Participants: Sebastien Braxton
Series Code: 09GYC
Program Code: 09GYC000013
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00:11 Good morning everyone. Audience: good morning!
00:14 I'm glad to see you all here this morning and to each one 00:17 of you could is here with us and watching from remote 00:19 places around the world, welcome to GYC 00:21 we are very glad that you are joining us. 00:24 Every day we have had the privilege of hearing powerful 00:27 messages that, I believe, have been through the lips of 00:31 humans but from the heart of God. 00:33 Each morning we have been challenged and the morning 00:38 messages set the tone for the day. 00:39 The first morning we were challenged, or we were 00:43 reminded that the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, 00:46 is what changes us, with a transformed life with a 00:49 'but now' experience we can be victorious 00:52 each day in Jesus. 00:53 The second morning we were challenged to be 'even if' 00:57 Christians, not just 'what if' Christians even challenged to 01:00 stand for righteousness regardless of our circumstances. 01:04 The third morning we were challenged to give God the 01:08 glory regardless of the circumstances, to give God 01:12 the glory, to witness for Him at each opportunity. 01:16 And this morning, the Lord has another message for us 01:20 from the lips of our brother Sebastien Braxton. 01:22 Let's keep a prayer in our hearts as he brings to us 01:25 the words from Jesus, and may each one of us have the 01:28 experience that the disciple's who were on the road to 01:31 Damascus had, after they realized that Jesus had been 01:34 with them, and as they said did not our hearts burn 01:37 within us while He talked with this by the way, 01:39 and while He opened into us the Scriptures. 01:41 God bless each one of you this morning. 01:53 If you all could please bow your heads with me for prayer. 01:56 Good morning Father, we just thank you so much for 01:59 waking us up this morning and for the gift of life that 02:03 You have blessed us with. 02:05 We want to praise You for just the high week that this 02:09 has been, all the incredible things we have learned and 02:13 heard and Lord we ask that You would let those burn in 02:16 our hearts, even after we leave GYC that we can share them 02:20 with our friends and family back at home to set their 02:24 hearts on fire as well. 02:25 God we ask for traveling mercies for everyone going home 02:29 today and we ask that Your presence would fill this room 02:32 right now, be with Sebastian as he presents Your 02:35 message, In Jesus name we pray, Amen! 02:46 Oh, GYC do you love Jesus? Audience: oh yes we love Jesus. 02:52 Are you sure you love Jesus? Audience: I'm sure I love Jesus. 02:57 And why do you love Jesus? 02:59 Audience: here's why I love Jesus, 03:02 because He first loved me, that is the reason that we 03:07 all ought to love Him. 03:09 Here's your last chance! Audience: Oh how I love Jesus, 03:14 I know you can do better. 03:15 Audience: oh how I love Jesus, oh how I love Jesus 03:24 because He first loved me. 03:29 How many of you, that is why you are here this morning? 03:32 It's because I love Jesus, Amen! 03:35 And before we jump into our message this morning, 03:40 two things, 1. I came downstairs to hear you sing 03:44 last night at the piano, I was blessed. 03:48 I was encouraged, I was excited, it to be back to Africa 03:52 for a minute as I praise God. 03:55 Except you guys were a little bit lighter. 04:02 2. I just would like to say that it has been a 04:08 privilege to be able to minister with Pastor Finley, 04:12 Pastor Asscherick, did you guys enjoy their messages? 04:17 Of course Chester is going to bless us later on this 04:20 morning, so it has been a privilege to minister with 04:24 as each of them have really impacted my life and a young 04:28 lady who led me into the church. 04:29 It was on some tapes, 'Youth For Jesus' in Atlanta. 04:33 So she popped in on the way home from college, I was a 04:37 rapper and so she said, do you mind if I give you a 04:40 ride, you guys never tried this kind of evangelism. 04:44 I'll give you a ride home and then you pop in a sermon 04:47 while you're driving the person home. 04:50 Then you drive extremely slowly so that you actually 04:54 get to hear the whole sermon. 04:58 So the first sermon I ever heard preached by an 05:01 Adventist preacher was a Revelations Lady in White, 05:03 about the remnant church. 05:05 It was a powerful message. 05:08 So I don't know of Pastor Asscherick is here, or he is 05:12 watching me on his Mac Book Pro in his hotel room, 05:15 but I wanted to let him know that the Lord has used 05:19 him mightily in my life. 05:20 I'm always grateful for his faithfulness to preaching 05:23 the word of God, Amen. 05:24 Surely I'm fruit from his ministry. 05:28 I say the same for Pastor Finley, 05:30 he is one of my favorite preachers. 05:32 I love to listen to pastor Finley preach, he's like an 05:35 old-time preacher, you know what I mean? 05:37 You know back in the day they used have the rhyming of 05:39 the alliteration's in their sermon. 05:41 You could take Daniel and change his master, but you 05:45 can't change his mind. 05:47 I'm sitting in the back getting teary eyed, man I love 05:50 listening to this and I almost started crying in the 05:53 middle of his sermon sitting in the back. 05:55 I was like Man, I love listening to preachers who it 06:00 has always been in their heart to finish God's work. 06:04 Pastor Finley is one of those people. 06:09 But in spite of all the encouraging words that I've 06:14 heard throughout this time, I also received a very 06:19 sobering text message this morning. 06:21 A little bit before 6 a. m. it was about a young man 06:24 who is not here, but some of his fellow young people 06:27 are here from his church. 06:29 He was watching this new movie that has come out, 06:33 'Paranormal Activity' as a result of this he started 06:38 having manifestations of demonic possession. 06:40 The young people texted me and said, can you pray 06:44 for him, so immediately I responded and it's done. 06:48 So for two hours, 21/2 to three hours they are praying 06:52 with him, the Pastor was there, they are calling anyone 06:56 they can in hallway to come, they are singing hymns. 06:59 I can probably imagine for them it was very eye opening 07:03 shattering type of experience. 07:07 So I told them I would allow us to say a word of prayer 07:12 for this young man, is that okay? 07:14 But before we do that I want to go on record saying that 07:20 there are people, sometimes, who think that watching 07:26 such films and partaking in certain kinds of 07:30 experiences is no big deal. 07:35 Sometimes it is sad that it takes a young man to become 07:37 demonically possessed for us to come to an 07:40 understanding that we should be avoiding these things 07:42 in the first place. 07:44 Young people don't let it get that far. 07:49 Why do I have to give up this music? 07:51 Why do I have to put aside these movies? 07:54 You are playing on the devil's ground. 08:01 But there are some among us you may call liberal, 08:04 I call them backslidden, Amen? Audience: Amen. 08:07 It's okay to watch these things, and I say really. 08:11 Well explain that to young man Mark why it is okay to 08:14 watch those things as he is experiencing demonic possession. 08:16 Ask him what he thinks about the issue. 08:20 So if you will bow your heads with me, I'm going to 08:24 kneel and pray for Mark before we jump into my sermon. 08:34 Heavenly Father, we would like to thank You for the gift 08:39 of life and we know Lord that it is not because we were 08:43 so righteous yesterday that you decided to give us life. 08:50 Father we thank you for gathering us here this morning, 08:53 we asked by the power of Your Holy Spirit, You would 08:57 bless us through understanding that You would enlighten 09:00 the eyes of our minds that we may be able to perceive 09:04 truth as it is in Jesus, that we may learn more of His 09:09 loveliness, and we may sit at the feet of Him 09:12 who is the source of beauty. The beauty of holiness. 09:17 Father we lived up this young soul, Mark, you know why 09:21 the devil has sought to torment his life, and You of all 09:26 know the purpose that You created him for. 09:30 So we commit him into Your hands, lifting him up at this 09:35 hour asking Father that Jesus may have victory in his soul. 09:39 That he would not just allow the demon to be cast 09:43 out to find his home swept, garnished, and empty. 09:46 But that he may ask Jesus to abide in his own life. 09:51 As he experiences this victory Lord, may he not keep 09:54 this experience to himself, but may he allow it to be 09:58 a means to warn other young people from making similar 10:03 mistakes, and now Lord as we come to our final message, 10:08 we pray Father for Your wisdom, that Your Spirit would 10:13 travel from heart to heart and from mind to mind and 10:17 pressing truth upon his soul. 10:19 That it will have a sanctifying power over our lives. 10:23 This is our prayer and we ask that You will help this 10:28 to be our experience. 10:30 For we asked this in Jesus name, Amen. 10:38 The title of our sermon is 'Unfulfilled Dreams. ' 10:44 Unfulfilled Dreams, if you go, I believe it's in 10:50 Tennessee, to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. 10:56 One of Dr. Kings close friend was is man 11:01 by the name of Ralph Abernathy. 11:04 If you have ever been in Atlanta you would know 11:06 about the Abernathy highway. 11:10 Ralph Abernathy, after Dr. King was assassinated, 11:14 they said you were close to Dr. King, what is your 11:17 response to his assassination? 11:19 What is your response to such a tragic loss of, not just 11:23 a friend, but also a fellow leader in a movement 11:28 for Justice and he looked at the camera and they 11:32 decided to quote him for the memorial. 11:34 He said, it reminds me of a verse in the word of God. 11:40 When Joseph's brothers were on their way to kill Joseph, 11:46 and they said let us slay the dreamer and see what 11:51 becomes of his dreams. 11:53 It seems as if life, is a continual story, 12:00 of unfulfilled dreams. 12:02 Have you ever had a dream, I had to confess I even had 12:09 a dream for this unashamed conference. 12:12 After opening night I said Lord give me an opportunity, 12:16 like Justin on opening night, for the camera guy to be 12:20 right here on the stage and for me to ask him to backup. 12:26 But they never came on stage, so life will continue 12:30 to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 12:34 But on a more serious note, when I was a child the thing 12:39 I loved the most was football. 12:41 Ever since I could walk, that is all I wanted 12:45 to do was to play football. 12:47 And living in inner-city Chicago, I was this little kid, 12:50 probably about 5-6 years old, but apparently I was 12:53 really fast so I would always ask my mom if 12:56 I could play football. 12:57 I was playing with high school kids. 13:02 Here I am this little first grader on this field, 13:04 and back in Chicago we don't play football like you 13:07 see on TV, there are no rules. 13:11 We play pile up tackle football. 13:14 And so what this means is there are no downs, first down 13:18 second down, third down, all it is, is someone throws 13:21 the ball and they give it the fastest person. 13:24 Which sometimes happened to be me. 13:28 So one of my middle names is Jamaal, so they would say 13:32 Little Jay you catch the ball and we are going to block 13:35 for you, so I would be waiting and catch the ball 13:37 and I would start running. 13:38 I running down this field, and as I'm running down this 13:42 field, I remember, I thought I had a few moves so I 13:45 start juking around, turning doing this. 13:47 But there was this one kid that was a very big guy. 13:52 I don't mean muscular, and me being six years 13:55 old, I think I just didn't gauge it right. 13:58 As I was running down the field I thought I could go around 14:02 him, but I didn't miss him and my shoulder hit 14:06 him and I started twirling in the air, fell on the 14:10 ground, and of course this is pile up tackle football. 14:15 So this enormously large young man decided to plop 14:19 himself down on top of me. 14:22 After that I don't know what happened, everyone else 14:26 jumped on top and when they finally peeled everybody 14:29 off of me, of course I was crying. 14:32 Extremely bruised, I came into my moms house like I 14:38 was returning from the Vietnam war. 14:42 My mom comes in, I told you not to play football 14:46 with those big kids. 14:47 She sees my little scrapes and bruises and says, 14:50 you know what? I'm not going get the hydrogen peroxide, 14:53 I'm going to get the alcohol. 14:54 I'm like oh no, so she takes the alcohol and starts 14:59 dabbing my little bruises and I am squirming and trying 15:04 to be tough and as soon as she is done and the Band-Aids 15:09 are all on, I'm like, mom can I go play football? 15:16 When I got older I remember going to high school and 15:19 I asked my parents, I went to field training and the 15:21 scrimmages and came home with a form. 15:23 I said mom can you sign this, that's all I need so 15:26 I can play football. 15:28 My mom said no you are going to get hurt. 15:31 I argued, and argued, and argued and she said alright 15:35 call your dad, so I called my dad. 15:37 Daddy can I play football? No you're going to get hurt. 15:44 So we argued, and argued, and argued and nothing came out 15:46 and I showed up the next day to the coach and I said 15:48 my parents won't sign the waiver form. 15:50 I remember how brokenhearted I was, 15:53 this 13 year old kid, life seemed to be a continual 15:58 story of unfulfilled dreams. 16:02 Turn with me to the book of 2 Chronicles 6: 16:12 when you are there say Amen! Audience: Amen! 16:16 There is mercy. 16:24 2 Chronicles 6:1, the Bible says this, "then said, 16:29 "Salmon, the Lord had said that he would dwell in the 16:35 "thick darkness, but I have built a house of habitation 16:40 "for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. 16:46 "And the King turned his face and blessed the whole 16:51 "congregation of Israel. 16:54 "And all the congregation of Israel stood, and he said 16:58 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath with his 17:01 "hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth 17:05 "to my father David saying, 17:09 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of 17:11 "the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes 17:15 "of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be 17:19 "there, neither chose I any man to be ruler over my 17:23 "people Israel, but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my 17:27 "name might be there and I have chosen David to 17:30 "be over my people Israel. 17:32 " Now it was in the heart of David my father, to build a 17:36 "house for the name of the Lord God Israel, but the Lord 17:40 "said to David my father, for as much as it was within thine 17:44 "heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well in 17:51 "that it was within thine heart. 17:52 "Notwithstanding thou shall not build the house, but thy 17:58 "son, which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall 18:03 "build the house for my name. " 18:09 You see, have you ever had a dream that 18:13 was never fulfilled? 18:15 Sometimes it is the dream itself. 18:23 Before I was a Christian, my dream was to become a hip-hop 18:27 superstar, that was my dream. 18:30 Every breath, every social interaction, every place 18:35 I went, even in college I had a boom box that I kept 18:39 at the Rec center, so when I would leave class 18:42 we would have the boom box, doing our little 18:45 rap sessions on campus. 18:49 This was my life, this was my dream, but there was 18:53 something wrong with the dream. 18:55 So life continue to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 19:01 But even more so, sometimes it's the dreamer. 19:05 God told David yes, it was within your heart to build 19:10 Me a house, but you can build the house David. 19:14 The problem is not the dream. The problem is the dreamer. 19:21 But He said David it is well because 19:26 it was within your heart. 19:28 We have all tasted this bitter cup. 19:32 We all, if we could, have time to sit down with our 19:38 parents and say mom what was your dream? 19:42 What did you want to be when you grew up? 19:45 I remember talking to a young lady's mom once, and she 19:49 said you know I always wanted to be in a music Ministry. 19:56 Her mother works at an accounting firm, 19:59 and life continues to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 20:06 I think about a story I heard about the Rwandan 20:11 genocide, and how when the Hotoos were killing all the 20:16 Tootsie's and it was just starting and then they realized 20:21 that they started killing Tootsie children. 20:28 This lady came and she was trying to hide this orphanage, 20:31 Rwandan children, as they came in they wanted 20:34 to kill them slowly so they didn't use guns, 20:38 they used machetes. 20:41 She remembered them making her watch as an American 20:45 them killed this young girl. 20:46 She looked at her and said please help me? 20:50 Please help me? And right before she was killed she 20:54 turn to the lady and said I don't want to be a Tootsie 20:59 anymore, I promise I won't be a Tootsie anymore. 21:04 And life continued to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 21:12 I think about slaves who used to sing songs, the only 21:20 way for their heart to experience freedom. 21:25 Sometimes I get discouraged and think my work is in 21:29 vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. 21:34 There is a balm in Gilead. 21:37 Life continued to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 21:42 I think about the Holocaust, and reading that book by 21:48 Elie Wiesel, called 'Night', and he remembered when he 21:53 was going into the concentration camp. 21:55 He said my only desire is for me and my father to 22:01 survive and after four years, just months before they 22:07 were liberated, his father died. 22:11 He sat there on the bed, and the last voice he heard 22:17 was his father calling out to him. 22:18 Eleazar, Eleazar, he said deep down in my heart I was 22:25 angry that he was calling my name. 22:29 When they finally killed him there was a sense of peace 22:33 in my heart as if a burden was lifted. 22:36 He said it broke my heart that I even felt this way. 22:41 Months later he walked away free, without his father. 22:46 And life continue to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 22:52 Turn with me to the book of Hebrews chapter 11. 23:01 You see friends I believe that much of the Bible is 23:06 teaching us how life has continued to be 23:10 a story of unfulfilled dreams. 23:16 We start with Abraham in Hebrews 11:8. 23:20 The Bible says, "by faith Abraham when he was called to 23:25 "go out into place which he should after receive for 23:28 "inheritance obeyed and he went out, not knowing 23:32 "whether he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of 23:36 "promise as in a strange country, dwelling in 23:40 "Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of 23:44 "the same promise for he looked for a city which had 23:47 "foundations whose, builder and maker is God. " 23:50 Verse 13: "these all died in faith not having received 23:56 " the promises, but having seen them for a far-off and 24:00 "were persuaded of them, and embraced them and confessed 24:05 "they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 24:08 "For they did say such things declare plainly that they seek a 24:11 "country and truly, if they had been mindful of that 24:15 "country from whence they came out they might have had 24:20 "opportunity to have returned, but now they desire a 24:25 "better country. " Or I can say they dreamed of a better 24:30 "country, that is as in heavenly. 24:33 "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. " 24:40 And for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob life continued to be 24:45 a story of unfulfilled dreams. 24:50 Turn with me to the book of Genesis 40, we have the 24:59 story of Joseph, Genesis 40 and while Joseph is in 25:07 prison he interprets the dream of one of Pharaoh's 25:15 servants, in verse 12. 25:22 "And Joseph said unto him, this is the interpretation of 25:28 "it, the three branches are three days. Yet within 25:33 "three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head and restore 25:36 "thee unto thy place and thou shalt deliver Pharaohs cup 25:40 "into his hand. And after the former manner when thou 25:44 "was his butler, but think upon me when it shall be well 25:48 "with you and show kindness I pray the unto to me and make 25:51 "mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this 25:55 "house, for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of 25:59 "the Hebrews and here also have I done nothing that they 26:03 "should put me into the dungeon. " 26:05 You see in Joseph's heart there was a dream that one day 26:09 I could go home, back to my father's house. 26:13 I was stolen, and when you go back into pharaohs 26:18 court remember me he said. 26:22 But we know that Joseph was never able to go home. 26:28 So you turn to Genesis 50, and it was finally dawning 26:37 upon Joseph that he would not be able to leave Egypt 26:45 and go back to the land of his father's. 26:48 So he comes to his brethren in verse 24 of Genesis 50. 26:56 "And Joseph said unto his brethren I die. " 26:59 He said, "I am dying and God will surely visit you and 27:05 "bring you out of this land unto the land which he swear 27:09 "to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took 27:13 "an oath of the children of Israel saying God will" 27:17 "surely visit you and you shall carry up my bones. " 27:21 I won't be able to go with you when you get into the 27:24 promised land, but since life will continue to be a 27:29 story of unfulfilled dreams, I want you to carry out my 27:33 bones even though I cannot make it, at least bury me 27:37 there, don't bury me in Egypt. 27:41 And Joseph says I have a dream and God looks down to 27:46 these patriarchs, and He says, Abraham I know it was within 27:50 your heart, you wanted to see the promises. 27:58 You wanted to bring the heathen nations to the feet of 28:00 God, you see Joseph wanted to go home. 28:06 God said to them it is well because it was within your 28:10 heart, but then we also have Moses. 28:14 Go with me to Deuteronomy chapter 34, then you also 28:22 have Moses, this great leader of Israel. 28:28 Deuteronomy 34:1, 28:35 "and Moses went up from the plains of 28:41 "Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah 28:44 "that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him 28:50 "all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, 28:55 "and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of 29:00 Judah as far as the western sea, the South, and the 29:04 "plain of the Valley of Jericho, and this city of palm 29:07 "trees, to Zoar. The Lord said unto him. This is the 29:11 "land. " Can you imagine, this is the land? 29:18 God is showing Moses Himself. 29:22 All this time Moses, 120 years and God sits on the 29:27 shoulders of his servant and He points to him, 29:31 "this is the land which I swear to Abraham, Isaac, and 29:36 "Jacob, saying I will give it unto thy seed. I have 29:41 "caused you to see it with your eyes Moses. 29:47 "But you shall not cross over there. " 29:50 Life continued to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 29:59 40 years in the wilderness, being accused of usurping 30:05 leadership, finally praying for a rebellious nation, 30:11 interceding for people who don't even want to follow God. 30:16 God is saying Moses you know what I will just make 30:19 a nation out of you, forget these people. 30:22 Moses said, Lord if you don't take them to the 30:25 promised land, I don't go. 30:30 Putting his own dreams aside. 30:33 And God looked at Moses because of one mistake friends, 30:38 one mistake that Moses made, and he was looking over on 30:44 the mountain top, this time not to receive the 30:47 Commandments of God, not to receive instructions to 30:51 build the sanctuary, but to see the land of his dreams, 30:55 only to know he could never enter. 30:59 Life continued to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 31:07 Turn with me to the book of Acts 1:8, 31:26 Acts 1:8, when you are there, say Amen. Audience: Amen. 31:36 And Jesus about to leave His disciples, in verse 8 31:42 He says, "but you shall receive power after that the 31:47 "Holy Ghost is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses 31:53 "unto Me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and 31:58 "in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. " 32:01 Here is the last words you hear from God on earth, 32:05 whom you have had the privilege of walking with. 32:09 As Jesus is ascending He says, you shall receive power. 32:14 And guess what Peter, guess what John, you're going to 32:19 take this gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth. 32:25 He had already told them that He would return when this 32:29 gospel is preached to all the world for a witness. 32:32 The disciples heard that on the Mount of olives. 32:36 So they thought to themselves, here comes the dream. 32:40 If we can preach the gospel to all the world we can 32:45 see Jesus come back in our generation. 32:48 It was in the heart of the apostles and then you 32:52 bring in Paul, it was in the heart of Paul raising up 32:57 churches, and then you find that eventually James get 33:02 martyred, Peter gets crucified upside down. 33:06 Thomas is dragged through the streets of India for 33:10 preaching the gospel and yet and still life continue 33:13 to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 33:16 Desiring to see Jesus come, but never able to see. 33:20 Do you have a dream? 33:27 You see friends GYC exists because somebody had a 33:32 dream, and God looks down at Moses seeking to lead 33:38 His people into the promised land. 33:40 God looks down at the apostles, to Peter, to James, 33:45 and to John, and when they get to heaven and they are 33:49 looking Jesus face to face and they say Lord we wanted 33:53 to finish Your work in our generation. 33:56 And Jesus will say, Peter, Peter it is well because it 34:03 was within your heart. 34:06 Paul, being beheaded by Nero, standing before King 34:11 Agrippa, he says King Agrippa I wish that you were not 34:17 only almost, but all and completely persuaded to be a 34:22 Christian, even as I am, except for these bonds. 34:25 and God will look in the face of Paul and He will say 34:31 Paul it is well because it was within your heart. 34:39 Our Advent pioneers, they wanted to see Jesus come. 34:47 Can you imagine October 11, 1844? 34:52 They thought Jesus was coming in 11 days. 35:00 Ellen white describes that prayer meeting and how 35:05 no one would go to sleep until they knew in their 35:09 heart of hearts that there was nothing between 35:14 my soul and the Savior. 35:16 I wanted to make sure I was ready and it makes me 35:20 wonder if we really thought Jesus was coming, if we 35:23 really believed in our heart of hearts would we have 35:26 prayed the same we prayed this morning? 35:28 Would we have had the conversations we had last night, 35:33 and you think about how this church was founded, 35:37 how God raised up this Remnant church and you see the 35:41 spirit of dedication, the sacrifice, and the commitment. 35:49 I remember reading about one of my favorites, J. N. 35:55 Andrews, going over to France as a missionary, got on 36:00 the ship with his daughters and when he got on the ship 36:04 he told his daughters, he said look, he said look 36:11 we're going to France so we don't speaking English 36:15 anymore, and he told his daughter were not going to 36:20 speak anymore English, they had to learn French. 36:23 He got to France and started doing the Ministry, 36:28 producing periodicals and then they got word that 36:33 J Andrews was sick. 36:36 So Ellen White and some of the brethren got a chance 36:38 to visit him, and when the doctor came they realized he 36:41 was starving himself. 36:44 They said this man is not eating, he said what are you 36:48 talking about and they found out that he was starving 36:52 himself and not using the funds they sent for his food 36:56 so that he could print more tracks. 36:59 They described that in the last year of his life how 37:05 he would come to his table to have devotions, and 37:12 because he was sick, he couldn't stay awake very long. 37:16 His body was so weak and they said he would sit down at 37:20 his table and put his head on his Bible and just cry. 37:26 As he was on his deathbed they say he was constantly 37:30 haunted, I didn't do enough, there is more I could have 37:35 done to further the work of God. 37:40 And then he said this line in French, I rest everything 37:43 in the hands of God. 37:46 God is going to take J. Andrews when he gets to 37:50 heaven and He's going to say it is well because it 37:54 was within your heart. 37:56 He is going to take James White and He is going to say, 38:01 it is well because it was within your heart. 38:05 He was in the heart of my brother Israel Rommel's that 38:10 there exists an army of young people who want to see 38:15 Jesus come in their generation. 38:19 Israel, God is going to tell you it is well, 38:25 even if He doesn't come before you die because 38:31 it was within your heart. 38:35 One day brothers and sisters Jesus is going to get 38:39 heaven and the Bible says that God would have all men to 38:47 be saved, He is not willing that any should perish. 38:53 And Jesus is going to come to heaven and everyone is 38:57 not going to be there, and He is going to say wait and 39:01 everyone is going to put their crowns down at His feet. 39:04 The Father is going to take His Son He gave for you 39:08 and me and He will say it is well Jesus because 39:11 it was within your heart. 39:13 It is well because it was within your heart. 39:18 My question this morning, is it even in your heart 39:24 to finish the work? 39:27 We don't have to be ashamed if it doesn't happen through us 39:32 because God was talking to David. 39:36 You wanted to build me a house, and David it is well 39:44 that it was within your heart. 39:47 After Solomon built it, David was dead. 39:56 Solomon said, it was in the heart of David my father 40:00 to build a house for my God. 40:05 It was in his heart, and my fear GYC is for many of us 40:11 it's just a conference, just seminars, just want to 40:17 deal with the hard issues. 40:19 My question is, is it even in your heart to finish the work? 40:24 I'm tired, I look at Mark Finley and it brings me 40:29 to tears because I can see it's in his heart. 40:33 He wants to finish the work, he wants to go home. 40:38 All these years he has faithfully preached 40:40 the word of God. 40:42 I listened to C. D. Brooks and it breaks my heart. 40:45 All these years he has faithfully preached 40:49 the word of God. 40:50 And now they look at us and the question is, 40:55 is it even in your heart? Is it even in your heart? 41:02 Are we just playing youth conference? 41:08 Will live continue to be a story of unfulfilled dreams? 41:14 This morning that is my question. 41:19 This is sermon breaks my heart because sometimes I 41:25 get discouraged, I'm not going to lie. 41:29 Sometimes you wonder, is your work in vain? 41:35 Why spend the long hours studying the word of God? 41:39 Why get up and preach, young people oh brother 41:42 Sebastian, pastor Asscherick, I enjoyed your sermon. 41:48 We're not here for entertainment young people. 41:50 We are not here to just rouse your hearts and say, 41:53 rah, rah, rah this is great. 41:55 It is because in our hearts we are saying Lord, Jesus 41:59 charged us as ministers before God and before Jesus 42:03 who will judge the quick and the dead at His appearing. 42:06 Preach the word, and because we preach the word to 42:11 challenge young people to believe, we are not extra 42:16 ordinary people, we are not superstars, we want to go 42:20 home just like you. 42:26 So the danger is we leave this conference, like he said 42:30 in Ezekiel, oh they treat you like a man with a 42:34 lovely voice, they will listen to you but they 42:38 won't do what you say. 42:43 Brothers and sisters we have to be of a certain kind of 42:48 heart, and within your heart and mine, we have to find 42:53 out, is it within my heart? 42:59 Have we made a commitment in our minds? 43:01 Brothers and sisters there is only two options for a 43:06 unashamed Christian, either Jesus comes and we finish 43:12 the work, or I die trying. 43:14 That is where it was in David's heart. 43:17 You can't build it David, God said. 43:20 It wasn't because it wasn't in his heart, it was because 43:25 God said he couldn't build it. 43:26 It wasn't the dream, it was the dreamer. 43:32 So my appeal this morning, I don't need to prolong this 43:35 any longer, is it in your heart? 43:38 If you want to say this morning, before the Lord Jesus 43:42 Christ, forget about the cameras, forget about your 43:46 friends, forget about what is popular, just to look up. 43:50 I do not want people to come up just because it's 43:52 another appeal, if you are going to come up here right 43:56 now, you are coming up and saying, Sebastian our heart 44:00 is with yours, our heart is with you pastor Finley, 44:04 David Asscherick, and Israel. 44:10 I'm not ashamed to have an unfulfilled dream, 44:13 I'm not ashamed. 44:18 It is in my heart to finish the work, it is a my heart 44:27 I want to finish it. 44:29 You are saying Lord this morning either I am going 44:35 to finish the work by Your grace or I am going to die trying. 44:39 Just kneel with me where ever you are as you are 44:43 coming up, where ever you are. 44:50 As you come up, we can keep coming up, but this morning 44:55 but we are saying, life doesn't have to continue to be 45:00 a story of unfulfilled dreams. 45:02 We are coming before Jesus, our Creator, our Savior 45:12 and our coming King. 45:14 We are saying this morning Jesus it's in my heart, 45:22 it's in my heart to finish Your work and to see You 45:29 come in my generation. 45:31 Give us what we need Lord, give us what we need. 45:39 That is what we are saying. 45:45 I want to give you a moment to just talk the Lord 45:50 with in your own heart. 45:55 Just to talk to Him within your own heart. 46:00 Is it really within my heart, and if it's not Lord 46:03 place it there, give me courage. 46:12 Help me to be unashamed Lord so that life doesn't 46:16 continue to be a story of unfulfilled dreams. 46:44 Heavenly Father, we come before you as one-man 46:54 and we are saying this morning Lord, encouraged by 47:01 Your words to David, that it was in the heart of 47:06 David, Solomon's father, to build a house for You. 47:12 But you told David, Father, for as much is it was 47:17 within thine heart thou did well, that it was 47:23 within thine heart. 47:25 Lord we are coming before you today realizing we don't 47:30 have to be ashamed of unfulfilled dreams. 47:36 Encouraged to know that even though we may not see the 47:41 fruition of everything that we have dreamed, that one 47:46 day You are going to come before us, in heaven You are 47:50 going to say it is well because it was within your heart. 47:56 This morning we are saying Lord, because we really 48:00 believe we are the last generation, it's in our 48:06 hearts Lord, we have the young people, help us to 48:11 be rightly trained and help us to take the message 48:20 of a crucified and soon coming Savior, to all the 48:28 world in this generation. 48:31 Father for us, all we pray this morning as GYC, 48:40 all we pray this morning is that it would be within 48:45 our hearts Lord so that the issue will never be the 48:50 dreamer, it will never be the dream, 48:54 and it won't be the dreamer 48:57 and we can see Jesus coming in the clouds of glory. 49:02 We can be raptured up to meet the Lord in the air. 49:09 This is our prayer, and we ask that You'll help this to be 49:14 our experience, for we ask in Jesus name, Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17