Participants: Lyndi Schwartz
Series Code: 11ASIC
Program Code: 11ASIC000006
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00:53 Let us be your light A beacon of your mercy
01:03 Candles burning bright God's glory to reveal 01:12 Let us be your light 01:20 A lamp that brings new sight and seeks to do God's will 01:29 As Christ was lifted high to raise our eyes to heaven 01:39 Let us pierce the darkness 01:44 Let us be your light upon a hill 01:53 Reach and take the torch that God has passed us 02:02 Let us shine the everlasting light 02:11 Come embrace the challenge now before us 02:19 Let us shine the glorious light of Christ 02:22 Let us shine the glorious light of Christ 02:27 Let us shine the glorious light of Christ 02:38 Let us be your light Blazing with your Spirit 02:47 Breaking through the night, our mission to fulfill 02:56 For Christ has called His church 03:00 to shine upon the nations Fill us with your glory 03:10 Savior, we have heard your call 03:15 Now we dedicate our all 03:20 Let us be your light upon the hill 03:30 Let us be your light upon the hill 03:49 Amen. Good morning church. 03:54 Good morning. Happy Sabbath. 03:55 Happy Sabbath. 03:56 It's a privilege to be here in Sacramento today, 03:59 but in the next few minutes we have the privilege 04:02 to go to the far away Islands of the Philippines 04:05 to talk about our special project there. 04:08 And with me, I have my brother in the faith, 04:10 Fred Webb, who, he and his wife 04:13 worked for many years in the Philippines. 04:16 And when you give your life and work in an area, 04:19 you're constantly looking for ways to be 04:21 more and more effective in your ministry. 04:24 And after some years the Lord led you to a way 04:28 to focus better on some of the people groups there, 04:33 could you tell us about an organization that you helped? 04:36 Yes, we worked with Mountain View College 04:39 and there was a student missionary organization 04:42 there called Sulads that had died for lack of funding. 04:45 And in the 1994, we able to resurrect 04:48 that program and this program, the students from 04:51 Mountain View College take a year off of school 04:54 and go out and live in the primitive tribes 04:56 in the mountains and they teach them 04:59 how to read and write. 05:00 And of course, in the process, 05:02 they teach them about Jesus. 05:03 So, these are like tribal groups, aren't they? 05:06 Oh, yes, these are the tribal groups, 05:08 primitive groups that live in the mountains. 05:11 And, and what were some of the results, 05:13 how did you, how did you have, 05:15 do you ever get a break through? 05:17 Thousands of people from the mountains 05:19 are now Seventh-day Adventists, 05:21 many of them have gone on to high school 05:25 that we built because we needed to keep 05:27 them in our church and they were drawing away 05:30 after they finished elementary school. 05:31 Have you ever reached the chief? 05:33 We've reach chiefs, in fact I like to tell you 05:35 about one today. 05:37 Chief Undug, we call him 05:39 Datu Undug, was a very powerful chief. 05:42 And these people in the mountains are animists, 05:46 they worship the trees, and the rocks, 05:48 and everything that's around. 05:51 They worship their ancestors. 05:53 And this Datu was powerful in that, 05:56 he had seven albularyos, an albularyo is a spirit guy, 06:02 a demon that comes up and gives him advice 06:06 on how to make decisions and what to do. 06:10 He was powerful enough that the bullets 06:14 from an enemy could not penetrate him, 06:16 he had many miraculous powers. 06:20 But one day, missionaries came to his village 06:22 and they began to teach about the Bible, 06:25 and as he listened to what they were telling him. 06:28 He said, you know, I think that's a better way 06:31 of life and what I'm living. 06:33 I think maybe I would like to follow that. 06:36 But, you know, I've always ask 06:38 my albularyos for advice on what should I do. 06:42 And so he did as he had always done, 06:45 he killed the pig, he killed the white chicken 06:48 and he called up his albularyos, 06:49 and he was talking to them just like 06:51 we're talking here face to face. 06:52 Oh, boy, sure. 06:53 And he said, you know, 06:54 this lady has come to our village and is teaching us 06:58 about Christ, teaching us from the Bible, 07:01 is this something I should do, 07:03 it looks very interesting to me? 07:05 And the albularyos looked at him and he said, 07:10 I'm lost, I had no hope, 07:12 but if you listen to her you can have hope. 07:15 Oh, my, that's amazing. 07:17 You know, the demons still know 07:18 who their supreme commander is. 07:21 Amen. Now, as you work with the chief 07:23 and as you reached out to the people group there, 07:26 you begin to educate the young people. 07:29 Yes, we had a high school in Central Mindanao, 07:32 but, Datu Undug after he became 07:36 a Seventh-day Adventist said, you know, 07:37 there is a long ways for our people to go, 07:40 we need to have a high school right here. 07:42 In fact, you he said, I have 100 hectares, 07:45 that's 220 acres, I will donate 07:48 if you will build a high school there. 07:50 But there was no money, five years went by, 07:55 Datu Undug passed away. 07:57 And I have a picture of a chief who was the successor 08:00 of Datu Undug, his name was Datu Phillix, 08:07 Datu Phillix said, you know, 08:09 if you're not going to use the land, 08:11 we're gonna have to take it back. 08:13 You know, that was for the high school level. Yes. 08:16 Well, now, before that you started off 08:18 elementary level. Yes. 08:20 And that was a blessing to young people 08:22 to at least get some education. Oh, yes. 08:24 But that actually caused a problem. 08:26 It caused a problem, because they were now 08:28 able to read and write. 08:29 And the rebel groups in the mountains were recruiting 08:34 them to be the trainers for their rebel groups. 08:37 Because of their being. 08:38 Because they could read and write, they were literate. 08:40 So you had to take them to another level. Yes. 08:43 And how did that solve that problem? 08:45 Well, we now have those that have gone 08:48 through our academies have gone back now 08:53 as student missionaries and they're working 08:55 for their own people. Amen. 08:59 I heard about this school, it was started, 09:03 this one up in the area of Datu Undug, 09:06 it actually was started, because there were 09:07 some of our Sulads said, you know, 09:09 we need to start this school 09:11 before we lose the opportunity. 09:13 But there was no money. 09:15 But these young people said, we don't need money, 09:18 this is God's work, He will provide. 09:20 And so, a year ago last June, the school was started. 09:24 Last February when I was there, 09:26 I said, I want to see this school. 09:27 And so we went on our trip to get out there. 09:31 This is the school building itself, 09:32 that's all there is, that's the dormitory, 09:35 I'm sorry, not the dormitory, 09:37 it's the classrooms, it's, it's everything, 09:38 even the residence for the faculty members. 09:42 Now these faculty members have been there 09:45 now for over a year, they still have not received 09:48 a full stipend because there are no funds 09:50 to fund this part of the program. 09:53 But they said, this is why God called us to be missionaries. 09:59 The students in the school are only in the freshmen class 10:03 when I was there in February and they are about 54 of them, 10:09 and their lives have been changed in such a way 10:11 that their parents are saying, what are you doing 10:13 for our students, their lives are changed 10:16 and they're no longer drinking, 10:17 they're no longer smoking, they're no longer gambling, 10:20 what are you doing? 10:21 And we say, we're teaching them about Jesus. 10:24 Brings you real joy when you develop and devoted 10:27 so long of your life to see something like this 10:29 flowing out of it, and the people are really 10:32 being helped on the grass roots level. 10:33 It's a real reward to see the change 10:36 that takes place in these lives. 10:38 Amen. And the people like to learn more about 10:40 this work with the tribal people in the Philippines, 10:43 how would they contact us. 10:45 We have a booth back here at Gospel Outreach. 10:47 Gospel Outreach is one of the, of founders of the Sulads. 10:53 And if you'd can stop by there, we could tell you more. 10:56 Thank you, Fred, we so much appreciate 10:58 your work in the Philippines. 10:59 Thank you. God bless you. 11:01 Next, I'd like to take you to another foreign country 11:04 far away to an island, another island 11:08 in the Solomon Islands, in the Pacific. 11:12 And I have with me this morning two guests 11:15 and I'd like to introduce to you first of all, 11:18 Ervin Ferris, who is a second generation islander 11:24 from the Solomon Islands and he and his dear wife 11:28 have worked there for many, many years. 11:30 He also worked for the division, 11:32 the union division there as a youth director. 11:36 And then as he matured and aged, he, 11:39 the burden of the Solomon's never left him 11:42 and I think for the last 15 years, 11:44 you've been working as a volunteer there as well. 11:47 That is correct, we certainly have. 11:50 I'd like to extend greetings to every one 11:52 of God's people here at ASI. 11:55 On this morning I'd to extend that greeting to people 11:59 who are now watching in and I'd really said, 12:02 the better land in Australia and the South Pacific. 12:09 Isn't it wonderful as we see what God's people are doing 12:12 everywhere and every nation around the world? Amen. 12:17 We're thrilled to be part of that wonderful nation. 12:22 They are three people, three men that have impacted 12:25 mostly in my life over the years, 12:27 of course my parents to start with. 12:29 Some of you that are more of my age would remember 12:32 Kata Ragoso, who came here 12:35 to the General Conference into America in the early 40, 12:38 oh, the late 40s. 12:40 Then there's Sasa Rore, and the third person 12:44 is my friend here, Dr. Silent Tovosia. Amen. 12:48 And today, Dr. Silent Tovosia, 12:52 who is very, very active member of 12:55 our Solomon Islands Frontier Outreach Ministry, 12:58 will be bringing to you the challenges 13:00 that we face at the present time in the Solomon Islands. 13:03 I present to you, a fuzzy wuzzy angel. 13:08 Amen. Dr. Silent Tovosia. 13:11 Well, I've never interviewed a fuzzy wuzzy angel before, 13:14 I'm looking forward to this. 13:17 Dr. Silent, I understand, welcome, 13:19 I understand that for some years you worked directly 13:22 for the government of the Solomon Islands 13:25 in the medical department. 13:27 That is correct. 13:29 And then later you got promoted to the mission work 13:33 of the Seventh-day Adventist church. 13:35 Yes, we received a call in 2006 to serve in the church 13:40 and we gladly accepted it. 13:41 The salary wasn't the same. 13:44 No, there was a big reduction in the salary. 13:46 But the benefits were much better. 13:49 God is faithful. Heavenly benefits. 13:51 Amen. Amen. 13:52 We're so glad that you accepted that call 13:55 and apparently because of that God has really opened up 13:58 some doors for you in ministry, 14:00 could you tell us a little bit about that? 14:03 Yes, I would like to say that since the gospel, 14:07 since the Adventist message came to Solomon's in 1914, 14:12 we have seen God's leading right throughout the years. 14:17 And, give us an idea, now, 14:20 how many people are in the Solomon Islands? 14:22 Well, it's a small country 14:23 with a population of more than 500,000 only. 14:27 Okay, so half a million people, precious people. 14:30 Yes. Other angels waiting to be discovered. 14:32 Yes. Okay, and how many Adventists do we have? 14:36 As I said, the work has really grown, today, we have 14:41 42,000 baptized members in the Adventist church. 14:45 What kind of ratio what that be to the population? 14:48 That's roughly one in every thirteen people. 14:52 Wow, I think we envy them, don't you? 14:56 These fuzzy angels work pretty effectively it seems. 14:59 Okay, well, do you have some plans for increasing 15:07 that ratio and is it gonna be difficult? 15:09 It is our aim to reach 15:11 every single person in the Solomon's. 15:13 And we know that it is possible not through 15:16 our efforts but through the power of the spirit of God. 15:20 Amen. So, as a medical doctor you are able to use 15:27 some medical missionary approaches in trying 15:29 to reach the people. 15:30 I understand that there is like any place in the world, 15:35 a certain amount of prejudice between those that have 15:38 religion or those that don't or other denominations. 15:41 How is God helping you as a medical missionary 15:42 to find an entering wedge to get past some of this? 15:48 There is a lot of prejudice against 15:50 the Adventist message in the Solomon's. 15:52 We are the number four church in terms of population. 16:00 But there are many islands out there who have 16:02 not yet received our message and we have a program 16:06 of treating people with a certain kind of skin disease, 16:10 it's called bakwa in the local language. 16:16 It effects the skin and it causes very bad odor 16:20 and the person that's affected scratches whole night, 16:25 it's a result they have other problems likes, 16:28 you know, skin infection coming up on top of the bakwa. 16:32 And that is what we're using to reach people, 16:36 thousands of people come forward requesting treatment. 16:39 So, now that you have been able to give 16:41 a successful treatment, otherwise, 16:42 they have it for a life, but it can be reversed 16:45 in weeks when you have the right medicine. Absolutely. 16:48 And that's been opening the doors for you 16:50 to be able to go to many parts of the islands. 16:53 Absolutely, we're reaching places 16:55 that have never been reached before, 16:58 places that we've tried for, you know, 17:00 decades to reach and through this ministry we are able, 17:04 we're seeing the spirit of God 17:06 opening new areas through this ministry. 17:08 What would you like to leave with ASI today? 17:11 We have a mission, we've got about 50,000 people 17:16 to reach with the skin disease, 17:18 we request that you continue to pray with us, 17:22 pray for us and we will also pray with you for you always. 17:25 And to reach you they can find you 17:27 at on the web frontieroutreach.com. 17:32 Frontieroutreach.com. May your tribe increase. 17:35 Thank you. God bless you. 18:19 Well, try that again. Happy Sabbath ASI. 18:23 Happy Sabbath. 18:24 I'm absolutely delighted to be here and I have been so 18:28 inspired this week with the wonderful testimonies, 18:32 the preaching, the warm fellowship. 18:35 And I want to congratulate Norman and Ramon 18:38 and the wonderful team of volunteers 18:40 for the outstanding job they have done, 18:42 I've been blessed. 18:43 And last, give a hand, please, that's great. 18:48 Last evening, I was just captivated 18:51 by the wonderful testimony of Irene, 18:55 that was one, wasn't that something? 18:56 Ninety-four years old, she was interviewed by 19:00 Mrs. McNeilus and I said to myself, 19:02 when I grow up I want to be like her, 19:04 I was absolutely inspired. 19:06 So this has been a joy and I just want to commend 19:09 all of you for just the wonderful work that you do 19:12 in terms of promoting missions, 19:13 and the work of God around the world 19:15 it's been an inspiration. 19:17 This morning I want to share something with you, 19:19 that I, it's close to my heart and it's, it's a passion, 19:22 since being a General Vice President 19:24 at the General Conference. 19:26 Ted Wilson asked me to work with a project called 19:28 "The Great Controversy Project." 19:30 Little did I know how dynamic and how all 19:33 consuming this has been, I've had a chance to 19:35 do some pretty special things, I've had a chance to run 19:38 a marathon 26.02 miles on the all the continents 19:41 of the world, all seven 19:43 and on top of that the North Pole. 19:45 And in spite of that this great controversy project 19:48 has captivated me. 19:50 It's a plan that Ted Wilson shared during the summer 19:55 following the Atlanta meeting in 2010. 19:59 And the program was very simple, 20:01 it was BHAG, as Jim Collins would say, 20:03 a Big Hairy Audacious Goal, only it wasn't that, 20:07 Ted wouldn't use that language. 20:08 I said, we have to sanitize it for Adventist purposes 20:11 and call it a bold heavenly anointed goal, 20:14 how about that? 20:16 And the idea was to take 20:17 the wonderful book the Great Controversy 20:20 and to spread this book around the world. 20:23 Well, this book will draw attention to Jesus Christ 20:26 and it will draw attention to the word of God 20:29 in a unique way at a time 20:31 when the world needs to hear it. 20:33 So it's called the Great Controversy Project. 20:35 Now, I'll tell you about it, 20:36 it's got great support from around the world 20:38 and every one has just really backed it, 20:41 the Review and Herald, 20:42 the Pacific Press have a wonderful 20:43 partnership to underwrite it. 20:45 All the division presidents have supported it 100%. 20:49 And so we had a modest goal, we said, 20:51 a modest goal which is really huge, 50 million copies. 20:56 What about having 50 million copies around the globe 20:59 in all parts of the world just think 21:01 what that would do? 21:02 It would bring results now as well as in the future, 21:05 that's what the goal was. 21:07 But Ted Wilson, 21:08 as you'll hear him say later today, 21:10 had he said, what he has a prayer goal, 21:13 prayer goal or a private goal that he had. 21:15 And he said, he was asking God to do 100 million. 21:21 Imagine that, that's a BHAG, 100 million copies. 21:26 And I tell you, this has been a phenomenal program, 21:30 so many people have support it. 21:32 And I'm happy to say, 21:33 for the first time publicly that two weeks ago 21:35 we got the word from the division, 21:37 divisions all around the world. 21:38 In fact, Dan Jackson from NAD and Paul Ratsara from SID 21:42 were here during this convention, 21:44 but we got the word officially 21:45 and right now we have toppled 100 million 21:50 and the projected goals, what do you say? Amen. 21:52 I say, Hallelujah, 21:54 I say, Hallelujah, praise the Lord. 21:57 And every one should have 21:58 one of these brochures right here, 21:59 you should have one of these and you see, 22:00 if you have it just lift it up for me, please. 22:02 Lift it up, this gives you all the details with it. 22:05 It's got the particulars, the plan, the program, 22:08 and how you as a member of ASI 22:10 can personally read the Great Controversy this year, 22:14 I've read it, I reread it this year, 22:16 read the book this year and then next year 22:18 you will distribute it by the thousands. 22:22 We're asking church members to buy this book, 22:24 it will be called the "Great Hope," 22:27 we will, it's the Great Controversy, 22:28 eleven Chapters from the Great Controversy, 22:30 but we called it the "Great Hope." 22:31 And you'll take this, purchase copies 22:34 and spread it around your neighborhood, 22:36 the cities, hope into every home. 22:39 I was just told, just yesterday, 22:41 one of the couple dropped 22:43 by the Review and Herald booth, 22:45 and they said, that they were inspired 22:47 with the Great Controversy project. 22:48 And they wanted to make it 22:50 their business to personally purchase 22:53 and distribute 10,000 copies. 22:58 What can God do through your witness? 23:00 I end with this story, South America, 23:04 happened not too long ago, 23:05 a man found the Great Controversy, 23:07 he happened to stumble across it, 23:08 he wasn't Adventist, didn't know about Adventist. 23:10 He got this book, he begun to read it, 23:12 he was so inspired with the stories, 23:14 and the messages of faith, 23:15 and soon coming events, and so forth. 23:18 He began to teach 23:19 and preach from the Great Controversy, 23:22 didn't know anything about Adventist. 23:24 And it so happened that an Adventist heard him 23:27 talking about the message of the Great Controversy, 23:29 approached him and said, 23:30 where did you get this book from, 23:32 do you know what it's about? 23:33 He said, I don't know, I found the book, 23:34 I don't know where it's from. 23:35 The person said, let me take you to the place. 23:38 The church that is behind his book, 23:41 so they took him to an Adventist congregation 23:43 and the brother was touched by the word of God, 23:46 accepted Jesus Christ, and was baptized, 23:48 what do you say? Amen. 23:50 God can do marvelous things 23:51 with the "Great Controversy Project." 23:53 Please join us, pray for it, promoted, 23:55 and I know, God will bless you. 23:56 Thank you very much. Amen. 24:40 Just imagine a city made of gold 24:50 Imagine the day 24:53 when the Father's radiant glory we'll behold 25:00 Imagine a time 25:03 when there will be no crying, no more pain 25:10 Imagine when Jesus comes again 25:20 Imagine a place where there's no more night 25:30 Where the glory of God 25:32 will forever shine with eternal Light 25:40 We'll gather 'round the throne of the great I Am! 25:49 What glory when Jesus comes again! 25:58 The trumpet will sound 26:01 and the dead in Christ will all be raised 26:08 He will come in the twinkling of an eye 26:16 And then those who believe in Him as Savior and Lord 26:24 Will be caught up to meet Him in the sky 26:37 Just imagine what glory that will be 26:46 On that day when our precious Savior' face we will see 26:56 We will bow before the throne, 27:01 singing praises to the Lamb, to the Lamb 27:08 What glory when Jesus comes again! 27:18 Imagine when Jesus comes again, 27:26 comes again! 27:41 Amen. Weimar Academy Choir, 27:44 if I was nervous about this today, 27:47 you took my nervousness away. 27:49 Praise the Lord and thank you very much. 27:51 Happy Sabbath, ASI Family, 27:54 and welcome to Sabbath school. 27:56 We are going to study today, 28:00 a title worship song and praise, 28:03 this is lesson number six. 28:05 And the theme of the quote, 28:06 of course is worship. 28:08 But before we get started 28:09 I'd like to begin with prayer. 28:13 Father in heaven, we bless Your name, 28:18 we give You honor, we give You praise. 28:21 You are the life, the truth, the way, 28:25 we bless Your name. 28:28 As we open Your word today, 28:29 Lord, I just pray that Your Holy Spirit decent on me 28:33 and on all that are gathered here. 28:36 That the things that You want us to learn 28:38 and take away will be applied to our lives. 28:42 I pray that Jesus Christ be lifted up 28:46 and that all that we do will be about Him 28:48 and for Him, for, Jesus sake, amen. 28:52 As I mentioned the title of the lesson is worship, 28:54 song and praise. 28:56 The first angel's message says, 28:58 "That I saw another angel flying in midst of heaven, 29:02 having the everlasting gospel to preach to those 29:06 who dwell on the Earth, 29:08 to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. 29:12 The everlasting gospel was so good, 29:14 it was good for every single person on planet Earth. 29:19 Saying with a loud voice, 29:20 Fear God, and give glory to him, 29:22 for the hour of his judgment is come, 29:25 and worship him who made heaven, 29:28 and Earth, and the seas, 29:30 and the springs of water. 29:32 We see this angel 29:34 that has the everlasting gospel to preach 29:36 and that everlasting gospel is so powerful and in fact, 29:40 so beautiful that it is worthy 29:43 of worship of the Creator God. 29:46 Worship is the essential theme of the Bible, 29:49 from Genesis though Deuteronomy to Revelation, 29:52 we see this theme of worship. 29:54 And today in our history 29:56 it is still a vital importance. 29:59 As a matter of fact, 30:00 song and music has been a vital part of worship 30:04 throughout scripture. 30:06 We see in the book of Job recorded, I believe, 30:09 I don't know perhaps one of the first songs, 30:12 and that was the song at creation, 30:14 we are told that the morning stars sang together. 30:19 I can't even imagine what it would mean 30:21 to have stars singing together. 30:22 But it says that the morning stars sang together 30:25 and that the sons of God shouted for joy. 30:31 As you look throughout Israel's history, 30:33 music has been essential part of their worship, 30:35 be it the Passover, Pentecost, 30:39 the Feast of Tabernacles, 30:41 there was always a song associated 30:43 with their worship. 30:46 When Israel saw the Red Sea part, 30:50 they never saw such a sight, water standing on end. 30:53 And they broke into song, in fact, 30:55 some of the words include things 30:56 such as the Lord is my strength and my song, 30:59 who is like you, O Lord, among the Gods. 31:03 When David finally got the Ark back 31:06 from where it had been taken, 31:09 David wrote a song for that occasion. 31:13 And the Lord himself at the last supper 31:18 had a song before they went out. 31:20 So music is vital, 31:22 we are told by Paul in the book of Ephesians 31:25 that we are to admonish one another with Psalms, 31:28 hymns, and spiritual songs. 31:31 Worship, song, and praise, 31:34 that's what we're talking about today. 31:36 Well, there are some questions 31:37 that we want to address. 31:39 What does it mean to worship? 31:41 How do we worship? Why do we worship? 31:45 And what role does music play in worship? 31:48 What songs shall we sing? 31:51 And how does one distinguish 31:53 between true worship and false worship? 31:56 Each of those questions, 31:57 I think could take the entire time. 31:59 And so we are just going to address 32:01 some of those questions today 32:02 and to do that I want to look at three songs 32:07 in the book of Revelation, 32:09 three songs in the book of Revelation. 32:10 The first song is in Revelation Chapter 4, 32:14 if you could take your Bibles 32:15 and turn over there very quickly, 32:16 Revelation Chapter 4 verse 8, 32:19 the background to this is that John was taken 32:23 in vision by the spirit into what appears 32:27 to be the sanctuary in heaven and he sees one, 32:32 he describes, sitting on a throne, 32:35 he describes his appearance, it's magnificent. 32:37 And around that particular throne, 32:39 there are 24 other thrones 32:41 with 24 elders sitting on those thrones. 32:46 As well as these elders are sitting on those thrones. 32:49 John continues to look and oh, 32:52 there is a sea of glass in the middle 32:53 and between that throne 32:56 there are four living creatures. 33:00 And he describes these living creatures, 33:03 but the important thing now, 33:05 I want to start reading in verse 8, 33:06 verse 8, says, as the four living creatures, 33:12 "and the four living creatures, 33:14 each having six wings, 33:15 were full of eyes around and within. 33:18 And they do not rest day or night, saying, 33:23 "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, 33:26 Who was and is and is to come!" 33:31 Sometimes, we have these songs, 33:33 we called them 7/11 songs. 33:35 This is a 14 word song, repeated endlessly 33:39 without rest day or night. 33:42 Verse 9, "Whenever the living creatures 33:44 give glory and honor and thanks to Him 33:47 who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 33:50 the 24 elders fall down before Him 33:54 who sits on the throne and worship Him 33:56 who lives forever and ever, 33:58 and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 34:02 "You are worthy, O Lord, 34:03 To receive a glory and honor and power, 34:06 For You created all things, 34:08 And by Your will they exist and were created." 34:13 We see here then that this, 34:15 in this scene that 24 elders and four living creatures 34:22 have only one song to sing 34:25 and that song regards creation. 34:28 For some reason they sing this song endlessly, 34:32 the same song endlessly 34:34 and that song relates to creation. 34:37 And so the question is, why does creation inspire 34:42 such ceaseless day and night 34:45 without rest outpouring of continuous, 34:49 endless song, and praise, and worship. 34:55 I want to show you a few pictures 34:57 but let me give you a little background. 35:00 Late in the summer of 1977, 35:06 there was a historic mission, 35:08 two spacecraft broke free from Earth's gravity 35:14 to journey to the outer edges of our solar system. 35:18 Their idea was to look at the four giant planets 35:22 of our solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 35:28 And for 13 years, they observed these 35:31 and amongst the thousands of memorable pictures, 35:36 the most stunning was recorded 35:38 on February 14, of 1990. 35:41 And I want to put this slide up February 14, 1990, 35:46 if you look there, famous photograph 35:47 that Pale Blue Dot, the camera from Voyager One 35:51 turn back its camera and focused on that thing 35:55 between those two white lines on the screen. 35:57 And that Pale Blue Dot was Earth, 36:00 planet Earth from 4 billion miles away. 36:05 And questions arose about that Pale Blue Dot, 36:09 thing such as. 36:11 What is the meaning and significance of planet Earth? 36:15 What is Earth's role in the Universe? 36:18 Copernicus said, that's Nicolaus Copernicus said, 36:21 that Earth has no preferred place in the Universe. 36:25 The late Carl Sagan, astronomist said, 36:28 that our planet is a lonely speck 36:32 in the great enveloping cosmic dark. 36:36 Is it true? 36:38 Is it the case that our planet 36:41 is just a lonely speck 36:43 in the great enveloping cosmic dark. 36:46 I want to look at a few slides that I have here, 36:50 here you have, and I can't see very well from here, 36:54 I guess I look on this side. 36:55 Here we have our solar system. 36:58 The biggest one is Jupiter, 37:00 then Saturn is number two, then Uranus, 37:03 and Neptune, the blue planet right there 37:05 on the left hand side further is our planet Earth, 37:09 and then we have the rest of the planets. 37:11 Next picture, I want to look at this in prospective. 37:15 Now, we look at our Sun, and we see that Jupiter, 37:18 which appeared so large, is now smaller 37:21 and Earth is down the line number five, 37:25 and you see that's fairly small. 37:26 Next picture please. 37:29 Now we see that, if you look at Arcturus, 37:31 a bigger Sun, 37:32 now our Sun appears to be quite small. 37:35 And, in fact, Jupiter, 37:37 at this magnification is one pixel. 37:41 My husband is try to explain to me 37:43 what a pixel is, I can't remember, 37:46 but it's small. Next slide. 37:51 Now we have Betelgeuse. 37:53 Betelgeuse is the eighth largest star 37:55 in our solar system. 37:57 And now, at this magnification, 37:59 Earth has been removed 38:01 and Jupiter is one pixel in size. 38:07 As I think about this, 38:12 Ellen White said, 38:15 that our little planet Earth 38:17 is to be the lesson book of the Universe. 38:21 That thing that disappeared off the screen 38:24 is to be the lesson book of our Universe. 38:29 Two things, I think there are important 38:31 as we consider that. 38:32 We don't have time today, because, 38:34 you know something, you know, 38:35 we say time flies, it does. 38:39 Time flies, but I'll just say this, 38:43 there are 20 factors that must occur at the same time, 38:50 and the same place, in order to have life, 38:55 intelligent life on a planet. 38:58 It's easy to think of the billions of galaxies 39:01 that exist and think, 39:02 certainly there must be other life else where. 39:05 But it turns out that there are 20 factors. 39:08 So, first of all, I want to look at two things, 39:10 the habitability of the planet 39:11 and the ability of those on the planet 39:14 to see beyond into the cosmos. 39:16 So there are 20 factors very quickly, 39:18 water must be in liquid form, I won't tell you all 20. 39:21 Let me give you few examples, 39:23 location, location, location, the planet must be 39:26 in the exact right spot in the galaxy. 39:31 Next, I thought this was interesting, 39:32 we are orbited by a large moon, 39:35 the moon has a powerful gravitational pull 39:38 that keeps the angle of the Earth's axis stable 39:42 at 23 and a half degrees. 39:47 That's no accident. Amen. 39:49 In addition to that, I'm gonna say something 39:51 I have no idea what I'm saying. 39:52 I read this, 39:55 we are orbited by a main-sequence G2 dwarf star. 40:00 In other words, that's our Sun. 40:01 That Sun if it is - the mass of that Sun, 40:05 if it was 90% less massive, we would disappear, 40:11 excuse me, I didn't, I said that wrong, 40:12 if it were less massive as a 90% of the other stars, 40:17 we would cease to exist. 40:19 I want to show you another interesting thing, 40:22 on another slide 40:23 we are protected by large giant gas planets. 40:30 The slide will come soon. 40:33 These are the Sentinals, Jupiter and Saturn, 40:36 do you know what Sentinal means? 40:39 The one who stands watch. 40:42 Praise the Lord, right. 40:44 If we had been hit by number of meteors 40:48 that could have hit us. 40:49 We would have been extinct. 40:51 There was a meteor that hit Jupiter, 40:55 when that meteor hit Jupiter, 40:57 if it had gotten planet Earth, 40:59 we would have been destroyed. 41:02 The Lord set it up, 41:04 so that there are Sentinals watching over planet Earth, 41:08 of the 20 factors then, amongst the 20 factors, 41:13 water in liquid form, 41:15 we have a moon that's an awesome moon, 41:17 we have the right Sun, 41:18 that main-sequence G2 dwarf star. 41:22 We have a magnetic field. 41:24 Earth is the only planet that has plate tectonics. 41:27 The probability of those 20 factors 41:31 occurring at the same time and place 41:34 is one in 1000th of a trillion, 41:38 this did not happen by chance, God made the world. 41:42 The second thing, Romans Chapter 1 verse 20 says, 41:47 "Since the creation of the world 41:48 His invisible attributes are clearly seen, 41:52 being understood by the things that are made, 41:55 even His eternal power and Godhead, 41:58 so that they are without excuse. 42:00 I want to focus on the fact that it says, 42:03 that since the creation of the world 42:05 His invisible attributes are clearly seen, 42:08 location, location, location. 42:11 Earth is positioned in the perfect position 42:14 for discovering two things, 42:17 the atmosphere of this planet is unique, 42:21 it is transparent, 42:23 it is the only planet in our galaxy 42:26 that has a transparent enough atmosphere 42:29 that we can see beyond into the cosmos. 42:33 In addition to that, now again, 42:35 I'm beyond my knowledge base, 42:37 I'm a physician, but I read this. 42:40 The electromagnetic spectrum is huge. 42:43 What it would take for life, for plants, for animals, 42:48 and people to exist is a very tiny portion 42:53 of the electromagnetic spectrum. 42:55 And it so happens that our planet 42:59 has just that right electromagnetic spectrum 43:02 to give us a bird's eye view, 43:04 a front row seat on the rest of the Universe. 43:08 It also turns out that we are governed, 43:11 Earth and the Universe by finally tuned laws. 43:17 An elegant mathematics structure, 43:20 the product I believe, of God's handiwork. 43:23 We were perfectly positioned, 43:26 God, positioned us perfectly in this world for discovery 43:30 and what are we to discover? 43:33 David says, in Psalms 19 verse 1, 43:39 "The heavens declare the glory of God. 43:44 "Now that sounds like poetry, and in some sense it is, 43:48 but it says that, 43:50 "the heavens declare the glory of God, 43:53 the firmament shows his handiwork. " 43:56 Then listen to this, 43:57 "Day unto day uttereth speech, 44:00 and night unto night reveals knowledge. " 44:04 We are perfectly positioned because of our atmosphere, 44:08 the electromagnetic field to discover something. 44:11 It says, knowledge, so day unto day uttereth speech, 44:14 and night unto night reveals knowledge. 44:16 There is no speech or language, 44:19 where their voice is not heard, 44:21 their line goes out through all the Earth, their words. 44:25 This is creation to the end of the world, 44:28 isn't that amazing? 44:30 Now so, let's go back to verse one, verse one says, 44:33 "The heavens declare the glory of God," 44:34 what does that mean? 44:35 Remember Moses, when Moses said to the Lord, 44:39 Show me your glory? 44:41 The Lord didn't show him a bright light, 44:43 there was no bright shining light, 44:45 what the Lord tell Him? 44:49 So I will show you my goodness, 44:52 I will show you my goodness, 44:54 and then the Lord passed by and He declared the Lord, 44:57 the Lord God, merciful, gracious, long-suffering, 45:00 and abounding in goodness. 45:03 The word there is has said, in the Hebrew 45:05 and that is a love that will not let you go. 45:09 The heavens declared the goodness of God, 45:12 a love that will not let us go. 45:15 And elsewhere, 45:16 David exclaims in Psalms Chapter eight 45:18 What is man, that you are mindful of him? 45:21 Or the son of man, that you give attention to him? 45:25 And David said that, after he looked, he said, 45:28 When I consider the heavens, the work of your hands, 45:30 what is man that you are mindful of him? 45:33 So we see the four living creatures 45:35 right here in Revelation Chapter 4, 45:37 and those 24 elders singing 14 words endlessly 45:41 because reason number one for worship. 45:44 God has made a Universe, 45:46 finally tuned and governed by precise mathematical laws 45:51 to sustain life and to give us an understanding of him. 45:56 We see in the heavens, His glory, His goodness, 45:59 night brings an intermission to most human activity, 46:03 but it has no effect on the ceaseless theme 46:06 of worship, and song and praise to God 46:09 that issues forth from the beings of heaven. 46:13 So reason number one 46:14 to worship is that it's just creation, 46:16 reason number two, the second song, 46:18 Revelation Chapter 5. 46:20 And in Revelation Chapter 5, we see here that in verse 1, 46:27 John, again sees, 46:28 he's sitting at the right hand of him 46:31 He saw sitting at the right hand of him 46:32 who sat on the throne, 46:33 a scroll written inside and on the back 46:37 And verse 2, says that a strong angel said, 46:40 who is worthy to open the scroll? 46:42 And there appeared to be no one. 46:44 John in verse 4 was weeping, 46:46 because there was no one but the elders said, 46:50 do not weep, because they found someone. 46:53 And then we see down in verse 6, very important. 46:56 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne 46:58 and of the four living creatures, 47:00 and in the midst of the elders, 47:02 stood a Lamb as though it had been slain. 47:09 So important was the sacrificial offering 47:12 of Jesus Christ that God is represented here 47:19 as being in the very act of pouring out 47:22 His blood on behalf of mankind. 47:25 So he sees this Lamb as though he was slain, 47:28 having the seven horns. 47:30 Then in verse 7, he says, 47:31 "Then He came, that's the Lamb came 47:33 and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him 47:36 who sat on the throne. " 47:38 Now we're gonna go into verse 8, 47:39 if you thought that in Chapter 4, 47:42 worship was going on. 47:45 Look at Chapter 5 what happens, verse 8. 47:48 Now when He had taken the scroll, 47:50 the four living creatures and the 24 elders 47:53 fell down before the Lamb, 47:55 each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, 47:59 which are the prayers of the saints. 48:01 And they sang a new song. 48:06 Whatever was going on, 48:07 this Lamb invoked in them now a new song 48:10 and the new song went like this. 48:12 "You are worthy to take the scroll, 48:14 And to open its seals, For You were slain, 48:17 And have redeemed us to God by Your blood, 48:22 Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 48:24 And have made us kings and priests to our God, 48:27 And we shall reign forever. " 48:28 Look at verse 11, 48:29 "Then I looked, and I heard the voice 48:31 of many angels around the throne, 48:33 the living creatures, the elders; and now it says, 48:37 the number of them was ten thousand times 48:40 ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. 48:44 All of the Universe is now joining in, 48:46 in praise and worship. 48:47 Because, now there is the Lamb that was slain 48:50 and redemption is worthy of incredible worship. 48:53 And saying with a loud voice, verse 12, 48:55 Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power 48:59 and riches and wisdom, and strength, 49:01 verse 13, And every creature which is in heaven 49:06 and on the Earth and under the Earth, 49:09 every creature you can imagine, 49:11 was involved in saying, blessing, and honor, 49:16 and glory, and power to Him, 49:19 be to Him who sits on the throne, to the Lamb forever. 49:24 What an incredible picture of worship? 49:26 The central act of His life, which claimed their admiration 49:31 was the shedding of His blood 49:32 for the salvation of fallen men. 49:36 The story of redemption then causes the whole of creation 49:40 to respond in a chorus of worship and song, 49:44 and praise, and this from all corners of the Universe. 49:49 Now these are rational beings, 49:53 those beings are rational beings. 49:55 And they are singing this song night and day. 50:02 And what is it about the story of redemption 50:05 that calls forth this new song. 50:10 John Chapter 12, Jesus said, 50:11 John Chapter 12, verse 32, that I, if I be lifted up. 50:19 The text says, will draw all men. 50:22 It doesn't actually say that, it says, I, 50:24 if I be lifted up will draw all to myself 50:28 which includes the on looking Universe to myself. 50:33 Paul says, in Roman Chapter 1, 50:37 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 50:41 for it is the power of God 50:43 for salvation to everyone who believes." 50:45 I want you to notice that, 50:46 we're gonna do some math in a little bit. 50:48 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 50:51 for it is the power of God. 50:52 In First Corinthians Chapter 1, verse 18, he says, 50:55 "For the message of the cross is foolishness 50:58 to those who are being, who are perishing, 51:01 but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 51:05 We're gonna do some math. 51:08 My husband and I did not go to college together, 51:10 I went to Walla Walla College, 51:12 Walla Walla College. All right. 51:16 I was a math major, my husband says, 51:18 I was a math major so I took a math class. 51:20 I learned this, 51:23 he wasn't even there. All right. 51:26 But, if A equals B and B equals C, 51:31 then A equals C. 51:32 Does everybody know that? All right. 51:35 So Paul says in Romans Chapter 1 verse 16. 51:40 The gospel is the power, 51:43 in Chapter 1 verse 18, he says, 51:45 the message of the cross is the power, 51:47 hence the gospel is the message of the cross. 51:52 For that reason he concluded 51:54 in First Corinthians Chapter 2, 51:57 that he desired to know nothing 52:00 except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 52:03 Peter joined, and this is great, 52:05 Peter joins in this chorus, 52:08 and in First Peter he says, 52:10 after telling of the salvation 52:11 and sufferings of Jesus Christ. 52:14 He begins to reflect on the preaching of the gospel, 52:18 and makes a remarkable statement. 52:20 He says that this gospel, 52:23 the message of the cross is the thing 52:26 which angels desire to look into. 52:30 It's amazing, isn't it? 52:33 Now the massage of the cross, we have no time, 52:34 because I said time flies, 52:36 and in fact, time really flies. 52:41 What we understand as Seventh-day Adventists 52:44 about the cross of Jesus Christ 52:46 is deeper, and richer, 52:49 and wider, and higher than 52:51 any other denomination on planet Earth. Amen. 52:56 To understand that all of you have to do 52:57 is to go and read the Desire of Ages, 52:59 the Chapter on Gethsemane and on Calvary, 53:03 I like to give my Sabbath school class 53:05 at home assignments. 53:06 I'm giving an assignment, 53:08 go home and read the Desire of Ages. 53:12 Jesus Christ, when He was on the way 53:14 to the cross was depressed. 53:17 He had faced death before 53:19 and he told people this isn't, this is nothing, 53:21 this is no big deal. 53:23 So when He died, it was not the physical suffering 53:25 there is something great there. 53:27 Ellen White says in the book, Desire of Ages, 53:29 Our little world 53:30 is the lesson book of the Universe. 53:33 God's wonderful purpose of grace, 53:35 the mystery of redeeming love, 53:37 is the theme into which angels desire to look, 53:41 and it will be their study throughout the endless ages. 53:46 Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings 53:50 will find in the cross of Jesus Christ 53:54 their science and their song. 54:01 So Revelation Chapter 14 verse 6 told us that 54:04 this angel had the everlasting gospel. 54:07 The everlasting gospel teaches us 54:10 that in the beginning was the Word, 54:12 and the Word was with God, 54:13 and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, 54:17 what does that mean? 54:19 Galatians Chapter 4 tells that, that Word, 54:23 Jesus Christ came in the likeness of our flesh 54:27 and tabernacled in our flesh, He's Emmanuel, God with us. 54:30 He pitched His tent beside the tents of men, 54:32 He tabernacled in the midst of our human encampment. 54:36 The everlasting gospel also tells us 54:38 that though He was rich, 54:40 yet for our sakes He became poor. 54:42 It tells us also that Jesus Christ 54:44 who though He was God did not consider divinity 54:48 something to be grasped hold of. 54:50 But He made himself of no reputation, 54:54 and he joined himself to the human race, 54:56 the glory of self sacrificing, 54:58 self renouncing love, a love that seeks not its own. 55:02 John 3:16 says that, "For God so loved the world 55:05 that He gave," he didn't lend them, 55:08 He gave them. 55:09 Ellen White says, in Christ we become more closely 55:14 united to God than if we had never fallen. 55:17 In taking our nature, the Savior has bound Himself 55:21 to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. 55:25 Through the endless ages of eternity 55:27 He is linked with us. 55:29 "For God so loved the world that He gave." 55:34 Reason number two to worship, 55:36 the beauty of the Matchless Charms 55:39 of Jesus Christ the Lamb slain 55:42 from the foundation of the world. 55:44 No wonder those four living creatures 55:46 and the 24 elders, 55:48 and ten thousand times ten thousand, 55:50 and every creature in heaven and on Earth 55:51 and under the Earth worship him, 55:54 who stepped down from the throne of the Universe, 55:57 to join himself to the inhabitants of Earth, 56:01 a planet which is but a speck of dust 56:04 in the scheme of our galaxy, 56:05 the minutest of specks in the scheme of the Universe 56:08 just a pale blue dot, for God so loved the world. 56:14 In the interest of time, 56:15 I need to skip the third song, 56:16 which is Revelation Chapter 14, 56:18 I do want to read a passage from Ellen White, 56:21 that she wrote in the Great Controversy, page 651. 56:26 In this life we can only begin to understand 56:30 the wonderful theme of redemption. 56:33 With our finite comprehension 56:35 we may consider most earnestly the shame 56:39 and the glory, the life and the death, 56:42 the justice and the mercy that meet in the cross, 56:45 yet with the utmost stretch of our mental powers 56:48 we fail to grasp its full significance. 56:52 The length and breadth, and depth 56:54 and height of redeeming love are but dimly comprehended. 57:00 Then she says, The cross of Christ will be the science 57:03 and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. 57:07 In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. 57:11 Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created 57:14 and upheld the unnumbered worlds, 57:16 through the vast realms of space, 57:18 the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, 57:22 He whom cherub and shining seraph 57:24 delighted to adore-- humbled Himself to uplift fallen man, 57:29 that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, 57:32 and the hiding of His Father's face. 57:34 Till the woes of a lost world broke His heart 57:37 and crushed out His life on Calvary's cross. 57:40 That the Maker of all worlds, 57:43 the Arbiter of all destinies should lay aside His glory 57:48 and humiliate Himself from love to man 57:51 will ever excite the wonder 57:54 and adoration of the Universe. 57:58 Then she says, That we will break forth 58:01 in rapturous song, 58:03 "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, 58:06 and hath redeemed us to God by His most precious blood!" 58:10 Why do we worship? What song shall we sing? 58:14 Songs that give him glory, 58:15 songs of blessing and honor to him. 58:18 Redeem, songs of a selfish redeemer 58:21 that lay the glory of men in the dust. 58:23 Songs of radical joy that tell us 58:26 of His mindfulness of this pale blue dot. |
Revised 2014-12-17