Matt Hagee - His Victorious Church
Ephesians 3:20–21 are two verses that cannot be taught separate from one another. When you read Ephesians 3:20, everybody gets excited because the first thing that it says is, «Now to him who is able». And without a doubt, we can talk for days, and weeks, and months on end about our God who is able. If I wanted to preach a message that was gonna fire up the congregation today, I would entitle it, «God is able». And then I would tell you that he’s able to heal, and he’s able to mend, and he’s able to restore, and he’s able to deliver, and he’s able to save, and he’s able to reverse, and he’s able to rescue, and he’s able to pardon, and he’s able to transform, and he’s able to overcome, and he’s able to conquer, and he’s able to strengthen, and he’s able to empower, and he’s able to infill, and he’s able to set free, and he’s able to lead, and he’s able to guide, and he’s able to protect, and he’s able to provide, and he’s able to comfort.
Our God is able. If you could tell of all the things that God was able to do in every language using every word that was possible, you still couldn’t say enough because the verse doesn’t say that, «Our God is able,» and then it limits him. It says that, «Our God is able to do exceedingly». That means that whatever you think he’s able to do, he’s already past that. And whenever it comes to the things that he can bring into your life, it doesn’t say that he can only bring so much and then that’s enough, it says that when it comes to what he can bring into your life, it’s not just enough, it’s abundantly. That means everything that you think he has for you, it’s that and so much more.
However, for all of the things that God is exceedingly and abundantly able to do, he does not do them unless you are in the equation because verse 21 tells us very clearly how he chooses to pour out this glory. It says, «To him be glory in the church». Say that with me, «To him be glory in the church». That means that when God is going to do exceedingly and abundantly, he’s going to do it through the church that he created. And he’s not just gonna do it once, the verse tells us clearly he’s going to do it in all generations. Is our God all sufficient? Without a question. He doesn’t need anyone for anything, but he chooses us. The verse very carefully tells us, «To him be glory».
Everything that the church does should be for the purpose of bringing God glory. And then it says, «In all generations». That means that God has a plan for the next generation. God has a plan for your children and for your grandchildren. The same church that God used to turn the world upside down in the Book of Acts is the same church that he wants to use to turn the world upside down right here and right now. God is not waiting for a government to come and restore order. God is not waiting for a president to drain the swamp. God has a church and he wants that church to take a stand against evil. He wants that church to be able to be the salt and the light. He wants that church to arise and do great exploits.
God isn’t waiting for some philanthropic donor to cut a big check or some charitable organization to give us a grant, God owns the cattle on a thousand hilltops. All of the gold is his, all of the silver is his. What he’s waiting for is a church that says, «Lord, we’ll be your hands, we’ll be your feet. Wherever you send us, that’s where we’re gonna go. Whatever you need us to do, that’s what we’re gonna do. Whatever you need us to say, we’ll have the courage to say it. We’ll lay our lives down and do as you say because you are the shepherd, and we are the sheep».
When we become that, church, that’s when you see exceedingly and abundantly above all that you could ask, or you could think, or you could imagine to the glory of God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, his son. The question is not is God moving? Yes, he’s moving. The question is are we working? Are we willing? Because God’s ability to do exceedingly and abundantly is based upon our availability to do the work. God wants to do it through us. In the first message, we looked at Paul’s pleading with the church. He said, «Brothers, I beseech you. Lay your life down». It’s a reasonable service. And then in the rest of the chapter, he tells us what a life that has been laid down looks like. He tells us that the life that is laid down is willing to serve and willing to serve in what brings glory to God, not what brings glory to self.
You read this in Romans 12:3. It says, «Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought». Now, how many of you read that verse and you know that that is fabulous advice for other people? I mean, that’s one of those verses you wanna bless somebody with. «I read this and was thinking about you today». But this isn’t the verse that you read and look in the mirror and say, «That’s me». But Paul says that when you’ve laid your life down, you don’t think of yourself when it comes to service, you think of those you can serve. But what you cannot do when it comes to service is tell God where you want to serve because that’s not service, that’s selfish.
A lot of people could serve but don’t serve because they can’t have a microphone. They could do but they won’t do because they can’t be seen and heard. They have opportunity to be a blessing, but because they’re not sitting at a table with decision makers, and they’re not recognized for their abilities and their talents, they don’t wanna do anything. Here’s the problem with that. There’s not one of us who have one gift or one talent that God didn’t give you. Everything that you have that you’re good at, you didn’t get that on your own, God gave it to you. And your responsibility is to let God use it. Why? According to this verse, for his glory, not self-promotion.
Romans 12:6 says that we have differing gifts according to the grace which God has given us. How did you get your gift? God’s grace gave it to you. How did I get my gifts? God’s grace gave them to me. What is our responsibility with the gifts? Use them. Don’t brag about 'em, use them. It says, «Having then gifts according to the grace that is given us,» read this with me, «Let us use them». What good is a gift if you don’t open it? What good is a talent if you don’t share it? You see, when you use your gift and you begin to do good to the body of Christ, not for the purpose of glorifying self, but for the purpose of glorifying God, you begin to see God increase and multiply his power in your life.
Romans 12, it says, «With brotherly love in honor giving preference to one another, celebrate one another». That’s what this verse is telling us. Don’t compete with each other, celebrate one another. When you see someone using their gift for God’s glory, cheer 'em on. Don’t look at 'em and go, «I don’t know who she thinks she is». She is who God created her to be. Be happy for that. And you be who God created you to be. Why is this important? Because we are the body of Christ. And any time a body fights itself, it’s sickness. Any time a body fights itself, it doesn’t function. And the world that we’re living in cannot afford for the body of Christ to fight itself. Whenever your body begins to fight itself, it’s called cancer. And if you don’t get in front of cancer, cancer kills you.
If there’s anything that will destroy the body of Christ in this generation, it’s division because the Bible says, «A house divided against itself cannot stand». The point is this, when you come into God’s presence and you use what God gave you for God’s glory, and you do it to serve the body, collectively God gets the opportunity to show others what a great and glorious God he is. Church, what does this mean for us? It means that we have work to do, I have work to do, you have work to do. You have a talent, you have a gift, you have something God wants you to use. Your gift is not my gift, and my gift is not your gift. But if we use them together, we will see God do greater things than we ever thought possible in this generation and the next. Glory to God.
I’ve been on a cruise. They’re wonderful. The thing I love about a cruise is you don’t have to do a thing. Now, that’s a great vacation, but that’s not how the church is supposed to operate. And we’ve got a cruise ship Christian mentality. We live in an environment where we expect to be fed five star meals every Sunday. Not only do we want high quality content, but it needs to be comfortable. I need to be entertained, and I need to have all of this without any measure of contribution or labor on my part, because if you ask me to get involved, I might consider that intrusive.
Cruise ship Christians will cruise into church when they feel like it. If they can’t park close enough to the door, they’ll just go to brunch. Cruise ship Christians will sit in church, and if the music doesn’t hit 'em right, they’ll just cruise on out. Cruise ship Christians will stay as long as it feels good, tastes good, and is good, but the second that something gets a little bit uncomfortable, they go, «Well, I just don’t feel God anymore». And out the door they go. Hang around for the scriptural Buffet, but if it doesn’t entertain me, I’m leaving if it’s not what I wanna hear.
Problem is, is the church is not a cruise ship, the church is a battleship. And in a battleship, it’s all hands on deck. In a battleship, it’s man your stations. In a battleship, the captain of the vessel expects every individual to be committed to engage the enemy, to fight the good fight of faith, and to serve the Lord with gladness. In a battleship, you take a stand in the evil day and declare, «If God be for me, who can be against me»?
A battleship goes into heavenly places and pulls down strongholds that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. A battleship lays hands on the sick and the sick recover. A battleship casts out powers and principalities in the mighty name of Jesus. A battleship sees the lost one to Christ, sees disciples built for his glory, sees the equipping of the saints. The battleship of Jesus Christ is the church. And church, it is time for us to arise and let the enemies of our father be scattered. Which means you have to decide, «Will I engage? Or will I just ride along»?
Cornerstone Church is a living church, and living things are growing things. If you knew the history of this church, you’d know what a true statement that is, because believe it or not, this church is 50 years young. It started in 1975, this is 2025. If you were born in '75, I hate to tell you, this is your year, you’re 50. The reason that Cornerstone Church is a living church is because 1 Timothy says that the house of the living God is the pillar of truth. And if he’s a living God, he needs a living church. A living church grows, and everywhere you look, this church is growing. Just go look out there in that lobby, we’re growing. A living church fulfills the great commission, and the great commission is found in Mark 16. It says, «Go into all the world and make disciples». Say that with me. «And make disciples».
The reason you need to remember that the commission is to make disciples is because sometimes we think that the commission is to win the lost. That’s not the full commission. The commission requires that we win the lost, but once the lost are won to Christ, we have to teach, we have to train, we have to enable them. And that’s called disciple making. In order to make disciples, you have to have commitment. Commitment that goes beyond comfort. Because trust me, if it’s comfortable, it’s not committed. In order to make disciples, you have to be willing. Willing to be used. Not willing to be served, but willing to be sent, even when it’s inconvenient. In order to make disciples, you have to do it by God’s grace, because believe me, what Jesus said is evermore true, «Apart from me, you can do nothing».
I wanna show you how much of a living and growing church this is. I’ll share with you briefly just some things that this church, this congregation did in 2024. I can’t tell you all 50 years. That would take too long of a sermon, and you’ve got to get to lunch. But I can tell you what God helped us to accomplish by his grace in the last 12 months. The Bible says a tree is known by its, what? Fruit. And this is some of the fruit that Cornerstone Church produced this last year. As a church, we have more than 22,000 members. And that’s a wonderful thing. But in this church of 22,000 members, we have 1,100 active volunteers.
Now, I thank God for those 1,110 people. But if you do the math, 1,100 out of 22,000 is 5%. Five percent are giving their time and their talent. What did those 5% accomplish? Quite a lot. How did they accomplish it? By the receiving of the gifts that people bring to the house of the Lord. This church operates all that it does off of 18% tithing. What did 5% of our volunteers and 18% of our tithers accomplish this past year? Four hundred and forty new families joined this church, four hundred and thirty eight were baptized, nine hundred and sixty three were first time salvations. Every week around the city of San Antonio, 3,300 families were given food and clothing, and they would otherwise go without if this church wasn’t there to step in the gap.
We made more than 2,000 visits to the hospital to pray for the sick. We served, during Christmas time, more than 3,000 families with Christmas gifts, who would’ve otherwise not had Christmas dinner or gifts to open if it wasn’t for Cornerstone Church. Cornerstone Christian schools. It’s part of the work that this church does. Cornerstone Christian schools started 30 years ago, and now today has 2,408 students enrolled, kindergarten through eighth grade. Last year, 250 of those students got water baptized. This year, they’re going to have their 30th graduating class. And of the thousands of students that have walked that stage, we have doctors, and dentists, and lawyers, and business leaders, and pastors, and ministers, and teachers, and coaches, and educators that have all been trained up in a Christ centered environment that are having an impact on this world for God’s glory. How is that possible?
This church helps cover the costs of what it takes to make tuition over there so that those kids can be exposed to an environment that doesn’t return void. You say, «Is that worth it»? Absolutely. When the public education system is trying to indoctrinate your children with transgenderism, that Christian school is an ark of salvation to every child who can walk through the front door. So, that’s what we do in San Antonio just in part. That doesn’t include other ministries and organizations we work with. But for the sake of time, you see how much impact we’re having. Let’s look at what we’re doing not just in Judea, but the commission says, «Go to Samaria,» which is the surrounding area. For this church, that’s not the state, for this church that’s all 50 states.
Every Sunday when we turn on the cameras, we have visitors and viewers who are watching from all 50 states. Many of them consider this church their home church. By the way, Rhodes island, it’s nice to have you back. You took three weeks off, but we won’t hold it against you. So, what do we do when we go reach this nation over television and over the internet? We have 39.98 million television viewers. 4.3 million viewers online. Now, how does it work whenever it says, «To the nations and the nations of the world». When it comes to the nations of the world, we’ve reached 200 nations and regions around the globe through media ministry. This is the fulfillment of all the gospel to all the world and every generation.
Now, people say, «Well, what if they can’t watch tv? Or what if they don’t have access to content»? I’m so glad you asked because recognize this, Cornerstone Church is part of the church, but the church is a global church, and we work with other ministries and other organizations to make sure that this gospel reaches the uttermost parts of the earth. Through the ministries that we partner with, we’ve provided resources, which are books, and Bibles, and ministry materials to 100,000 physical churches in over 100 nations in 70 different languages. This is what the church does. How did we do it? Eighteen percent.
Could you imagine what God could do with a hundred? If we can do that much with five loaves and two fishes, could you imagine what he’d do if this church was willing to take him at his word and be who he called us to be? God has a great plan for you, and that plan is to give you the opportunity to see the exceeding and abundant goodness of God in the land of the living. God has a great plan for you, and that plan is for you to be an overcomer. That no matter what was against you, you would know that the God who was within you was greater. God has a great plan for you, but that plan will not be fulfilled until you lay your life down and choose to be a part of his church. Using the gifts and the talents that God has given you, so that he can receive glory from your life.
People say, «Well, your church is 50 years old. Aren’t you through»? No, we’re just getting started. And I want you to remember what Isaiah said, «Eye has not seen, nor ear heard what God has created for those who put their trust in him». Cornerstone, I believe that God has plans in our future that are far greater than what we could ask, what we can think, and what we can imagine. But in order for us to see them, we have to be his victorious church. If you believe that, give the Lord a handclap of praise.
Would you stand in this house? With every head bowed and every eye closed.
Father, today, standing in your sanctuary, seeing what great and mighty things you have done, we give you praise, and we give you glory, and we give you honor because none of it is possible without you. But father, today, for all that we have not done that we should do, forgive us. So that we can see your hand move in a mighty way, use us. Wherever you need us, send us so that the world would know that the God that we serve is the king above kings and the Lord above Lords. May you and you alone receive the glory for all that has been done, and may your church prepare ourselves heart, soul, mind, and body for what you have in store for our tomorrows. For every hand that has worked in the harvest of your field, God, increase their lives and bless them. And for all those who need to join the fight, give them the strength to say yes to you today in Jesus' name we pray, amen and amen.