Once again, good
evening, GYC. Good evening.
00:00:12.46\00:00:15.77
It's so quick how you
revert back to just shyness.
00:00:15.78\00:00:18.25
I'm so sorry about
that. Good evening, GYC.
00:00:18.26\00:00:20.91
Good evening. Fantastic.
00:00:20.92\00:00:22.04
It was a blessing today, amen?
00:00:22.05\00:00:24.52
Amen. Fantastic.
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Um, last evening,
00:00:26.01\00:00:27.86
we had the
opportunity to talk together.
00:00:27.87\00:00:29.66
We talked about the
great purpose of our life,
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the life that
we've been given here.
00:00:32.58\00:00:33.89
This life for probation,
00:00:33.90\00:00:34.95
this temporary
life that we have,
00:00:34.96\00:00:37.10
has one underlying
theme, one central objective.
00:00:37.11\00:00:41.34
And that is the restoration
00:00:41.35\00:00:43.90
in the human soul
of the image of God.
00:00:43.91\00:00:46.93
And one of the many
passages we looked at
00:00:46.94\00:00:48.97
was First John Chapter 3,
00:00:48.98\00:00:51.40
and I'd like you
to go there tonight
00:00:51.41\00:00:52.82
or at least bring it to
recollection from last night.
00:00:52.83\00:00:55.90
We read how behold,
00:00:55.91\00:00:57.27
now we are the children of God.
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And it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be.
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But we know that
when He is revealed,
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we shall be like
Him for, what reason?
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What was the reason given
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why we know we'll be
like Him when He returns?
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For we shall see
Him, how? As He is.
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Now look at the following verse.
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And everyone who has
this hope in Him, does what?
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Purifies Himself, how?
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Just as He is pure.
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Notice that the hope
of seeing Jesus as He is,
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compels us to
purify ourselves as He is.
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Of course it's that
as we noticed last night
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that harmonitus--
harmonizes beautifully
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with the words of Jesus
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in Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 8
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when He said,
"Blessed are the pure in heart,
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for they shall see God."
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This is the promise
that we've been given.
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That's the high
ideal of the Christian Walk
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to become like
Christ so that we not merely
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live to the second coming
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but live through
the second coming.
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God has more in mind than
simply getting us into heaven,
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but He actually wants
to fit us into His kingdom.
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Can someone say amen? Amen.
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Our messages, these
final two evenings of GYC
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will tackle what I
believe is the biblical truth
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of just what the
purity of character
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looks like in real life.
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If you noticed last
night, it was a bit academic.
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We laid the ground work.
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I just wanted you
to see a new framework,
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a new vision for
what salvation looks like.
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Not just getting
in, but fitting in.
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Not just living
to, but living through.
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You understand that.
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But tonight, we're
gonna begin to unwrap that
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over the next two nights.
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And please don't think
that at the end of tonight
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is the entirety of the lesson,
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because it
continues tomorrow evening.
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Does that make sense?
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So we wanna
unwrap this a little bit
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and see the
truth of God's words.
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So as we begin
His study of His word,
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let's begin with
a word of prayer.
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Please bow your heads.
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Dear Heavenly Father,
Lord, I thank you for GYC.
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But not just
for the institution,
00:03:06.18\00:03:07.61
not just for the
movement, not for the program,
00:03:07.62\00:03:09.53
but, Lord, I
thank you for the people
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that you have brought to GYC
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here in person
and on the television.
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Lord, you understand our need.
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You understand our need
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better than we
understand our need.
00:03:19.21\00:03:20.38
We don't even see our need.
00:03:20.39\00:03:21.45
And, Lord, we need the eye salve
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that you can offer.
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Please, Lord, help us to
not only see our problem,
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but through our grace
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and by the power
of your Holy Spirit
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help us to see our solution
is available in Jesus Christ.
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We pray in His name, amen.
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Please go to Judges Chapter 3.
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Judges Chapter 3,
we're gonna be spending
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a significant amount of
time in Judges Chapter 3.
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Starting with verse 12,
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our message tonight is entitled
00:03:46.73\00:03:49.08
"Killing the Fat
King." I like that title.
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It's right on the nose.
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"Killing the Fat King,"
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Judges Chapter 3
starting with verse 12.
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The first few
verses give us some context
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of what we're talking about.
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Of course, you
know the time of Judges
00:04:03.98\00:04:05.38
was after the
deliverance of Israel,
00:04:05.39\00:04:07.52
of course, from
Egyptian bondage.
00:04:07.53\00:04:08.94
But before, there
was a monarchy in place,
00:04:08.95\00:04:11.37
there was the time of the Judges
00:04:11.38\00:04:12.69
and Genesis Chapter--
00:04:12.70\00:04:14.67
I mean, Judges
Chapter 3 and verse 12
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gives us one, the
beginning of a story
00:04:16.59\00:04:18.87
of one segment
of that time period,
00:04:18.88\00:04:21.35
one segment of their experience.
00:04:21.36\00:04:24.19
Starting with verse
12, we read these words,
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"and the
children of Israel again
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did evil in the
sight of the Lord,
00:04:29.43\00:04:32.15
so the Lord strengthened Eglon,
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king of Moab against Israel,
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because they had done
evil in the sight of the Lord.
00:04:37.46\00:04:41.25
Then He gathered to
Himself the people of Ammon,
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of Amalek, went
and defeated Israel,
00:04:44.70\00:04:48.54
and took possession
of the city of Palms.0
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So the children of
Israel served Eglon,
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king of Moab 18 years."
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This is the context
of our story this evening
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and I want to kind of
flesh this out a little bit.
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Who are these people who are
now ruling over God's people?
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The Moabites, the Ammonites,
the Amalekites, so Amalekites.
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I don't know the
right way to say it.
00:05:11.52\00:05:12.69
But I'm gonna go
with some of those.
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Don't be thrown
off if I mix it up.
00:05:14.54\00:05:15.95
But you understand in the text.
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These are the three powers
who are united against Israel.
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The Moabites and the Ammonites
have an infamous history.
00:05:22.02\00:05:24.87
They have the
unique-- well, just infamy.
00:05:24.88\00:05:29.29
They were the descendants
of the incestuous relationship,
00:05:29.30\00:05:32.34
the union between Lot
and his two daughters.
00:05:32.35\00:05:37.22
Later in their
history was the Moabites
00:05:37.23\00:05:39.48
who hired Balaam to
put a curse on Israel.
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And as we know the Lord
00:05:43.94\00:05:44.95
interceded to defend His people
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as long as they were
faithfully being His people
00:05:46.67\00:05:49.57
and thwarted their efforts.
00:05:49.58\00:05:52.25
Generation after generation,
00:05:52.26\00:05:53.65
they became more and
more hardened to the Lord
00:05:53.66\00:05:55.65
and their hatred
against Israel deepened.
00:05:55.66\00:05:58.25
Now it was the
Moabite King Eglon
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holding God's people under his,
00:06:01.39\00:06:03.91
as the Bible's
gonna tell us, fat thumb.
00:06:03.92\00:06:07.83
Finally, also aligned
with the Moabite king,
00:06:07.84\00:06:10.41
were the Amalekites.
00:06:10.42\00:06:13.92
They had the unique
infamy of being the first people
00:06:13.93\00:06:16.18
to mount a military campaign
against the nation of Israel
00:06:16.19\00:06:19.27
after their deliverance from
the land of bondage in Egypt.
00:06:19.28\00:06:23.34
And of course,
we know about this
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first military engagement.
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This is the one
where the Lord told Moses
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to go up on the
hill and hold the staff
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over his head and as
long as the staff was up,
00:06:28.76\00:06:30.80
Israel would have victory.
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You remember the story,
and again the Lord intervened
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to save His people,
00:06:34.47\00:06:35.46
as long as they were
being faithfully His people,
00:06:35.47\00:06:37.21
the Lord intervened and
fought their battles for them.
00:06:37.22\00:06:40.59
So here we have
three foreign powers
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who have a pretty
sour history with Israel.
00:06:42.21\00:06:45.09
But now apparently,
according to the text,
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Israel has done evil
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in the sight of
the Lord. So it's okay.
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You've chosen the
king you want to have.
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And it must have seemed
almost absolute that these
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bitter enemies of Israel
00:06:57.72\00:07:00.33
were holding
power over God's people.
00:07:00.34\00:07:05.62
Instead of conquering,
00:07:05.63\00:07:07.94
they were continually conquered
00:07:07.95\00:07:10.04
by foreign power, Pagan power.
00:07:10.05\00:07:13.59
It must have been a
very discouraging time
00:07:13.60\00:07:15.57
for the nation of Israel.
00:07:15.58\00:07:17.64
Let's go to verse 15.
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"But when the children of
Israel cried out to the Lord,
00:07:19.92\00:07:26.00
the Lord raised up
a deliverer for them,
00:07:26.01\00:07:28.75
Ehud the son of
Gera, the Benjamite,
00:07:28.76\00:07:32.75
a left-handed man,
00:07:32.76\00:07:34.86
by him the children of Israel
00:07:34.87\00:07:36.29
sent tribute to
Eglon king of Moab."
00:07:36.30\00:07:40.05
Now as for the
identity of this Ehud character,
00:07:40.06\00:07:43.31
the central
character in this story,
00:07:43.32\00:07:45.04
the deliverer of Israel.
00:07:45.05\00:07:47.44
We actually know very
little about him from scripture,
00:07:47.45\00:07:49.26
in fact, that's the only verse
00:07:49.27\00:07:50.56
that gives us any
background on this man.
00:07:50.57\00:07:52.33
One verse in all
of the scripture.
00:07:52.34\00:07:54.30
And if you type in his
name again in the CD-ROM
00:07:54.31\00:07:56.42
or the app in the
Ellen White writings,
00:07:56.43\00:07:57.78
you'll come up
with one reference
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and it's in a list.
00:07:59.40\00:08:01.46
It doesn't even
give any details at all.
00:08:01.47\00:08:03.42
Everything we know about him
00:08:03.43\00:08:04.65
is found in Judges
Chapter 3 and verse 15.
00:08:04.66\00:08:06.71
So let's see what we
can find out about this guy.
00:08:06.72\00:08:08.67
He was left handed.
00:08:08.68\00:08:10.65
He was from the
Tribe of Benjamin,
00:08:10.66\00:08:13.09
and he had the unenviable
job of transporting the tribute.
00:08:13.10\00:08:16.66
What's another,
what's a common popular word,
00:08:16.67\00:08:18.90
what's the
modern word for tribute?
00:08:18.91\00:08:21.05
Tax, right?
00:08:21.06\00:08:23.64
The tax of Israel to
Eglon, king of the Moabites.
00:08:23.65\00:08:27.91
Left-handed,
Benjamite tax collector.
00:08:27.92\00:08:31.75
This is what the
Bible records about him.
00:08:31.76\00:08:34.05
Let's break these
down, left handedness
00:08:34.06\00:08:35.72
in scripture is not necessarily
00:08:35.73\00:08:37.55
something to be--how many
here are afflicted with left--
00:08:37.56\00:08:42.92
we can be-we're people
tonight, just let's talk.
00:08:42.93\00:08:45.66
How many of there are there?
00:08:45.67\00:08:48.92
We should have prayer.
00:08:48.93\00:08:50.45
This--I understand where you--
00:08:50.46\00:08:52.75
we live in a
difficult world, you and I.
00:08:52.76\00:08:55.71
I'm one of you, right?
00:08:55.72\00:08:57.70
People look at you funny.
00:08:57.71\00:08:58.75
They wanna know if
you've turned the paper
00:08:58.76\00:09:00.07
upside down, right?
00:09:00.08\00:09:03.25
Spiral note books,
three ring binders,
00:09:03.26\00:09:07.37
this world is
not our home, right?
00:09:07.38\00:09:11.53
But as difficult
as the persecution
00:09:11.54\00:09:13.74
and oppression that we faced,
00:09:13.75\00:09:15.11
think about what it must
have been in Bible times.
00:09:15.12\00:09:17.11
And maybe it's just my paranoia
00:09:17.12\00:09:19.08
that I looked
for left handedness
00:09:19.09\00:09:20.45
or right handedness.
00:09:20.46\00:09:21.45
But if you notice,
right hand is always good,
00:09:21.46\00:09:23.40
left hand is always
bad, without exception,
00:09:23.41\00:09:26.69
except for perhaps tonight.
00:09:26.70\00:09:29.76
The left hand was
the hand of cursing,
00:09:29.77\00:09:33.77
insult, even death.
00:09:33.78\00:09:35.81
But the right hand
was the hand of strength.
00:09:35.82\00:09:37.84
It was the hand of blessing.
00:09:37.85\00:09:38.91
He's gonna--
He's gonna hold you up
00:09:38.92\00:09:40.32
with his mighty right-ugh.
00:09:40.33\00:09:44.23
In the judgment,
those represented
00:09:44.24\00:09:45.86
on God's left side, die.
00:09:45.87\00:09:48.82
On the right side, they live.
00:09:48.83\00:09:52.87
It's not the best thing in
scripture to be left handed.
00:09:52.88\00:09:57.36
But he was from the
Tribe of Benjamin, right?
00:09:57.37\00:09:59.47
Let's break that
down a little bit.
00:09:59.48\00:10:00.56
Benjamin was the
youngest son of Jacob.
00:10:00.57\00:10:04.55
Benjamin was the
smallest tribe in Israel.
00:10:04.56\00:10:09.26
Ruben was the first born, right?
00:10:09.27\00:10:11.99
You know, the tribe of
kings was destined to be Judah
00:10:12.00\00:10:14.38
and Levi would be the priest,
00:10:14.39\00:10:16.08
but Benjamin--up until
the time of this story,
00:10:16.09\00:10:19.00
the most famous
Benjamite was Benjamin.
00:10:19.01\00:10:22.56
Okay, they would--
you don't come from--
00:10:22.57\00:10:24.62
I'm from Benjamin-- I whatever.
00:10:24.63\00:10:27.04
Little, left-handed Benjamite,
00:10:27.05\00:10:31.28
but at least
he's got a good job.
00:10:31.29\00:10:34.49
What's his job?
00:10:34.50\00:10:36.40
He's a tax collector.
00:10:36.41\00:10:37.78
How does the Bible--
00:10:37.79\00:10:39.87
how do they like tax
collectors in scripture?
00:10:39.88\00:10:43.50
Not a big fan of tax collectors.
00:10:43.51\00:10:47.72
They were notoriously--
remember the nation of Israel
00:10:47.73\00:10:50.28
was supposed to be
God's chosen people.
00:10:50.29\00:10:51.72
You will be the conquerors.
00:10:51.73\00:10:52.72
You will be the
blessing to all the world.
00:10:52.73\00:10:54.41
Yet their history is
repeatedly a succession
00:10:54.42\00:10:56.58
of being
conquered and oppressed,
00:10:56.59\00:10:58.34
conquered and oppressed
in--inside of this nation
00:10:58.35\00:11:02.22
who's supposed to
be God's sovereign own.
00:11:02.23\00:11:03.85
You have this guy who
works for the other guy
00:11:03.86\00:11:06.36
who takes
Israel's hard earned money,
00:11:06.37\00:11:08.14
goes around with a
box, and the coins,
00:11:08.15\00:11:09.65
or however they
did it collecting tax,
00:11:09.66\00:11:11.42
collecting tax, collecting tax,
00:11:11.43\00:11:12.68
and taking it to his Highness.
00:11:12.69\00:11:17.27
Left-handed,
Benjamite, tax collector.
00:11:17.28\00:11:21.86
My guess is,
sanctified imagination,
00:11:21.87\00:11:25.41
he was not held in
the highest of esteem,
00:11:25.42\00:11:28.62
this Ehud, amongst
his Israelite friends.
00:11:28.63\00:11:32.91
Left-handed,
Benjamite, tax collector.
00:11:32.92\00:11:38.10
Now we're not
anywhere near the application
00:11:38.11\00:11:40.21
portion of our story,
00:11:40.22\00:11:41.24
but I'm guessing
there is a possibility,
00:11:41.25\00:11:44.04
there are some Ehud feeling
00:11:44.05\00:11:46.41
people in the
congregation tonight.
00:11:46.42\00:11:49.36
You might
actually have a genuine
00:11:49.37\00:11:51.67
disability of some sort.
00:11:51.68\00:11:53.30
And you feel like you
can't really be used for God.
00:11:53.31\00:11:56.52
Or you come from a small place,
00:11:56.53\00:11:58.08
a smallest school
in the conference,
00:11:58.09\00:12:00.03
or maybe the smallest of
all schools, the home school?
00:12:00.04\00:12:02.18
And you feel not in place
00:12:02.19\00:12:04.20
in these big
crowds are overwhelming.
00:12:04.21\00:12:05.67
You don't feel you
have much to contribute.
00:12:05.68\00:12:07.09
You might have or maybe
you work in unenviable job.
00:12:07.10\00:12:10.00
Nobody looks to
you with respect.
00:12:10.01\00:12:11.24
And you think what--
what can I offer the Lord?
00:12:11.25\00:12:15.12
That's why Ehud's in the Bible.
00:12:15.13\00:12:17.19
You're gonna see something
powerful in Ehud tonight.
00:12:17.20\00:12:19.04
We'll just keep reading.
00:12:19.05\00:12:20.16
Judges Chapter 3, now verse 16.
00:12:20.17\00:12:23.22
"Now Ehud made himself a dagger.
00:12:23.23\00:12:26.78
It was a double edged
and half a cubit in length,
00:12:26.79\00:12:31.88
and fastened it
under his clothes
00:12:31.89\00:12:34.21
on his right thigh."
00:12:34.22\00:12:37.24
So he brought the tribute--
now let's think about this.
00:12:37.25\00:12:41.99
What's he gonna
do with this thing?
00:12:42.00\00:12:43.68
Well, we're skipping ahead.
00:12:43.69\00:12:46.06
He straps it on his right thigh
00:12:46.07\00:12:47.43
so you can imagine him,
00:12:47.44\00:12:49.36
little left handed Benjamite,
00:12:49.37\00:12:52.63
nobody likes him guy
00:12:52.64\00:12:54.70
and as he goes
around collecting the taxes,
00:12:54.71\00:12:56.78
collecting the
taxes, collecting the taxes,
00:12:56.79\00:12:58.63
I'm sure people don't like him
00:12:58.64\00:12:59.96
and they don't
like what his job is
00:12:59.97\00:13:01.43
and he just hears
a lot of bellyaching,
00:13:01.44\00:13:03.15
complaining all day
long and he has to go
00:13:03.16\00:13:04.65
in front of this--
with the Bible again.
00:13:04.66\00:13:06.25
In a minute, he's
gonna call on this fat king
00:13:06.26\00:13:08.00
and lay this hard
earned money of Israel.
00:13:08.01\00:13:10.04
He probably doesn't
like himself so much.
00:13:10.05\00:13:14.40
But one day he decided
to make himself a sword.
00:13:14.41\00:13:19.22
And I can imagine him in his
little tent garage, you know,
00:13:21.59\00:13:24.74
with a stone
sharpening the other stone,
00:13:24.75\00:13:27.10
and maybe it was wood,
00:13:27.11\00:13:28.60
and he was whittling away at it
00:13:28.61\00:13:29.88
or whatever you do
to make a two edge sword
00:13:29.89\00:13:33.96
and he fits the
strap over his leg
00:13:33.97\00:13:35.91
and you can
imagine him at home like...
00:13:35.92\00:13:37.28
Practicing to make it smooth.
00:13:40.06\00:13:41.34
I'll put it
over here, I'll put--
00:13:41.35\00:13:43.69
and the day he decided
to actually use the thing,
00:13:43.70\00:13:45.99
must have been a
very surreal day for him.
00:13:46.00\00:13:49.19
Tax for the
king, tax for the king,
00:13:49.20\00:13:51.11
but he's got this
sword all day long
00:13:51.12\00:13:53.64
strapped to his thigh.
00:13:53.65\00:13:55.35
He's gonna do something.
00:13:55.36\00:13:57.56
Let's continue
our story. Goes on.
00:13:57.57\00:14:01.55
"So he brought the
tribute to Eglon, king of Moab."
00:14:03.87\00:14:08.23
Look what the Bible
puts in parenthesis.
00:14:08.24\00:14:11.59
"Now Eglon was a very fat man."
00:14:11.60\00:14:15.83
I mean, Ehud doesn't
have much said about him
00:14:18.33\00:14:20.83
but this guy has even
less and it's not good.
00:14:20.84\00:14:25.09
This is all the information
00:14:25.10\00:14:26.74
you need to know about this guy.
00:14:26.75\00:14:27.91
He was just big, right?
00:14:27.92\00:14:30.75
And you can imagine this like
just everybody dislikes him.
00:14:30.76\00:14:34.15
He sits on this big throne
00:14:34.16\00:14:35.31
and I would
imagine he has to have
00:14:35.32\00:14:36.31
a crew of people
to feed him and stuff
00:14:36.32\00:14:38.03
and he sits on this wide throne
00:14:38.04\00:14:40.48
and big, big fat man.
00:14:40.49\00:14:42.55
And it must have been just,
00:14:42.56\00:14:45.41
you know, Israel had
health message, right?
00:14:45.42\00:14:47.96
And this guy is the antithesis
of a genuine Israelite.
00:14:49.81\00:14:53.59
And he takes Israel's
hard earned money in that box
00:14:53.60\00:14:56.39
and his job was to
take it to Eglon personally
00:14:56.40\00:14:58.91
and lay it at his fat feet.
00:14:58.92\00:15:00.54
And it must have
just disgusted him
00:15:02.57\00:15:03.81
every time like,
Lord, why are we doing this?
00:15:03.82\00:15:06.50
Eighteen years.
Jabba the Hut-ooking.
00:15:06.51\00:15:13.86
If you don't
know of that reference
00:15:17.20\00:15:18.41
don't learn it. It's okay.
00:15:18.42\00:15:19.41
But for those of you who do,
00:15:19.42\00:15:20.41
it puts a picture, right? Okay.
00:15:20.42\00:15:22.00
And Ehud puts down, walks out,
00:15:24.36\00:15:29.58
18 years. Puts it down.
00:15:29.59\00:15:31.94
Here's your money.
00:15:31.95\00:15:34.38
But one day,
Ehud grabbed a sword.
00:15:34.39\00:15:39.49
And he had a plan.
Didn't consult anybody.
00:15:39.50\00:15:42.74
He just said, "Today
I'm killing the fat king."
00:15:42.75\00:15:47.84
And all day long, he's
got the sword on his thigh.
00:15:50.85\00:15:54.14
Today, he's gonna die.
00:15:54.15\00:15:56.97
We keep reading the story.
00:15:56.98\00:16:00.04
Verse 17, "so he
brought the tribute
00:16:00.05\00:16:01.85
to King Eglon of Moab,
now Eglon was a very fat man."
00:16:01.86\00:16:04.60
Verse 18, "and when he had
00:16:04.61\00:16:07.11
finished presenting the tribute,
00:16:07.12\00:16:09.80
he sent away the people
who had carried the tribute."
00:16:09.81\00:16:13.13
So apparently his job was
not to physically transport.
00:16:13.14\00:16:15.39
He was the
administrator of this crew.
00:16:15.40\00:16:18.54
And he's like,
"Guys, why don't you go on
00:16:18.55\00:16:19.84
ahead this time?
00:16:19.85\00:16:20.84
I'll catch up
with you in a minute."
00:16:20.85\00:16:23.08
He's setting the
stage to kill the fat king.
00:16:23.09\00:16:27.16
"Guys, why don't
you go on ahead?"
00:16:27.17\00:16:29.34
He planned this out.
00:16:29.35\00:16:31.59
"But he himself," notice
what it says, "Turned back."
00:16:31.60\00:16:35.31
It's like he was going
with them, you guys go ahead.
00:16:35.32\00:16:38.47
And you almost
get the sense that--
00:16:38.48\00:16:41.72
and then he kind
of uh, I can't do it.
00:16:41.73\00:16:44.47
And he turns back.
But watch what happens.
00:16:44.48\00:16:46.52
"But he himself turned
back from the stone images
00:16:49.15\00:16:52.08
that were at Gilgal, and said,
00:16:52.09\00:16:55.24
'I have a secret
message for you, O king.'"
00:16:55.25\00:16:59.38
So he's walking on,
he sees these images,
00:16:59.39\00:17:02.51
these idols, and these
things that just disgust him.
00:17:02.52\00:17:05.98
And he said tonight's the night.
00:17:08.90\00:17:10.20
Today's the day. I'm
killing the fat king.
00:17:10.21\00:17:12.52
And he musters his
courage and he turns around
00:17:12.53\00:17:14.25
and he says "King,
00:17:14.26\00:17:15.36
before I go,
00:17:17.73\00:17:18.82
I have a secret
message for you."
00:17:23.50\00:17:26.66
Why's it secret?
00:17:26.67\00:17:28.63
Because he wants
him alone, right?
00:17:28.64\00:17:30.74
Watch what he does.
00:17:30.75\00:17:33.64
"He said, 'Keep silence.'
00:17:33.65\00:17:35.04
And all who attended
him went out from him."
00:17:35.05\00:17:37.39
So now he's, "everyone leave."
00:17:37.40\00:17:39.35
I don't know why I do
that voice, but it helps,
00:17:39.36\00:17:41.04
you know, "everyone leave."
00:17:41.05\00:17:44.01
You get the stage
is now set? Eglon.
00:17:47.20\00:17:50.33
Ehud. "King, I have a message."
00:17:52.65\00:17:56.27
His people are
gone. His people are gone.
00:17:56.28\00:17:59.45
He's gonna kill the fat king.
00:17:59.46\00:18:00.95
"So Ehud came to him.
00:18:03.27\00:18:05.64
Now he was sitting upstairs
in a cool private chamber.
00:18:05.65\00:18:09.26
Then Ehud said,
"I have a message."
00:18:09.27\00:18:12.30
What're the next two words?
00:18:12.31\00:18:14.06
"From God for you."
00:18:14.07\00:18:16.43
Must have interested him
00:18:20.05\00:18:21.15
'cause he actually
arose from his seat.
00:18:21.16\00:18:23.92
I'm guessing as
a very rare feat.
00:18:23.93\00:18:26.04
He leans in. The stage is set.
00:18:29.84\00:18:33.36
Ehud, Eglon.
00:18:33.37\00:18:36.51
Verse 21, "then Ehud
reached with his left hand,
00:18:40.14\00:18:44.53
took the dagger
from his right thigh",
00:18:44.54\00:18:48.33
and what does he do?
"Thrust it into his belly."
00:18:48.34\00:18:51.98
You can imagine he's like
00:18:51.99\00:18:52.98
he's stealing his
nerves, he's stealing nerves.
00:18:52.99\00:18:54.36
"I'm gonna do
it, I'm gonna do it."
00:18:54.37\00:18:55.54
It's not like he
took it out like,
00:18:59.40\00:19:00.62
"look it, look
it, look it." Uh-uh.
00:19:00.63\00:19:03.92
Once he started
taking that sword out,
00:19:03.93\00:19:05.91
he wasn't done till he's done.
00:19:05.92\00:19:07.41
Is that clear?
00:19:07.42\00:19:08.86
Takes it out, ugh,
00:19:08.87\00:19:13.62
right into his belly.
00:19:13.63\00:19:16.76
Verse 22, it's
in the scriptures.
00:19:16.77\00:19:18.67
I'm really not
trying to milk it.
00:19:22.58\00:19:23.73
It's literally
word for word, okay?
00:19:23.74\00:19:26.31
"Even the hilt
went in after the blade.
00:19:26.32\00:19:29.30
And the fat
closed over the blade,
00:19:31.70\00:19:35.68
for it did not draw the
dagger out of his belly,
00:19:35.69\00:19:39.01
and his entrails came
out." Can you imagine?
00:19:39.02\00:19:43.47
I'm guessing he
expected some resistance, right?
00:19:43.48\00:19:47.27
He goes with all
of his might, ugh,
00:19:47.28\00:19:50.15
and the sword just keeps going.
00:19:50.16\00:19:52.11
And I'm guessing
there was a moment
00:19:54.21\00:19:55.90
when both of their
eyes locked, right?
00:19:58.35\00:20:04.79
And his hand is
disappearing, right.
00:20:04.80\00:20:07.23
And he's like, "oh,
no, no, no, no, no."
00:20:07.24\00:20:10.65
He pulls it out, and
apparently closes over,
00:20:10.66\00:20:12.48
maybe you look at,
you couldn't even tell
00:20:12.49\00:20:13.75
it's been defeated.
00:20:13.76\00:20:14.82
But the enemy is defeated even
if it doesn't seem that way.
00:20:14.83\00:20:18.15
Is that clear?
00:20:18.16\00:20:19.42
I love Ehud's response.
00:20:28.02\00:20:29.54
Look at verse 23.
00:20:29.55\00:20:31.21
"Then Ehud went
out through the porch,
00:20:31.22\00:20:33.84
shut the doors of
the upper room behind him
00:20:33.85\00:20:36.09
and locked them."
00:20:36.10\00:20:38.47
"You can keep the
sword, I'm gonna...
00:20:38.48\00:20:40.95
Just finishin'
up-- Goodnight, guys.
00:20:44.64\00:20:45.95
How're you doing? Wow, okay."
00:20:45.96\00:20:46.97
Just walks away.
00:20:51.07\00:20:52.41
Let's dig into the
story a little bit.
00:20:58.96\00:21:01.22
For 18 years,
00:21:01.23\00:21:03.26
the Israelites had been
claiming to be God's people,
00:21:03.27\00:21:05.79
yet kept paying
tax to that fat king.
00:21:05.80\00:21:08.76
You can imagine, how
much they must've complained
00:21:11.45\00:21:13.13
and bellyached
that this Pagan ruler,
00:21:13.14\00:21:15.21
and his loathsome
taxes he inflicts on them
00:21:15.22\00:21:17.50
were just
constantly over the head and,
00:21:17.51\00:21:20.16
no doubt, poor
Ehud had been subjected
00:21:20.17\00:21:21.91
to so much of this griping
00:21:21.92\00:21:23.28
and moaning that by the time
00:21:23.29\00:21:24.32
we pickup his
story here in Judges 3,
00:21:24.33\00:21:26.16
he had, had enough.
00:21:26.17\00:21:28.91
"I can only take this so long.
00:21:28.92\00:21:32.59
And I'm the leader
in this hypocrisy."
00:21:32.60\00:21:34.65
Day after day, you can imagine
what the people were saying.
00:21:43.90\00:21:47.09
"Oh, it's that
little left-handed Benjamite
00:21:47.10\00:21:48.86
tax collector.
Give him his coins.
00:21:48.87\00:21:51.28
You know, you
should really do something.
00:21:51.29\00:21:53.86
You get to see him every--
why don't you kill that guy?
00:21:53.87\00:21:56.77
Anyway, here's our
coins." Next house.
00:21:56.78\00:22:00.17
"Boy, if we had
a king over such as
00:22:00.18\00:22:01.56
all the other nations
have, he would fix this,
00:22:01.57\00:22:04.41
anyway here's
the tax." Next house.
00:22:04.42\00:22:08.78
"I hate that guy,
you-and the Moabites--
00:22:08.79\00:22:11.10
you know the history with them.
00:22:11.11\00:22:12.18
Somebody should
really do something but--
00:22:12.19\00:22:14.38
anyway, here's my tax."
00:22:14.39\00:22:15.67
It always seems like
we're waiting for someone else
00:22:19.68\00:22:22.11
to kill the fat king for us.
00:22:22.12\00:22:26.75
And finally Ehud's like,
00:22:26.76\00:22:29.32
"I mean, I guess
I'm just gonna do it."
00:22:29.33\00:22:32.56
We are no
longer political Israel
00:22:36.69\00:22:39.10
with a citizenship derived
from a common national bond.
00:22:39.11\00:22:43.33
But we are spiritual Israel,
00:22:43.34\00:22:45.41
with citizenship derived
from the common bond of faith
00:22:45.42\00:22:48.79
in Jesus Christ.
00:22:48.80\00:22:51.09
Philippians 3, as
we looked at last night
00:22:51.10\00:22:52.72
makes it plain that
unlike these who set their minds
00:22:52.73\00:22:54.94
on earthly
things, our citizenship
00:22:54.95\00:22:57.13
is where? In heaven.
00:22:57.14\00:23:00.95
Though at one time,
00:23:00.96\00:23:01.95
the people of God
were both a spiritual
00:23:01.96\00:23:03.54
and a political organization.
00:23:03.55\00:23:05.16
Today, we're no longer under
a theocratic form of government
00:23:05.17\00:23:07.89
where God is the head of
the church and the state.
00:23:07.90\00:23:10.23
They should be separated.
00:23:10.24\00:23:11.58
We believe in separation
of church and state. Amen?
00:23:11.59\00:23:14.94
Thus we are no longer
expected to be literal Ehuds
00:23:14.95\00:23:17.67
and bear arms in the
defense of a particular nation,
00:23:17.68\00:23:20.34
or to physically
execute the judgment of the God
00:23:20.35\00:23:22.53
on the wicked.
00:23:22.54\00:23:23.53
The Lord will take
care of that in His time.
00:23:23.54\00:23:25.27
Is that clear? So I want to
be absolutely crystal clear.
00:23:25.28\00:23:28.28
When I call spiritual Israelites
00:23:28.29\00:23:29.96
to kill the fat king,
00:23:29.97\00:23:30.96
I am not calling you
to go and list in the army
00:23:31.22\00:23:34.62
or to raise up a
Seventh-day Adventist militia
00:23:34.63\00:23:38.79
to war against
any earthly kingdom,
00:23:39.08\00:23:41.29
even those who threaten
our religious liberties.
00:23:41.30\00:23:45.37
As Christians, we
are to be Christ like.
00:23:45.38\00:23:48.21
We laid that
framework last night.
00:23:48.22\00:23:50.30
We're not to defend
ourselves militarily
00:23:50.31\00:23:52.09
or violently even
when our most precious
00:23:52.10\00:23:54.01
interests are at stake.
00:23:54.02\00:23:56.53
In John Chapter 18 verse 36,
00:23:56.54\00:23:58.29
Jesus Himself
declared unambiguously,
00:23:58.30\00:24:00.78
that His people are to be
peace makers at all times.
00:24:00.79\00:24:04.43
When in His trial
before Pilate, He exclaimed,
00:24:04.44\00:24:07.78
"My kingdom is not of his world.
00:24:07.79\00:24:11.04
If My kingdom
were of this world,
00:24:11.05\00:24:14.17
My servants would fight.
00:24:14.18\00:24:17.42
So that I should not
be libber to the Jews,
00:24:17.43\00:24:19.27
but now my
kingdom is not from here."
00:24:19.28\00:24:24.79
So I want to make it clear.
00:24:24.80\00:24:25.79
I'm not saying like,
boy, we should go kill
00:24:25.80\00:24:27.44
those evil people. No.
00:24:27.45\00:24:30.31
But, however, just because
the church is not called to be
00:24:30.32\00:24:34.07
a military power
on the world scene,
00:24:34.08\00:24:36.16
does not mean
that our citizenship
00:24:36.17\00:24:37.60
in God's kingdom
is without conflict.
00:24:37.61\00:24:42.77
No, indeed, we have a struggle
00:24:42.78\00:24:43.98
but as Paul repeatedly declares
00:24:43.99\00:24:45.35
with militaristic imagery.
00:24:45.36\00:24:46.79
He borrows military language
00:24:46.80\00:24:48.92
to describe the
fight that we fight.
00:24:48.93\00:24:50.73
Our war is the fight of faith.
00:24:50.74\00:24:54.52
Ephesians Chapter 6
verses 10 through12.
00:24:54.53\00:24:56.95
Finally, be strong in the
Lord and in His mighty power.
00:24:56.96\00:25:00.84
Notice the military
language, put on the full, what?
00:25:00.85\00:25:04.53
Armor of God.
00:25:04.54\00:25:06.04
So that you can take your stand
00:25:06.05\00:25:07.36
against the devil's schemes.
00:25:07.37\00:25:09.11
For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood
00:25:09.12\00:25:11.62
but against the rulers,
against the authorities,
00:25:11.63\00:25:13.97
against the
powers of this dark world
00:25:13.98\00:25:15.93
and against the
spiritual forces of evil
00:25:15.94\00:25:17.94
in the heavenly realms.
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.84
There's still a
fat king and some of us
00:25:20.85\00:25:22.88
are right now tonight still
under his thumb, paying tax.
00:25:22.89\00:25:28.01
1 Timothy Chapter
6, verses 11 to 12.
00:25:28.02\00:25:32.62
"But, you man of
God, flee from all this
00:25:32.63\00:25:34.65
and pursue
righteousness, godliness,
00:25:34.66\00:25:37.11
faith, love,
endurance, and gentleness.
00:25:37.12\00:25:40.27
Fight the good
fight of" what? Faith.
00:25:40.28\00:25:46.49
Take hold of the eternal life
00:25:46.50\00:25:48.04
to which you were called
00:25:48.05\00:25:49.04
when you made
your good confession
00:25:49.05\00:25:50.31
in the presence
of many witnesses.
00:25:50.32\00:25:51.98
2 Timothy, speaking of himself,
00:25:51.99\00:25:54.54
Chapter 4,
starting with verse 6,
00:25:54.55\00:25:56.30
He says, "I have
fought the good fight.
00:25:56.31\00:25:58.74
I have kept
the" what? The faith.
00:25:58.75\00:26:03.24
My friends, the fat
king with whom we struggle,
00:26:03.25\00:26:05.47
is the devil himself and
his power over us is sin.
00:26:05.48\00:26:11.55
In various places
the Bible calls him,
00:26:11.56\00:26:13.57
the ruler of this world,
00:26:13.58\00:26:15.01
the prince of
the power of the air,
00:26:15.02\00:26:17.21
the ancient serpent
who leads the whole world
00:26:17.22\00:26:19.24
astray and even goes
so far as to call him
00:26:19.25\00:26:21.30
the god of this world.
00:26:21.31\00:26:22.80
It is this power
that the Lord warned Cain
00:26:25.29\00:26:28.87
just before he
murdered his brother
00:26:28.88\00:26:30.17
in Genesis Chapter 4
verse 7, when he said,
00:26:30.18\00:26:32.59
"sin is crouching at your door.
00:26:32.60\00:26:34.85
It desires to have you
but you must rule over it."
00:26:34.86\00:26:40.92
Instead of sin ruling over you,
00:26:40.93\00:26:42.56
you're supposed
to rule over sin.
00:26:42.57\00:26:44.18
Is that clear?
00:26:44.19\00:26:45.30
So if Satan, in
this story, is our Eglon
00:26:50.93\00:26:55.38
and his power us is sin,
00:26:55.39\00:26:58.04
how are we to be
victorious like Ehud?
00:26:58.05\00:27:03.82
If the power we're
fighting against is spiritual,
00:27:03.83\00:27:06.03
would it not
only stand to reason
00:27:06.04\00:27:07.25
that the weapon that we've
been given is also spiritual?
00:27:07.26\00:27:12.15
Just like Ehud,
we've been entrusted
00:27:12.16\00:27:13.58
with a sword designed
00:27:13.59\00:27:14.82
explicitly for
defeating the enemy of souls.
00:27:14.83\00:27:19.43
We're given multiple assurances
00:27:19.44\00:27:21.14
that the weapon
that we can wield
00:27:21.15\00:27:22.68
in our battle against Satan.
00:27:22.69\00:27:23.87
Paul calls it the
sword of the spirit,
00:27:23.88\00:27:26.93
which is the word of God.
00:27:26.94\00:27:32.42
Later in Hebrews,
he goes on to explain
00:27:32.43\00:27:34.26
how the word of God
is living and active,
00:27:34.27\00:27:36.61
sharper than any, what?
00:27:36.62\00:27:38.83
Double-edged sword.
00:27:38.84\00:27:41.56
In fact, he goes on, sharper
than any double-edged sword.
00:27:41.57\00:27:43.20
It penetrates even
to the dividing of soul
00:27:43.21\00:27:45.47
and spirit, joints and marrow.
00:27:45.48\00:27:47.38
It judges the thoughts
and attitudes of the hearts.
00:27:47.39\00:27:50.53
Time and again we are instructed
00:27:55.10\00:27:56.74
that the word of God
is the only instrument
00:27:56.75\00:27:59.50
that can break the power
of the devil and set free,
00:27:59.51\00:28:02.32
truly free,
00:28:02.33\00:28:06.03
even the weakest of
his assumed subjects.
00:28:06.04\00:28:10.71
When assailed by the temptations
00:28:10.72\00:28:13.41
of Satan in the wilderness,
00:28:13.42\00:28:14.41
Jesus relied
continually and exclusively
00:28:14.42\00:28:18.11
on "it is", what? Written.
00:28:18.12\00:28:21.68
By giving us this
example of faith in God's word,
00:28:24.92\00:28:27.35
we are promised that
if we resist the devil,
00:28:27.36\00:28:29.43
he will flee, not he might.
00:28:29.44\00:28:33.43
He should, I hope.
00:28:33.44\00:28:35.63
He will flee. Goes on.
00:28:35.64\00:28:41.37
Even in the story of Ehud,
00:28:41.38\00:28:43.31
we concern that
this deliverer of Israel
00:28:43.32\00:28:45.16
did not consider
his physical sword,
00:28:45.17\00:28:47.05
the instrument
of their liberation,
00:28:47.06\00:28:48.37
but rather in his
interview with Eglon,
00:28:48.38\00:28:50.37
he refers to his
weapon as a message,
00:28:50.38\00:28:52.39
specifically a
message from the Lord.
00:28:52.40\00:28:56.69
He didn't say like,
"I'm the little guy who can!"
00:28:56.70\00:28:59.34
He understood if
this is gonna happen,
00:29:02.28\00:29:03.90
it's not gonna be in my power,
00:29:03.91\00:29:05.51
but it's gonna be by His Spirit.
00:29:05.52\00:29:08.88
If someone's
gonna kill the fat king,
00:29:08.89\00:29:10.55
it can't be me. I
don't have it in me.
00:29:10.56\00:29:14.06
But the Lord can
strengthen me in my weakness,
00:29:14.07\00:29:17.27
I can be strong.
00:29:17.28\00:29:18.52
Just like Ehud.
00:29:21.96\00:29:23.59
Our sword is a message
from the Lord, the word of God.
00:29:23.60\00:29:26.00
And friends through
the power of His word,
00:29:26.01\00:29:27.90
we can have victory in Jesus.
00:29:27.91\00:29:31.91
It's fascinating, in
John Chapter 16 verse 8,
00:29:31.92\00:29:34.01
the promise of the Holy Spirit,
00:29:34.02\00:29:35.11
is that He will
convict the world of sin
00:29:35.12\00:29:37.67
and righteousness and judgment.
00:29:37.68\00:29:39.34
He convicts of sin,
yet at the same time,
00:29:39.35\00:29:41.46
the weapon to defeat sin
is the sword of the spirit
00:29:41.47\00:29:45.08
which is the word of
God. Isn't it fascinating?
00:29:45.09\00:29:46.61
That the Holy Spirit's
role in perfecting our character
00:29:46.62\00:29:49.67
and developing
that Christ likeness
00:29:49.68\00:29:51.19
that we're supposed to
have is to make us aware of sin
00:29:51.20\00:29:54.19
and also to give us
the victory over sin.
00:29:54.20\00:29:57.80
A powerful thought.
00:29:57.81\00:30:00.25
1 Corinthians Chapter 10,
00:30:00.26\00:30:01.33
look at what the
word of God tells us.
00:30:01.34\00:30:05.13
1 Corinthians
Chapter 10 verse 13,
00:30:05.14\00:30:07.09
no temptation has seized you,
except what is common to man.
00:30:07.10\00:30:10.23
And God is, what's the word?
00:30:10.24\00:30:12.20
I feel so sorry for the timidity
00:30:14.15\00:30:16.36
that has just
shattered your existence.
00:30:16.37\00:30:19.12
The torpor in which
you must live your lives.
00:30:19.13\00:30:21.03
I'm so sorry, but
apparently God's word says that,
00:30:21.04\00:30:24.20
God is, what? Faithful.
00:30:24.21\00:30:27.14
It's okay to say it out loud.
00:30:27.15\00:30:29.00
We should let the devil
know we know that. Amen.
00:30:29.01\00:30:34.43
God is faithful.
00:30:34.44\00:30:36.48
It didn't say
that you are faithful
00:30:36.49\00:30:38.58
'cause we're not. But God is.
00:30:38.59\00:30:42.87
God is faithful.
00:30:42.88\00:30:43.96
He will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear.
00:30:43.97\00:30:48.25
But when you are tempted,
notice when you are tempted.
00:30:48.26\00:30:52.28
Isn't that-well, if you
happen to be living a life
00:30:52.29\00:30:54.03
and if temptation
happens to me, no, no, no, no.
00:30:54.04\00:30:57.38
When. It's a guarantee.
00:30:57.39\00:30:59.14
When you are tempted.
00:30:59.15\00:31:01.51
Don't think that now
I'm abiding in Christ,
00:31:01.52\00:31:03.95
floating on cloud 9,
00:31:03.96\00:31:05.21
no, no, no, Satan
can reach that cloud.
00:31:05.22\00:31:07.10
When you are tempted.
00:31:09.79\00:31:11.70
He will also provide a way out
00:31:11.71\00:31:13.47
so that you can
stand up under it.
00:31:13.48\00:31:16.13
You get the idea that sin
is the suppressive heavy burden
00:31:16.14\00:31:19.33
and without the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:31:19.34\00:31:21.30
in your life,
it would crush you.
00:31:21.31\00:31:23.24
But he says, but
through my spirit,
00:31:25.59\00:31:27.73
you can stand
up, under that thing.
00:31:27.74\00:31:30.52
James Chapter 4 verse 7,
submit yourselves then to God.
00:31:36.67\00:31:39.87
Resist the devil, and
he will flee from you.
00:31:39.88\00:31:44.09
Romans Chapter 8.
00:31:44.10\00:31:45.09
I love this Chapter,
go to it in scripture.
00:31:45.10\00:31:46.50
Romans Chapter 8,
starting with verse 31,
00:31:46.51\00:31:48.35
powerful words.
00:31:48.36\00:31:49.35
You can imagine that
00:31:49.36\00:31:50.51
Paul has tried to address
this issue over and over.
00:31:50.52\00:31:52.94
And he is the one
who laid out our case
00:31:52.95\00:31:54.18
the other evening that,
00:31:54.19\00:31:55.25
that the character development
00:31:55.26\00:31:56.63
is the key to victory
in the Christian life.
00:31:56.64\00:31:58.63
And he wants
people to be victorious,
00:31:58.64\00:32:02.09
and to give and encourage
00:32:02.10\00:32:03.09
that he writes with
his pastoral fervor,
00:32:03.10\00:32:04.95
look
at--starting verse 31 there.
00:32:04.96\00:32:08.03
What then shall we
say to these things,
00:32:08.04\00:32:09.52
if God is for us,
who can be against us?
00:32:09.53\00:32:13.02
It's almost like he's standing
on the gates of the wall
00:32:13.03\00:32:15.44
and saying, who's out there?
00:32:15.45\00:32:18.45
Is there anyone
here, who can beat my God?
00:32:18.46\00:32:21.16
Who is it?
00:32:23.85\00:32:24.90
If God is for us,
who can be against us?
00:32:29.59\00:32:32.05
He who did not spare his own son
00:32:32.06\00:32:33.97
but delivered him up for us all.
00:32:33.98\00:32:36.24
If He is willing to
go that far to save you,
00:32:36.25\00:32:41.65
how shall He not with Him
also freely give us all things?
00:32:41.66\00:32:47.15
Who shall bring the good
charge against God's elect?
00:32:47.16\00:32:49.60
It is God who justifies.
You don't justify yourself.
00:32:49.61\00:32:53.41
You abide in Him.
00:32:53.42\00:32:54.41
And He fights
your battles for you.
00:32:54.42\00:32:57.04
Verse 34, who is
he that condemns?
00:33:00.17\00:33:02.05
It is Christ who died
00:33:02.06\00:33:03.10
and furthermore has also risen,
00:33:03.11\00:33:05.04
who is even at
the right hand of God,
00:33:05.05\00:33:06.66
who also makes
intercession for us.
00:33:06.67\00:33:09.69
Who shall separate
us from the love of God?
00:33:09.70\00:33:14.68
Love of Christ--and he
starts to list them off.
00:33:14.69\00:33:16.89
Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ?
00:33:16.90\00:33:18.18
Shall-- and He starts thinking,
00:33:18.19\00:33:19.44
maybe you're
wrestling with this?
00:33:19.45\00:33:20.44
Maybe you're
wrestling with this?
00:33:20.45\00:33:21.44
But I'm telling
you, none of these work.
00:33:21.45\00:33:23.24
Shall tribulation, or distress,
00:33:23.25\00:33:24.97
or persecution, or famine,
00:33:24.98\00:33:26.47
or nakedness,
or peril, or sword?
00:33:26.48\00:33:29.61
He says, as it is written,
00:33:29.62\00:33:30.69
for your sake, we
are killed all day long.
00:33:30.70\00:33:32.98
We are accounted as
sheep for the slaughter.
00:33:32.99\00:33:35.79
Without the power
of God, we're doomed.
00:33:35.80\00:33:37.79
But He says in the next
verse, yet in all these things,
00:33:37.80\00:33:41.65
we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
00:33:41.66\00:33:46.25
And He gets just on a roll.
00:33:46.26\00:33:47.51
He says, for I am
persuaded, I'm convinced,
00:33:47.52\00:33:50.34
I'm convicted
that neither death,
00:33:50.35\00:33:54.63
nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities,
00:33:54.64\00:33:57.31
nor powers, nor things present,
00:33:57.32\00:33:58.77
nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth
00:33:58.78\00:34:00.37
nor any other creative thing,
00:34:00.38\00:34:01.49
shall be able to separate
us from the love of God,
00:34:01.50\00:34:03.34
which is in
Christ Jesus, our Lord.
00:34:03.35\00:34:06.47
He says I'm
convinced, I'm convicted.
00:34:06.48\00:34:08.43
I believe it and
you need to know it too.
00:34:08.44\00:34:11.30
The more I read stories of
God's miraculous deliveries
00:34:17.78\00:34:20.22
of His people, the
more I become convinced
00:34:20.23\00:34:23.08
that we fall to
the devil's schemes,
00:34:23.09\00:34:24.62
not because we lack a weapon,
00:34:24.63\00:34:27.57
or even a guarantee of victory.
00:34:27.58\00:34:31.44
But because we lack
the spiritual daring
00:34:31.45\00:34:33.48
to pick up the sword of truth
00:34:33.49\00:34:34.86
and run it through
the old man of sin.
00:34:34.87\00:34:39.06
Paul, Hebrews
Chapter 12 and verse 4,
00:34:39.07\00:34:41.87
states the
problem with these words.
00:34:41.88\00:34:43.81
In your struggle against sin,
00:34:46.46\00:34:49.83
you have not yet resisted
00:34:49.84\00:34:51.23
to the point of
shedding your blood.
00:34:51.24\00:34:52.98
I bet the Israelites
00:34:55.59\00:34:57.69
that Ehud ran into
every day by day in his job,
00:34:57.70\00:35:01.19
they would think
they're at war against Eglon,
00:35:01.20\00:35:04.44
yet none of them
were actually fighting.
00:35:04.45\00:35:07.58
They didn't like
him. He disgusted them.
00:35:07.59\00:35:10.26
But what did they keep doing?
00:35:10.27\00:35:11.34
Day in, I" hate
that guy, here pay him.
00:35:16.03\00:35:21.74
He's the worst, all
right, one last time.
00:35:21.75\00:35:27.17
Somebody should
really do something,
00:35:27.18\00:35:28.60
but, I just, yeah, look,
just for this one." 18 years.
00:35:28.61\00:35:35.75
We call ourselves
the church militants
00:35:41.68\00:35:43.47
and sing battle anthems
like Onward Christian soldiers,
00:35:43.48\00:35:46.10
but how many of us are
personally in the fight?
00:35:46.11\00:35:48.40
Instead of
fighting the fight of faith
00:35:51.50\00:35:52.87
and with the sword of truth
00:35:52.88\00:35:53.87
running through
every temptation,
00:35:53.88\00:35:57.80
we begrudgingly
relent to just one last time
00:35:57.81\00:36:00.02
being his loyal
subjects. And in our lives,
00:36:00.03\00:36:03.30
keep paying tax to
the fat king of sin.
00:36:03.31\00:36:08.59
We hate the devil
enough to complain about him,
00:36:08.60\00:36:12.01
but not really enough
to actually fight him.
00:36:12.02\00:36:14.65
By the way, this is
not a rebuke to anyone,
00:36:17.95\00:36:20.36
outside of myself.
00:36:20.37\00:36:21.57
I'm embarrassed, ashamed
to the point of literal tears,
00:36:26.43\00:36:34.16
when I look over
the record of my life,
00:36:34.17\00:36:36.55
my professedly Godly life,
00:36:36.56\00:36:38.54
my Christian life,
my Pastor, whatever.
00:36:38.55\00:36:42.65
When I claim to be God's
00:36:42.66\00:36:43.73
but I keep paying
tax to another king.
00:36:43.74\00:36:45.99
How often we
pray for deliverance
00:36:51.76\00:36:53.19
and hope that
someone will do it.
00:36:53.20\00:36:57.05
While we keep paying tax.
00:36:57.06\00:36:58.83
Sometimes taxes, you know,
00:37:03.65\00:37:04.77
that's the thing about taxes.
00:37:04.78\00:37:06.55
If they said like there's
gonna be a 12-dollar gas tax,
00:37:06.56\00:37:08.96
everybody's like,
"that's ridiculous."
00:37:08.97\00:37:10.41
If they're like,
"there's a two cent gas tax"
00:37:10.42\00:37:11.85
they're, "all
right, one last time."
00:37:11.86\00:37:14.54
You know what I'm saying?
00:37:14.55\00:37:15.54
Satan didn't
come in and be like,
00:37:19.17\00:37:20.66
"I want you to go
to kill your parent."
00:37:20.67\00:37:22.22
No. That's not
how he works, right?
00:37:22.23\00:37:25.99
He's like, "it's
just a little thing.
00:37:26.00\00:37:27.48
Is this really
worth fighting for?
00:37:27.49\00:37:29.73
We've been
getting along so well.
00:37:29.74\00:37:32.64
Just one last time."
00:37:32.65\00:37:33.79
Poor stewardship,
some of us are literally
00:37:39.80\00:37:44.40
robbing our Heavenly Father
00:37:44.41\00:37:45.80
and using what is
rightfully His for our own game.
00:37:45.81\00:37:49.45
Thereby aiding and
abetting the enemy of souls.
00:37:49.46\00:37:53.32
You're paying
tax to the fat king.
00:37:53.33\00:37:57.92
Some of you might be singing
turn your eyes upon Jesus,
00:37:57.93\00:38:02.37
but in your mind you
are turning to images
00:38:02.38\00:38:05.55
that are nothing more than
a tax to the old man of sin.
00:38:05.56\00:38:08.62
Jesus was pretty blunt
00:38:12.34\00:38:13.36
about this
militaristic imagery too, right?
00:38:13.37\00:38:15.62
If your eye causes you to sin,
put a band-aid over it...right?
00:38:15.63\00:38:22.41
Wink a lot?
00:38:22.42\00:38:23.65
What's He say?
00:38:26.98\00:38:28.50
Pluck it out. Just kill it.
00:38:28.51\00:38:31.28
If your hand causes you to sin,
00:38:34.35\00:38:37.42
easy solution, cut it
off. Well, it's radical.
00:38:37.43\00:38:40.09
Yeah, I know, I'm
not clowning around.
00:38:40.10\00:38:41.31
I'm not trying to compromise
or mediate a stalemate.
00:38:41.32\00:38:43.73
I want you to kill him.
00:38:43.74\00:38:44.87
Well, that's radical.
00:38:47.16\00:38:49.39
I tell you what,
I'll come up with a plan
00:38:49.40\00:38:50.88
and I'll get--I'll wean
myself off like a patch.
00:38:50.89\00:38:53.33
Keep paying tax if you want,
00:38:56.40\00:38:57.49
but through My power we
can just kill him today.
00:38:57.50\00:39:00.54
Is that cool?
00:39:00.55\00:39:01.54
Gossip, by the way,
00:39:03.40\00:39:04.70
I'm just gonna make a list now
and when conviction hits you,
00:39:04.71\00:39:06.70
you don't have to say it aloud.
00:39:06.71\00:39:07.70
Don't raise your hand but, okay?
00:39:07.71\00:39:10.71
Let's just be honest.
00:39:10.72\00:39:11.71
All of us,
regardless of our age,
00:39:11.72\00:39:13.15
are prone to
this particular sin,
00:39:13.16\00:39:15.89
whether it's in
person or on the phone
00:39:15.90\00:39:17.41
or on a favorite
social network site,
00:39:17.42\00:39:19.16
clickety clack,
clickety clack, or you know
00:39:19.17\00:39:21.97
tippity type,
tippity type, tippity type.
00:39:25.79\00:39:27.37
We love to chat about or
peek into the lives of others
00:39:33.41\00:39:36.51
and then make
commentary on them.
00:39:36.52\00:39:38.23
Many young people in the church,
00:39:42.10\00:39:43.54
maybe not even the young people
00:39:43.55\00:39:44.89
so much anymore or more
likely they think of their phone
00:39:44.90\00:39:47.13
when I say the word
text than the word of God.
00:39:47.14\00:39:50.32
I'll keep, I'm just
gonna, we'll just, okay.
00:39:55.76\00:39:59.35
Now that I've
called you out on this,
00:39:59.36\00:40:00.35
I know that some of
you might be so upset at me
00:40:00.36\00:40:01.82
that you're like, "Oh yeah?
00:40:01.83\00:40:02.84
I'm gonna text
about you right now..."
00:40:02.85\00:40:05.98
Okay, I don't care if it's GYC,
00:40:05.99\00:40:06.98
I'll put it on
Facebook right now,
00:40:06.99\00:40:08.56
say it again. I'll do it.
00:40:08.57\00:40:10.81
And by the way don't,
don't even get me started
00:40:16.65\00:40:18.70
how sin dulls your
sense of irony, right?
00:40:18.71\00:40:22.73
When someone talks
about you behind your back,
00:40:22.74\00:40:24.58
what do you do?
You go to your friend,
00:40:24.59\00:40:26.93
"I cannot believe
how much they gossip."
00:40:26.94\00:40:28.66
Right? No sense of irony.
00:40:31.22\00:40:36.50
"Did you see how
much they paid in tax?
00:40:36.51\00:40:37.74
Oh, yeah, here tax
man, here, go ahead."
00:40:37.75\00:40:40.64
Don't even cross your mind.
00:40:40.65\00:40:41.97
They're mean to
you, so what do you do?
00:40:41.98\00:40:43.82
I'll be mean back.
00:40:43.83\00:40:45.42
They think they can be
mean? I'll show 'em mean.
00:40:45.43\00:40:47.95
I'll out-sin them
any day. Like what?
00:40:47.96\00:40:52.49
How is this Godly living?
00:40:52.50\00:40:54.91
You know? I
mean, we could go on.
00:40:54.92\00:40:56.85
I mean, we could
make a whole list,
00:40:56.86\00:40:57.92
Sabbath breaking,
academic dishonesty,
00:40:57.93\00:41:01.98
young people at GYC,
00:41:01.99\00:41:05.91
foul language,
00:41:05.92\00:41:07.42
and I include the
veggie swears too, okay?
00:41:10.70\00:41:14.96
Right? Or the alphabets,
where it's like it's okay,
00:41:14.97\00:41:16.17
I only said one letter, right.
00:41:16.18\00:41:19.92
Come on, we can
do better, can't we?
00:41:19.93\00:41:23.38
I mean, we can't, but
perhaps God living through us
00:41:23.39\00:41:25.51
might be able to conquer
that if we give him a shot.
00:41:25.52\00:41:28.29
Or is the problem we
actually kinda like it?
00:41:28.30\00:41:30.78
Back to the notes,
00:41:34.00\00:41:36.91
poor health habits,
00:41:36.92\00:41:39.26
in spite of or just to spite
the Adventist health message.
00:41:39.27\00:41:44.44
"You crazy, dude, I'm
gonna eat something..."
00:41:44.45\00:41:46.02
Dishonoring your parents,
00:41:50.00\00:41:51.43
treating prophecy with contempt,
00:41:51.44\00:41:55.99
settling for mediocrity
at home or work or at school,
00:41:56.00\00:42:00.05
when the Lord asks for
excellence in all things,
00:42:00.06\00:42:02.90
you've got an A plus potential
00:42:02.91\00:42:04.44
that the Lord God has put in you
00:42:04.45\00:42:05.83
and you come home with Cs.
00:42:05.84\00:42:09.39
You're paying tax.
00:42:09.40\00:42:12.50
How about this one? Laziness?
00:42:12.51\00:42:16.51
Doing whatever your
hand finds to do, later.
00:42:16.52\00:42:22.83
All right? "I am
totally gonna knock
00:42:22.84\00:42:25.35
that out of the
park... tomorrow." Right?
00:42:25.36\00:42:32.32
You can go on and on and on.
00:42:32.33\00:42:33.93
Let me tell you, like
any political uprising,
00:42:33.94\00:42:37.10
where people are
held in oppression
00:42:37.11\00:42:38.43
by a tyrannical power,
00:42:38.44\00:42:40.18
the way to break the
yoke of spiritual bondage
00:42:40.19\00:42:42.33
and declare your freedom
00:42:42.34\00:42:43.53
as subjects of a new King
and citizens of a new kingdom
00:42:43.54\00:42:47.58
is an old fashioned tax revolt.
00:42:47.59\00:42:49.89
We need amongst the membership
00:42:53.19\00:42:54.55
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:42:54.56\00:42:55.83
a spiritual uprising.
00:42:55.84\00:42:58.79
A rebellion
against the old man of sin.
00:42:58.80\00:43:02.17
If you really
wanna change your life,
00:43:02.18\00:43:03.58
if you wanna change your church,
00:43:03.59\00:43:04.66
change your school
and finish this work
00:43:04.67\00:43:08.34
that God has given
us to do on the earth,
00:43:08.35\00:43:10.80
defect from the kingdom of Satan
00:43:10.81\00:43:13.11
and stop paying tax.
I mean, think about it,
00:43:13.12\00:43:18.44
if you want to
grind a system to a halt,
00:43:18.45\00:43:20.47
stop funding it.
00:43:20.48\00:43:21.98
Picketing and protesting
won't get a government's
00:43:24.29\00:43:26.95
attention nearly as fast as
withholding your taxes will.
00:43:26.96\00:43:31.03
Right? Would you
like a personal emissary
00:43:31.04\00:43:33.42
from the Government
to come to your door?
00:43:33.43\00:43:35.41
Just stop paying tax.
They'll visit you real quick.
00:43:35.42\00:43:40.41
You wanna take the time?
00:43:40.42\00:43:41.85
Complain and protest,
right? They're like, "Aw, cute.
00:43:41.86\00:43:44.60
As long as he pays
tax, talk all you want,
00:43:44.61\00:43:46.84
freedom of speech, love it."
00:43:46.85\00:43:48.26
Um, and again let's be clear,
00:43:52.12\00:43:53.72
we absolutely must pay
our taxes to the government.
00:43:53.73\00:43:55.77
This isn't that speech, okay?
00:43:58.01\00:44:01.16
I'm never gonna make that one,
00:44:01.17\00:44:02.34
it's not my position.
The Bible is quite clear
00:44:02.35\00:44:04.27
we're supposed to be
good citizens of earth
00:44:04.28\00:44:05.81
while we're still here,
but our true citizenship,
00:44:05.82\00:44:08.01
are we on the same
page? Can you say, amen?
00:44:08.02\00:44:09.83
Amen. All right.
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.05
And by the way that works
with church Government too.
00:44:11.06\00:44:14.96
"Oh, my local Pastor,
00:44:14.97\00:44:16.06
I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.
00:44:16.07\00:44:17.06
I'm gonna stop pay-"
00:44:17.07\00:44:20.17
The tithe is not holy
00:44:20.18\00:44:21.26
unto the pastor or
holy unto the conference.
00:44:21.27\00:44:23.09
It's holy unto the Lord. Amen.
00:44:23.10\00:44:25.72
A whole nother
sermon, just not time for it.
00:44:30.59\00:44:34.30
Let me tell you something.
00:44:34.31\00:44:36.13
What is needed most desperately
00:44:36.14\00:44:37.46
at this critical hour
our Seventh-day Adventist
00:44:37.47\00:44:39.35
for whom the Bible is
not just a book of beliefs
00:44:39.36\00:44:41.16
to which we passively agree.
00:44:41.17\00:44:43.58
I'm good on State of the Dead,
00:44:43.59\00:44:44.58
Second Coming,
Spirit of prophecy,
00:44:44.59\00:44:45.66
sanctuary, Sabbath.
00:44:45.67\00:44:49.43
The Lord is in need
of Seventh-Day Adventists
00:44:49.44\00:44:51.35
who are willing to
take hold of the word of God
00:44:51.36\00:44:53.45
as a living and
active double edge sword
00:44:53.46\00:44:56.05
and not by might, nor by power,
00:44:56.06\00:44:58.19
but by His Spirit run it
through the Fat man of sin.
00:44:58.20\00:45:04.53
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:45:04.54\00:45:05.63
doesn't need more pastors,
00:45:05.64\00:45:08.06
doesn't need
more administrators,
00:45:08.07\00:45:09.54
more policies, more
programs, or even more money,
00:45:09.55\00:45:14.51
nearly as much as we need Ehuds.
00:45:14.52\00:45:19.69
We need you.
00:45:19.70\00:45:21.91
You know what's really
cool about the story of Ehud?
00:45:26.28\00:45:27.55
It doesn't just
stop with the death.
00:45:27.56\00:45:29.18
Go to verse 24. Right.
00:45:29.19\00:45:34.15
Judges Chapter 3, look
at how the story concludes.
00:45:34.16\00:45:40.23
I love how the story concludes.
00:45:40.24\00:45:41.95
Says here,
00:45:44.44\00:45:45.44
When he had gone out,
00:45:50.32\00:45:51.32
Eglon's servants came to
look, and to their surprise,
00:45:51.33\00:45:53.35
the doors of the
upper room were locked.
00:45:53.36\00:45:54.35
So they said, he is probably
00:45:54.36\00:45:55.35
attending to his
needs in the cool chamber.
00:45:55.36\00:45:57.21
So they waited till
they were embarrassed,
00:45:57.22\00:45:59.33
and still did not open
the doors of the upper room.
00:45:59.34\00:46:00.92
Therefore, they took
the key and opened them.
00:46:00.93\00:46:02.48
And there was their master,
fallen dead on the floor.
00:46:02.49\00:46:05.03
Notice he didn't
paper cut him, right?
00:46:05.04\00:46:08.21
He killed him. Verse
26, but Ehud had escaped
00:46:08.22\00:46:13.06
while they delayed,
00:46:13.07\00:46:14.06
and passed
beyond the stone images
00:46:14.07\00:46:15.71
and escaped to Seirath.
00:46:15.72\00:46:18.01
And it
happened, when he arrived,
00:46:18.02\00:46:19.34
that he blew the trumpet
in the mountains of Ephraim.
00:46:19.35\00:46:21.61
Little left-handed
Benjamite, tax collector,
00:46:21.62\00:46:25.63
now he stands like the
Old Testament Zacchaeus,
00:46:25.64\00:46:28.16
but he's all
strong and tall now.
00:46:28.17\00:46:29.81
He blows the trumpet in
Zion and said good news,
00:46:29.82\00:46:32.94
the fat king is dead and
there's victory for you too.
00:46:32.95\00:46:37.75
Look what it says here.
00:46:37.76\00:46:40.46
"And it
happened, when he arrived,
00:46:40.47\00:46:41.53
he blew the trumpet in
the mountains of Ephraim,
00:46:41.54\00:46:43.17
and the children
of Israel went down
00:46:43.18\00:46:44.44
with him from the
mountains, and he led them."
00:46:44.45\00:46:49.11
God can take
left-handed Benjamite,
00:46:49.12\00:46:51.52
tax collector,
nobody feeling people
00:46:51.53\00:46:53.67
and turn them to leaders
00:46:53.68\00:46:54.81
if they're just
willing to stand up and fight.
00:46:54.82\00:46:57.01
"Then He said to
them, 'follow me'." Why?
00:47:01.84\00:47:05.00
"'For the Lord has
delivered your enemies
00:47:05.01\00:47:09.79
the Moabites into your hand.'
00:47:09.80\00:47:13.62
So they went down after him,
00:47:13.63\00:47:15.27
seized the forts of
the Jordan leading to Moab,
00:47:15.28\00:47:17.36
and did not allow
anyone to cross over.
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.99
And at that time they
killed about 10,000 men of Moab,
00:47:20.00\00:47:22.23
and all the stout men of valor,
00:47:22.24\00:47:23.29
not a man escaped."
00:47:23.30\00:47:25.68
And notice how
it ends in verse 30.
00:47:25.69\00:47:28.32
"So Moab was subdued that
day under the hand of Israel.
00:47:28.33\00:47:31.52
And the land had
rest for eighty years."
00:47:31.53\00:47:36.86
I'm guessing there are
some people here tonight
00:47:41.56\00:47:44.46
who are tired of
negotiating with the devil
00:47:44.47\00:47:48.90
and just want some rest
00:47:48.91\00:47:50.65
and they are
delivered to Jesus Christ.
00:47:50.66\00:47:54.68
I'm tired of this
little incremental,
00:47:54.69\00:47:57.66
insignificant-seeming
00:47:57.67\00:47:58.80
but they know on
the back of their minds
00:47:58.81\00:48:02.00
that they are paying tax.
00:48:02.01\00:48:03.45
Jesus repeatedly says
00:48:09.82\00:48:10.86
what His goal
for this kingdom is,
00:48:10.87\00:48:12.83
sin no more. He
didn't say sin less.
00:48:12.84\00:48:17.47
He didn't say some
or only on the weekends,
00:48:17.48\00:48:21.77
or only on occasions
00:48:21.78\00:48:22.77
or only when
you're with your friends
00:48:22.78\00:48:23.77
or only when you
think it's small.
00:48:23.78\00:48:26.85
Go and sin no more.
00:48:26.86\00:48:28.41
That's His goal
for the universe,
00:48:28.42\00:48:30.38
sin no more, He
wants no second rebellion.
00:48:30.39\00:48:32.28
He doesn't wanna have
to deal with this again.
00:48:32.29\00:48:33.33
He wants to be done,
00:48:33.34\00:48:34.33
and He wants people
who want to be done.
00:48:34.34\00:48:35.97
Go and sin no more.
00:48:38.50\00:48:42.57
Now I'm not saying
it's instantaneous.
00:48:42.58\00:48:43.98
It might take a
few blows, right?
00:48:43.99\00:48:45.41
But the Lord
has promised victory
00:48:49.23\00:48:51.45
and growth over time.
00:48:51.46\00:48:55.67
Notice what it says here.
If I've already mentioned,
00:48:55.68\00:48:58.99
if--I know what
it's like to practice
00:48:59.00\00:49:03.72
one thing and preach another.
00:49:03.73\00:49:06.28
I understand the hypocrisy,
the feeling of it, it stinks.
00:49:06.29\00:49:11.40
When you're standing
before the tax collector
00:49:11.41\00:49:12.98
and you know shouldn't, ugh...
00:49:12.99\00:49:15.51
But you know what's
beautiful about the Lord?
00:49:20.26\00:49:21.65
He not only
promises power for victory,
00:49:21.66\00:49:24.82
He also pardon-- gives us pardon
00:49:24.83\00:49:27.44
if we should fall.
00:49:27.45\00:49:28.44
1 John Chapter 2 verse 1
00:49:35.14\00:49:36.74
My little children,
these things I write to you,
00:49:36.75\00:49:38.88
so that you may not sin.
00:49:38.89\00:49:40.00
And if--remember
temptation was a when
00:49:40.01\00:49:43.94
but sin giving into
temptation is an if.
00:49:43.95\00:49:48.44
But if anyone
sins, even people of GYC,
00:49:48.45\00:49:55.49
even Godly
people, even good people,
00:49:55.50\00:49:57.38
even people who
are trying to develop
00:49:57.39\00:49:58.93
the character of
Christ through His strength,
00:49:58.94\00:50:00.70
even you, if anyone sins,
00:50:00.71\00:50:04.67
we have an
advocate with the Father,
00:50:04.68\00:50:07.37
Jesus Christ, the righteous.
00:50:07.38\00:50:09.77
The same one who gives you power
00:50:09.78\00:50:11.38
is the one who gives you
pardon, if you should fall.
00:50:11.39\00:50:16.27
Hebrews Chapter
4 verses 15 and 16,
00:50:16.28\00:50:18.15
for we do not have a high priest
00:50:18.16\00:50:19.36
who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses,
00:50:19.37\00:50:22.65
but we have one who has
been tempted in every way,
00:50:22.66\00:50:24.81
just as we are--
yet was without sin.
00:50:24.82\00:50:29.72
Let us then,
because of His sinlessness,
00:50:29.73\00:50:31.86
not our own inherent
works, not our own efforts,
00:50:31.87\00:50:34.14
not our own
abilities to overcome,
00:50:34.15\00:50:35.92
but because of Christ's victory.
00:50:35.93\00:50:38.91
Let us then approach
00:50:38.92\00:50:40.36
the throne of
grace with confidence.
00:50:40.37\00:50:42.69
Even if you have
sinned-especially,
00:50:42.70\00:50:45.01
if you have sinned,
don't hide from God,
00:50:45.02\00:50:48.12
but go into His presence,
not on your own merits,
00:50:48.13\00:50:51.61
you know, Nadab and Abihu style,
00:50:51.62\00:50:55.58
but covered in
the blood of Jesus,
00:50:55.59\00:50:56.94
you can come confidently
00:50:56.95\00:50:58.17
before the throne of
grace even if you fall.
00:50:58.18\00:51:00.89
Let us then approach
00:51:04.87\00:51:05.87
the throne of
grace with confidence,
00:51:05.88\00:51:07.07
so that we may receive
mercy and find grace to help us
00:51:07.08\00:51:10.96
in our time of need.
00:51:10.97\00:51:13.55
Of course, 1 John
Chapter 1 and verse 9,
00:51:13.56\00:51:15.16
if we confess our sins,
00:51:15.17\00:51:16.64
He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:51:16.65\00:51:20.28
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
00:51:20.29\00:51:26.67
As Seventh-day Adventists,
we have been commissioned
00:51:26.68\00:51:28.29
to be the heralds of
Christ's soon return.
00:51:28.30\00:51:31.15
All that we do in this life,
00:51:31.16\00:51:32.56
especially at this
time in earth's history
00:51:32.57\00:51:34.36
should be done with one
eye locked on the eastern sky.
00:51:34.37\00:51:38.85
Someday soon, the ruler
00:51:38.86\00:51:40.56
we live under the
dominion in this world
00:51:40.57\00:51:44.11
will be swallowed up
00:51:44.12\00:51:46.15
when the true
King comes to lead us
00:51:46.16\00:51:49.61
out of captivity
into His glorious victory.
00:51:49.62\00:51:54.00
We are told unequivocally
00:51:54.01\00:51:55.27
in 2 Peter
Chapter 3 verses 10 to 12,
00:51:55.28\00:51:57.44
but the day of
the Lord will come,
00:51:57.45\00:51:59.71
not might, might should or
it will come, like a thief.
00:51:59.72\00:52:03.00
The heavens will
disappear with a roar,
00:52:03.01\00:52:04.89
the elements will
be destroyed by fire,
00:52:04.90\00:52:06.79
and the earth and everything
in it will be laid bare.
00:52:06.80\00:52:10.23
Since everything will
be destroyed in this way,
00:52:10.24\00:52:13.68
what kind of
people ought you to be?
00:52:13.69\00:52:16.71
You ought to live
holy and Godly lives
00:52:20.06\00:52:21.92
as you look
forward to the day of God
00:52:21.93\00:52:24.12
and hasten its coming.
00:52:24.13\00:52:29.61
Friends, let's be faithful.
00:52:29.62\00:52:32.80
Let's refuse to
submit to the taxing
00:52:32.81\00:52:36.25
temptations of Satan anymore.
00:52:36.26\00:52:39.73
Let's be people
who boldly declare
00:52:39.74\00:52:41.62
our independence from
the ruler of this world
00:52:41.63\00:52:43.79
and pledge allegiance
to the true king of heaven.
00:52:43.80\00:52:47.59
Let's be a people
who, in our daily lives,
00:52:47.60\00:52:49.66
pick up that sword of
truth and not by might,
00:52:49.67\00:52:53.79
not by power, but by My Spirit,
00:52:53.80\00:52:58.02
have victory in Jesus.
00:52:58.03\00:53:00.18
I want to ask you again tonight,
00:53:03.12\00:53:04.34
even if you disagree,
00:53:04.35\00:53:05.64
did it at least make
sense? Can you raise your hand?
00:53:05.65\00:53:09.41
Praise God for
clarity, Praise the Lord.
00:53:09.42\00:53:11.75
Thank you. If
this is a principle
00:53:11.76\00:53:16.15
that you would like to see
more instilled in your life.
00:53:16.16\00:53:18.15
There are some things,
00:53:18.16\00:53:19.23
you see smorgasbord of stuff,
00:53:19.24\00:53:20.63
you're like, you
know what I'm done,
00:53:20.64\00:53:22.25
I want victory in Jesus.
00:53:22.26\00:53:23.50
Will you stand with me tonight?
00:53:23.51\00:53:25.85
Like Lord, this is what I want.
00:53:25.86\00:53:27.17
I want a victorious life.
00:53:27.18\00:53:28.17
I don't want
just like moderation.
00:53:28.18\00:53:30.26
I want to live on
that higher level.
00:53:30.27\00:53:32.86
I don't want to just to see it.
00:53:32.87\00:53:33.86
I want to start
experiencing citizenship
00:53:33.87\00:53:35.88
in God's kingdom
right here tonight.
00:53:35.89\00:53:37.47
And I Praise the
Lord for that commitment.
00:53:40.96\00:53:43.53
But I want to make a
special call tonight.
00:53:43.54\00:53:47.79
I'm guessing that
there are some people
00:53:47.80\00:53:49.42
who feel like Ehuds
00:53:49.43\00:53:50.80
and have lived some
hypocrisy for a while.
00:53:50.81\00:53:55.41
I'm not asking to
declare what your problem is.
00:53:55.42\00:53:57.44
Or what your issue is.
00:53:57.45\00:53:58.44
But there are some
sins here that we know,
00:53:58.45\00:54:00.33
we like and we shouldn't.
00:54:00.34\00:54:04.31
You might have been withheld
00:54:04.32\00:54:05.31
from coming down the other night
00:54:05.32\00:54:06.57
or maybe other commitments
00:54:06.58\00:54:07.81
that you should
be making in life,
00:54:07.82\00:54:09.03
because you know that
there's this one thing
00:54:09.04\00:54:10.36
that's blocking
you-- your walk with Christ
00:54:10.37\00:54:12.43
and you know that,
00:54:12.44\00:54:13.54
when the tax
collector comes around,
00:54:13.55\00:54:14.97
you're too willing
and you're like Lord,
00:54:14.98\00:54:19.25
I don't even want to give it up.
00:54:19.26\00:54:21.69
I like...but, Lord, I
don't want to like it anymore.
00:54:21.70\00:54:27.99
You said You're gonna give
me the desires of my heart.
00:54:28.00\00:54:29.90
Lord, help me to
desire the right things.
00:54:29.91\00:54:35.13
There's this one thing
that I've been struggling
00:54:35.14\00:54:36.54
with I just cannot
break because I don't like it.
00:54:36.55\00:54:40.05
I like feeding the beast,
00:54:40.06\00:54:41.32
but, Lord, change my
mind, change my heart,
00:54:41.33\00:54:44.35
transform me into
the image of Your son
00:54:44.36\00:54:46.64
who hates sin,
help me to hate it.
00:54:46.65\00:54:49.84
Help me to look at that thing
I used to love in disgust now.
00:54:49.85\00:54:53.85
Lord, if you
want, if it's up to You,
00:54:53.86\00:54:57.12
Lord, can you make
me more Christ like
00:54:57.13\00:55:01.23
and that
zealotry for righteousness
00:55:01.24\00:55:04.49
and enmity against sin?
00:55:04.50\00:55:07.54
If there's a particular thing
00:55:07.55\00:55:08.75
that you're struggling with
and you want specific prayer,
00:55:08.76\00:55:10.76
special prayer and
you feel that this issue,
00:55:10.77\00:55:14.11
whatever it is,
whatever the list
00:55:14.12\00:55:15.67
or maybe you got your own list,
00:55:15.68\00:55:16.67
whatever the particular thing
00:55:16.68\00:55:17.82
is that you want
victory in your life
00:55:17.83\00:55:19.42
and you've never experienced it
00:55:19.43\00:55:20.42
before because you
know the reason you haven't.
00:55:20.43\00:55:22.47
You haven't really fought.
00:55:22.48\00:55:25.68
You say, Lord, I want
to start fighting tonight,
00:55:25.69\00:55:27.59
not by my
strength, not in my merit,
00:55:30.20\00:55:32.17
not in my own efforts,
00:55:32.18\00:55:33.24
but, Lord, I believe
that You are faithful
00:55:33.25\00:55:36.77
because Your word says so.
00:55:36.78\00:55:37.77
Not because I feel it,
00:55:37.78\00:55:38.77
because it declares
it and it is written.
00:55:38.78\00:55:42.25
And I take Your
word to the bank.
00:55:42.26\00:55:44.06
There's someone who
is wrestling tonight,
00:55:47.36\00:55:49.80
says, "Lord, tonight I wanna
00:55:49.81\00:55:50.80
start living
that victorious life,
00:55:50.81\00:55:52.10
help me to craft the sword.
00:55:52.11\00:55:55.40
How many teach me how
to be practical about it.
00:55:55.41\00:55:57.43
How do I wear it?
00:55:57.44\00:55:58.43
How do I set my
alarm clock for it?
00:55:58.44\00:55:59.83
How do I make plans for it?
00:55:59.84\00:56:01.18
Lord, help me to have a
strategy to kill the fat king.
00:56:01.19\00:56:05.61
If you want that help and
you'd like special prayer,
00:56:05.62\00:56:07.25
would you come down front
as we sing our closing song?
00:56:07.26\00:56:10.90
There's something in your life,
00:56:10.91\00:56:11.90
say Lord, I'm done with
it. I wanna stop it tonight.
00:56:11.91\00:56:15.40
At least, I want to
learn how to stop it.
00:56:15.41\00:56:16.64
I want You to give
me ways to stop it.
00:56:16.65\00:56:17.76
I want You to train me
in the art of sword making.
00:56:17.77\00:56:20.72
I want You to
teach me how to, Lord,
00:56:20.73\00:56:23.82
show me the way.
00:56:23.83\00:56:25.65
I hunger for that higher place,
00:56:25.66\00:56:27.25
I want the
Spirit of the living God
00:56:27.26\00:56:29.86
to fall afresh on me.
Come down front, friends.
00:56:29.87\00:56:35.30
You understand this
is a specific appeal.
00:56:35.31\00:56:36.97
I praise the
Lord for the numbers.
00:56:36.98\00:56:37.97
That's not what
we're looking for.
00:56:37.98\00:56:38.97
I want quality more
than quantity, amen?
00:56:38.98\00:56:41.95
But if there is a struggle,
00:56:41.96\00:56:44.76
and you know
this is the hindrance.
00:56:44.77\00:56:48.81
This is your
opportunity. Come down front.
00:56:48.82\00:56:52.45
There's not only
power, my friends,
00:56:52.46\00:56:54.10
there's also pardon,
00:56:54.11\00:56:55.51
if you sin. No condemnation,
00:56:55.52\00:56:59.54
just come to the
throne in confidence
00:56:59.55\00:57:02.64
that He's been there, He
understands your weakness
00:57:02.65\00:57:06.17
and He is strong
when you are weak.
00:57:06.18\00:57:10.42
Praise the Lord.
00:57:10.43\00:57:11.53
As the people are coming,
00:57:16.49\00:57:17.49
we're gonna sing
this song together.
00:57:17.50\00:57:20.49
Let this be our prayer tonight.
00:57:20.50\00:57:23.02
'Spirit of the living
God fall afresh on me.'
00:57:23.03\00:57:27.57
Sing it like you mean it.
00:57:27.58\00:57:28.94
Spirit of the living
God, fall afresh on me
00:57:43.03\00:57:57.85
Spirit of the living
God, fall afresh on me
00:57:57.86\00:58:11.43