Red Letters: Don't Miss This Moment - Pastor Josiah Elias

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0HLwSHYt2I

“How marvelous, How wonderful is your love, is your love,” we sang to the Lord. The worship was so powerful that Pastor Josiah directed Joel Munoz to let us remain quietly and worshipfully in His presence while the cello played. It was a holy communion with our Abba Father. The schedule did not dictate the morning, but the Spirit led us into our one on one with the Lord Almighty.

Pastor Josiah announced, ”When His presence comes, mission accomplished!” FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and the mission is Jesus. Last week Pastor Josiah introduced John who prophesied that a revival would be taking place in San Diego like the Argentine Revival in the 90’s and that we needed to be ready. Also he discussed the issues of unbelief and the spirit of fear. At the seventieth celebration, Pastor Josiah challenged us to forgive, and the previous Sunday he shared how Mary had poured out the precious nard on Jesus’ feet and how that moved the needle for all of us.

This Sunday Pastor Josiah read from Matthew 21 about how the landowner “planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers.” Matthew 21:33 (NLT) The landowner gave the tenant farmers the opportunity for great success as he built a wall around the vineyard (protection), provided a gutter for the grape juice to flow and built a tower (also protection). This situation is reminiscent of what occurred in Isaiah 5, which prophesied 700 years before, God’s people, Israel, are the vineyard. The Lord had provided so much for Israel to be successful, and as we have seen in the OT, they rejected the Lord’s prophets over and over again. He gave them the opportunity of success, and they refused it.

Continuing in Matthew 21, we observed how the landowner sent “servants to collect to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.” Matthew 21:34-35 (NLT) He even sent a larger contingent of servants with the same outcome. These servants represented the prophets whom the Israelites killed instead of listening to and heeding their God-given messages. 

Jesus mourned for Jerusalem, “the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers.” Luke 13:34 (NLT) Also Peter commented on God’s character and timing.

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as

some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake.

He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants 

everyone to repent.”  2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

Our Abba Father is so gracious to us, but we do not recognize His grace. He desires that all will come to a saving knowledge of Him. Everyday that He delays returning is an extension of His mercy, for He is still moving in our midst.

Thinking that the tenant farmers would show respect, the landowner sent his son to collect the his share. Their response was to kill the son. Matthew 21:37-39 Jesus was calling out the religious leaders and confronting their selfishness. However, his warning was not well received. Fact is, they went their own way just as the tenant farmers did and crucified our Lord Jesus on the cross. The religious leaders were hard-headed and hard-hearted. Where are we hard -headed and hard-hearted towards the Lord or any of His children? We need to search our minds and hearts for any places that do not align with Him and His love. If you’re paying attention, when God is speaking to you, He’s often trying to protect you from foolish decisions coming around the corner.

The Paramount Point is in the kingdom, you access all the Son has for you through love and not force. You gain in relationship, in worship, in surrender, in prayer. Jesus warned us “Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.” John 12:26 (NLT) Jesus was surrendered to the Father. He modeled for us how to live and die for the Holy One. “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” John 12:32 (NLT) After the Lord Jesus died, He defeated death on the third day. What a victory! What a Savior!

Returning to the parable in Matthew, Jesus asked the religious leaders what the landowner’s actions would be. The religious leaders responded that the evil tenant farmers would be punished, and the land would go to people who would pay the landowner. 

“Then Jesus asked them,’Didn’t you ever read the Scriptures?

‘The stone the builders rejected has not become the corner-

stone. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’”

Matthew 21:42 (NLT)

Their rejection of Jesus was actually the rejection of the entire Kingdom of God that they claimed to love. Their actions contrasted their words. May our thoughts, words and actions consistently reflect the Lord, His love, and His surrender to the Almighty Father.

Speaking of the cornerstone, Pastor Josiah related a vision he had shared with the elders about the cornerstone at FC. On April 11, 2024, Pastor Josiah and the elders gathered at the cornerstone site which is in the choir room. They repented before the Lord for past and current sins. It was as if a cloud that had been covering the church was dissipated at that confession. Jesus the cornerstone sets the standard of love, sacrifice, and surrender to the LORD! Being a John 10:10 church, we know “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10 (NIV) Full life originates in Jesus.

Then Pastor Josiah related how on the 70th Celebration on March 7, 2026, something shifted. Something was uprooted, unforgiveness, and something was planted, unity. When the seventy were sent out after seeing the resurrected Jesus, they went in unity and had a fervor for the Lord. May we be unified in the Lord’s love and passionate in sharing His matchless love. 

“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the

demons re subject to us in Your name.’

And He said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from

heaven.’” Luke 10:17-18 (NKJV)

 We are on a mission, and satan will fall from heaven. Since 4/11/24, the dome has been lifted.

Those who opposed the Savior would be shattered. “Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”  Matthew 21:44 (NLT) The religious leaders realized who the tenant farmers were in the parable, and they wanted to arrest Him, but they feared the crowds. Matthew 21:45-46 We have a choice to follow Jesus wholeheartedly or to follow religion and rules. Receive by grace and love what cannot be taken by force. Do you remember the old hymn,  “I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus-no turning back; no turning back.” May we follow Jesus with our hearts, souls, minds, and spirits and reflect Him in this dark world.

Calendar:

3/20 at 6:00 in the Youth Center (The One Way Inn) LB potluck and Meet to Swap with proceeds going to the FC Youth.

Blessings,

Larry and Annette