"Don't Miss the Sequel"
Pastor Albert Almore
I’m not sure if y’all had a chance to see the Mario movie that came out or not, but our 3 year old LOVED IT! In fact he loved it so much that he kept asking if he could take different friends to see it, so we may have seen it four times but that’s neither here nor there. Since he was a pro at it by the 4th showing, when the movie appeared to be coming to an end, Judah knew that there was more to the story. Even though the credits were rolling, Judah knew that there was one more scene. By the fourth time we saw it people were walking out and Judah literally hollered, "HEY! WHERE ARE Y’ALL GOING?! IT’S NOT OVER! YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE BEST SCENE! HE SINGS PEACHES ONE MORE TIME!
I believe the same goes for you this morning. I know you’re going through a lot. I know you’ve been through a lot, but don’t be so quick to walk out on what God is doing in your life. I know the road hasn’t been easy and the journey has been tough, but don’t you give up on what God is about to do in your life. You may feel like the credits are rolling on your dreams, BUT IT’S NOT OVER! YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE BEST SCENE! The best part is yet to come. I say to you this morning….
DON’T MISS THE SEQUEL
God’s not done. God’s not out of moves. It’s not what it looks like! There’s so much more! Don’t walk out on the story of your life prematurely. Whatever you do DON’T MISS THE SEQUEL! This is essentially what Matthew 16:21 was saying. It reads,
“From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, BUT ON THE THIRD DAY he would be raised from the dead.”
Matthew 16:21
Jesus was trying to get them to understand that if they were planning to visit his tomb to come quickly because He didn’t plan on being there long. Jesus was trying to get them to understand that there’s going to be a brief memorial service but don’t get stuck there. Jesus was telling them in advance, There’s going to be a brief memorial service, but don’t miss the sequel, AND THE SAME GOES FOR YOU!
Tell trouble I don’t plan on being here too long. Tell those dark nights, I’m not making my residence here! I may be down now, but I’m not getting stuck here! It may be dark now, but I see the dawn of a new day. Psalm 30:5 says it best,
📝 "…Weeping may endure for a night, But JOY COMES IN THE MORNING.”
Psalms 30:5
Don’t count me out just yet. Don’t give up on me just yet. Whatever you do DON’T MISS THE SEQUEL!
📝 God’s not done, therefore NEITHER AM I!
📝 I’M BUILT TO COME BACK.
📝 "The Spirit of God, who RAISED JESUS from the dead, lives in you…
Romans 8:11
📝 I’M EXPECTED TO COME BACK.
““Peter, my dear friend, listen to what I’m about to tell you. Satan has obtained permission to come and sift you all like wheat and test your faith.”
Luke 22:31
“But I have prayed for you, Peter, that you would stay faithful to me no matter what comes. Remember this: AFTER YOU HAVE TURNED BACK TO ME…
Luke 22:32
This test, this set back isn’t going to be the end of you Peter. This moment of pain, this moment of shame isn’t going to have the last day so. There’s going to be an "AFTER” after this! There’s life AFTERthe pain. There’s life AFTER the setback. There’s life AFTER the divorce. There’s life AFTER the addiction. There’s life AFTER the abortion. There’s life AFTER the most horrific thing you could’ve ever did or said. Thankfully for us, "LIFE" has a Name. His Name is Jesus! Jesus Himself says in John 14:6,
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6
Through Christ live free. Through Christ live forgiven. Through Christ live redeemed. Through Christ live restored. You’re coming back from this, because you’re expected to win! You’re expected to come back just like the prodigal son: Luke 15:22-23 says,
““But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf WE HAVE BEEN FATTENING. We must celebrate with a feast,”
Luke 15:22-23
We’ve been fattening the calf for THIS MOMENT! We’ve been fattening the calf for THIS DAY! We’ve been fattening the calf for THIS CELEBRATION! Because there was an expectation for you to come back. There was an expectation for grace to win. There was an expectation for you to COME-BACK-HOME.
📝 Heaven had FAITH IN YOU, even when you didn’t have FAITH IN YOURSELF.
📝 I’M BRINGING SOMEBODY BACK WITH ME.
“But I have prayed for you, Peter, that you would stay faithful to me no matter what comes. Remember this: after you have turned back to me and have been restored, make it your life mission to STRENGTHEN THE FAITH OF YOUR BROTHERS.””
Luke 22:32
Your life will be living proof that restoration is possible.
📝 Your life will be living proof that the SEQUEL to your story can be greater than its ORIGINATION of pain.
This was true of Jesus.
“From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, BUT ON THE THIRD DAY he would be raised from the dead.”
Matthew 16:21
When that time came, Luke 23:46 says,
“And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.” Luke 23:46
“The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”” Luke 23:47
“When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts AND WENT AWAY.” Luke 23:48
they beat their breasts and went away....
Listen closely to verse 49,
“BUT ALL THOSE WHO KNEW HIM, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”Luke 23:49
When everyone else went away, I wonder what made these WHO KNEW HIM continue to stay there from a distance. I believe with everything in me, that they stood at a distance because even though they saw what they saw, they still believed that there was more to the story. I believe that even though they saw what they saw, something on the inside said, it can’t end like this. What were they doing? They were waiting for the sequel.
📝 Even when the dream appears lifeless, do you have what it takes to WAIT ON THE SEQUEL?
Even when there appears to be no life in your dream. Even when everything in you tells you to walk away, give up, throw in the towel. Give it up man, the credits are basically rolling. Even then —DON’T MISS THE SEQUEL!
“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCEINHERIT WHAT HAS BEEN PROMISED.”
Hebrews 6:12
Listen to it again. Luke 23:49,
“But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, STOOD at a distance, watching these things.”
Luke 23:49
ARE YOU WILLING TO STAND WHEN EVERYTHING IN YOU WANTS TO WALK AWAY?
The Lord is saying to someone today, I know your nights have been at its darkest. I know you’ve been going through more than anybody could ever imagine.
"It’s not that you carry it well, it’s been that I’ve been carrying you.” -God
I know it’s not easy, but don’t you give up on me.
INVITATION SONG: Don’t You Give Up On Me
Comments