Once to every man and nation
00:00:48.72\00:00:54.39
Comes the moment to decide
00:00:54.42\00:01:00.21
In the strife of
truth with falsehood
00:01:00.24\00:01:06.28
For the good or evil side
00:01:06.31\00:01:12.22
Some great
cause, God's new Messiah
00:01:12.25\00:01:18.36
Offering each
the bloom or blight
00:01:18.39\00:01:24.71
And the choice goes by forever
00:01:24.74\00:01:30.97
Twixt that
darkness and that light
00:01:31.00\00:01:35.97
By the light of burning martyrs
00:01:50.34\00:01:56.36
Christ, Thy
bleeding feet we track
00:01:56.39\00:02:02.06
Toiling up new Calv'ries ever
00:02:02.09\00:02:07.85
With the cross
that turns not back
00:02:07.88\00:02:13.95
New occasions teach new duties
00:02:13.98\00:02:19.69
Time makes ancient good uncouth
00:02:19.72\00:02:26.07
They must
upward still and onward
00:02:26.10\00:02:32.22
Who would keep abreast of truth
00:02:32.25\00:02:38.22
Tho' the cause of evil prosper
00:02:54.11\00:02:59.72
Yet the truth alone is strong
00:02:59.75\00:03:05.64
Tho' her portion be the scaffold
00:03:05.67\00:03:11.70
And upon the throne be wrong
00:03:11.73\00:03:17.73
Yet that
scaffold sways the future
00:03:17.76\00:03:23.90
And, behind the dim unknown
00:03:23.93\00:03:31.31
Standeth God within the shadow
00:03:31.34\00:03:38.46
Keeping watch above His own
00:03:38.49\00:03:45.66
Above His own!
00:03:56.56\00:04:03.23
Amen!
00:04:10.22\00:04:11.78
For scripture
reading this morning,
00:04:15.43\00:04:18.50
please turn with me
to 2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:04:18.53\00:04:22.89
2 Corinthians 3:18...
00:04:22.92\00:04:26.16
"But we all, with
open face beholding
00:04:30.82\00:04:33.63
as in a glass the
glory of the Lord,
00:04:33.66\00:04:36.24
are changed into the same
image from glory to glory,
00:04:36.27\00:04:39.85
even as by the
Spirit of the Lord."
00:04:39.88\00:04:42.73
Please kneel with me as we pray.
00:04:42.76\00:04:45.70
Dear Father in heaven,
00:04:54.90\00:04:56.80
we are so blessed
and humbled to be called
00:04:56.83\00:04:59.80
Your sons and daughters of God.
00:04:59.83\00:05:02.20
And we are so
excited about the blessing
00:05:02.23\00:05:04.79
that You have in
store for us today
00:05:04.82\00:05:07.92
and I just ask that
You be with the speaker,
00:05:07.95\00:05:11.19
please anoint his lips.
00:05:11.22\00:05:13.14
And we invite you to be
amongst our presence today.
00:05:13.17\00:05:17.28
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
00:05:17.31\00:05:19.64
Someday the
silver cord will break
00:05:36.28\00:05:41.77
And I no more as now shall sing
00:05:41.80\00:05:47.51
But, oh, the joy
when I shall wake
00:05:47.54\00:05:53.00
Within the palace of the King!
00:05:53.03\00:06:00.98
And I shall see Him face to face
00:06:01.01\00:06:06.33
And tell the
story, Saved by grace
00:06:06.36\00:06:11.74
And I shall see Him face to face
00:06:11.77\00:06:16.81
And tell the
story, Saved by grace
00:06:16.84\00:06:22.71
Someday my
earthly house will fall
00:06:30.90\00:06:36.35
I cannot tell how soon 'twill be
00:06:36.38\00:06:42.16
But this I know my All in All
00:06:42.19\00:06:47.81
Has now a place in heaven for me
00:06:47.84\00:06:53.58
And I shall see Him face to face
00:06:53.61\00:06:58.86
And tell the
story, Saved by grace
00:06:58.89\00:07:04.19
And I shall see Him face to face
00:07:04.22\00:07:09.36
And tell the
story, Saved by grace
00:07:09.39\00:07:15.36
Someday, when
fades the golden sun
00:07:20.38\00:07:25.96
Beneath the rosy tinted west
00:07:25.99\00:07:31.11
My blessed Lord
will say, "Well done!"
00:07:31.14\00:07:36.31
And I will enter into rest
00:07:36.34\00:07:42.39
And I shall see Him face to face
00:07:44.47\00:07:49.83
And tell the
story, Saved by grace
00:07:49.86\00:07:54.93
And I shall see Him face to face
00:07:54.96\00:07:59.94
And tell the story
00:07:59.97\00:08:02.06
Saved by grace
00:08:02.09\00:08:09.01
And I shall see Him face to face
00:08:09.04\00:08:15.34
And tell the
story, Saved by grace
00:08:15.37\00:08:23.29
Good Morning. Good Morning.
00:08:54.33\00:08:56.54
Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
00:08:56.57\00:08:59.61
It's a privilege to be
here with you at GYC...
00:08:59.64\00:09:02.17
2012 here in
Seattle, Washington.
00:09:05.53\00:09:10.71
I believe we've been blessed
all ready at the start today.
00:09:10.74\00:09:14.31
Wes Peppers, Pastor Wes Peppers,
00:09:14.34\00:09:15.92
I believe gave us a
strong word this morning.
00:09:15.95\00:09:19.98
I've known Wes for a few years,
00:09:20.01\00:09:21.25
I had the privilege
to attend AFCO with Wes.
00:09:21.28\00:09:24.21
We sat together in class
00:09:24.24\00:09:25.41
and then we
became outreach partners
00:09:25.44\00:09:27.05
and it's a privilege
to be able to speak here
00:09:27.08\00:09:29.35
at the same event
with Pastor Wes Peppers
00:09:29.38\00:09:32.51
amongst many others.
00:09:32.54\00:09:39.64
As we gather
together for this service,
00:09:39.67\00:09:42.06
"Acts: The
Revolution Continues.''
00:09:42.09\00:09:46.20
It's my prayer that we will have
00:09:46.23\00:09:47.65
a true revolution in our hearts
00:09:47.68\00:09:49.89
and in our lives this morning
and throughout this conference.
00:09:49.92\00:09:54.42
I want to thank those of you
00:09:54.45\00:09:55.67
who have stopped
me in the hallway
00:09:55.70\00:09:58.69
or in the lifts
or in the corridors
00:09:58.72\00:10:01.63
and said, brother,
I am praying for you.
00:10:01.66\00:10:06.73
I appreciate each and
every one of those prayers,
00:10:06.76\00:10:10.40
for I believe
it's through prayer
00:10:10.43\00:10:11.64
that the Holy
Spirit's power will come down
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.47
upon us this morning.
00:10:13.50\00:10:16.97
And I would like to invite you
00:10:17.00\00:10:19.57
to bow your heads for
another word of prayer.
00:10:19.60\00:10:22.88
Father in heaven,
Lord, we pause for a moment
00:10:28.05\00:10:32.84
to thank You for bringing
each and every one of us here
00:10:32.87\00:10:38.06
at this point in our
lives to worship You.
00:10:38.09\00:10:42.82
Whether we're here in personal,
scattered around this globe,
00:10:42.85\00:10:47.87
we thank You Lord
that life is in our body
00:10:47.90\00:10:51.71
and we can praise
you this Sabbath morning.
00:10:51.74\00:10:56.40
As we do so, we ask and pray
00:10:56.43\00:11:01.19
that Your Holy Spirit
would come into our hearts.
00:11:01.22\00:11:04.46
Lord, I pray that You would
speak through me at this time,
00:11:04.49\00:11:09.43
that You would take hold of me,
00:11:09.46\00:11:12.29
that the words that are
spoken would be Your words,
00:11:12.32\00:11:16.72
that Your name would
be uplifted and glorified,
00:11:16.75\00:11:23.70
and that the character of Jesus,
00:11:23.73\00:11:27.01
our loving Savior may be seen.
00:11:27.04\00:11:32.38
And it's in His name we do pray.
00:11:32.41\00:11:35.84
Amen.
00:11:35.87\00:11:39.92
How many of you think it is
a privilege to be here at GYC?
00:11:39.95\00:11:45.29
Amen.
00:11:45.32\00:11:46.84
I believe God has
raised up this movement
00:11:46.87\00:11:49.40
and it's a
privilege for me to be here,
00:11:49.43\00:11:50.90
it's my ninth GYC
that I've been to in a row.
00:11:50.93\00:11:54.87
The first one I went to
was in Annaba, Michigan.
00:11:54.90\00:11:58.34
And I've been to
each and everyone
00:11:58.37\00:11:59.61
since then and
it's amazing to see
00:11:59.64\00:12:01.71
how this movement has grown
00:12:01.74\00:12:03.18
from what it was back
then in the second one,
00:12:03.21\00:12:05.95
I think it was 6 or 7 or
800 to being what it is today,
00:12:05.98\00:12:09.79
thousands of people
onsite and around the world.
00:12:09.82\00:12:12.62
I believe God is
behind the movement of GYC.
00:12:12.65\00:12:18.30
And you heard earlier
that this local movement
00:12:18.33\00:12:21.07
that began in California
00:12:21.10\00:12:23.16
and was just really for
the United States of America
00:12:23.19\00:12:26.11
has now blossomed and grown
00:12:26.14\00:12:28.18
and it's now a
world wide movement.
00:12:28.21\00:12:32.58
GYC Europe, I had the privilege
to be there this year in July
00:12:32.61\00:12:37.44
where we had over 1,200
young people from around Europe.
00:12:37.47\00:12:42.25
Thirty countries
and not just Europe
00:12:42.28\00:12:44.07
but the Middle East
and Africa and Asia,
00:12:44.10\00:12:46.56
30 countries coming together
00:12:46.59\00:12:48.58
to hear the
word of God preached.
00:12:48.61\00:12:51.64
And it was encouraging to see
00:12:51.67\00:12:53.22
young people going
forward for appeals
00:12:53.25\00:12:55.34
and outreach
taking place in the city
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.72
as God's word was preached.
00:12:57.75\00:12:59.47
I believe we are
living in exciting times.
00:12:59.50\00:13:05.44
How many of you
believe it's a privilege
00:13:05.47\00:13:07.34
to be a Seventh-day Adventist?
00:13:07.37\00:13:09.87
Amen.
00:13:09.90\00:13:11.54
You are a member this
morning of the fastest growing
00:13:11.57\00:13:15.52
Protestant church in the world
00:13:15.55\00:13:20.35
and the most widespread
Protestant church as well.
00:13:20.38\00:13:25.25
It is a privilege to be called
the Seventh-day Adventist.
00:13:25.28\00:13:28.19
It's a privilege
to be here at GYC.
00:13:28.22\00:13:33.04
When people ask me, I was
just in the lift this morning
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.89
and coming down
and someone said,
00:13:35.92\00:13:37.56
"Oh, you part of the
Generation Youth Christ?"
00:13:37.59\00:13:41.86
I said, "Yes, I am."
He said, "What is it?"
00:13:41.89\00:13:46.05
I said, "Oh, it's a Seventh-day
Adventist Youth Conference.
00:13:46.08\00:13:51.45
Are you part of
it? "He said, "No."
00:13:51.48\00:13:53.25
I said, "You should come."
00:13:53.28\00:13:55.81
He said, "I am
here on business."
00:13:55.84\00:13:59.19
But it was a privilege to
be able to stand there and say,
00:13:59.22\00:14:01.82
I am part of the
Adventist church.
00:14:01.85\00:14:06.50
You may have heard of the old
evangelist the Late Joe Crews.
00:14:06.53\00:14:12.94
And I've heard
one story about him
00:14:12.97\00:14:14.32
where it was once said
that when he would be asked,
00:14:14.35\00:14:17.41
what religion are you,
that he would sometimes
00:14:17.44\00:14:19.65
you know straighten his tie
and adjust his belt and say,
00:14:19.68\00:14:23.37
I don't mean to
boast, I don't mean to boast,
00:14:23.40\00:14:30.79
but I am a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:14:30.82\00:14:35.11
We're blessed to
be part of a church
00:14:35.14\00:14:36.85
where we have the
writing of Mrs. White,
00:14:36.88\00:14:42.91
where we have
prophet who wrote things
00:14:42.94\00:14:46.58
precedent directly to our time.
00:14:46.61\00:14:52.96
We're blessed to
be living in a time
00:14:52.99\00:14:54.51
when prophecy is
fulfilling before our eyes.
00:14:54.54\00:14:57.24
You know, when
you read the Bible
00:14:57.27\00:14:58.31
and you read
about Daniel and Ezekiel
00:14:58.34\00:15:00.57
and John the Revelator,
00:15:00.60\00:15:01.89
you read about men that
wrote things in the Bible
00:15:01.92\00:15:04.52
that are taking place
through in our day and age.
00:15:04.55\00:15:07.49
And I believe if
those men and women
00:15:07.52\00:15:09.72
could have lived in another age,
00:15:09.75\00:15:12.00
they would have
said, I want to live
00:15:12.03\00:15:13.39
in the year 2012
or the year 2013.
00:15:13.42\00:15:16.48
I would like to live
at a time when the events
00:15:16.51\00:15:19.14
I prophesied are taking place.
00:15:19.17\00:15:22.61
We are living in exciting times.
00:15:22.64\00:15:24.48
And in this day and age,
00:15:24.51\00:15:25.67
God has given us
a particular message
00:15:25.70\00:15:28.16
that we ought to preach,
00:15:28.19\00:15:29.23
it is the Three
Angels' Messages.
00:15:29.26\00:15:33.00
Revelation 14.
00:15:33.03\00:15:37.27
I worked in our
church as an evangelist.
00:15:37.30\00:15:39.00
You don't need to turn there.
00:15:39.03\00:15:40.12
As an evangelist, as a pastor,
as a literature evangelist
00:15:40.15\00:15:44.24
and it's always a
privilege to baptize people
00:15:44.27\00:15:47.61
into the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:15:47.64\00:15:51.12
And we're called to
preach to Three Angels' Message.
00:15:51.15\00:15:53.26
It is a very distinctive message
00:15:53.29\00:15:55.25
that we are called to
preach in this day and age.
00:15:55.28\00:15:57.41
It's not a soft
message so to speak,
00:15:57.44\00:15:59.91
but it points out Jesus Christ
00:15:59.94\00:16:02.24
and it points out what
we need to preach today.
00:16:02.27\00:16:05.99
First Angel's Message,
00:16:06.02\00:16:07.05
"Fear God, and
give glory to Him,
00:16:07.08\00:16:08.78
for the hour of
His judgment has" what?
00:16:08.81\00:16:10.89
"Come!"
00:16:10.92\00:16:11.95
Second Angel's Message
says, "Babylon has fallen."
00:16:11.98\00:16:17.56
And the Third
Angel's Message says,
00:16:17.59\00:16:18.79
"If any man worship
the beast and his image,
00:16:18.82\00:16:20.58
receive his mark in his
right hand or in his forehead."
00:16:20.61\00:16:25.34
And he concludes in
verse 12, where he says,
00:16:25.37\00:16:27.07
"Here is the
patience of the saints,
00:16:27.10\00:16:28.68
here are they who keep
the commandments of God,
00:16:28.71\00:16:31.25
and the faith of Jesus."
00:16:31.28\00:16:33.45
It's our privilege today
to be able to understand,
00:16:33.48\00:16:36.48
study and preach those
Three Angels' Messages.
00:16:36.51\00:16:42.11
And I'm aware that as you preach
00:16:42.14\00:16:43.29
the Three Angels' Message,
00:16:43.32\00:16:44.58
part of the calling of preaching
00:16:44.61\00:16:46.01
the Three Angels'
Message is message number two,
00:16:46.04\00:16:49.55
where it says,
Babylon has fallen.
00:16:49.58\00:16:53.08
And we link this
with Revelation 18
00:16:53.11\00:16:55.26
where the Bible
says, Babylon has fallen,
00:16:55.29\00:16:57.33
come out of her, who?
00:16:57.36\00:16:59.39
My people.
00:16:59.42\00:17:02.82
It's an honor to
be able to preach
00:17:02.85\00:17:04.05
and call people out of Babylon.
00:17:04.08\00:17:06.20
Babylon means confusion,
00:17:06.23\00:17:08.81
representing religious confusion
00:17:08.84\00:17:13.17
and the reason
we call people out
00:17:13.20\00:17:15.05
is because it will not give them
00:17:15.08\00:17:17.17
the correct picture
of the character of God
00:17:17.20\00:17:21.17
and therefore call them out
00:17:21.20\00:17:22.87
so they can see the
character of God clearly.
00:17:22.90\00:17:26.21
It's not always an
easy message to preach.
00:17:32.05\00:17:35.26
In fact I've been to
places where I was invited to go
00:17:35.29\00:17:37.61
and preach and do a campaign.
00:17:37.64\00:17:39.60
I've sat down in the living room
00:17:39.63\00:17:40.81
with certain people before
00:17:40.84\00:17:42.71
and I won't name the place
or the country or whatever,
00:17:42.74\00:17:46.15
but they said, we don't mind
00:17:46.18\00:17:47.21
you preaching the whole campaign
00:17:47.24\00:17:48.47
but please don't preach
on the mark of the beast.
00:17:48.50\00:17:52.55
Please don't
preach on Ellen White.
00:17:52.58\00:17:55.81
Preach
everything else except that.
00:17:55.84\00:17:58.95
I said would you respect,
00:17:58.98\00:18:02.19
kind of limit the message
God has given us to bear?
00:18:02.22\00:18:07.49
And we are called to
call people out of Babylon,
00:18:07.52\00:18:10.61
out of religious confusion.
00:18:10.64\00:18:14.71
My question to you this morning
is what do we call them into?
00:18:14.74\00:18:19.09
Calling them out is
only half of the commission,
00:18:22.87\00:18:26.67
we must call
them into something.
00:18:26.70\00:18:30.67
I am aware in Revelation
12, it says that we are--
00:18:30.70\00:18:34.83
It says, "The dragon
was wroth with the woman,
00:18:34.86\00:18:36.66
and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed."
00:18:36.69\00:18:41.39
I am aware as a
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:18:41.42\00:18:43.78
we are the remnant church.
00:18:43.81\00:18:45.40
Amen.
00:18:45.43\00:18:46.85
But I'm also aware that
when you rewind in Revelation
00:18:46.88\00:18:49.82
a few chapters before
that, you come to Revelation 3.
00:18:49.85\00:18:56.52
Well, we are not
the church of Smyrna,
00:18:56.55\00:18:59.60
we are not the
church of Thyatira,
00:18:59.63\00:19:03.00
we are not the church of Sardis
00:19:03.03\00:19:04.65
or even the
church of Philadelphia.
00:19:04.68\00:19:07.09
We are the church of Laodicea.
00:19:07.12\00:19:11.87
Just think about
that for a moment.
00:19:16.44\00:19:21.50
We call people from Babylon.
00:19:21.53\00:19:26.96
Are you following me?
00:19:26.99\00:19:28.73
Into Laodicea.
00:19:28.76\00:19:35.19
We call people from
confusion into liturgy.
00:19:35.22\00:19:42.67
From Babylon to Laodicea.
00:19:42.70\00:19:49.68
To some of us
that causes a little
00:19:49.71\00:19:51.14
consternation in the mind.
00:19:51.17\00:19:54.36
It almost seems like
a contradiction of terms
00:19:54.39\00:19:57.62
and it poses us as
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:19:57.65\00:20:00.06
almost a little mini dilemma.
00:20:00.09\00:20:01.95
Yes, we should call
people out of Babylon.
00:20:01.98\00:20:03.75
Amen.
00:20:03.78\00:20:04.85
And I believe we should continue
00:20:04.88\00:20:06.58
preaching our
distinctive message,
00:20:06.61\00:20:08.26
continue to call people out,
00:20:08.29\00:20:09.96
we should
continue to do all of that,
00:20:09.99\00:20:11.75
however, while we are doing that
00:20:11.78\00:20:14.38
we are calling
them into a church,
00:20:14.41\00:20:16.34
that is in a
Laodicean condition.
00:20:16.37\00:20:23.34
Some of you here,
00:20:23.37\00:20:24.40
you're proud to
be here at GYC, amen.
00:20:24.43\00:20:27.54
But some of you here at GYC,
00:20:27.57\00:20:33.00
you know the church is
in a Laodicean condition.
00:20:33.03\00:20:36.72
'Cause some of us here
feel that we can't even
00:20:36.75\00:20:39.97
invite our friends
to our home church.
00:20:40.00\00:20:42.96
How many of you know
what I'm talking about?
00:20:42.99\00:20:45.29
I'm embarrassed about my church.
00:20:45.32\00:20:48.05
I've got to check
the preaching plan to see
00:20:48.08\00:20:49.82
if I can invite
someone this Sabbath, or that--
00:20:49.85\00:20:51.43
oh, can't, can't.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
00:20:51.46\00:20:53.89
You know what I'm talking about?
00:20:53.92\00:20:58.11
And it's the sad indictment
of who we are as a church.
00:20:58.14\00:21:00.92
There are sometimes
we can't even invite
00:21:00.95\00:21:02.60
our friends or family members
00:21:02.63\00:21:04.56
who are not
Adventists to the church,
00:21:04.59\00:21:06.50
we go to and
worship every Sabbath
00:21:06.53\00:21:08.69
because we say, it's not
good enough to invite them to.
00:21:08.72\00:21:14.80
But come to GYC. Amen.
00:21:14.83\00:21:19.11
It's all happening there.
00:21:19.14\00:21:23.48
Within the church the
picture of the character of God
00:21:23.51\00:21:28.45
unfortunately has
been distorted somewhat.
00:21:28.48\00:21:32.75
We are neither cold nor
hot but we are lukewarm.
00:21:32.78\00:21:37.31
And I believe one of
signs of being lukewarm
00:21:37.34\00:21:41.48
is that the automatic
reaction of many of us
00:21:41.51\00:21:44.30
in this audience this morning
00:21:44.33\00:21:45.88
when I say that we
are neither cold nor hot
00:21:45.91\00:21:48.28
but lukewarm, we
say, well, I'm not cold.
00:21:48.31\00:21:52.15
And we say I'm
not lukewarm either.
00:21:52.18\00:21:56.88
I'm sure many of
us I went through
00:21:56.91\00:21:58.02
and I heard I'm not
cold and I'm not lukewarm.
00:21:58.05\00:22:00.98
I come to GYC. Amen.
00:22:01.01\00:22:06.65
I paid $800 to get here.
00:22:06.68\00:22:09.53
On top of that I still return
my faithful tithe and offerings
00:22:09.56\00:22:14.63
and I give my
support to my local church.
00:22:14.66\00:22:21.85
I keep the Sabbath.
00:22:21.88\00:22:23.78
I would never think
of doing anything like
00:22:23.81\00:22:25.61
going to a
restaurant on the Sabbath day
00:22:25.64\00:22:28.77
and I don't listen to
any music with syncopation.
00:22:28.80\00:22:32.84
I am hot. Amen.
00:22:32.87\00:22:39.89
That's what many of
us think in our head.
00:22:39.92\00:22:43.39
When I go to Taco Bell
00:22:43.42\00:22:44.86
I asked them to
take out the cheese
00:22:44.89\00:22:46.32
and the sour
cream and the guacamole.
00:22:46.35\00:22:51.99
I'm a good
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:22:52.02\00:22:55.59
Amen.
00:22:55.62\00:22:58.30
And we
automatically say I'm not cold,
00:22:58.33\00:23:00.15
I'm not lukewarm, but I am hot.
00:23:00.18\00:23:02.31
And I believe that
is one of the signs
00:23:02.34\00:23:03.61
that we're all
actually lukewarm.
00:23:03.64\00:23:08.29
I believe as a
church we need help.
00:23:08.32\00:23:11.84
How many of you been to General
Conference sessions here?
00:23:11.87\00:23:15.52
it's great to go to
General Conference, eh?
00:23:15.55\00:23:18.21
See the whole world
church got it together
00:23:18.24\00:23:20.40
and you hear the
reports from South America
00:23:20.43\00:23:22.23
and all these different
places and they talk about
00:23:22.26\00:23:24.84
how many they've baptized
and all these type of things
00:23:24.87\00:23:27.45
and it's encouraging to
go to the General Conference
00:23:27.48\00:23:29.26
and hear all these
stories of the world church
00:23:29.29\00:23:31.38
and how it's growing
00:23:31.41\00:23:33.70
and you hear the
off repeated statistic
00:23:33.73\00:23:35.68
that we are
baptizing 3,000 people per day.
00:23:35.71\00:23:41.70
But if you check the
population growth in the world,
00:23:41.73\00:23:44.09
there are 385,000
people born everyday,
00:23:44.12\00:23:47.34
a 156,000 people die everyday,
that's 220,000 growth per day.
00:23:47.37\00:23:54.26
So while the world population
is growing by 230,000 per day,
00:23:54.29\00:23:58.91
as a church we are
growing by 3,000 per day.
00:23:58.94\00:24:02.83
Do you see how we
kind of losing pace
00:24:02.86\00:24:05.07
with the rest of the world
00:24:05.10\00:24:06.36
and all of a
sudden a paltry 3,000
00:24:06.39\00:24:09.44
doesn't seem so good after all.
00:24:09.47\00:24:13.76
And it's something
that we need to do.
00:24:13.79\00:24:15.72
I'm reminded of the quotation
in Great Controversy, page 464,
00:24:15.75\00:24:21.07
where it says,
"Before the final visitation
00:24:21.10\00:24:25.45
of God's
judgments upon the earth
00:24:25.48\00:24:27.97
there will be a
revival of primitive godliness
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.96
as has not been seen
since Apostolic times."
00:24:31.99\00:24:38.97
The revival before
the end will be one
00:24:39.00\00:24:41.32
that has not been
witnessed since Apostolic times.
00:24:41.35\00:24:45.01
So how was it in the
early Apostolic Church?
00:24:45.04\00:24:48.32
What was the church like?
00:24:48.35\00:24:52.74
In the Apostolic Church,
00:24:52.77\00:24:53.88
it was a church where
there were people there
00:24:53.91\00:24:56.06
who could
literally say, I saw Jesus.
00:24:56.09\00:25:00.90
It was a church
where people could say,
00:25:00.93\00:25:02.61
I ate the bread he
made on the hill by Galilee.
00:25:02.64\00:25:07.55
It was a church
where people could say,
00:25:07.58\00:25:09.63
I saw the miracles of Jesus,
00:25:09.66\00:25:11.73
in fact I today am
healed because Jesus healed me.
00:25:11.76\00:25:17.24
It was a church
full of eyewitnesses.
00:25:17.27\00:25:19.98
It was a church that had seen
00:25:20.01\00:25:21.42
the love of
Christ in full detail,
00:25:21.45\00:25:23.98
right before their
eyes, people could say,
00:25:24.01\00:25:26.50
I've seen the Son of Man risen.
00:25:26.53\00:25:30.63
I saw Him after His crucifixion,
00:25:30.66\00:25:33.08
I believe in the resurrection.
00:25:33.11\00:25:35.66
It was a church
where people could say,
00:25:35.69\00:25:37.19
I saw Him ascended up to heaven.
00:25:37.22\00:25:39.93
Wouldn't you like
to be in such a church?
00:25:39.96\00:25:45.99
It was the church as well
00:25:46.02\00:25:47.05
where the Word of
God was their foundation.
00:25:47.08\00:25:50.75
It was a church that the Word
of God was their foundation.
00:25:50.78\00:25:54.99
It was during the
Apostolic time period church
00:25:55.02\00:25:58.96
that the 66 books
we have in the Bible
00:25:58.99\00:26:01.51
were the ones they
were kind of chosen.
00:26:01.54\00:26:06.24
The Apostolic Church not
only had seen Jesus Christ,
00:26:06.27\00:26:10.91
but they were a church
00:26:10.94\00:26:11.97
that was based on
the Word of God solely.
00:26:12.00\00:26:16.18
And when the commission
was given to the early church
00:26:16.21\00:26:18.53
to go into all the
world and preach the gospel,
00:26:18.56\00:26:21.19
they did not ask questions
00:26:21.22\00:26:22.73
as to how much
will I get paid in?
00:26:22.76\00:26:24.76
Will my life be
in danger when I go?
00:26:24.79\00:26:27.02
No, the
commission that drove them
00:26:27.05\00:26:29.36
came from the Word of God
00:26:29.39\00:26:30.85
and they had to live
it out in their lives.
00:26:30.88\00:26:34.62
The early Apostolic
Church was a powerful church.
00:26:34.65\00:26:38.34
They were Sabbath keepers,
00:26:38.37\00:26:39.81
they were believers in
the spirit of prophecy,
00:26:39.84\00:26:42.14
they understood
the health message
00:26:42.17\00:26:45.36
and they understood
the gospel commission.
00:26:45.39\00:26:47.99
And in the early
Christian church,
00:26:48.02\00:26:49.71
I believe the theme
of this conference acts,
00:26:49.74\00:26:51.89
the revolution continues
is apt for this church.
00:26:51.92\00:26:57.33
You see, the word revolution
00:26:57.36\00:26:58.73
comes from a
Latin word revolutio.
00:26:58.76\00:27:03.45
It's revolution without the 'n'.
00:27:03.48\00:27:07.82
And the word
revolution from its Latin form
00:27:07.85\00:27:10.25
literally means to turn around.
00:27:10.28\00:27:14.33
That's what it
means, turn around.
00:27:14.36\00:27:17.02
Turn around.
00:27:17.05\00:27:21.36
We use it to refer
to massive turnarounds
00:27:21.39\00:27:25.11
or changes that take place
00:27:25.14\00:27:26.86
in a relatively
short period of time.
00:27:26.89\00:27:29.52
Unfortunately it
seems in recent years
00:27:29.55\00:27:31.86
the usage of the word revolution
00:27:31.89\00:27:34.09
has been somewhat, hijacked by,
00:27:34.12\00:27:37.63
some may say negative events.
00:27:37.66\00:27:41.18
So when you think of
the French Revolution,
00:27:41.21\00:27:45.55
it doesn't bring you all
warm fuzzy feelings, right.
00:27:45.58\00:27:50.29
When you think of
the Russian Revolution,
00:27:50.32\00:27:54.19
it doesn't make
you feel good, right.
00:27:54.22\00:27:57.00
When you think of,
say the Cuban Revolution,
00:27:57.03\00:27:59.75
it doesn't make you
feel all happy, right.
00:27:59.78\00:28:03.49
When you think of
the American Revolution,
00:28:03.52\00:28:07.67
how does that make you feel?
00:28:07.70\00:28:12.04
I find it kind of
ironic that they asked someone
00:28:12.07\00:28:15.53
from England to
preach in America
00:28:15.56\00:28:19.77
on the theme of revolution.
00:28:19.80\00:28:25.88
Maybe you guys need to learn
00:28:25.91\00:28:27.34
how to do it
properly, I don't know.
00:28:27.37\00:28:32.69
By the word revolution
refers to a significant change
00:28:32.72\00:28:36.82
taking place in a
short space of time
00:28:36.85\00:28:38.77
and so the
Apostolic Church was true.
00:28:38.80\00:28:40.55
They went from being
a church that you know,
00:28:40.58\00:28:42.70
that was 12 to being the church
00:28:42.73\00:28:48.66
with thousands in
about a few months.
00:28:48.69\00:28:52.05
Is that a revolution, yes or no?
00:28:52.08\00:28:54.04
It is a revolution.
00:28:54.07\00:28:55.13
It was a dramatic change
00:28:55.16\00:28:56.68
in a very, very
short period of time.
00:28:56.71\00:28:59.46
Very short period of time.
00:28:59.49\00:29:00.85
The Book of Acts
saw the revolution
00:29:00.88\00:29:02.58
was based on the Word of God.
00:29:02.61\00:29:03.84
Turn in your Bibles if
you will to Acts Chapter 4,
00:29:03.87\00:29:05.93
just gonna read a
few verses quickly.
00:29:05.96\00:29:07.50
Acts 4:4, in Acts 4:4,
you see, the revolution
00:29:07.53\00:29:14.57
in early Christian
church was a revolution
00:29:14.60\00:29:17.06
that was based on
the Word of God, amen.
00:29:17.09\00:29:20.55
what does the Bible say here?
00:29:20.58\00:29:23.97
Acts 4:4, it says,
"Howbeit many of them
00:29:24.00\00:29:28.63
which heard the word believed;
00:29:28.66\00:29:30.57
and the number of
them was," how many?
00:29:30.60\00:29:33.03
Five thousand.
00:29:33.06\00:29:34.09
Go down to verse
31, in verse 31 it says,
00:29:34.12\00:29:36.98
"And when they had
prayed, the place was shaken
00:29:37.01\00:29:39.27
where they were
assembled together;
00:29:39.30\00:29:40.49
and they were
filled with the Holy Ghost,
00:29:40.52\00:29:42.11
and they spake the
Word of God with boldness."
00:29:42.14\00:29:46.89
Acts 6:7, a few
pages over, the Bible say,
00:29:46.92\00:29:54.51
"And the word of God increased".
00:29:54.54\00:29:58.00
In Acts 8:4, just the
next page over, the Bible says,
00:29:58.03\00:30:04.12
"Therefore they that
were scattered abroad
00:30:04.15\00:30:07.26
went every where
preaching the word."
00:30:07.29\00:30:10.84
And I could read through
about 20 or 30 different verses
00:30:10.87\00:30:14.25
throughout the Book of Acts,
00:30:14.28\00:30:15.51
where it says over and
over again the word of God,
00:30:15.54\00:30:18.42
the word of
God, the word of God,
00:30:18.45\00:30:21.02
the word of God.
00:30:21.05\00:30:22.50
It was a
revolution that was not based,
00:30:22.53\00:30:24.78
listen carefully, on
the uniqueness of Jewish
00:30:24.81\00:30:27.37
or Greek culture.
00:30:27.40\00:30:29.51
But it was a revolution that
was based on the word of God.
00:30:29.54\00:30:32.54
The word of God was the
foundation of this revolution.
00:30:32.57\00:30:36.89
The revolution was
based on Revelation
00:30:36.92\00:30:41.70
and thus it
produced transformation.
00:30:41.73\00:30:47.81
You see, the picture of God
is seen through His word, amen.
00:30:47.84\00:30:52.76
That's why I offer
the message today is
00:30:52.79\00:30:54.09
"The Finished Portrait".
00:30:54.12\00:30:56.26
The picture of God is
seen through His word.
00:30:56.29\00:30:59.03
When you read the Bible
as a scripture reading said,
00:30:59.06\00:31:01.48
"We behold in a
mirror the glory of God,
00:31:01.51\00:31:03.71
we change into same image
from glory to glory," why?
00:31:03.74\00:31:06.88
Because as we read the Bible,
00:31:06.91\00:31:08.32
it does something to us,
it changes of our hearts.
00:31:08.35\00:31:11.12
Now that's a very
generic thing to say,
00:31:11.15\00:31:12.76
the word of God reveals
Jesus, we all know that.
00:31:12.79\00:31:15.58
But let's narrow
it a little bit closer
00:31:15.61\00:31:17.59
and it's really the
teachings of the Bible
00:31:17.62\00:31:19.92
or you could even say,
00:31:19.95\00:31:20.99
I know in some circles
is considered a dirty word
00:31:21.02\00:31:25.15
but you could say the
doctrines of the Bible
00:31:25.18\00:31:28.05
reveal the character of God.
00:31:28.08\00:31:31.38
How is it we know that
God is love and just unfair?
00:31:31.41\00:31:34.59
We look at the
different teachings
00:31:34.62\00:31:36.16
and doctrines in the Bible
and as we are looking at those,
00:31:36.19\00:31:39.59
we're building in our minds
00:31:39.62\00:31:41.32
a picture of the
character of God.
00:31:41.35\00:31:45.91
In the early Apostolic Church,
I would say, venture to say,
00:31:45.94\00:31:49.67
they had an accurate picture
00:31:49.70\00:31:51.55
of what the
character of God look like.
00:31:51.58\00:31:55.79
But unfortunately it was lost.
00:31:55.82\00:31:57.61
In Acts 5:29, the Bible says,
00:31:57.64\00:32:00.01
"We ought to obey
God rather than men."
00:32:00.04\00:32:02.10
And unfortunately
as the 1st Century
00:32:02.13\00:32:04.57
went into the 2nd Century
00:32:04.60\00:32:05.90
which went into the 3rd Century,
00:32:05.93\00:32:07.48
this picture of God was lost.
00:32:07.51\00:32:11.57
Acts 20:28, 30, the Bible says,
00:32:11.60\00:32:14.55
"The wolf would come into
the church in sheep's clothing
00:32:14.58\00:32:18.27
and men would arise
to draw disciples away
00:32:18.30\00:32:20.77
after themselves."
00:32:20.80\00:32:21.92
And so this took
place in the second
00:32:21.95\00:32:23.88
and third and fourth century
00:32:23.91\00:32:25.19
where men would draw
people after themselves
00:32:25.22\00:32:28.19
and not the word of God.
00:32:28.22\00:32:29.68
And so what happened
is the picture of God
00:32:29.71\00:32:33.45
that is painted through
the scriptures was distorted,
00:32:33.48\00:32:36.96
it was mod, it was faded.
00:32:36.99\00:32:40.12
The Sabbath became
Sunday, grace became license...
00:32:40.15\00:32:45.10
and so on, so on and so forth.
00:32:48.87\00:32:51.77
Christianity was corrupted,
00:32:51.80\00:32:53.38
the picture of God was distorted
00:32:53.41\00:32:55.40
and the world was
plunged into the abyss known
00:32:55.43\00:32:58.31
as the Dark Ages.
00:32:58.34\00:33:00.07
Dark because
God's word was not read,
00:33:00.10\00:33:02.30
Dark because the
little bit that was read
00:33:02.33\00:33:04.67
and taught by the pulpits,
00:33:04.70\00:33:07.21
spoke of a God
who was vindictive,
00:33:07.24\00:33:09.29
a God who was
mean, a God who was harsh
00:33:09.32\00:33:11.72
and a God who was unloving.
00:33:11.75\00:33:15.40
And so the
picture had been distorted
00:33:15.43\00:33:18.35
and there were the need
for the reformation to arise,
00:33:18.38\00:33:20.91
the reformation
to arise to redraw,
00:33:20.94\00:33:24.04
resketch the picture of God.
00:33:24.07\00:33:29.93
Martin Luther rose
up and he rediscovered
00:33:29.96\00:33:36.80
that we're saved by
grace through faith.
00:33:36.83\00:33:40.28
And so with the single blow
00:33:40.31\00:33:41.89
he smashed the era of purgatory,
00:33:41.92\00:33:46.20
indulgences,
sacraments and taught once again
00:33:46.23\00:33:50.29
that we serve a loving God.
00:33:50.32\00:33:55.16
The Anabaptist came along
00:33:55.19\00:33:56.82
and they rediscover
the truth about baptism
00:33:56.85\00:33:59.93
that God is
interested not just in our birth
00:33:59.96\00:34:03.58
but He's interested in
our complete whole rebirth.
00:34:03.61\00:34:10.10
And one by one different
teachings were rediscovered.
00:34:10.13\00:34:14.69
The revolution
was on the way, amen.
00:34:14.72\00:34:18.64
It was not a revolution based
on Western European culture.
00:34:18.67\00:34:22.51
It was not a revolution based
on Anglo-Saxon, French, Swiss,
00:34:22.54\00:34:26.70
or Germanic
cultures, it was a revolution
00:34:26.73\00:34:29.75
that was based wholly,
not on societal changes
00:34:29.78\00:34:33.29
that the church was adapting to,
00:34:33.32\00:34:35.69
but it was a revolution
00:34:35.72\00:34:36.98
that was based
100% on revelation.
00:34:37.01\00:34:40.62
Amen.
00:34:40.65\00:34:42.85
And thus in the
heart of Christianity
00:34:42.88\00:34:45.52
it began to
produce a transformation.
00:34:45.55\00:34:49.65
It was a
revolution you could die for.
00:34:49.68\00:34:52.93
Many hundreds of
thousands of people died
00:34:52.96\00:34:56.76
for the faith they had.
00:34:56.79\00:34:58.75
They were not dying for
their love of a country.
00:34:58.78\00:35:04.87
They were not
dying to protect anything
00:35:04.90\00:35:10.07
other than the word of God
00:35:10.10\00:35:14.17
and their love for Jesus Christ.
00:35:14.20\00:35:17.17
You know, the reformers
John Wycliffe is one of the--
00:35:22.55\00:35:27.12
one of them that got it going.
00:35:27.15\00:35:29.44
It says in the book
Great Controversy, page 88,
00:35:29.47\00:35:31.88
"In giving the
Bible to his countrymen
00:35:31.91\00:35:35.05
he did more to liberate
00:35:35.08\00:35:38.25
the minds of
those in his country
00:35:38.28\00:35:40.20
than was obtained by
the most brilliant victories
00:35:40.23\00:35:42.76
on the fields of battle."
00:35:42.79\00:35:45.08
John Hus was asked
one time while in prison
00:35:45.11\00:35:48.01
to retract what he had said.
00:35:48.04\00:35:49.94
And he said, "Prove to
me from the Holy Scriptures
00:35:49.97\00:35:53.27
that I'm in error
and I will retract."
00:35:53.30\00:35:57.00
They could not prove to him
00:35:57.03\00:35:58.47
and so we went to a Mathis dead.
00:35:58.50\00:36:01.81
Hus, you may have read
about him in Great Controversy.
00:36:01.84\00:36:04.95
He said these words, he said,
it's the job of the preacher,
00:36:04.98\00:36:08.01
he saw this vision or dream
00:36:08.04\00:36:11.44
where he saw the
picture of Christ.
00:36:11.47\00:36:14.73
And he says it's
the job of the preacher
00:36:14.76\00:36:16.38
to paint in the
minds of the listeners,
00:36:16.41\00:36:20.07
the image of Christ which
is never going to be marked.
00:36:20.10\00:36:24.49
And he said the image of Christ
00:36:24.52\00:36:25.67
is gonna stand
from now until eternity.
00:36:25.70\00:36:29.55
William Tyndale was
asked, how can we distinguish
00:36:29.58\00:36:31.88
between right and wrong.
00:36:31.91\00:36:33.10
And he said by nothing
other than the word of God.
00:36:33.13\00:36:38.87
Martin Luther, I've
already mentioned him.
00:36:38.90\00:36:44.74
Martin Luther was
before the Diet in Worms.
00:36:44.77\00:36:51.86
And I love that famous
quotation where he was asked,
00:36:51.89\00:36:55.16
will you or
will you not retract.
00:36:55.19\00:37:00.30
And he answered
and I'll read, he says,
00:37:00.33\00:37:02.13
"Since your most serene
majesty and high mightinesses
00:37:02.16\00:37:06.43
require from me a clear,
simple, and precise answer,
00:37:06.46\00:37:09.42
I will give you
one, and it is this:
00:37:09.45\00:37:11.63
I cannot submit my faith either
to the Pope or the councils,
00:37:11.66\00:37:15.79
because it's clear as the day
that they have frequently erred
00:37:15.82\00:37:18.49
and contradicted each other.
00:37:18.52\00:37:19.80
Unless therefore I'm convinced
by the testimony of Scripture
00:37:19.83\00:37:23.52
or by the clearest reasoning,
00:37:23.55\00:37:26.06
unless I'm persuaded
by means of the passages
00:37:26.09\00:37:28.59
I have quoted, and
unless they thus render
00:37:28.62\00:37:30.92
my conscience
bound to the word of God.
00:37:30.95\00:37:32.95
I cannot and will not retract,
00:37:32.98\00:37:34.72
for it is unsafe for a Christian
00:37:34.75\00:37:36.60
to speak against his conscience.
00:37:36.63\00:37:38.31
Here I stand, I can do no other;
00:37:38.34\00:37:42.80
may God help me."
00:37:42.83\00:37:44.64
These were men who stood
00:37:44.67\00:37:46.51
and based their
lives on the word of God.
00:37:46.54\00:37:49.39
John Knox when standing before
Queen Mary, she said to him,
00:37:49.42\00:37:52.62
"you interpret
the Bible this way
00:37:52.65\00:37:54.55
and they interpret that way.
00:37:54.58\00:37:56.05
Whom should I believe?"
And he said, believe God.
00:37:56.08\00:38:02.22
He said, the Scriptures
never contradict each other,
00:38:04.66\00:38:07.63
except for those who
obstinately remain ignorant.
00:38:07.66\00:38:11.74
The Holy Scriptures,
he said, the Holy Spirit
00:38:11.77\00:38:14.17
through the
Scriptures will explain himself.
00:38:14.20\00:38:17.56
And so Martin
Luther rediscovered
00:38:23.13\00:38:26.00
grace through faith,
John and Charles Wesley
00:38:26.03\00:38:28.25
the founders of
the Methodist Church,
00:38:28.28\00:38:30.48
they discover the importance
of daily Bible study prayer
00:38:30.51\00:38:33.21
and witnessing in
the Christian experience.
00:38:33.24\00:38:36.44
The Anglican Church,
the Presbyterian Church,
00:38:36.47\00:38:38.36
all these churches
that rose rediscovering
00:38:38.39\00:38:41.86
some element of the
picture of the face of God,
00:38:41.89\00:38:44.85
it was all good
but not complete.
00:38:44.88\00:38:47.55
the Bible says,
00:38:47.58\00:38:52.47
"But the sun it
shines ever bright
00:38:52.50\00:38:54.63
to unto the perfect day."
00:38:54.66\00:38:57.26
The truth was
beginning to shine in the world
00:38:57.29\00:38:59.75
and it was coming
bit-by-bit, step-by-step,
00:38:59.78\00:39:02.74
one truth at a
time, it was all good
00:39:02.77\00:39:05.75
but it was not complete,
00:39:05.78\00:39:07.12
the picture had not
been fully repainted.
00:39:07.15\00:39:12.74
Because the greatest
movement yet had yet to arise.
00:39:12.77\00:39:20.54
William Miller,
00:39:20.57\00:39:25.25
from New York
studying his Bible,
00:39:25.28\00:39:31.59
when he stumbled across
the truth of the 2300 days,
00:39:31.62\00:39:37.03
second coming he
put them all together.
00:39:37.06\00:39:40.85
And so it grew
this movement called
00:39:40.88\00:39:42.73
the Great Advent Movement.
00:39:42.76\00:39:46.82
A movement which had hundreds
of thousands of people in it
00:39:46.85\00:39:50.09
and it blossomed and
grew and eventually gave birth
00:39:50.12\00:39:54.76
to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:39:54.79\00:39:58.68
You see, the
Adventist Church came along
00:39:58.71\00:40:01.69
and completed the
picture of the face of God.
00:40:01.72\00:40:08.59
As a church we rediscovered
00:40:08.62\00:40:11.66
what you can find
in Revelation Chapter 1
00:40:11.69\00:40:14.55
seven edifices, seven
pillars of the Adventist Church.
00:40:14.58\00:40:20.16
The belief that the Scriptures
00:40:20.19\00:40:22.50
are the foundation of
all our beliefs, amen.
00:40:22.53\00:40:26.68
1 Timothy 4:16 says,
00:40:26.71\00:40:28.47
"For all scriptures
given by inspiration of God
00:40:28.50\00:40:31.60
and is profitable for doctrine,
for approve, for correction,
00:40:31.63\00:40:34.39
for instruction
in righteousness."
00:40:34.42\00:40:36.55
As a church we
rediscovered the correct
00:40:36.58\00:40:39.58
and complete view of
the plan of salvation.
00:40:39.61\00:40:43.56
Not once saved always saved,
not forensic justification
00:40:43.59\00:40:50.16
but a correct
view of justification,
00:40:50.19\00:40:52.34
sanctification and glorification
00:40:52.37\00:40:54.64
that shows the
love, the mercy, the grace
00:40:54.67\00:40:58.14
and the justice of God
all rolled up into one.
00:40:58.17\00:41:04.15
As a church we discovered,
00:41:04.18\00:41:07.22
rediscovered the
teaching of the second coming,
00:41:07.25\00:41:11.30
not one with
false dates before it,
00:41:11.33\00:41:14.06
not one setting times,
00:41:14.09\00:41:15.96
not one with funny time
prophecies around it, no.
00:41:15.99\00:41:19.98
But one that taught
how the heart of God yearns
00:41:20.01\00:41:22.97
to be reunited
with His people again.
00:41:23.00\00:41:25.70
We rediscover the
Sabbath in His beauty, amen.
00:41:25.73\00:41:28.94
The sanctuary message showing
00:41:28.97\00:41:31.18
how the salvation of
man began on the cross
00:41:31.21\00:41:33.48
and continues in the
heavenly sanctuary for us
00:41:33.51\00:41:36.45
as God lives to make
intercession for His people.
00:41:36.48\00:41:39.42
The State of the
Dead, the Spirit of Prophecy
00:41:39.45\00:41:41.58
all of these were
founded by our church pioneers
00:41:41.61\00:41:47.61
and they made
and built our church.
00:41:47.64\00:41:51.55
You see, though our
church was founded in America.
00:41:51.58\00:41:56.10
We are in a church
today that has gone
00:41:56.13\00:41:58.20
to over 200
countries around this world.
00:41:58.23\00:42:02.97
And the reason why it's gone
00:42:03.00\00:42:04.03
to over 200
countries around this world,
00:42:04.06\00:42:07.24
sorry to let you know is not
00:42:07.27\00:42:08.35
because the world
wants to be American, amen.
00:42:08.38\00:42:14.31
It's not the
uniqueness of American culture
00:42:14.34\00:42:17.03
that has driven our church
that was founded in America?
00:42:17.06\00:42:21.00
It is the word of
God that drove our church
00:42:21.03\00:42:23.66
and propelled it
around the world.
00:42:23.69\00:42:28.44
You know, when
the Adventist Church
00:42:28.47\00:42:29.50
was started in late 1800s
00:42:29.53\00:42:31.76
there was a group of Christians
from different denominations
00:42:31.79\00:42:33.51
that came together
00:42:33.54\00:42:34.58
and they said to
the Adventist church,
00:42:34.61\00:42:36.37
this is the
Anglicans, the Presbyterians,
00:42:36.40\00:42:38.05
the Methodists and so on.
00:42:38.08\00:42:39.16
They said, listen,
the world is too big
00:42:39.19\00:42:42.27
and you know we can't
get to the whole world
00:42:42.30\00:42:44.34
you know, it's easier if say,
the Anglicans we take Africa
00:42:44.37\00:42:49.10
and the Presbyterians take Asia
00:42:49.13\00:42:51.10
and the Adventists
you take here and so on,
00:42:51.13\00:42:53.85
let's divide the
world like a map.
00:42:53.88\00:42:57.40
The Adventist Church,
00:42:57.43\00:42:58.50
it's a very
common sense approach
00:42:58.53\00:42:59.83
and you would think
it would make sense.
00:42:59.86\00:43:01.30
The Adventist
Church said, no way.
00:43:01.33\00:43:06.76
Though we are only a
few thousand members,
00:43:06.79\00:43:09.51
we have a message unique
from the pen of inspiration
00:43:09.54\00:43:12.68
in the Book of Revelation
00:43:12.71\00:43:13.89
that must go to the whole world
00:43:13.92\00:43:15.51
and sorry, we like your idea
00:43:15.54\00:43:17.40
but we're gonna go on our own.
00:43:17.43\00:43:20.30
And as Adventist Church
00:43:20.33\00:43:21.45
we are now the most widespread
Protestant denomination
00:43:21.48\00:43:24.69
that there is.
00:43:24.72\00:43:28.46
Our church was
founded on the mountain
00:43:28.49\00:43:30.53
of evidence of the Scriptures,
00:43:30.56\00:43:32.18
it was not founded
on a smoking gun, amen.
00:43:32.21\00:43:37.10
It was not just one
text here or one text there,
00:43:37.13\00:43:39.86
one text taken
out of the context
00:43:39.89\00:43:42.34
that it was written on,
00:43:42.37\00:43:43.40
but the doctrines were formed
00:43:43.43\00:43:44.50
and based on a mountain of
evidence in the word of God.
00:43:44.53\00:43:50.31
And it's interesting,
00:43:50.34\00:43:52.23
when you read
Revelation Chapter 3
00:43:52.26\00:43:54.00
and you read about
the Laodicean Church
00:43:54.03\00:43:55.89
which we are, amen.
00:43:55.92\00:43:59.08
Does Laodicea receive
any praise, yes or no?
00:43:59.11\00:44:03.26
No praise.
00:44:03.29\00:44:04.40
Does it receive a
rebuke, yes or no?
00:44:04.43\00:44:08.02
Plenty of rebuke,
00:44:08.05\00:44:10.50
but when you read
the rebuke to Laodicea
00:44:10.53\00:44:13.50
as you reading
through the rebuke
00:44:13.53\00:44:15.10
it does not receive
any doctrinal rebuke.
00:44:15.13\00:44:22.86
Other churches it said,
00:44:22.89\00:44:24.48
you have the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
00:44:24.51\00:44:27.59
Other churches they said,
00:44:27.62\00:44:28.92
you have the
doctrine of Balaam and Balak.
00:44:28.95\00:44:31.42
Other churches it says,
00:44:31.45\00:44:33.84
you have the synagogue of Satan
00:44:33.87\00:44:35.52
or you suffer the woman Jezebel,
00:44:35.55\00:44:38.29
but Laodicea, it doesn't mention
00:44:38.32\00:44:40.14
any of those
things to Laodicea, why?
00:44:40.17\00:44:43.44
Because the issue with
Laodicea is not our message.
00:44:43.47\00:44:46.77
Our message is
pure, it is complete,
00:44:46.80\00:44:49.23
it has redrawn the
picture of the face of God.
00:44:49.26\00:44:53.16
It is the
condition of our hearts
00:44:53.19\00:44:55.12
that needs to be changed.
00:44:55.15\00:44:59.55
That's why in Christ's
Object Lessons, page 69,
00:44:59.58\00:45:04.12
don't miss this quote.
00:45:04.15\00:45:05.59
Christ Object Lessons, page 69.
00:45:05.62\00:45:12.08
Ellen White writes
00:45:12.11\00:45:15.96
and fit in
aptly with our message
00:45:15.99\00:45:17.66
this morning she writes,
00:45:17.69\00:45:19.34
"When the
character of Christ shall be
00:45:19.37\00:45:21.62
reflected in His people
then the end will," what?
00:45:21.65\00:45:28.35
"Come."
00:45:28.38\00:45:30.29
You see, we have
redrawn the picture
00:45:30.32\00:45:31.99
of the image of God on paper.
00:45:32.02\00:45:33.94
How many of you've been
to those touristy places
00:45:33.97\00:45:35.95
where they have artists
to draw pictures of you.
00:45:35.98\00:45:39.33
I was in Rome once
00:45:39.36\00:45:40.40
and I was there looking at Rome,
00:45:40.43\00:45:41.59
the Colosseum, the Forum
00:45:41.62\00:45:43.16
and all the places
in the city of Rome,
00:45:43.19\00:45:44.79
an amazing city to go to.
00:45:44.82\00:45:47.21
And there's a place there
in Rome called Spanish Steps.
00:45:47.24\00:45:50.52
I don't know why they
call it Spanish Steps.
00:45:50.55\00:45:53.26
But at the top
there were some artists
00:45:53.29\00:45:55.71
and I says that
I'm kind of, you know
00:45:55.74\00:45:56.84
I would like to have
a drawing and he says
00:45:56.87\00:45:57.95
okay  40, I said, no, 10.
00:45:57.98\00:46:01.54
He said, okay, 35, I said
10. He said 30, I said 10.
00:46:01.57\00:46:05.59
25, I eventually got
him down to about 18.
00:46:05.62\00:46:09.75
But he drew this picture of me.
00:46:09.78\00:46:11.96
It wasn't one of
those caricatures
00:46:11.99\00:46:13.33
with big cheeks and nose
and all that kind of stuff.
00:46:13.36\00:46:16.78
It was just a normal drawing.
00:46:16.81\00:46:18.49
But it was just
a pencil drawing.
00:46:18.52\00:46:22.93
There was no paint on the page.
00:46:22.96\00:46:26.85
No paint on the page.
00:46:26.88\00:46:31.38
It's almost if as the church
00:46:31.41\00:46:35.42
we have drawn the
outline of the face of God
00:46:35.45\00:46:40.32
on paper with the pencil.
00:46:40.35\00:46:45.58
But we have yet to
apply the paint to the page
00:46:45.61\00:46:51.34
because the paint on the
page is not a new doctrine,
00:46:51.37\00:46:57.28
the paint on the
page is as we read
00:46:57.31\00:47:00.48
when the character of Christ
is reflected in His people,
00:47:00.51\00:47:03.30
then the Lord will come,
00:47:03.33\00:47:04.69
when the drawing comes to life
through the lives of you and I.
00:47:04.72\00:47:09.84
Living a victorious
life, then it will happen.
00:47:09.87\00:47:15.91
However, I believe
there are some things
00:47:15.94\00:47:17.24
that are blocking us.
00:47:17.27\00:47:18.30
There are some
things that are stopping us.
00:47:18.33\00:47:19.95
There are some
things preventing this
00:47:19.98\00:47:21.71
from becoming a reality.
00:47:21.74\00:47:23.35
Some of these are collective
and some of these are personal
00:47:23.38\00:47:26.12
and some of
these we see on a daily
00:47:26.15\00:47:28.02
or a weekly or a Sabbath
basis, week in, week out.
00:47:28.05\00:47:33.39
Amongst our
churches, amongst our people,
00:47:33.42\00:47:35.27
amongst our congregations,
unfortunately the result too
00:47:35.30\00:47:40.59
often a lack of
genuine brotherly love.
00:47:40.62\00:47:45.11
There is a lack
of Christian courtesy
00:47:45.14\00:47:47.14
amongst us as a people.
00:47:47.17\00:47:51.11
And so when we talk
on theological issues,
00:47:51.14\00:47:54.56
when we discuss
righteousness by faith,
00:47:54.59\00:48:00.40
righteousness by what?
00:48:00.43\00:48:02.33
Faith.
00:48:02.36\00:48:03.40
When we discuss these subjects,
00:48:03.43\00:48:04.92
I've sometimes
seen more sparks fly
00:48:04.95\00:48:08.25
discussing the
righteousness of Christ.
00:48:08.28\00:48:12.25
How ironic than anything else.
00:48:12.28\00:48:16.71
When there's someone
who disagrees with you,
00:48:16.74\00:48:18.30
how do you treat them?
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.33
How do you esteem
them in your mind?
00:48:20.36\00:48:24.17
What is your view of them?
00:48:24.20\00:48:28.19
A heretic, an apostate
00:48:28.22\00:48:31.34
who is pulling our church apart?
00:48:31.37\00:48:36.56
How often we're willing
to shed Christian demeanor
00:48:36.59\00:48:39.28
to malign slander or put
down our brothers and sisters.
00:48:39.31\00:48:44.51
Another thing I believe
that is rampant in our church
00:48:44.54\00:48:47.10
that is affecting and preventing
00:48:47.13\00:48:48.70
the character of God
being reflected in His people.
00:48:48.73\00:48:54.00
It's something that
affects us from church,
00:48:54.03\00:48:55.77
local church
department, church board,
00:48:55.80\00:49:01.34
conference
committee, union constituents,
00:49:01.37\00:49:04.46
division, general
conference, conference work,
00:49:04.49\00:49:09.73
self supporting
work, supporting work,
00:49:09.76\00:49:11.65
whatever you want to call it.
00:49:11.68\00:49:14.68
And that's the scourge
in our church of politics.
00:49:14.71\00:49:18.17
Who's who? My agenda.
00:49:21.98\00:49:26.79
Human politics are
always based on human passions
00:49:26.82\00:49:29.33
and human passions are selfish.
00:49:29.36\00:49:34.45
How many young people,
how many people in general
00:49:34.48\00:49:37.13
have been turned off
from involvement in church
00:49:37.16\00:49:40.29
or even attendance to
church by the behavior of those
00:49:40.32\00:49:43.56
with more
experience than themselves?
00:49:43.59\00:49:47.56
When sometimes we
see and the facade
00:49:47.59\00:49:49.98
of religious
activity is stripped away
00:49:50.02\00:49:52.34
and people can
sometimes see the church
00:49:52.37\00:49:54.84
for what it can be
a political animal.
00:49:54.87\00:49:58.50
And they're
turned off and I say,
00:49:58.53\00:50:00.88
if that's church I
want nothing to do with it.
00:50:00.91\00:50:05.74
As a pastor I
sometimes call people up
00:50:05.77\00:50:07.33
in nominating
committee time and say,
00:50:07.36\00:50:08.44
hi, my name is you know.
00:50:08.47\00:50:09.64
Hi, this is Pastor Adam calling.
00:50:09.67\00:50:13.44
Calling on behalf of
the nominating committee.
00:50:13.47\00:50:15.86
Okay, and you always hear
that pause, bit of silence.
00:50:15.89\00:50:21.68
I'm calling on behalf
of the nominating committee
00:50:21.71\00:50:22.87
and they're wondering
00:50:22.90\00:50:23.94
if you're willing
to serve in x position.
00:50:23.97\00:50:27.90
Sometime they say
yes, sometime they say no.
00:50:27.93\00:50:31.04
And what often
happens, and I thought
00:50:31.07\00:50:32.57
this is unique to my church.
00:50:32.60\00:50:34.57
People say, I don't
mind being an assistant
00:50:34.60\00:50:37.32
but I don't want
to be the leader.
00:50:37.35\00:50:40.61
You know what I'm talking about.
00:50:40.64\00:50:43.46
And it may be
for various reasons
00:50:43.49\00:50:45.01
but often time I
believe the reason
00:50:45.04\00:50:46.26
why they say it is this
00:50:46.29\00:50:47.40
because I know the
leader sits on the church board
00:50:47.43\00:50:49.16
and I don't want to be there.
00:50:49.19\00:50:51.66
I don't want to see that.
00:50:51.69\00:50:53.12
I don't want my view
of church to be clouded
00:50:53.15\00:50:55.83
by what takes
place in the chambers.
00:50:55.86\00:51:03.28
Even here at GYC I'm sure
there's politics going on,
00:51:03.31\00:51:06.94
behind-the-scene drama.
00:51:06.97\00:51:08.83
Another thing
that effects the church
00:51:15.61\00:51:17.02
is our motivation for service.
00:51:17.05\00:51:19.54
All too often as the church,
00:51:19.57\00:51:21.07
we have a desire
only to be served
00:51:21.10\00:51:23.17
if we are seen by others.
00:51:23.20\00:51:27.59
Serving for the praise or
the accolades or not serving
00:51:27.62\00:51:31.45
because we're scared of failure.
00:51:31.48\00:51:34.86
I don't want to fail
therefore I won't serve.
00:51:34.89\00:51:37.64
If the church in Acts
had been scared of failure,
00:51:37.67\00:51:40.90
they would have done nothing.
00:51:40.93\00:51:44.16
The church in Acts that
will go and preach to a place
00:51:44.19\00:51:45.99
we've never been
before, will preach in the place
00:51:46.02\00:51:48.13
where we don't
even know the language
00:51:48.16\00:51:49.97
but we will still go because
our commission drives us.
00:51:50.00\00:51:53.29
Some of us are
scared of failure.
00:51:53.32\00:51:55.33
Some of us unfortunately
are even scared of success.
00:51:55.36\00:51:58.03
What if I succeed,
what would I do then?
00:51:58.06\00:52:00.38
I believe we need
to serve God anyhow.
00:52:07.56\00:52:11.09
Some of you will leave here
00:52:11.12\00:52:12.15
and go back to
your local churches
00:52:12.18\00:52:13.58
and you will plan an
evangelism training seminar
00:52:13.61\00:52:16.07
and you put 20, 30
hours into the preparation
00:52:16.10\00:52:18.87
for your seminar for the church
00:52:18.90\00:52:20.34
and you'll be all fired up
00:52:20.37\00:52:22.16
and then on the Monday
night or the Sabbath evening
00:52:22.19\00:52:24.29
when everyone's supposed to come
00:52:24.32\00:52:25.93
only two people will show up.
00:52:25.96\00:52:29.47
This is what happens.
00:52:29.50\00:52:32.59
Do the training anyhow. Amen.
00:52:32.62\00:52:36.11
Some of you will go back
to your university campuses
00:52:36.14\00:52:38.83
where there's 20,000 students
and you'll put signs up to say
00:52:38.86\00:52:42.17
we're having a
Bible study in this room,
00:52:42.20\00:52:45.12
at this time and you
will gather there in the room
00:52:45.15\00:52:47.51
with your Bible
study all prepared
00:52:47.54\00:52:49.16
and only four or five
students will show up.
00:52:49.19\00:52:52.77
Do the Bible study anyhow.
00:52:52.80\00:52:55.63
Some of you do evangelistic
series in your home church
00:52:55.66\00:52:58.21
where they may be 50,000
non-Adventists in the city
00:52:58.24\00:53:02.27
and you'll stand
up on opening night
00:53:02.30\00:53:03.83
and there will only
be ten non-Adventists.
00:53:03.86\00:53:06.02
Preach your hearts out anyhow.
00:53:06.05\00:53:09.80
I remember we had peace graduate
00:53:09.83\00:53:12.18
evangelism school in England
00:53:12.21\00:53:14.29
and he went to a
campaign in a small town
00:53:14.32\00:53:16.22
where they were
just a few people
00:53:16.25\00:53:17.97
let alone Adventists.
00:53:18.00\00:53:21.03
I remember talking to
them after opening night.
00:53:21.06\00:53:23.16
So how did it go, he said well.
00:53:23.19\00:53:25.10
We had the member
the old farm, he came.
00:53:25.13\00:53:27.91
My mom was
there, my dad was there.
00:53:27.94\00:53:31.60
There was one of the person
00:53:31.63\00:53:33.31
and there was two
members from the community.
00:53:33.34\00:53:35.79
The church only had five people.
00:53:39.35\00:53:42.25
I said preach
anyway. Preach anyway.
00:53:42.28\00:53:48.69
By the end of the campaign
I had five or six decisions
00:53:48.72\00:53:50.72
for baptism,
the attendance grew.
00:53:50.75\00:53:52.76
We need a
revolution that is based
00:53:58.80\00:54:01.00
on the
Revelation of Jesus Christ.
00:54:01.03\00:54:05.54
A revolution that is
founded on Revelation
00:54:05.57\00:54:08.52
and a revolution that
produces transformation.
00:54:08.55\00:54:13.99
Because we need our
hearts to be transformed,
00:54:14.02\00:54:17.13
we need our hearts to be changed
00:54:17.16\00:54:19.04
and this
revolution must be founded
00:54:19.07\00:54:21.15
on the Revelation
of Jesus in His word
00:54:21.18\00:54:23.13
in order for it to produce
the transformation of character
00:54:23.16\00:54:25.98
that it needs to happen.
00:54:26.01\00:54:29.16
Unfortunately all
too often in our church
00:54:29.19\00:54:31.04
there is
revolutions taking place
00:54:31.07\00:54:32.89
that are not
based on Revelation.
00:54:32.92\00:54:37.45
And thus they
produce fragmentation.
00:54:37.48\00:54:39.67
We should have
revolution based on Revelation
00:54:43.84\00:54:46.96
when the Bible
is clear as crystal.
00:54:46.99\00:54:52.19
That our hearts
gonna be transformed,
00:54:52.22\00:54:53.86
that the church
can be transformed
00:54:53.89\00:54:55.67
and changed from top to bottom,
from inside and outwards.
00:54:55.70\00:55:01.51
So the revolution
can change us personally
00:55:01.54\00:55:03.98
that it can be a
complete turnaround,
00:55:04.01\00:55:05.73
a complete change in us.
00:55:05.76\00:55:07.55
The Scripture
reading that we read
00:55:07.58\00:55:09.14
was 2
Corinthians 3 and verse what?
00:55:09.17\00:55:11.80
18.
00:55:11.83\00:55:13.02
Verses "As we behold in a mirror
00:55:13.05\00:55:17.47
or a glass the glory of God,
00:55:17.50\00:55:19.74
we are changed into the
same image from glory to glory."
00:55:19.77\00:55:23.81
As we behold Christ in his word
00:55:23.84\00:55:25.85
and we see His character
reveal to the teachings
00:55:25.88\00:55:28.88
and the stories and
the doctrines of the Bible
00:55:28.91\00:55:31.00
as we see that, our hearts are
changed into that same image.
00:55:31.03\00:55:35.59
We need the latter rain to
be poured out upon His church.
00:55:39.90\00:55:43.79
To put away the
things that are blocking us,
00:55:43.82\00:55:46.07
politics, desire for success,
00:55:46.10\00:55:49.17
the secret sins
that hold us back
00:55:49.20\00:55:51.49
and the pencil
drawing needs to become
00:55:51.52\00:55:54.21
a full painted
picture of Christ in us.
00:55:54.24\00:56:00.27
The character of God
needs to be reflected in us
00:56:00.30\00:56:04.83
and then the Lord can come.
00:56:04.86\00:56:07.09
The portrait
needs to be finished
00:56:07.12\00:56:09.57
in your life and my life
00:56:09.60\00:56:11.19
and as we gathered here at GYC
00:56:11.22\00:56:13.20
I pray that your
lives may be changed
00:56:13.23\00:56:15.74
not just another
Youth Conference,
00:56:15.77\00:56:17.87
not just a place to
get more phone numbers
00:56:17.90\00:56:20.57
and network with
different people,
00:56:20.60\00:56:22.38
but a place where we
experience true revival
00:56:22.41\00:56:26.35
and the issues
that we need revival on,
00:56:26.38\00:56:28.22
the transcend
culture and geography,
00:56:28.25\00:56:30.70
the fruits of the spirit
God wants to pour upon us.
00:56:30.73\00:56:33.77
Our revolution must be based
on a Revelation of Jesus Christ
00:56:39.38\00:56:43.26
to produce the transformation
of character that we need.
00:56:43.29\00:56:46.60
Jesus wants to
pour out His Spirit
00:56:46.63\00:56:48.28
just like an artist
wants to the paint a page.
00:56:48.31\00:56:51.48
Now some of us this
morning as we come to church,
00:56:51.51\00:56:53.44
as we come to
Sabbath we see the issues
00:56:53.47\00:56:55.30
that we may be struggling with,
00:56:55.33\00:56:56.89
the heart that we know
that needs to be cleansed up.
00:56:56.92\00:56:59.83
Yes, we know the doctrine.
00:56:59.86\00:57:01.36
Yes, we know why
we're Seventh-day Adventist.
00:57:01.39\00:57:03.30
Yes, we know
some of these things,
00:57:03.33\00:57:04.77
well, may be you
don't but you should.
00:57:04.80\00:57:07.53
And you see all
these things you know that
00:57:07.56\00:57:09.15
and get your life, our
life sometime seems at odds
00:57:09.18\00:57:12.22
or distorted from
what we see on paper
00:57:12.25\00:57:15.93
and God says I want to
bring this picture to life.
00:57:15.96\00:57:18.48
In the life of my church
I want my people to be ready
00:57:18.51\00:57:22.71
that I can come home.
00:57:22.74\00:57:26.30
How many of you today want
00:57:26.33\00:57:27.39
Revelation of
Jesus in your life?
00:57:27.42\00:57:32.80
How many of you
today want a revolution
00:57:32.83\00:57:35.72
in your personal life?
00:57:35.75\00:57:38.28
How many of you
today want to say,
00:57:38.31\00:57:39.89
I want the picture of the
image of Christ to be redrawn
00:57:39.92\00:57:45.21
and painted in my life,
that Christ can be seen in me.
00:57:45.24\00:57:52.86
That you want to
lay all on the altar.
00:57:52.89\00:57:55.27
That you want your
heart to be changed.
00:57:55.30\00:57:57.45
Your inner
desires to be changed.
00:57:57.48\00:58:01.60
When the character of Christ
is reflected in His people,
00:58:04.61\00:58:07.52
then the end will come.
00:58:07.55\00:58:10.96
We need our
hearts to be searched.
00:58:10.99\00:58:13.68
And as we come to the
end of our service today,
00:58:13.71\00:58:17.22
we need our
hearts to be changed.
00:58:17.25\00:58:20.06
We need our
hearts to be refined.
00:58:20.09\00:58:22.52
We need our
hearts to be purified.
00:58:22.55\00:58:28.01
We need Christ to
come and dwell in us,
00:58:28.04\00:58:32.41
that the picture can
be redrawn in our lives.
00:58:32.44\00:58:36.49