ENGLISH Dante Gebel #824 | The nonbeliever across the street
«Therefore accept one another, just as Christ accepted you for the glory of God» (Romans 15:7). If you cannot offer perfection, do not demand it from others. The gospel is to tolerate, love and try to understand each other. While those with different opinions from ours can fill us with tension and discomfort, not being able to manage those relationships can lead us to segregation, prejudice, exclusion, and intolerance. Remember that Jesus came to the house of the mundane across the street, to the home of the ‘heretic of beers’, in the same way that he came to our hearts. He came gracefully, truthfully, and with an open invitation to dinner.
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foreign
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land long ago a land not too far from us
there was a beautiful neighborhood
with very nice neighbors very well
respected Neighbors
and in each home you might find a
functional marriage
a dog and maybe even a cat
and in that neighborhood
all the people that live there
considered considered themselves to be
good
almost like The Truman Show everyone
enjoyed a calm life with no surprises
but at a certain moment
all of that calmness was turned upside
down because a new neighbor arrived who
purchased a villa right across the
street
it was on Broadway Street
at the intersection of Broadway in
Philadelphia
this man had no partner no family he was
a single man named Levi
a Tony Stark who drove a Lamborghini
Veneno and Mr Levi
install the swimming pool
an enormous Grill
an outdoor stereo system and he began to
hold great party celebrations
or functions whatever you call it in
your country
and his friends began to come from all
over this town
and the neighborhood began to fill up
with strange mobs
many people would arrive with tattoos
half naked
they looked like they were addicted to
everything
many of them would arrive with a six
pack of beers in their hands and the
women that began to come around let me
not even tell you about them mini skirts
that look more like wide belts
pants that look like they’re painted on
the makeup that they had on made them
seem like they were in The Joker movie
they all
spoke loudly they drank and they
celebrated late into the night even
during the weeknights and Sunday
mornings
when the good neighbors all went out to
their churches
they would walk by Mr Levi’s front lawn
and they would see
trash cups bottles
and all the good parents would tell
their children remember you always have
to be far away from people like this and
the children would ask how did he come
into this neighborhood and they would
say I don’t know we would have to ask
the HOA we would have to have
we would have to sign something to kick
him out
and it just so happened that Mr Levi was
a tax collector a Roman tax collector
Republican
the emperor allowed Tax Collectors to
charge attacks
on all that they were able to collect as
long as the Roman Empire received their
parts these public workers could charge
whatever they wanted and they did they
became Rich by making all those around
them poor
and so this that’s how this man was able
to pay for his Lamborghini that’s why
his parties were always obscene
and Wild
it had been a long time since since this
man had changed his dignity for a fatter
wallet a mansion and a luxurious vehicle
and when people would walk by his house
they would point at him and say there’s
the leech there’s the parasite he was a
scammer
he was lower than the belly of a snake
he was nothing less than a tax collector
in the times of ancient Rome but the
following Saturday a certain Jesus
walked through that exact neighborhood
of all those respectable inhabitants and
Against All Odds
he went to the house of the subject
we’re speaking of on the intersection of
Broadway and Philadelphia
he rings the doorbell
and invites Levi out to eat it seems
like they got off on a good foot they
told jokes they had a good time they
shared anecdotes and they spoke about
life
and while Mr Levi told
Jesus about his dark past Jesus speaks
to him about Grace and forgiveness and
Levi asks there’s forgiveness even for
me even for a guy like me and Jesus said
yeah of course especially for people
like you
and so the eccentric millionaire Levi
better known as Matthew gave his heart
to the Lord Matthew I’m speaking about
the Apostle Matthew the writer of the of
the gospels but people forget that
before he was Matthew he was Levi not
William Levy no saying Levi
maybe he looked like the Cuban actor but
no
so before becoming a disciple Matthew
was a scammer a scoundrel and we forget
that however Jesus saw potential
in Levi or Matthew and Matthew found
redemption in Jesus
so when Jesus
offered that he should follow him
Matthew joined this
heterogeneous band of Jesus disciples he
joins Peter John the rest of the boys
but the scripture says that although
Matthew now had found a new life because
he met Jesus he didn’t forget about his
old friends
he didn’t miss his worldly life
but
he wanted his friends to get to know
Jesus Matthew’s old friends had a very
rude language they spoke in a grotesque
way
and they also possessed a libertine
imprudent percussious morality
his friends were always in casinos or
nude clubs but Matthew had a genuine
worry about them and so he told Jesus
Lord you know what I like this this new
group that I’m with now but sometimes I
miss my old gang
and I’m sure it would do them so well
for them to get to know you and Jesus
says I would love for you to introduce
me to them really I thought I couldn’t
hang out with them anymore and Jesus
said no no yes introduce me
Matthew said but Jesus these guys don’t
fit in with us they’re they have tattoos
they’re they’re of the flesh
they’re always drinking beer they smell
like alcohol Jesus said there’s no
problem I don’t fit in with the churches
either
Jesus said why don’t you throw one of
your famous parties and you invite them
and say why don’t you invite them to the
synagogue he said no throw a party where
I met you and invite them Luke 5 29 for
those that doubt says this
then Levi offered a grape banquet in his
home
just as Tony Stark might do
and Luke says
a large crowd of tax collectors and
others were eating with them
it wasn’t just a simple Barbecue on a
Sunday afternoon
oh it was a great banquet
with many strange guests
Argentinian Malbec wine
specialized waiters good food good music
salsa Roomba Merengue mariachi
it was all there
and the guests were an Eclectic plethora
of bikers with beautiful women
and there were also a few of Jesus
followers so the apostles mixed
with all the Rascals
there were lifelong visitors of bars and
lifelong visitors of churches all mixed
together and Jesus was so excited but
the religious leaders were irritated
and I won’t even tell you about the
neighbors
whose leaders were known as Pharisees
the nickname
comes from an Aramaic word that means
Pharisee means separated
due to a different way of living
a different way of living from what’s
generally known
so Pharisee isn’t an insult it’s it’s
fine it just means you’re separated you
have a different way of living
than what the social Norm is
what’s wrong isn’t the name but
what’s wrong is all they cared about was
being separated from
Sinners according to their definition
Holiness meant
being cloistered away
being quarantined or being isolated from
any worldly person so they were always
fighting to erect a thick wall of
external rules to protect themselves
from the outside world they wanted a
controlled environment a religious
subculture but for some reason that
doesn’t require any sort of analysis
don’t try to understand it because I
don’t understand it either when the
Pharisees found out about the party
that
Levi was holding and they realized that
Jesus was invited they snuck in
if I don’t agree with something I don’t
go but they went I said it must be the
same phenomenon
that makes the modern day Pharisees
aware of other people’s social media
waiting to see what they post waiting to
see what the other person does
they must really desire to see others
burn in hell
these guys went to Matthew’s home with a
frown looking like they were just
baptized in lemon juice
with the face of disapproval and a big
fat Bible under their arm and Luke 5 30
says
that at one point during the party I
think maybe between the salsa and the
merengue they pointed at Jesus with one
finger and said
why do you eat and drink with tax
collectors and sinners
they go to us the party just to ask him
that
they were also eating you know from the
trays every time the waiter came around
but their main point was to criticize
oh don’t think that these guys were
fasting no of course not
it wasn’t the first time that these
religious leaders were challenging Jesus
we’re going to analyze a few precedents
this will get more fun watch
on a certain occasion and Matthew 22 15
it says then the Pharisees went out and
laid plans to trap him in his words
they wanted to trap him they wanted his
words to fail
I don’t think any of these guys would
have been admitted that they were asking
Jesus trap questions or trick questions
they were
masking their intentions
they were obsessed with what diploma
Jesus had this made him crazy they
wanted to know who had ordered him who
had authorized him
the process to ordain a rabbi back in
those days a religious teacher in Old
Palestine was simple
there was an a high Council called
Sanhedrin who ordained and they decided
they had the power
Roma had permitted Rome had permitted
this
they had the power to decide who was the
rabbi the Elder and the judge
and this was all done to express
teachings or reach a verdict and so
that’s why they asked Jesus with what
Authority are you doing these things who
gave you this Authority
yeah but the blind can see now yeah but
who gave you the authority yeah but the
paralyzed man is walking I don’t care
who gave you Authority they didn’t want
to lose their Authority
because they thought that they were the
only ones that could authorize someone
to do what Jesus was doing and Jesus
without anyone’s permission was healing
people for example
he freed those that were demon-possessed
but they hadn’t learned the first rule
of leadership which is the man who wants
to lead the orchestra always has to turn
his back on the crowd whoever wants to
lead great things has to turn their back
on crowds but no they wanted to face the
crowd
and here we have the creature asking the
Creator for credentials The Vessel
asking the Potter for his ID where’s
your ID where’s your ID
they thought they were immigration
they weren’t making reference to any of
the Miracles they weren’t asking about
his teachings they wanted to know who
had ordained him
did you leave the seminar and now you
preached the sound Doctrine are you part
of the right denomination do you have
the right credentials incredible they
were interrogating God
sometimes there are people that think
that power
the power of diploma means something and
I’m I’m pro-education
I think that
the youth especially we should look at
that we should study we should prepare
ourselves
be more capable
by teaching yourself or online or going
to a university
you should never make ignorance a virtue
you say whoa the Lord will place words
in my mouth
that doesn’t mean that he’ll Place
foolish preachers
on a stage no it means when you’re
before the authorities and you’re being
accused because of Jesus don’t worry
he’ll Place words in your mouth but he’s
not trying to say ignorance should
become a virtue that you shouldn’t
prepare yourself
you have to prepare yourself so on Pro
education Pro studying but there are
people that believe
or power or status means something or it
means everything
because their Doctrine will guarantee
their spot in heaven so let’s do a
practical exercise we’re going to do
three practical exercises this morning
afternoon or night wherever you’re
watching from here it’s morning time but
right now we’re going to go through a
practical mental exercise in your mind
try and name the 10 richest men in the
world
name
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the last 10 Miss America winners
the beauty pageant
name 10 people that have won a Pulitzer
or a noble
or maybe something easier
let’s try and name 10 of the last Oscar
winners the academy winners
wow you’re so holy so you don’t feel bad
I also don’t have
the remote idea of who the winners are
unless there is a trivia whiz none of us
is going to remember these things
it’s surprising how quick we forget
and those that I mentioned aren’t
winners of a second category no they’re
all the best in their discipline but the
Applause eventually dies the awards
oxidize
they’re forgotten the diplomas and
awards are buried with their owners
a doctor dies and the Diplomat doesn’t
continue treating people no it goes away
let’s do a second exercise let’s see how
it goes think of three people that you
enjoy being in their company
us
think of 10 people that have taught you
something in life 10 people
family members or not
five friends that have helped you in
difficult moments
try and remember the name of a teacher
or a professor that helped you out in
school that helped you in the midst of
bullying or think of one person whose
life has inspired you
that’s easier than the last request
right
same for me so what’s the lesson
the people that make a difference aren’t
those that have the diplomas
nor the ones that have a Pulitzer or a
Noble Peace Prize but the people that
bless us these are the people that make
a difference the people that impact us
the people that affect us that motivate
us right
but all the religious people they look
for credentials and if they don’t find
them
they try and continue with their trick
questions
they continue on with their vipers
tongue
another example Matthew 22 16 says
the Pharisees sent their disciples these
are precedents so that we can try and
understand why they snuck into Mr Levi’s
party
it says that before the party on a
different occasion they sent their
disciples to him along with the
herodians and they said teacher we know
that you are a man of integrity and that
you teach the way of God in accordance
with the truth
we know you weren’t swayed by others
because you pay no attention to who they
are
so it’s you know
that’s praise there that’s flattery but
here’s the question here’s the
tongue of the Viper they said tell us
then what is your opinion is it right to
pay the Imperial tax to Caesar or not
of all the texts that show manipulation
this is the worst it looks like a mother
trying to traumatize her children what
do I say a mother no a mother-in-law
trying to traumatize her son-in-law
because paying taxes to to Caesar it’s a
valid question but the motive isn’t
valid
something smells bad in this flattery we
know you’re a teacher who who loves
truth it reminds me of people who write
on social media brother with all respect
and then boom they kick you in the butt
when are you going to burn in hell with
all respect
when are you going to stop preaching
falsehoods with all the respect in the
world may God bless you flattery
is never the instrument of a sincere
servant flattery is dishonesty glorified
that’s what flatteryus oh you’re so thin
they look so thin
she’s fatter than ever
you just don’t say anything no one’s
asking you
for your criticism Jesus never flattered
into anyone he encouraged he didn’t
flatter
the writer of the Psalms says
may the Lord silence all flattering lips
you know people that flatter all the
time and you never believe them because
they tell the entire world that they’re
perfect that they’re beautiful that
everything is good you say they’re
either drugged or they’re schizophrenic
or they’re a hypocrite
and Solomon adds
whoever rebukes a person will in the end
gain favor rather than one who has a
flattering tongue we need to be told the
truth the truth hurts now everyone’s not
ready for the truth
it’s good to encourage but
isn’t always good because it leaves the
other person as a slave and what will
set us free the truth shall set us free
are we ready for the truth
the truth is is Harsh it sometimes hurts
even presidential candidates say this
they sometimes hire
consultants and they ask them hey I need
you to help me win the election and the
consultant says are you ready for the
truth and the candidate says yes and the
consultant says well then change your
haircut take away that naughty mustache
and you they might get upset and say
well I’ve been this way my whole life
but the consultant will say well do you
want to win then you need to take my
help
when we’re not ready for the truth we’re
not free
I don’t wanna
go down a different rabbit hole
a hypothesis according
to the dictionary
is an assumption of something that could
be or could not be
it’s just an idea an assumption
would say that trick is older than the
Devil Himself
that’s why I never answer hypotheticals
and advice
that you’re not asking me for never
answer hypotheticals
they always want to trap me with
hypotheticals Dante would you go preach
at a church that’s so poor they wouldn’t
give you an offering or Dante would you
give everything would you sell
everything if God asked you to do so
would you wear anything other than red
bottoms
yeah I would just paint over it
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whoever asks these things isn’t looking
for information they’re looking to trap
you
would you allow your mother-in-law to
live with you
no you don’t play with Satan
in the sense that you can’t play around
with hypotheticals and Matthew 22 24
says this
the same that same day the seduces who
say there is no Resurrection came to him
with the question so they came with a
preconceived question if they didn’t
think that there was Resurrection
Jesus who was promising Resurrection on
the third day was a scammer they didn’t
believe in him the word says
they did not believe in Resurrection but
they came to speak with him
with a flattering tongue that said
teacher master
I’m gonna say okay you speak
Moses told us
that if a man dies without having
children his brother must marry the
Widow right
and Jesus says
and that he would raise up Offspring for
him
so he’ll go to bed with his
sister-in-law
you know now there were seven brothers
Among Us
Seven Brothers yes yes Seven Brothers
I would have paid to hear this
conversation
nobody asked it out so
so we tend to just read it quickly and
you miss out on all the details Seven
Brothers okay that’s interesting how
convenient yes seven
and the first one got married and he
died
and since he didn’t have any descendants
he left his wife to his brother
but that second guy also died and the
third and the fourth and the fifth
and they passed around the same girl
the same woman
uh-huh I don’t I don’t see the point
here Jesus said well after all the woman
died as well and
he in Resurrection
which of the seven is going to be the
woman’s husband because they all had her
what’s what Rascals that’s where you
realize his patience I would send them
all to fry some asparagus together
they’re all thinking
we sent
those seven men up and the woman let’s
see how he gets out of this one now and
Jesus looks at them and says you’re an
error
ignore the scripture or the power of God
you don’t need analysis
because at the resurrection people will
neither marry nor be given in marriage
they will be like the angels in heaven
any other questions no that’s it
it seems like there’s no sex up there
they wanted to defend their Doctrine
what they wanted is to show that there’s
no Resurrection because they knew that
that would be a big mess they were
defending their territory in every
Church
there are people that defend their small
territory and they become obsessed with
that territory there’s always one
stubborn person there always has to be
one
that grabs a small detail from the
message and makes a doctrine of it and a
mission from that small detail because
religious leaders they thought that they
could manipulate Jesus with their words
but they were wrong
Jesus doesn’t fall into the traps or the
tricks
is not brought down by flattery he’s not
mistaken with hypotheticals not then and
not now but that’s what happens when at
a church and that’s the job of the
pastor to help avoid this
when we employ more time debating the
style of Praise or the clothing that
needs to be worn or I don’t know
how many times we should have Holy
Communion
instead of trying to feed the hungry
this happens when precarious
intelligence
or it’s more about superficial
controversies
instead of worrying about the truth that
Jesus
will soon come and and people are being
lost
the intentions are right but the method
is is defective people say oh I don’t
like Dante because he doesn’t read the
Bible he says it from memory well I
don’t like that he dresses this way well
I don’t like that River there’s a lot of
debauchery
we’re always speaking about the
superficiality and you know what there
might be some truth but what happens
when the motivation is correct but the
method is incorrect or foolish
we’re going to now go through this third
mental exercise
have any of your children ever drawn you
something if you’re a parent then of
course you’ve received a drawing I’ve
received one and I’m a professional
illustrator
so I have the right
to make a ruthless judgment
of the scribbles that I’ve received I
can see it from a professional point of
view and I see the lack of technique the
lack of colors the lack of of of texture
of proportions of perspective
professionally speaking I could say son
this drawing is a failure I can stick it
on the refrigerator but I can’t sell it
in the museum I can’t auction it off to
art collectors but for me or any other
parent
each drawing is a masterpiece why
because they drew it for you they drew
it for me
what parent doesn’t enjoy a scribble
from their child even though the dog is
bigger than the parent
you might say it’s a terrible drawing
but
you’re going to go home now and look at
the drawing and say oh they they drew
the the Mother-in-law because it’s a big
black blob scribbled blob
and now you might be thinking well are
you saying that the message doesn’t
matter
it’s just the intention
in ideal conditions
we get close to God with the right
motive and the appropriate method but
sometimes the words from our prayers are
as beautiful as the motive that impulses
that those words and we pray in a poetic
way with such prose and brilliance
from time to time
we sing so loud
just like the reason we do it
and on certain occasions our worship is
attractive and sincere but sometimes it
isn’t sometimes we’re on the edge of the
rivers in Babylon sometimes we don’t
know how to pray other times our music
is defective our worship is deficient
but with the right heart
and sometimes the incorrect ritual I
always say that it’s better
to have the wrong heart
than the exact motive a ritual
the right heart
a righteous heart with a foolish worship
a guitar that’s Out Of Tune is much
better than a wrongful horror with a
great Orchestra always
Siempre
The Marvelous promise in Jeremiah 29 13
says you will seek me and find me when
you seek me with all your heart
with all your heart oh your soul are you
with me yes or no
Hallelujah
well now let’s go back we saw the
Precedence from from these guys let’s go
back to Matthew and his gang
same religious leaders
we’re complaining about the crowd that
was with Jesus they were there in the
party
having fun dancing but Jesus defends
Matthew and his friends with these
marvelous words let’s see if you can
remember them
it is not the healthy who need a doctor
but the sick
that’s what Jesus answered I have not
come to call the righteous but Sinners
to repentance
Luke 5 31.
this can’t be any clearer and he says it
ironically because this Pharisees
consider themselves to be holy and
righteous
they didn’t consider themselves to be
sick
but they were prude
they thought you know what we’re not
sick we don’t need Jesus but Matthew and
his band they made a space for Jesus and
by consequence Jesus made a space for
them and he went to be with them Jesus
will never go where he isn’t called
where they don’t allow him to enter and
this is the question that we don’t stop
asking here at River that’s why the
recent images of Venezuela Venezuela
what do we do with the Levi’s
what do we do with
the worldly secular people in front of
us how do we treat
the Heretics with the beers those that
dress differently the crazy looking one
the Levi in our life isn’t the person
that we don’t agree with or that we
disagree with on a few things
the Levi in our lives is the person that
we disagree with in all the fundamentals
what do we do with the person
that we have completely different values
I’ve spent time with artists that have
values completely different to mine they
say I feel such a nice energy here and
they and I say it’s
it’s God’s presence and they say oh how
beautiful can I can I go smoke somewhere
can I go smoke some weed
can I go smoke some Mary Jane and I said
no no not inside outside
Mary Jane can I smoke some Mary Jane
and you say do you approve it no
I don’t condone it I don’t celebrate it
I don’t applaud it
the question is what do we do
what do we do when we adhere to
different codes of conduct or of of
dress of Faith even the most basic
things you drive a silent electric
vehicle and it just goes it’s just like
it sounds like an iron
I know they don’t contaminate the
atmosphere but I just see them go by and
they go
when my dad arrived in the neighborhood
everyone woke up
that Renault gordini went
[Music]
and now they just go
dad’s home
it’s it’s a it’s like flatulence it’s
not Dad
right
now
and you drive one of those
and it seems like it lacks manhood
whoever gets out of that vehicle isn’t
respected
and the other guy drives a a gas guzzler
truck
with the music all the way up they
contaminate the oxygen the atmosphere
but they’re both separated by a simple
fence you love your husband but it just
so happens that your friend
loves her wife
look at that silence because I won’t say
anything I’m just saying what do we do
how do we act
I’m going to introduce you to my wife
and another girl comes out
you’re a Republican and they’re Democrat
if you’re Argentinian maybe you’d like
to be a makrista but your neighbor
defends Christina you like Pokemon El
Salvador
but those that are next to you sustain
that Venezuela is better than ever and
Madura Maduro is the Messiah for that
country
or are you like Manuel Lopez Lopez
obrador
he reminds you of a good old grandpa oh
I like him
[Music]
but your own brother Mrs Pena Nieto
are there people like that yeah
or you would vote for Trump and your
wife wants to kill you just for thinking
about it
the point is your Levi is the opposite
of who you are and the uh those that are
opposite to us fill us with tension fill
us with discomfort
and we never speak about this at church
because we say no it’s fine we disagree
on certain doctrines we disagree in the
way we sing Baptists and Pentecostals no
I’m talking about the opposite the
secular person across the street
if you can’t manage this relationship
and that can take us to Prejudice to
segregation to exclusion to intolerance
I’m not saying we should support sin of
going to get drunk with that guy I’m not
saying we should applaud and support and
say I accompany you while you smoke I’m
not saying that
I say what would happen if your boss was
opposite to you what would happen if the
opposite person is your parent
s if in their middle age they go crazy
and you no longer recognize them or your
daughter
she became what you never dreamed she
would become
how do we deal with the Levi’s what does
God want from us for us to ignore them
for us to share our food with them
that when they arrive you know what I
would rather leave because we don’t
share the same ideas I don’t want to be
seen in the same picture
should we ask them to leave so we can
remain
should we ask who’s on the guest list
and if one of these people are there
then we won’t go
should we debate avoid talk about these
differences I asked myself if all these
questions
are included in that loving exhortation
where the Lord said
accept one another then just as Christ
accepted you in order to bring praise to
God Romans 15 7. it doesn’t say you have
to share everything no just accept them
it’s as if Paul when Paul
writes this letter to Rome
he translated all he reduced all the
Commandments to one he said you will
love God with all your soul your
strength your mind your heart and then
he says you will love your neighbor
but then Paul rewrites it
and he says we have to call
or the Church of Rome
and he always says the word Pros lambano
it’s a Greek word he says let’s have
pros lambano and you might ask what’s
proslumbano it means to tolerate and
coexist
sir I mean love wildly no tolerate and
coexist
I’m sure that you remember how the Lord
received you but I’m not talking about
the first time I’m talking about that
season in your life
where through many Sundays you declared
that you were the Son of God one of the
one of God’s children but during the
week you were a Friend of the Devil That
season that everyone has gone through
when you were a fraud when you’re when
you truly became a hypocrite you were
congregating but you had a double life
you were more lost than Levi and one day
the Holy Spirit came and touched you for
the second time third time fourth fifth
time and received you again obviously
Jesus didn’t accept your behavior
Jesus doesn’t ignore her
Hypocrites he doesn’t accept a sinful
life but he accepted you you foolish
person
he accepted what he would do with you he
never said clean yourself and then
return He said no come back and I will
clean you right
because he is filled with grace and
truth not just Grace but also truth he
tells you the truth he gives you Grace
he gives you Grace but he tells you the
truth
Grace
told the adulterous woman
I don’t condemn you but the truth told
her leave and sin no more
Grace invited a scammer named Zacchaeus
to eat lunch but the truth motivated him
to sell half of his riches to bless the
poor
it’s not just Grace Grace cleaned the
disciples feet
but the truth said just as I wash your
feet you’ll do with the rest
invites Peter to walk upon the Water but
the truth punished him for his lack of
faith Grace invites
a woman to drink from the well but the
truth reminds her discreetly as she had
five husbands and she’s now living with
her lover
Grace may Jesus encounter Nicodemus in
the night
but there is enough truth to tell him
that if he wasn’t born again he couldn’t
be a part of God’s Kingdom
am I explaining myself yes or no Jesus
offered Grace
but you always have to be ready for the
truth you have to be ready to change if
we only offer Grace then we ignore the
truth and we’re a free church and we’re
not a church of debauchery
the fact that I joke from time to time
or I sound like a comedian doesn’t mean
I don’t tell the truth but just like a
good doctor I know that in order to
operate I need anesthesia when the
anesthesia goes away it hurts
if I were to say the same things without
a smile or the things the stories that I
tell or without placing myself as a
foolish example you’d say well this is a
legalist that’s coming to beat me down
so I have to give Grace make them with
truth and truth mixed in with Grace if
we only offer truth
we discard the joy of Grace people
saying look at all these women these
worldly women and you all go and kill
yourselves off in Mass because there’s
no Grace so what’s our goal it’s to find
the equilibrium between both things
if only it were an easy equilibrium to
reach I tend to go
further one end or another end
I’ve been so jealous of the truth that
I’ve forgotten about the grace certain
times
and certain times I’ve been too quick to
judge I recognize that many times I’ve
judged
but I’ve also been too tolerant and
sometimes I’ve omitted the truth and
I’ve done wrong that’s why I say I’m a
legalist in recovery it’s not just a
hashtag or a slogan
I try to never label people I don’t want
to be mistaken by either giving judgment
or giving Grace too quickly
because labels are good for boxes for
things but not good for people I told
you about that time where I was having
lunch at an airport in Dallas
and a woman began to look at me she was
with her daughter and she looked at me
insistently she looked at me and looked
at me until she
took the courage to come up to me and
she said you know what you look a lot
like Dante Kevin some Argentinian man
you look so much like a man I said
really how much and she said ah just a
little bit not too much
because he has longer hair he’s a little
darker he’s taller he’s a little
chubbier I always see him on TV and he
looks younger much younger than you
you should listen to him and I said she
said are you Argentinian and I said yes
and she said well listen to him he’s
going to bless you very much and they
don’t want to debate with this woman
because
if she wanted to remember me as a 30
year old man who am I to break her heart
but deep down I understood her
because when you have an idea of how
someone looks it’s easy to freeze that
person there she had already defined me
she placed me in a frame and that’s how
she saw me Dante in her mental box
that’s how that they should be she found
me but I wasn’t the Dante that she knew
it happens when they see me on the TV
show of course those that have known me
for the last 30 years know that I’ve
always been a TV host of radio host they
say this guy was always like this he
never had his his ducks in a row
but others got to know me through and
last Sarah through the Crystal Cathedral
and they say what happened with you you
abandoned the old path you decided to
become an artist decide and I say no I
was always an artist you just didn’t
know me before what’s weird is that now
I’m a pastor because they don’t know
where I come from
so people need to label us so that they
can be happy
so many of us go to church and we get to
know just a portion of God
and the and Jesus Palestinian
contemporaries decided to label him they
placed him in a box they called them a
revolutionary but he actually paid taxes
they labeled him a simple Carpenter
but all of a sudden
they became confused with all his wisdom
they said where did he get this from
he’s 12 years old
they went to seek Miracles and he
refused he said no I’m not going to
please you
he was a Jew
who brought along all the worldly people
a holy man that rubbed shoulders with
prostitutes
Clarity he recruited women he spoke like
a king but he lived like a pilgrim the
people couldn’t label him people still
try to label him people have a miniature
Jesus hanging around their necks and
anytime they need a favor they touch it
and they rub it
and those of us that don’t believe in
that maybe we watch a preacher on TV
that says that if we create a pact with
Jesus he’s obligated to help you out he
has to honor your your money we’re so
foolish that we reduce Jesus down to a
handful of doctrines
Jesus is a receipt or a recipe and I
have the ingredients if I mix it well
then Jesus comes out no no
even us Christians prefer a God that we
can manage control
and say what we would want God to say
and we say if I don’t like it then God
doesn’t like it either but no no no way
and Jesus confused people he scandalized
things and you know why
we want to make Jesus someone he’s not
and we want to make the gospel something
that it’s not the gospel is tolerating
loving trying to understand others the
most marvelous phrase to construct a
bridge is what
help me understand what it is to be you
no one asks me what is it like to be
done to help me understand what’s inside
that head
it’s marvelous to say son what does it
feel like to be an adolescent in these
times they’re not the same times that I
grew up in
and it’s not that in your time you were
Holier or more righteous it’s just that
you weren’t exposed to so much
Temptation you didn’t have a cell phone
there was one fixed phone
on the corner of the neighborhood
you weren’t Holier you were holy due to
lack of resources
you don’t even know where to find
pornography
you would say where where do I see that
where do I see that oh I think I saw
something no that’s how we were brought
up
but we were more pure no we just we
couldn’t so you have to look at your
adolescence now and ask how does it feel
to be an adolescent in this time help me
to understand
what it was like to be born in this
Society because when I was born
we didn’t have anything so what does it
feel like to be born in the U.S and have
a tablet
Everything You Touch Is instant have
Netflix Hulu HBO and have Disney plus
and say oh there’s nothing to watch help
me understand
because I come from a black and white TV
from a black and white Pink Panther
help me understand what it is to have
thousands and thousands and thousands of
things to watch on your phone how can an
adolescent sit down to watch a movie
with the phone with a tablet with the
computer and do four things at a time
while we watched The Incredible Hulk
with our mouth open help me understand
the problems that you face as an
immigrant because I was born a citizen
and I forget what it must be like to be
an immigrant
help me understand what it is to be a
woman in a business
in a world designed by men
because I was born a man
before you condemn others and exclude
yourself
let me ask what is it like to have a
different sexual inclination it’s not
that I’m going to approve it but I just
need to know what it’s like how do you
live through it before you label and
condemn someone to hell
what is it like to be divorced because I
was always married
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we judge others based on our own
condition I’m thin but I condemn all fat
people so what does it feel like I don’t
know
how would you act in similar
circumstances
and then sit down and listen but truly
listen
ing is a bomb that heals
first Peter 3 8 says finally all of you
be like-minded be sympathetic love one
another be compassionate and humble
what does it mean to understand one
another to be empathetic what would I do
if I were in your situation
situation
because we become the elite very quickly
I’ve gotten to know many undocumented
people that don’t get their papers
or as soon as they do get their papers
they begin to discriminate other illegal
immigrants
have been mistreated for not speaking
the English language
they insult me
I’m
someone that wasn’t born here
sometimes it’s even Hispanic people that
insult me
but Paul or Peter says love one another
be compassionate humble sympathetic
be compassionate
like-minded humble
this simple verse on a deserted island
would teach us how to be a good
Christian we don’t need the rest of the
Bible
God didn’t call any one of us to redeem
the world
no one can write on their job
description I’m here to save Humanity
because it’s not your description and
it’s not my description encourage
correct applaud admonish sure but save
the world no way
I’m not in any condition to judge or
condemn anyone because I don’t have the
intention to go up on the cross for
anyone nor do you
there’s one single Messiah and just one
Throne it’s not you it’s not me and the
throne isn’t ours
so we have to renounce to that Messianic
role of deciding who goes to heaven who
goes to hell and deciding who’s with the
world who is not let’s remember Levi’s
party
who missed out on all the fun
just didn’t Jesus was happy
those with a bitter face missed out
because happiness doesn’t arrive when we
try to repair or change others it comes
when we accept
and trust that the holy spirit will
change them
that’s what we do here at River the holy
spirit will change them the Holy Spirit
brings conviction of sins and that’s
what Jesus did
no one knew Mankind’s errors more than
Jesus and Christ knew exactly what they
needed but it gave them time and space
to believe
many artists come to the TV show and we
never invite anyone to stay for Sunday
the entire team has orders that if they
ask we say yeah of course we’ll we’ll
set a seat aside for you but we don’t
want them to feel like they manipulated
me they they forced me they took me
there ended up putting me in a church no
you have to have your space to to
believe to doubt that’s what Jesus did
shouldn’t we be wise enough to do the
same
I think we have to stop yelling out
shouting it feels good to shout at the
secular person to shout out Levi but I
think there’s too many people yelling
behind the pulpits
I don’t know if it’s a matter of them
growing death but there’s too many
people shouting
what a habit we’re better than you we’re
smarter than you I’m Holier and more
anointed than you
and as soon as you think a little
differently they have a panic attack
and the Apostle Paul wrote
they are conceded and understand nothing
they have the bad habit of debating
about the meaning of certain words
First Timothy 6 4.
and Romans
14 forces who are you to judge someone
else’s servant
one thing is to debate but another is to
argue
so with your rebellious child at home or
your husband that doesn’t believe
I have some advice from you on behalf of
the Lord
close your holy mouth don’t speak
do not speak
the Bible says who are you to judge
others
to their own masters servants stand or
fall and they will stand for the Lord is
able to make them stand Romans 14 4
where are you to say oh they’ll fall oh
he won’t last oh they have a a bad
ending who are you so let’s reason
together let’s work together and if the
debate fails let love win
but fundamentally let’s have unity and
essentially let’s learn to love one
another to tolerate one another and
before everything have a fervent love
because love will cover a multitude of
sins according to Peter and if love call
covers a multitude of
sin don’t you think it can cover a
multitude of opinions I say we need an
interlude of Peace in this cacophony of
opinions we need it
we say okay I’m the opposite of this
person I do that differently but what do
I know God has strange children
God knows who he can bless who he’ll
anoint who he won’t anoint when I was
younger and I’ll finish with this
I committed the mistake of intentionally
intentionally looking for churches
filled with people just like me I always
looked for a church with people that had
my education level my preference Of
Music My liturgical preference
without wanting I was repeating the
mistake of the Church of my infancy
which suffocated any attempt at
diversity I was brought up in a church
where if someone dressed differently we
would make fun of them we would condemn
them
I remember making fun of the emotional
congregations that applauded
we attacked the Baptists that had a
different perspective of gifts
but God trained me or wanted to train
Army so that I could worship amongst
people that were decidedly different
to myself
look at how God prepared me forever here
we not only have different ways of
worship but also different ethnicities
different races
I’m not even going to speak about the
rest of the world
so I love when a congregation is
composed of people that aren’t like me
and it worries me when we start to look
alike when I walk down the street and I
say oh they must be Believers that
worries me I love seeing that they’re
holy and pure
but I don’t like seeing people in
uniform
because we’re a church not North Korea
and all of a sudden I see the way these
people walk conceited and I say oh
hopefully they’re not Believers and of
course they are
so the perfect Church doesn’t exist
because the pastor just asks his people
are composed of people like you and me
and I say don’t demand Perfection if you
can’t offer it
you don’t offer Perfection so why are
you demanding it
because someone with impure hands why
would someone with impure hands demand
Clean Hands Jesus arrives at the home of
the secular person
the same way he arrived at our hearts he
came with Grace and Truth he said the
truth he said you have to change and he
accepted that the invitation to dinner
for Matthew and his friends that dinner
was held back in ancient Israel but for
you and for me
for all the other secular people in the
house out front the celestial banquet
will Super will go beyond our most wild
dreams and I assure you of something
many of the people
that we think have a Surefire invitation
to that dinner won’t be there and many
of the people that we’ve condemned our
entire lives for thinking differently to
us will be dancing to the Rhythm Of The
Music In Heaven
and fundamentally we will be surprised
with the worldly neighbors that will be
seated around the table with Jesus Jesus
loves Jesus is sympathetic he
understands he has Grace he has truth
and this is River this is what is coming
this is what is coming for the church
for the world do you believe it yes or
no come on give an Applause to the King
of Kings celebrate the Lord of lords
Hallelujah
when you get on your feet give a grand
Applause to the Lord so that at home you
can also join us
we can celebrate the Lord of lords on
Father’s Day
the father invites everyone
come all that are tired
and I will give you rest all those that
are weary do you believe it Hallelujah
my beloved
two more minutes
don’t rush to convert someone
don’t say oh it’s been years I don’t
know what else to say I should tell them
more no just love them love them love
them let them know you by Love by what
you give
us that is a door to evangelism these
people that we showed in Venezuela The
Franciscan Brothers
do you think they’ll deny having a
friendly conversation with us
do you think if I called them and said
hey can we talk about what joins us and
now what divides us you think they’ll
say no no not you after giving so much
love when you love you open doors it
happens to me with artists with people
that are harsh and atheists they say I
don’t understand why you honor me this
way I’ve never been treated this way and
all of a sudden they become fertile land
to preach to so some are taken with a
slow fire a Slow Burn
cook snow
that you can’t just sit a chicken or a
piece of meat Ablaze no it has to be at
a slow fire a Slow Burn
when the fire is burning slowly that’s
what the Lord would do
he didn’t say you either grow today last
opportunity or you go to hell no he sat
down with them
you have to lose your fear of the
worldly people of those that think
differently because sometimes We Gather
amongst one another parties are amongst
believers
and it’s not even just amongst us it’s
just Believers that believe the way I do
because then amongst us we begin to
divide
you have to start to relate and say I
I feel happy when I sit amongst worldly
people I don’t participate in the things
they participate in
I can ask for an orange or something
I’m speaking truthfully I don’t I don’t
have to drink or smoke obviously I don’t
have to share I’ve seen jokes but I’m
there spending time with them showing
them that nothing scares me what I have
is a little bit of salt that can change
an entire meal
greater is the one within me he is the
yeast that permeates the end all the
dough
that’s what the Lord wants do you truly
believe it
[Applause]
so wanting to convert others has placed
us on marginalized Show hours on TV when
we say repeat after me repent you don’t
need to do that you need to make a
difference in your University at your
job at your office in your factory you
have to show that you’re different that
you’re the first person to arrive and
the last person to leave that preaches
more than the Plan of Salvation the five
steps
for them to see that you’re not a rascal
that you have the best grades in school
now that you’re a fool
oh because my heart isn’t here my heart
is in Africa with the children no you’re
a fool
study so that they can admire you and
that they ask you how you do it and say
the Bible says that we can ask God for
wisdom
we haven’t been able to preach because
we haven’t had a platform to preach
that’s when Awards let’s win Grammys
Oscars and let’s say I’ve done this
because of the Lord and this will open
up the doors
we don’t have to live marginalized
while we marginalize others
the Lord said I have placed you assault
on this Earth if salt loses its flavor
then it’s useless if we’re going to be
stuck in the church for the rest of our
lives
who puts
the light under a pillow who puts salt
mothers and fathers bless your children
don’t fear that they’ll get lost
this doesn’t mean allow them to go out
to a to a club or hang out with the
wrong band no it means
that if they have to go to a birthday
party or go hang out with their friends
bless them and tell them go and make a
difference Go and show that you’re
different
show that you’re happy that you don’t
have to create a scandal that you don’t
have to participate in the same things
you don’t need drugs to be happy show
that you have something different within
you we’re going to send our youth out
to not fear the worldly people
living across the street
don’t dream with having a Christian
radio show or a TV show that’s Christian
the secret isn’t getting too enlasted it
secret is going to where there is no
flavor and making the difference there
do you believe it how many of you
believe it say Amen
lift up your head seven say father thank
you for this morning thank you for this
time lord I’ve spoken well I believe you
told me to tell your people come on lift
up your hands and those that are here
for the first time receiving Christ
those that have never been in a church
Stay With Me Lord Jesus
forgive my sins write my name in The
Book of Life
thank you Lord for forgiving me
and now everyone everyone lift your
hands up and drink father thank you for
this moment I ask you Lord that your
glory that your spirit seal these words
that your glory accompany each and every
one of them that this day does not end
without your blessing upon them Lord I
send them out as sheep amongst the
Wolves but knowing
that they’re gentle like a dove but I
still like a serpent and they go sent
out commissioned to the corners of the
world to transform
change I bless the children adults Youth
and elderly say Lord I’m a part of this
church those that will go
into any religion race or customs and
we’ll change we’ll change the the story
of the nation of the neighborhood of the
city of the town I believe it I declare
it I send them out Lord with faith I
send them out commission bite your
spirit Seal Seal this word seal Lord
we go out to all the worldly people all
the non-believers all the atheists all
those that believe differently we love
and we bless them Jews Muslims we go for
the Pentecostals Baptists liberals
methodists converted we go for them Lord
because you will return soon and your
church is won without any blemish
dressed in white to receive the Lamb Of
Heaven We believe it we declare it
father and we Proclaim blessing we
declare it in your name and we say Amen
amen be blessed
how many of you received this word say
Amen
we went over on time but give an
Applause to the great king for Father’s
Day
love and tolerate people the church is
won
Happy Father’s Day to everyone God bless
you until next Sunday bye bye bye
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everybody
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foreign
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foreign
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hold on
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here
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