The Very Least Likely
Pastor Erickson preaches from Romans 14:17 and the account of the Syrophenician woman in Mark 7 and Matthew 15, showing that Jesus chose to come through a family line of the very least likely, from Tamar and Rahab to Ruth, the wife of Uriah and Mary. He calls people to swallow their pride, keep worshipping when heaven seems silent, and receive the Holy Ghost, the spiritual adoption that brings righteousness, peace and joy.
The message in 6 points
The kingdom and the very least likely
He reads Romans 14:17, that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and the Syrophenician woman's answer to Jesus in Mark 7. His thought for the night is the very least likely.
1:09:00A report from Papua New Guinea
He reports on the missionaries in Papua New Guinea and a conference of over a thousand worshipers where many received the Holy Ghost. The people have nothing and are ashamed of their past, yet they worship with all their hearts and asked him to preach on unity.
1:11:43Unlikely women in the line of Jesus
Israel loved strong genealogies, yet Matthew names Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah and Mary in the line of Christ. He says Jesus came from a lineage of sinners to save sinners, and that there is hope for everyone with mistakes in their past.
1:21:17A woman who would not stop worshipping
The Syrophenician woman came to Jesus for her troubled daughter and met silence and an insult. She worshipped anyway and asked for a crumb, because her need was greater than her pride. When heaven is silent, he says, that is the time to worship.
1:33:38Pride blocks the miracle
Like Naaman, who had to swallow his pride and dip in the Jordan, people must let go of pride to be baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost. Worship with lifted hands gets the attention of a silent Savior.
1:43:59A new heritage by adoption
Using 2 Corinthians 5:17, a thoroughbred's bloodline, and Joseph's adopted son, he teaches that the Holy Ghost gives a spiritual heritage that cancels out a natural one. He reads Galatians 4 on the adoption of sons and closes with Leviticus 13:44, calling those whose joy has been stolen by lies in the mind to the altar.
1:49:52
In his words
“There is hope for each and every one of us because we serve a God who can take a mess up and a mistake and something that doesn't look worthy and say I can put you in the bloodline of the Savior.”
“Worship may not give you the answer you want, but at least it opens up heaven.”
“The very least likely all the sudden becomes the absolute most likely. The very least likely enters the kingdom of God.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Romans 14:17
17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
King James Version.
Mark 7:24-28
24And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
King James Version.
Matthew 15:22-28
22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
King James Version.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
King James Version.
Galatians 4:4-6
4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
King James Version.
Leviticus 13:44
44He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
King James Version.
He also points to
Related messages
If You Can Use Anything Lord You Can Use Me
Also about identity, worship, salvation
Also about identity, hope, salvation
Also about identity, the Holy Ghost, salvation