Hello and welcome to
Thompsonville, Illinois:
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the biggest
little city in the world.
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That's one of my
favorite sayings because God has
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chosen this venue to be
the place where He sends
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the good news of the gospel
into every corner of the world.
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Welcome to also our Fall
Camp Meeting here at 3ABN.
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And if you're in the driving
vicinity of southern Illinois
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we invite you to come and
join us for a spiritual time
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that has been so
uplifting we are drawn closer
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into the presence of the Lord.
Can you all say "Amen" to that?
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Amen. And the Lord
has not disappointed us.
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This morning Pastor Mark Finley
challenged us and re-educated us
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and appealed to us to
know and understand the power
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of the Spirit of
God in our lives.
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But our speaker of the hour
is Elder Charles E. Bradford.
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When you think of experience
and you think of being prepared
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and you think of a person who
has been under the tutelage of
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the Spirit of
God for many decades
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the name Elder Charles
Bradford comes to mind.
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A man of the Word,
a man of experience,
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a man who God has used
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to bring hope and strength
and direction to thousands
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of lives. And this morning
his message is going to be
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Good Man Lost; Bad Man Saved.
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Something that only God can do.
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Before we introduce him
I would like to invite you
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to bow your heads with me
as we go to the Lord in prayer.
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Our gracious Father in
heaven, what a blessing it is to
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know that today that there
are those who are on both sides
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of the page. Some who know You;
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others who are yet to meet You.
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And we do pray that
through Your manservant,
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Elder Charles Bradford,
You'll bring the message home
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and find the intended soil
that the seed may be planted
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and lives may be
nourished to eternal life.
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So attend this service, Father,
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that Your name may be
honored and glorified.
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In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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Just before Elder Bradford comes
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I have chosen to share a
song I believe that encapsulates
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the title of the sermon:
Good Man Lost; Bad Man Saved.
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The difference is because of
our wonderful and our merciful
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Savior.
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Wonderful, merciful Savior,
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precious Redeemer and Friend.
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Who would have
thought that a Lamb could
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rescue the souls of man?
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Oh, You rescued the souls
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of man.
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Counselor, Comforter, Keeper,
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Spirit we long to embrace.
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You offer hope
when our hearts have
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hopelessly lost our way.
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Oh, we've hopelessly lost
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our way.
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You are the One that we praise,
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You are the One we adore.
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You give the
healing and grace our
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hearts always hunger for.
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Oh, our hearts always hunger
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for.
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You are the One that I praise,
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You are the One I adore.
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You give the
healing and grace my
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heart always hungers for.
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Oh, my heart always
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hungers for.
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Almighty Infinite Father,
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faithfully loving Your own.
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Here in our weakness
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You find us
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falling before Your throne.
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Oh, we're falling before
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Your throne.
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You are the One that we praise,
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You are the One we adore.
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You give the
healing and grace our
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hearts always hunger for.
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Oh, our hearts always hunger
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for.
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You are the One that we praise,
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You are the One we adore.
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You give the
healing and grace our
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hearts always hunger for.
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Oh, our hearts always hunger
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for.
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Amen.
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I find so much to commend here.
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Everything is
in such good shape.
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They plan their work
and they work their plan.
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And look at our beautiful
mirage... or something...
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you call it like that?
No, what is it called then?
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I don't know what you call that.
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Mural! That's the word.
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Look at the beautiful
mural. Means something.
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Everything is meaningful
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not just decorative.
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My mother had a
little saying for me.
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She said when I was not doing
very much whiling away the time,
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fooling around you
know, she would say to me:
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"Make yourself
more than decorative. "
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And when mother said that
you knew she meant get to work.
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So I hope we are here
today not just to be decorative
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but to be instrumental
in the hands of God.
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I said I'd try to talk on
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Good Man Lost and
the Bad Man Saved,
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but I have to refer to
the wonderful instruction
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we received from Pastor
Finley on the Holy Spirit.
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And he is right. I want to
charge you when you go back home
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get up a little conversation
with your brethren and sisters
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on the Holy Spirit.
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You remember what it
says in Malachi 3:16?
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"Then they that
feared the Lord...
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they spake often
to one another. "
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Not about politics, baseball,
football, all the rest.
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They spoke to each
other and the Lord heard it.
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In fact, the
Message Bible says that
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"He called for a book and told
them to write the minutes. "
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And we need to go
back and ask our people
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as Elder Finley has suggested.
Go back and say to them:
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"Let's talk about
the Holy Spirit. "
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"Let's study the Holy Spirit. "
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Assign each other... you don't
have to wait for the preacher.
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Nobody said
"Amen" so I don't know.
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You don't have to
wait for the preacher.
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The Lord has equipped
you and you need to get in...
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Take your 3ABN experience
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and share it
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but really focus
on the Holy Spirit.
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I have a preacher friend - he
just has gone to sleep in Jesus
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a bit ago - but he said
all of his life, even when he
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went through college, he
didn't understand the working
00:10:02.23\00:10:05.40
of the Holy Spirit.
But it came to him one day
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and he said
after that his ministry
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was dramatically improved.
00:10:12.24\00:10:15.23
So I'm happy for that
good instruction we had
00:10:15.53\00:10:19.31
on the Holy Spirit.
Christ... C-H-R-I-S-T...
00:10:19.51\00:10:23.60
you see how he
did it? Beautiful.
00:10:23.80\00:10:26.00
And I should have
told Dr. Finley that
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this Bible I have
here was given to me
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by his predecessor at It
Is Written: George Vandeman.
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George gave me a Bible.
00:10:37.89\00:10:39.17
In fact, he gave me
two of these Bibles.
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He forgot he
gave me the first one
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and he gave me
the second one, so...
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But unfortunately, the one
that he signed I gave it away
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to somebody.
And I feel it keenly
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that I don't have his
signature in this Bible.
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Now let's read.
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That's what
Adventist preachers must do.
00:11:02.09\00:11:04.69
We don't want to hear all about
your experiences travelling.
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I have too much
humor that comes to me.
00:11:13.27\00:11:16.22
I have to resist
it sometime, you know.
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Kind of the devil...
you resist the devil.
00:11:20.10\00:11:22.54
But I have to tell
you this one, you know.
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We have a certain
group of Adventists,
00:11:27.77\00:11:31.22
a certain communion or
community of Adventists,
00:11:31.32\00:11:34.91
in California...
northern California.
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Some of you may know
where it is. Has a Biblical name
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and all of that. And
they have big Camp Meetings
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like you have here. And
the missionaries come back
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from overseas and
they tell all the stories.
00:11:45.74\00:11:48.49
And there's a
heavy German group there.
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Wonderful people. And
this dear brother came
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and he was telling
one story after another.
00:11:55.79\00:11:57.93
"I rode over here, and
I saw this big Taj Mahal.
00:11:58.13\00:12:02.33
And I looked at this one
over... and the beautiful waters
00:12:02.53\00:12:06.00
of the Pacific" and so forth.
00:12:06.20\00:12:07.58
And one old dear German
brother got up and said:
00:12:07.78\00:12:10.24
"Too much 'vind',
brother... too much 'vind'. "
00:12:10.44\00:12:13.62
What he meant: get
to the Word of God...
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.95
so that's what I'm
going to do right now.
00:12:16.15\00:12:18.20
I'm going to the
gospel according to St. Luke.
00:12:18.50\00:12:22.78
And Bro. Finley and I
did not get together on this,
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but we've been
talking about end time:
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God's end-time people.
00:12:31.93\00:12:34.33
I don't know...
Something said to him...
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Once or twice here I
started to jump up and say
00:12:36.97\00:12:39.54
"Bro. Finley,
you're taking my texts! "
00:12:39.74\00:12:42.16
That's another one that
comes to me. I shouldn't say it
00:12:43.51\00:12:46.11
but I've got to say it.
They had a Camp Meeting...
00:12:46.31\00:12:48.56
You know, we used to have
Camp Meetings and the preacher
00:12:48.76\00:12:50.84
all day long. And this brother
had the preacher last Sabbath
00:12:50.95\00:12:54.11
and they were just
preaching his sermon.
00:12:54.31\00:12:55.58
Everybody was taking his sermon.
00:12:55.78\00:12:57.54
He was getting ready to preach
on John, and another man said:
00:12:57.74\00:13:00.15
"And John... " And he
couldn't take it any longer.
00:13:00.35\00:13:02.14
He stood up and said: "Brother,
you're taking my texts! "
00:13:02.34\00:13:04.71
He said: "Sit down.
There are a whole lot more
00:13:04.91\00:13:06.97
in the Word of God. "
00:13:07.07\00:13:09.11
So I forgive Bro.
Finley for taking my text.
00:13:10.61\00:13:14.33
But here it is:
18th chapter of Luke
00:13:15.55\00:13:19.34
verse 9: "And He
spake this parable
00:13:19.55\00:13:25.36
unto certain which
trusted... " You know, this is
00:13:25.56\00:13:29.15
some kind of a text here.
00:13:29.35\00:13:30.98
Oh Jesus, my
Jesus... He knew how to teach.
00:13:31.28\00:13:34.38
Here's a parable
about certain people who
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trusted in themselves.
00:13:40.42\00:13:42.52
You don't want to
read this one too fast.
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.86
Let it roll over a little bit.
00:13:46.16\00:13:48.46
"that they were righteous. "
00:13:48.66\00:13:52.54
Now you may not leave here so
happy with old Bro. Brad today.
00:13:53.70\00:13:57.98
You may have made a mistake
to invite me to come here.
00:13:58.18\00:14:01.43
I'm praying that
the Lord will help me.
00:14:03.23\00:14:05.79
That's why I try to
lighten you up a little bit
00:14:05.99\00:14:08.53
with a bit of
you know... whatever.
00:14:08.73\00:14:11.40
I'm going to start it again:
"Then He spake a parable... "
00:14:12.78\00:14:16.22
Jesus... "unto certain
which trusted in themselves... "
00:14:16.42\00:14:21.81
I can see them going
to... Wait, just keep on.
00:14:22.05\00:14:24.61
"that they were
righteous and despised others.
00:14:24.81\00:14:28.10
Two men went up to
the temple to pray.
00:14:28.41\00:14:32.48
One... a Pharisee.
00:14:32.78\00:14:35.70
The other... a publican.
00:14:36.00\00:14:37.92
The Pharisee
stood... " - hear it now,
00:14:38.22\00:14:41.86
every word is important -
00:14:42.07\00:14:43.90
"and prayed thus
with himself... "
00:14:44.01\00:14:46.74
That's pretty good,
huh? He prayed with himself.
00:14:48.07\00:14:50.25
" 'God I thank Thee
00:14:50.55\00:14:53.49
that I am not as other men are -
00:14:53.69\00:14:56.08
extortioners,
unjust, adulterers...
00:14:56.28\00:15:00.30
even this publican.
I fast twice a week.
00:15:00.50\00:15:05.72
I give tithes
of all I possess. '
00:15:05.92\00:15:07.68
And the publican,
standing afar off,
00:15:07.98\00:15:13.86
would not lift up so
much as his eyes unto heaven
00:15:14.06\00:15:19.70
but smote upon
his breast saying:
00:15:19.90\00:15:22.84
'God be merciful
to me, a sinner. '
00:15:23.04\00:15:26.75
I tell you, this man
went down to his house
00:15:26.95\00:15:32.43
justified rather than the other
00:15:32.63\00:15:36.32
for everyone that
exalteth himself shall be abased
00:15:36.52\00:15:41.72
and he that humbleth himself
00:15:42.02\00:15:45.25
shall be exalted. "
00:15:45.56\00:15:48.01
Father God, oh my Savior,
00:15:48.95\00:15:54.56
Jesus, how
wonderful is Your teachings.
00:15:54.76\00:15:59.70
Your words are penetrating.
00:15:59.74\00:16:03.29
Every phrase is enlightening
00:16:03.59\00:16:06.98
as You tell the gospel story.
00:16:07.28\00:16:10.52
Please give us some insight here
00:16:10.82\00:16:14.27
through the Holy
Spirit to grasp the truth
00:16:14.47\00:16:18.66
that here lies...
uncovered now... so that we may
00:16:18.86\00:16:24.03
be given wisdom to know how
00:16:24.23\00:16:28.02
to go out and to come in.
00:16:28.22\00:16:31.12
Forgive our sins
in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:16:31.32\00:16:35.38
Bad man... poor man.
00:16:37.83\00:16:41.60
Well, we like to label
people anyway, don't we?
00:16:41.80\00:16:44.66
But it's Jesus'
label here that counts.
00:16:44.96\00:16:48.51
The good man comes
to the house of God.
00:16:50.23\00:16:53.53
You can tell he's
been there before.
00:16:55.12\00:16:58.10
He may even have
a pew that he owns.
00:16:58.40\00:17:01.90
And you'd better not
sit in that pew, either.
00:17:02.30\00:17:06.31
Not a little
short fellow like I am.
00:17:06.71\00:17:09.97
Tall, stately...
his robes impressive.
00:17:10.18\00:17:15.79
Now I went to
Christ's Object Lessons.
00:17:15.99\00:17:19.61
I told you I was
in the computer now.
00:17:19.92\00:17:22.21
So I went to my
computer, got Sr. White out,
00:17:22.51\00:17:26.14
and I read all this
stuff and I copied it down.
00:17:26.34\00:17:29.65
And now let's... you're going
to put a little test on me.
00:17:29.85\00:17:33.40
You're going to test me
to see if I got it right.
00:17:33.60\00:17:36.12
So here we are... the
Pharisee and the publican.
00:17:36.32\00:17:39.91
They go to the
temple, and this big man
00:17:40.11\00:17:43.46
who has been there before
wraps his robes around him.
00:17:43.56\00:17:46.98
By the way, the Jews
had a prosperity gospel.
00:17:47.08\00:17:50.99
If you're rich,
you must be good.
00:17:51.29\00:17:54.38
All the little poor
people... kick them away.
00:17:54.68\00:17:57.40
Give them a few crumbs.
00:17:57.60\00:17:59.30
A bone? Throw it at them.
00:17:59.60\00:18:01.61
But we're all
impressed with a big rich man.
00:18:01.81\00:18:05.01
I think that has followed
on through down until our day.
00:18:05.21\00:18:09.10
Let me get off
of that now because
00:18:09.20\00:18:10.86
I will be in trouble with
the brethren somewhere else.
00:18:11.06\00:18:13.92
My other
brethren... my outside brethren.
00:18:14.12\00:18:16.88
But the Pharisee comes
with... Sr. White says...
00:18:17.08\00:18:21.74
he comes walking like it.
00:18:21.94\00:18:24.54
Looking like
it; talking like it.
00:18:24.74\00:18:28.50
People: get out of
his way... he's holy!
00:18:28.70\00:18:31.40
He's got robes on, hasn't he?
00:18:31.70\00:18:34.36
And they probably
drove him up in his carriage.
00:18:34.66\00:18:38.78
And his driver... I just talked
to the driver here today...
00:18:38.98\00:18:44.41
you all's driver...
his driver drove him up
00:18:44.61\00:18:47.04
and helped him
out of the carriage
00:18:47.24\00:18:49.30
and helped him
to get to his place.
00:18:49.50\00:18:51.30
And there he
stands and he prays.
00:18:51.50\00:18:53.43
"Oh, Lord... " He
told the Lord all about it.
00:18:53.63\00:18:57.85
"Oh, Lord... " he said.
He said: "I am a good man.
00:18:58.15\00:19:01.99
I help people.
00:19:02.29\00:19:04.71
I do good things. "
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.09
He had a wonderful missionary
report to give on Sabbath
00:19:07.39\00:19:10.74
morning, didn't he?
00:19:10.84\00:19:12.16
You don't know
anything about those old days
00:19:12.19\00:19:15.36
when they would say:
"what did you do this week? "
00:19:15.56\00:19:18.09
"Ah, how many
people did you help? "
00:19:19.74\00:19:22.31
That's good. There's
nothing wrong with that.
00:19:22.51\00:19:24.47
You didn't initiate that...
the people asked you that.
00:19:24.67\00:19:28.23
But he himself... he's the man
00:19:28.53\00:19:30.74
who would almost
ask someone to request
00:19:30.94\00:19:34.33
that he should give a solo.
00:19:34.53\00:19:36.86
Please have Dr. so and
so - I mean Bro. so and so -
00:19:37.06\00:19:40.95
to sing today. "I
thank you, Lord, " he said
00:19:41.15\00:19:44.59
"I'm not like these other men. "
00:19:44.79\00:19:47.01
And the poor little publican...
00:19:47.22\00:19:50.73
I feel sorry for him, don't you?
00:19:50.93\00:19:52.96
He hadn't been to church
since he was a little boy
00:19:53.76\00:19:56.12
in Sabbath School.
00:19:56.32\00:19:58.06
In fact, he grew
up living by his wits.
00:19:58.36\00:20:03.17
He was a gambler first.
00:20:03.48\00:20:06.46
Then he got a job
down at city hall.
00:20:06.76\00:20:09.63
Then he became a hustler.
00:20:09.93\00:20:11.77
I don't mean to
use the wrong words...
00:20:11.87\00:20:14.33
He became whatever it
was they do... he became that
00:20:14.43\00:20:16.87
and people hated him.
00:20:16.97\00:20:19.17
Everybody hates a tax collector.
00:20:19.57\00:20:23.36
And in the
present-day mood of people
00:20:23.66\00:20:27.85
I would get
another job. Wouldn't you?
00:20:28.05\00:20:31.05
Than tax collector.
00:20:31.36\00:20:33.96
Terrible man; awful man.
00:20:34.26\00:20:37.01
Bad man, huh?
00:20:37.31\00:20:39.54
I said bad man... terrible man.
00:20:39.74\00:20:42.31
People hated him;
children ran away from him.
00:20:42.61\00:20:45.19
But I can imagine as the
old preachers that I used to
00:20:46.72\00:20:49.22
listen to many
years ago would say
00:20:49.32\00:20:50.86
"I imagined in my mind... "
00:20:51.06\00:20:53.63
I can think of how he
began to feel unnecessary.
00:20:53.93\00:20:59.80
He couldn't sleep at night.
00:21:00.10\00:21:02.08
Something was wrong.
00:21:02.38\00:21:04.29
Bro. Finley, the
Holy Ghost was on him.
00:21:04.60\00:21:06.43
Come on now and
say "Amen" for me.
00:21:06.64\00:21:08.17
Amen. I didn't ask you to say
"Amen, " I asked Elder Finley
00:21:08.37\00:21:11.60
to say "Amen. "
00:21:11.81\00:21:12.83
The Holy Spirit was on him.
00:21:13.13\00:21:15.65
He'll bring you conviction.
00:21:15.95\00:21:19.42
And he couldn't
take it any longer.
00:21:19.72\00:21:22.60
His wife had been
telling him for years:
00:21:22.81\00:21:24.72
"Why don't you go to
temple with me some time?
00:21:24.92\00:21:27.56
Mary's husband goes with her.
00:21:27.76\00:21:31.40
How come you can't go with me? "
00:21:31.70\00:21:34.40
"Ah, " he said "I don't
have time. I've got to go to
00:21:34.70\00:21:36.95
city hall. I've got to
collect these taxes here.
00:21:37.05\00:21:38.96
These people are getting
away with it. " By the way,
00:21:39.16\00:21:41.26
the Romans empowered
them to take the taxes
00:21:41.47\00:21:44.46
but they had the power to
levy on you a little extra.
00:21:44.49\00:21:47.93
That's how they lived.
00:21:48.23\00:21:50.58
And so the poor
little man finally...
00:21:52.37\00:21:55.60
I could tell you
the long story of it.
00:21:55.80\00:21:57.57
I would imagine a
lot of stuff on this.
00:21:57.67\00:21:59.79
I don't think there's
anything wrong but it's just my
00:21:59.99\00:22:02.49
imagination, not
the Holy Spirit. But
00:22:02.69\00:22:05.14
I can imagine
that he had been told:
00:22:05.34\00:22:08.27
"Why don't you
go see your shrink?
00:22:08.47\00:22:10.53
People that have these problems,
they can straighten you out.
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.71
After all, they have
degrees in their profession
00:22:17.01\00:22:21.66
and they can help you. You've
got a little mess in your head.
00:22:21.86\00:22:26.02
He can get it out. " No help.
00:22:26.12\00:22:28.89
Even the medical doctor
couldn't get him... no help.
00:22:29.19\00:22:33.08
Nobody gave him help, so
finally he got up one morning
00:22:33.28\00:22:36.60
and he couldn't
take it any longer.
00:22:36.80\00:22:39.50
He said: "Oh,
Lord, what shall I do? "
00:22:41.05\00:22:43.10
His wife said: "I've been
trying to tell you what to do. "
00:22:43.30\00:22:46.19
He said: "I'm going today...
00:22:46.30\00:22:48.66
I'm going to the
temple today to pray. "
00:22:48.96\00:22:51.68
So he's gotta have
prayer, doesn't he? Huh?
00:22:51.98\00:22:54.38
He hasn't prayed in years.
00:22:54.58\00:22:57.08
His wife did all his praying.
00:22:57.28\00:22:58.97
So he had to get a prayer.
00:23:00.84\00:23:03.41
Now down South where I
used to preach you would have
00:23:03.71\00:23:06.97
gotten a prayer
like this: "Oh, Lord,
00:23:07.17\00:23:09.24
here we come this
morning. Oh, Lord. "
00:23:09.44\00:23:12.14
You know how they prayed.
"And I got, Lord, and here
00:23:12.24\00:23:15.09
we come and You know
where we are. Oh, Lord. "
00:23:15.19\00:23:17.77
He had it all ready
like Deacon so and so prayed.
00:23:17.97\00:23:21.49
He said that thing
all the way to himself
00:23:21.69\00:23:24.02
to the temple. He said
it over and over again.
00:23:24.22\00:23:26.36
And he gets in there
and sees this big man
00:23:26.56\00:23:29.18
and he hears him
pray his gorgeous prayer.
00:23:29.38\00:23:34.15
Baritone voice.
00:23:34.45\00:23:37.40
And he says: "Lord, I'm
glad I'm not like that fellow
00:23:37.60\00:23:43.28
that just come in. "
And his feathers fell.
00:23:43.38\00:23:48.08
He forgot uncle's prayer.
00:23:48.28\00:23:51.78
He didn't know what to say.
00:23:52.08\00:23:54.16
He wouldn't even go any
closer; He didn't feel worthy
00:23:54.46\00:23:57.89
to come into the
sight of the people of God.
00:23:58.09\00:24:01.50
He didn't have any idea that
it would turn out like this.
00:24:01.70\00:24:07.51
"What's happening? " he says.
"I come to pray and look what
00:24:07.81\00:24:11.33
happens. I don't know
what to say... I feel so bad. "
00:24:11.43\00:24:16.01
As Ellen White said he didn't
find anything in himself...
00:24:16.31\00:24:21.20
I got all of this out
of Christ's Object Lessons.
00:24:21.40\00:24:23.75
He couldn't find anything
in himself to commend to God.
00:24:23.95\00:24:28.52
Any by the way, that's not a
bad place to be, is it friend?
00:24:28.82\00:24:33.56
Nothing in my hand I bring...
00:24:34.81\00:24:39.20
simply to Thy cross I cling.
00:24:39.50\00:24:43.19
And he cried out in
his despair: "Oh, Lord,
00:24:43.49\00:24:46.63
have mercy on me, a sinner. "
00:24:46.93\00:24:50.33
And what did Jesus say?
00:24:50.63\00:24:53.41
The good man
went down unjustified.
00:24:53.71\00:24:59.33
The bad man went down
00:24:59.63\00:25:03.63
saved by grace. Amen.
00:25:03.93\00:25:07.71
Good man? Lost. Bad man? Saved!
00:25:08.02\00:25:13.95
Now I'm getting a little more
00:25:14.25\00:25:19.17
audacity here today.
00:25:19.27\00:25:22.38
I'm getting a
little tough here today.
00:25:22.69\00:25:27.98
I'm getting
beside myself here today.
00:25:28.38\00:25:30.83
I don't know what's the
matter with me here today.
00:25:31.04\00:25:32.82
I almost called this a sermon
00:25:33.12\00:25:36.84
for Adventists...
00:25:37.14\00:25:40.83
and other sinners.
00:25:42.42\00:25:44.21
And it speaks to my
heart. It says to me
00:25:48.56\00:25:52.74
as He said here: "He
that humbleth himself
00:25:52.94\00:25:56.72
shall be exalted. "
00:25:56.92\00:25:59.12
Now this is the toughest
sermon really on a preacher.
00:25:59.42\00:26:04.19
Preacher has a
hard time with this
00:26:05.81\00:26:08.87
because he spends his
life talking about goodness.
00:26:09.17\00:26:13.17
He spends his life talking
about all these wonderful things
00:26:15.22\00:26:18.87
of God. And every Sabbath
00:26:19.17\00:26:24.29
he stands at the
door... shakes your hand.
00:26:26.23\00:26:32.19
And you have been
trained by Grandma
00:26:32.49\00:26:35.70
to say something
nice to the preacher.
00:26:35.91\00:26:38.50
"Oh, preacher, I've
been blessed today. "
00:26:38.80\00:26:42.04
"You're such a
wonderful preacher. "
00:26:42.24\00:26:44.45
And he goes home, and he
has to struggle with himself
00:26:44.75\00:26:48.30
not to believe all of that.
00:26:48.50\00:26:50.29
In fact, one preacher -
when they would commend him
00:26:50.79\00:26:55.06
a little too much and say
"you had a wonderful sermon" -
00:26:55.26\00:26:57.62
he said: "The devil
told me that already. "
00:26:57.82\00:27:00.21
"He that humbleth himself... "
00:27:05.24\00:27:07.26
I had a friend who
was proud of his humility.
00:27:08.63\00:27:12.28
You didn't catch that one.
00:27:13.68\00:27:15.56
Proud... "I'm so proud,
Lord, that I'm humble. "
00:27:16.85\00:27:20.01
But it's for us... it IS for us.
00:27:21.74\00:27:25.22
We are here, my brother
and sister, with the greatest
00:27:25.52\00:27:29.54
message in the world's history.
00:27:29.74\00:27:32.17
I want to be a little careful
because I'm not supposed to
00:27:33.82\00:27:36.16
preach like I used to
in those old, feisty days.
00:27:36.37\00:27:39.20
But when you think
about us, it's almost like...
00:27:40.85\00:27:43.15
it's almost like Muhammad Ali.
00:27:43.45\00:27:46.01
My wife Ethel and I were
in Louisville the other day
00:27:46.31\00:27:49.09
preaching in
Muhammad Ali's city.
00:27:49.29\00:27:51.63
And I thought about
what he used to say.
00:27:51.73\00:27:53.87
Muhammad said:
"It's hard to be humble
00:27:54.07\00:27:58.74
when you're as good as I am. "
00:27:59.04\00:28:00.84
And I feel that way sometimes.
00:28:02.22\00:28:05.88
When I go to preach this message
00:28:06.18\00:28:08.39
I've got it. The
brethren taught me.
00:28:08.59\00:28:13.19
I can stand up
against any of them.
00:28:13.49\00:28:15.38
If we had a debate,
they wouldn't have a chance
00:28:15.68\00:28:20.03
against us Adventist preachers.
00:28:20.23\00:28:22.56
We know what's going to
be said before they say it.
00:28:22.86\00:28:25.17
We've got it all
prepared. It's hard to be humble
00:28:25.48\00:28:29.61
when you've got a
message like we have.
00:28:30.01\00:28:33.02
But we, the people of God -
the end-time people of God -
00:28:33.32\00:28:38.30
must come to the place where
we say: "Not I, but Christ... "
00:28:38.50\00:28:42.92
Amen.
00:28:43.22\00:28:44.97
"Be honored, loved,
exalted. Not I, but Christ
00:28:45.27\00:28:49.34
be seen, be heard, be felt.
00:28:49.44\00:28:52.92
Christ, only Christ. "
00:28:53.12\00:28:55.01
If we as a people
00:28:56.26\00:28:59.12
would learn that
lesson of humility,
00:28:59.32\00:29:03.14
then God could trust us
with more of the Holy Spirit.
00:29:03.34\00:29:07.25
And I... you and I...
00:29:10.33\00:29:13.37
must come to the
place where we realize
00:29:13.57\00:29:18.73
that we, with all
our message and truth,
00:29:18.93\00:29:23.57
are not the only ones in Christ.
00:29:23.77\00:29:28.59
Hmmm?
00:29:30.23\00:29:31.76
Now this one I didn't
get. I want to go back
00:29:32.06\00:29:34.25
and pick this up. I just saw it.
00:29:34.35\00:29:36.03
It says... Christ's
Object Lessons, 150.
00:29:36.33\00:29:38.89
You've got to get... you've got
to read Christ's Object Lessons.
00:29:39.09\00:29:41.55
Ellen White wrote that to
raise funds for our schools...
00:29:42.65\00:29:47.57
our educational work.
00:29:47.77\00:29:49.06
She is talking about us now:
00:29:50.11\00:29:52.83
"He's full of self-praise.
00:29:53.13\00:29:55.27
He looks it; he walks it.
00:29:55.47\00:29:59.64
He prays it...
00:29:59.94\00:30:01.99
drawing apart from
others as if to say:
00:30:02.29\00:30:04.45
'Come not near me for
I am holier than thou. '
00:30:04.65\00:30:07.75
He stands and
prays with himself.
00:30:08.05\00:30:11.15
Wholly satisfied, he
thinks that God and men
00:30:11.35\00:30:15.91
regard him with
the same complacency. "
00:30:15.94\00:30:19.93
So I've got to be
careful. It really is difficult.
00:30:20.23\00:30:25.59
And don't we have a
message to preach to the world?
00:30:25.89\00:30:29.16
We are light... here
I'm boasting almost again.
00:30:29.36\00:30:33.22
We are light years
ahead of anyone else.
00:30:33.42\00:30:36.22
But I thank God that
there are some who are
00:30:37.64\00:30:39.85
somewhat catching up with us.
00:30:40.05\00:30:41.82
I heard Billy Graham's daughter
00:30:43.08\00:30:47.18
the other day
speaking about the end times.
00:30:47.48\00:30:52.67
I almost started to say:
"Listen, that's our message
00:30:54.25\00:30:56.70
you're preaching. "
00:30:56.90\00:30:57.96
And she gave it
clearly, brethren and sisters...
00:30:59.09\00:31:02.54
and convincingly.
00:31:03.89\00:31:06.05
And I have got to realize -
00:31:06.35\00:31:09.62
this is what I really
came here to tell you today -
00:31:09.82\00:31:12.27
all the other is prelude.
00:31:12.47\00:31:14.49
All the other comes before.
00:31:14.69\00:31:17.26
This is what I really
came to tell you today.
00:31:17.56\00:31:20.10
I read it... Ellen
White gave it to us.
00:31:20.30\00:31:24.10
I read it, and this is
what I want to give you.
00:31:24.40\00:31:28.68
She says that there are...
00:31:28.88\00:31:32.16
I want to get
this next one here...
00:31:32.37\00:31:35.33
She says that:
00:31:35.53\00:31:37.77
"The Lord has
jewels in every church. "
00:31:38.07\00:31:43.98
That's why I prayed so hard
00:31:45.74\00:31:48.71
before bringing
this message to you.
00:31:48.91\00:31:51.11
"Jewels in all the churches
00:31:53.31\00:31:55.82
and it is not for us to make
00:31:57.25\00:32:01.02
sweeping denunciation of
the professed religious world. "
00:32:01.22\00:32:05.63
Amen. So the Lord
sat me down, said:
00:32:05.93\00:32:08.52
"Bro. Bradford, sit
down. Charles, sit down.
00:32:08.72\00:32:10.94
Let me tell you I have sheep
that are not of this fold. "
00:32:11.15\00:32:15.66
Somebody ought to
say "Amen. " Amen.
00:32:15.96\00:32:18.84
"I have sheep that
are not of this fold. "
00:32:19.14\00:32:23.35
Listen to this... Now that's
Bible Commentary vol. 4, 1184.
00:32:23.65\00:32:28.88
Listen to this one: "The
Lord has His representatives in
00:32:29.08\00:32:33.31
all the churches. " Amen.
00:32:33.52\00:32:35.82
"These persons have not
had the special testing truths
00:32:38.48\00:32:42.71
for these last
days presented to them
00:32:42.91\00:32:45.45
under circumstances
that brought conviction
00:32:45.65\00:32:48.66
to heart and mind. Therefore,
00:32:48.86\00:32:51.35
they have not by rejecting
light severed their connection
00:32:51.55\00:32:55.46
with God. " God
didn't throw them away!
00:32:55.66\00:32:59.45
We lived in New York, my
dear wife, next to a family
00:33:00.90\00:33:06.73
two maiden ladies up in
age and their brother who was a
00:33:06.76\00:33:12.36
octogenarian like myself.
00:33:12.56\00:33:14.44
But every morning you could rise
00:33:14.64\00:33:18.53
by their driving
their old 1939 Dodge
00:33:18.93\00:33:24.47
out of the garage.
00:33:24.57\00:33:26.35
They were going to Mass.
00:33:26.65\00:33:28.97
And some Sabbaths I
may have been a little late
00:33:30.50\00:33:33.62
to Sabbath School, huh?
00:33:33.72\00:33:36.03
But they never were
late. We stayed there 5 years,
00:33:36.23\00:33:41.71
and every day they were there.
00:33:42.01\00:33:46.19
Oh, yes, we tried to
give them Bible studies.
00:33:46.49\00:33:48.57
Yes, we tried to witness.
00:33:48.77\00:33:49.97
Yes, we talked about
the Sabbath and all of that.
00:33:50.17\00:33:52.37
I don't know... we'll
have to leave that with God.
00:33:52.57\00:33:55.57
And our evangelist friends
can tell you - especially
00:33:57.33\00:34:00.57
in the old days when Billy
Graham and others were great,
00:34:00.67\00:34:04.15
you know, in
their great crusades.
00:34:04.35\00:34:06.26
Some people would say:
"What about Billy Graham?
00:34:06.46\00:34:09.69
You think he's right? "
00:34:09.89\00:34:11.79
I said: "Not my business. "
00:34:11.99\00:34:14.06
Hmmm? All right, now.
00:34:14.26\00:34:16.37
It's not my
business... I am not a judge.
00:34:16.58\00:34:20.82
Of course, I am a
fruit inspector...
00:34:21.32\00:34:24.36
but not a judge.
00:34:27.14\00:34:28.57
I don't know who is. She
says: "Among the Catholics
00:34:28.87\00:34:32.57
there are many who are
most conscientious Christians
00:34:32.68\00:34:35.21
and who walk in all the
light that shines upon them.
00:34:35.41\00:34:38.40
And God will work
in their behalf. "
00:34:38.60\00:34:40.67
That's why you have 3ABN.
00:34:40.98\00:34:43.02
Amen.
00:34:43.32\00:34:44.80
Reaching out to
all these people.
00:34:45.10\00:34:47.87
Then she goes on to
say in the 18th chapter
00:34:48.17\00:34:51.52
of the Revelation: "The
people of God are called upon
00:34:51.72\00:34:54.40
to come out of Babylon.
00:34:54.60\00:34:55.86
According to this
scripture, many of God's people
00:34:56.06\00:34:58.77
must still be in Babylon. "
This is Ellen White now talking.
00:34:58.97\00:35:01.78
I got this from
Great Controversy, 383:
00:35:01.98\00:35:04.67
"And in what religious bodies
are the greater part of the
00:35:04.97\00:35:10.42
followers of
Christ now to be found?
00:35:10.62\00:35:13.21
Without doubt in the
various churches professing
00:35:13.51\00:35:18.99
the Protestant faith. "
00:35:19.19\00:35:21.42
I remember now... Kids don't pay
much attention to their parents
00:35:21.72\00:35:25.45
as much as they should.
But my dad was an evangelist,
00:35:25.65\00:35:29.49
and old-time one with
his charts and all of that.
00:35:29.69\00:35:32.34
But I remember now
that Papa would always say
00:35:32.37\00:35:36.60
in his tent meetings -
his evangelistic meetings -
00:35:36.70\00:35:39.04
he would say:
"Christian friends. "
00:35:39.24\00:35:41.66
Ninety percent of the people
there were not Seventh-day
00:35:41.97\00:35:44.67
Adventists, but Pop
had enough sense to say
00:35:44.77\00:35:47.31
"Christian friends. "
00:35:47.51\00:35:49.57
He would always say
it: "Christian friends,
00:35:49.87\00:35:52.54
I want the Lord to
help me to be able to say
00:35:52.74\00:35:55.91
with a straight face to
anyone: Baptist, Methodist,
00:35:56.11\00:35:59.48
Catholic, Presbyterian,
00:35:59.68\00:36:01.84
Apostolic Christian friends.
00:36:02.04\00:36:04.98
Anyone that names
the name of Christ
00:36:05.28\00:36:08.94
I ought to accept as
a brother, a sister. "
00:36:09.14\00:36:13.95
And then she goes on to say:
00:36:14.25\00:36:17.39
"Notwithstanding the spiritual
darkness and alienation
00:36:18.58\00:36:24.36
from God that exists in
the churches which constitute
00:36:24.56\00:36:28.29
Babylon, the great body
of Christ's true followers
00:36:28.49\00:36:34.48
are still to be
found in their communion. "
00:36:34.79\00:36:40.12
And so I want to come
down off my high horse.
00:36:40.53\00:36:45.77
I want to be able to
have fellowship with people
00:36:47.60\00:36:51.18
who love Jesus but
don't know what I know.
00:36:51.38\00:36:54.69
And I have to take the attitude
00:36:55.00\00:36:58.71
that I am their servant!
00:36:58.91\00:37:01.51
I am not here to tell them
they're wrong and I'm right.
00:37:01.81\00:37:06.79
I'm here to let my light shine.
00:37:07.09\00:37:12.88
Now here's another one I
received from Christ's Object
00:37:14.65\00:37:19.00
Lessons... no, this is
Great Controversy once again.
00:37:19.11\00:37:24.50
"There is nothing
so offensive to God
00:37:24.80\00:37:28.51
or is so dangerous to
the human soul as pride
00:37:30.29\00:37:35.19
and self-sufficiency. "
00:37:35.39\00:37:37.22
Now actually I'm just
preaching this to myself...
00:37:37.53\00:37:40.08
you can listen in.
00:37:40.28\00:37:41.78
I'm just talking
to Bro. Bradford here.
00:37:43.25\00:37:45.25
He says to Bro.
Bradford: "Bro. Bradford,
00:37:45.55\00:37:48.70
son, Charles,
00:37:48.90\00:37:51.32
there is nothing
so offensive to God
00:37:51.52\00:37:55.32
or so dangerous
to the human soul
00:37:55.52\00:37:58.18
as pride and self-sufficiency.
00:37:58.38\00:38:01.43
Of all sins it is
the most hopeless...
00:38:01.73\00:38:07.72
the most incurable. "
00:38:08.03\00:38:10.75
I tremble... I
tremble when I think that I
00:38:13.01\00:38:18.76
could be smitten with a
little tincture of pride
00:38:18.86\00:38:23.62
and look at my
neighbors - hmmm? -
00:38:23.82\00:38:29.43
little, pathetic people. They
don't know what it's all about.
00:38:29.46\00:38:33.41
We know God.
00:38:33.61\00:38:36.23
We understand; we have
the third angel's message.
00:38:36.43\00:38:39.30
I do believe we have it,
00:38:39.50\00:38:42.41
and I believe I'm
willing to die for the message.
00:38:42.61\00:38:47.00
But bless your
heart, brothers and sisters,
00:38:47.23\00:38:49.86
if I do so... if I
preach it with pride in myself,
00:38:50.06\00:38:56.03
then I am no more
than a sounding brass
00:38:56.33\00:39:01.71
or a tinkling cymbal.
00:39:01.91\00:39:05.27
Don't you think
we, the people of God,
00:39:05.57\00:39:08.28
ought to take
God's message seriously?
00:39:08.48\00:39:12.51
Examine ourselves?
00:39:12.81\00:39:15.61
Do I have this problem?
00:39:15.91\00:39:18.56
Am I looking down
00:39:19.46\00:39:25.38
on neighbor and friend?
00:39:25.68\00:39:27.73
Am I rearing myself up...
00:39:29.44\00:39:34.23
self up to lofty heights
00:39:34.43\00:39:36.23
and look down on
all these other people?
00:39:36.53\00:39:39.74
And then I am chagrined
when I think about my Savior
00:39:39.94\00:39:45.07
who went to a wedding - Huh? -
00:39:45.27\00:39:48.90
and just drank a
little wine with them.
00:39:50.44\00:39:53.84
I know it was all right
what He did, what He drank.
00:39:53.94\00:39:57.00
I think of Him as
getting a time of fellowship
00:39:57.30\00:40:03.13
with Mary and
Martha and Lazarus.
00:40:03.33\00:40:06.05
What a Savior He must have been!
00:40:06.25\00:40:08.10
And the preacher said
today: "Wouldn't it be wonderful
00:40:08.40\00:40:10.59
if He could
come in here today? "
00:40:10.79\00:40:12.88
Well, I feel that He's here now!
00:40:13.08\00:40:15.52
Amen. And he said the
same thing "by His Spirit. "
00:40:15.82\00:40:18.70
He said: "Where two or
three of you are gathered
00:40:18.90\00:40:21.55
in My name, that's where I am! "
00:40:21.85\00:40:25.12
And I want you to help me
a little bit, pray for me.
00:40:25.43\00:40:28.37
Right now I have
been for several years
00:40:28.67\00:40:33.44
doing my own intensive study
00:40:33.64\00:40:38.00
on what the church really is.
00:40:38.30\00:40:42.33
What is the church?
00:40:42.63\00:40:44.84
I don't want to cause any stir.
00:40:45.14\00:40:49.36
I want to be very
careful in my speech.
00:40:49.66\00:40:54.57
My demeanor,
even... the way I give it.
00:40:54.87\00:40:58.29
But let me tell you, my
friends, the only definition
00:40:58.49\00:41:02.67
that Jesus ever
gave of the church
00:41:02.87\00:41:05.55
is when He told His
disciples in Caesarea-Philippi
00:41:05.75\00:41:09.41
"upon this rock
I build My church
00:41:09.61\00:41:11.89
and the gates of hell shall
never prevail against it. "
00:41:12.09\00:41:15.17
He goes on to tell them
finally in the next two chapters
00:41:15.37\00:41:18.67
that "I tell you... "
In one of the versions said
00:41:18.87\00:41:22.53
"Listen carefully... "
00:41:22.73\00:41:24.12
He said: "Listen
carefully, I tell you
00:41:24.32\00:41:27.09
that wherever two or
three of you are gathered
00:41:27.29\00:41:30.92
in My name, there I am" -
00:41:31.12\00:41:33.51
Amen - "in the midst of you. "
00:41:33.82\00:41:36.39
And so Ellen White tells
us if you are worshiping in a
00:41:36.70\00:41:40.50
little church
somewhere in the dale
00:41:40.60\00:41:43.25
and nobody thinks much of you,
00:41:43.45\00:41:46.12
you can look upon
Jesus coming in there
00:41:46.62\00:41:49.65
and say: "This is the
place we ought to be. "
00:41:49.86\00:41:52.04
Jesus is there.
Every time, He's there!
00:41:52.34\00:41:55.63
Now I've got a
little new light for you.
00:41:55.83\00:41:57.35
Because the brethren get on me
when I get a little new light,
00:41:58.80\00:42:02.36
you know. You
heard about new light?
00:42:02.56\00:42:05.46
I've got to
watch that new light.
00:42:06.88\00:42:08.36
But I have some new
light here today... new light.
00:42:08.56\00:42:11.01
I noticed when I say
that everybody woke up.
00:42:11.32\00:42:13.49
That's wonderful... I'll
do that all the time now.
00:42:13.80\00:42:16.78
New light... new
light. Well, you remember
00:42:17.08\00:42:20.24
Jesus said: "Where two or three
are" What? "Gathered in My name
00:42:20.44\00:42:23.67
I'm there. " He
didn't say "I come late. "
00:42:23.87\00:42:27.16
"I'll straggle in
between Sabbath School
00:42:27.26\00:42:29.58
and 11 o'clock. " "I'm there! "
00:42:29.69\00:42:31.38
I'm getting a little sassy
now, so don't get angry with me.
00:42:31.68\00:42:35.00
But... and Sabbath School is it.
00:42:35.20\00:42:38.38
If you're a Seventh-day
Adventist, you've got to be
00:42:38.68\00:42:41.30
in Sabbath School. Amen!
00:42:41.40\00:42:43.76
And I'm talking to the
preacher and everybody else.
00:42:43.96\00:42:46.50
Whoo, I'm getting a
little tough here today.
00:42:46.80\00:42:49.11
I'm going to get in trouble.
00:42:49.31\00:42:50.45
But even though I
haven't finished up my sermon
00:42:50.75\00:42:54.33
I don't need to sit
and study and finish it up.
00:42:56.38\00:42:58.70
Now go to Sabbath School, and
the Lord'll give you something
00:42:58.90\00:43:00.96
better. Come on, now. Amen!
00:43:01.06\00:43:03.20
Sabbath School
00:43:03.33\00:43:05.31
is where they spake
often one to another!
00:43:05.41\00:43:09.55
That's what
happens in Sabbath School.
00:43:09.85\00:43:11.90
I was in Sabbath School a couple
weeks ago; great Sabbath School.
00:43:12.20\00:43:15.22
They put us in class,
and we all talked together.
00:43:15.42\00:43:18.33
And you know, they stimulated
me and I had to do a little bit
00:43:18.54\00:43:21.39
of talking. Said: "Oh, wait a
minute; I'm supposed to preach.
00:43:21.49\00:43:23.48
I don't need to get
in... you know to. " But
00:43:23.68\00:43:25.54
let the people talk, brethren.
Have the people to speak
00:43:25.74\00:43:29.39
one to another.
00:43:29.59\00:43:31.77
And by the way, when you
call together a group of people
00:43:32.07\00:43:36.03
and give them the
opportunity to talk,
00:43:36.23\00:43:38.27
you'll find out you're
not the smartest one anyway.
00:43:38.47\00:43:41.68
You need it.
Sabbath School... 2 or 3.
00:43:44.04\00:43:47.14
But I'm going back
now to my new light.
00:43:47.24\00:43:49.12
My new light is this: you know
00:43:49.52\00:43:52.64
on that day He's risen
but they're in an upper room.
00:43:52.84\00:43:58.46
They're
commiserating with each other.
00:43:58.66\00:44:01.51
"Oh it's a terrible
day... our Savior's in the tomb.
00:44:01.71\00:44:05.06
Terrible, terrible. "
00:44:05.27\00:44:06.72
A little bit earlier in that
day there were a couple of men,
00:44:06.92\00:44:09.13
Cleopas was one, I don't know
if we have the other man's name,
00:44:09.33\00:44:11.73
but they were walking
along the road to Emmaus
00:44:11.86\00:44:14.18
and oh, they were so terribly
down in the mouth as it were.
00:44:14.38\00:44:20.31
"Our Savior's gone. We
thought, we trusted in God
00:44:20.61\00:44:24.91
that He would
deliver us. Now He's gone.
00:44:25.11\00:44:26.95
What shall we do? " It
was an awful time for them...
00:44:27.15\00:44:29.69
a terrible time... and
they didn't even recognize
00:44:29.79\00:44:33.19
the man... a
stranger from Galilee...
00:44:33.23\00:44:36.42
as He joined them
as they walked along.
00:44:36.56\00:44:39.01
And they couldn't pay attention
to Him for weeping and crying
00:44:39.31\00:44:42.94
and commiserating. And finally
00:44:43.24\00:44:46.10
He had to tell them a
few things from the Word.
00:44:46.30\00:44:49.26
He went back to
Moses and all the prophets.
00:44:49.46\00:44:51.82
Spoke about the Savior to
come. They still didn't get it.
00:44:52.02\00:44:54.85
And then finally they said:
"Let's go to this little inn
00:44:55.05\00:44:57.63
here, little place to
get something to eat. "
00:44:57.73\00:45:00.03
And He took some bread
00:45:00.13\00:45:02.83
and broke it as only He can.
00:45:03.03\00:45:04.74
"Ah, it's Jesus! " Well, He'd
been with them all the time,
00:45:04.94\00:45:07.45
hadn't He?
"Where two or... " What?
00:45:07.66\00:45:09.66
"three are gathered
in My name I'm there. "
00:45:09.86\00:45:12.55
And so the brethren -
big apostles - they're in the
00:45:12.75\00:45:16.01
upper room. They're
weeping; they're crying.
00:45:16.11\00:45:18.64
They don't know what's
going to happen. And finally
00:45:18.84\00:45:21.26
somebody said: "There's a fellow
in here; we don't know him. "
00:45:21.46\00:45:24.99
And He stood up
and it was Jesus!
00:45:25.19\00:45:27.24
Now my preaching
prior to my new light was
00:45:27.44\00:45:30.70
that they all got
settled down and then Jesus came
00:45:30.90\00:45:34.15
and came on
through the wall, you know,
00:45:34.35\00:45:36.56
and came in with them.
I've got new light for you:
00:45:36.77\00:45:39.16
He was already there.
He walked in with them.
00:45:39.37\00:45:42.37
In all their
afflictions He was afflicted.
00:45:42.57\00:45:44.88
He never left them.
00:45:44.98\00:45:45.98
When they went into
the building Jesus was...
00:45:46.18\00:45:48.64
They didn't see Him,
but He came in with them.
00:45:48.84\00:45:50.86
"Where two or
three are... " What?
00:45:51.06\00:45:52.78
"gathered in My name. "
00:45:52.98\00:45:54.49
So I've got
these last few words.
00:45:54.69\00:45:56.22
I've got a word to
leave with you to think about.
00:45:57.56\00:46:00.83
Something to think about.
00:46:01.03\00:46:02.83
Entitlement.
00:46:03.03\00:46:05.30
Entitlement. Make a
mental notation of that, folks.
00:46:07.49\00:46:11.82
It doesn't belong to you.
00:46:12.12\00:46:14.50
It doesn't belong to me.
00:46:16.06\00:46:18.08
It doesn't belong
because my family's been here
00:46:19.50\00:46:21.74
for thirty years, hmmm?
00:46:21.94\00:46:24.34
Doesn't belong to me because
I graduated from the Seminary
00:46:24.82\00:46:28.04
with whatever
they give up there.
00:46:28.14\00:46:30.40
Doesn't matter how
many people you baptized.
00:46:30.61\00:46:35.40
Doesn't matter how
much tithe you paid.
00:46:35.60\00:46:39.05
The one that comes in
the last hour of the last day
00:46:39.25\00:46:44.16
will receive
the same pay as you.
00:46:44.36\00:46:47.51
You ought to say "Amen" to that.
00:46:48.01\00:46:49.87
This is the driest church
I ever preached to over here.
00:46:50.07\00:46:52.48
No it isn't, either. I'm
just trying to stir you up...
00:46:52.51\00:46:54.59
that's all I'm doing.
00:46:54.72\00:46:55.91
There's no such
thing as entitlement...
00:46:56.21\00:46:58.91
doesn't to me. It's His.
00:46:59.01\00:47:02.74
I don't care if you
paid $1,000 on one pew.
00:47:03.04\00:47:08.62
It's not yours.
00:47:08.73\00:47:10.36
And the second one I
have is self-sufficient.
00:47:11.80\00:47:16.36
Self-sufficiency.
00:47:16.56\00:47:18.78
Self-sufficiency.
00:47:18.99\00:47:21.19
I have no sufficiency in myself.
00:47:21.49\00:47:24.05
And after... I think
I was baptized about...
00:47:25.81\00:47:31.66
I guess about
almost eighty years ago.
00:47:31.86\00:47:34.75
I was nine when I was baptized.
00:47:34.85\00:47:37.17
I've been serving
Him all these years.
00:47:37.53\00:47:39.50
Now life for me ain't
been no crystal stair.
00:47:39.70\00:47:42.13
I've been climbing and falling
and climbing and falling.
00:47:42.33\00:47:45.58
But I have this to tell
you my brothers and sisters:
00:47:45.78\00:47:48.18
I've been with Him a long
time and I ain't got weary yet.
00:47:48.48\00:47:51.80
Amen! I'm still trying
and I'm still repenting.
00:47:52.00\00:47:57.65
And the last prayer I
pray in this life will be
00:47:58.72\00:48:03.44
"God, be merciful
to me, a sinner. "
00:48:03.64\00:48:08.53
No self-sufficiency here.
And the last little phrase is
00:48:08.73\00:48:12.02
"let us here and now... " -
00:48:13.26\00:48:14.59
you know, as the preachers
like to say sometimes -
00:48:14.89\00:48:17.42
"let the word go forth. "
00:48:17.62\00:48:19.48
Sounds, you
know... real nice ring.
00:48:19.68\00:48:22.33
We must here and
now... Let us here and now
00:48:22.53\00:48:25.70
declare a
declaration of dependence
00:48:25.90\00:48:31.00
and not independence.
00:48:31.30\00:48:33.38
Nobody heard me
but I preach on anyway.
00:48:33.58\00:48:36.15
Amen.
00:48:36.42\00:48:37.97
I go on anyhow... I
must preach the Word.
00:48:38.27\00:48:40.95
I'm not worthy;
I'm not independent.
00:48:41.15\00:48:46.54
I'm on that
water where Peter was.
00:48:46.74\00:48:50.91
"Come to Me, " the Savior said.
00:48:51.11\00:48:54.15
The big fisherman
steps out on the water.
00:48:54.36\00:48:58.28
It congeals under his feet...
00:48:58.49\00:49:01.03
becomes almost like a highway.
00:49:01.23\00:49:03.83
He's moving toward
the Savior, isn't he?
00:49:04.13\00:49:06.73
Oh, he's feeling good.
00:49:06.93\00:49:09.11
Has any other
man done this before?
00:49:09.31\00:49:12.70
"I'm walking on
water. Look at me, John. "
00:49:13.00\00:49:16.61
"The rest of you boys,
I'm walking on water. "
00:49:17.86\00:49:21.82
And you know, the preachers
like to tell us that one
00:49:22.12\00:49:24.63
of those great waves
came and blocked his view
00:49:24.73\00:49:29.11
of the Savior and
immediately he began to sink
00:49:29.21\00:49:33.54
and cried out: "Lord, save me. "
00:49:35.52\00:49:40.26
So I stand before you
today. I don't want you to...
00:49:40.56\00:49:44.37
I'd like for you to pray for me.
00:49:44.38\00:49:46.61
I'm glad. I have my
limitations and I know it.
00:49:46.81\00:49:50.58
You don't need to
tell me about those either.
00:49:50.78\00:49:52.16
I know it already. I've
been talking to the Lord.
00:49:53.42\00:49:56.25
He showed me these
things I must overcome,
00:49:56.35\00:49:59.08
but I would hope that we -
you, I, all the rest of us -
00:50:00.29\00:50:03.33
would leave this
place trusting God,
00:50:03.53\00:50:06.68
loving one another,
and having a bonding
00:50:07.08\00:50:13.03
with all of God's people.
00:50:14.16\00:50:16.71
Now my future couple of talks
I want to go to the book of
00:50:16.91\00:50:19.78
Malachi.
00:50:19.98\00:50:21.69
Sister White says
Malachi was preaching
00:50:24.04\00:50:28.35
the Laodicean message in the
last book of the Old Testament.
00:50:28.55\00:50:33.62
I want to talk about Malachi.
00:50:33.92\00:50:36.41
I want to give us a
little sketch of how
00:50:36.61\00:50:41.07
that writing of Malachi
is like a rear-view mirror...
00:50:41.27\00:50:44.94
we can see.
00:50:45.34\00:50:47.68
I want to say to you like
the preachers say sometimes
00:50:47.98\00:50:50.42
it's not so much
we who read the Bible
00:50:50.63\00:50:52.70
but it's the Bible who reads us.
00:50:52.90\00:50:54.70
But in Malachi I have
to say the Bible sees us
00:50:54.90\00:51:00.34
and gives us the kind
of instruction that we need
00:51:00.64\00:51:05.19
to meet the dangers of our time.
00:51:05.49\00:51:09.82
But here, to close off this
message, oh how I love Jesus
00:51:10.12\00:51:14.66
because He first loved me.
00:51:14.96\00:51:18.66
I do not want to prevail on
Him to forgive me when I haven't
00:51:19.26\00:51:24.75
confessed. I want to meet
all the terms of the agreement.
00:51:24.95\00:51:30.53
You and I cannot be saved
on our terms of agreement.
00:51:30.83\00:51:34.46
He is the One
that gives the covenant
00:51:34.86\00:51:39.52
and I sign in to it.
00:51:39.72\00:51:42.11
But you know, I am convinced
00:51:42.32\00:51:45.98
that He is able to
save to the uttermost.
00:51:46.18\00:51:50.85
Amen. And in the book of Malachi
00:51:51.05\00:51:53.61
some of them were
crying and the Lord said:
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.41
"I don't like you to
cover the altar with tears. "
00:51:55.51\00:51:58.21
"I don't want you
to weep and moan. "
00:51:59.58\00:52:01.92
Jesus is risen,
00:52:05.06\00:52:07.61
and He is with us
00:52:09.29\00:52:12.35
even when we only have two
or three gathered together.
00:52:12.75\00:52:18.70
"Tis so sweet to trust in
Jesus. " Do you want to do that?
00:52:19.00\00:52:22.59
If I could sing, I
would sing it, elder.
00:52:22.62\00:52:25.51
'Tis so sweet
00:52:26.61\00:52:29.85
to trust in Jesus,
00:52:30.15\00:52:33.93
just to take Him at His Word.
00:52:34.13\00:52:39.43
just to rest upon His promise,
00:52:39.73\00:52:45.63
just to know "thus saith the
Lord. " Sing it out everybody
00:52:45.93\00:52:51.41
now: Jesus, Jesus,
00:52:51.51\00:52:55.03
how I trust Him.
00:52:55.23\00:52:58.15
how I've proved
Him o'er and o'er.
00:52:58.35\00:53:03.76
Jesus, Jesus,
00:53:04.06\00:53:07.58
precious Jesus.
00:53:07.88\00:53:11.00
Oh for grace
00:53:11.30\00:53:13.87
to trust Him more.
00:53:14.07\00:53:17.64
Heavenly Father,
Jesus our Savior,
00:53:17.84\00:53:21.62
Holy Spirit our Comforter,
00:53:22.02\00:53:25.26
abide with us now. Prepare
our hearts for the Sabbath.
00:53:25.57\00:53:30.03
Give us peace with each other
00:53:30.33\00:53:33.63
and peace with heaven and
peace within our own souls.
00:53:33.93\00:53:38.83
Help us to be able to
say "Shalom, Shalom. "
00:53:39.13\00:53:42.93
Great peace have they
which love Your law...
00:53:43.23\00:53:46.44
nothing shall offend them.
00:53:46.74\00:53:48.86
Forgive our sins and
make us that blessing
00:53:49.16\00:53:52.44
that the world needs to see.
00:53:52.65\00:53:54.94
In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
00:53:55.15\00:53:59.86
Amen.
00:54:00.16\00:54:02.01
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him.
00:54:02.31\00:54:06.87
Can we say "Amen" again? Amen!
God bless you, Elder Bradford.
00:54:07.18\00:54:10.86
You know, that
song is so wonderful:
00:54:12.06\00:54:14.16
that song Jesus,
Jesus, precious Jesus.
00:54:14.46\00:54:18.55
Oh for grace to trust Him more.
00:54:18.85\00:54:20.74
Were you blessed? Amen!
00:54:22.12\00:54:25.14
I know those of you who
are watching and listening,
00:54:25.35\00:54:27.29
some on the Internet,
some watching on television,
00:54:27.50\00:54:30.76
how wonderful it is. That
was such a timely message.
00:54:31.06\00:54:34.53
As I was sitting down listening
to that and Elder Bradford said
00:54:34.73\00:54:39.21
"I'm getting to the place
where I want to become a little
00:54:39.61\00:54:43.10
bit more radical here
and say that this message
00:54:43.20\00:54:45.11
is for Adventists. "
00:54:45.31\00:54:47.88
And I thought: "I
wonder if he's talking to me? "
00:54:48.06\00:54:51.28
Those of you who know
and understand the truth:
00:54:51.58\00:54:54.56
this is the hour to be
more humble than we've ever been
00:54:54.77\00:54:57.98
before. What do you say?
00:54:58.08\00:54:59.50
This is the hour to
remember that God has given us
00:54:59.70\00:55:03.12
light... not to
burn other people with
00:55:03.32\00:55:07.12
but to
illuminate the way to Jesus.
00:55:07.42\00:55:10.12
And I'm thankful that a person
who has been proclaiming this
00:55:10.42\00:55:13.66
message with a trumpet of
certainty for more than 60 years
00:55:13.86\00:55:18.29
has not forgotten
that the only glory that
00:55:18.49\00:55:23.15
is ever to shine is the
glory that comes as a result of
00:55:23.35\00:55:27.81
Jesus residing in our lives.
00:55:28.01\00:55:29.95
So those of you who
have come this afternoon...
00:55:30.25\00:55:33.68
we have so much
more Camp Meeting left.
00:55:33.88\00:55:36.18
We have messages
later on in our day.
00:55:36.28\00:55:39.55
We have wonderful
programs this evening.
00:55:39.75\00:55:42.36
But let me challenge you
with this particular thought:
00:55:42.66\00:55:45.99
how wonderful it is to gather
together on occasions like this
00:55:46.19\00:55:50.09
and remember all the
lessons we've learned
00:55:50.29\00:55:53.07
at the feet of Jesus.
00:55:53.27\00:55:54.87
But how tragic it would
be to learn all these lessons
00:55:55.07\00:55:57.90
at the feet of Jesus and
not sit at the welcome table
00:55:58.00\00:56:01.02
with Jesus when He comes.
00:56:01.22\00:56:02.79
Getting back to the
title, seems ironic:
00:56:03.10\00:56:06.71
Good Man Lost; Bad Man Saved.
00:56:06.91\00:56:10.08
Remember the words of Jesus:
00:56:10.38\00:56:12.38
"There is only One
good and that is God. "
00:56:12.58\00:56:14.54
And so as we keep ourselves
under the tutelage of His
00:56:14.74\00:56:18.68
Holy Spirit, as we walk on
the path that still has miles
00:56:18.88\00:56:22.99
ahead of us, let's
remember that it is God's grace
00:56:23.19\00:56:28.22
that will keep us,
God's grace that will save us,
00:56:28.42\00:56:31.85
God's grace that
will continue to guide us.
00:56:32.06\00:56:34.57
Let us pray for our preachers
00:56:34.87\00:56:37.30
on all the continents of
this world and all the pulpits
00:56:37.50\00:56:40.07
of this world. Let's also pray
for those sincere Christians
00:56:40.17\00:56:44.38
that love the Lord that
are in various denominations
00:56:44.68\00:56:47.80
around the world
that when Jesus does come
00:56:47.90\00:56:50.68
there will be one
Lord, one faith, one baptism,
00:56:50.88\00:56:54.86
and one church triumphant.
What do you say? Amen.
00:56:55.06\00:56:58.24
And so good man, bad man... it's
really for the Lord to decide.
00:56:58.54\00:57:03.83
But as you keep your
life in the hand of the Lord
00:57:04.03\00:57:06.64
remember that He and
He alone can transform us
00:57:06.84\00:57:09.93
from who we were to
who we can be in Jesus.
00:57:10.13\00:57:13.11