We worship American idols. We worship people whose names are in lights who
have reached a level of significance in the culture because of who they are, what
they can do, how much they have, or the power they wield. Well that may be
celebrity-ship down here, but it's not celebrity-ship up there. God calls a
celebrity somebody who touches somebody else who needs them in the name of God.
What Jesus says I want from you is I want you to touch the life of another in
my name, and I want you to touch the life of somebody who can't help you. They can do
nothing for you. They're naked. They're without clothes, without food.
They're thirsty. They're in prison. They can't do anything for you.
There is a direct correlation between ministry and love for God and ministry and love for others,
and by others I mean folks with a need who can't help you back
and for which you do not expect help back. And the more God sees you do this, the
more blessed the Son will be on you. We all have to be reminded of this and made
conscious of this. I'm made conscious of it every Sunday morning because in our
first service, every Sunday, there's a young man.
He sits over here. In the first service, every Sunday, at the
beginning of service he walks over to me. He cannot hear. He cannot speak.
He never misses church. He walks over to me. He grabs my hand, and he does this.
What he is saying is, "Look at my suit." He said, "Look at my suit." And what he's
asking is "Do I look ok?" And every week I go. And once he sees that.
You know what he wants to know, "Am I okay?" He's just looking for an okay. He's not
asking for money. He's not asking for— Am I just okay? Do I look okay?
I can't hear. I can't talk. But am I okay?
Can I get somebody to say I'm okay? Pastor are you too big to tell me I'm okay?
In a few hours I'll be driving down with many of you to Waco.
At the appointed time I will stand before what is expected to be 35,000 people live, not
counting the people on television, to preach the Word of God.
When God looks down at that stadium today and sees Tony Evan preaching,
He will not credit me with greatness. Now some folks may. "Wow, you spoke to
35,000 people." He will not be impressed.
God the Father is not gonna turn to God the Son, and God the Son's not gonna turn the Holy Spirit,
"Did you see that Evans man there? 35,000 people, not counting folk watching on TV.
Hey, he's a bad boy." Uh uh, I'm not going to get no credit for that.
When he sees me touch that deaf boy, I'm gonna get credit for that one. I'm gonna
get credit for caring for somebody who can't do anything in return. May God keep
me and keep us from becoming celebrities.
Do what we've been called to do, do it to the best of our ability, but let's not be
a celebrity church. I want God to feel comfortable to come in here on Sunday.
I don't want Him to say, "Well they're having church, but I'm not going, cause they ain't
nothing but a bunch of celebs in that place." Who knew who knows who, and who can
cut a deal with who, and who's popular, and who can sit up front, and who has to
sit in the back. This is not that kind of place.