Well it is a beautiful night
here in West Frankfort, IL.
00:00:46.74\00:00:51.21
It is... it's beautiful outside.
00:00:51.31\00:00:52.91
The temperature is
just perfect. It is.
00:00:53.01\00:00:54.88
It is. I told you
when you came here...
00:00:54.98\00:00:56.62
He asked me about the weather.
He said: "Well I don't know.
00:00:56.72\00:00:59.79
How's the weather? " I said:
"It's perfect year round. "
00:00:59.99\00:01:02.02
Well it's been perfect
today. And it got him here,
00:01:02.32\00:01:04.49
and he got here
in about November.
00:01:04.69\00:01:06.19
We had an ice
storm in December. Yeah.
00:01:06.29\00:01:08.36
He called me and said: "What
about the perfect weather? "
00:01:08.46\00:01:10.47
I said: "It's the first
time I've ever seen anything
00:01:10.57\00:01:13.03
like this. I
guess you brought it. "
00:01:13.13\00:01:15.30
Anyway I'm sorry to interrupt.
We're here at Camp Meeting
00:01:15.50\00:01:18.87
already. We are! You can tell
it's going to be a fun, relaxed
00:01:19.07\00:01:21.04
but spiritual time, right?
We've got a wonderful group
00:01:21.24\00:01:23.75
of people here and we
had a wonderful whole busload
00:01:23.85\00:01:27.45
that came from Huntsville, AL.
Oh, I'm looking forward to that.
00:01:27.65\00:01:30.79
Yeah. They come
just about every year.
00:01:30.99\00:01:32.75
If you're from Huntsville,
raise your hand. All right.
00:01:32.85\00:01:34.19
There you are,
right. Praise the Lord!
00:01:34.22\00:01:36.49
Let's welcome them.
OK. All right; all right.
00:01:36.69\00:01:38.73
I was... I was
there this last week.
00:01:39.16\00:01:41.90
I was there just the
other day, Sunday night,
00:01:42.10\00:01:43.77
at a wedding down there. OK.
00:01:43.87\00:01:45.53
Yeah. Lot of great
folk from there. Amen.
00:01:45.73\00:01:48.44
Well listen, we are looking
forward to a tremendous weekend.
00:01:48.57\00:01:53.74
Elder Dan Jackson is
our keynote speaker tonight.
00:01:54.04\00:01:57.65
Elder John Bradshaw will be next
after our music program. Um-hmm.
00:01:57.91\00:02:03.49
And then we have... the
rest of the week we'll be
00:02:03.59\00:02:06.89
studying Bible prophecy.
00:02:06.99\00:02:08.46
Bible prophecy is so important
to Seventh-day Adventists.
00:02:08.66\00:02:12.79
It is... without Bible
prophecy we would not exist.
00:02:12.99\00:02:16.87
And so it is something
that we feel needs emphasis
00:02:17.37\00:02:23.30
at this particular time.
00:02:23.41\00:02:25.17
We have lined up
we really believe
00:02:25.37\00:02:28.34
the finest teachers and
speakers of Bible prophecy
00:02:28.54\00:02:33.11
that are in this
denomination today.
00:02:33.31\00:02:35.78
And if you look at that list
00:02:35.98\00:02:37.49
I think you'll just
about have to agree with me.
00:02:37.69\00:02:39.55
Incredible speakers and
then then the music we have.
00:02:39.75\00:02:42.66
You know, we have
Reggie and Ladye Love Smith
00:02:42.86\00:02:45.16
going to be here for
tomorrow night and Friday night
00:02:45.36\00:02:47.53
and basically
much of the weekend.
00:02:47.73\00:02:49.36
We have a number of
folk who are coming in.
00:02:49.46\00:02:51.50
And so it's going to be
a spiritual feast, folk,
00:02:51.70\00:02:53.84
for real... it really is.
00:02:54.04\00:02:56.14
And it wouldn't happen
without all of you here.
00:02:56.34\00:02:58.44
So we're glad that you are here.
00:02:58.64\00:02:59.97
Those of you that can't
make it - couldn't make it -
00:03:00.14\00:03:02.18
for whatever reason
we want you to stay tuned
00:03:02.38\00:03:05.01
because between Friday
night and Sabbath all day, Jim,
00:03:05.21\00:03:08.48
I don't know. What do we
have? Twelve hours or something.
00:03:08.58\00:03:10.55
I think it's 13
hours. Thirteen hours.
00:03:10.75\00:03:13.15
I do, and I'm
looking forward to it.
00:03:13.36\00:03:16.36
I want you to
know that. All right.
00:03:16.56\00:03:18.79
Well listen, part of that
is going to be we have some
00:03:18.99\00:03:21.26
young people that
have done a project here.
00:03:21.50\00:03:24.43
We call it Love Rules!
00:03:24.53\00:03:26.03
And Sabbath morning you're
going to get to hear a bunch of
00:03:26.23\00:03:29.07
young folk singing for Jesus.
00:03:29.17\00:03:31.07
And they do such an incredible
job. And it was such a pleasure
00:03:31.27\00:03:34.58
working with them. They
really do, and Danny wrote
00:03:34.68\00:03:37.08
the songs that
are... Every one of them
00:03:37.28\00:03:39.98
the Lord gave them to you.
It was an exciting experience,
00:03:40.18\00:03:43.15
wasn't it? Well it was,
and we'll talk more about it
00:03:43.35\00:03:45.02
later. But I decided...
I was thinking about our
00:03:45.12\00:03:48.06
Pillars of our Faith
and the music and how
00:03:48.16\00:03:50.73
people have received
it so well and I thought
00:03:50.93\00:03:53.40
"What about our young people? "
00:03:53.50\00:03:54.83
So I began to ask people:
"Do you know... could you recite
00:03:54.86\00:03:57.80
the Ten Commandments? "
Yeah. Most said: "Well, I don't
00:03:57.93\00:03:59.87
know if we could. " Then
I started asking the adults
00:03:59.97\00:04:02.40
"Well, we're not sure. " So
we said: "Well, maybe we need
00:04:02.60\00:04:04.94
to write some songs
like the Pillars of our Faith
00:04:05.04\00:04:08.44
except bring it down to youth.
00:04:08.64\00:04:11.25
That's easy for me to
do... I relate to that -
00:04:11.45\00:04:13.68
with my mentality - so
that works pretty good.
00:04:13.88\00:04:16.18
And the Lord
blessed. And so we have some
00:04:16.38\00:04:18.52
key doctrines and songs and
music that'll be here this week
00:04:18.62\00:04:21.59
also. So we've got
lots of things going.
00:04:21.69\00:04:23.49
And I think the weather's
going to hold out to not be
00:04:23.69\00:04:25.86
too hot and too cold.
00:04:25.96\00:04:27.30
Just like I told
you... it's always perfect.
00:04:27.33\00:04:28.66
It's supposed to be
beautiful here this weekend.
00:04:28.70\00:04:30.30
Perfect weather in southern
Illinois. Perfect, that's right.
00:04:30.50\00:04:32.70
Well we've got some
music coming up now.
00:04:32.90\00:04:34.70
We do. We have some of the...
These are some of the dearest
00:04:34.90\00:04:37.87
people that I've
ever met in my life:
00:04:37.97\00:04:39.61
Allison and Brian Speer.
00:04:39.81\00:04:41.74
Now Brian... gettin'
him on camera is a chore.
00:04:41.84\00:04:44.45
He won't get on camera, but
he's always working behind the
00:04:44.65\00:04:47.18
scenes... her husband.
He told someone back stage
00:04:47.28\00:04:49.95
"I've only been on television
once in the last many many years
00:04:50.15\00:04:53.25
and that was... Danny got
me up front for some reason. "
00:04:53.46\00:04:55.76
I won't do him that way tonight.
00:04:56.06\00:04:57.73
But Allison has been singing...
Many of you have probably
00:04:57.83\00:05:00.23
seen her on the Gaithers. I
don't know if anybody watches
00:05:00.33\00:05:02.36
the Gaithers stuff?
OK, quite a few of you do.
00:05:02.40\00:05:05.23
And on It Is Written. Yeah,
she's been on It Is Written
00:05:05.43\00:05:08.54
singing. Of course with 3ABN
our Camp Meetings in the past.
00:05:08.64\00:05:11.41
But it's been a while since she
was here, and we're privileged
00:05:11.51\00:05:13.84
to have Allison Speer
here from Nashville, Tennessee.
00:05:13.94\00:05:16.64
And she's just going to...
We've told her: "Just bless us
00:05:16.85\00:05:18.65
and when you're
through we'll come out and
00:05:18.85\00:05:20.72
just keep going as long
as the Lord is blessing. "
00:05:20.92\00:05:23.18
Allison, are you
here? Come on out.
00:05:23.28\00:05:25.42
All right. Let's
welcome Allison, all right?
00:05:25.62\00:05:27.62
Thank you, Danny. All
right. Thank you. Love you.
00:05:27.82\00:05:30.73
You ask me why I
believe like I do.
00:05:42.20\00:05:46.64
Why I'm so convinced
that the Bible is true.
00:05:46.98\00:05:51.71
I'm here to tell
you it's only because
00:05:51.91\00:05:56.85
I've come through enough
00:05:57.05\00:05:59.15
to see what faith does.
00:05:59.45\00:06:04.23
Faith sees the invisible,
00:06:04.39\00:06:06.86
believes the impossible,
00:06:07.06\00:06:09.36
receives the
incredible no matter what was.
00:06:09.56\00:06:13.97
Faith moves the unmovable,
00:06:14.10\00:06:16.71
proves the unprovable
00:06:16.91\00:06:19.24
for anyone willing to trust.
00:06:19.44\00:06:23.28
Believe and you'll
see what faith does.
00:06:23.48\00:06:29.38
If there's a mountain
that stands in your way,
00:06:31.62\00:06:36.02
for all you can see
it will be there to stay.
00:06:36.22\00:06:40.83
God said with the
faith of a small mustard seed
00:06:41.03\00:06:46.03
that mountain will move.
00:06:46.23\00:06:48.60
Believe and you'll see!
00:06:48.84\00:06:53.27
Faith sees the invisible,
00:06:53.58\00:06:56.21
believes the impossible,
00:06:56.41\00:06:58.71
receives the
incredible no matter what was.
00:06:58.91\00:07:03.32
Faith moves the unmovable,
00:07:03.45\00:07:06.05
proves the unprovable
00:07:06.25\00:07:08.52
for anyone willing to trust.
00:07:08.72\00:07:12.43
Believe and you'll
see what faith does!
00:07:12.73\00:07:18.63
Faith sees the invisible,
00:07:20.30\00:07:23.30
believes the impossible,
00:07:23.51\00:07:25.77
receives the
incredible no matter what was.
00:07:25.97\00:07:31.88
Faith moves the unmovable,
00:07:33.08\00:07:35.58
proves the unprovable
00:07:35.78\00:07:38.09
for anyone willing to trust.
00:07:38.19\00:07:42.39
Believe and you'll see what
00:07:42.59\00:07:45.33
faith does.
00:07:45.53\00:07:50.20
See what faith does.
00:07:50.53\00:07:54.80
Believe and you'll see.
00:07:55.30\00:08:00.08
See what faith
00:08:00.38\00:08:03.45
does.
00:08:03.75\00:08:07.12
Amen!
00:08:07.42\00:08:09.38
Allison will be back
with us in the next hour...
00:08:13.62\00:08:16.89
will be doing a mini-concert
and presenting more music
00:08:17.09\00:08:22.10
at that particular time.
00:08:22.30\00:08:24.07
Our message tonight
will be brought to us by
00:08:24.37\00:08:27.17
Elder Dan Jackson.
00:08:27.37\00:08:29.64
He is the President of
the North American Division
00:08:29.87\00:08:32.64
of Seventh-day
Adventists which involves
00:08:32.84\00:08:35.94
of course the United
States. It involves Bermuda
00:08:36.14\00:08:40.42
and it also involves Canada.
00:08:40.62\00:08:43.69
It's a wonderful, wonderful
division and has been...
00:08:43.89\00:08:48.59
It was the original division
for Seventh-day Adventists
00:08:48.72\00:08:52.09
as this particular
organization was founded
00:08:52.29\00:08:55.30
in the United States.
00:08:55.60\00:08:57.57
But the President of
the North American Division
00:08:57.77\00:09:02.40
which also involves
Canada is a Canadian.
00:09:02.60\00:09:07.08
And he is the first
Canadian to hold the position
00:09:07.28\00:09:11.95
of president of the division.
00:09:12.15\00:09:14.48
And he was elected
by a strong majority
00:09:14.68\00:09:17.85
at the General
Conference that took place
00:09:18.05\00:09:22.12
a few years ago now
in the beautiful town of
00:09:22.32\00:09:27.30
Atlanta, Georgia.
00:09:27.50\00:09:28.86
So we are excited about him.
00:09:29.06\00:09:31.63
We've
appreciated his leadership.
00:09:31.83\00:09:34.27
A number of decisions that
he has made that we know to be
00:09:34.47\00:09:39.67
very positive decisions.
00:09:39.87\00:09:42.04
Pray for him because he
faces a lot of challenges.
00:09:42.24\00:09:47.45
In the church today there
are many, many challenges.
00:09:47.65\00:09:51.19
And so pray that
God will always give him
00:09:51.39\00:09:54.16
the judgment that he
needs to make those decisions.
00:09:54.36\00:09:59.26
We ask for your
prayers here at 3ABN
00:09:59.46\00:10:01.50
for the same reason as well.
00:10:01.60\00:10:04.17
Elder Jackson will pray for
us as he begins the service,
00:10:04.33\00:10:09.07
and we will ask him
to come at this time.
00:10:09.27\00:10:13.98
Good evening. Good evening.
00:10:20.68\00:10:22.75
How are you this evening? Good.
00:10:23.05\00:10:25.25
I have a simple and
a fundamental question
00:10:25.35\00:10:27.52
that I want to ask this evening.
00:10:27.72\00:10:29.59
As you sit
there and I stand here
00:10:29.79\00:10:31.86
I want to ask all of
those who are with us tonight
00:10:32.06\00:10:36.16
who are ministers
to please stand up.
00:10:36.36\00:10:39.10
Now you all believe
in the Bible, don't you?
00:10:41.97\00:10:44.77
You're a little
confused about that.
00:10:46.94\00:10:48.94
Will all the ministers in the
congregation please stand up?
00:10:50.05\00:10:54.08
You know, I'm going to
talk about that tonight.
00:10:54.38\00:10:57.42
I'm so glad to see that
the scriptures have sunk in.
00:10:57.62\00:11:02.29
Please be seated.
00:11:02.49\00:11:04.53
And praise God,
the reality is this:
00:11:04.73\00:11:07.66
that at the moment
you accept Jesus Christ
00:11:07.96\00:11:11.97
as your personal Savior
00:11:12.17\00:11:14.60
you have become a
minister of the Most High God.
00:11:14.80\00:11:18.24
You have accepted
privileges and responsibilities
00:11:18.67\00:11:22.91
that you did not have before.
00:11:23.14\00:11:25.08
And it does not matter
whether you intend to or not
00:11:25.28\00:11:29.25
you have become
a witness to God.
00:11:29.55\00:11:34.39
Would you pray
with me as we begin?
00:11:34.69\00:11:37.46
Our God and our heavenly Father,
00:11:38.89\00:11:40.76
we thank you so much for
Your grace and Your goodness.
00:11:40.96\00:11:45.57
We want to honor You because
You are the King of Kings
00:11:45.87\00:11:49.70
and the Lord of Lords.
00:11:49.90\00:11:51.97
And heavenly Father, we
anticipate that very soon
00:11:52.17\00:11:55.24
Your Son and our Savior, Jesus,
00:11:55.44\00:11:57.68
will return to this planet.
And we are anxious for that.
00:11:57.88\00:12:01.92
We appeal to You
as John did to come.
00:12:02.12\00:12:06.49
And heavenly Father, we
pray that as we are here
00:12:06.69\00:12:09.72
anticipating that return
that You will change each of us
00:12:09.92\00:12:15.03
to the extent that we know
and understand all the time
00:12:15.23\00:12:19.33
what our responsibilities are
00:12:19.53\00:12:21.30
and the
privileges that we share.
00:12:21.50\00:12:23.41
In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
00:12:23.61\00:12:26.11
She woke up one
morning in Hamilton, Ontario,
00:12:26.51\00:12:31.01
and she went to her
father and she said to him:
00:12:31.31\00:12:35.48
"Dad, I've got to
go to Sacramento. "
00:12:35.68\00:12:40.46
And he said: "Why do you
have to go to Sacramento? "
00:12:40.76\00:12:44.76
And she said: "I don't know,
00:12:45.06\00:12:48.30
but I believe that God
told me last night that I need
00:12:48.60\00:12:52.40
to go to Sacramento. "
00:12:52.60\00:12:54.20
And her father - who is
a dear, understanding man -
00:12:54.40\00:12:57.71
said to her: "If you believe God
wants you to go to Sacramento,
00:12:57.91\00:13:01.51
then you'd better
go to Sacramento. "
00:13:01.71\00:13:03.78
Now she wasn't going
to go to school there...
00:13:03.81\00:13:05.78
she had done that already.
00:13:06.01\00:13:07.58
But she had a burden laid
on her to go to Sacramento.
00:13:07.88\00:13:12.72
And so she did. She got a
jet; she flew to Sacramento.
00:13:12.92\00:13:16.29
And once she got
there and the plane landed
00:13:16.49\00:13:19.73
the Lord directed
her: "Go and find a lady
00:13:20.03\00:13:24.57
you have been
studying with previously. "
00:13:24.77\00:13:27.77
She couldn't
remember the woman's name.
00:13:27.97\00:13:29.87
She couldn't
remember where the lady lived.
00:13:30.07\00:13:31.57
There's a little bit
of a predicament, right?
00:13:32.87\00:13:35.24
Not too many people get
up in the morning and say:
00:13:35.44\00:13:37.91
"Well I think I'll
just go to Sacramento today"
00:13:38.01\00:13:40.25
and then do their best to
get on a jet and get there.
00:13:40.45\00:13:43.28
But that's what she did.
00:13:43.49\00:13:45.09
And she tried to
remember as best as she could
00:13:45.39\00:13:49.16
how to find her way
to the woman's house.
00:13:49.36\00:13:51.56
And she drove in that section
of the city that she thought
00:13:52.89\00:13:56.63
might be the right
place, but she felt that she was
00:13:56.83\00:13:59.97
hopelessly lost. And so she
pulled into a garage station.
00:14:00.17\00:14:04.11
And there as she
pulled into that station
00:14:04.31\00:14:06.68
a young man in a car
pulled in behind her.
00:14:06.98\00:14:09.94
And he got out of his car.
00:14:11.75\00:14:14.82
And this again... this
is not a good thing, right?
00:14:15.02\00:14:17.52
We don't do this.
00:14:17.72\00:14:19.22
But this young
man got out of his car
00:14:19.42\00:14:21.89
and he went and
knocked on her window.
00:14:22.09\00:14:23.83
She rolled the
window down and he said:
00:14:24.03\00:14:26.09
"It looks like you are lost. "
00:14:26.29\00:14:28.63
And she said: "That's
exactly right. I am lost.
00:14:28.93\00:14:33.03
I'm looking for a lady that
I used to study the Bible with
00:14:33.23\00:14:37.24
and she lives around here.
00:14:39.51\00:14:42.28
And her name is... "
And she gave the name.
00:14:42.48\00:14:45.61
And the young man just
stepped back from the car
00:14:45.81\00:14:47.85
and he said:
"That's my grandmother.
00:14:48.05\00:14:51.75
That's my grandmother! "
00:14:51.95\00:14:53.89
And she went and
studied with that woman
00:14:54.19\00:14:56.83
and she studied with him,
and they both are SDA's today.
00:14:57.03\00:15:00.70
God touched her mind.
00:15:00.90\00:15:03.47
Now why would we be
surprised about that?
00:15:03.67\00:15:06.50
I mean, it's a
thrilling story, isn't it?
00:15:06.60\00:15:08.44
But why would we be
surprised about that?
00:15:08.64\00:15:11.17
Because the Word of God
tells us that "In those days
00:15:11.27\00:15:15.04
God says, I will pour
out My Spirit on all flesh. "
00:15:15.24\00:15:19.81
You see, as Seventh-day
Adventists we have been known as
00:15:20.02\00:15:24.75
the people of the Book.
00:15:24.95\00:15:27.26
The people of the Book.
00:15:27.46\00:15:29.79
And yet that is not
just a flippant statement.
00:15:29.99\00:15:32.66
That is not just an appellation
that we give to ourselves
00:15:32.69\00:15:36.10
to make us feel
good about ourselves.
00:15:36.30\00:15:39.07
The reality is that
we have by God's grace
00:15:39.27\00:15:43.54
and at the
direction of the Holy Spirit
00:15:43.74\00:15:45.97
a prophetic heritage.
00:15:46.17\00:15:47.91
We have almost forgotten
about it in some circles.
00:15:48.11\00:15:51.85
But the reality is
this: when you begin to study
00:15:52.05\00:15:55.05
the commencement of the
Seventh-day Adventist movement
00:15:55.25\00:15:59.29
and you begin to look
back at how our forefathers
00:15:59.49\00:16:03.79
understood the Word of God
you come to see where we fit in
00:16:03.99\00:16:09.10
in the Word of God itself.
00:16:09.30\00:16:11.37
I want to turn
you... I hope you have a...
00:16:11.57\00:16:13.70
I want to turn your attention;
I don't want to turn you!
00:16:13.90\00:16:16.20
But I want to turn your
attention to an important part
00:16:16.40\00:16:19.94
of the scripture. One that is
so relevant and so invigorating
00:16:20.04\00:16:24.25
to us as Seventh-day Adventists.
00:16:24.48\00:16:26.05
I hope that you
have a Bible with you.
00:16:26.15\00:16:27.92
Please, if you do,
turn to Daniel chapter 12.
00:16:28.12\00:16:31.75
It's an amazing chapter.
00:16:31.95\00:16:34.06
You know Daniel... as you look
at his prophetic ministry...
00:16:34.26\00:16:37.93
he had so many different
kinds of circumstances.
00:16:38.13\00:16:42.60
God had shown him
over and over again
00:16:42.80\00:16:47.50
how things would happen...
not only during the time
00:16:47.70\00:16:51.67
in which he lived but
way off into the future.
00:16:51.77\00:16:54.78
And I always love
Daniel for his humanity.
00:16:54.98\00:16:58.28
Because Daniel didn't understand
all of these prophecies, did he?
00:16:58.48\00:17:02.32
Daniel didn't understand every
word that he had written down.
00:17:02.52\00:17:05.99
As a matter of fact, there
were times... Like in one place
00:17:06.19\00:17:09.96
where Daniel says
at the end of Daniel 8
00:17:10.16\00:17:12.89
"And I fainted and
fell sick certain days. "
00:17:13.09\00:17:16.93
He was out of it...
He didn't understand
00:17:17.13\00:17:19.60
but he continued
to be faithful to God.
00:17:19.80\00:17:22.57
In spite of what appeared to him
00:17:22.77\00:17:24.91
to be unintelligible at times...
00:17:25.11\00:17:27.51
He could not understand
what was ahead of him.
00:17:27.71\00:17:30.45
Daniel was faithful, and
he transcribed those things
00:17:30.65\00:17:34.05
that God showed him.
When you get to Daniel 12
00:17:34.25\00:17:37.35
Daniel has had more visions.
00:17:37.55\00:17:39.85
I want you to look
at Daniel chapter 12
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.59
beginning with verse 1.
00:17:42.69\00:17:44.03
An amazing time being
described in Daniel 12 verse 1.
00:17:44.09\00:17:47.80
"And at that time
Michael, the great Prince
00:17:48.00\00:17:51.53
who protects Your
people, will arise.
00:17:51.73\00:17:54.60
And there will be a time of
distress and a time of trouble
00:17:54.80\00:17:57.71
such as has not happened from
the beginning of the nations
00:17:57.91\00:18:00.84
until then. But at that time
00:18:01.04\00:18:03.65
Your people - every one whose
name is found written in the
00:18:03.85\00:18:06.92
Book - will be delivered.
00:18:07.02\00:18:09.18
Multitudes who sleep in the
dust of the earth will awake:
00:18:09.38\00:18:12.59
some to everlasting
life and others to shame
00:18:12.79\00:18:15.59
and everlasting contempt.
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.93
Those who are wise will
shine like the brightness of the
00:18:18.13\00:18:21.46
heavens, and those who
lead many to righteousness
00:18:21.56\00:18:25.43
like the stars
forever and ever. "
00:18:25.63\00:18:28.07
Interesting
allusion to ministry.
00:18:28.10\00:18:31.11
"But you,
Daniel... " in verse 4...
00:18:33.81\00:18:36.71
"roll up and seal
the words of the scroll
00:18:38.01\00:18:42.38
until the time of the end.
00:18:42.58\00:18:45.35
Many will go here and there
00:18:45.55\00:18:47.76
and knowledge will
increase. " Seal up the book;
00:18:47.96\00:18:52.39
roll up the scroll. And
later on in this chapter
00:18:52.59\00:18:56.70
in verse 8 you hear
Daniel expressing again
00:18:56.90\00:19:02.10
his feelings. " I heard
but I did not understand
00:19:02.30\00:19:05.51
so I asked: 'My Lord, what will
be the outcome of all of this?
00:19:05.71\00:19:09.84
What will happen in the end? ' "
00:19:10.05\00:19:12.21
And this is what we
read: "Go your way, Daniel,
00:19:12.41\00:19:15.68
because the words
are rolled up and sealed
00:19:15.88\00:19:17.95
until the time of the end. "
00:19:18.05\00:19:19.75
Then if you
skip down to verse 13
00:19:20.06\00:19:23.02
"As for you, go
your way till the end.
00:19:23.22\00:19:26.03
You will rest, and
then at the end of the days
00:19:26.23\00:19:29.03
you will rise to receive
your allotted heritage. "
00:19:29.23\00:19:33.40
Amazing. He ends the
book, he ends the writing
00:19:33.60\00:19:39.21
in some level of
misunderstanding.
00:19:39.41\00:19:42.84
He is told to roll up the scroll
00:19:43.04\00:19:45.28
and to leave it alone
until the time of the end.
00:19:45.48\00:19:48.55
We find our heritage
right there, friends.
00:19:50.35\00:19:55.39
You know, in the mid
part of the 19th century
00:19:55.69\00:20:00.73
a group of people began
studying the Word of God.
00:20:01.03\00:20:04.77
And they came to the conclusion
when they studied the prophecies
00:20:06.63\00:20:10.77
of Daniel chapter 8
and Daniel chapter 9
00:20:10.87\00:20:13.27
that Jesus would return again.
00:20:13.48\00:20:15.68
There are all kinds of people
who look back at that movement
00:20:15.88\00:20:19.58
and who say that was
just a fanatical movement
00:20:19.78\00:20:22.98
of a bunch of freaks.
00:20:23.08\00:20:25.49
But the reality was
there was a sincere attempt
00:20:25.69\00:20:29.42
to study and
understand the Word of God.
00:20:29.62\00:20:31.63
And those people who
went through that experience
00:20:31.83\00:20:34.86
were bitterly disappointed.
00:20:35.26\00:20:37.87
We call it the Great
Disappointment of October 22nd
00:20:38.07\00:20:42.20
1844... the
Great Disappointment.
00:20:42.40\00:20:46.21
But in the aftermath
of that disappointment
00:20:46.41\00:20:50.25
they began to
read and study again.
00:20:50.45\00:20:53.11
And you know, I
want to make this point:
00:20:53.21\00:20:55.02
you know, those men and
women - those young people -
00:20:55.32\00:20:59.92
who were graced by the Spirit
of God to start this movement...
00:21:01.09\00:21:06.73
those very brave
and heroic people
00:21:07.03\00:21:11.20
who moved through the
disappointment of 1844...
00:21:11.40\00:21:16.17
they began to study the Word
of God more than they ever had.
00:21:16.47\00:21:20.64
I want to say this to you:
00:21:20.84\00:21:22.94
that by God's grace our
people, all of us today,
00:21:23.24\00:21:28.55
need to get
back into that habit.
00:21:28.75\00:21:31.19
Amen! We need... You know, I...
00:21:31.39\00:21:34.09
I tell people all the time now.
00:21:34.29\00:21:36.26
We need to get
back into the barns.
00:21:36.46\00:21:38.96
We need to get
back into the barns.
00:21:39.16\00:21:41.63
We need to have
more Sabbath conferences.
00:21:41.93\00:21:44.77
We need to get our
people together around tables
00:21:44.90\00:21:48.30
and in barns and in back yards
00:21:48.40\00:21:50.87
and wherever we can, and
we need to open the Book again
00:21:51.07\00:21:54.11
and begin to study it again for
ourselves to know what it says.
00:21:54.21\00:21:57.98
It is too late in the
process of time for me to rely
00:21:58.18\00:22:02.75
upon you or you to rely upon me.
00:22:02.95\00:22:05.79
We need to understand the
Word of God for ourselves. Amen.
00:22:06.09\00:22:11.83
So they were studying the Book
00:22:13.16\00:22:15.26
and they began to read
through the book of Revelation.
00:22:16.36\00:22:19.97
And they came to chapter 11...
or chapter 10, pardon me...
00:22:20.17\00:22:25.14
and it's an amazing chapter.
00:22:25.54\00:22:27.88
And I want you to turn
to Revelation chapter 10.
00:22:28.08\00:22:30.51
"Then I saw another angel...
" This is Revelation 10 verse 1.
00:22:30.81\00:22:35.48
"I saw another angel
coming down from heaven.
00:22:35.58\00:22:38.15
He was robed in a cloud
with a rainbow above his head.
00:22:38.35\00:22:41.69
His face was like the
sun, and his legs were like
00:22:41.79\00:22:44.26
fiery pillars. He was
holding a little scroll
00:22:44.46\00:22:49.90
which lay in his hand. "
00:22:50.10\00:22:52.20
Now I want you to know
that is not a picture of Jesus
00:22:52.50\00:22:55.67
because later this
same... this same being
00:22:55.87\00:23:00.11
swears by Him who created
the heavens and the earth
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.24
and the sea. You
read that in this chapter.
00:23:03.45\00:23:05.58
But it was a glorious being.
00:23:05.88\00:23:07.92
But he almost
symbolizes... Or not symbolizes
00:23:08.12\00:23:11.75
resembles the picture of Jesus
walking in the midst of the
00:23:11.95\00:23:16.19
candlesticks in
Revelation chapter 1
00:23:16.29\00:23:18.46
and the same one who spoke
to Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 3.
00:23:18.66\00:23:23.87
The appearance was very similar.
00:23:24.07\00:23:26.50
He obviously was in a
place very close to the presence
00:23:26.70\00:23:31.41
of God because he radiated it.
00:23:31.51\00:23:34.71
"He was holding a little scroll
which lay open in his hand.
00:23:35.31\00:23:41.25
And he planted his right foot
on the sea and his left foot
00:23:41.38\00:23:44.05
on the land and he gave a loud
shout like the roar of a lion.
00:23:44.15\00:23:47.42
When he shouted, the voices
of the seven thunders spoke.
00:23:47.62\00:23:51.69
And when the seven thunders
spoke I was about to write
00:23:51.89\00:23:54.40
but I heard a
voice from heaven say:
00:23:54.60\00:23:56.10
'Seal up when the
seven thunders have said
00:23:56.40\00:23:59.53
and do not write it down. '
00:23:59.73\00:24:01.60
And the angel I had seen
standing on the sea and on
00:24:03.37\00:24:06.81
the land raised his
right hand to heaven
00:24:06.91\00:24:09.61
and he swore by Him
who lives forever and ever
00:24:09.81\00:24:12.71
who created the
earth and all that is in it
00:24:12.91\00:24:15.18
and the sea and
all that is in it
00:24:15.38\00:24:17.22
and said: 'There
will be no more delay. ' "
00:24:17.42\00:24:19.75
But in the days when the seventh
angel is about to sound his
00:24:19.95\00:24:24.19
trumpet something
is going to happen.
00:24:24.29\00:24:28.60
"In those days the mystery
of God will be accomplished
00:24:29.40\00:24:35.30
just as He announced to
His servants the prophets. "
00:24:35.34\00:24:38.57
And if you look over
to Revelation chapter 11
00:24:38.77\00:24:41.61
you look at the passages
that precede the blowing of the
00:24:41.81\00:24:46.51
seventh trumpet in verse
13 of Revelation chapter 11
00:24:46.61\00:24:51.25
"At that very hour
there was a severe earthquake
00:24:51.45\00:24:53.99
and a tenth of the city
collapsed. Seven thousand people
00:24:54.19\00:24:56.69
were killed in an earthquake
and the survivors were
00:24:56.79\00:24:59.49
terrified and gave
glory to the God of heaven.
00:24:59.69\00:25:02.06
The second woe had passed;
the third woe was coming.
00:25:02.26\00:25:05.13
The seventh angel
sounded his trumpet
00:25:05.33\00:25:07.54
and there were loud
voices in heaven which said:
00:25:07.74\00:25:10.21
'The kingdom of this
world has become the kingdom
00:25:10.41\00:25:13.44
of our Lord and of His Christ.
00:25:13.48\00:25:16.01
And He will reign
forever and ever. ' "
00:25:16.21\00:25:18.78
So just before
Jesus was to come again.
00:25:18.98\00:25:22.15
You know, when our pioneers
began to study the Word of God
00:25:22.35\00:25:25.75
they got into the six
seals... the seven seals...
00:25:25.95\00:25:29.29
and they discovered that
at the end of the sixth seal
00:25:29.49\00:25:32.29
there was this earthquake.
00:25:32.59\00:25:35.40
"But in the days when the
seventh angel is about to sound
00:25:40.04\00:25:42.67
his trumpet the mystery
of God will be accomplished
00:25:42.87\00:25:45.34
just as He announced to
His servants the prophets.
00:25:45.54\00:25:47.64
Then the voice that I had
heard from heaven spoke to me
00:25:48.04\00:25:50.88
once more: 'Go take the scroll
00:25:50.98\00:25:54.32
that lies open in
the hand of the angel
00:25:54.48\00:25:58.05
who is standing on
the sea and on the land. '
00:25:58.25\00:26:00.89
So I went to the angel
and asked him to give me
00:26:01.19\00:26:04.66
the little
scroll. And he said to me:
00:26:04.76\00:26:08.40
'Take it and eat it.
00:26:08.70\00:26:12.07
It will turn your stomach sour
00:26:12.27\00:26:14.70
but in your mouth it
will be as sweet as honey. '
00:26:14.90\00:26:17.54
I took the little scroll from
the angel's hand and ate it.
00:26:17.74\00:26:23.38
It tasted as sweet
as honey in my mouth
00:26:23.58\00:26:26.48
but when I had eaten
it my stomach turned sour.
00:26:26.68\00:26:31.42
It was sweet in the mouth
but bitter in the belly. "
00:26:31.62\00:26:34.79
And then the angels says to him:
00:26:36.32\00:26:38.56
"Then I was told
'You must prophesy
00:26:38.76\00:26:42.26
again about many peoples,
nations, languages, and kings. '
00:26:42.46\00:26:46.17
The middle part...
00:26:46.37\00:26:47.77
or after October 22nd of 1844
00:26:48.00\00:26:52.94
our people were
studying the Book
00:26:53.24\00:26:57.11
and they looked back
at how sweet the message
00:26:57.31\00:27:02.78
of the return of Jesus had been.
00:27:02.98\00:27:05.95
They praised God for
what He had led them into.
00:27:07.62\00:27:11.26
And now at this point in time
00:27:12.99\00:27:16.50
as they are now
studying Revelation chapter 10
00:27:16.70\00:27:20.70
they are concluding that
their experience had been
00:27:22.10\00:27:25.87
prophesied... that it
emerged right out of Revelation
00:27:26.07\00:27:28.38
chapter 10. Because indeed
that which had been so sweet
00:27:28.48\00:27:31.98
to them now had
created great bitterness.
00:27:32.18\00:27:35.12
And they believed
when they read this passage
00:27:37.69\00:27:40.32
when they heard the words of
the angel: "You must prophesy
00:27:40.52\00:27:44.93
again to many
peoples and nations etc, etc"
00:27:45.13\00:27:49.60
they believed that God was
calling them to do a mission
00:27:49.80\00:27:53.34
for Him. You think
about it for a moment.
00:27:53.47\00:27:56.10
It's always amazing to me
00:27:56.50\00:27:58.91
how people can deny
the power and the authority
00:27:59.11\00:28:02.71
of the Spirit of
God. It's amazing to me.
00:28:02.91\00:28:05.55
Because we generally when
we do those kinds of things
00:28:05.75\00:28:08.42
we wind up looking very foolish.
00:28:08.62\00:28:10.52
Because here is the
reality: you think of those
00:28:10.72\00:28:14.82
little band of
people... that little flock.
00:28:15.02\00:28:20.90
That little flock.
00:28:21.20\00:28:23.03
That little flock
today is 17,000,000 people.
00:28:23.13\00:28:26.87
Twenty million at
Sabbath School time
00:28:28.20\00:28:30.57
and at church time
probably around 25,000,000.
00:28:30.77\00:28:35.04
And they tell us - our
statisticians tell us -
00:28:35.34\00:28:37.91
that by the year 2020
we will have 30,000,000
00:28:39.35\00:28:42.65
Seventh-day
Adventists if Jesus doesn't come
00:28:42.85\00:28:45.65
at the present rate of growth.
00:28:45.95\00:28:49.29
Our forefathers
came to the conclusion
00:28:50.96\00:28:56.03
that what they had
experienced in 1843
00:28:56.53\00:29:01.74
and then again
in 1844 was no fluke
00:29:01.87\00:29:05.11
but that this was the movement,
00:29:05.61\00:29:08.71
the empowerment, of the
Spirit of God in their lives.
00:29:08.91\00:29:12.88
And though they were
wrong in their interpretation
00:29:13.28\00:29:16.58
of Daniel chapters 8 and 9...
00:29:16.79\00:29:19.29
though they were wrong in
the sense that Jesus was not
00:29:19.49\00:29:23.22
going to come... the
reality is they were right
00:29:23.43\00:29:26.70
in terms of the date
and the time and what was
00:29:26.90\00:29:30.57
going to take place. Amen.
00:29:30.67\00:29:32.87
So what were they to
prophesy about again?
00:29:35.14\00:29:39.31
What were they to
actually prophesy about?
00:29:41.34\00:29:44.51
Well, you look over to
Revelation 14 and you find
00:29:44.81\00:29:47.82
what we call over there
the Three Angels' Messages.
00:29:47.92\00:29:51.22
Warnings...
blessings... encouragement.
00:29:52.69\00:29:57.13
As a matter of fact,
Ellen White makes the statement
00:29:57.43\00:29:59.59
that the three angels' messages
are righteousness by faith
00:29:59.79\00:30:03.77
in verity. And when we
preach them in any other way -
00:30:03.97\00:30:09.00
when we try to
understand them in any other way
00:30:09.30\00:30:12.91
than with Jesus in the
center of them and with the plan
00:30:13.11\00:30:17.08
of eternal salvation
at the core of them -
00:30:17.28\00:30:19.58
we are misunderstanding them.
00:30:19.78\00:30:21.42
And I think that here
alone is a subject for the study
00:30:21.72\00:30:26.05
of God's people in these days.
00:30:26.25\00:30:28.59
We need to get
the books out again -
00:30:28.79\00:30:30.69
I mean the Bibles out again
and the concordances out again -
00:30:30.89\00:30:34.36
and we need to pour
over those messages -
00:30:34.56\00:30:36.97
Amen - and try to
understand for ourselves
00:30:37.17\00:30:40.00
why is it that she would
say "righteousness by faith
00:30:40.20\00:30:44.31
is the message of the
third angel in verity. "
00:30:44.51\00:30:49.78
Would God speak so strangely
00:30:51.01\00:30:53.15
about people who
have disappointed Him?
00:30:53.25\00:30:55.72
How is that
righteousness by faith?
00:30:55.92\00:30:58.39
A message was given.
00:31:01.19\00:31:03.26
Mrs. White also makes a
very interesting comment.
00:31:04.23\00:31:07.20
She makes this
statement. She says
00:31:07.40\00:31:09.10
that the three angels
are symbols of those who will
00:31:09.20\00:31:13.64
present the messages. Amen.
00:31:13.74\00:31:17.37
So that you and I... you and I
00:31:18.84\00:31:22.34
are the angels. Amen.
00:31:22.64\00:31:25.18
Now there is a dualism
here because there are angels.
00:31:25.28\00:31:29.05
There is the ministry,
the power, the authority of
00:31:29.25\00:31:31.79
the Holy Spirit
flying in the midst of heaven
00:31:31.99\00:31:34.86
crying out.
Working in the minds of men
00:31:35.06\00:31:39.23
to bring them to the
reality of the last warning -
00:31:39.43\00:31:44.57
divine warning - to
earth and to earthlings prior
00:31:44.77\00:31:48.07
to the return of Jesus.
00:31:48.17\00:31:49.50
There is that
divine representation
00:31:49.70\00:31:53.98
by the Holy Spirit that
convicts the minds, the lives,
00:31:54.18\00:31:58.28
the hearts of men and women.
00:31:58.38\00:31:59.85
"But... " she says:
"those angels are symbolic
00:32:00.05\00:32:05.95
of those who
deliver the message. "
00:32:06.15\00:32:08.49
That means you and me. Amen!
00:32:10.99\00:32:14.26
That means all
of us in this room.
00:32:14.36\00:32:17.23
Do not be confused
00:32:17.43\00:32:20.84
by the systems
that we have set up
00:32:21.00\00:32:24.44
because we are all
ministers of the Most High God.
00:32:25.97\00:32:30.01
Amen. Some of us
get paid for it...
00:32:30.21\00:32:32.91
others don't. But
that does not preclude
00:32:33.15\00:32:37.22
any human being.
So who will do it?
00:32:37.42\00:32:41.26
Who will do the proclamation?
00:32:41.56\00:32:43.99
I want to turn your
attention to II Peter -
00:32:44.19\00:32:47.66
or to I Peter
rather - chapter 2.
00:32:47.86\00:32:50.37
This is a significant
passage that I believe
00:32:50.57\00:32:53.77
we ought to study as well.
00:32:53.97\00:32:55.97
Because when you talk
about our prophetic heritage
00:32:56.27\00:32:59.77
you can't just deal
with it theoretically.
00:32:59.97\00:33:02.64
Like... "Let
somebody else do it. "
00:33:02.84\00:33:05.38
Or "Let's hire
angels to do it. "
00:33:05.58\00:33:07.55
Or "Let's hire Three
Angels Broadcasting to do it. "
00:33:07.75\00:33:10.39
No, the message
must be personalized.
00:33:11.69\00:33:14.76
It must come to
you and to me directly.
00:33:14.96\00:33:18.29
And I want to say
that there is a link here.
00:33:18.49\00:33:21.06
Go to verse 4.
00:33:21.36\00:33:23.16
"As you come to
Him, the living Stone -
00:33:23.47\00:33:28.50
rejected by humans but chosen
by God and precious to Him -
00:33:28.70\00:33:32.87
you also like living stones
00:33:33.07\00:33:36.85
are being built
into a spiritual house
00:33:37.05\00:33:40.12
to be a holy priesthood
00:33:40.42\00:33:42.88
offering spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God
00:33:43.08\00:33:46.55
through Jesus Christ. "
00:33:46.76\00:33:48.69
You could also for
your own reference look up
00:33:48.89\00:33:51.26
I Corinthians 3:16,
00:33:51.46\00:33:53.09
Ephesians chapter 2
verses 13 and 19-22.
00:33:53.29\00:33:56.77
This is not...
this is not just Peter.
00:33:56.97\00:34:00.07
This is a New Testament
understanding that you and I
00:34:00.37\00:34:03.54
are being built
into a spiritual house
00:34:03.57\00:34:06.98
that is to show
itself or demonstrate itself
00:34:07.18\00:34:09.78
in a priesthood.
00:34:09.98\00:34:11.61
Now I love the... I
love what he talks about here
00:34:12.01\00:34:15.62
when he starts
talking about stones.
00:34:15.82\00:34:17.62
I... Many years
ago I built a house.
00:34:17.82\00:34:20.46
I have only ever done it once.
00:34:20.66\00:34:22.46
And I'm not going to tell you
why I've only ever done it once.
00:34:22.66\00:34:25.29
But I did it one time!
00:34:27.76\00:34:29.76
And I did it... I
bought a very poor lot.
00:34:31.17\00:34:34.00
And that was a part
of inexperience as well.
00:34:34.30\00:34:37.31
But I had that
house... or I built that house
00:34:37.61\00:34:40.78
and behind the house
there was a clay bank.
00:34:40.98\00:34:44.11
And so every so
often when it would rain
00:34:45.78\00:34:49.08
the clay would
slop out onto the grass.
00:34:49.28\00:34:51.69
And I decided to
build a stone wall.
00:34:51.89\00:34:55.26
So I rented a half-ton truck.
00:34:55.56\00:34:58.59
I went to a rock
quarry and I asked them
00:34:58.79\00:35:01.93
to give me a whole
half-ton load full of stones...
00:35:02.13\00:35:07.00
which they did.
And I took them home
00:35:07.10\00:35:09.30
and I piled them up
against that clay bank.
00:35:09.50\00:35:11.87
Of course I didn't know
enough to put a foundation in
00:35:12.07\00:35:13.91
or to put
mortar in between them.
00:35:14.11\00:35:15.94
So when it rained, you know,
the clay came between the rocks
00:35:16.14\00:35:20.02
instead of directly on the lawn.
00:35:20.22\00:35:21.72
But I have seen a master.
00:35:23.95\00:35:26.42
I have seen a master builder.
00:35:27.79\00:35:29.99
I saw him build...
I saw him build a wall
00:35:30.99\00:35:34.30
the width of this... this room
00:35:34.46\00:35:37.27
out in front of the
church. He was a stone mason.
00:35:37.47\00:35:41.10
And I was amazed at...
00:35:41.50\00:35:43.84
I was the pastor of the church
and I would come and I would
00:35:44.04\00:35:46.81
watch him. It was an
amazing thing to watch.
00:35:47.04\00:35:49.54
When he completed that
wall you could have put a marble
00:35:49.74\00:35:53.58
on top of it and it
wouldn't have rolled 1/4".
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.45
And it was perpendicular.
00:35:56.75\00:35:58.89
It was a thing of beauty.
00:35:59.19\00:36:01.92
People used to drive
to come and see the wall.
00:36:02.22\00:36:05.79
It was a small town.
00:36:05.99\00:36:07.83
It was a little like
they sing about Toledo, Ohio:
00:36:08.03\00:36:10.97
the only entertainment is
going to the bakery to watch
00:36:11.17\00:36:13.64
the buns rise. In that
town the only entertainment
00:36:13.74\00:36:16.91
was to look at the wall!
00:36:17.11\00:36:18.67
But it was a masterpiece.
00:36:19.91\00:36:22.61
I watched him as he
worked on that wall.
00:36:22.91\00:36:26.05
He would pick up stones
and with his big old glove
00:36:26.28\00:36:30.69
which seemed three
times bigger than his hand
00:36:30.79\00:36:32.49
he would look at the rocks
and he would look at the wall.
00:36:32.52\00:36:35.96
And then he would kind of
dust them off with his hand.
00:36:36.16\00:36:38.53
Then he'd take his chisel
and he'd work away at them
00:36:38.73\00:36:41.50
and he'd find a place
for each stone in the wall.
00:36:41.70\00:36:44.93
There were some stones
that he had to cast aside.
00:36:45.13\00:36:47.34
But you know, the reality
is this: that God is building
00:36:48.94\00:36:52.07
a spiritual house. He calls
you and me "living stones. "
00:36:52.27\00:36:58.01
It is a masterpiece.
00:36:58.31\00:37:00.22
It is something that He
alone is capable of doing.
00:37:00.42\00:37:03.52
But in the process of
doing that, He links us
00:37:03.72\00:37:07.69
and we are linked back to
the delivery of the message.
00:37:07.79\00:37:11.66
Because what God is
doing... what God is doing
00:37:11.86\00:37:15.06
is building a spiritual house
for the purpose of ministry.
00:37:15.26\00:37:19.23
Of priesthood.
00:37:19.43\00:37:21.10
Three things about this passage,
00:37:24.14\00:37:26.14
and I'm going to
move on through it.
00:37:26.34\00:37:28.44
Verse 6: "For in
scripture it says
00:37:29.91\00:37:32.58
'See I lay a stone in Zion...
00:37:32.78\00:37:36.05
a chosen and
precious cornerstone.
00:37:36.15\00:37:37.95
And the one who trusts in
Him will never be put to shame.
00:37:38.05\00:37:41.12
Now to you who
believe this stone is precious
00:37:41.42\00:37:44.29
but to those who do not believe
the stone that the builders
00:37:44.59\00:37:48.00
rejected has
become the Cornerstone
00:37:48.10\00:37:50.87
and a stone that
causes people to stumble
00:37:51.07\00:37:53.17
and a rock that makes them fall.
00:37:53.27\00:37:54.64
They stumble because
they disobey the message
00:37:54.84\00:37:57.34
which is also what
we were destined for.
00:37:57.54\00:37:59.54
But you... " Peter says...
00:37:59.74\00:38:02.71
"But you... " Meaning
those of you who have accepted
00:38:02.91\00:38:06.51
Jesus as your
personal Savior. "But you
00:38:06.72\00:38:09.52
are a chosen
people, a royal priesthood,
00:38:09.72\00:38:12.55
a holy nation,
God's special possession
00:38:12.75\00:38:16.52
that you may declare the praises
of Him who called you out of
00:38:16.73\00:38:19.96
darkness into
His marvelous light.
00:38:20.16\00:38:23.50
Once you were not a people but
now you are the people of God.
00:38:23.70\00:38:27.40
Once you had not received mercy
00:38:27.60\00:38:29.04
but now you have
received mercy. "
00:38:29.14\00:38:32.14
Amen.
00:38:32.34\00:38:33.71
We cannot avoid the conclusion
00:38:35.01\00:38:37.45
that things that have
happened to this movement
00:38:37.65\00:38:41.25
have happened for a purpose.
00:38:41.55\00:38:44.09
That you are not
here by accident.
00:38:44.29\00:38:47.69
That God did not call you
into the Seventh-day Adventist
00:38:47.89\00:38:52.03
movement... And by the
way, it is still a movement...
00:38:52.23\00:38:54.86
it is not a denomination.
00:38:55.06\00:38:57.27
Even though we call it a
denomination it is a movement
00:38:57.47\00:39:00.57
and it is
intended to be a movement!
00:39:00.77\00:39:02.77
Three things this passage
tells us about the church
00:39:04.04\00:39:06.91
and tells us about you and me.
00:39:07.11\00:39:08.68
Number one: it
tells us first of all
00:39:08.78\00:39:11.08
about the nature of the church.
00:39:11.11\00:39:13.38
It's interesting
when you think about this.
00:39:14.65\00:39:16.99
It talks about the
nature of the church.
00:39:17.02\00:39:18.95
You see, God is
building... God is building
00:39:19.15\00:39:22.82
a spiritual house
and you're just a stone.
00:39:23.02\00:39:26.46
And I'm just a stone in His hand
00:39:26.76\00:39:31.23
for His purposes for His use.
00:39:31.53\00:39:33.40
But you know, if you've
ever looked at a stone wall
00:39:33.70\00:39:37.27
or a stone house,
you come to understand
00:39:37.47\00:39:40.04
something very quickly about it.
00:39:40.24\00:39:42.18
That is you start pulling
too many of those stones out
00:39:42.38\00:39:44.71
and that wall is
going to come down.
00:39:44.91\00:39:46.48
The church first of all...
the nature of the church...
00:39:48.08\00:39:51.15
is that it is a commonwealth.
00:39:51.35\00:39:53.46
The church... we
are interdependent.
00:39:54.96\00:39:58.53
Now people sometimes
get a little upset with me
00:39:58.73\00:40:01.76
when I begin into
this subject, you see.
00:40:01.96\00:40:04.27
Because I'm a believer
that God's the one that dusts
00:40:04.47\00:40:07.40
off the rocks and the stones.
00:40:07.50\00:40:09.84
And He's the One
that chisels them
00:40:10.14\00:40:12.71
and finds a place
for them in the wall.
00:40:12.91\00:40:15.51
God never gave that
process to you and me.
00:40:15.91\00:40:19.81
He did not ask you and me
to judge even one other person.
00:40:20.62\00:40:26.55
Amen! As a matter of
fact, Ellen White says
00:40:26.76\00:40:29.36
"Before you ever
criticize another person
00:40:29.56\00:40:32.36
you first must
become... " And she doesn't give
00:40:32.56\00:40:35.80
authorization for it but
she says: "You first must become
00:40:36.03\00:40:38.47
a center of
spiritual influence. "
00:40:38.67\00:40:41.47
We are called
upon interdependently
00:40:41.77\00:40:46.44
to be centers of
spiritual influence.
00:40:46.64\00:40:49.54
It is not my job to condemn you
00:40:49.74\00:40:52.31
and it is not
your job to condemn me.
00:40:52.61\00:40:55.52
We may talk to
one another in love
00:40:55.72\00:40:58.35
and share and
grow. And the Bible says
00:40:58.55\00:41:01.79
"Exhort one
another to good works. "
00:41:01.99\00:41:03.69
I'm not excluding any of that.
00:41:03.89\00:41:05.86
And I'm not saying that
God just accepts everything
00:41:06.06\00:41:09.56
because you know, like
my friend the stone builder,
00:41:09.76\00:41:12.43
there were some stones
that wouldn't fit in the wall.
00:41:12.63\00:41:14.57
But it's God's business to
decide which ones those are.
00:41:14.87\00:41:18.71
The church is interdependent.
00:41:19.11\00:41:22.71
It is a commonwealth.
We cannot act effectively
00:41:22.91\00:41:27.52
as the people of God
if we are spending time
00:41:27.72\00:41:31.45
throwing stones at
the wall or at each other.
00:41:31.49\00:41:34.79
Amen! We can't do that.
00:41:34.99\00:41:36.69
We cannot be
effective. We need each other.
00:41:36.89\00:41:41.20
And I tell people...
People ask me from time to time
00:41:41.40\00:41:45.37
"Well you show up at different
places. And you know, there's
00:41:45.57\00:41:48.24
people at those places where
you shouldn't be, Pastor. "
00:41:48.47\00:41:52.97
And I tell them
00:41:53.27\00:41:55.34
"Those people are my
brothers and sisters in Jesus" -
00:41:55.74\00:41:59.81
Amen - "and if they
live and they breathe
00:42:00.02\00:42:03.82
as Seventh-day Adventists
in the North American Division
00:42:04.02\00:42:07.26
whatever their problem
I'm not going to judge them
00:42:07.56\00:42:12.23
But whatever their problem...
I'm not going to accept
00:42:12.53\00:42:15.96
if they're way out in
one field or the other.
00:42:16.16\00:42:18.93
I'm not going to personally
accept that, but they're still
00:42:19.13\00:42:21.40
my brother, they're
still my sister. I need them. "
00:42:21.50\00:42:25.77
The time has
come for us to realize
00:42:27.08\00:42:29.94
that if there are
problems in the church
00:42:30.15\00:42:32.71
they're my problems.
00:42:33.01\00:42:35.65
They're all of our problems.
00:42:37.02\00:42:39.12
The church by
nature is a commonwealth.
00:42:39.32\00:42:43.32
It is interdependent.
00:42:43.53\00:42:45.86
"You yourselves... "
Peter says "are living stones
00:42:46.06\00:42:49.56
being built into the
household of faith. "
00:42:49.76\00:42:52.23
Then the second
thing we discover about
00:42:52.43\00:42:54.57
the household of
faith and about us as stones
00:42:54.77\00:42:58.67
is found in the
first part of verse 9.
00:42:58.87\00:43:01.38
And we love this
passage because it says:
00:43:01.58\00:43:04.58
"But you are a chosen
people, a royal priesthood,
00:43:04.78\00:43:07.82
a holy nation, God's
special possession. "
00:43:08.02\00:43:11.12
You know, do you ever
wake up in the morning...?
00:43:11.32\00:43:13.69
You wake up in the
morning and you just say:
00:43:13.89\00:43:17.33
"Praise God! I'm
a child of the King!
00:43:17.53\00:43:20.83
I'm a child of the King!
00:43:21.03\00:43:22.63
With Jesus my Savior,
I'm a child of the King! "
00:43:22.83\00:43:26.10
Because that's
the reality. Amen.
00:43:26.30\00:43:29.10
Every day you wake up the
Supreme Ruler of the universe
00:43:29.24\00:43:33.84
calls you His child!
00:43:34.04\00:43:36.54
And you know... I know
that we don't want to do
00:43:36.85\00:43:40.38
a lot of demonstrative things
00:43:40.48\00:43:42.45
but I've often believed
that as Seventh-day Adventist
00:43:42.55\00:43:45.02
Christians when we
meet each other we ought to
00:43:45.12\00:43:48.69
high-five each other
00:43:48.79\00:43:50.26
and say: "Praise God!
I'm a child of the King. "
00:43:50.56\00:43:55.16
Amen.
00:43:55.36\00:43:56.70
You're a chosen generation.
00:43:56.80\00:43:59.43
But he goes on. He says:
00:44:01.04\00:44:05.31
"A royal priesthood. "
00:44:05.51\00:44:07.58
A royal priesthood. Now a priest
00:44:09.48\00:44:14.05
was essentially a mediator.
00:44:14.35\00:44:17.29
And you and I have
been called to be mediators.
00:44:19.89\00:44:23.73
A royal priesthood.
00:44:24.03\00:44:26.49
Mediators of the grace
and the goodness of God
00:44:26.70\00:44:31.43
not just to
people in Sabbath School
00:44:31.63\00:44:34.17
but to people in all our world.
00:44:34.37\00:44:36.87
You know the law...
When we come to understand
00:44:37.17\00:44:41.98
the scriptures the law basically
00:44:42.08\00:44:44.05
condemns anyone who is
guilty of breaking them.
00:44:44.25\00:44:47.05
Am I right in saying that?
00:44:47.15\00:44:48.48
And so you and I
naturally by birth have accrued
00:44:49.62\00:44:53.86
a debt to the law. We
are indebted to the law.
00:44:54.06\00:44:56.49
But Jesus paid that debt. Amen.
00:44:56.69\00:45:00.26
Jesus took the guilt
00:45:00.40\00:45:02.10
so that we are no longer debtors
to law as we live in Him.
00:45:02.30\00:45:06.57
Am I right? Is that right?
00:45:06.77\00:45:08.67
But you know, when we
become free from the guilt
00:45:09.80\00:45:13.78
and the penalty of the law
because of what Jesus has done
00:45:13.88\00:45:17.28
for us, He makes us a
debtor in another way.
00:45:17.48\00:45:20.72
We become debtors to grace.
00:45:23.02\00:45:25.05
We become debtors to grace.
00:45:25.65\00:45:28.62
I am telling
people over and over again
00:45:28.92\00:45:31.93
"Please do not accept grace
00:45:32.13\00:45:34.70
if you don't
intend to be gracious. "
00:45:34.90\00:45:37.67
Do not accept grace if you
do not intend to be gracious.
00:45:39.20\00:45:43.14
The church has been called
into the world for this time
00:45:45.94\00:45:49.01
and this place to demonstrate
the love of the heavenly Father
00:45:49.11\00:45:53.25
for the human family.
00:45:53.45\00:45:55.62
We are to be a priesthood
mediating to the world around us
00:45:57.45\00:46:03.43
the goodness and the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:46:03.73\00:46:08.36
Amen.
00:46:08.56\00:46:09.96
Yes, there are
things wrong in the church.
00:46:10.27\00:46:12.80
Years ago I was preaching a
sermon and somebody jumped up
00:46:13.10\00:46:18.07
in the balcony in the
church I was pastoring
00:46:18.27\00:46:20.84
and they said: "You're
trying to save everybody! "
00:46:21.04\00:46:24.25
And I said: "And so is God. "
00:46:26.18\00:46:29.62
Then he said: "But the church
is filled with hypocrites. "
00:46:30.99\00:46:34.16
And I said: "I
know... because I'm one! "
00:46:34.36\00:46:38.16
"For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God. "
00:46:39.59\00:46:44.37
Think about it, friends.
00:46:44.67\00:46:47.10
How is it that we as
sinners can say to other sinners
00:46:47.30\00:46:51.67
"You can't come
to the banquet. "
00:46:51.97\00:46:55.01
We need to be so eternally
grateful to our heavenly Father
00:46:55.41\00:46:59.68
as priests of the Most High God.
00:46:59.88\00:47:02.08
You know, you can't
jump away from this.
00:47:02.28\00:47:04.85
Prophetically this
church was called into existence
00:47:05.05\00:47:09.92
to deliver the goods
00:47:10.13\00:47:12.59
in the last days
of earth's history.
00:47:12.79\00:47:15.73
Yes it is about Revelation
chapter 14 verses 6 through 12.
00:47:15.93\00:47:20.40
I'm not trying
to water that down.
00:47:20.60\00:47:22.90
I'm not trying to diminish it.
00:47:23.00\00:47:24.37
That is at the
core of our message.
00:47:24.57\00:47:26.81
Worship God...
fear Him... honor Him
00:47:27.01\00:47:30.11
because of the
everlasting gospel.
00:47:30.31\00:47:32.05
Stay out of Babylon and don't
accept the mark of the beast.
00:47:32.35\00:47:35.32
But grace is at
the center of it.
00:47:38.25\00:47:40.26
"Those who I love
I rebuke and chasten.
00:47:41.82\00:47:44.76
Be zealous
therefore and repent. "
00:47:44.96\00:47:47.36
My job is not to
condemn and to judge.
00:47:48.86\00:47:51.27
My job is to be a living
witness to the grace and the
00:47:51.87\00:47:56.17
graciousness of God - Amen -
00:47:56.37\00:47:58.77
and to be active in my ministry
00:47:58.91\00:48:01.34
reaching out to the men
and women, the young people,
00:48:01.64\00:48:04.75
my fellow students,
my fellow workmates,
00:48:04.95\00:48:08.22
the people I
meet. Everywhere I go
00:48:08.52\00:48:11.75
I need to be a witness to
the grace and the graciousness
00:48:11.95\00:48:17.03
of God because I'm a priest.
00:48:17.13\00:48:21.70
I'm a minister. You may not
have that on a business card
00:48:22.53\00:48:28.40
but that does not
change the reality.
00:48:30.27\00:48:32.64
Do not be so absorbed
00:48:34.38\00:48:38.01
in the systems
that men have made
00:48:38.21\00:48:40.62
that you don't see the
reality that emerges out of the
00:48:42.15\00:48:45.25
scripture that lays upon you
and me the burden of ministry.
00:48:45.35\00:48:50.06
You are a chosen generation.
00:48:50.26\00:48:53.23
Praise God and
high-five each other.
00:48:53.43\00:48:55.73
Amen.
00:48:55.93\00:48:57.27
You are a royal priesthood.
00:48:58.30\00:49:01.17
God's own people
00:49:02.74\00:49:05.24
with a prophetic heritage.
00:49:05.64\00:49:08.78
And there's a third thing.
00:49:10.45\00:49:12.18
Not only have we discovered
the nature of the church
00:49:12.58\00:49:16.12
as a commonwealth -
interdependent - needing
00:49:16.32\00:49:18.29
one another so that we can
deliver what God wants us to
00:49:18.49\00:49:23.69
prophetically.
Amen. We are a priesthood.
00:49:23.79\00:49:28.76
But finally, Peter talks
about the glory of the church.
00:49:28.96\00:49:32.43
The glory of the church.
00:49:32.83\00:49:35.30
Have you ever thought about
that? The glory of the church?
00:49:35.60\00:49:38.67
You know, sometimes you
know... We had that movie
00:49:41.08\00:49:45.41
a few years ago that
was done by Mr. Doblmeier
00:49:45.61\00:49:48.68
on the Adventist Health System.
00:49:48.88\00:49:50.79
And you know all of us as
Adventists as we watched that
00:49:50.92\00:49:52.79
we said: "Boy that's pretty
good. We're doing all right.
00:49:52.99\00:49:54.89
We're doing all right.
00:49:56.83\00:49:58.36
I mean, we've got 14
colleges and universities
00:49:58.56\00:50:02.93
and hundreds of schools
and over 6,000 congregations
00:50:03.03\00:50:08.20
in North America. " And
by the way, North America
00:50:08.40\00:50:10.41
Jim Gilley, doesn't just include
Canada, the United States,
00:50:10.61\00:50:15.21
and Bermuda. It now
includes Guam and Micronesia.
00:50:15.41\00:50:18.11
So the North American
Division spans from Bermuda
00:50:18.31\00:50:23.02
all the way to within
700 miles of the Philippines
00:50:23.22\00:50:26.69
and four hours north
of Australia by plane.
00:50:26.99\00:50:31.09
We're doing pretty good, right?
00:50:35.20\00:50:38.03
Amen.
00:50:40.17\00:50:41.50
We have a lot of things, right?
00:50:43.17\00:50:46.17
You remember Hezekiah?
00:50:47.41\00:50:50.31
Peter tells us that
the glory of the church
00:50:54.35\00:50:57.99
is that we will show
forth the praises of Him
00:50:58.39\00:51:03.02
who called us out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
00:51:03.22\00:51:06.49
That's the glory of the church.
00:51:06.80\00:51:08.73
There is no glory
in an institution...
00:51:09.03\00:51:11.93
even though that's
nice and it makes us proud.
00:51:13.40\00:51:15.70
The fact is we can only assess
ourselves as doing the work
00:51:17.51\00:51:20.48
of God if we are
bringing glory to His name.
00:51:20.58\00:51:23.85
Ellen White makes the
comment that praising the Lord
00:51:23.95\00:51:27.15
is the most effective
method of soul winning.
00:51:27.25\00:51:30.52
Praise God, Amen!
00:51:30.72\00:51:32.25
Built a house.
00:51:35.22\00:51:37.73
It was a new adventure.
00:51:41.40\00:51:44.43
I was a lot
younger than I am now
00:51:44.73\00:51:48.87
and I was having a
lot of fun doing that.
00:51:49.07\00:51:52.17
I did one smart thing:
00:51:52.47\00:51:54.88
I hired a contractor
to put in the foundation.
00:51:55.28\00:51:59.41
And it was on a crawl
space, so I came and I
00:52:01.25\00:52:05.29
put up all the floor
joists and put on the sub floor
00:52:05.49\00:52:09.06
after he had put
the foundation in.
00:52:09.16\00:52:12.33
And I started setting up walls.
00:52:12.63\00:52:15.66
And it was kind of neat
to see it start emerging.
00:52:15.96\00:52:21.04
And one day the
building inspector showed up.
00:52:22.47\00:52:26.41
And you have to know
that when a building inspector
00:52:29.44\00:52:33.05
gets out of his car
with his arms up like this
00:52:33.28\00:52:36.22
that this is not a good day.
00:52:36.42\00:52:38.79
Because that's
exactly what happened.
00:52:39.29\00:52:42.19
He jumped out of his car and
he threw his hands up in the air
00:52:42.49\00:52:46.33
and he said: "You have built
your house on the wrong lot! "
00:52:46.53\00:52:51.20
And I looked at him
00:52:59.01\00:53:01.78
and at the top of
my lungs I yelled back
00:53:03.98\00:53:07.38
"I have not built my
house on the wrong lot
00:53:07.68\00:53:12.55
because John Hanks
put the foundation in
00:53:12.75\00:53:16.73
under this house and he
knows what he's doing! "
00:53:16.93\00:53:20.43
And the man
looked at me and said:
00:53:20.63\00:53:22.43
"Well if John Hanks put
the foundation under your house
00:53:22.63\00:53:25.53
you're house is
on the right lot. "
00:53:25.73\00:53:28.20
And then was red-faced.
00:53:30.37\00:53:33.38
He turned around and left.
00:53:33.58\00:53:36.04
And I said: "Praise the Lord! "
00:53:36.44\00:53:39.51
Friends, we are living
at a very critical time
00:53:47.29\00:53:51.26
in the history of humanity.
00:53:51.66\00:53:54.43
Jesus is coming again. Amen!
00:53:57.63\00:54:00.64
I am very convicted
about that, very convicted.
00:54:00.94\00:54:04.81
We are living in the
final stages of earth's history.
00:54:05.11\00:54:08.41
You can't read this
Book... You can't read this Book
00:54:08.61\00:54:12.68
and come to any
other conclusion.
00:54:12.88\00:54:16.28
If that is true and if
we as Seventh-day Adventists
00:54:18.75\00:54:24.06
look back and we see
what our forefathers saw
00:54:24.26\00:54:29.76
and what they believed
00:54:29.96\00:54:32.50
and then we come to recognize
the responsibility that is
00:54:32.80\00:54:36.87
upon us... First of all,
there is no other foundation,
00:54:36.97\00:54:41.44
right? We know
the Master Builder.
00:54:41.64\00:54:44.91
We need to have our
lives founded, established,
00:54:46.48\00:54:49.88
rooted in Him.
00:54:50.09\00:54:52.32
And we need to be so
active, so involved for Him.
00:54:53.79\00:54:59.16
You know it's interesting.
As we look across this
00:54:59.66\00:55:02.60
vast field called the
North American Division -
00:55:02.70\00:55:05.23
1,260,000 members -
00:55:06.74\00:55:10.27
we praise God for that.
00:55:10.57\00:55:12.71
And by the way, this
is not a contest, right?
00:55:13.11\00:55:17.48
To see who can have... you know.
00:55:17.68\00:55:19.11
If we just have 4,000,000
by the time Jesus comes
00:55:19.15\00:55:22.05
it'll be OK.
00:55:22.25\00:55:23.59
It's not about numbers.
00:55:23.62\00:55:25.79
Must never be about numbers.
00:55:26.09\00:55:27.76
It must always be about
the establishment of the
00:55:27.96\00:55:30.83
kingdom of God on earth. Amen.
00:55:30.93\00:55:34.23
But you know, the fact is
this: that God is counting
00:55:34.46\00:55:37.87
on you and upon me.
00:55:38.07\00:55:39.47
Upon His ministers.
00:55:39.87\00:55:42.27
Upon those who will recognize
00:55:42.67\00:55:46.11
that connected with the
words "Jesus, to You I surrender
00:55:46.31\00:55:51.08
my life" is the call
to Christian ministry.
00:55:51.18\00:55:55.42
It is not a call
that you and I can avoid.
00:55:55.82\00:55:58.72
It is not a
call... You cannot...
00:55:59.12\00:56:01.29
You cannot look our
Lord in the face and say:
00:56:01.39\00:56:04.73
"I'm a faithful servant"
if you don't say with that
00:56:04.93\00:56:07.76
"I'm your minister. " Amen.
00:56:09.13\00:56:11.63
Want to ask you a question.
00:56:12.23\00:56:13.94
Would all the ministers in
the congregation please stand?
00:56:16.50\00:56:19.84
And for those who are
finding it difficult to stand
00:56:27.82\00:56:29.78
just raise your
hand. That's good enough.
00:56:29.98\00:56:32.02
Friends, let's
take this seriously.
00:56:35.49\00:56:37.36
We need each other.
00:56:37.66\00:56:39.83
We need to pull
together as a church
00:56:40.03\00:56:43.03
to finish the task
that God has given to us.
00:56:43.33\00:56:46.30
It is our task.
00:56:46.60\00:56:48.54
He is calling you
and He is calling me.
00:56:48.84\00:56:51.41
Would you bow your
head with me as we pray?
00:56:51.81\00:56:54.48
And heavenly
Father, we want to thank you
00:56:54.78\00:56:57.81
for Your grace and Your mercy.
00:56:58.01\00:56:59.98
We want to thank you that
as we look back in history
00:57:00.28\00:57:03.79
we can see where we came from...
00:57:03.99\00:57:06.32
the prophetic
heritage that is ours.
00:57:06.62\00:57:10.16
Oh Lord, I
plead with You tonight
00:57:10.56\00:57:13.40
to pour out Your Spirit
upon every person here...
00:57:13.70\00:57:17.23
every person who has
stood to say "I am a minister
00:57:17.43\00:57:20.77
of the Most High God. " Lord,
00:57:20.97\00:57:22.80
burn it in our minds.
Give us no rest until we find
00:57:23.00\00:57:26.74
our rest in You, and we
will praise You and honor You.
00:57:26.94\00:57:29.51
In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:57:29.71\00:57:32.71