Participants: Phil Mills
Series Code: 12ASIC
Program Code: 12ASIC000010
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00:19 This morning I have with me three students
00:22 from Weimar College in California 00:25 and they're going to tell us about an exciting 00:27 out of classroom learning experience 00:29 that they had recently. 00:30 Why don't you tell us who you are? 00:32 My name is Nick Knecht and I'm from Tennessee. 00:36 I'm Ariel Hempel and I'm from Arkansas. 00:38 I'm Madeline Cardona, and I'm from New Portland. 00:41 So I understand that you recently went on a mission trip. 00:44 Is this something that's part of the curriculum at Weimar? 00:47 You know, what actually is, Weimar just recently implemented 00:50 what they call "PAC Times." 00:52 And it stands for a Practical, Application and Component 00:55 and I think it's a phenomenal step in the right direction 00:57 because I believe in general 00:59 our education system is very heavily mental. 01:02 You know our body just serves the place 01:04 to get our heads you know around. 01:05 Well, Weimar, its "PAC Times" helps to balance that equation 01:08 out of the a little bit and give us hands on experience 01:10 in the field with what've been learning in the classroom. 01:12 So recently went to Zimbabwe. 01:15 Do you want to tell us a little bit about that experience? 01:17 Actually, we were Zimbabwe for about two weeks. 01:20 And while we were there we held a number of health expos, 01:23 explained to the people there the importance 01:25 of a new start lifestyle 01:26 going through the different principles with them. 01:29 We also held the week of prayer an evangelistic series 01:31 in one of the local churches 01:32 and we had the big blessing and privilege of working 01:35 with a number of orphan ministries there as well. 01:40 And I understand you brought a video to show 01:42 to share a little bit about your experience there. 01:43 Yes, one of the highlights of our trip was a health expo 01:47 we did in a rural village. 01:49 And today you'll have a opportunity 01:51 to see a glimpse of that experience. 02:01 We drove about two-and-half hours 02:03 out into the middle of nowhere 02:05 to do a health expo for villagers. 02:08 So we end up in a riverbed in deep sand with a bus. 02:11 It didn't get start so we drive in a process like riverbed roads 02:14 to finally get to this place. 02:16 To arrive and to see so many people that we got enough 02:18 really, really early and had traveled hours 02:22 to be able to be there. 02:23 There's mother's feeding their babies, 02:25 old people, young men. 02:27 Very eager to see us. 02:29 And they're so grateful and so thankful and accepting. 02:32 And the thing that struck me when I stood there 02:34 is what are these amongst so many. 02:37 We have got a group of students and they're as like 200 people 02:41 all looking at us waiting expectedly. 02:47 And then we sang to them. We just won their hearts. 02:49 Hallelujah, Praise the Lord! 02:55 Amen. Amen. 02:56 We had about a 150 to 200 villagers 03:00 that we had to move through 03:01 within an hour-and-half period of time. 03:03 And we were flying absolutely flying. 03:06 They were about three or four of us giving massages. 03:08 Here I'm marine biologist in a hand locked country 03:10 and I started doing massages. 03:12 I mean way outside my comfort zone. 03:13 But hey, it had to be done. 03:15 You just can't stand around with everybody else doing it. 03:17 Yeah, I don't thing anybody is really had massages before. 03:20 We got the--chief was giving a bit of explanation-- 03:25 before we got going here. 03:27 And he was saying yeah, it's a--it's not any witchcraft 03:29 so don't worry. 03:31 Oh, man but yeah, this is interesting. 03:34 The guys were doing the blood pressures, 03:36 as fast as they could. 03:37 The girls were doing glucose. 03:38 We were working faster than I think 03:40 I'd ever seen them work before. 03:42 Sugars levels are really low. 03:44 It's like I can tell most of them have been eating 03:46 since the morning basically and it's already 2:30. 03:49 And some of them ate at 8:00, 03:51 some at 9:00 so their sugar levels are 48-50. 03:54 It's really low. 03:58 There was one thing that I noticed in particular that, 04:01 you know usually when you're asking somebody 04:03 they've about really high or really low glucose 04:05 you ask them you know. 04:06 When is the last time you've eaten 04:08 and normally people will respond like "breakfast" 04:10 or you know "I just had lunch" 04:12 or "I just had some tea and a snack." 04:14 And some of the people would respond oh I'm in today. 04:17 So it was really interesting that their perspective 04:20 was different not by meals but by days. 04:22 The goal to take-- all glucose done 04:25 so then the three of us can get on message. 04:27 Four of us. Seventy six. Seventy six. 04:31 Seventy six, thank you. It was intense. 04:33 When we are done we were all very tired. 04:36 But it was really cool because we knew 04:37 that we've done something good. 04:39 And that's why we did it. 05:39 Now most people they go on a mission trip 05:41 they go there with the idea of impacting 05:42 other people's lives but they find out 05:44 that they themselves are the ones who were changed. 05:47 Share with us an experience that changed your life. 05:50 We had so many experiences 05:52 but if I could put the whole experience 05:54 into one word it would be trust. 05:56 We learned to trust God in every situation. 05:58 When we lost our luggage-- 06:00 we weren't sure we were going to get to the airport 06:02 because the bus had some problems. 06:05 Learning to trust Him in every situation 06:07 and seeing His power working was really powerful. 06:10 Seeing young people giving their lives to Lord, 06:12 deciding for baptism it was such a powerful experience. 06:17 I think something that impacted me the most was realizing. 06:20 How much medical evangelism and music ministry 06:25 go hand in hand to take the message to the world. 06:28 I would like to add that singing here 06:29 was actually found glory in Zimbabwe. 06:32 And through singing with the people 06:33 we were able to open their hearts 06:35 and then share with them the truths about the health 06:37 and then as they their hearts open to us, 06:40 they then were able to get a greater glimpse 06:42 of the Savior that we truly loved to so much. 06:47 And time doesn't time permit to really share 06:49 what and how it really made an impact on our lives 06:51 but the thing that impacted me the most 06:53 was the sacrifice of friends and family, 06:56 ASI members who helped to fund the project for myself 07:00 and my friend to go and make this video. 07:02 I was part of the media crew. So it really is a sacrifice. 07:05 It is a blessing to us 07:06 and it is a blessing to more and more people. 07:08 So when we share with others then we ourselves are blessed. 07:11 Amen. Thank you very much. 07:14 I have the privilege this morning 07:15 of having with me David Cruz. 07:18 And he is a missionary in Mexico. 07:20 And tell me David, where is it exactly that you work 07:23 and what is your mission? 07:32 They are working in a state of Chihuahua in Mexico 07:35 and that's in Northern Mexico. 07:37 And then go ahead. And what is your mission there? 07:47 They're there they use to, to preach to Tarahumara Indians 07:52 and to spread the gospel in that area of Mexico. 07:56 And David what did you do before you took up that mission? 08:15 And before they were-- he was working in the Pemex, 08:19 which is a largest petroleum company in Mexico. 08:22 And where did you get your training to do this? 08:25 Are you a pastor? Are you trained as a pastor? 08:39 I'm lay worker too and one time one day the Lord called me 08:43 and gave me the opportunity of going to 08:45 Eden Valley Institute to be trained to do this. 08:48 Now, I assume you're not receiving 08:51 a salary from the conference. 08:52 Is that correct? 09:08 We're not receiving a salary from the conference. 09:10 So what is it you do David, 09:11 to make a living there as you're preaching? 09:28 They have a stipend from Eden Valley 09:30 and also they have a bakery there 09:32 that they have to produce goods to sell to the people. 09:36 And I'm not sure they have-- we have a couple slides 09:39 that can be put up at this time. 09:41 Just showing generally what the place is like. 09:43 What the people are like there and the area where he works. 09:47 And so last year you received some help 09:50 from ASI for some projects tell us what were the projects. 10:13 Thanks to God and to you folks 10:14 we received finances from ASI to construct two churches. 10:18 One is completed and the other one is underway 10:22 and under the completion. 10:24 Here are some pictures of the construction project 10:26 we are just flashed on the screen. 10:28 And there was one other project I believe you told me 10:31 that this was to pay for also a lay worker. 10:51 And so they're paying for a Bible worker 10:53 to work in a church it's about an-hour from they live in Creel. 10:57 And so that is helping them to further the work there. 11:01 And how long have you worked there among the Indians. 11:12 Okay, we were there 19 years. 11:14 When we got there we did not-- 11:16 there were not any members that all of our church. 11:18 How many church members do we have now there, David? 11:27 Thanks to God, we have more than 500 members 11:29 who have accepted the gospel of Christ. 11:31 How many baptisms in the last 12 months more or less? 11:44 Thirty five members have joined-- 11:46 precious souls have been joined to the church this year 11:49 and they work there among the Indians. 11:51 And I hope we have time for one little story. 11:55 You were telling me about one of the baptized members 11:57 who use to work for the cartels. 12:00 And I saw a picture where unfortunately 12:02 we don't have it with us this morning 12:03 but it was-- his baptismal picture. 12:06 Tell me little bit about what happened there. 12:20 This gentlemen whose name was Victor, 12:22 he worked in the mornings for the police 12:25 and then in the afternoons he worked for the drug cartel. 12:39 And so one day they killed his boss-- 12:44 that was working for the cartel 12:45 and so he had to flee for his life 12:48 and he ended up near where David is working. 12:59 He was there for a year and he had a sufficient funds 13:01 laid asides so he didn't have to work the beginning 13:03 but after about 12 months he was running out of funds 13:05 and he has to start looking for work. 13:17 He came to the point that he was not going, 13:19 it was going terribly for him and so he prayed to God 13:22 and asked for helped and find him better work. 13:30 And God didn't answer the way that he'd expected 13:31 and so he said well then I ask the devil to help me. 13:42 So I'm preparing altar in his home to worship the devil. 13:45 The last thing he needed before his little worship service 13:48 he'd to get some flowers. 13:49 So he went to this flower shop to get some flowers. 13:57 And so when he went to purchase the flowers 13:59 he met somebody there at the shop 14:01 they start to talk him to him about the love of God. 14:08 And this person invited him to the go the church 14:11 and so he began to attend church. 14:16 Amen. Thanks a lot and God bless you in your work, David. 14:21 Next I have a privilege of interviewing Abel. 14:26 And I'm going to let him tell you his last name 14:28 because my grungier tongue won't wrap around it. 14:30 So he is from Rwanda. 14:31 He is a treasure of the Rwanda Union Mission. 14:36 I'm called Habiyambere Abel. 14:38 And I'm coming from Rwanda as he has just told you. 14:42 Welcome to United States and welcome to ASI. 14:44 Thank you very much for welcoming me. 14:46 Now tell me what was that happening in your country 14:49 about the mid 90s? 14:50 In mid 90s after it was 1994 that's when we had genocide 14:58 and we lost one million people Rwandese. 15:02 That was of the population of the country 15:05 you lost about a million people. 15:06 So is that right? Yeah, yeah. 15:07 Okay and what was the impact on the church? 15:09 What happened to the church? 15:11 The church lost also 150,000 members. 15:15 Some of them were killed 15:17 and others had to be dispersed in other countries. 15:21 And so you lost about a 150,000 members. 15:24 How many people did you have before? 15:26 Before we had 350,000 and we lost these 15:30 and we are remaining with 200,000 members. 15:35 Okay and so after the genocide 15:42 how many members did you have left? 15:45 We had the only 200,000 members remaining 15:49 under of them we are fearful. 15:51 And they could not even sometime come to the church 15:54 but as a time went up by 15:56 the people were able to come back to the church. 15:59 And so now how many church members 16:02 has as our church counted? 16:04 How many as a church say we have there now? 16:06 Now we have 543,000 members 16:11 and we hope that by the end of this year continuum 16:15 we shall be having 600,000 members. 16:18 Amen, do you hear that growth-- 16:19 that's real church growth isn't it. 16:21 But I believe there's another statistic 16:22 the government disagrees with you. 16:24 How many Seventh-day Adventist 16:26 does the government say you have? 16:27 Actually the government says that we have a about 13% 16:34 of the whole population as Seventh-day Adventist members. 16:38 And I believe you told me that would be about over a million. 16:42 Yeah, they are over one million. 16:45 According to the government 16:46 there is over a million Adventist. 16:47 According to the church count there is about 534, 000 16:51 something like that church members. 16:54 And this tremendous change loosing a lot of members, 16:58 loosing leadership and then a tremendous influx 17:01 into the church how has that impacted the church? 17:03 Maybe in order to explain this I would like to invite 17:07 the technician to put on some pictures 17:09 so that they may show you how we are doing baptisms. 17:14 Recently we were baptizing, we baptized 543--493 members 17:25 who were added to our church. 17:26 You can see a lady with a child. 17:29 That child brought her mother to the church 17:36 and she was a Pentecostal. 17:40 And this child they had to attend our school 17:43 and in nursery school but then she went away 17:46 due to the problem over not having enough money 17:48 but at the end then she came to our meetings 17:52 where we had these meetings. 17:54 And then she brought her mother 17:56 and said I'll never go back to Pentecostal church. 17:59 So we have to go together 18:01 to this church of Seventh-day Adventist. 18:03 I want to keep the Sabbath. 18:05 And I think there was another picture of another couple. 18:09 This one. Okay. 18:11 This one bought a book of Great Controversy. 18:16 And then after that after he had led by himself 18:21 he had to go on distributing these books. 18:24 Before even being baptized 18:26 but it was this time we baptized him. 18:29 So he was a good literature evangelist 18:32 before he was baptized, right? Yeah. 18:35 I believe there is one more picture, yes. 18:38 This one is the lady who brought 73 members 18:42 new converts to this meetings and they all of them baptized. 18:46 Amen. And this the pastor who is with him-- 18:50 the one who is responsible 18:51 of the evangelism in Rwanda Union Mission. 18:53 Okay, now you're telling me about a real change 18:55 in the fields and in also the number of schools 18:59 we have that are to prepare. 19:01 Before I go to that increase of the schools and fields 19:06 I would like to invite the technician to put again 19:09 the people we baptized that day 19:13 of about 493 members who were added to the church. Amen. 19:20 And there is a church which is being constructed by laymen. 19:25 I remind this evangelism would have been done by laymen. 19:29 And these were baptized and now they're building 19:32 a new church construction for these new members 19:36 and the members who were there in this church. 19:39 Coming back to the increase of fields due to the increase-- 19:45 tremendous increase of membership 19:47 we have opened the new two fields. 19:50 Before the old we had we had only five fields 19:55 but now we have seven fields. 19:58 So you have seven different fields 19:59 and what about schools for training, preparing new pastors? 20:02 The schools we have secondary-- 20:04 we have opened the new five secondary schools 20:08 but we need more church pastors. 20:12 We have to get to train new pastors 20:16 and we have to have new church constructions 20:19 because we lost many pastors. 20:23 During the genocide many pastors were killed 20:25 and other pastors had to runaway for their lives. 20:30 So we need more church constructions 20:33 and we need more pastors to be trained. 20:36 Now you told me something, you said that if the conditions 20:39 were right most of the people of Rwanda 20:42 would be Seventh-day Adventist. 20:43 What are those conditions that we need? 20:45 The condition is that we need more churches actually. 20:49 Because when you have the church somewhere and do a campaign, 20:55 public campaigning for evangelizing 20:58 you can see more people coming. 21:00 And these people are coming from all over. 21:03 They are coming from I mean Catholic Church 21:06 and protestant churches, coming to our church. 21:09 So we need more churches for this increase, 21:13 tremendous increase of the membership in this country. 21:16 And I bet you need more pastors too is that right? Exactly. 21:19 Okay, well, thank you so much for visiting United States 21:21 and visiting ASI and telling us about the work 21:25 as it's going on in your country. 21:26 Thank you, amen. God bless you. 21:36 Twelve years ago we came before you 21:39 and told you about this new technology called a DVD. 21:43 Some of you remembered that day? 21:46 And we talked about how that we could develop 21:48 an evangelistic tool that anyone could preach 21:51 and that people could hear the message 21:54 for just under a quarter. 21:58 But I want to tell you today 22:00 brothers and sisters, that I was wrong. 22:03 Yes, Denzil, you were wrong. It was not a quarter. 22:07 It was not even a little bit under a quarter. 22:09 We did a lot for under a quarter-- 22:12 because of how the Lord is blessed 22:13 with this project that started 12 years ago. 22:16 You know, there is been over-- we don't know the number 22:19 but it's 100,000 plus-- 110-120,000 trainers 22:25 that doesn't count the millions. 22:28 One, two, three million people that have heard the gospel 22:32 through the New Beginnings DVDs project 22:36 and its been exciting of what we can do. 22:40 But that we know the Lord has bigger plans for this. 22:44 Chester, tell us about 22:45 how there's been changes to the New Beginning? 22:49 Oh, I believe the New Beginnings Project 22:51 is been some of the best money ASI has ever spent. 22:54 I have been thrilled to see how it's being used. 22:57 Still 12 years later so many countries 23:00 so many different languages 23:02 but we decide you know its 12 years 23:04 and its time to do some updating. 23:06 And so ASI has been in the process of refreshing 23:10 the New Beginning series with some new graphics, 23:13 with the tightened script, with improved appeals, 23:17 shortening the sermons and giving more opportunity 23:19 for appeals, and working with pastor Finley 23:22 we've strengthened those appeals 23:23 so that laypeople are preaching these sermons 23:26 have even and even better tool 23:28 to be able to help people make decisions for Jesus. 23:31 We have included different types of appeals not just altar calls 23:35 or hand raised calls, kneeling calls 23:38 but even card calls as well and combination calls. 23:41 So that a layperson has all the tools there 23:44 on the disk as well as the presentations 23:47 or the templates for the card so they can print out 23:50 right there the cards for decision cards. 23:53 And this is going to really I believe help laypeople. 23:56 And anyone who uses it 23:57 makes the New Beginning series much more effective. 24:00 So what we've done is improved it. 24:04 We have made it easier for those of you 24:06 who have not done a DVD training 24:10 we made it easier for you so you now you don't have 24:12 any excuses to go out and do this training. 24:17 But it gets even better than that. 24:19 Jesse, tell us about what's new in the technology? 24:22 Well, a lot has changed in the last 12 years. 24:24 And many of you are carrying around these iPads 24:26 they're incredibly popular through out the world. 24:31 Now with the New Beginnings you can actually go 24:35 and present your series right from your iPads. 24:39 You'll be able to see the slides that you're showing 24:42 to you're audience as well as the sermon notes. 24:45 No more big manuals to flip through 24:46 as you're doing your presentations. 24:49 So in other words Jesse, what you can do 24:51 instead of carrying this around plus trying to find the TV set 24:54 to show we're going to be able to do it in-- 24:57 In this small iPad device. 24:59 Wow, isn't that exciting. Amen. 25:02 And if you're on the road-- Yes. 25:04 Want to present to a small group 25:06 you carry along small set of devices like this. 25:09 A little projector and a small apple TV. Yes. 25:12 You can present to groups. 25:14 So now instead of carrying all this big technology 25:17 you can put it all in your pocket. 25:19 But I will tell you it even gets better than that. 25:21 It does, devices if-- 25:25 And what we're doing with that is that we've also 25:28 because Pastor Finley held evangelistic series 25:31 down in Florida with connect to Florida hospital 25:35 where he merged health message and our gospel message together. 25:39 And then in Dan Houghton's church in Fallbrook, California, 25:44 Dr. Tim Riesenberger--and that church did evangelistic series 25:48 merging the health message and a gospel together. Amen. 25:52 And as a result of that we saw huge success. 25:57 And so ASI is teaming up with amen and several evangelists 26:01 and we're all working together to get-- 26:04 I mean to make a new evangelistic tool 26:07 that anyone could preach 26:09 using our health message and the gospel together. 26:13 And I'll tell you I'm really, really 26:15 excited about this project. 26:16 I think it is something that could really be helpful 26:19 for everyone here throughout all North America. 26:22 Yes, this health evangelism series 26:24 they've got some of the slides for they're gorgeous. 26:27 Gorgeous beautiful imagery, nicely done overlays. 26:31 They really pop. 26:32 I think its going to be an exciting series. 26:35 So then we'll be able to do in North America. 26:38 Very quickly we'll be able to take our iPad 26:40 or an iPad device and we'll be able to 26:44 give a complete health message, 26:46 a complete evangelistic series all on one device. 26:49 But it gets even better than that doesn't it, Jesse? 26:51 It does, it does. 26:54 These devices are now getting very small and very affordable. 26:57 Ah, so these-- this is little android device 27:00 that we're writing app for 27:02 to allow it to do the same presentation functionality 27:05 that we just saw on the iPad. 27:06 Be able to have your sermon notes on a device like this 27:09 and have the actual slides 27:11 presentation out for your audience. 27:13 So a little device like this for about $70. 27:18 Now instead of now think about this 27:20 when you go overseas you go into you give it this 27:23 to a layperson instead any crowd carrying 27:25 around all these device we can put this on here. 27:28 But it even gets better than that-- 27:29 because what else can we put on this. 27:32 You can put all of Ellen White's writings. 27:34 We can put Ellen White-- we can also the Bible. 27:36 In their local language. We can also put Bible studies. 27:40 Bible studies, notes, graphics, 27:43 presentations and we can update. 27:45 We can update very easily. 27:47 So if they have access to internet access out there 27:50 they can go find the internet 27:51 and download the latest releases. 27:54 So we can add things and change things later on. 27:56 This is a real exciting tool 27:58 that we're going to be able to equip 27:59 laypeople to do evangelism. 28:01 You know, I have done DVDs series 28:02 all around the world training 28:04 and I will tell you there is nothing more than 28:07 carrying the device to a layperson 28:09 and teaching them how to do evangelism. 28:11 There eyes wide opened and say 28:12 "wow I could do more and tell us about Jesus." Amen. 28:15 And the exciting part about it is 28:17 as we help people with this-- 28:19 there we're equipping people for eternity 28:22 because they're going to reach other people 28:24 in their local language. 28:30 Since this is an ASI convention 28:33 and now we should open our Sabbath school lesson 28:37 with a question about ASI 28:40 and it's really a bit of a review for the lesson. 28:43 But thinking back on Bible characters 28:46 what Bible character would be the spiritual father of ASI? 28:53 I'd like to suggest Paul. 28:57 Paul, the author of the two epistles 28:59 that we're studying this quarter. 29:01 Paul earned his living 29:03 and shared Christ in the marketplace. 29:05 His job was manufacturing mobile homes. 29:11 And I understand that he manufactured 29:13 high end mobile homes. 29:16 When God wanted to evangelize the Roman world, 29:22 He used somebody who qualified as a member of ASI to do it. 29:30 If you look at most of a heroes of the Bible 29:32 they qualified for ASI membership. 29:37 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob they were cattle breeders. 29:41 Joseph was a government employee. 29:44 Uniformly they shared Christ in their marketplace. 29:52 In last weeks lessons we read in 1 Thessalonians 2 29:55 and if you have your Bible turn to 1 Thessalonians 29:58 we will be looking at some verses there. 30:01 But in 1 Thessalonians 2:9 Paul said 30:06 "For you remember, brethren, 30:08 our labor and toil, we worked night and day, 30:15 that we might not be a burden to any of you." 30:17 There he was talking about his employment. 30:21 "While we proclaimed to you the gospel of God." 30:25 Paul worked and Paul preached. 30:29 Paul didn't work his evangelism around his work, 30:34 he worked his work around his evangelism. 30:38 His work didn't compete with his evangelism. 30:41 His work enhanced his evangelism. 30:45 It was part of his evangelism. 30:47 A couple of weeks ago we looked at 2 Thessalonians 3:7 30:52 and if you have your Bibles 30:53 you can see it 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9. 30:58 "For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, 31:01 because we were not idle when we were with you, 31:06 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, 31:10 but with toil and labor we worked night and day, 31:12 that we might not be a burden to any of you. 31:15 It was not because we do not have that right, 31:18 but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate." 31:23 So there we see that ASI membership 31:28 is an example to imitate. 31:33 The father of modern missions William Carey, 31:38 had a--the same all consuming passion for souls 31:42 for presenting Christ in his marketplace. 31:44 And you are well familiar with that response 31:48 that he gave to his neighbor 31:50 who was suggesting that perhaps he should get 31:53 a little bit more attention of his business 31:55 of fixing shoes than to his preaching. 32:00 But he replied, my real business 32:02 is to preach the gospel and win lost souls. 32:06 I cobble shoes to pay expenses. 32:12 We don't have to guess what would happen 32:14 if we all took seriously 32:21 our ASI model of presenting Christ to the marketplace, 32:25 volume 6 page 280. 32:28 "Thousands might today be rejoicing 32:30 in the message of those who claim to love God 32:32 and keep His commandments with work as Christ worked." 32:36 You think of it William Miller, James White, 32:41 Joseph Bates, Loughborough, Andrews 32:45 all had occupations that supported 32:48 their ministry at one time. 32:51 And I believe that in the future ASI members like Elisha 32:56 will be called from the plough to preach the gospel 33:02 even more and more of their times. 33:08 Well for our lesson we have covered in the past two weeks, 33:14 we've covered chapter 1 of Thessalonians 33:17 the first half of chapter 2. 33:20 This week we've covered the second half of chapter 2 33:24 and all of chapter 3 of 1 Thessalonians. 33:27 But the very first verse of 1 Thessalonians 1, 33:33 tells us insight on how to win souls. 33:37 Paul's given name was not Paul but what? 33:40 Saul. 33:43 Silas' given name was Silas. 33:46 But when they were in Greece 33:51 they were known as Paul, Silvanus, Timothius. 33:58 We see that he adapted his approach 34:05 to disturb the Greek customs as little as possible. 34:12 Throughout the first chapter and just quick review 34:15 we see other approaches that help us 34:18 in presenting Christ in our marketplace. 34:22 That was courtesy, love, prayer for souls. 34:28 Paul was to these converts, their spiritual father. 34:34 They were his spiritual children. 34:37 Who do you look like? Who do we look like? 34:41 Our parents. 34:44 And spiritual children look like spiritual parents. 34:51 In chapters 1 and 2 34:52 we see that Paul's children bore his likeliness. 34:55 Like him they received the word and they spread the world 35:00 and that brings us to the first verse 35:02 of our lesson this morning. 35:03 1 Thessalonians 2:13. 35:05 I'm reading it from the King James--the New King James. 35:10 You all read from whatever translation you have. 35:13 "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, 35:17 because when you received the word of God 35:19 which you heard from us, 35:20 you welcomed it not as the word of men, 35:23 but as it is in truth, the word of God, 35:25 which also effectively works in you who believe." 35:30 For a moment let's look at that phrase 35:32 which also effectively works in you who believe. 35:39 It is the word that effectively works 35:44 and it changes people. 35:47 Now my medical specialty is dermatology. 35:51 I tell my friends that I'm an extornist. 35:56 When Walter came to my office it was actually, 36:01 it was the 31st of August, one year ago. 36:07 And I saw some suspicious places 36:11 and after biopsying 36:15 that I do have permission to tell this story 36:17 so I'm violating here but-- 36:23 I found several suspicious places 36:25 and the biopsy's came back positive 36:29 and we knew we needed to do some surgeries 36:32 to remove these cancers. 36:37 Walter was not a particularly religious man 36:41 but when I asked if he would like us to pray. 36:45 He nodded he would 36:48 and somehow prayer touched that man's heart. 36:56 Now, most skin cancers done under a local anesthesia 37:00 and so as I was doing the surgery 37:02 to take their mind off of what I'm doing 37:06 we might chat about things 37:08 and I really don't know exactly what we chatted about it. 37:10 Expect that it must have been 37:15 something about current events 37:19 and Bible prophecy. 37:24 Two weeks later he came back for suture removal 37:26 and asked the nurses as she took the stitches out 37:29 if he could talk to me 37:30 and usually when they want me to see them 37:33 it's because they want me to look at their wound 37:36 and make sure it's healing fine. 37:38 And so I quickly pop my head in 37:41 looked at the wound and looked great. 37:43 Healing nice perfect and so I reassured him 37:49 and I went to leave the room 37:53 and he said well that's not really what I wanted to come in. 37:56 He says, I have a question, can I ask you a question? 37:59 So he said, 38:03 can you tell me the chapter in the Bible 38:07 that talks about the prophecies? 38:11 So he said, I went home after the surgery 38:14 and he says, I was raised to catholic 38:16 I don't' know anything about the Bible. 38:18 But he says, my wife she studies the Bible all the time 38:22 and I knew she would know 38:23 because I wanted to read that chapter. 38:27 But she didn't know what chapter in the Bible 38:28 that talks about prophecy. 38:31 So I took out my prescription pad and I wrote down. 38:35 Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 9, 38:40 I spared him Daniel 11 and 12. 38:43 Mathew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 38:48 and all of the Book of Revelation. 38:51 And I smiled and I said you study those. 38:55 And the next week he came back without an appointment 38:59 and he had four pages of notes. 39:04 And he said--he said I don't understand this, 39:08 my wife doesn't understand this can you explain these to me? 39:14 And we set up a time to get together the next evening. 39:22 And that man begins to study the Bible 39:30 for the first time in his life 39:31 within three weeks of our studies 39:34 his wife bought him a Bible. 39:37 And he began to carry it to work. 39:39 He studied it two hours a day. 39:42 He was like a child in a candy store. 39:45 He couldn't get enough of it. 39:46 He wondered that he had not been interested in the Bible before 39:51 and Jesus became the focus of his life. 39:59 Although he and his wife loved the studies 40:02 they took pains to assure my wife and I 40:05 that they were never going to join our church. 40:09 And we assured them 40:13 that our goal was for them to meet Jesus Christ. Amen. 40:20 But we know where Jesus leads people. 40:26 We studied baptism 40:30 and they told us-- 40:35 Walter told me. 40:36 He says "You know--" 40:37 he says, "I can see the Bible teaches baptism." 40:40 And I really would like to be baptized at your church. 40:44 But I don't want to be a member of your church." 40:48 And I agreed it would be wonderful for him 40:50 to be baptized at our church. 40:54 One day and I don't know 40:55 how he found us out as we didn't tell him. 40:59 He found out that we have the advantages 41:02 of my wife and I of eating a plant based diet 41:05 and all those health advantages that go along with it. 41:09 But he asked me if that was true 41:12 and I assured him that it was 41:17 and I was guilty as charged. 41:22 And he said "Well, I want you know 41:23 I'm never going to eat like that." 41:28 We hadn't studied with him about the body of temple 41:31 but I know that the Bible changes lives. Amen. 41:35 It effectively changes. 41:36 So we just kept studying the Bible 41:38 and it kept effectively working in his life. 41:42 And we've also been studying with 41:44 a colleague of mine an oncologist in the area. 41:47 And she and her husband rented the playhouse theatre 41:53 of our city to show Forks over Knives. 41:58 And they advertised it and you should have seen 42:02 when 200 people packed in that little theatre playhouse 42:07 to see Forks over Knives. 42:09 And Walter at the stands up interviewed by the oncologist 42:16 to share that the last month 42:20 since he had adapted a careful diet 42:23 he had lost 30 some pounds. 42:26 His aches and pains had gone away 42:29 and he was having now new skin cancers. 42:36 Two months before he said, "I will never like that." 42:40 Two months later he is urging others for the advantages. 42:46 That's what the Bible effectively does. 42:56 In May he told me that for the first time in his life 43:03 his entire life he was almost late to work. 43:09 He only got there five minutes early 43:13 because he had gotten so absorbed in studying the Bible 43:18 that he had lost track of the time. 43:21 And the next day he went to his boss-- 43:23 he's in his late 60s, he'd been retired twice. 43:28 And went to his boss 43:29 and he said "Do you know I'm not going to"-- 43:30 he was manager. 43:32 He says "I'm giving you my notice 43:35 I need more time to study the Bible." 43:39 And he stopped his job. 43:46 Now he went to his class reunion telling everybody 43:50 about the Bible they couldn't believe it. 43:52 This was the class atheist-- 43:58 changed by the work. 44:01 When our Sabbath school lessons started the Thessalonians, 44:07 I told him that we were going to be studying 44:09 through the Thessalonians and he might join in his wife. 44:14 And so he came to our church 44:17 just for the Sabbath school lesson not for church. 44:21 And every week he was there studying through the class 44:27 in fact for some he was a better student 44:31 than some of the members. 44:43 But a week ago they told us 44:48 you know, we've been sort of getting like in the water 44:52 when you're going swimming just one foot at a time. 44:56 Last Sabbath after we left Sabbath school, 45:00 Walter said to me "You know, why don't we stay for church?" 45:05 And she said "Well I was thinking the same thing 45:08 why didn't you say something sooner." 45:11 And the next Sabbath which was last Sabbath 45:13 for the very first time 45:17 these dear couple 45:24 where sitting with me in our church 45:28 in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Amen. 45:33 The scripture that we read says 45:35 "The Bible which effectively changes their lives." 45:49 That's the result of the word of God. 45:51 Verse 14 explains they begin to suffer for true sake. 45:57 They had been changed and they begin to suffer. 46:00 They could identify with the other Christians. 46:04 In Israel--they went through the same experience as Christians. 46:08 They're in Judea rejected by their fellow friends, 46:12 driven for their home, rejected by their friends and neighbors. 46:18 I suppose all of us have at one time or another 46:23 heard a computer voice. 46:27 Before we had Remnant Publishing's 46:29 excellent testimonies readings-- 46:35 my son would try to put the testimonies 46:38 on using a computer voice 46:42 so he could listen to it and we tried to listen to it. 46:46 But it was pretty painful. 46:49 You may not have noticed it but in the last few months 46:52 at least on the max side 46:54 the voice has improved dramatically 46:56 but I don't think even the best computer voice 46:59 could properly read verse 16. 47:07 I'm not even going to try. 47:09 "With tears Paul sorrowfully" 47:11 15 and 16 "Speaks of the strange act of God 47:14 and his wrath against his covenant people." 47:16 We don't have time to talk about the wrath of God. 47:19 It's not politically correct to talk about the wrath of God. 47:24 But I like to make just two quick points 47:26 because it's in the Sabbath school 47:28 the text in the Sabbath school lesson. 47:32 Number one, the Bible does use the phrase the wrath of God. 47:36 And then shy away from the wrath of the God is real. 47:38 So point number one is God uses the expression the wrath of God. 47:44 But point number two is 47:46 Satan misuses the expression wrath of God. 47:50 It was Satan who used the expression wrath of God 47:54 when he was talking and trying to drive Saul, 47:57 King Saul to despair. 48:00 And he said "He didn't." 48:01 King Saul's great sin was he wasn't-- 48:04 didn't quite reveal the wrath of God enough. 48:08 So these two points 48:13 God uses it, Satan misuses it. 48:18 The Bible tells that the wrath of God 48:19 to give hope to the oppressed. 48:20 Satan uses the wrath of God 48:23 to bring despair to the discouraged. 48:26 But we move pass Sunday's lesson to Monday 48:28 and there are two things that separate us from our loved ones. 48:32 Paul deals with both of these separations 48:34 in 1 Thessalonians, distance and death. 48:38 Distance separates us from loved ones. 48:40 Death separates us from loved ones. 48:44 In Monday's passage Paul discusses 48:47 the separation of distance. 48:48 My wife grew up in the mission field. 48:52 And this is back before face time and texting. 48:59 And they looked forward to a weekly letter 49:03 that they could exchange between parents and their children. 49:11 But Paul didn't even have weekly letters 49:17 from his spiritual children. 49:19 And so Tuesdays lessons takes us to his-- 49:22 well, Monday's like any parent 49:26 his greatest joy was to be with them. 49:29 Twice he made arrangements to travel back to Thessaloniki 49:34 each time hindered by Satan. 49:38 But in Monday's passage we see this in 4 separations 49:41 increasing his desire for the second coming 49:44 where there is no separation either by distance or by death. 49:48 And then Tuesdays lesson takes us to his work 49:50 around to the separation. 49:51 I suppose we could call it 49:53 first century facebooking-- face timing. 49:58 1 First Thessalonians 3:1, 50:00 if you have your bibles look at it with me. 50:03 "Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, 50:07 we thought it good to be left in Athens alone 50:10 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, 50:13 and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, 50:16 to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith." 50:20 Paul you see as a type of Christ he wanted again and again 50:25 to return to this people. 50:28 But he couldn't Satan hindered him. 50:30 And so he sent representatives. 50:38 And Christ has to sent us ministers in His stead 50:43 to establish us and encourage us in our faith. 50:46 I thank God for our minister, a real blessing. 50:53 Verse 5, "For this reason when I could not longer endure it, 51:00 I set to know your faith, 51:05 lest by some means 51:10 the tempter had tempted you, 51:14 and our labor might be in vain." 51:20 Those words in vain haunt me. 51:29 Paul you see had left the comfort of his Judean home. 51:34 In Judea he was popular, he was wealthy, 51:38 he was respected, 51:40 he was at the highest level 51:44 that you could possibly get in Jewish society. 51:51 But he gave it all up. 51:54 And with the few Christians he went 51:57 and traveled the world to share the gospel 52:01 like ASI members on his own dime. 52:10 He was rejected by most 52:13 but those who accepted his message 52:15 were more dear to him than his own life. 52:21 That he knew how many of those 52:22 who accepted today might yet reject Jesus tomorrow 52:28 and his labor even for them would be in vain. 52:35 How many will surrender growing weary of the constant battle. 52:42 Labor in vain. 52:44 Paul was just a poor 52:47 and incomplete representation of Jesus Christ. 52:52 Pictured Christ in heaven 52:54 surrounded by his adoring angels. 52:59 He has already come 53:03 but he has left his beloved in their earth home. 53:10 He would like to come back 53:14 but again and yet again Satan has hindered it. 53:27 He abides the angels, 53:30 leave the comfort and joy of his presence 53:35 and bring a message to his people. 53:37 Then bring him backward of how we are doing. 53:41 Imagine that eagerness of the angels 53:44 to go on this mission. 53:48 Imagine the eagerness of the waiting angels 53:50 to hear the message of their report. 53:52 Christ's Object Lessons, 318. 53:56 "In heaven it is said by the ministering angels." 53:59 These are the ones that ministered us. 54:01 "The ministry which we have been 54:03 commissioned to perform we've done. 54:06 We press back the army of evil angels. 54:09 We sent brightness and light into the souls of men, 54:11 quickening their memory of the love of God expressed in Jesus. 54:16 We attracted their eyes to the cross of Christ. 54:21 Their hearts were deeply moved by a sense of the sin 54:24 that crucified the Son of God." 54:27 They were convicted the angels are active in all this. 54:31 You can just see them giving their testimony, 54:33 sharing what has happened. 54:35 They are excited to tell their stories 54:37 as I'm excited to share mine and you're excited to share yours. 54:43 They continue, "They saw the steps to be taken in conversion, 54:47 they felt the power of the gospel, 54:49 their hearts were made tender 54:51 as they beheld the sweetness in love of God. 54:54 They beheld the beauty of the character of Christ." 54:59 Tears may kindle in the eyes of the listening angels. 55:02 But the angel continues 55:03 but with the many it was all in vain. 55:05 "They would not surrender their own habits and character. 55:09 They would not put off the garments of earth 55:11 in order to be clothed with the robe of heaven. 55:13 Their hearts were given to covetousness. 55:15 They loved the associations of the world 55:17 more than they loved their God." 55:20 What testimony are the angels bringing back 55:23 about their visit with us today? 55:25 Thank you, very much. |
Revised 2014-12-17