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
Beyond Bethlehem: The Eternal Nature of Christ (#1079 - Elim)
Jesus Before Religion – The True Foundation
Scripture Focus: Hebrews 1:3, John 1:1
Speaker: Pastor Ben Cooper
The greatest deception facing believers today might not be disbelief—it might be confusion. Confusion between following Jesus and following religious systems. In this bold and uncompromising episode, Pastor Ben Cooper digs into the divine nature of Christ as revealed in Hebrews 1:3 and John 1:1, calling listeners back to the true foundation of their faith.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — John 1:1
"He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being." — Hebrews 1:3
These Scriptures establish one profound truth: Jesus is not a created figure; He is the eternal Creator—the Alpha before time, the radiance of divine glory, the exact image of God. Yet today, many churches have replaced this unshakable truth with comfortable tradition and performance-based Christianity.
Pastor Ben challenges modern believers to assess the systems they've built their faith around. Has the Western church become more interested in showmanship and denominational branding than in radical, Spirit-filled discipleship? Are we unintentionally trading Jesus for entertainment, consumerism, and institutional loyalty?
The contrast is clear when we look at the persecuted church—over 365 million Christians worldwide who worship in secret, risking their lives just to own a Bible. Their hunger for truth and closeness with Jesus stands in convicting contrast to Western complacency. Their example calls us back to a raw, unfiltered Christianity rooted in Christ—not culture.
Another layer of challenge comes as Pastor Ben addresses the growing influence of social media, labeling it "the devil’s playground." In a world obsessed with validation, image, and influence, we are constantly being shaped—either by algorithms or by the Holy Spirit. The episode reminds us that true transformation doesn’t happen through followers or filters, but through Christ, who alone renews the mind and restores the soul.
This message is a lifeline for anyone disillusioned with organized religion, burned by hypocrisy, or longing for something more than superficial faith. You don’t need more church. You need Jesus—the same Jesus who was, is, and is to come.
Ready to rebuild your faith on something eternal? It’s time to break from performance, pierce through the noise, and rediscover Jesus as the cornerstone of your walk.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, or directly via Buzzsprout.
Jesus vs religion teaching, Hebrews 1 explained devotional, John 1 and divinity of Christ, difference between Jesus and church, Western church critique, persecuted church faith, how to follow Jesus not religion, Christian identity in Christ, social media and faith, Bible foundation not denomination, spiritual awakening in modern Christianity, revival through relationship not religion
Jesus, faith, truth, identity, Hebrews, John, relationship, revival, persecution, freedom, Christianity, podcast
https://www.pastorbencooper.co.uk/
https://www.rbchristianradio.net/
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. 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. Please send us an email through our contact form on pastorbencoopercouk. Also, you can find our latest books on Amazon under hashtag one, hashtag two and hashtag three under Christian Straight Talk hard-hitting, real-life conversations taken from our podcasts.
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 £3, £5, £8 or £10. 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 morning and welcome to everybody this morning across the world and in the house with us. You know we're going to turn to the gospel. We're going to turn to the gospels. We're going to go to the gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 1. And also we're going to go to Hebrews, chapter 1, verse 3. Grab yourself a Bible from the back of the church. Grab yourself a Bible, the greatest book the world has ever seen. The greatest book the world has ever seen. You know 66 books, 40 different authors written just under. It took just under 1,500 years to write.
Speaker 2:When you think about the Word of God, it's the most powerful book in the world. It's the book that sold the most. It's the book that burnt the most, robbed the most. You know, when you look at the power of the word of God, you know it's the global, global word. The whole world is really talking about Jesus, even governments that are atheists, that are from different religions. They're talking about Jesus. The world wants to try and raise Jesus, but you know Jesus is alive. You know Jesus is alive. Let me tell you Jesus is alive, he's risen from the grave and we welcome everybody this morning in the house and I just want to go over quickly. I mentioned it earlier before we get into the word. So we're going to go to the book of Hebrews first. We're going to go to Hebrews, chapter 1. We're going to go to Hebrews chapter 1 and we're going to pick it up in verse 3.
Speaker 2:And as you're just getting to that text, I just want to read a couple of things out. You know, just to let you know the countries that we're in. As we said earlier, we're in 144. You know, the UK is the strongest, then the United States, singapore, and then, you know, I can't mention them all, but I'm just picking a few just out. We just want to welcome people this morning Kenya, bangladesh, you know, zimbabwe, netherlands, just scrolling through Russia, for those who are in Russia Australia, ukraine, united Arab Emirates, you know Algeria, portugal, iraq, thailand. You know, just keep just scrolling through as quick as I can. We just want to say welcome to so many people. You know Peru, georgia, you know so much going on, iran, jordan, honduras, just moving through, just finding.
Speaker 2:Good morning to Turkey. Good morning to people. Isle of man whoever's on the Isle of man, good morning. And different places scattered across the world Kosovo, gambia, good morning, good morning wherever you are. Palestine, israel. Good morning Sri Lanka. It just goes on, it goes on.
Speaker 2:And I can't read all this out because it's 1,733 cities, you know, but the highest one is Singapore. Good morning to Singapore. So, whoever you are in Singapore, good morning. When it goes from Singapore, it goes to Washington, virginia, california, swanley, 623, good morning. Good morning to people you know. Good morning to people across the world that downloads, that listens, that does everything. You know, tokyo. I just can't list them, it's impossible. Time does not prevail, you know. But wherever you are across the world, we welcome every one of you and everyone in the house with me today, you know.
Speaker 2:So let's get straight in the Word of God. Let's get straight in the Word of God. Let's get straight into the greatest book the world has ever seen. When you look at the writings, when you look where the book was written, when you find where it was written it was written in some obscure places, under fire, under house arrest, in prison, out of prison when you look at where the book was written, the greatest book the world has ever seen. And I just want to just take a moment just to look at Jesus, you know, because it's all about Jesus, it's not about the church.
Speaker 2:We really do need to come back to the cross within the UK, and I'm referring to the church. We need to come back to the cross. We need to really ditch all the religious mechanisms that we have. You know, all the policies, all the rigmarole that goes on, everything that is tied, you know, and it ties us up. You know it's very, very clever the way that the system ties us up and it takes our eyes. It takes our focus off of Jesus. You know Hebrews is a great book and Hebrews, you know, 12,. It says keep your eyes, keep your eyes on the author, the perfecter of your faith. Keep your eye.
Speaker 2:If Jesus wanted us to focus on the church and denominations, he would have spoken about denominations. But what we've got to remind ourselves? The church as we have it today, was not around at this point. You've got the birth of the early church and the book of Acts, but you didn't have Elim, you didn't have the Church of England, you didn't have Catholicism, you didn't have all these movements. You didn't have all these movements. You just had the power of the church of Pentecost being birthed in the book of Acts.
Speaker 2:So if you want to find out what the church is about, or what it should be about. It's the church in Acts. You know the church when the Holy Spirit came down and it didn't leave anybody out. It says the Holy Ghost, you know, came down and it rested like tongues of fire and it separated and it sat and it rested on everybody. It didn't leave anyone out. Jesus don't leave you out. The church will leave you out. The church will leave you high and dry.
Speaker 2:And, as I always say, and I'll say it again, church is really boring. Church is so boring. It's just like what am I doing? I've been caught up in this religious box. It contains me, it holds me down. You know church can stop you progressing. That is fact. Church can stifle the growth.
Speaker 2:You know, because church leaders yeah, I'm a church leader we love control. Oh, it's in the bones. You've got to be careful. You've got to be very careful that. What am I doing in the pulpit? Why am I here? Have I been called by God or have I made my own calling up? What am I doing? Who am I? You know what is all this about. You know control is dangerous Manipulation with control. And then you wrap certain things up with that, maybe with a cultural press, with an educational press, with a business acumen press as well, and all that sort of stuff, it becomes dangerous. Church can be as dangerous place as being out in the world, but we got to remind ourselves that we are born again, that I don't belong to the church, I belong to the kingdom, I belong to the king's domain.
Speaker 2:So when we look at these scriptures that we're in here you know Hebrews, chapter one, three, as we, as we look at this, it, the word of god, focuses on the divinity, on the divine. The greatest book the world has ever seen, josh, is boring. It's just for a few hours a week in it, it's just. Yeah, it's like going to the theater, as I always say, it's very theatrical, it's very performing, it's performing arts. We've got some great actors and actresses behind pulpits, behind guitars, on drums, giving messages. We've got great actors in the fabric of it.
Speaker 2:But what I want to see is real people that have struggled through life and can actually get behind the pulpit and say do you know what God is real? God brought me to a place of freedom. God brought me to a place and it was called the cross. God brought me through the valley of the shadow of death. You know, are you tired of listening to educated people? You'll never get tired of me because, well, you will in other ways, but because I'm not educated. But you know what I'm saying. You know, get tired to listening to TED Talks, getting tired to AI messages. We are living in a time of AI messages. Artificial intelligence is behind pulpits and do you know what? It's been there for more years than we've actually seen it across the social networks. Artificial church has been around before the internet even came along.
Speaker 2:When you look at it, all the fakeness, all the weakness, all that sort of stuff that goes along with the cultural drum. We've got to do it this way, that way. If you want to know who you are, you've got to be a Jesus follower. But to be a Jesus follower it'll take everything. You've got To be a Jesus follower. It'll take everything, because church is empty. It's religious. It's four walls. It's fine art. It's religious. It's four walls. It's fine art. It's all this. It's the rigmarole and everything that goes along with it, and the mechanics and the wheels.
Speaker 2:And, as we've been watching, what color shoes has the Pope got on today? Are they black or are they red? It's important. Do you think that's important? It's not important at all, is it? It's irrelevant. Oh, he's come out in a fine dress today, servant. Oh, he's come out in a fine dress today. He's got a lovely cloak on today. You know, you've got commentators commentating. It's like watching sport. It's like watching that.
Speaker 2:I want to know Jesus. Is there anybody on the other side of the world in the house that really wants to know Jesus? I want to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I want to know him as the divine king, the creator. Do you know? Jesus wasn't created. He is the creator. Jesus always was, jesus always is, jesus will always be. He's not secondary, he's not third down the line. The divinity is so powerful and so strong. It's interwoven the divine, you know, the King of Kings, the Holy Spirit and God.
Speaker 2:Let's read. Let's read Without further ado. Let's get straight into the message. Wherever you are across the world, you know God bless you right now and in the house. Hebrews, chapter 1, verse 3. The sun is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by the powerful word. After providing purification from sin, he sat down at the right hand of the Father of majesty in heaven when you look at that scripture, when you look at that scripture that is so powerful.
Speaker 2:And then we're going to turn to the good old Gospel of John. In just a few moments you can go ahead. The gospel of John, chapter one, verse one, you know, and it speaks about the beginning. You know, we've podcasted, we've studied, we've sermonized, we've done everything. We've exposed, we've looked at, we've got the scalpel out on these scriptures and all you find is Jesus. You find the high priest, you find the creator of heaven and earth, you find the king of kings and the Lord of lords, you find the God that said let there be light, and there was light. So in the gospel of John, chapter one, verse one, in the beginning, the reference, such a profound statement. Through the gospel of John, he's given us a clear statement that Jesus Christ was at the very beginning of time, the very beginning before church was even brought into existence, before any bricks and timber was created, before anything. Jesus was, jesus was and is and is to come. He's the coming king, was and is and is to come. He's the coming king.
Speaker 2:When you look at world religions and you study world religions and you bring Christianity into the mix and you look at Christianity, when you look at the word of God and the power of the word of God, it is so divine, it is so powerful. It speaks about hope, it speaks about life. It is a book of redemption. You know, as I said, you know I wasn't meaning to speak about it, but just because the video that was banging around last night in the house, you know, in the Lord's house, you know we're just looking at that artificial intelligence. You know, on the social networks it's scary. But then you look beyond that. You look beyond that and you think do you know what that's been in religion for so long? The artificial cheapness.
Speaker 2:You know Jesus says don't follow the Pharisees, don't follow the Sadducees. And he says don't even listen to the pagans that they all love standing making a noise. You've got to be a Jesus follower. So when you look at these scriptures, verse three of Hebrews, chapter one, before we go any further, the sun is the radiance of God's glory. So if you was to turn to Genesis, chapter one, and in Genesis chapter one you will find and God said let's make man in our image. So when you look at these scriptures, we serve the God of Israel, the father of Isaac, jacob and Abraham. We serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We serve the Holy Spirit. You know we're slaves of righteousness. The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, is in your life. You are grafted in.
Speaker 2:Do you realize? You know nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. And do you realize? Do you realize redemption? Redemption was before anything, salvation was before anything, because Jesus Christ is the redeeming king. He's the savior of the world. So before this physical world came into being, before what we have before our very eyes, the spiritual world was in existence. But there was only three in existence and there has always been three. There will always be three. There is only three before the foundation of the world. Do you realize what it says in the Old Testament about you? I knew you before the foundation of the world. Do you realize what it says in the Old Testament about you? I knew you before the foundation of the world. I knew you before I said let there be light. Genesis, chapter one, verse three let there be light. And there was Before God spoke, before the sound, before the voice of God was ricocheting across the world. God created you, god knew you.
Speaker 2:It blows the mind, it's beyond human understanding, it's beyond our processing, it's beyond the test tube, it's beyond science, it's beyond mathematics, it's beyond reasoning, it's beyond logic, because that is of this natural realm. And we're trying to prove everything through visualization, through senses, through perception. We're trying to prove that, yes, everything is real before my eyes. The chairs are here, life is here. I believe everything is here. You know as we say.
Speaker 2:You look at gravity. We understand how gravity works. You believe in gravity, I believe in gravity. We know gravity, but it's invisible. But the evidence is here. The chairs are on the ground. We're here because of gravity, the gravitational pull. We understand, we're taught that. We understand how gravity works, but you can't see it directly. But you see the effect of it. That's God. You see the effect of God. The Bible says God sits in an unapproachable light. No one can see him and live, but you can see Jesus, visions and dreams.
Speaker 2:You know there's a church out there called the persecuted church. Sorry, the persecuted church, the church that is on the run for its life, over 365 million Christians running for their lives. God is moving in the power of the Holy Spirit through that church. God is moving in the power of the persecuted church. 365 million displaced Christians around the world hungry for Bibles, hungry for the Word. They're not worried about materialism, they're not worried about.
Speaker 2:What church am I going to today? Where are we going? I'm just running, I'm going to sit under a tree and I'm going to read the word of god. I'm going to dodge the bullets, I'm going to dodge everything and I'm just going to pray and I'm going to run. Do you realize what is out there?
Speaker 2:The persecuted church is the most powerful church on earth. It's not the church in the west. The church in the work in the west is weak. It has no power because it has a charitable status. It's got the government stamp. We're branded with a charitable number, so we're controlled by the government. We are controlled by what we do and what we say and how much we can say. That's why church is boring and religion is stuck in the mud. We've got to come to the realization that we belong to the persecuted church. That is the real church, the kingdom of God, because Jesus said as they persecuted me, so will they persecute you. We're sitting in churches with air con. We're sitting in churches with coffee machines, beautiful chairs. We're sitting in church with every gadget under the sun and we've lost our focus on Jesus. The UK church has lost its focus on the king. It's lost the understanding of the divine. It's lost its understanding of holy, holy, holy is the Lord most worthy of all praise. He's the coming king.
Speaker 2:Eschatology, the rapture of the church. When was the last time you heard a sermon on the rapture of the church, the coming of Jesus Christ? The church is at Bluewater, the church is at Lakeside, the church is everywhere and lost because we're looking for foreign gods, we're looking for that satisfaction and we're looking through the eyes of the world. When Jesus says I'll give you everything you need. You're thirsty, I'll give you living water. Are you hungry? I'll give you bread A man doesn't live on bread alone but by every word that perceives out of the mouth of God. When you look at these scriptures that we're in, when you look at these scriptures, it says the son is the exact represent, or the radiance of God's glory. So in the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Speaker 2:Turn to the gospel of John, john, chapter one, verse one. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God. He was with God in the beginning. He's God, he's divine. God did not create Jesus, god did not create the Holy Spirit, three in one the divine, the divinity, the power, the glory. And it says in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1. So John references Genesis In the beginning. When you see and read what it says very, very clearly in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was here we go. He is Verse 2. He is the Lord of Lords, he is the King of Kings, he is the Great I Am. He is your God, he is your savior, he is your redeemer.
Speaker 2:Are you searching for something different this morning? Are you fed up with paying the bills? Just blending into the crowd? We're not meant to. I, you, us, we, whoever we are, are not meant to blend into the crowd. We are not robots, we are not computer robots. We are not meant to be strapped up with everything we're strapped up with and the ties and the restraints that we get put on our lives.
Speaker 2:You should be free, because who the sun sets free is free. Indeed, we're free spiritually, but then the battle becomes that I'm tired. By mortgage, by rent, by this, by that, by cars, by job. I can't move out my job because every penny I have to I can't afford to leave this job. I got to stay here. I can't move, I can't do this. We're tied down.
Speaker 2:But the gospel says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. You know, because freedom has nothing to do with status. Freedom has nothing to do with the amount of money in the property. It has nothing to do with the car we drive. It has nothing to do with the amount of money and the property. It has nothing to do with the car we drive. It has nothing to do with the fine lifestyles that people might live. Freedom, that's trappings. That's the gods of this world.
Speaker 2:We've got to have a certain car on the drive. We've got to wear a certain watch. We've got to wear a certain belt. We've got to have certain trainers. We've got to have a certain dress we wear. I've belt. We've got to have certain trainers. We've got to have a certain dress we wear. I've got to be dressed out of this shop, out of that shop I've got. I want to be seen in blue water walking in this shop rather than primani. Yeah, I don't mind shopping in primani.
Speaker 2:In the name of jesus, we've got to lose the value of materialism in the church and get back to the cross and get back to the fundamental points of grace, the doctrines. We are living in a nation where we're not having the doctrines pushed across the pulpits. We've got the weak and the woke and the AI messages loud and clear coming out. Ai is so clever, it's beyond scary. It is so clever. It is so clever, it's beyond scary. It is so clever, it is so powerful. What did Jesus say? Towards the end of age, there'll be many Jesuses. Get ready to watch what will be coming down the line soon. Get ready to watch what's coming down the line soon.
Speaker 2:So it's critical for me as a Bible-believing believer, it's critical for me as a Christian, to make sure that I know the truth, because we're living in a time of lies like never before. What does the Bible say? The devil is the father of lies. The devil is the father of AI. The devil is the father of his playground. What is the biggest playground that the devil hangs around in Social media? Oh yeah, the devil's playground is social media. He will trap you, he will entice you, he will grab you, he will tell you that you don't look right because you've got to dress this way. You've got to look this way, you've got to be a certain weight, you've got to be a certain color, you've got to be six foot eight, you've got to have everything, you've got to have all the bells and all the whistles going on. If you don't comply, you're nothing. We're complying to the devil. The Bible says do not conform to the pattern of the world. When you look at social media, the devil's playground, artificial intelligence, the Bible says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
Speaker 2:The church has lost itself because the truth hasn't been preached. We're coming to the table in about four minutes time. We're coming to the Passover table where we break bread and take it a cup, and we want to get you ready across the other side of the world and wherever you are on radio and with us on broadcast, you know, grab yourself a bit of bread, grab yourself a bit of grape juice. We'll break bread in a moment and take it a cup. But let me tell you this Jesus Christ loves you. Jesus Christ loves you. Jesus Christ loves you. And in the Gospel of John, chapter one, verse one, in the beginning was the word. The word is with you.
Speaker 2:The only king that walked this earth that didn't own a palace. The only king that walked this earth that was given a crown of thorns. The only king that walked this earth and, by the authoritarian, said he's the king of the Jews. But what they didn't realize, when they said the king of the Jews, they were just fulfilling the prophecies in the scripture. They crowned him the king of the Jews. The king that went to the cross freely many kings have been but the king that saved you went to the cross and he carried his cross until he had no more strength. The only king that said father, forgive them, for they know, no what they do. The only king that hung on the cross of Calvary and he had those two cutthroats and those two robbers either side of him. The only king that hung on the cross and said don't worry, son, within a twinkling of an eye you'll be with me in paradise.
Speaker 2:No alpha course, no discipleship course, no massive baptism ceremony with a t-shirt. I've decided to follow Jesus. No rigmarole, no social media camera following them around as they're being baptized. We've baptized 40 people this month. Have you really? The only king that stood in front of a human being and said you got to be born again.
Speaker 2:The king of kings, the Lord of lords. They called him healer and he never owned a pharmaceutical company. They called him healer and he never gave anybody a tablet. The only king that walked this earth and the other kings wanted to destroy him Herod. Where's this king? Where's this king? I've got to take this king out, the king that the whole world is talking about, the king that never was anointed by religion, but he is the anointed. He was anointed. He was baptized.
Speaker 2:When you look at the scripture, we don't know, as my voice is going. I've been speaking all week. You know many people go. Thank God his voice is gone. He shut down for a while.
Speaker 2:When you look at Christ in the river Jordan John the baptizer, not John the Baptist. He wasn't of the Baptist union. He was John the baptizer, not John the Baptist. He wasn't of the Baptist Union, he was John the baptizer. He baptized the king and when he baptized and you know the scripture for yourself heaven was torn open and the dove came down. That's my son. The Holy Ghost came down and rested on him. He's the only king that hung on the cross and said Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. He's the only king, the only human being that was in charge of death itself, because the Bible says and with that he bowed his head and gave up his spirit he's your king. He's your king. He's your king as we come to the table.
Speaker 2:We've just been looking at the scriptures. Very, very briefly, very, very briefly, we've just thrown open. You know the word and God will reveal the word to you. You're not in church, you're not online, you're not on audio by chance. You're here because of divine appointment. You're not here because you decided to come to church. You're here because God has called you to such a time as this. God has called you, maybe dropping on the socials, dropping onto RB Christian Radio, maybe dropping onto whatever, maybe walked in the house, ain't been to church for a while, whatever. However, maybe, whoever you are, wherever you're from, you are here because of divine appointment and that divine appointment has been over you before the fabric of the world. Yes, it's too much to grasp, because we live our lives by what we see, but there's a world out there that was created and was in full existence before God said let there be light. And that world was the kingdom, that world was the unseen world to the human eye and that world is where the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost dwelt and Jesus at the very beginning of time, at the very beginning, even before time out. Jesus is time. You know.
Speaker 2:You look at science, christ. When you look at creation, we understand how things are created. Areas of life are major elements. Space, time and matter are needed. You find that in Genesis chapter one. Space, time, matter. You find every area of science in Genesis chapter one.
Speaker 2:And God said let there be light. And there was. We understand light and darkness. We understand that darkness is extremely strong, but when light comes in, darkness fades. Jesus said I am the light of the world. I find it profound and interesting that God, the first thing that he created, let there be light. And if I may, lord, just open up that, go a little bit further, jesus, if I open that up, when God said let there be light, what was he doing? He was giving us a forerunner of Jesus, because Jesus said I am the light of what? The light of the world. What was God creating at the very beginning of time? He was creating the world.
Speaker 2:Jesus said I am that light because I am that I am, so you don't belong to church. Shake the church out of your bones, shake all that stuff out and offer yourself and tell yourself, as we come to the close in 12 minutes or so you are a Bible-believing, spirit-filled, blessed and highly favoured. You are a child of the King and you're not here because you decided. You're here because he said now, now, See, salvation isn't in the hands of religion, salvation isn't in the altar call. Come down here and give your life to Jesus. This is your last moment. If you don't run down now, it's over. You'll never be able to. I'm sorry, it don't line up with scripture, because the Bible says that I knew you before the fabric of the world.
Speaker 2:So what happens at an altar call when the preacher, the teacher, says receive the Lord, jesus Christ, I want to? Happens at an altar call when the preacher, the teacher, says receive the Lord, jesus Christ, I want to give my life to Jesus. Ben says I want to give my life to Jesus. This morning, actually, what's happening is the skin that you walk in is just coming in the realization that God is real, because salvation was given before you even knew what salvation was, because you was redeemed at the cross of Calvary Before you was even brought into the physical realm. He died and he gave his life for me and everybody and all those that are far off before you know. God is a God of rescue. When you're rescued, you are in a bad place, a bad place. So what happens when we talk about articles and giving ourselves and I give myself to Jesus on the 2nd of December 19, blah, blah, blah. That was the time when you realized, as a human being, god is real. Because you did not decide to follow Jesus that day, you did not have the strength in your voice, your capability. There is no one on earth that has the strength to say I'm going to follow him. What he does, he opens the heart a bit and there is a little move of the Holy Spirit. I think I'll go to church. Maybe, possibly, could there be a God. There is no one on earth that can refuse salvation. You've been predestined. You've been predestined for such a time as this.
Speaker 2:Father, we come to the table. Brothers and sisters, let's get to the table. Let's just grab the bread. Time is escaping us. Let's break bread. You know now, as I hold this carp and this bread. We've got to remind ourselves this has nothing to do with the church of england. This has nothing to do with elam. This has nothing to do with catholicism. This has nothing to do the many taking it in that way. Many, many across the earth today are taking it in a religious order and just because the priest said you can't take it, I'm out of there.
Speaker 2:In the name of Jesus, this comes. This comes from the Old Testament. This comes from Exodus, chapter 12. This comes from God and he tells us, he gets us ready. Get yourself a lamb. We know what it says in Exodus, chapter 12. We understand.
Speaker 2:So this has nothing to do with religion. This is to do with redemption. We are redeemed, you are redeemed. God loves you. It doesn't matter about history, it doesn't matter our present, it doesn't matter what we think about ourselves. God loves you and I'll put my life on the line to tell you that. I'll put my life on the line to tell you that. I'll put my life on the line to tell you to be a Jesus follower and I'll put my life on the line to get yourself out of church and find Jesus Christ. Get yourself in the word. We don't need the four walls, we need the deity. It's Jesus, it's Jesus.
Speaker 2:So, father, will you bless this bread? As I break this bread in the name of Jesus, father, I thank you that this bread symbolizes the body of Christ and as I take it in my own time, in my own way, in my own press, lord, I thank you that this bread symbolizes the body of Christ. Bless this bread, lord, as I just take a moment out of the craziness of life, in Jesus name. Amen, father, I thank you for this bread and as, as the scripture says, that Christ, around the Passover table, he took, he took the cup, he took the redemption cup. Remind yourself it's redemption. He took the cup, he took the redemption cup. Remind yourself it's redemption. It's the cup of redemption. You're redeemed, I am redeemed. No matter what anyone thinks about you, no matter what the world tells you, you are redeemed. And he took the bread and he dipped it in the cup. It became soft and he handed it over and he passed it over to Judas Iscariot. Really, really interesting that text. Then he took the cup and he said as often as you gather together, do this in my name. Father, as I take this cup, I recognize that it's just juice itself, but what it symbolizes is the power of the blood of Jesus that was shed at the cross. Cleanse me from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet In Jesus' name. Amen. The King is with you.
Speaker 2:For those that was taking notes this morning, the title of this morning was it Didn't Begin at Bethlehem. Because it didn't begin at Bethlehem. Because it didn't begin at Bethlehem, hallelujah. It began before time was even created. It began before light was even created. It began before who knows. It was just completely and always in existence. God created time. He created everything. There is nothing outside of him. Everything is in him, around him. He sits in an approachable light. No one can see God and live, but we can through Jesus, because when he died on the cross of Calvary, the temple curtain was torn in two.
Speaker 2:Access. You have access to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, through Jesus. Jesus says I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus is I am. He's the seven, I am's. He's the bread of life. He's your savior. He's the seven, I am's. He's the bread of life, he's your savior, he's your king.
Speaker 2:So, when you leave the house today, the cameras click off, the radio goes back to music. Just remember, there's a king with you, there's a king inside of you, the Holy Spirit is inside of you, the God of all gods loves you and you are filled to the full measure. Let's pray We've just got one minute, father in the name of Jesus. Lord, as these cameras click out, lord, as we switch over. Lord, father, we just pray for everybody in the house and everybody online. We pray, father, that you will fill us to our cup, runneth over.
Speaker 2:So, lord, we pray for the church within England, the church within England, every church today, that the church will find Jesus, that religion will find Christ. Lord, as we go back into life, as we go back, lord, into areas of culture of life, father, I thank you that Jesus is with us, that you never leave us, that you won't leave us as orphans, because we have the power of the Holy Ghost with us. So, lord, as you reveal your word to us through the power of the scripture, we thank you for the Trinity, for the deity, three persons in one the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. So, father, bless everyone before me right now in the house. Bless those that are online, lord. We love you. God bless, take care In Jesus' name amen.
