Good morning GYC, good morning,
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are we awake this morning, yes,
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praise the Lord. What a
blessing it is to be here,
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to be part of this
army of young people that
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is on a mission as
it were to proclaim the
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everlasting
gospel to the whole world
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in this generation.
Is that why we're here?
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Yes, amen, amen. I
wanted to thank you
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and let you know that
I had been overwhelmed
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by how many
people have told me that
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they were praying for
me, thank you for doing that.
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And I ask you
to keep on praying,
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not just for me but
for each and every speaker
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who will be talking
with you this weekend,
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because we need an outpouring
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of the Holy Ghost.
We need the Lord to be
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with us and speak
to our hearts each
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and every time we
come here this weekend.
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So, it's a
pleasure, it's a privilege
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and I continue to seek
your support in prayer.
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Our message this
morning is entitled
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"Even If," and if you
like an alternate title
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would be "I'd rather
have Jesus." "Even If"
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or "I'd rather have Jesus."
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And as we begin I
want to begin by sharing
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with you a brief
mission report, right.
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I have the
privilege of serving as the
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evangelism coordinator
for ALIVE, Africans living
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in view of
eternity, and we at ALIVE
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are moved by this
conviction that the African
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crises really is
fundamentally spiritual
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and the answer to it has
to be Jesus Christ himself,
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right. And so our
vision, our burden,
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our dream as ALIVE
is to inspire and train
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and mobilize young
people in Africa to be
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effective in
evangelism. In this past summer
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just to give an
example, we took 80 young
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people from Ghana
part of our ALIVE Ghana
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branch in Ghana, and
we took 80 young people
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up to Northern
Ghana for a three week
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mission intensive.
Now Northern Ghana is
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probably the
hardest mission territory
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I've ever been to, okay.
Temperatures there get up
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to over 90 degrees
Fahrenheit, its extremely
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hot and the kind
of heat where you feel
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as you're being
baked in the African sun,
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like literally cooked,
right. And top of being
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hot its intense heavy
rainfall and on top of
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that its mosquito
infested, every single
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second you're
getting bit by a mosquito.
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And we had this 80
young people, all graduates,
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all young professionals
go up to North Ghana
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for three weeks,
right and this young people
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took it in stride.
They slept on the floor;
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they took the
mosquitoes, the heat,
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the rain. They went
door to door preaching
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the gospel every
single day for three weeks.
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Now at the end of that
three weeks by the grace
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of God 165 souls were
baptized, that's amazing,
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amen, amen. But
even more amazing for me
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is the fact that when
the mission ended some
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of these young
people volunteered to stay
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in North Ghana.
Remember, I say to myself what,
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I said who in their
right mind wants to stay
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in such harsh
conditions, I mean sleeping
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on the floor, the
mosquitoes, the rain,
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how do you want to
stay in North Ghana
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and they wanted to
stay to nurture the newly
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baptized students to
keep on preaching the gospel
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and I was amazed
by their sacrifice.
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Now as you
consider these young people
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willing to stay in
what is probably Ghana's
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poorest region, willing
to make those "sacrifices."
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We may be tempted to
ask if they were out of
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their minds and I
wanna submit this morning
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that they had found
something that was worth
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sacrificing for. And
our message this morning
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again it basically
answer the question is there one
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thing of supreme
value that is worth losing
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everything for. Our
message is "Even If."
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Let's pray
before we get into it.
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Our gracious Father in heaven,
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Lord, we have come
this morning to hear
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a word from you.
Father, we ask for the
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presence of the Holy Spirit.
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Father, we ask that
every heart that is here
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this morning may be
touched and may hear
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words directly from
you. Father, as you promised
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Moses in Exodus
4:12 when you say to him.
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Now therefore go, and
I will be with thy mouth,
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and teach thee
what thou shalt say.
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Father, teach me
what I shall say.
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Let this message be
yours, speak to every
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heart and help us Father
to truly, meaningfully sing
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the song, I'd rather have Jesus.
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We pray this asking
and believing in the name
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that you cannot
reject, the name of
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Christ Jesus our savior, amen.
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If you have your
Bibles as you should have
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your Bibles, turn
them with me to the Book
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of First Samuel
chapter 1, when you get there
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say amen, and if you
need time say have mercy,
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have mercy. Are we there, yes,
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I need a lot of
amen, are we there, amen.
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Okay, the book of
First Samuel occurs
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immediately after the
Judges at the time when
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every man pretty
much did what was right
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in his own eyes. And
in First Samuel chapter 1,
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we read of a man
named Elkanah who we're
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told had two
wives, the name of one was
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Hannah the other was Peninnah.
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And verse 2 tells us
that Peninnah had children
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but Hannah had none
and the reason being
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given in verse 5
that the Lord had shut up
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her womb. And when I
read verse 6, 7 and 8
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in your hearing, and
her adversary also provoked
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her sore, for to make
her fret, because the Lord
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had shut up her
womb. And as he did so year
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by year, when she
went up to the house
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of the Lord, so
she provoked her;
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therefore she
wept, and did not eat.
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Then said Elkanah her
husband to her, Hannah,
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why weepest thou?
And why eatest thou not?
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and why is thy heart grieved?
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Am not I better to
thee than ten sons?
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For a women in
Hannah's position this desire
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to have a child was
enough to struggle with.
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She wanted something
that she could not have
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because God had
shut up her womb, right.
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And yet what made a
situation even worse was
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a fact that her
adversary Peninnah
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provoked her sore.
That word means that
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she literally
provoked her grievously to make
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her miserable.
Remind her everyday what
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she did not have, provoking her,
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making her
miserable, and thus as a result
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we're told in verse 7,
that therefore she wept,
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and did not eat. I
don't know when was the last
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time you were so
grieved, you could not eat.
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And then verse 10
tells us she was in
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bitterness of soul,
and prayed unto the Lord,
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and wept sore.
When the Bible says
00:12:10.50\00:12:13.50
she was in bitterness
of soul she was in such
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deep distress,
such distress she could
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have died, that's
how distressed she was.
00:12:19.30\00:12:22.90
And then in verse
8, Elkanah asks a very
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pointed question that
we are going to reflect
00:12:28.16\00:12:31.16
on in a
different way this morning.
00:12:31.16\00:12:33.26
And Elkanah, her
husband says to her,
00:12:33.83\00:12:36.10
Hannah, why do you
weep, why do you not eat,
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why is your heart grieved?
00:12:39.06\00:12:40.70
Am not I better to
thee than ten sons?
00:12:41.43\00:12:45.20
Now here was a
man who loved a woman
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and as you read the
story Hannah was his
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favorite wife, the
one he loved the most,
00:12:51.40\00:12:53.53
despite the fact she
had borne no children,
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he still loved her. And
I could imagine him saying
00:12:55.93\00:12:59.50
to her Hannah, I know
that you want children,
00:12:59.50\00:13:03.36
but I'm here and I
love you, am I not better
00:13:03.73\00:13:07.70
to you than ten
sons? Is the fact that
00:13:07.70\00:13:10.80
you have me; is
that not enough for you?
00:13:10.80\00:13:13.06
Am I not better
to you than ten sons,
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because he had loved
her and kept on loving
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her despite the
fact she had no children.
00:13:18.73\00:13:21.06
Now we know how
this story ends, right,
00:13:22.53\00:13:25.26
but this morning I want
to pause the story here,
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because I want us to
hear Jesus asking that
00:13:30.50\00:13:35.06
question this morning
to each and every heart
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that is here, am I
not better to thee than
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ten sons? How
would you answer Jesus,
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if He asked us that
question this morning?
00:13:49.00\00:13:51.63
The question
being, am I not better to
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you than ten sons? I
think sometimes at GYC,
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we spend our lives
desiring things we do not have,
00:14:02.66\00:14:07.50
and we spend so much
time focusing on what
00:14:09.13\00:14:11.80
we do not have that
we forget who we have,
00:14:11.80\00:14:14.96
and so we weep, we
mourn, we are in deep
00:14:16.00\00:14:19.03
distress because we
do not have a, b, c and d
00:14:19.03\00:14:21.80
and all the while
Christ stands right by
00:14:22.33\00:14:25.43
and ask us, am I
not better to you than
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ten sons? Am I not better?
00:14:29.00\00:14:31.90
And we forget the
fundamental reality
00:14:33.93\00:14:36.06
that life is not
about what we have but
00:14:36.73\00:14:40.40
about who we have.
Life isn't about what
00:14:40.40\00:14:44.30
you have, but
about who you have.
00:14:44.30\00:14:46.06
And so Jesus asks the
question, am I not better
00:14:46.93\00:14:51.33
to you than ten sons?
00:14:51.33\00:14:53.20
Am I not better? I stand
to remind us this morning
00:14:57.26\00:15:03.56
of one very simple
reality and that's the
00:15:03.56\00:15:07.03
fact that Jesus is
better, he is better than
00:15:07.03\00:15:11.86
ten sons, better
than anything the world
00:15:11.86\00:15:15.50
has to offer and
there are many people
00:15:15.50\00:15:19.10
in the Bible who
understood this reality
00:15:19.10\00:15:21.13
and I just want to
pick on one this morning,
00:15:21.13\00:15:23.73
namely Moses. In
Hebrews 11, let's turn
00:15:23.73\00:15:27.13
our Bibles there.
In Hebrew chapter 11
00:15:27.13\00:15:30.70
the Bible records a
very telling account
00:15:31.83\00:15:35.00
of Moses life, as we
look at the reality that
00:15:35.00\00:15:39.46
for us is Jesus
better, right, in Hebrews
00:15:39.46\00:15:43.60
chapter 11 as you get
there please say amen, amen.
00:15:43.60\00:15:47.23
From verse 24 to
26, the Bible tells us,
00:15:47.93\00:15:52.60
that by faith Moses,
when he was come to years,
00:15:53.76\00:15:57.83
refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter.
00:15:57.83\00:16:00.80
Choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the
00:16:01.33\00:16:04.53
people of God, than to
enjoy the pleasure of sin
00:16:04.53\00:16:08.06
for a season.
Esteeming the reproach of Christ
00:16:08.06\00:16:12.43
greater riches than
the treasures in Egypt:
00:16:12.43\00:16:15.66
for he had respect unto
the recompense of the reward.
00:16:15.66\00:16:20.46
Now as I read
verse 26, I say to myself
00:16:22.40\00:16:26.33
wait a second, is
the Bible telling you
00:16:26.33\00:16:29.80
and me that Moses
esteemed the reproach
00:16:29.80\00:16:33.73
of Christ greater
riches, reproach for Christ
00:16:33.73\00:16:38.10
was greater riches.
When was the last time
00:16:38.43\00:16:42.00
you thought of
reproach as riches or suffering
00:16:42.00\00:16:46.40
for Christ as
riches. The Bible says Moses
00:16:46.40\00:16:50.70
esteemed the reproach
of Christ greater riches.
00:16:50.70\00:16:55.53
Moses had a
glittering career politically
00:16:58.43\00:17:02.00
ahead of him. He
could very well have been
00:17:02.00\00:17:05.06
the next King of the Egypt,
00:17:05.46\00:17:07.33
and Egypt then
being the wealthiest,
00:17:07.80\00:17:10.23
one of the
wealthiest nations in the world
00:17:10.23\00:17:12.33
and the priceless
treasures of the Pharaohs' tombs
00:17:15.33\00:17:18.76
often times
include several thousand
00:17:19.20\00:17:21.50
pounds of pure gold.
You're speaking of a level
00:17:21.50\00:17:26.06
of wealth that's
unknown to many of us.
00:17:26.06\00:17:28.83
And Moses had this in his hands,
00:17:29.46\00:17:32.20
he had Egypt,
the power, the money,
00:17:32.73\00:17:35.53
there was everything
the world had to offer
00:17:35.53\00:17:37.86
in his hand, and
he could have had it
00:17:37.86\00:17:41.56
but he esteemed
the report of Christ
00:17:42.33\00:17:45.33
greater riches. Its
almost as if Moses had a
00:17:45.66\00:17:49.73
balance in his mind.
On the one hand he had
00:17:49.73\00:17:52.46
Egypt's and all the
wealth and power of Egypt
00:17:52.46\00:17:55.20
and in the other he
had Jesus, not just Christ
00:17:55.66\00:17:58.96
but reproach for
Christ, suffering for Christ
00:17:58.96\00:18:02.73
and in his mind he
said Egypt, wealth,
00:18:03.40\00:18:06.43
money power versus
Christ and reproach for Christ.
00:18:06.43\00:18:10.43
And it said he weighed
the balance and his balance
00:18:10.83\00:18:13.90
said Christ is
the greater riches.
00:18:13.90\00:18:17.36
Moses had the world
in his hands and he chose
00:18:19.23\00:18:23.93
Christ as the
greater riches. He esteemed
00:18:23.93\00:18:28.16
reproach for
Christ, greater riches.
00:18:28.56\00:18:31.26
Now I imagine if
Moses had friends who knew
00:18:33.10\00:18:37.66
the decision he was
making, they might have
00:18:38.26\00:18:41.20
said to him Moses,
are you out of your mind,
00:18:41.20\00:18:44.53
are you seriously
going to walk away from the
00:18:45.30\00:18:47.90
power, the
wealth, the money of Egypt
00:18:48.20\00:18:50.86
to go become a
slave, to suffer reproach
00:18:51.46\00:18:54.70
for this Christ as you call him.
00:18:54.70\00:18:57.23
Moses what are you
doing with yourself,
00:18:57.90\00:19:00.06
are you out of your
mind? How can you walk
00:19:00.06\00:19:04.03
away from Egypt,
from the throne of Egypt?
00:19:04.03\00:19:08.30
And I imagine
perhaps his answer would
00:19:10.16\00:19:12.73
have been yes, I'll
walk away because Jesus
00:19:12.73\00:19:19.80
is better,
because Jesus is better.
00:19:20.26\00:19:24.76
He chose to suffer
affliction with the
00:19:27.40\00:19:31.06
people of God, than
to enjoy the pleasures
00:19:31.06\00:19:34.03
of sin for a
season. That's by faith
00:19:34.03\00:19:37.06
he forsook Egypt,
because Jesus was better
00:19:37.06\00:19:40.63
in every sense of
the word, and he said to
00:19:40.63\00:19:45.26
himself I would
rather have Jesus even
00:19:45.26\00:19:48.46
if it means losing
the power and the wealth
00:19:48.46\00:19:53.13
of Egypt, I would
rather have Jesus.
00:19:53.13\00:19:57.23
And my question
this morning friends is,
00:19:57.96\00:20:00.83
is Jesus better
to you, is he better?
00:20:01.30\00:20:05.90
And if you have
the same choice Moses
00:20:07.20\00:20:08.80
had to make would we
choose him over anything
00:20:08.80\00:20:13.03
the world has to
offer. Is Jesus better?
00:20:13.03\00:20:16.63
As I think about
why Jesus is better
00:20:24.63\00:20:28.40
and obeying to the
meet of our passage this
00:20:28.76\00:20:31.13
morning in John
chapter 6 where Christ
00:20:31.13\00:20:34.66
himself answers the question.
00:20:34.66\00:20:36.96
In John chapter 6,
the Bible speaks to us
00:20:38.90\00:20:42.96
of the accounts
beginning of Jesus
00:20:42.96\00:20:46.30
feeding the
5000, that multitude,
00:20:46.30\00:20:49.20
and we're told
that as a given human
00:20:51.76\00:20:55.56
is to get there, are we
there, are we all there.
00:20:55.56\00:20:59.83
And we're told
that the day after this
00:21:03.96\00:21:07.43
great miracle, the
day after the feeding
00:21:07.43\00:21:10.83
of the 5000,
multitudes came back looking
00:21:10.83\00:21:15.40
for Jesus. And
matter of fact when they
00:21:15.40\00:21:18.20
found him not, they
took shipping went all
00:21:18.20\00:21:21.36
the way to Capharnaum
seeking Jesus and when
00:21:21.36\00:21:25.83
they found him in
verse 25, they asked
00:21:25.83\00:21:30.03
a seemingly simple
question, and they say
00:21:30.03\00:21:32.60
to him in verse 25,
Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
00:21:32.60\00:21:38.76
And then Jesus
answered them and said,
00:21:39.36\00:21:42.70
Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Ye seek me,
00:21:43.43\00:21:47.66
not because ye saw
the miracles, but because
00:21:48.00\00:21:51.00
ye did eat of the
loaves and were filled
00:21:51.00\00:21:53.66
And so Jesus
penetrates the depth
00:21:55.16\00:21:58.50
of their
motivation. He understands that
00:21:58.50\00:22:01.56
they're not
seeking him because of who
00:22:01.56\00:22:03.90
he is but because of
what he can give them
00:22:03.90\00:22:06.30
temporarily. And so
as we look at verse 26
00:22:06.30\00:22:10.10
we understand that
these people came seeking
00:22:10.10\00:22:13.36
Jesus for the
hope of temporal gain.
00:22:13.36\00:22:16.56
They came because
they ate of the loaves,
00:22:17.73\00:22:20.56
and were filled.
For no other reason but
00:22:20.56\00:22:23.63
they came looking
for temporal gain.
00:22:23.63\00:22:26.40
And once you turn in
John chapter 6 is that
00:22:27.30\00:22:29.53
Jesus essentially
dashed their hopes.
00:22:30.13\00:22:34.23
Beginning in verse
35, they came looking,
00:22:35.90\00:22:41.46
waiting for him to
give them more bread,
00:22:42.03\00:22:44.96
to give them more
things of this world,
00:22:44.96\00:22:47.03
but then Jesus
gave them himself.
00:22:48.10\00:22:51.10
In verse 35 he says,
I am the bread of life:
00:22:52.83\00:22:57.03
he that cometh to
me shall never hunger,
00:22:57.86\00:23:01.70
and he that believeth
in me shall never thirst.
00:23:02.16\00:23:05.06
Come down to verse 47,
00:23:06.50\00:23:08.60
Verily, verily, I say
unto you, He that believeth
00:23:10.63\00:23:14.56
on me hath everlasting life.
00:23:14.56\00:23:16.66
I am that bread of
life. Your fathers did eat
00:23:16.93\00:23:20.96
manna in the
wilderness, and are dead.
00:23:20.96\00:23:23.33
This is the bread which
cometh down from heaven,
00:23:23.73\00:23:27.23
that a man may eat
thereof, and not die.
00:23:27.23\00:23:30.00
I am the living
bread which came down
00:23:31.26\00:23:34.26
from heaven: if any
man eat of this bread,
00:23:34.26\00:23:37.96
he shall live
forever: and the bread that
00:23:37.96\00:23:40.83
I will give is my flesh,
which I will give for the
00:23:40.83\00:23:45.00
life of the world. And verse 52,
00:23:45.00\00:23:49.00
The Jews therefore
strove among themselves,
00:23:49.96\00:23:52.63
saying, how can this man
give us his flesh to eat?
00:23:52.63\00:23:55.90
They didn't get
it. And then verse 53,
00:23:58.16\00:24:02.46
Then Jesus said unto
them, Verily, verily,
00:24:03.10\00:24:07.10
I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh
00:24:07.10\00:24:10.30
of the Son of man,
and drink his blood,
00:24:10.60\00:24:12.86
ye have no life in you.
Just reflects in verse 53
00:24:13.23\00:24:20.33
for one minute with
me, Jesus says except
00:24:20.33\00:24:24.80
to eat his flesh and
drink his blood we have
00:24:24.80\00:24:27.73
no life in us. Can
we be walking around
00:24:27.73\00:24:32.00
seemingly breathing,
but if we haven't eaten
00:24:32.00\00:24:35.76
the flesh and drunk
the blood of a son of man,
00:24:35.76\00:24:38.26
we are simply living
a lifeless existence.
00:24:38.26\00:24:41.93
And Christ tells this to them.
00:24:44.16\00:24:45.83
He says I'm the bread
of life you've come looking
00:24:46.16\00:24:49.16
for temporal gain,
you've come looking for bread,
00:24:49.16\00:24:52.26
physical bread, but
I'm the bread of life,
00:24:52.26\00:24:56.23
it's in me that your
soul find its deepest
00:24:56.83\00:25:00.50
satisfaction. It's
me you are looking for
00:25:00.50\00:25:02.73
and I'm here
giving myself to you as
00:25:02.73\00:25:05.16
the bread of your
life. And Christ tells them
00:25:05.16\00:25:09.13
very clearly, very
cuttingly, unless you
00:25:09.13\00:25:12.96
eat my flesh and
drink my blood you got
00:25:12.96\00:25:15.23
no life in you. You got
to live by me, abiding me,
00:25:15.23\00:25:19.73
make me first,
last and best because
00:25:20.10\00:25:23.43
I'm the bread of
life. And by the way friends
00:25:23.43\00:25:27.86
this is still a
truth today as it was when
00:25:27.86\00:25:30.60
he first spoke it.
Many of us try to replace
00:25:30.60\00:25:34.56
Christ with the
temporal things in our lives.
00:25:34.56\00:25:37.56
We think that if we
just study hard enough just
00:25:38.13\00:25:42.56
get that Harvard
degree, just get that job,
00:25:42.56\00:25:45.50
just get that six
figure salary we'll be happy,
00:25:45.50\00:25:48.86
but friends the
bread of life is not money,
00:25:50.03\00:25:54.80
wealth, education,
it's not any of that at all.
00:25:54.80\00:25:58.03
The bread of life is
Christ and Christ alone,
00:25:59.40\00:26:02.30
not money, not power,
not wealth, not friends,
00:26:04.33\00:26:08.16
he is the bread of
life. The same with our bread
00:26:09.10\00:26:13.86
we eat it physically
and it becomes digested,
00:26:13.86\00:26:16.83
it becomes a part of
our being spiritually
00:26:17.43\00:26:20.46
that's what Christ is to us.
00:26:20.76\00:26:22.70
Without Him we
cannot exist and Christ
00:26:22.96\00:26:27.46
stands there this
multitude before him
00:26:27.46\00:26:31.10
waiting for him to
give them the wants
00:26:31.10\00:26:34.10
and Christ is guess
what, the gift I want
00:26:34.43\00:26:37.90
to give you is myself because
00:26:37.90\00:26:40.93
I'm the bread of life.
The greatest gift Christ
00:26:40.93\00:26:45.66
wants to give us is himself,
00:26:45.66\00:26:48.20
he is the
greater gift, He because
00:26:50.00\00:26:54.30
He is the bread of life.
00:26:54.30\00:26:55.73
Is Christ the bread of
your life this morning?
00:26:58.80\00:27:02.63
Is he, do you
know what happened?
00:27:04.63\00:27:08.56
These
multitudes didn't realized,
00:27:12.40\00:27:15.53
you know when Jesus
says in verse 50 and 51,
00:27:16.23\00:27:22.86
speaking very
clearly that only those who
00:27:24.76\00:27:27.73
that believes in him
never hungers or thirsts,
00:27:27.73\00:27:30.73
because everything
else in life will leave
00:27:31.46\00:27:33.70
you hungry and thirsting,
only Christ satisfies,
00:27:33.70\00:27:38.16
only Christ
satisfies, everything else will
00:27:39.30\00:27:42.66
leave you hungry and thirsting,
00:27:42.66\00:27:44.93
and as the
multitudes hear these words
00:27:46.16\00:27:49.50
verse 60 records
that among themselves
00:27:49.50\00:27:52.93
they say in verse
60, Many there forth
00:27:52.93\00:27:56.83
his disciples, and
they heard this, said,
00:27:56.83\00:27:59.90
This is an hard
saying; who can hear it?
00:27:59.90\00:28:03.46
Underline the word
disciples in verse 60,
00:28:04.83\00:28:08.23
this was not people
of the world, this was
00:28:08.63\00:28:11.50
disciples who had
somehow made up their minds
00:28:11.50\00:28:16.56
to at least
begin to follow Jesus,
00:28:16.56\00:28:18.93
and when Jesus says
to them you must make me
00:28:19.73\00:28:23.60
the bread of your
life, they were like this is
00:28:23.60\00:28:25.80
a hard thing, who can hear it?
00:28:25.80\00:28:28.06
Who can
understand, who can accept this
00:28:28.50\00:28:30.70
saying it's a hard saying.
00:28:30.70\00:28:32.90
Why was it hard for them?
00:28:34.80\00:28:37.36
In the Desire of Ages,
page 383, writing about
00:28:40.30\00:28:46.03
this accounts,
Ellen White writes,
00:28:46.03\00:28:50.63
if men could have had
the world with Christ,
00:28:53.06\00:28:59.10
multitudes would
have proffered Him
00:29:00.36\00:29:03.60
their allegiance;
but such service He could
00:29:03.60\00:29:08.40
not accept. She is
saying if they could have
00:29:08.66\00:29:14.40
had the worlds and Christ,
00:29:14.40\00:29:17.70
they would have
gladly followed Jesus,
00:29:18.13\00:29:21.26
but this kind of
service Jesus could not accept,
00:29:22.20\00:29:26.70
he could not accept.
If they could have the
00:29:27.96\00:29:32.50
world with Christ
they would have followed,
00:29:32.50\00:29:35.50
but this was not what
Christ was asking for.
00:29:38.86\00:29:41.16
He was telling them
very plainly you must
00:29:43.20\00:29:47.10
make me first, last and
best. He was calling them
00:29:47.10\00:29:54.86
to choose him over anything
00:29:54.86\00:29:58.16
the world had to offer them.
00:29:58.53\00:29:59.70
And then verse 66
records the chilling truth.
00:30:03.70\00:30:09.93
That as they heard
these sayings from that
00:30:12.56\00:30:15.76
time many of his
disciples went back,
00:30:15.76\00:30:20.76
and walked no more with him.
00:30:20.76\00:30:23.70
These were
disciples and again underline
00:30:26.46\00:30:29.86
the word
disciples, followers of Jesus,
00:30:29.86\00:30:33.40
and when Jesus
asked them to make him
00:30:34.53\00:30:37.46
the bread of their
lives, make him first,
00:30:37.46\00:30:39.90
last and best, they
said no that's a hard saying,
00:30:39.90\00:30:45.10
we cannot accept
it, and they went back,
00:30:45.43\00:30:48.16
they turned back and they walked
00:30:48.16\00:30:50.80
no more with him.
And they went back
00:30:50.80\00:30:53.80
because their
worldly ambitions had been
00:30:53.80\00:30:56.80
disappointed,
they went back because
00:30:56.80\00:30:59.66
they had come
expecting the world and Christ
00:30:59.66\00:31:03.06
gave them
himself, and they thought
00:31:03.06\00:31:05.93
it was a gift too
small. They thought the gift
00:31:06.30\00:31:13.03
of Jesus was too
small, give me the world
00:31:13.03\00:31:17.36
I don't want
him, give me the world
00:31:17.36\00:31:20.66
I don't want him.
They thought Jesus giving
00:31:20.66\00:31:26.73
himself to them
was a gift too small
00:31:26.73\00:31:29.83
and they went
back, they turned back.
00:31:30.36\00:31:34.30
And I wonder this
morning as some of us
00:31:36.63\00:31:38.73
think of Jesus as
being a gift too small.
00:31:39.20\00:31:43.16
Honestly speaking do we?
00:31:45.96\00:31:48.76
But here is the
sobering irony, in verse 66
00:31:52.90\00:31:57.70
Jesus does nothing
to stop those who are
00:31:58.53\00:32:01.26
turning back, he lets
them go. If you are going
00:32:01.26\00:32:04.16
to go back go, but
then he turns to the 12,
00:32:04.16\00:32:08.13
the 12 who stayed
and he says to them
00:32:08.96\00:32:12.60
in verse 67, will you
also go away, will you also
00:32:12.60\00:32:18.76
like the multitude,
will you also go away,
00:32:18.76\00:32:21.03
and then Peter
answered in verse 68,
00:32:21.90\00:32:25.03
Lord, to whom shall we
go? Thou hast the words
00:32:25.70\00:32:32.83
of eternal life. And
Peter says even if we could
00:32:32.83\00:32:37.66
go where shall we
go, to whom shall we go.
00:32:37.66\00:32:41.56
And friends, Peter is
saying here is the truth
00:32:42.83\00:32:46.00
that we must take
home this morning,
00:32:46.00\00:32:48.36
yes, Jesus is
better yes, He is best,
00:32:49.16\00:32:53.73
but he is also the
only, there is no way to turn.
00:32:54.20\00:32:59.36
So whom shall you
go, who else has the word
00:33:00.53\00:33:04.36
of eternity, who
else will be what Christ
00:33:04.36\00:33:06.96
is to you. Who else is life,
00:33:06.96\00:33:10.50
who else is the
bread of life, who else,
00:33:10.50\00:33:13.60
where shall you go? Peter says,
00:33:13.93\00:33:17.46
Lord to whom shall we go.
00:33:17.46\00:33:19.56
Thou and thou alone has
the words of eternal life.
00:33:20.16\00:33:24.56
To whom shall we go?
00:33:32.00\00:33:34.66
You know the book
of John is built around
00:33:38.46\00:33:40.96
seven I am
statements, do you know them.
00:33:41.30\00:33:45.50
In John 6 we saw the first I am,
00:33:47.26\00:33:50.16
I am the what?
The bread of life.
00:33:50.16\00:33:53.83
In John 8 verse 12,
I'm the light of the world.
00:33:55.10\00:34:00.40
In John 10:7-9, I am
the door of the sheep.
00:34:02.56\00:34:07.36
In John 10:11-14, I
am the good shepherd,
00:34:08.83\00:34:12.70
John 11:25, I am the
resurrection and the life.
00:34:14.80\00:34:19.53
John 14:6, I am
the way the truth
00:34:21.03\00:34:24.53
and the what, life and
John 15, I am the what?
00:34:24.53\00:34:31.03
The true vine, I
am the true vine.
00:34:33.33\00:34:38.96
Now look at those
I'm statements with me,
00:34:40.20\00:34:44.13
he is the bread of
life, the light of the world,
00:34:45.43\00:34:48.53
the good shepherd,
the door of the sheep.
00:34:48.53\00:34:50.90
We answer only
through him, he is the way,
00:34:51.63\00:34:54.70
the truth and the
life, by him being the life
00:34:55.26\00:34:58.43
everything that lives,
everything that breathes
00:34:58.43\00:35:02.80
only does so because of Christ,
00:35:02.80\00:35:05.50
because he is the
life, our life is brought
00:35:06.36\00:35:10.50
from him, apart from
him there is no life.
00:35:10.50\00:35:13.73
So now reason
through that with me friends,
00:35:15.30\00:35:18.10
if Jesus is as the
Bible says, I am, I am, I am,
00:35:18.10\00:35:22.26
so whom shall we go,
if Jesus is the great I'm
00:35:22.26\00:35:27.13
where are you going
to turn to if you turn
00:35:27.13\00:35:29.56
back from him.
Is there anything,
00:35:29.56\00:35:33.00
anything you and I
need that Christ does
00:35:33.50\00:35:37.06
not offer, is there
anything we need that
00:35:37.06\00:35:42.36
we cannot find in
Jesus. Is there anything
00:35:42.36\00:35:46.90
our soul longs for and
needs that Jesus is not,
00:35:48.13\00:35:53.43
is there anything?
00:35:55.16\00:35:56.30
In Jeremiah 2
verse 13 and we can turn
00:36:06.13\00:36:13.60
there Jeremiah 2 verse
13, speaking about the irony
00:36:13.60\00:36:19.36
of turning from the life giver,
00:36:19.83\00:36:23.56
Jeremiah 2 verse
13, are we there.
00:36:25.46\00:36:27.66
Speaking through
the prophet Jeremiah,
00:36:30.46\00:36:33.26
God talks about how
his people have committed
00:36:35.23\00:36:39.80
two evils, how
many evils? two evils.
00:36:40.16\00:36:43.60
He says my people
have committed two evils;
00:36:44.33\00:36:49.13
they have
forsaken him, the fountain
00:36:49.50\00:36:53.60
of living waters, and
hewed them out cisterns,
00:36:53.60\00:36:57.56
broken cisterns
that can hold no water.
00:36:57.90\00:37:01.40
Now please look at
that verse with me,
00:37:02.63\00:37:04.63
God's people turned
away from him the fountain
00:37:05.06\00:37:09.20
overflowing with
living water, and they went
00:37:09.20\00:37:12.70
to drink from
cisterns, broken ones that
00:37:12.70\00:37:15.60
can hold no water. Is
there any sense in that?
00:37:15.60\00:37:19.36
How do you turn
away from the fountain
00:37:20.83\00:37:23.60
overflowing with
living water and try to drink
00:37:23.60\00:37:27.00
from a cistern that
cannot even hold water.
00:37:27.00\00:37:30.40
Its nonsensical, it
makes absolutely no sense.
00:37:32.26\00:37:38.16
Now as you and I
think about Jesus being
00:37:39.70\00:37:43.50
who he is, how then
do we turn away from him
00:37:43.50\00:37:49.23
and whom we exist?
How do we turn away from
00:37:49.23\00:37:55.40
him who alone can
satisfy the deepest longings
00:37:55.40\00:37:59.86
of our soul? How
do we turn away from
00:37:59.86\00:38:04.06
the gift giver, looking
for gifts he alone can give,
00:38:04.06\00:38:08.46
how do you turn
away, how do you walk away
00:38:10.16\00:38:13.83
from living water to
a broken fountain that
00:38:13.83\00:38:17.70
cannot even hold
water. Friends, turning back,
00:38:17.70\00:38:22.60
turning back from
Christ is suicidal,
00:38:23.80\00:38:26.86
did you hear what I
said, turning back from
00:38:28.86\00:38:32.53
Jesus is suicidal.
If Christ is who he says
00:38:32.53\00:38:38.80
he is turning back is suicidal,
00:38:38.80\00:38:41.86
it makes no sense.
00:38:43.13\00:38:44.20
And it's no wonder
then that when Jesus asks
00:38:50.20\00:38:53.73
Peter in John 6:67,
would you also go away,
00:38:53.73\00:38:57.53
Peter says Lord
to whom shall we go,
00:38:58.20\00:39:00.60
fundamentally
because Jesus is better,
00:39:02.66\00:39:05.26
not just better, he is
best and he is the only.
00:39:05.63\00:39:08.50
And if friends if we
are not convinced about
00:39:10.20\00:39:12.96
that reality, if Christ
is not more attractive to
00:39:12.96\00:39:17.13
us then anything
the world has to offer
00:39:17.13\00:39:19.60
it's because we have
not understood who he is,
00:39:20.06\00:39:23.43
because if we knew who Jesus is,
00:39:24.93\00:39:28.23
if we could look
full into his face,
00:39:28.60\00:39:31.43
if we could just
see him for what and
00:39:31.80\00:39:34.46
who he is we would
desire nothing else.
00:39:34.46\00:39:37.63
The songwriter says,
turn your eyes upon Jesus,
00:39:39.90\00:39:45.56
Look full in His wonderful face,
00:39:46.56\00:39:49.60
And the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
00:39:50.50\00:39:55.40
in the lights of
His glory and grace.
00:39:56.03\00:39:58.83
If we just turn
our eyes on Jesus,
00:40:01.06\00:40:03.66
just turn our eyes on Jesus.
00:40:05.60\00:40:07.20
This is very
simple question for you to
00:40:09.30\00:40:12.20
answer this morning,
is Jesus better to you,
00:40:12.20\00:40:16.90
is he best, is he
only, have we understood that
00:40:17.43\00:40:22.13
there is no where to turn
00:40:22.13\00:40:24.30
if we turn away from Jesus.
00:40:24.73\00:40:26.13
As we close I want
to share with you my own
00:40:29.80\00:40:33.80
even if experience
and CQ shared a little bit
00:40:34.60\00:40:38.16
as she was
introducing us this morning.
00:40:38.16\00:40:39.96
In my sophomore year
at Harvard University,
00:40:42.70\00:40:47.20
the Lord called me
to take a year off,
00:40:48.30\00:40:50.40
and to go do the
campus missionary
00:40:51.56\00:40:55.06
training program. And
I remember taking that
00:40:55.06\00:40:59.56
year off in
obedience to God's command
00:40:59.56\00:41:02.76
and facing the
very real risk of losing
00:41:04.13\00:41:09.76
my Harvard
scholarship and education,
00:41:10.13\00:41:12.80
and it wasn't until
the end of my year as a
00:41:14.16\00:41:17.46
campus missionary that
the crises really hit me.
00:41:17.46\00:41:21.10
And I came home to
say there was a visa
00:41:21.76\00:41:24.76
complication that
because of my taking
00:41:24.76\00:41:27.70
a year off from
school to be a missionary,
00:41:27.70\00:41:30.20
and if that complication
did not get resolved,
00:41:30.70\00:41:34.00
I would basically
not be able to go back to
00:41:34.00\00:41:36.73
Harvard and finish my education.
00:41:36.73\00:41:38.20
I remember thinking
to myself as the year
00:41:39.83\00:41:42.43
continued and Lord
what I'm going to do?
00:41:42.43\00:41:44.86
What do I tell my
parents that I had this
00:41:46.23\00:41:49.30
full all paid
scholarship including books
00:41:49.30\00:41:53.80
and personal
expenses to Harvard,
00:41:53.80\00:41:55.70
and I threw it away
for campus ministry,
00:41:55.70\00:41:59.30
try telling your parents that?
00:42:00.56\00:42:02.10
And as I pounded
these questions in my mind
00:42:05.33\00:42:08.30
and I told to myself Lord if,
00:42:08.30\00:42:09.36
if I don't go back
to Harvard I'm finished,
00:42:09.36\00:42:12.70
and God's question was, Thando,
00:42:13.70\00:42:16.13
would you rather have
Jesus even if it means
00:42:16.13\00:42:19.33
losing Harvard,
would you rather have Jesus
00:42:19.33\00:42:23.23
even if it means
losing your dream school
00:42:24.13\00:42:27.13
and scholarship. I
mean come on friends
00:42:27.13\00:42:30.20
is Harvard going to
save you, is Harvard
00:42:30.20\00:42:33.80
going to cleanse your
soul, is Harvard going
00:42:33.80\00:42:36.76
to redeem you,
can Harvard replace
00:42:36.76\00:42:39.90
Christ in you
life, between Christ
00:42:39.90\00:42:43.76
and Harvard there is
no possible comparison,
00:42:43.76\00:42:47.10
Christ is better,
better, best and only.
00:42:48.66\00:42:52.20
So, take Harvard
if you I do not care
00:42:52.90\00:42:55.56
I must have Jesus,
I would rather Jesus,
00:42:55.56\00:42:57.90
take Harvard if you
will. And it was a painful
00:42:58.63\00:43:03.40
lesson to learn
but God had to bring me
00:43:03.40\00:43:07.30
there to teach me that lesson,
00:43:07.30\00:43:08.93
that Jesus is
first, last and best.
00:43:09.76\00:43:12.76
In a very real sense, I
would rather have Jesus,
00:43:13.66\00:43:17.00
because look at it friends,
00:43:18.10\00:43:19.56
if you have Jesus and
if he is the great I'm,
00:43:19.56\00:43:23.36
which he is the one in
whom all things consist.
00:43:23.70\00:43:28.66
Corinthians 1:17,
tells us: The one in whom all
00:43:29.70\00:43:33.43
things have there
being, if you have Jesus
00:43:33.43\00:43:37.70
you have
everything because he is
00:43:37.70\00:43:41.70
and there is
nothing else apart from him.
00:43:42.40\00:43:44.80
He is life, the way
that should the resurrection,
00:43:44.80\00:43:48.23
the good
shepherd, the bread of life,
00:43:48.23\00:43:50.60
and if you have Him
and you got everything.
00:43:51.20\00:43:53.23
So now why fell
Jesus short, why turn back
00:43:54.00\00:43:58.20
from him in whom
our existence consists.
00:43:59.33\00:44:02.90
Now the Lord after
teaching me that lesson,
00:44:07.26\00:44:11.90
worked
everything out to bring me
00:44:13.30\00:44:15.56
back to
Harvard, praise His name,
00:44:15.56\00:44:17.50
and I graduated this
past May, amen, amen.
00:44:18.96\00:44:22.96
But the story didn't end there;
00:44:23.26\00:44:24.86
there is another half
to it that I'll tell you
00:44:26.53\00:44:28.20
tomorrow morning, but
for now I'll end it here.
00:44:28.20\00:44:31.76
Having learned the
lesson that Jesus is first,
00:44:34.70\00:44:38.63
last and best. And
friends if we haven't
00:44:39.13\00:44:43.23
realized that Jesus is better,
00:44:43.23\00:44:46.33
if we haven't
realized that Christ is more
00:44:46.70\00:44:49.10
attractive than
anything the world has to give,
00:44:49.10\00:44:52.03
we are not
prepared to be Christians.
00:44:53.16\00:44:56.30
If Jesus is not
more attractive to us
00:44:57.90\00:45:00.63
than the world, we're
not ready to be a Christians.
00:45:01.03\00:45:04.63
And Christ himself
said this very clearly
00:45:07.20\00:45:11.80
in Luke chapter 14 and verse 33,
00:45:12.10\00:45:16.50
would you turn
your Bibles there.
00:45:16.93\00:45:18.40
Now we gonna be
using our Bibles a lot,
00:45:19.20\00:45:21.20
a lot these mornings.
Very clearly in Luke 14,
00:45:21.60\00:45:26.50
Christ articulates the
fact and speaking to us
00:45:26.50\00:45:32.80
about the necessity
of counting the cost.
00:45:33.40\00:45:36.63
In Luke chapter
14, are we there, yes,
00:45:41.46\00:45:44.50
in laying down the
cost of discipleship
00:45:46.30\00:45:49.63
and when you go
back you can read
00:45:50.20\00:45:51.43
the entire
chapter, its powerful.
00:45:51.43\00:45:54.00
Read verse 33
Jesus says: So likewise,
00:45:54.83\00:45:59.80
whosoever he be
of you that forsaketh
00:46:00.66\00:46:05.03
not all that he hath,
he cannot be my disciple.
00:46:05.03\00:46:10.73
Did Jesus say some
or all, he said all,
00:46:12.00\00:46:17.23
right and then underline
the word cannot because
00:46:17.23\00:46:22.16
cannot implies impossibility,
00:46:22.16\00:46:24.46
is that right? So
if we are not prepared
00:46:24.46\00:46:28.60
to forsake all for
Christ sake if need be,
00:46:28.60\00:46:32.66
we cannot be disciples.
We can come here to GYC,
00:46:32.66\00:46:38.50
all dressed up looking fabulous,
00:46:38.50\00:46:41.50
praise the Lord
for looking good.
00:46:41.93\00:46:43.66
We can come here
looking as good as
00:46:44.40\00:46:47.20
we want to look, looking
like disciples of Christ.
00:46:47.20\00:46:49.86
But if we have not
made up our minds that
00:46:50.50\00:46:54.00
if need be, if need be
we'd forsake everything
00:46:54.00\00:47:00.70
for Christ's sake,
we cannot be disciple,
00:47:00.70\00:47:05.06
its impossible, it's impossible,
00:47:05.06\00:47:10.00
and part of why
its impossible friends
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.86
is because of
Christ own example.
00:47:14.26\00:47:16.73
Less we think its
too much of a sacrifice
00:47:18.03\00:47:22.20
to leave everything
for Christ if need be,
00:47:22.20\00:47:24.90
lets remember Christ himself.
00:47:25.50\00:47:27.30
The Desire of Ages, page 131,
00:47:30.60\00:47:32.60
Ellen White writes
this, that Jesus not only
00:47:33.50\00:47:37.90
became an exile
from the heavenly courts,
00:47:37.90\00:47:41.66
but for us took
the risk of failure
00:47:42.03\00:47:45.63
and eternal loss, for
us. He became an exile
00:47:45.63\00:47:53.36
from the heavenly
courts and took the risk
00:47:53.36\00:47:56.26
of failure and eternal
loss. Do I need to pause
00:47:56.26\00:48:03.23
on that friends,
do you know what an
00:48:03.23\00:48:06.10
eternal loss
implies, do you what eternal
00:48:06.10\00:48:10.76
loss implies.
Jesus had and again the
00:48:10.76\00:48:16.26
balance in his mind
the glories of eternity
00:48:16.26\00:48:20.36
on his right
hand and on the other
00:48:20.90\00:48:23.40
hand my poor sin
sick wretched soul
00:48:23.40\00:48:27.53
and Christ looked
at it and said Father
00:48:28.46\00:48:31.83
I would rather save
them even if it means
00:48:31.83\00:48:34.10
losing eternity. I
would rather save them,
00:48:34.10\00:48:37.76
I would rather save Thando,
00:48:38.50\00:48:40.23
even if it means losing
the glories of eternity.
00:48:40.23\00:48:44.16
He scarified eternity for us,
00:48:46.10\00:48:48.96
in His mind we
were the better value,
00:48:49.63\00:48:53.56
He valued us over
the glories of eternity.
00:48:53.86\00:48:58.13
The adoration of
angels, everything he had
00:49:00.50\00:49:04.46
friends he could
have lost it all when
00:49:04.90\00:49:07.50
he came down here,
do you understand that,
00:49:07.50\00:49:09.50
he could have lost it
all. He himself eternal loss
00:49:10.26\00:49:16.00
and failure was the
risk, but Jesus said
00:49:16.00\00:49:20.76
I'm willing to take
the risk for their sakes
00:49:21.13\00:49:24.23
Father I'm going
to take the risk.
00:49:24.23\00:49:25.96
I would rather save
them even if it means
00:49:26.60\00:49:30.33
losing eternity,
being lost myself.
00:49:30.33\00:49:34.33
And then we have the audacity,
00:49:36.63\00:49:39.23
we've got the foolish
audacity to think we can
00:49:39.66\00:49:44.46
choose this world over Christ.
00:49:44.46\00:49:46.90
When Christ choose
us over the glories
00:49:48.50\00:49:52.36
of eternity, how
dare we, how dare we.
00:49:52.36\00:49:57.60
And I struggle to
understand the fact that
00:50:02.66\00:50:06.73
Jesus chose me, he
looked down and saw my
00:50:06.73\00:50:12.03
wretched soul and
said I would rather have
00:50:12.70\00:50:15.16
Thando than eternity,
and now we fail to say
00:50:15.16\00:50:21.66
I would rather
have Jesus, what's wrong
00:50:21.66\00:50:23.80
with us friends,
what is wrong with us.
00:50:23.80\00:50:27.83
Jesus choose us
over eternity how dare
00:50:28.70\00:50:33.56
we not choose him.
And look at the contrast
00:50:33.56\00:50:37.33
too we are
wretched, poor, naked, blind,
00:50:37.33\00:50:40.30
forsaken and Christ is
and Christ is the great I am.
00:50:40.30\00:50:46.86
He chose this
poor wretchedness and
00:50:47.63\00:50:49.63
we cannot choose the
best, how foolish is that.
00:50:49.63\00:50:53.40
He chose wretchedness
saving us and we fail to
00:50:55.33\00:51:00.13
choose the one
all together lovely,
00:51:00.13\00:51:03.23
we fail to choose
Jesus, how dare we?
00:51:05.06\00:51:11.10
He was willing to
lose everything to save us,
00:51:14.50\00:51:17.70
are we willing to lose
everything to please him.
00:51:18.86\00:51:23.20
If his sacrifice
means anything to us
00:51:25.00\00:51:28.26
the answer must be
yes, I'd rather have Jesus
00:51:29.90\00:51:34.00
even if it means
losing everything I have,
00:51:34.53\00:51:37.30
even if it means losing Harvard,
00:51:38.40\00:51:40.16
losing my comfort,
my convenience whatever,
00:51:40.16\00:51:43.23
I would rather have
Jesus, and it becomes a,
00:51:43.23\00:51:46.93
a deeply lived
experience. So when push comes
00:51:46.93\00:51:51.80
to serving, you must
choose between Christ
00:51:51.80\00:51:54.23
and the job, or
Christ in that relationship
00:51:54.23\00:51:58.36
that would take
you away from Christ
00:51:58.36\00:51:59.70
the choice must be
Christ, because between
00:51:59.70\00:52:03.56
Christ and
everything else there is no
00:52:03.56\00:52:06.83
possible
compression, he is better, best
00:52:07.23\00:52:11.36
and only, I'd rather have Jesus.
00:52:11.36\00:52:15.43
And friends we
need to look full into
00:52:17.40\00:52:20.86
Christ's face,
understand the great I am,
00:52:20.86\00:52:25.43
so we can know
as Peter knows that
00:52:26.06\00:52:28.53
if we turn from him
there is nowhere to turn.
00:52:28.53\00:52:31.60
He is the best and he the only,
00:52:34.00\00:52:35.86
the one who
satisfies the deepest longings
00:52:36.76\00:52:41.30
of our souls, He is the only.
00:52:41.30\00:52:44.73
In a speech to
students at Cambridge university
00:52:53.20\00:52:57.16
in 1857 David
Livingstone, one of my heroes
00:52:57.76\00:53:03.03
personally because
his heart for Africa is,
00:53:05.13\00:53:09.26
is a burden that's
been in my bones for the
00:53:09.26\00:53:13.00
past couple of years.
He said in his speech,
00:53:13.00\00:53:17.16
people talk of a
sacrifice I've made in spending
00:53:18.80\00:53:24.16
so much of my life in Africa,
00:53:24.60\00:53:27.13
can that be called a
sacrifice which is simply
00:53:29.43\00:53:33.90
paid back as a
small part of a great debt
00:53:33.90\00:53:38.30
owing to God,
which we can never repay?
00:53:38.86\00:53:42.83
And he ends by saying,
I never made a sacrifice,
00:53:44.50\00:53:49.96
I never made a sacrifice.
00:53:52.50\00:53:54.30
All of that time I
spent all of the things
00:53:55.20\00:53:58.40
I gave to Christ, I never made,
00:53:58.40\00:54:00.56
it was not even a sacrifice.
00:54:00.56\00:54:02.66
Friends, sacrificing
for Christ is no sacrifice,
00:54:04.83\00:54:08.66
if you want to know
what sacrifice is look
00:54:09.90\00:54:13.23
at Calvary.
Calvary defines sacrifice,
00:54:13.23\00:54:18.33
everything else
pales in compression.
00:54:19.06\00:54:21.86
And so David Livingstone
could say I never made
00:54:23.33\00:54:26.46
a sacrifice
because think about it,
00:54:26.46\00:54:29.30
when you sacrifice
you're choosing a greater
00:54:29.76\00:54:33.36
value over a
lesser value, right,
00:54:33.36\00:54:36.53
so its not sacrifice,
but with Jesus there is
00:54:37.10\00:54:41.50
nothing better you
could choose is there,
00:54:41.50\00:54:43.76
so its no
sacrifice. I would rather have
00:54:44.50\00:54:48.40
Christ isn't a sacrifice,
there is nowhere to turn,
00:54:48.40\00:54:53.66
there is nowhere to
turn, and we must be
00:54:57.20\00:55:00.70
prepared to say I
would rather have Jesus
00:55:00.70\00:55:05.86
even if it means
losing the world.
00:55:07.76\00:55:11.43
Are you prepared to
say that this morning,
00:55:14.26\00:55:16.20
is Jesus better, is He better,
00:55:17.93\00:55:21.70
you're not convincing
me GYC. Breaking my heart,
00:55:23.66\00:55:28.86
is Jesus better?
Yes, amen, not just better
00:55:30.06\00:55:35.36
but best and only.
00:55:35.36\00:55:37.03
There is nothing
other than Jesus,
00:55:39.36\00:55:40.90
and if we are not
convinced about that
00:55:42.20\00:55:43.66
lets look full into his face.
00:55:44.30\00:55:46.20
See who and what
he is and then surely
00:55:47.56\00:55:51.40
meaningfully say I
would rather have Jesus.
00:55:51.90\00:55:56.13