Avondale Church of God Winter Revival,
January 18, 2025
Speaker: Brother Dwayne Platt
In a powerful Saturday evening message, Brother Dwayne Platt spoke with conviction about the necessity of finding and remaining in the true church—the Church of God. Drawing from Acts 2:47, Ezekiel 43, and Isaiah 4, he emphasized that God has established a refuge for the saved and that salvation and holiness are the true marks of belonging to Christ’s church.
Throughout the sermon, Brother Platt challenged the congregation to examine their spiritual state, warning against the deceptive pull of nominal religion. He passionately declared that the true church is not a denomination but a place where souls are genuinely saved and sanctified, living in victory over sin.
Added to the Church by Salvation
Brother Platt opened his sermon by reading Acts 2:47, which states, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” He pointed out that God, not man, determines who belongs to His church.
“If you’re saved, God adds you to His church,” he said. “You don’t join it like a social club. You don’t sign a membership roll. Your name is written in heaven. That’s the only roll book that matters.”
He shared the testimony of a woman in his home congregation who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Though physically weak, she had embraced salvation. Her daughter, initially resistant, later suffered a stroke and realized her need for God. She repented and was saved while in the hospital. “God knows how to position people to receive salvation,” Brother Platt emphasized. “And when He saves a soul, He places them in His church.”
The House of God: A Place of Refuge
Turning to Ezekiel 43, Brother Platt expounded on God’s instructions to the prophet: “Thou son of man, show the house to the house of Israel… that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.”
“God didn’t just build a church and leave it up to man to figure it out,” he said. “He gave specific instructions. The church must have the right doctrine, the right ordinances, the right form, and the right law.”
He likened the Church of God to a city of refuge, where weary sinners can find safety. “When you find what your soul is searching for, something clicks inside you,” he said. “This is where you belong. This is what you’ve been missing.”
Brother Platt urged the congregation to recognize that God’s church is a spiritual entity, not a physical building. “You can get saved anywhere—on a tennis court, in the woods, in your home—but when God saves you, He puts you in His church.”
False Religion and the Danger of Self-Righteousness
Brother Platt warned against the perils of false religion, referencing Isaiah 4:1, which prophesied of seven women (symbolizing false churches) taking hold of one man (Christ) but rejecting His full authority.
“They say, ‘Let us eat our own bread and wear our own apparel—only let us be called by Thy name,’” he said. “They want the name of Christ but not the doctrine. They want the appearance of Christianity but not true righteousness.”
Reading John 6:35, where Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life,” Brother Platt stressed that Christ alone is sufficient. “False religion serves a diet of human reasoning, entertainment, and self-help philosophies. But only Christ can truly satisfy the soul.”
He also pointed to Galatians 5:9—“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” “It doesn’t take much compromise to turn truth into error,” he said. “Many false churches started with one wrong idea, one offense, one deviation from God’s plan. And today, people are being entertained straight into hell.”
The Church of God: A United People
Reading 1 Corinthians 1:10—“That ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you”—Brother Platt highlighted the unity of the true church. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in Arizona, Ohio, or Kenya—when you find the real Church of God, you’ll hear the same doctrine and feel the same Spirit.”
He described visiting a congregation in Kenya, where, despite cultural differences, the message of holiness and victory over sin was unchanged. “One Spirit does not inspire 3,000 different religions,” he said. “It inspires one truth.”
Righteousness is More Than a Name
Brother Platt passionately called for genuine righteousness, citing 1 John 3:7—“He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.”
“Some people want the name ‘Christian,’ but they don’t want to live the life,” he said. “But salvation changes you. It doesn’t make you more of what you were—it makes you new.”
He shared the testimony of a man who had struggled with cursing for years. Despite many failed attempts to quit, he was instantly delivered when he truly got saved. “He said, ‘I don’t have to fight my tongue anymore—God cleaned it up!’” Brother Platt recounted. “That’s what real salvation does.”
Reading 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, he declared that “such were some of you, but ye are washed.” “Salvation isn’t just a feel-good experience—it’s a transformation,” he said. “God doesn’t alter His robe of righteousness to fit you. He alters you to fit the robe.”
Seeking the Kingdom of God
Brother Platt concluded with Romans 14:17—“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
“What are you really seeking?” he asked. “If you’re looking for entertainment, you’ll find it everywhere. But if you’re looking for something eternal, you’re in the right place.”
He warned against self-righteousness, explaining that it is often based on comparison rather than true holiness. “People think, ‘I’m better than so-and-so, so I must be okay.’ But salvation isn’t about being ‘better’—it’s about being changed.”
As he closed, he pleaded with sinners to consider their souls. “If you’re not saved, you need to be saved,” he urged. “If you’re saved, you need to value what God has given you. Hold onto truth. Don’t let anything steal it from you.”
Exhortation: A Call to Salvation
After Brother Platt’s message, Brother Nathan delivered a brief yet compelling exhortation.
“Do you want to be saved?” he asked. “If you do, you’re in the best place possible.”
He acknowledged that conviction can feel like a crisis. “You may be thinking about everything you’d have to give up to really serve God,” he said. “But if God is dealing with your heart, don’t ignore Him. He is faithful to show you the way forward.”
Brother Nathan emphasized that sin separates people from God. “It separated Adam and Eve, it separated Saul, it separated Judas—and if you’re willfully sinning, it separates you too,” he warned.
As the congregation sang a closing hymn, he made one final appeal. “Think about your soul,” he urged. “Think about your eternity. If God is calling you, don’t wait.”
Reflection Questions for Personal Application
1. Have you truly been added to the church by salvation, or are you relying on religious association?
2. Are you seeking righteousness, peace, and joy, or are you settling for a form of godliness?
3. Do you value the truth you have, or are you allowing distractions to steal your zeal?
4. Have you fully surrendered to God’s will, or are you still trying to hold onto your own way?
Scriptures for Further Study
Acts 2:47 – Salvation adds us to the church.
Ezekiel 43:10-12 – God’s house has a specific pattern.
Isaiah 4:1 – False religion seeks Christ’s name but rejects His ways.
Romans 14:17 – The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy.
As the Saturday night service ended, the Spirit of God had moved mightily. The call was clear—seek the true church, live in righteousness, and never let go of what God has given.
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