Participants: Mark Finley
Series Code: 11HC
Program Code: 11HC000009
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00:48 Well what a spiritual feast we had in that first service. Amen.
00:51 And right after he went off the air I think he gave another 00:55 sermon. I believe he did. Just in about two minutes. 00:58 That's right. I tell you, the Lord just 01:01 has laid His hand upon that man. He has. 01:05 And the first time I heard him - a long time ago - 01:09 I was a student at Andrews University. 01:11 Pioneer Memorial Church. 01:13 And when I heard that man preach I said: 01:15 "I've got to know that man. " 01:17 And then I went down front and introduced myself to him. 01:21 And through the years we've been able to 01:26 keep that friendship going. Speaking of friendships, 01:30 in just a little bit we have another friend 01:32 that's going to be out here speaking. That's right. 01:34 And this man has spoken literally around the world. 01:36 Yes. And only heaven will tell of the multitudes 01:39 of people who have come to know Jesus and joined 01:42 the Seventh-day Adventist church through the ministry of 01:45 Pastor Mark Finley. Yes. 01:46 And we're privileged to have him here at the Camp Meeting - 01:49 um-hmm - this year, and you got him on kind of short notice 01:53 which we were happy about. We were. 01:55 But we're very glad that he's here, and I know 01:57 you all have been blessed so far. 01:58 And maybe we haven't heard anything yet, right? 02:01 That's right. He's getting ready to preach tonight and tomorrow. 02:04 Yes. And I think Elder Bradford warmed him up. 02:07 I do too. But on top of that 02:09 he was letting me know that he needed all the time 02:11 we could give him. So... OK, well that be done. 02:14 Let's just get on with it. All right, then why don't we 02:16 introduce Yvonne Lewis, Dr. Yvonne Lewis, 02:19 and she is going to sing for us That Name. 02:24 Dr. Lewis. 02:41 There is a name 02:45 that is so precious. 02:49 A name so wonderful 02:54 to me. 02:56 A name that's worthy 03:00 of our praises. 03:03 Because of Him 03:06 I am made free. 03:10 And that name is Jesus... 03:14 oh how I love Him. 03:18 The One who gave 03:21 His life for me. 03:24 Because of love 03:28 so unconditional 03:31 I will have life 03:35 eternally. 03:42 Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh. 03:55 His name speaks peace 03:59 to all my storm clouds. 04:03 His name speaks calm 04:07 to all my fears. 04:10 And when I think 04:13 that no one loves me 04:17 His loving presence 04:21 is so near. 04:24 And His name is Jesus... 04:28 oh how I love Him. 04:32 The One who gave 04:35 His life for me. 04:39 Because of love 04:42 so unconditional 04:46 I will have life 04:49 eternally. 04:54 Oh praise 04:57 that name. 05:01 Praise 05:04 His holy name. 05:07 Praise 05:11 that name. 05:15 Praise 05:18 that name. 05:24 Some day we'll leave 05:28 this earthly dwelling. 05:32 Through time and space 05:35 we all will fly. 05:40 And finally see 05:43 the face of our Jesus 05:47 to praise that name 05:51 forever more. 05:55 That name is Jesus... 05:58 oh how I love Him. 06:02 The One who gave 06:06 His life for me. 06:13 Because of love 06:17 so unconditional 06:21 I will have life 06:25 eternally. 06:29 Oh matchless 06:33 is that name: Jesus. 06:37 Oh glorious 06:41 that name: Jesus. 06:44 Oh wonderful 06:48 is that name: Jesus. 06:51 Oh praise 06:59 that name! 07:09 Amen. 07:18 Have you ever had "one of those days? " 07:23 One of those days when things weren't going very well. 07:27 One of those days when you got out of bed in the morning 07:30 and wished you had stayed in bed. 07:34 One of those days that you felt a little down 07:36 and a little discouraged. 07:38 One of those days that a dark cloud settled over you 07:42 and didn't seem to move. 07:46 And then some place toward mid-morning 07:50 a song came to your mind. 07:53 One of those old hymns like What a friend we have in Jesus. 07:57 All our sins and griefs to bear. 08:01 What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. 08:05 Have we trials and temptations? 08:08 Is there trouble anywhere? 08:11 Has that ever happened to you? 08:13 A song comes into your mind, gives you hope and courage 08:17 for the day. Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! 08:20 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. 08:22 Redeemed, I'm so happy in Jesus. 08:25 Have you ever had one of those days 08:27 when a song... God brings a song to your mind? 08:30 My topic tonight: Revelation's Three Great Songs. 08:35 If you have your Bible and I hope you do on this evening, 08:38 I invite you to take it and turn to the book of Revelation. 08:41 The last book in the Bible: Revelation's Three Great Songs. 08:45 These songs speak of our origin, our purpose, and our destiny. 08:51 These songs speak about where we came from 08:54 and why we're here and where we're going. 08:56 These songs speak about the past, the present, 09:00 and the future. These songs speak about our Creator, 09:04 our Redeemer, and our coming King. 09:07 These songs speak to you and me in this generation. 09:13 They were written in the first century 09:15 but they speak with relevance to the 21st century. 09:18 They were written on an island called Patmos 09:22 and they speak to us here where we are tonight. 09:26 Two of these songs are currently being sung in heaven 09:30 and one of them will yet be sung. 09:33 We begin our study tonight in the book of Revelation 09:36 the first chapter and the first verse 09:38 because each of these songs reveals a different facet, 09:42 a different aspect of Jesus. 09:45 So the book of Revelation is not a book about necessarily 09:48 mystic symbols. It's not a book about 09:52 dragons and beasts primarily. 09:55 The book of Revelation is a book about Jesus. 09:58 Revelation chapter 1 verse 1: 10:00 "The revelation of Jesus Christ... " 10:03 So when we study the apocalypse, the last book of the Bible 10:06 written for the last generation of men and women 10:09 to live on planet earth, we are reading about Jesus' 10:14 last message for mankind. 10:16 And these three great songs give hope 10:19 to Christ's end-time people. 10:21 They speak with meaning to a people that are living 10:24 at the crisis of the close of this earth's history. 10:26 The first song we find in Revelation the 4th chapter. 10:31 Revelation the 4th chapter. 10:33 Now if you are a student of the book of Revelation 10:36 you recognize that Revelation chapter 1 10:39 introduces the eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing 10:45 Christ that cares for His church. 10:47 Revelation chapter 2 and 3 describe those 7 churches. 10:52 And in this description God describes 10:56 in seven epics of church history down through the ages 11:00 the spiritual condition of the Christian church. 11:03 So when we're looking at Revelation chapter 2 and 3 11:07 we have a horizontal look. 11:09 We're looking at what's taking place on earth. 11:12 We're looking globally at the Christian church 11:15 from the first century down to the last. 11:18 But when we come to Revelation chapter 4 11:21 our eyes are taken horizontally from earth 11:24 and they're focused vertically on Jesus upon His throne. 11:28 So in Revelation chapter 4 verse 1 we read: 11:31 "After these things I looked 11:34 and behold the door standing open in heaven. " 11:37 Whatever your condition tonight, 11:40 whatever is taking place on earth, 11:42 I invite you to look with me tonight at the door 11:46 that's standing open in heaven 11:47 because looking from earth to heaven we have new hope. 11:50 Looking from earth to heaven we have new courage. 11:53 Looking from earth to heaven our hearts are lifted up. 11:56 Looking at earth there may be trials and difficulties 11:59 and troubles. Looking at earth there may be 12:02 dark clouds that settle over. 12:04 But Jesus says it's time to look from earth to the door 12:08 that's standing open in heaven. Revelation chapter 4 verse 1. 12:11 "And after these things I looked and behold a door 12:14 standing open in heaven. And the first voice that I heard 12:16 was like a trumpet speaking with me saying: 12:19 "Come up here. " God is saying to you tonight 12:21 "Come up here. " Come from the trials of the earth. 12:24 Come from the busy throng of earth's hectic activities. 12:29 "Come up here. " 12:30 Jesus invites us to join Him at the throne room 12:33 of the universe. We see in Revelation chapter 4 12:37 Jesus' ministry pictured in four great symbols. 12:41 Verse 7: "The first living creature was like a lion. " 12:45 Jesus... the King of the beasts. 12:48 Jesus... King of King, Lord of Lords. 12:50 That lion is often a symbol of Jesus in the Bible. 12:52 He's the lion of the tribe of Judah. 12:53 The second creature is like a calf... 12:55 an animal of slaughter: Jesus was slain. 12:59 The third like a man. 13:01 Jesus, this lion of the tribe of Judah, 13:04 this Jesus who reigns over all, 13:06 this Jesus who would be a common sacrifice, 13:10 this Jesus became a man. 13:11 But He would not only be sacrificed on a cross 13:14 but like a flying eagle He would return to heaven 13:16 the risen Christ. 13:17 So these four beasts are pictures of Jesus. 13:21 They are descriptions of those heavenly beings 13:25 that worship the four-fold aspect of Christ 13:28 through all eternity. 13:29 They worship the Jesus as King of Kings. 13:31 They worship the Jesus as supreme sacrifice. 13:33 They worship the Jesus humbled Himself and became a man. 13:36 And they worship the Jesus that's the One 13:38 who died and came back to heaven 13:40 and now rests at the Father's throne. 13:42 So it's a picture of worship. 13:44 The Bible says here these beings cry out: 13:49 "Holy, holy, holy. " God is holy. 13:52 We are sinful and God is holy. 13:55 He is the only One perfectly holy in the universe. 13:57 Verse... looking there again: 13:59 "Lord God Almighty. " He is all powerful. 14:02 "Who was and is and is to come. " He is eternal. 14:06 So here is a picture of the holy, all-powerful, eternal God. 14:09 The living creatures give thanks and then they begin to 14:12 sing. And what do they sing in verse 11? 14:15 "You are worthy, O Lord, 14:17 to receive glory and honor and power 14:20 for You created all things 14:22 and by Your will they exist and were created. " 14:26 So all of heaven is singing. 14:27 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory 14:30 and honor and power because You created all things. " 14:32 He is worthy of our worship because He is our Creator. 14:38 He is worthy of our worship because He made us. 14:41 We did not evolve. 14:44 We are not merely skin covering bone. 14:47 We are not the product of some genetic accident. 14:51 We are not genes and chromosomes that came together 14:54 in some primeval slime pit. 14:56 We were created by a God that fashioned us 15:01 and shaped us. Before you were conceived in your mother's 15:05 womb you were thought of in the mind of God. 15:09 Amen. 15:10 The reason that we are unique as human beings 15:16 is because God fashioned us; God created us; 15:19 God shaped us. 15:22 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive honor 15:24 and glory and power because You created us. " 15:29 Amen. Now if you take away creation 15:33 you take away the very basis of self-worth. 15:36 We live in a generation where suicide is at all-time high. 15:41 We live in a generation where anti-depressant drugs 15:45 are sold like candy in pharmacies across this land. 15:50 We live at a time when bulimia 15:53 and anorexia become common and prevalent. 15:58 Why? Because men and women 16:01 have been schooled in the atheistic philosophy 16:05 of evolution. And evolution is not only a science 16:08 it's a psychology. 16:10 And if you accept the hypothesis of evolution, 16:14 you are simply an enlarged protein molecule. 16:18 You're simply an enlarged animal species. 16:24 For many, many years I worked in Socialist countries. 16:28 I worked in the former Soviet Union. 16:32 Worked with scientists at times that believed 16:35 that there was no meaning in life, 16:37 there was no purpose in life. 16:39 Because if you take the philosophy of evolution 16:44 you have really no basis for a moral ethic. 16:47 It's the survival of the fittest. 16:49 We are simply enlarged animals. 16:52 During the days of Communism 16:55 where Russia particularly and the former Soviet Union 16:58 was bathed in the atheistic philosophy of evolution 17:01 suicide was at an all-time high. 17:04 Alcoholism was at an all-time high. 17:07 And the average Russian woman at 45 years old had already had 17:11 seven abortions 17:12 because there was no purpose for life. 17:15 No really meaning for life. 17:17 You and I believe that God created us and God fashioned us. 17:23 We believe that we have worth in His sight. 17:27 Get your eyes out of the dust. 17:30 You never need feel again a lack of meaning and purpose. 17:34 Go to the Psalms with me tonight, please. 17:36 Take your Bible and turn to the Psalms. 17:39 You are worth more than you know in the eyes of God. 17:43 All of heaven is singing 17:46 "Lord God, You created us. You are worthy 17:49 for honor and praise and glory. " 17:52 And in our hearts we can sing. 17:54 We can join with the angels and we can sing 17:57 "Glory to God in the highest. 17:59 He made us, He shaped us, He is our Creator. " 18:02 I'm not a speck of cosmic dust. 18:04 I'm a human being that has worth in His sight. 18:07 Take your Bible, please, and turn to the book of Psalms. 18:10 Psalm 33 verse 15. 18:12 There is nobody else like you in the universe. 18:15 When Jesus created you He threw away the pattern. 18:19 You are one of a kind. 18:21 Psalm 33 and verse 15: 18:25 "He fashioned their hearts individually; 18:29 He considers all their work. " 18:30 Psalm 33 verse 15: He did what everybody? 18:33 What did God do? "He fashioned their hearts 18:36 individually. " 18:37 I am told that Swiss lace makers 18:42 get their patterns for new Swiss lace 18:46 as they take a snowflake and put it under a microscope 18:51 and trace the pattern. 18:53 There are no two snowflakes alike 18:56 and every pattern is different. 18:58 There's nobody like you in the universe. 19:00 If God loses you, 19:03 there is nobody that's going to replace you. 19:06 God does not have a cosmic photocopy machine 19:10 that He turns out people. 19:13 When the genes and chromosomes came together 19:15 to form the unique biological structure 19:18 of your personality, God threw away the pattern. 19:21 And if God loses you, there'll be an emptiness in His heart 19:25 forever. "He formed us individually. " 19:29 Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18. 19:33 The fact that we were created by a God 19:36 that fashioned us individually 19:39 gives to us a sense of worth. 19:43 It gives to us a sense of purpose. 19:45 Whatever trial you're going through tonight, 19:48 whatever difficulty you're going through tonight, 19:50 whatever challenge you're facing tonight, 19:53 the God that created you knows your name. 19:57 The God that named all the stars has not forgotten yours. 20:02 This God cares for you. This God loves you. 20:05 This God fashioned you. This God shaped you. 20:08 You're not some leaf blowing in the autumn breeze. 20:13 You're not some Coke can run over by a car 20:15 and dinted by the side of the road that some boy kicks 20:19 as he walks along. 20:20 You are not simply a collection of skin and bone. 20:24 You are a human being created unique by God 20:27 and He's thinking about you. 20:29 Look: Psalm 139. Here we go. 20:31 Psalm 139 verses 17 and 18: 20:34 "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! 20:37 How great is the sum of them. 20:40 If I should count them they should be more in number 20:43 than the sand. When I wake up I'm still with You. " 20:45 God's thinking about you tonight. 20:48 And David the Psalmist says God's thoughts to you 20:51 are more than the grains of sand on every seashore. " 20:56 Psalm 18 verse 19. 20:59 Once you understand this 21:02 you are lifted from the fog of depression. 21:05 Once you understand this 21:09 you are lifted from all those feelings of low self-esteem. 21:14 Once you understand this 21:16 you walk through your life with head high. 21:19 With a smile on your face; with shoulders erect. 21:23 You walk there taking deep breaths saying 21:26 "God, You who created sun, moon, and stars created me. " 21:30 "You who created every flower that blossoms created me. " 21:33 "You who created every fruit tree 21:35 and loaded it with fruit created me. " 21:38 "You who created the birds to sing 21:40 and You who created every animal 21:42 You created me and You fashioned me and You care for me 21:45 because there's nobody else like me in the universe 21:48 and there's a place in Your heart only for me. " 21:52 Psalm 18... looking there at verse 19. 21:57 Psalm 18 and verse 19. 21:59 "He has brought me out into a broad place. 22:02 He delivered me because He delighted in me. " 22:06 Can you say that with me tonight? 22:07 God delights in me. 22:10 Can you say it with me? God delights in me. 22:14 Now say it this time like you mean it. 22:15 With a smile on your face. 22:18 God delights in me. 22:21 God not only loves you He delights in you. 22:25 He delights in you. 22:27 This is incredibly good news. 22:30 You say: "But wait a minute, Pastor. 22:32 It's great for the preacher to say 22:35 but there are some six, seven billion people 22:38 in the world, and if I'm lost 22:41 God won't even know it because He has so many other 22:44 people on the face of planet earth. 22:47 Preacher, don't give me those pious platitudes. " 22:51 Look, let's suppose that 22:55 this is a porcelain vase. 22:58 And let's just suppose that this porcelain vase is 23:01 here on the edge of the platform. 23:03 And I'm getting kind of excited as I preach 23:07 and I walk over and I kick this porcelain vase 23:10 and it falls down here and breaks. 23:12 And I feel pretty bad about that 23:14 that I broke a 3ABN vase. 23:18 And I go to Brother Jim and Brother Danny 23:21 and I say: "Now folk, I am so sorry. " 23:23 I look at that vase, and it didn't look like too much to me. 23:26 I thought: Ahh, it's a 3ABN vase. It probably cost $13-$14. 23:31 I'm a preacher but I'll pay Brother Jim, 23:35 I'll pay Brother Danny for that vase. " And I say: 23:37 "Danny, Jim: here's my $14 for that vase. " 23:41 Jim's mouth drops and Danny faints. 23:48 And we get him some smelling salts and we'll wake him up. 23:51 And I say: "Brethren, why do you look like that? " 23:54 "Pastor Mark, there's one thing you don't understand. 23:57 There's only one other vase like that 24:00 and it's in New York City in an antique shop. 24:03 That was a Middle Eastern vase and it's worth $128,000. " 24:12 Was I pretty sorry now that I kicked that vase over? 24:16 Why was the vase so valuable? 24:21 Because now there's only one of a kind in the universe. 24:26 If you break a vase that's one of a kind, 24:28 there's no way to replace it... it's gone. 24:32 What if that vase on the platform... 24:34 To change the illustration, what if there wasn't one 24:36 in New York City? What if it was one of a kind? 24:39 What if it was a Middle Eastern vase painted by one of the most 24:42 famous artists in the world? 24:44 What if it dated back 2,000 years 24:47 or 3,000 years? 24:49 What if it were broken and could never be replaced 24:52 in this generation? 24:55 You were shaped by God. 24:57 You were fashioned by God. Amen. 25:00 You were created by a God that loves you. 25:04 You did not evolve, and if God loses you 25:08 there'll be an emptiness in His heart forever. 25:12 Can you sing with the angels? 25:15 Can you sing with the angels the song of creation? 25:18 Can you sing in the oratorio of creation? 25:21 "You are worthy, O Lord, 25:24 to receive glory and honor and power 25:27 because You have created all things. " 25:30 The song of creation lifts us from earth to heaven. 25:35 The song of creation lifts us to the very heart of God. 25:39 God cares for you more than you recognize. 25:43 God loves you more than you could ever understand. 25:46 Tonight there may be somebody sitting on a couch 25:51 in their living room. Your head is in your hands crying 25:55 because you feel discouraged. 25:57 There is good news for you tonight. Amen. 26:00 Incredibly good news. 26:03 The God that shaped you, the God that fashioned you, 26:07 the God that created you... He cares for you 26:10 and He has a plan for your life. 26:12 You can sing from your heart with the angels: 26:17 "glory to the God that created us. " 26:20 Three songs in the book of Revelation. Two... 26:23 two are being sung tonight in heaven. One not yet sung. 26:26 The second song: Revelation the 5th chapter. 26:28 Take your Bible, please. Three songs. 26:30 The first is the oratorio of creation. 26:33 The second is the oratorio of redemption. 26:35 The first speaks of the God that created us. 26:38 The second speaks of the God that redeemed us. 26:41 The first speaks of a God in Eden who fashioned the world. 26:44 The second speaks of a God hanging on the cross 26:48 that redeemed the world. 26:50 The first speaks of a perfect world; 26:52 the second speaks of a broken world. 26:54 The first speaks of a world with living green carpeting 27:00 with babbling brooks with no taint of sin, sickness, 27:03 and disease. But the second song 27:05 speaks of a broken, shattered world... 27:08 a world in rebellion. Revelation the 5th chapter. 27:11 The second song: the song, the oratorio of redemption. 27:15 Revelation the 5th chapter, we take it there. 27:18 Verse 1: "And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on 27:22 the throne a scroll written inside and on the back 27:26 sealed with seven seals. " 27:28 Here a scroll is unfolded. 27:31 This is the scroll of judgment. 27:33 This is the scroll in which every man, woman, and child 27:36 who've ever lived names are written there. 27:38 The scroll is unfolded. 27:40 "Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming" - verse 2- 27:44 "with a loud voice: 'Who is worthy to open the scroll 27:47 and to loose the seals? ' No one in heaven or on earth 27:49 or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to 27:52 look in it. So I wept much because no one" - verse 4- 27:57 "was found worthy to open the scroll. " 27:59 All of heaven is weeping. 28:01 Human beings created in the image of God 28:03 many of them who have fallen... all of them have fallen. 28:07 "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. " 28:09 And here is the scroll that reveals the deeds 28:12 of all mankind. 28:14 And there's nobody worthy to open the scroll. 28:16 It appears that all humanity will be lost. 28:19 The world was created perfect by God 28:23 but our first parents plunged into sin. 28:25 And sin is malignant and deadly. 28:29 And every human being has the malignancy of the cancer 28:34 of sin, and the only cure 28:37 is not a pill but the "gos-pill. " Amen. 28:41 And the "gos-pill" cures that malignancy of sin. 28:47 And here in heaven the angels see that there's nobody worthy 28:52 to open the scroll. Verse 5: 28:55 "But one of the elders said to me: 'Do not weep. ' 28:58 'Do not weep, for the lion of the tribe of Judah 29:04 the root of David has prevailed to open the scroll 29:07 and to loose the seven seals. ' And I looked 29:09 and behold in the midst of the throne of the four living 29:12 creatures and in the midst of the elders 29:15 stood a.. " What? Stood a what? 29:17 Lamb. "A Lamb as it had been slain. " 29:21 A Lamb as it had been slain. In the book of Revelation 29:24 it mentions the Lamb of God 28 times. 29:27 Twenty-eight is four times seven. 29:29 Numbers in the book of Revelation are significantly 29:32 important. Seven represents perfection. 29:34 Four represents universality. 29:37 So the sacrifice of Christ - the Lamb that was slain - 29:40 mentioned 28 times is the universal sacrifice 29:44 for all mankind. It's the perfect sacrifice. 29:47 Nothing can be added to it; 29:49 nothing can be taken away from it. 29:50 And as all of heaven sees this bloody Lamb 29:56 up in heaven, as they see the symbolism of this bloody Lamb, 30:00 there is universal praise for the perfect sacrifice 30:04 of the living Christ. And in verse 9 30:07 they sung a new song. All of heaven rejoices. 30:12 All of heaven sings... they sing a new song saying: 30:16 "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open 30:19 its seal for You were slain and have redeemed us 30:22 to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue 30:26 and people and nation and have made us kings and 30:29 priests to our God, and we shall reign on earth. " 30:32 "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb. " Amen. 30:35 "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain 30:38 to receive blessing and honor and glory. " 30:41 Everything lost by sin: blessing, honor, glory, 30:46 riches. All that was lost by sin 30:48 Jesus Christ has won back. 30:52 He is the Lamb that was slain. 30:56 On the cross of Calvary 30:59 when the nails were driven through His hands, 31:02 a crown of thorns jammed upon His head, 31:05 it was a dark, dark Friday. 31:07 It was a dark Friday. 31:10 The birds ceased their singing. 31:13 The flowers drooped their heads. It was a dark, dark Friday. 31:18 The thunder crashed and the lightning flashed 31:22 and the rain fell. It was a dark, dark Friday. 31:24 They drove nails through His hands and blood ran down His 31:28 wrists to the stone beneath the cross. 31:31 It was a dark, dark Friday. 31:33 They pierced His side. 31:36 Pilate condemned Him. 31:41 Peter denied Him. 31:43 Judas betrayed Him. 31:46 The Roman soldiers crucified Him. 31:49 The Jews forsook Him. 31:51 The disciples fled. 31:54 They took Him and they stretched Him on that cross 31:58 and strong-armed Roman soldiers drove jagged nails through the 32:02 hands of the Son of God. 32:05 He should have been put on a throne; He was put on a cross. 32:09 He should have held a scepter 32:11 and they drove nails through His hands. 32:13 He should have worn a diadem of glory 32:17 and He wore a crown. 32:19 But there His dying words 32:25 as the blood ran down His face 32:28 as the blood trickled down His wrists 32:32 as the blood spurted on His ankles... 32:36 John 19 verse 30. 32:39 His dying words in the 19th chapter of the book of John. 32:46 And Jesus cries out before the whole universe... 32:52 John 19 verse 30: 32:55 Jesus cries out 32:57 before watching angels, 33:03 before cherubim and seraphim, 33:06 before men and angels Jesus cries out: 33:09 "So when He had received the sour wine" 33:13 John 19 verse 30 "He said 'It is finished! ' 33:18 'It is finished, ' and He bowed His head and died. " 33:23 Having said that He gave up His spirit. 33:26 What was finished? Now notice the Bible does not say 33:29 "He is finished. " 33:31 Doesn't say "He is finished. " 33:33 Praise God. There was a dark, dark Friday. 33:36 He rested in the tomb on Sabbath 33:37 but hallelujah, there was a bright Sunday morning. Amen! 33:40 And on Sunday morning the angel came down 33:44 and the stone was rolled away 33:46 and the Roman soldiers fell over like dead men. 33:49 And the Father said: "Son... 33:54 arise! " and Jesus came out of that tomb. 33:58 Hallelujah! 34:00 There may be dark Fridays but because of the resurrection 34:02 of Jesus Christ we can have our glorious Sunday morning. 34:05 There is a new day in the resurrection of Jesus. 34:10 The song is being sung in heaven tonight: "Worthy, 34:13 worthy is the Lamb that was slain 34:15 to receive blessing and honor and glory. " 34:17 But back to our text: John 19 verse 30. 34:19 "When Jesus had received the sour wine He said: 34:22 'It is finished! ' " What was finished? 34:25 "It is finished! " One theologian says 34:29 that there is more in those three words "It is finished! " 34:33 than any other expression in the Bible. 34:36 What is finished? 34:37 First, guilt is finished. 34:39 Guilt is finished. 34:40 The Bible says: Romans 8 verse 1 "There is no condemnation 34:43 to those who are in Christ Jesus. " 34:45 No condemnation. 34:47 In the cross of Christ, Jesus bears all the guilt 34:51 of humanity. On the cross what death did Jesus die? 34:56 Did He die the first death or the second death? 34:58 See, if Jesus only died the first death on the cross, 35:02 then there is no salvation for us from the second death. 35:05 You see, if you are born once you die twice 35:10 but if you're born twice you die once. 35:14 You see, I am naturally born into this world 35:19 condemned by sin. 35:22 David said: "In sin my mother did conceive me. " 35:26 Jeremiah 17:9 says: "The heart is deceitful 35:29 above all things and desperately wicked. " 35:30 Isaiah says all my righteousness is as "filthy rags. " 35:34 So I am a sinner by birth and I'm a sinner by choice. 35:37 I am condemned. 35:39 Coming to Jesus there is no condemnation. Amen. 35:45 In Christ, there is forgiveness and mercy. 35:49 What did Jesus mean when He said on the cross: 35:51 "It is finished? " 35:52 The condemnation of the guilt of our sin was borne by 35:55 Jesus on the cross. Amen! 35:57 The Bible says II Corinthians 5 verse 21 36:00 "He who knew no sin became sin for us. " 36:03 Did Jesus ever sin? NO. But He became sin for us. 36:06 Galatians 3 verse 13: 36:08 "Cursed is everyone that hangs upon the tree. " 36:10 When Jesus hung upon the cross 36:13 the judgment bar of God was set up on Calvary 36:17 and the Father judged Christ before the entire universe 36:23 as a sinner. 36:25 Now when did Jesus die the second death? 36:29 Did He die the second death after He closed His eyes 36:34 and He had no more pulse or respiration and no more 36:37 heartbeat? Or did He die the second death before that time? 36:41 What is the second death? 36:43 The second death is the conscious awareness 36:47 of the agony that I was created to be in fellowship with God 36:52 but I am separated from God forever. 36:56 And ultimately the second death takes place 36:59 in the lake of fire where sinners are completely totally 37:02 consumed. But the agony of the second death 37:06 takes place in the conscious moments with the terrible 37:11 weeping and gnashing of teeth 37:13 before the final cessation of life 37:17 in this sense: that I could have lived forever 37:22 but because of the guilt of sin I'm lost and destroyed, 37:26 annihilated... gone forever. 37:29 When did Jesus experience the second death? 37:31 From twelve to three in that afternoon when darkness 37:34 enshadowed the cross 37:36 Jesus could not see through the portals of the tomb. 37:39 And the bearing of the guilt was so great 37:43 that Jesus thought that the shutting of the Father's face 37:48 would be shut out... the hiding of the Father's face 37:51 would shut Him out from the Father's boy forever. 37:54 And as Jesus hung on the cross 37:56 at any moment before He died 37:59 He could have made a conscious choice to call 10,000 angels 38:02 and go back to heaven. 38:04 But as He was in His dying moments He thought consciously 38:09 "I would rather bear the guilt, the shame, the condemnation 38:13 of Mark Finley's sins 38:15 than have him not in heaven. " 38:17 Jesus thought: "I would rather be lost forever... " 38:21 And that's what the devil told Him on the cross. 38:23 The devil said: "Come down from the cross; You're going to be 38:25 lost forever. " And Jesus had to trust 38:28 in the Father's assurance of love which He could not visibly 38:33 see on the moments He hung upon the cross. 38:36 Because everything around Jesus was telling Him 38:39 "If You go through with this, 38:40 You will never see Your Father again. You will be lost. " 38:44 What did Jesus mean when He said: "It is finished? " 38:46 "The plan of salvation is complete 38:53 and My people can go free. 38:56 The guilt and condemnation is gone forever. " 38:59 Do you see why the angels sing? 39:01 "Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb. " 39:05 What love is this that the Son has given His life? 39:10 There is no story like this in Buddhism. 39:13 There is no story like this in Islam. 39:15 There is no story like this in Hinduism. 39:18 Secular atheists are amazed at this story 39:21 that the divine Son of God that existed with the Father 39:25 from eternity, that never had a beginning or never had 39:28 an ending was willing to go into the tomb, 39:31 willing if necessary never to come out. 39:33 Willing to bear the condemnation the guilt and shame of sin 39:36 so that those who He had created in His image 39:41 would one day have that image restored 39:44 and live in heaven with Him forever. 39:46 Amen! 39:48 There is no motivation like the love of the cross. 39:51 What was finished? First, guilt was finished. 39:55 Secondly, bondage was finished. 39:59 Jesus had met Satan's temptations head on. 40:06 Jesus had faced every single thing that you can ever face 40:11 and He came out victorious. 40:14 You say: "Wait a minute, Pastor, now. 40:16 That's kind of... that's nice for the preacher to say 40:18 but look... my husband left me for somebody else. 40:22 Jesus never faced that. He never went through a divorce. " 40:27 You were betrayed. Jesus was betrayed by Judas. 40:33 And Jesus' capacity to love meant that He had a capacity 40:38 to suffer. And if you have an infinite capacity to love 40:41 you have an infinite capacity to suffer. 40:43 The suffering of Christ in the betrayal of His people 40:47 was greater than any betrayal you've ever gone through. 40:49 You say: "Wait a minute... but my business partner treats me 40:51 unjustly. Jesus never had a bus... " 40:53 Jesus was treated unjustly. 40:56 "But wait a minute, Jesus never knows what it's like to 40:58 overcome alcohol and tobacco because... " 41:00 The cravings of Jesus' flesh in the 40 days in the wilderness 41:04 were greater than any alcohol craving or drug craving. 41:07 The body does not interpret the nature of the craving, 41:10 it only interprets the craving. 41:12 And Jesus' craving for food was greater. 41:14 You see, when Jesus faced Satan head on 41:18 He walked in the footsteps of all humanity. 41:23 We have a High Priest that understands our weakness. 41:28 "In all points tempted like we are yet without sin. " 41:32 And when Jesus died on the cross He said: "Bondage is broken. 41:37 The shackles of sin that have bound My people are broken. 41:41 The prison doors that have locked them in are now opened. " 41:46 Jesus was triumphant on the cross over the powers of hell 41:50 and you can overcome in your life against the powers of hell. 41:54 Amen. The gospel is not merely 41:58 salvation from the condemnation of sin. 42:03 It is salvation from the bondage of sin - Amen - 42:07 in Christ, through Christ. 42:09 We come to Jesus just like we are but we don't stay as we are. 42:13 You know that old song Rock of Ages, cleft for me, 42:17 Let me hide myself in Thee. 42:19 And then the verse says save me from sin's guilt and power. 42:24 I thank God that the gospel saves us 42:28 from both sin's condemnation and sin's bondage. 42:32 Romans chapter 8. Please take your Bible 42:34 and turn to Romans the eighth chapter. 42:36 Not only is there no condemnation in Christ 42:39 there is no bondage. 42:42 We are free from bondage. 42:44 The chains that bound us are severed 42:49 through the victory of Christ. 42:52 Romans the 8th chapter. We look here at Romans chapter 8 42:56 verse 15: "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage 43:02 again to fear but you received the spirit of adoption 43:05 by whom we cry Abba Father. " 43:07 Through the death of Christ on the cross guilt is gone. 43:12 We are no longer in bondage. 43:14 We are adopted as the sons and daughters of God. 43:19 What did Jesus mean when He said: "It is finished? " 43:21 Guilt is gone. 43:23 What did He mean when He said: "It is finished? " 43:25 Grace flows from the throne of God: 43:27 the grace that forgives our past and the grace that leads us 43:30 to obedience. Amen. 43:32 Are you struggling with something tonight? 43:34 Is there some besetting sin? 43:37 "Where sin doth abound grace abounds much more. " 43:42 Amen. 43:43 Grace is not merely the provision to pardon. 43:47 Grace is the power to transform. Amen. 43:51 There is power, power, wonder-working power 43:55 in the blood of Jesus Christ. 43:58 When Jesus dies on the cross what is finished? Three things. 44:01 Guilt is gone. Bondage is gone. 44:04 There's one more thing. 44:06 The fear of death is gone. Amen! It's over. 44:10 Jesus went into the tomb and He turned the tomb into a tunnel 44:15 and there's light at the other end. Amen! 44:17 Jesus went into the grave... You know, the older you get 44:21 the more you sense your mortality. 44:27 You know, the older you get the more you recognize 44:30 that you're not immortal. 44:32 I was in Africa, building some churches and schools 44:36 with our Maranatha group. 44:39 Thought I was in pretty good shape until I came down 2 stairs 44:41 and ripped out my knee and my meniscus 44:44 and broke my cartilage. 44:46 My wife and I are pretty active. We walk a lot. 44:50 And for about 6 or 7 weeks - 44:52 I just had my operation four weeks ago - 44:54 and you know I'm still kind of limping around. 44:57 If you see me limping, you say: "Pastor Finley, you're getting 44:59 old. " That's not because I got old; 45:00 that's because I went down those steps. 45:03 But I'll tell you, you lie on your back with some 45:05 health problems from time to time you begin to think about 45:08 how frail life is. 45:10 All of us live on the knife- edge of eternity. Amen. 45:15 One night Elder H.M.S. Richards was preaching on the 45:18 signs of Christ's coming and how soon Christ was going to come 45:21 and an old man stood up in the audience. 45:24 This guy, I don't know, 70 years old or something. 45:26 He said: "Pastor Richards, Christ may not come for 45:29 a hundred years. " And Richards said: "Friend, 45:32 put your hand on your heart. Thump, thump, thump. 45:34 Judging from your age it's not going to be 100 years for you. " 45:39 We live on the knife- edge of eternity. 45:42 And when Jesus Christ went into that grave 45:45 He turned the tomb into a tunnel. 45:48 When Christ went into that grave He conquered death. 45:53 Death is a defeated foe. 45:55 Jesus said: "It is finished! " 45:57 Your guilt is gone. 45:59 "It is finished! " Bondage is gone. 46:01 "It is finished! " The fear of death is gone. 46:04 And so all of heaven sings 46:07 "Worthy, worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb 46:11 to receive blessing and honor and glory 46:14 for He was slain. " 46:16 All of heaven is singing the song of creation. 46:18 You are worth something in God's sight. 46:20 There's a place in His heart only for you. 46:23 All of heaven is singing the song of redemption. 46:25 There's an old Romanian story that Romanian children 46:31 learn when they're little kids - 7, 8 years old. 46:34 It begins in the Romanian language "Once upon a time. " 46:38 I love those "Once upon a time" stories, don't you? 46:41 Once upon a time. 46:42 And here's how the story goes. 46:44 Once upon a time there was a very wealthy Romanian 46:50 nobleman. Once upon a time 46:53 he lived in a palatial estate. 46:56 He had 500 horses. 47:01 He had 10,000 sheep. 47:05 He had chickens. He had farms so far 47:10 that your eye could not see the end of his land. 47:14 Once upon a time 47:15 he was in his palatial estate and he looked 47:19 over through the forest and he saw a little cabin 47:24 on the edge of his property. 47:26 And he saw a little peasant there in peasant's clothing. 47:30 And this peasant had two goats, 47:33 and a few lambs, a couple of chickens. 47:38 Once upon a time the nobleman in the night 47:41 called in some of his soldiers and he said: 47:44 "I want that man's cabin. 47:46 I want that man's sheep. I want that man's chickens. 47:50 This is what we're going to do. 47:53 I can't go take them because the townspeople 47:56 may rebel against me. 47:57 But you go tonight and you drive his sheep and goats 48:02 onto my property. You drive his chicken onto my property. 48:05 Let them destroy a little bit of my garden 48:07 and tomorrow we'll try him. " So they did. 48:10 Drove the animals onto the man's property 48:12 and they made a little mess in the garden, you know, 48:14 like animals can do. 48:16 The next day the soldiers went. 48:18 "You're under arrest. You can't even take care 48:20 of your own animals. Look what they did: damaged 48:22 the nobleman's property. " 48:23 They brought the man into the center of town. 48:27 Brought out all the townspeople 48:28 and they mocked the man. 48:31 They stripped off his clothing. 48:33 They awarded his little cabin and they awarded his 48:39 sheep, the few goats and chickens to the nobleman. 48:45 And as the final act of degradation 48:48 the nobleman walked up and spit on both of his cheeks 48:52 as the man was mocked. 48:55 The man was sent out away from the town. 48:58 And once upon a time there was a poor peasant, penniless. 49:03 A poor peasant in rags with his head down 49:08 ridiculed and mocked walking through the forest. 49:11 And as he walked down an old dirt road one day 49:14 after months of wandering 49:17 he noticed an entourage coming. 49:19 It was the king of that whole country. 49:22 And the king motioned for his entourage to stop. 49:28 And they saw the man. And the king got out 49:30 and he said: "My man, nobody should live like this in my 49:32 kingdom. Why are you living like this? " 49:35 And the poor man told him the story of what the nobleman 49:38 had done. And the king went back 49:41 into his carriage and he got out a sack of gold. 49:45 And he said: "This is enough to buy that whole town 49:48 and that nobleman's estate. It is yours. Go do it! " 49:50 But the man still had his head down. 49:53 And the king said: "Why? " 49:55 And once upon a time the man looked up and he said: 49:58 "Because he spit on my face 50:00 and that is the mockery. " 50:04 And the king took his face 50:06 and he pulled it close to his and he kissed him on each cheek. 50:09 And he said: "You go back into town with your bag of gold 50:13 and tell them that where that wicked man spit on you 50:18 the king has kissed you. 50:20 Walk into town with dignity. " 50:24 I am that wanderer. You are that wanderer. 50:28 "The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill 50:31 and to destroy, but Christ has come to give us life 50:35 and give it more abundantly. " 50:36 We wander around. Our riches have been robbed from us. 50:40 Our righteousness, our robes, have been stripped from us. 50:44 We wander in rags but we come to the King 50:47 and Jesus Christ has died for us. Our guilt is gone. 50:51 Our shame is gone. Our bondage of the evil one is broken. 50:55 And Jesus takes us in His arms and He gives us 50:58 the gold of the riches of His love and He gives us 51:02 more than we could ever imagine we lost. 51:05 And He takes us in His arms and He kisses us on each cheek 51:08 and He says: "My child, there's a place for you 51:10 in all eternity. " And with the angels we sing: 51:13 "Worthy, worthy, worthy 51:15 is the Lamb that was slain 51:18 to bring glory and honor and riches. " 51:20 Can you sing the song of creation tonight? 51:24 Can you sing the song of redemption? 51:26 But there's one more song. 51:27 Revelation the 15th chapter... one last song. 51:30 Three songs of Revelation. 51:32 They speak of where we came from and why we're here 51:35 and where we're going. They speak of a Creator. 51:38 They speak of a Redeemer. They speak of a coming King. 51:40 Revelation the 15th chapter. 51:43 Revelation the 15th chapter. 51:46 We begin there with verse 1. 51:49 "Then I saw a sign in heaven 51:51 great and marvelous: seven angels having the 51:54 seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. 51:58 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with 52:00 fire. And those who have the victory over the beast, 52:03 over his image, and over the mark 52:05 and over the number of his name standing on the sea of glass 52:08 having the harps of God and they sing the song 52:11 of Moses, the servant of the Lamb... 52:14 the servant of God and the servant of the Lamb. " 52:16 They sing the song of Moses. What's the song of Moses? 52:18 See this chapter introduces the seven last plagues. 52:22 Were there any plagues before the seven last ones? 52:25 Were there? How many? Where were they? 52:28 In Egypt. How many were there? 52:30 Ten. Why were there ten there and only seven here? 52:33 Because the first three fell on all the land 52:35 including the Israelites 52:38 but the seven last plagues only fall on the wicked 52:40 never on the righteous. 52:41 Where was Israel during the plagues? Listen to me now. 52:44 Where was Israel during the plagues? 52:46 Were they delivered in some rapture before the plagues? No! 52:48 Israel was in the plagues protected by God. 52:51 And at the end of the plagues God opened up 52:54 the Red Sea. And as God opened up that Red Sea 52:57 they went through! Amen. 52:59 You know, somebody told me not long ago, 53:02 some skeptic, they said: 53:04 "That was no miracle. 53:06 That was not the Red Sea, that was the Reed Sea. 53:08 And we know today the wind had blown 53:10 and the water was ankle deep 53:11 and the Israelites just walked through ankle deep water. " 53:16 You know what I said? "Praise the Lord, what a miracle! " 53:19 They said: "What do you mean what a miracle? " 53:20 I said: "How in the world could the Lord have drowned 53:22 all those Egyptians in ankle deep water? 53:24 That's a better miracle than I ever thought! " 53:30 Here in Revelation chapter 15 53:34 Revelation chapter 15 what is the song of Moses? 53:39 After Israel was miraculously delivered by God, 53:44 when it seemed it was totally impossible for them to be 53:48 delivered, Miriam sang a song of deliverance. 53:53 We go through the plagues protected by God 53:56 but at the end of the plagues we sing the song of Moses, 54:01 the song of deliverance. 54:02 Christ has come as a mighty conqueror. 54:05 Christ has come as a triumphant King. 54:08 Christ has come as Lord of Lords and we sing. Here it is: 54:11 "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty. " 54:14 We'd better be practicing that song now 54:16 because we are going to be singing it when Jesus comes. 54:19 We're going to be singing it all eternity. 54:21 "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty. 54:24 Just and true are Your way, O King of the saints. 54:27 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? 54:30 For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come 54:33 and worship before You for Your judgments have been manifest. " 54:37 Jesus Christ will come as King of Kings. 54:40 One day the earth will shake. 54:42 One day an earthquake will split apart this world. 54:44 One day the buildings will tumble. 54:46 One day the stars will be thrown out of their courses. 54:49 One day the sky will break open. 54:52 Lightning will flash from the east even to the west. 54:55 Jesus will come with 10,000 times 10,000 angels. 54:59 One day disease and disaster and death will be over forever. 55:03 One day pestilence and pollution and poverty 55:07 will be over forever. 55:09 One day chaos and calamity and cancer will be over forever. 55:14 One day Jesus will come. 55:17 One day the graves will be opened. 55:19 One day the righteous dead will be resurrected. 55:22 One day the righteous living will be transformed. 55:24 One day soon you and I will sing with all the angels 55:29 of the universe: "Just and righteous are Your ways 55:33 O Lord. " I'm looking forward to that day, aren't you? 55:35 Amen! 55:39 This evening, is there somebody here tonight, 55:43 somebody watching by television, 55:46 you're a little discouraged tonight. 55:49 You wonder if it's possible for you to be saved. 55:52 I've got good news for you tonight. 55:54 Jesus created you and fashioned you. 55:58 There is a place for you right in His heart. 56:01 If Jesus loses you, He cannot replace you. 56:06 If Jesus loses you, there'll be an emptiness in His heart 56:08 forever. You mean something to Him. 56:13 He died for you. 56:15 He was willing to go to eternal death so you could have 56:19 eternal life. He was willing to have nails in His hands 56:23 so you could hold the scepter. He was willing 56:25 to go to the cross so you could sit on the throne. 56:28 He died for you, tonight, 56:30 and He's coming again for you. 56:32 He can't bear being without you much longer. 56:38 He wants to come more than you want Him to come. 56:44 He's longing to return. 56:47 Tonight would you like to bow your head wherever you are 56:50 here in this 3ABN audience, the television audience, 56:52 and just say: "Jesus, Jesus take me tonight? " 56:56 "Jesus I'm Yours. If You love me that much 56:59 I want to be with You for all eternity. " 57:02 Let's pray. Father in Heaven, 57:03 thank you for Your love... a love that will never let us go. 57:09 Oh Father, we respond to that love tonight 57:12 and want to sing these songs around Your throne forever 57:16 and ever. In Jesus' name, Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17