Christmas tree? This year? You know there'll be a few pink fairies, that's for sure. Probably a few pink vicars sitting on a few Christmas trees this year. Who knows what goes on. Oh Lord, give us strength. It is just completely crazy the things that are going on, but we've got to pray and we've got to stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ and we're going to go straight in to the gospel of John.
Speaker 2:We're in John, chapter 12, and we're looking at a very interesting piece of scripture here. This scripture that we're looking at is is mirror imaged, is a mirror form back in the old testament. We'll turn back in just a few moments, but, as there's people coming in the Lord's house as we're getting ready, good evening, good evening, god bless. Wherever you are across the world as well, joining us online. Thank you for joining us in the Lord's house. We're in the Gospel of John, chapter 12. Thank you to those that join us in the world of podcasts. I know I keep repeating it, but it's really, really important. We thank God for everybody the online family, the online brothers and sisters, wherever you are this evening capturing this live stream, and all those that are that are in the Lord's house as well.
Speaker 2:But we're in the gospel of John, chapter 12, and I'm going to pick it up from verse 12 very, very interesting verse 12 of the gospel of John, chapter 12, and it reads like this, and we'll push it down to the verse end of verse 14. So we'll read it down John, chapter 12, verse 12, down to the end of verse 14. And it says the next day there was a great crowd that had come for the feast. Uh, I heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. Very, very important then. Parts of them scriptures there, uh, and it says there, verse 13, that he took, uh, the palm branches. They took the palm branches and they went out to me in shouting hosanna, hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the lord, blessed is the king of israel. He's the king of israel, not the king of, of, uh, what we might think. You know, we got to make sure he's the king of israel. And it says there jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it. As it is written, do not be afraid. Verse 15, do not be afraid, o daughter of Zion, see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt. Very, very interesting, that scripture. What is happening through that scripture?
Speaker 2:If you turn back, if you turn back into the Old Testament and you go to the book of Zechariah Zechariah, however, you want to pronounce that, chapter 9, verse 9, you will read a very interesting part in the Old Testament. Keep your hand in the Gospel of John. We're going to go to Zechariah, you know, and it's right, coming up close, right up before, and what is the book after that? Let's have a look. And then we're coming up and we got Malachi. It's the last book. This is book before Malachi, and then, in verse verse nine, we're going to go to verse nine of chapter nine. Let's see what it says.
Speaker 2:Now, the reason I'm referencing this is the second book before the New Testament, the second last of the last part of the Old Testament, before we go to Malachi. It is about a prophet, a prophet that was very powerful at this particular time and for those out there we know it's around about 550 years before Christ that this prophet is giving it large across the airwaves. This is what he says. Now you've got to think this is 550 years or thereabouts before Christ has come to the earth. This is so powerful. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't correlate and you can't bring the fabric of the old to the new testament together.
Speaker 2:It says rejoice greatly, oh, daughter of Zion, shout, daughter of Jerusalem, see, your king is coming, coming to you, righteous, having salvation. How can this prophet say so much powerful prophecies, obviously, because it's prophecy, we got that right. But he is prophesying. He is giving the word, a word of knowledge. He is giving information. He is telling it as it is. He is speaking out loud and clear. Look at what it says in Zechariah 9. Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion. Shout, daughters of Jerusalem. See your king comes to you. Rejoice, having salvation, gentle, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, a foal of a donkey. Go back. You got to go back up to the gospel of John. This is crazy stuff. How can this Bible work so seamlessly? How can the word of God flow so powerfully? How can this have such a beautiful rhythm?
Speaker 2:Again, I'm going to read John, chapter 12, john, chapter 12, verse 12. Now, I've just referenced John, chapter 12, verse 12. Now, we're not into numerology because we are not doing numerology. We don't go into numerology, but it's very interesting how numbers work and correlate in the word of God. So I am reading from the gospel of John, chapter 12, verse 12. And it says and the next day a great crowd had come because of the feast. Now, remember that word feast, very important. We know what the feast is the feast of the Passover, the unleavened bread. The feast of the Passover, the passing over critical what we are looking at. These scriptures are so on point and so timely every time we read them.
Speaker 2:Verse 12 of John, chapter 12, and I'm going to take us back further in the Old Testament in a moment John chapter 12, verse 12. Let's read it further on. And it says the next day, a great crowd that had come for the feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and they went out to meet him. They shouted Hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, blessed is the king of Israel. Verse 14. Remember what we read back in the old scripture. It says there Jesus found on a young donkey and sat upon it. It is written do not be afraid, o daughter of Zion, see your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt. Go back, go back. We've got to get back. We've got to get this in our spirit. We've got to get it back.
Speaker 2:You cannot separate the word of God from the Old Testament to the New. Look, this is 550 years before Christ. This prophet is prophesying about who the coming king, these atheists, these ones that serve foreign gods they haven't got a scooby-doo about the word. They haven't got a clue. Look at Islam, 630 years after the cross of Calvary. Why do you listen? Why are you listening and reading the Quran when it's second-hand knowledge, when it's not even correct knowledge? What are you doing in the Quran? What are you doing worshipping Buddha? What are you doing worshipping foreign gods? The word that you are following isn't even a word. This is the word of God. This is power. This is life.
Speaker 2:Look at the prophecies. There's no other book in the world that you can get healing from. There's no other book that you can get the word of God from. There's nothing else like the power of God. There's no other book where you'll receive healing. There's no other book where you'll receive salvation. No other book offers you salvation. No other book offers you healing. Look at this prophet. Look what he says greatly oh, daughter of zion, shout, daughter of jerusalem. See your king. Oh, he's the king. You need to tell your neighbors he's the king of kings and the lord of lords.
Speaker 2:It's not about the plastic christmas tree. It's not about the pagan festival. We are worshipping and we are remembering. At this season, the church might be doing the silly stuff. They might be jumping up and down and doing all that crazy stuff, selling tickets. Look at them, big ministries. They will pack out certain arenas and they will sell you tickets to listen to carols. What am I going to go and pay good old money for? To go and see a celebrity world pushing off and all that sort of stuff?
Speaker 2:Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Why have we got these pagan trees in our churches, in our houses? Why are we wrapping everything up in tinsel, putting lights on it? It's fake. What is Christmas about? It's about the birth of the King. The King, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The great I am.
Speaker 2:The silly season, the commercialization, the pagan festival season, the commercialization, the pagan festival. Are we celebrating the pagan festival or are we doing what the Bible says? Are we mesmerized by the tinsel, glitz, lights and all that? Got to be careful. But we can use the tree. We can use the pagan tree to take them to the real tree, to take them to the real tree, to take them to the cross of Calvary. That's what we got to do. When you look at the pagan tree in every house, every church, look through the pagan way of that and look at the cross. Look at the cross. It's the cross, the greatest symbol the world has ever seen. Trees are coming out, lights are going on, everything's going up. Yes, oh yes, it's Christmas. The TV is pushing out all these adverts. You've got a gay Santa. You've got I won't mention the color because I will get in trouble. You've got a mother Christmas. You've got. All that stuff going on. They are literally taking and rinsing what we actually believe in.
Speaker 2:Now are we going to stand for this and be bulldozed over by Satan's understanding, or are we going to make a stand as John 3, 3? Yes, we will put the tree up. Yes, we will look at it, but let me tell you. Let me tell you who I serve at this time. I'm serving the one that this prophet spoke about. I'm serving the one that is the saviour of the world. I don't serve your foreign gods. I'm not going to serve your foreign god, but let me tell you about you're telling me and showing me about your tree. What does your tree represent? Your tree represents fake paganism. Your tree represents serving foreign gods. Let me tell you about the cross of Calvary, because there was a savior and his name is Jesus. This is why we're here. This is why you've got your tree up. This is why you've got presents. This is why this is what we are looking at, but you've turned it into a pagan festival. Well, as I am a bible believing believer, I want to tell you about the savior of the world.
Speaker 2:How many Christmas trees are going to be up in churches? Everyone. We've got one over the back there. We've got it all going on. We've got everything the bells and the whistles. Every house, the majority, every house will have the pagan tree up. But let me ask you this rhetorical question we put the Christmas tree up in our houses, but do we have a cross? Do we have a cross in our house? We put a tree up. Everyone looks at the tree and it looks great, doesn't it? Actually, we got a little pink fairy up there. Actually, he's got a collar on. Actually, it's a little vicar, a pink fairy, on the top of the tree. This year, anything's go, oh sorry. No, he's a non-binary, it's okay. He can identify to anything. Non-binary, it's okay, he can identify to anything. This is crazy.
Speaker 2:Who are you going to tell this Christmas time? Your family and your friends? Are you going to adapt to paganism and satanic worship or are you going to tell the world about Jesus Christ, the greatest gift that came from God? God came down the staircase, John 1 you've only got to look at John 1, verse 14, and the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. But the majority of the celebrity church? It will sell you a ticket this Christmas. It will take you to a big venue. Come, come, come and let's have carols. It's going to cost you a tenner, come and we'll tell you about Jesus. You can't charge for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can't charge for a carol service, but they want to sell Jesus. If you are going to pay money this Christmas time to go and listen to carols, I'll tell you something you better ask yourself when you go into that place are they really giving me Jesus or are they giving me pagan Christianity? Pagan Christianity what are you going? You're off your rocker. It's very, very interesting.
Speaker 2:The church, the church, in many areas, is like paganism. It lifts up foreign gods. Wait until Easter. It lifts up foreign gods. Wait until Easter. You'll hear the church talking all day long about Easter, easter, easter, easter. But they won't talk about the Passover. Because when you look at the birth of Christ and you look at the death of Christ, you've got new birth, you've got the word coming in and you've got the word going out. So what we're looking at, look, we're going to turn. There's so much.
Speaker 2:I've got to speak so quick tonight. When you look at what we've got going on right now through the month of December, the month of December, yes, I'm looking at a Christmas tree, but I've got to look through that tree and I've got to look at the cross of Calvary. Through the Christmas tree is the cross of Calvary, through the Christmas tree is the cross of Calvary. And that's what I want to tell the world this Christmas that Jesus Christ is alive, he's the saviour of the world. He's not in that manger that you're going to pay a tenner for and go to the O2 or wherever you're going to go and pay good, hard money to watch the big stuff happening. You don't pay To go and find Jesus Because the price has already been paid. How many churches are charging this year for a carol service To sing O Little Town of Bethlehem, to sing all that stuff, and then there'll be someone that'll get on and try and tell us about Jesus. You can't charge for a carol service and then try and tell me about Jesus, because my Jesus paid the ultimate price and that price was death and the word became flesh. The word became a human being to die.
Speaker 2:You look at that tree. It's lit up. It's got all the razzmatazz, everything hitting on it, but you've got to look through that. It's got all the razzmatazz, everything hitting on it, but you've got to look through that, because when you look through that, you see a cross. You see a cross through that tree and you're not finding tinsel and ball balls on it. You're finding the blood of Jesus, the blood of Jesus.
Speaker 2:We need to tell the world that we are born again, radical Bible-believing believers. I'm not engaging in your pagan worship. I want to tell you about the Savior of the world that someone prophesied back in the book of Isaiah, isaiah 53, 54. And then we come closer up to the timeline of the cross. When you look at Zechariah 9, verse 9, rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion. Shout, daughter of Jerusalem. See your king comes to you. What is that telling you tonight? See your king comes to you. He is telling you right now that salvation comes to you. Salvation comes to you. The king is coming. The Savior, the Redeemer, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords is coming to you. Yes, there'll be trees and everything going on. There'll be party hats and whistles all around the table. We'd be blowing it up for a few hours and then everyone would disappear.
Speaker 2:And then suddenly you go on your phone, you look at your bank and go oh God, that cost me a few quid. This year I've even got in debt for it. I even put it on the credit card. I put Christmas on the credit card. I put it all on it because I couldn't find the money. I've got to keep up with the neighbors. We've got to have a bigger tree, we've got to have more lights outside the house, we've got to have everything, all the bells and whistles.
Speaker 2:But where's the cross? Where's the cross? How many houses don't have a cross? How many houses don't have a cross? A cross in a prominent place? Everyone walks in. You walk by houses, christians, bible-believing believers, and right in the window there's a display of paganist worship. You go in the house and you're looking for the cross. Where's your cross? Where's your Bible? Where's your cross? Where's your Bible? We see where we stand if we got a cross in the house or not? Have we got a cross in the house or have we got a pagan tree outside? All the bells, all the whistles, snowman blowing about Father Christmas blowing about Santa, stop it. On that note, I want to take us somewhere.
Speaker 2:Go to the book of Exodus. Exodus, chapter 12, 12. I've referenced, and I'm not into numerology at all, but I've referenced John 12, 12,. I've referenced and I'm not into numerology at all, but I've referenced John 12, 12. Did anyone see in John 12, 12, a couple of words? It's talking about a feast. What's it talking about? Is it talking about pagan Christmas? No, it didn't even exist. John 12, 12,. What does it say? And there was a feast at this time. What feast are they talking about? What are they going on? What are they talking about? John 12, 12. Let me read it before we go to Exodus 12, 12. Look at Exodus 12, 12. Listen, and I mean this really, really importantly the next day, john 12, 12,. The next day, a great crowd had come for the feast. What feast? The Passover feast.
Speaker 2:Exodus, turn to Exodus. Let's get into Exodus. Let's go back. Let's wind it back further. Let's wind it right back to Exodus. Let's get into Exodus. Let's go back. Let's wind it back further. Let's wind it right back to Exodus, chapter 12, verse 12. John 12, verse 12.
Speaker 2:What's it talking about? The Passover feast? Where was the birth of this feast that they're talking about? Exodus, chapter 12, verse 12. On the same night I will pass through. They are celebrating the passing over. They are celebrating the passing over of demonic forces, of the angel of death, of darkness. What are they celebrating? What are they being told to do? They are being told by God if the blood is not over the lintel, the doorpost of your house, I'm going to strike death in that house. See, the blood has to be a sign. But at Christmas no one talks about the blood. We got to pull the pagan stuff out. We got to pull that out. But what are we doing? Why are we celebrating Christmas? What is the point of Christmas? The point of Christmas is that we are recognising and actually we understand that December the 25th, jesus did not pop out of Mary's womb on that day.
Speaker 2:Paganism running through the core. Yeah, I can hear the Christians out there now. Oh, pastor Ben, oh, he's a right old, unbugged that one. Don't go to that church at Christmas. All he talks about is the blood of Jesus and salvation. We want to go to a church where we're singing kumbaya and we've got mulled wine and we're able to go on the lash and everything's all right and we can just do whatever we want. We'll sit around the Christmas tree, we'll talk about pagan gods, we'll have a few sherbets together and we'll be mesmerized by the decorations and we say it's all wonderful and lovely, and we ain't got a cross in the house, but we got the pagan tree. The pagan tree is so lit up it's beyond human understanding and we love looking at the pagan tree, but what about when we look at the cross of calvary?
Speaker 2:So what are we doing? What is, what is this christmas? We got the prophet that I spoke about, chapter 9, verse 9 your king is coming. The savior of the world is coming 550 years before the savior. So why would I listen to Islam that wrote their book 660 years, 630 years after the cross? We got prophecy about our king.
Speaker 2:What's these other world religions got? Nothing, absolutely nothing. There's nothing in it. It's all smoke and mirrors. There's no healing, there's no salvation. It's all radicalization. It's dangerous, but the cross is power. There's nothing like the cross.
Speaker 2:When you look at this scripture Exodus, chapter 12, verse 12,. On the same night, I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn, both men and animals. I will bring judgment on all your gods. Come on, are you a believer? Are you a Bible-believing believer? Are we standing on the word of God, believer? Are we standing on the word of God or are we mesmerized by a commercialized pagan Christmas?
Speaker 2:I want to tell the world that I belong to Jesus. I want to tell the world that I love him. I want to tell the world that he's the saviour of my life. Jesus Christ saved my life. Yes, there's a tree, yes, there's lights, yes, there's tinsel, but as I look at that, I see fruit out and I see a cross. I see a tree that they took the king to. I see a tree that is marked with blood and skin. I see a tree that is not lit up with lights but lit up with the crimson tide. I see a tree that my savior went to for me and for you. I see a tree that Jesus Christ carried Until he was broken and he fell on the floor and he couldn't carry it anymore because he was exhausted because of the punching and the kicking and the beating and the whipping, and his rib cage was open wide and they ridiculed him and they pressed him and they punched Jesus.
Speaker 2:Go back to the courtyard for a moment, punched Jesus. Go back to the courtyard for a moment. The courtyard beating when they punched him. I'd imagine this is something like this. The soldiers, the priest that punched and beat Jesus are the same types of characters that punch women. No good scumbags. Think about it for a minute.
Speaker 2:Jesus stood in the arena dripping with blood and at any given second of any moment, he could have stood up, his skin could have healed. He could have looked with his burning eyes in the book of Revelations when John was found on the island of Patmos because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he was found on the island of Patmos because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he was found on the island and he was tired and exhausted and he was standing there and then, all of a sudden, he fell as if he was dead and he couldn't turn around. But when he turned around, john looked at these eyes that were burning like fire. His hair was like beautiful snow. He had a sash around his waist. The clothing that he had on was bright and brilliant. Jesus Christ could have stood up in the courtyard of the Pharisees and the Sadducees to the Roman soldiers. He could have looked them in the eye and he could have erased them off the earth with one look like dust. But he chose to get punched and kicked and beaten beyond human recognition. He took it for you and for me. He chose to stay in the courtyard of pain. He chose to stay there not because the church was going to get the fake tree out.
Speaker 2:And how many churches within the church itself have taken off the crosses and put TVs in their place? How many churches have almost erased the cross out of church? Many, the cross. Brother and sister, I will tell you this wherever you are, make sure your neighbours don't just see that you have a green tree in your window. Let your neighbours see that you've got a cross. Let the neighbours see that you hold a cross, that you're all for the cross and you're not just for that green tree that's just up for a window of opportunity. What must the world think? Neighbours think when they look at us and they see us bringing this pagan stuff out and they go there. They are look, those ones that are interwoven with paganism, with devil worship. They don't understand the power of the cross, they don't understand the power of the cross of Calvary. And that's what the world looks at and it looks at the church Islam, atheists, hinduism, buddha. They look at the church and they say they don't even respect the cross. And we say why do you say that about us? Because the tree has gone up. In the front room, center stage of the bay window, santa on the the chimney with his head poking in the red devil poking his head in the chimney pot. But where is Jesus? Where is Jesus? Where is Jesus? It's okay, it's just a bit of fun, it's all right, don't worry about it.
Speaker 2:Zechariah is prophesying about the king coming Exodus, chapter 12, verse 12. John, chapter 12, verse 12, are talking about the most important feast the world has ever seen and many areas of religion and church ridicule it. I will use this word and you know that I don't like this word. At Easter they use the word Easter, easter, easter, easter, easter, hot cross buns. Come and have a hot cross bun. Come and have ater egg hunt.
Speaker 2:In the church we get pastor to dress up as the bunny because he can identify to anything this time, because anything goes in church, doesn't it? Oh, actually, we turn our cathedrals. What we do is we'll have a big globe coming down, we'll take the cross out, we'll have crazy golf in the cathedrals, but we won't talk about Jesus Christ. Why won't we talk about Jesus Christ? Simply because we don't know who he is. How many people that go to church Sunday after Sunday, hour after hour? How many people go to church day after day and go to church and are not born again?
Speaker 2:Not blood washed, as it says in the book of Exodus. Read Exodus, chapter 12,. On the same night I will pass through Egypt. No devil in sight, no satanic activity, except the God of Israel. And he says if I don't see the blood, what's going to be on judgment day? What's going to happen when this king is coming back? I knew, jesus. I put your tree up every Christmas.
Speaker 2:Jesus, I dressed up, we dressed the kids up in the Easter bunny stuff and we done a hunt around the church and we've done this and we've done that. What's he gonna say away from me? You didn't lift up the cross. You didn't tell your neighbors around the church about the cross of Calvary. You told them about the green tree. You told them about the pagan time of Easter, when the bunny rabbit comes out and there's chocolate everywhere and there's hot cross buns. But you didn't tell them the real reason for Easter, because Easter is not in the Bible.
Speaker 2:It talks about the Passover, exodus, chapter 12. We're out, blue water lakeside, everywhere, grabbing presents, credit cards, debit cards. We've got to keep up with next door. We got to get a bigger present, we got to get a bigger tree, we got to have a bigger Santa outside our house, but the cross is so small it's hidden behind the Christmas cards, on the fireplace mantle, fireplace mantle. It's hidden behind the tinsel. That's exactly what the church does. It tries to hide Jesus. But you can't hide Jesus. He's everywhere, he's in all, he's about all. He's the creator of the world, he is the God that created heaven and earth.
Speaker 2:Genesis, chapter 1, verse 3,. And God said let there be Christmas tree lights, because the church has got to have them. Let there be Christmas tree lights. God said in Genesis. Genesis, chapter 3, verse 1 we know, we spoke about, we've sermonized, we podcast it, we've, we've looked at it, we've unpacked it, we've looked at the thread of what it says. And God said let there be light. Isn't it interesting. Christmas trees look rubbish when the lights are off, but when the light goes on, why is that? Because it's artificial. Ai has been around longer than we think. Artificial intelligence, the church is great, preaching artificial messages, and it will deliver bags of it, hours of it.
Speaker 2:At this month of December, the churches, the mass churches, will be filled up. Chris Ingle, we've got to get the churches. Chris Ingle, we've got to have an orange. We've got to get the church. Let's go to a church of England that believes in same-sex marriage, that will marry Adam and Steve, but we'll go there. We'd go to a Chris Ingle service and go.
Speaker 2:Oh, how lovely and wonderful this looks. The grandeur of the building, look, oh, jesus must be here. Let me tell you this Jesus left the building long before Elvis left the building. You've only got to look at the temple that God told them to build in Solomon's time. God built the most beautiful, the most beautiful building the world has ever seen, and God's power and his holiness dwelled in that place. But then man came in and man started bringing in his rules. Man started coming in and bringing his own idea in. Man came in and brought what he wanted to bring in. A man came in and delivered to what he wanted to deliver. And what does the Bible say? It says that God left the holy glory of God, left the beautiful temple, because God doesn't need a temple. He left through the East Gate, the East Way. He went out. When's Christ coming back? What way is he coming From the East, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords?
Speaker 2:So we got the Church of England a few years back, having crazy golf, having all the globes hanging down in the cathedrals, trying to find a way to get people in church. I know what we'll do. We'll have some pagan stuff, we'll have some pagan festivals. We'll do this. We'll do A, b, c and D and we'll remove the cross. Once you remove the cross, hell is waiting for you. So behind the Christmas tree in the bay window, wouldn't it be interesting to go around all the houses and have a look through the curtains and see where's the tree? The tree takes center stage because we want to let the world know. But the cross is on the mantelpiece, a tiny little cross been hidden by the Christmas cards, by all the razzmatazz hidden, hidden, hidden. The church is always trying to hide the cross.
Speaker 2:Thank God that I don't belong to that church. Thank God that I belong to the church that lifts up Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world, the king of kings and the lord of lords. At this season, am I going to indulge in the pagan way of life or am I going to be bold and radical and tell the world around me? You see that tree there? I want to tell you that there's a greater tree. I want to tell you, as you look at that tree lit up with artificial light. I want to tell you about a real light that went to a tree. I want to tell you, not about an AI situation, artificial intelligence. I want to tell you about fact. I want to tell you about someone that went to a tree and he went to the cross of Calvary and he lit up that cross because he is the light of the world.
Speaker 2:Back to Genesis, chapter three, chapter one, verse three. Sorry, genesis, chapter one, verse three. God said let there be light. What does the devil try to do? He masquerades, he performs his stuff and he's an angel of false light. So when you look at the tree, the Christmas tree, and you see the lights on it, turn yourself to the cross and the light of the world went to the greatest tree in the world and he lit that tree up. He lit the cross up and he lit it up with what? He didn't light it up with artificial light. He lit it up with the blood, with the crimson tide. He lit it up with the blood, with the crimson time. He stayed on the cross until he said it is finished.
Speaker 2:Do you realize you serve a king? Do you realize you serve a king that is in full charge of death and hell and life and heaven? So when you look at this scripture in Exodus, chapter 12, what are we looking at? We're looking at the birth of the feast of the Passover. In the gospel of John, chapter 12, verse 12, the Jews are celebrating with Jesus the Passover. John 12, 12 is where Jesus executes. It starts the feast in physical form in the way of scripture. Exodus, chapter 12, verse 12 is the birth. The birth Not of holy communion done in the church of England, the way the Pentecostal movement do it and the way the church does it, and Catholicism, the scriptural way. The blood of Jesus, because the Bible tells me Verse 13. The blood will be a sign for you on your houses, where you are. When I see the blood I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
Speaker 2:When you go down to verse 17 of Exodus, chapter 12, it says celebrate the feast of unleavened bread. And it says and read it, study the feast. So Jesus in the New Testament is bringing fulfillment to the old scriptures. So when you look at the book that we've been in, the Old Testament Zechariah, chapter 9, verse 9, tells us of a saviour of the world coming. The Bible tells us in John 12, 12, it speaks about a feast and then it goes on so powerfully, so powerfully, it tells us about the feast of the unleavened bread, of the Passover. That is referencing Exodus 12, 12.
Speaker 2:Then it comes and it references the Old Testament again, zechariah 9, verse 9, your king is coming, oh Jesus. Your king is coming, oh Jesus. And on that note, on that note, let's get to the table Too much. Father, in the name of Jesus, we're at the table and right now, lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I pray, lord, that the church in this nation will rise to the call, but as we stand in the gap for brothers and sisters that are in church, that are not saved, john 3, 3, you must be born again. God, I pray that at this Christmas time, as we recognise Jesus Christ not as an infant or a baby, we recognise him as the coming king, because the king is coming, the prophecies are being fulfilled. Bless this bread in the name of Jesus. Amen the bread. Then we come on to a real, powerful part Verse 26 of John, chapter 13. And Jesus answered. The reference point is Exodus 12, 12.
Speaker 2:13. Put the blood, put the blood, dip it in the dish. The blood will be a sign. And he says there. Jesus answered it is the one to whom I give this piece of bread, for which I dip it in the dish. Then dip in the piece of bread. He gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, verse 27 of John, chapter 13. I need to read this loud and clear. As soon as Judas took the bread, satan entered into him. And then it says what you are about to do, do quickly. Jesus told him. But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
Speaker 2:There are many people that take of the Passover that haven't got a clue what Jesus said. There are many people in religion taking of the Passover or, I will use this terminology Holy Communion, and they are more interested in the priest, the bishop, the daddy of the house which is a little bit weird more interested in the leadership than understanding what these feasts mean the power of the feast, the Passover feast, the passing over of destruction. But because the blood was shed, I'm not going to strike you dead Because the blood is over you, because of Jesus Christ through the cross of Calvary, because blood was shed through the high priest. Remind yourself. It's not the Pope. He's fleecing the Catholics. It's not the Pope. He's not the head of the church, he's the head of an occult. He's the head of an occult, but he's not the head of the church of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ is the great I am, and don't let anybody tell you that anyone can ride over that power of Jesus Christ. He's the coming king, he's the saviour king. He's the great I am and blood was shed.
Speaker 2:Are you blood washed? Where are you going to live the rest of your life? And I'm not talking about on the terra firma. Where are we going? There's two places. What place has a name on it? Heaven or hell? There's only two places. Are you washed in the blood of Jesus Ben? Are you a true Bible-believing believer? Lord, I'm a sinner, saved by grace, and my life is a mess. But I understand that Jesus Christ is the saviour of the world and I understand that I am a John 3, 3, because I cannot go into rebirth except through the God of Israel. So cleanse me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet In Jesus' name. Amen.
Speaker 2:May God bless you in this season, but this is a serious season that we're in, because paganism is everywhere. So what is taking centre stage of our lives? The pagan tree or the cross of Calvary? What does the world around us see? The pagan tree or the cross? Father in the name of Jesus, oh God, oh God, have mercy on this nation. Have mercy on this nation that serves foreign gods.
Speaker 2:And at this season where paganism is running through the streets and the towns lit up with lights and Christmas trees, please, god, cut the umbilical cord. And, lord, let those around me know that I lift up the cross of Calvary. I lift up the cross because Jesus went to the cross. Lord, I pray for all those that are in church that are not saved. I pray for all those that are in the world that are not saved. I pray for those that are serving in religion and are not saved. God have mercy.
Speaker 2:I pray, lord, at this season that salvation will be on the message of every pulpit, that this season will be the message of the cross of Calvary. That this season, the message will be you must be born again. You must be born again. So, dear God, in the name of Jesus, as we're out of here, lord, cover us, saturate us in the word and in the blood of Jesus Because, lord, I don't want to go to hell. I don't want to go to hell, god, when you stop my heart beating Jesus, I want to look you in the eyes as the judge and I want you to say to me you made it in men, by the skin of your teeth, you got in with flames under your feet, but it's because the blood is over you. It's because you're covered in the blood, not because you've done this and you've done that, not because you've done A, b, c and D in the church. It's because I decided I decided as the saviour of the world, to wash you in the crimson tide and your name's in the Lamb's book.
Speaker 2:Spirit of the living God, I pray for my own life tonight. I pray God for my own life. Please, god, keep me in the book. I know my brothers and sisters are in. I know, lord, that you are working for every congregation and you are taking men and women, children, out of congregations, celebrity churches that are more interested in the pagan tree than the real cross of Calvary. But, lord, I pray for all the leaders across this nation. Lord, have mercy on us. Have mercy on us, lord. In the name of Jesus, amen, and God bless every one of you, wherever you are across the world. Just remember your names are in the Lamb's Book of Life. You've made it. You've crossed the river. Stand up for Jesus Christ. He's coming back. He's coming back. He's coming back. He's coming back, as the Bible says. There were two in the field and one was taken. There was two at work and one was taken. There'd be people in church, there'd be preachers preaching in the pulpits, and they'll stay in the pulpit preaching, and congregations will be taken. God, have mercy on us. God bless you wherever you are across the world.
Speaker 2:I pray that we will be found washed in the blood, covered in the blood of Jesus, covered in the blood of Jesus. There's nothing else, nothing else that matters except the blood of Jesus, because hell is burning. The lake of sulfur is beyond human understanding, and when the human being hits that lake of sulfur, you will not die, you will be tortured. That lake of sulfur, you will not die, you will be tortured. You will be tortured beyond what a human being could ever understand. Oh God, that should start a revival on its own, of people running out of churches, chucking off everything and saying get me to the cross. God bless you in the name of Jesus. God is with every one of you. Pray for the leaders of your church. Pray for me. Pray that God has got my name stamped in the book. God bless every one of you at this season and you make sure you tell the world about the blood of Jesus. It's the blood God bless.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to us today on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We hope you found inspiration. And Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We hope you found inspiration and guidance in today's audio. Remember, the journey of faith is a continuous one and your questions and thoughts are important. You can send us a text or an email and we will get back to you. So, wherever you are around the world, thank you for listening to our podcasts and radio ministry. For more information about our ministry, please find us on pastorbencoopercouk. Please support us with prayer. Also, you can sow a financial seed into this ministry. You can also leave us a legacy to support and continue the work of this radio ministry. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with others who might benefit. Until next time, stay blessed.
