FIRST BIBLE LESSON: MATTHEW 23:8
"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Christ and all ye are brethren"
SECOND BIBLE LESSON: 1 PETER 2:17
"Honor all men. Love the Brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king."
GOLDEN TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17
"Now the Lord is that spirit: and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty."
YOU HAVE ERRED:
It is the Holy Spirit who is the only Teacher, and if all the teachers should know this fact they could have come here to learn from the GREAT TEACHER. Teachers are the representatives of Christ's students and Christ's Servants. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only teacher and we are all His students. Do not add or subtract anything from His teachings. The duty of mankind, fishes, and all other animals is to practise the teachings of God. No one should venture to teach because such a person will not be able to teach accurately. You should know that it is not proper for any person to be called a Teacher, for that is the source of our problems. Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only teacher is the one who teaches us how to preach, sing, dance, and do other things. If the whole world had practised the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ, there could have been no problem in the world. Everybody is a child of the Father.
Brotherhood is not founded by man nor is it run by man. It originated from the Father before man. So, when you lament that your parents, spouse, children, or relatives are not Brotherhood, then you really do not understand the concept of Brotherhood. No one joins Brotherhood. Rather, one is born Brotherhood.
People tend to distinguish between a Brotherhood and a non- Brotherhood members because they do not appreciate the teachings of God. If we practise the teachings of the Great Teacher, we will not have problems; Our faith will also be strengthened. You need not draw any lessons from men. What do they have to offer?
Whenever you see a woman, know that she is your sister and whenever you see a man, know that he is your brother, no more, no less. He teaches us that everybody is a child of the Father. You are all brethren. He is our teacher and you are His students. We all know that if students are like their teacher, they will attain perfection, and whatever standard the teacher has set, the students will emulate. We also know that whatever stuff the teacher dishes out to the students, if they are attentive and if they have good retentive memory, they will pass on this stuff to this others. Consequently, the idea will spread. Do not call anybody Father, do not call anybody Teacher and do not call anybody Lord, because you are all brethren. We call people TEACHER, FATHER, and LORD. Do not call anybody TEACHER, and do not call anybody LORD because we are all brethren. Do you then see where our problem lies? You have slighted your God, so you have sinned. His injunctions in respect of this matter is clear, "Call no one Father, Teacher and Lord." You have erred, you have contravened this injunction. We are all brethren. What is this fuss about all these titles.
Adam and Eve were Brotherhood. Those who are existing now are Brotherhood. Those yet unborn are Brotherhood. Those in the world beyond are still Brotherhood. This is why John was told by the Angel that he was not to prostrate before him. (Rev. 19:10). A robber, a murderer, an extortioner, an adulterer, idolater, dupes, and confusionist are all your brethren. NO SIN CAN DEBAR A MAN FROM BEING A BROTHERHOOD. That is why it is said that not all the children of Abraham were all his bona fide children. ONLY THE PROMISED CHILDREN ARE THE LEGITIMATE ONES.
In the same vein, not all the Brotherhood members are true Brotherhood. Those who practise these injunctions are His real children. That is why Our Lord Jesus Christ passed through Paul to say that anybody who calls himself brethren but continues to drink, fornicate, covert, and tell lies, should be shunned. (1 Cor 5:11). It is wrong of you to limit the membership of Brotherhood to the baptized brethren only.
Do not say also that since someone is still wallowing in sin, he is not a Brotherhood member. If he is not a Brotherhood, what is he? Up to date, you continue to make that mistake, that is, you claim to be alone in Brotherhood, to the exclusion of other immediate family members. This is wrong. All the inhabitants of your village are members of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. Do not limit membership to yourself alone.
The whole world is Brotherhood and we all are brethren. Brotherhood in the vernacular means Children of God. God is our Father. All the angels, all the creatures are brethren. If you should follow this injunction diligently, you would know that stealing, drunkenness, cheating, selfishness are bad. There could have been no problem in the world but for these vices. To say that the whole world is one, is not a new thing; it is truism. Our teaching is that everybody is one in God. If you say that such a person is a Brotherhood member, he will retort that he is not, and that Brotherhood is a new church. Go and tell the world that we are one in Christ. It is said that "..Today if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." (Heb 4:7). "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5). His injunction is that we are all Brotherhood, and we are all his children.
PRACTISE GOD'S INJUNCTIONS AND BE SAVED:
All those who receive this teaching have the Father in them. In the Father they are saved. What brings sadness to you is the notion that you are the only child of your mother, the only child of your father. This brings sadness and forlorn hope to you. If you have a notion that you have no person in your family, and you are an orphan, such thoughts bring sadness and gloom to you. God is your Father. Which time has God ever died? So brethren, let us use this period to listen to the words of God and practise them. IT IS NOT THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORDS OF GOD THAT ARE SAVED, BUT THOSE WHO PRACTISE THE WORDS OF GOD. WHAT WE CALL PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY IS THE ACT OF PRACTISING THE GOSPEL, BUT NOT ONLY LISTENING TO AND READING THE GOSPEL WITHOUT PRACTISING. ONE SPIRITUAL CHORUS SAYS, "WE SHOULD BE PRACTITIONERS OF THE GOSPEL AND NOT THOSE WHO ONLY LISTEN." DO NOT BOAST ABOUT YOUR MERITORIOUS YEARS IN BROTHERHOOD, RATHER REFLECT SOBERLY ON WHETHER YOU HAVE KEPT HIS INJUNCTIONS.
A convert who has just realized his status as a Brother and consequently submits to baptism is better off, if he keeps all the injunctions of God. His new state will not be compared to his previous state of being when he had refused to accept baptism. LET IT BE KNOWN TO YOU THAT IF YOU PUT GOD'S INJUNCTIONS INTO PRACTISE, YOUR PROBLEMS BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND OTHERWISE ARE SOLVED.
All of you in Brotherhood are living witnesses that in schools you only kneel down and knock your head three times on the ground, the Father will write the examination for you. In any school they attend, Brotherhood members are first. WHATEVER TEACHING YOU RECEIVE, BROTHERHOOD TEACHING IS FIRST BECAUSE IT IS THE SUPERNATURAL TEACHINGS EMANATING FROM THE MOST HIGH GOD. HE SIMPLY GROOMS YOU IN THE SCRIPTURES, CONSEQUENTLY, YOU ACHIEVE KNOWLEDGE, ELOQUENCE, CONFIDENCE AND SPIRITUAL LIBERTY. This principle was applicable to Our Lord Jesus Christ, as He said: "... all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." (JOHN 15:15).
YOU ARE TO LISTEN TO HIM ALONE:
The fall of Adam stems from an alternative teaching. He had another teacher (Lucifer). He, Adam, obeyed the instructions of Lucifer, and Adam paid dearly for the consequence. Similarly, your problems come from the fact that you fail to abide by the Father's instructions, but you seek alternative instructions. IF YOU RESEARCH INTO THE SCRIPTURES YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT GOD HAS NO DEPUTY. The only deputies are His interpreters. These interpreters are his mouthpiece. He lives in them, He directs them, dictates for them, sends them on errands and accomplishes same for them. YOU DO NOT EXIST IN ISOLATION, HE LIVES IN YOU. He provides the texts, preaches the gospel, sings the songs and He directs the spiritual work.
IF YOU DO THE WILL OF GOD YOU WILL RECEIVE WHATEVER YOU WANT FROM GOD. BUT IF YOU COMMIT SIN, YOUR CONSCIENCE WILL BLAME YOU AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CHANNEL YOUR REQUEST TO HIM. IF YOU DO NOT ASK, HOW WILL YOU RECEIVE? THE HOLY SPIRIT ABIDES IN YOU. HE GOES WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. IF YOU MOVE BY HIS DICTATES, YOU WILL HAVE LITTLE OR NO PROBLEMS. AS A GREAT TEACHER, HIS ADVICE
MUST SUPERSEDE THOSE OF OTHERS. ALTHOUGH WE MAY SAY THAT IT IS OUR CONSCIENCE THAT DIRECTS US TO DO SOMETHING, IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT DIRECTS US TO LISTEN TO HIM. YOU WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM WHEN YOU DO THIS.
IF GOD DOES NOT TEACH YOU HOW WILL YOU KNOW? Man is a novice. He does not know anything. Man has eyes but does not see, and he has ears but he does not hear. Man does not reason with his head, and so does not think that the Holy Spirit is all in all.
BROTHERHOOD IS PERFECTION AND REQUIRES PERFECTION:
The Bible is called the Holy Book of God. All the injunctions of God and God's advice are found in the Bible. But for the Bible, many people could have misled and misinformed the whole world. Christ has said that anything not planted by the Father would be uprooted. (Matt 15:13). Everything you find in Brotherhood is what is recorded in the Bible. YOU HAVE PROBLEMS BECAUSE YOU FAIL TO PUT THE INSTRUCTIONS OF GOD INTO PRACTICE. "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him." (Heb 12:5).
My little children, when God chastises you, do not grumble over it. God scolds the child he loves. If you should practise the words of God, there will be no sickness; there could have been no death and you would not have been in need. You are suffering because you deviate from the teachings and injunctions of God. You go about doing those things you ought not to have done.
Brotherhood does not tell you at any time to go and commit sin. Brotherhood is love, truth, humility, patience and peace. Brotherhood is the epitome of all good things. I am happy because you are all learning. So, take down all the citations, sermons, then confirm later, everything you hear from the horse's mouth. It is written that when the Comforter comes he will teach you the recondite knowledge and lead you into the accurate wisdom of truth.
SECOND BIBLE LESSON: 1 PETER 2:17
"Honor all men. Love the Brotherhood, fear God and honor the king."
YOU SHOULD LOVE, RESPECT AND HONOR EVERYBODY:
Brethren, have heard that? The world accused you of worshipping man. What does God say in that portion? What does God tell you and me in that portion which has just been read? He has introduced man to us. In the Second Bible Lesson, He advises us to honor all men and also love the Brotherhood. Is a woman not a human being? And is a stranger not a human being? Since He says we should respect man, it therefore means that you should respect everybody irrespective of his or her status in life. This has confirmed our First Bible Lesson which says that we are all brethren. Have you practised this injunction?
That is why you have problems. It is said, you should love your brethren, you should love everyone. Do not discriminate, for we are all brethren in the Lord. THERE IS NO OTHER TEACHING APART FROM THIS. WE HAVE TO GIVE REVERENCE TO GOD FOR IF YOU HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD IN YOU, YOU WILL REVERE HIM. IF YOU HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD YOU WILL NOT STEAL, WHATEVER GOD SAYS YOU SHOULD DO, DO THAT, SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE PEACE, HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE GOOD HEALTH. IT WAS THE FEAR OF GOD WHICH JOSEPH HAD IN HIM THAT MADE HIM RESIST HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
IF YOU HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD YOU WILL LISTEN TO HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND PRACTISE THEM. YOU ARE THEREFORE ENJOINED TO GIVE REVERENCE TO GOD AND HONOR ALL MEN. WHY HE HAS MADE THAT STATEMENT THAT MEN SHOULD BE HONORED IS THAT EVERYONE IS BROTHERHOOD. LOVE EVERYBODY BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS A CHILD OF GOD. REVERE GOD BECAUSE GOD IS A SPIRIT AND IS THE ONE DOING ALL THESE THINGS. Honor the king because he is also a human being. The king on his part should honor everybody, be it a child or an aged person. There is no contradiction at all, so brethren, I respect nothing but God. I love nothing but God. If you cannot respect your sister and your brother whom do you respect then?
When Our Lord Jesus Christ came down He washed the disciples' feet. He moved from house to house, and that is the sign of respect for man. From where in the Bible can you quote to confirm that you are to hate, you are to fornicate, you are to kill and to wallow in sin? God enjoins us to love everybody, be he a thief or a murderer. If I respect you, you should respect me likewise. This sermon is set aside to remind all of you, who might have forgotten about this aspect of the gospel, and to refresh your memory with these injunctions so that you might disseminate them to the world. If a person tells you that you worship a human being, it is this portion of the Bible that you can cite for such a person to buttress your point. God says you should honor all men, love the brethren, revere God and respect the king. Therefore brethren, there is not much to say nowadays, for it is said, "If you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." (Heb 4:7).
IF YOU FEAR GOD, YOU WILL COMMIT NO SIN:
When initially you came into this fold, you prayed God to give you a wife, give you a husband and do all sorts of things for you. But now, the reverse is the case. You have to put the words of God into practice. From today onward, if you start to practise these injunctions, your problems are solved, your sicknesses are healed,
If you drink five pots of Holy Oil a day, and you do not love one another, it is of no use. Even if you fight as much as you can to serve God, but you do not love your brethren and honor all men, it is of no avail to you. It is said that obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Sam 15:22). Leave much preaching and long prayers, go and love one another and honor your brethren.
THE FEAR OF GOD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. (PSALM 111:12). IF YOU HAVE THE FEAR OF GOD, YOU WILL NOT COMMIT ANY SIN, YOU WILL ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT. If you wait for mundane things, there is very little profit for you, but if you want the spiritual things, there are boundless gains for you. All those who believe that these words and injunctions are from God, do not have anything to fear. The Scripture says, that one should not be afraid what will kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. (Matt 10:28).
When the kings of this world asked Peter and John not to preach in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Peter got up and asked them whether it was better to heed man's instructions than God's.
(Acts 4:19). But for them, they would never fail to tell the world what they heard and saw. So you should not be misled or misinformed by any person. This gospel is from the high heavens and it is what is Brotherhood. Have you seen what Brotherhood is? It is said, respect your brethren, honor all men and love the Brotherhood. That is what Brotherhood stands for. Let us hear the Golden Text. Listen attentively to the text.
GOLDEN TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17
"Now the Lord is that spirit: and where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty."
THERE IS NO DISCRIMINATION IN BROTHERHOOD:
Have you heard that? This is what is called freedom and liberty. It is said do not call anybody teacher because you are all brethren. Have you not seen freedom here? Every one is called brother or sister in brotherhood. The Second Lesson says, "respect all men and honor Brotherhood and revere God. Where there is God, there is no discrimination, no cheating, everyone is one in the Lord. There is no small child in God. There is no poor man in God, and there is no man of letters in God. Everyone is one in God, no more no less. Whoever practises the words of God will not discriminate, will not give preference to the well-to-do at the expense of poor men.
If you love one person and hate another, it means you do not practise the gospel. If someone loves and you do not pay back that love, it means you have not practised the words of God. From now on, it is incumbent upon you to listen to the words of God and practise them. You complain that your father and mother have deserted you because of Brotherhood. The question is, have you practised this particular injunction? Does Brotherhood tell you to hate any person or not to honor kings? Here in Brotherhood, we do not have any other teacher apart from the Holy Spirit. We in Brotherhood do not listen to men, we do not do something to please the world. All we are doing is according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.
We are here to practise the words God and not what men deem fit. If you are here and you decide to listen to a pastor, or elder, or your husband or your wife, it means you do not know what you are doing here. It is said the Lord is the spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom. As we are doing in Brotherhood, things are shared among the members equally irrespective of rank or status. It does not follow that since you are a Bishop or a Pastor, a lion's share should be given to you at the expense of other persons. It is not like that in Brotherhood because everybody is a pastor, everybody is a bishop here. You have to respect each other and love one another. God does not prefer one person to another, the world over.
GOD LOVES EVERY PERSON EQUALLY. ONCE YOU PUT THIS INJUNCTION INTO PRACTICE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, SICKNESS, POVERTY AND LACK ARE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. IF YOU SOW SEED OF DISCORD AND DISCRIMINATION DO NOT ATTRIBUTE IT TO GOD, BECAUSE HE DOES NOT TEACH YOU LIKE THAT.
If you see any house in which peace prevails, you should know that such a house has put this injunction into practice. Once you are recalcitrant about his injunctions, know that the beginning of problems has come. If you flout any of His injunctions, you are courting death, sickness, and poverty. These injunctions are not from me but they are from God. So, if you do not practise them, you will incur the wrath of God. Any place where people are treated equally, that place is practising the gospel, and God is there.
But if you go to a place and see one class of people being given preference at the expense of another, it is advisable to leave such a place because the words of God are not practised there, and they are not controlled by the Holy Spirit.
So brethren, it is said that one stroke of the cane is sufficient to the wise man. I do not intend to be tedious unto you. Those who have ears, let them hear. May God bless His Holy Words. Amen.
Thank You Father.
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