Well welcome back
to Camp Meeting 2013!
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Spring Camp Meeting...
Showers of Blessings...
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and already God
has been blessing us
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as we've come together.
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And we're looking
forward to this next service
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because I
believe with all my heart
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that the Lord is going to
really reach out and touch us.
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Our speaker is Dwight Nelson.
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He is a man that God has gifted.
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He's been the pastor of
the Pioneer Memorial Church
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right around 30 years.
I'll find out exactly how long,
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but it's about
that length of time.
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And that is an amazing
thing in any church today
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for a pastor to be the
pastor for that length of time.
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He's on 3ABN every single week
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and I know that
every chance I get
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when I'm able to get to a
television about 1 o'clock
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on Sabbath
afternoon Central Time
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I really enjoy and am blessed
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by the sermons that
Pastor Dwight brings
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from Pioneer Memorial Church.
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I've known him
for a number of years.
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Found him to be a
man who loves the Lord.
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He is a humble man.
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Boy, if I was as
good looking as he is
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I don't know if I
could be humble or not.
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It's not hard
for me to be humble.
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People will say:
"How do you stay humble? "
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I say: "I have a mirror at home
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and I also have a
wife at home that will. "
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Those two will keep me humble...
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although she actually
builds my confidence quite a bit
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and encourages me.
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But tonight we are
going to be blessed
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as he speaks to us.
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"Near the Cross:
the 11th Commandment"
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is his subject.
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But before he comes
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I'm going to invite Yvonne Lewis
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to come and sing for us:
"The Cross Said It All. "
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Yvonne.
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How I love
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to tell the story
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of God's redemption plan.
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How Jesus died
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to take our sins away.
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Oh yes,
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but my finest words
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cannot express
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what one old rugged tree
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said best...
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for nailed to it was all God had
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to say.
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The cross
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said it all.
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The cross
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said it all.
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Without a word
God's heart was heard
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and the cross said it all.
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To prove love
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like nothing else could
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God used three nails
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and two pieces of wood.
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And the cross
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said it
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all.
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Oo-oo-oo-oo...
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He could write
it in the heavens.
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He could spell it in the stars.
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He could write across the sky
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for all to see.
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Oh, oh, oh...
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But with His own blood
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Jesus Christ
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wrote "I love you"
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with His life.
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And forgiveness still
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resounds from Calvary.
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Oh-oh-oh-oh...
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The cross said it all.
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The cross said it all.
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Without a word
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God's heart was heard
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and the cross
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said it all.
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To prove His love
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like nothing else could
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God used three nails
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and two pieces of wood.
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And the cross
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said
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it all.
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Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh...
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It's more than a
symbol of suffering
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or a picture of pain
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and agony.
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For there at the cross
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every soul that was lost
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found its way from earth
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to eternity.
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For the cross
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said it all.
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The cross
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said it all.
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Without a word
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God's heart was heard
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and the cross
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said it all.
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To prove His love
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like nothing else could
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God used three nails
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and two pieces of wood.
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And the cross...
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the cross...
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and the cross
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said
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it
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all.
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Amen!
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Shall we pray? Father in heaven,
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tonight we pray
that the cross will
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be uplifted
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not only in song
and in this message
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but in our hearts.
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Speak to us, Father, we
pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
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We receive a lot of
calls and letters here at 3ABN.
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I'm amazed at how many.
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Telephone call came
through today and June Elliott
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was calling and she
told me an experience
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about her mother.
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I won't tell
the whole experience
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but her mother
is Millie Ganetta.
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And Millie was a devout Catholic
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but she began to watch 3ABN.
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She watched all
the different messages,
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but when Dwight
Nelson was preaching
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on a subject that was
very dear to her heart
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she stood up in the
middle of the sermon
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on the television - in front of
the TV - and told her daughter
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"I'm going to be baptized. "
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Amen. She made a decision.
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The subject? One
you would not think
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would touch the
heart. It was purgatory,
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but it was something
for which she had struggled.
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And God gave Dwight
the wisdom - the message -
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to open up from God's Word
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that there was no purgatory.
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And it calmed her heart
and she made her decision.
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Tonight at Dwight speaks
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"Near the Cross:
the 11th Commandment. "
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Good evening 3ABN
family in Thompsonville.
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Good evening.
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What an honor to be here in this
beautiful part of God's country.
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I drove down this afternoon;
it's about a 6-hour drive.
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I had forgotten
how flat Illinois is.
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But you know what? It was...
It's just the first buddings
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of Spring. I love your
theme: Showers of Blessing.
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Just the first buddings of
Spring and you can see these...
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just these
manicured rows of fresh green
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sprouts.
00:11:07.10\00:11:08.47
I'm thinking maybe corn. Would
that be predominantly corn?
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Yeah... Coming up,
getting ready for the harvest.
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And I thought to myself:
"God, this is what You need to
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see when You look
down to this planet. "
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The seed has been planted,
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the sprouts are coming up,
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and we're counting
down to the harvest.
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So it's an honor tonight
to be a part of a ministry
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that is focused on preparing
this planet for the harvest.
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Have you come in from all over?
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Is that kind of the
thinking that happens here?
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All over really?
All over all over?
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Really?
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Wow! Nice to have
you; thank you for coming.
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I want to thank Yvonne Lewis.
That was absolutely powerful!
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The cross... I
scribbled it down.
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The cross said it all.
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We're going to get
into the cross together -
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you and I -
00:12:03.13\00:12:04.66
but not before I
thank my friend Jim Gilley
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for his kind invitation to come.
00:12:08.11\00:12:09.48
And Camille, I see
you sitting over there.
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Jim and I go way back.
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He helped raise over $4 million
at the Pioneer Memorial Church
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to put on those... If
you've been to the campus
00:12:21.24\00:12:22.86
church, to put on those wings.
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So we got to know
each other real well.
00:12:24.81\00:12:27.27
And then he was helping...
he was actually overseeing
00:12:27.37\00:12:31.17
the Faith for Today
ministry and I had a part...
00:12:31.37\00:12:33.33
had the privilege of having a
part with that for a few years.
00:12:33.53\00:12:36.57
And then I saw Danny
Shelton behind the scenes here
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this evening just
a few moments ago.
00:12:42.35\00:12:43.81
Danny and I go way back.
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You know what? I've got to
quit hanging around with guys
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that go way
back... that's the problem:
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I'm hanging around
with the wrong ones.
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They're all going way back!
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C.A. - that includes you.
00:12:53.86\00:12:55.70
So it's an honor to be
here with the 3ABN team.
00:12:57.23\00:13:01.39
Been to this place a few
times and how God has used
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this dream planted years ago
00:13:07.27\00:13:11.15
raised up by the Holy
Spirit for such a time as this.
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We are living on the edge
of eternity. You know that.
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I believe... I'm not going
to preach on the second coming
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in this series, but I
believe Jesus is coming soon.
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Amen. I believe
we are on the edge.
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In fact, two weeks ago -
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maybe three - my friend
Throstur - Pastor Throstur -
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he's Icelandic
00:13:37.14\00:13:39.59
and he pastors the
South Bend First SDA Church.
00:13:39.79\00:13:45.61
He stopped by the office.
00:13:45.82\00:13:47.27
Plopped down in a chair
in my office there at the
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Pioneer Memorial Church on
the campus of Andrews University
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and he said: "Dwight... "
We just fell into conversation.
00:13:53.18\00:13:56.95
We were talking about an
emphasis we have been having
00:13:57.15\00:13:59.91
at Andrews and Pioneer
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over these last four weeks.
00:14:03.46\00:14:05.79
Coincidentally, our theme
song at the end of every one
00:14:08.49\00:14:11.03
of this little three-part
mini-series, every installment,
00:14:11.13\00:14:14.37
our theme song has
been Showers of Blessing.
00:14:14.57\00:14:16.56
We're sensing... And I
told Throstur this story
00:14:16.86\00:14:19.94
and I'm going to tell
you tonight, I really debated
00:14:20.14\00:14:21.95
about bringing that series.
00:14:22.05\00:14:23.56
But I think we need
to get back to basics.
00:14:23.86\00:14:26.56
There'll be a time for
the other. You can go to our
00:14:27.68\00:14:29.51
website and it's there.
00:14:29.61\00:14:30.98
But... So I was telling Throstur
we're claiming Isaiah 43:19.
00:14:31.18\00:14:35.57
I thought this verse
was all through the Bible.
00:14:36.79\00:14:38.50
I thought you could
find these words everywhere.
00:14:38.60\00:14:39.97
You can't. It's
only in Isaiah 43:19.
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Are you bringing your Bibles
to these little evening studies?
00:14:43.14\00:14:45.71
You will. Good.
00:14:45.81\00:14:47.36
Isaiah 43:19... and I'll
open my Bible when I get into
00:14:47.76\00:14:51.05
my teaching in just a moment,
but God's speaking to Israel.
00:14:51.15\00:14:54.94
He says: "Behold, I
will do a new thing. "
00:14:55.14\00:15:00.20
"I'll do a new thing. "
00:15:00.40\00:15:01.77
We've been sensing in our
hearts at Andrews University
00:15:02.59\00:15:05.02
and the Pioneer Memorial Church
00:15:05.12\00:15:06.49
that we desperately need God
to do a new thing in our midst.
00:15:06.57\00:15:10.15
Now you're not sure
what that new thing is
00:15:10.45\00:15:11.98
until you read the
verses right after verse 19
00:15:12.18\00:15:15.53
and God keeps
talking about water.
00:15:15.73\00:15:17.10
He talks about water in
the desert and rivers in the
00:15:17.13\00:15:19.39
wilderness. Four
times He mentions water.
00:15:19.49\00:15:21.97
As soon as He says
"I'll do a new thing"
00:15:22.17\00:15:23.84
He talks about water.
00:15:24.04\00:15:25.58
And if you go just
a few verses down -
00:15:25.88\00:15:29.20
there were no chapter divisions
when Isaiah wrote that -
00:15:29.40\00:15:31.60
you come to Isaiah 44 verse 3
00:15:31.70\00:15:34.08
where God said... Now
listen to this promise:
00:15:34.38\00:15:36.77
speaking of showers of blessing:
00:15:36.97\00:15:39.23
God says: "I will pour
water on those who are thirsty
00:15:39.43\00:15:43.56
and floods upon the dry ground.
00:15:43.86\00:15:46.23
I will pour My
Spirit upon your descendants
00:15:46.43\00:15:49.38
and My blessing
upon your offspring. "
00:15:49.58\00:15:52.38
We've got 3,600 of the
offspring of the church -
00:15:53.71\00:15:56.83
our community of faith -
3,600 children of the church
00:15:57.03\00:15:59.70
who go to Andrews University.
00:15:59.84\00:16:01.34
We are burdened that God
do a new thing in our midst
00:16:02.38\00:16:06.88
for this generation
just coming on board.
00:16:07.08\00:16:09.07
Do you have any
children in your family?
00:16:09.47\00:16:11.50
Have any children
in your heart tonight?
00:16:11.80\00:16:13.92
Don't you want God to do
a new thing in their lives?
00:16:14.22\00:16:16.88
Aren't you praying for
God to pour out His Spirit
00:16:17.18\00:16:21.10
and somehow
catch that young mind,
00:16:21.20\00:16:23.19
turn that pretty heart,
just coach that heart to
00:16:23.39\00:16:26.87
turn toward Him?
00:16:26.97\00:16:29.05
You put your
finger tomorrow morning...
00:16:29.45\00:16:31.19
When you get up early you
put your finger on Isaiah 44
00:16:31.29\00:16:33.39
verse 3 and say: "God, I
need You to do a new thing.
00:16:33.49\00:16:37.81
You have promised to pour out
Your Spirit upon our descendants
00:16:37.91\00:16:40.87
and Your blessing
upon our offspring.
00:16:41.07\00:16:43.10
Do a new thing in my life.
00:16:43.41\00:16:44.90
Do a new thing in my family.
00:16:45.10\00:16:46.47
Do a new thing in my church. "
00:16:46.62\00:16:48.20
So I'm telling
Throstur all of this.
00:16:50.35\00:16:51.94
He says: "Dwight, I
want to tell you something.
00:16:52.14\00:16:53.51
This revival that you're...
You're essentially talking about
00:16:53.54\00:16:56.14
revival. " Yeah, you're right.
00:16:56.24\00:16:57.61
"This revival that
you're talking about...
00:16:57.71\00:16:59.65
guess what? It'll never happen
until the two prayers of Jesus
00:16:59.85\00:17:03.71
come true. " I said:
"What two prayers are you
00:17:03.91\00:17:06.30
talking about? " He said:
"I'm talking about the 2 prayers
00:17:06.40\00:17:08.18
in the upper room. "
00:17:08.48\00:17:10.15
The second prayer is in
John 17 where Jesus says:
00:17:11.37\00:17:14.28
"Father, that they may
be one as We are one. "
00:17:14.48\00:17:18.81
Unity. Unity in your
congregation back home.
00:17:19.67\00:17:22.62
Unity in Thompsonville.
00:17:22.82\00:17:24.19
Unity in the
Pioneer Memorial Church.
00:17:24.22\00:17:25.75
Unity in our community of faith.
00:17:25.95\00:17:27.32
"That they may be one. "
00:17:27.35\00:17:29.03
The first prayer that
He prays in the upper room
00:17:31.52\00:17:34.82
is our theme tonight.
00:17:35.02\00:17:36.45
This little mini-series
at the 3ABN Camp Meeting -
00:17:37.67\00:17:41.06
tonight, tomorrow night,
Friday night, Sabbath morning,
00:17:41.26\00:17:44.04
and then Sabbath evening -
00:17:44.24\00:17:45.89
this little mini-series
is entitled Near the Cross.
00:17:46.09\00:17:48.92
I'm going to take the
last 72... the last 24 hours
00:17:49.22\00:17:53.78
and the first 24
hours of Jesus' life...
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the last 24 before He died;
00:17:56.54\00:17:58.73
the first 24
when He's resurrected.
00:17:58.93\00:18:01.18
We'll go to Thursday
night then we'll go to Friday.
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We'll spend
several sessions on Friday.
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Then we'll go to Sunday
morning and Sunday evening.
00:18:07.36\00:18:10.85
Something in that Passion
weekend that is essential.
00:18:12.16\00:18:16.69
And that first prayer that
Throstur was talking about?
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We're going to
turn to it right now.
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You have your
Bible? You ready to go?
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I want to pray with you
and then let's plunge into...
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into the teaching. Holy Father,
00:18:26.34\00:18:27.84
we're here from all
points on the compass.
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We've come to this little
corn field in So. Illinois
00:18:30.61\00:18:33.55
that You raised up.
Signals going from this place
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to the entire inhabited globe.
00:18:38.13\00:18:41.24
We've come tonight as a
little worshiping community.
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We want to hear the
voice of Jesus speak
00:18:48.41\00:18:50.99
through holy scripture.
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If there's a prayer that needs
to be answered yet in my heart
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and in our lives, dear
God make that prayer clear.
00:18:56.88\00:19:01.12
And as we track with Jesus
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as Yvonne just
sang... The Cross Said It All.
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As we track with
Jesus through Calvary
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may the cross say
exactly what we must hear
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at this critical moment in 2013.
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We humbly pray in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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When a man is dying,
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when he sits on death
row, he's not into fluff.
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He's not into just spinning
a yarn or passing the time.
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When a man knows
that he is about to die
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he chooses his
words extremely carefully.
00:19:39.10\00:19:43.26
What you're about
to read here in John 13
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is a sentence Jesus
strategically placed
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in His upper room dialogue
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with as it turns out
now only eleven disciples.
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The twelfth disciple has
slipped out into the dark
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shadows of that Thursday
night to do his nefarious deed.
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Judas is gone... just
eleven are left with Jesus.
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And this is John chapter 13.
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I'm glad you've got your Bible.
00:20:10.26\00:20:12.14
I'm going to go back to the...
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We will go back to
Thursday, Friday, Sunday
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right here, again and again.
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John chapter 13. I'm in
the New King James version.
00:20:19.61\00:20:22.02
Any Bible you have is fine by me
00:20:22.22\00:20:24.96
as long as you have that Bible.
00:20:25.16\00:20:26.53
You know, where I
preach you have to say this:
00:20:26.58\00:20:28.34
"Pull out your phone. "
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"Pull out your iPad. "
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That's what this generation...
00:20:32.85\00:20:34.27
They're just...
They have their Bible.
00:20:34.47\00:20:36.13
Don't you be criticizing
them for not having a Bible.
00:20:36.23\00:20:38.55
They have the
Bible, they just look it up
00:20:38.65\00:20:40.15
in a very different way.
00:20:40.25\00:20:41.62
Little faster than you and I
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because they just punch
that in and they have it.
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This is John chapter 13.
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Jesus is speaking...
you know these words.
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Hardly new to you.
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But I wonder if my
friend Throstur is not right
00:20:54.44\00:20:57.68
when he says:
"Dwight, unless this comes true
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there will be no new thing. "
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This revival that we have
passionately been praying for...
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it will not come
until these words come true.
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John chapter 13
verse 34... Jesus speaking.
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You have a red letter edition?
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Bright red... should be.
00:21:13.21\00:21:14.62
John chapter 13
verse 34 Jesus speaking:
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"A new commandment
I give... " to whom?
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"I give to you that
you love one another.
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As I have loved you that
you also love one another. "
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Verse 35: "By this all will know
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that you are My disciples:
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if you have love
for one another. "
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Can't have unity without love.
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This is the foundation.
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"I give you a new commandment. "
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"I give you a new commandment
that you love one another.
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As I have loved you that
you also love one another.
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By this all will know
that you are My disciples
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if you have love
for one another. "
00:21:56.80\00:22:00.21
"I give you a new commandment. "
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We already have ten.
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Didn't we already have ten?
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Didn't the
disciples already have ten?
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Yes, of course they did.
Said: "I'm going to give you
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a new commandment. "
Does it replace the ten?
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Are you kidding? This command-
ment is summation of all ten
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is it not?
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"I give you a new commandment
that you love one another. "
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"By this the whole world will
know that you are My disciples
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if you have love
for one another. "
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What's on the heart of
this Man who's about to die?
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What's on His heart?
00:22:38.26\00:22:39.94
I used to think that
this was just a little line
00:22:40.24\00:22:41.62
along the way. Just
kind of a gentle nod
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towards love and then He
gets down to the Holy Spirit.
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He gets on to the fruit
of the vine and on and on.
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Until one time I sat down
and read all of the upper room
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discourse, and that would
be chapter 13, chapter 14,
00:22:52.67\00:22:54.74
chapter 15, chapter 16.
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Then they go into the garden
and He prays the high priestly
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prayer in chapter 17.
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And I was stunned to realize
that love was not a passing
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fancy when He gives
the 11th commandment...
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a new commandment.
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It's not a
passing fancy. In fact,
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I went through and
circled every word that is love
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or a derivative of
love... loving and so on.
00:23:13.62\00:23:15.76
I went through and
circled every word, and in the
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New King James, all
right... the New King James
00:23:18.24\00:23:20.35
the word love appears 33 times
between John 13 and John 16.
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Thirty-three times.
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Thirty-one of those times
because chapter 13 opens with
00:23:29.33\00:23:32.78
"And He loved His
disciples to the end. "
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You remember that
line. So 31 of those times
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the word love is on the
lips of the One who will be dead
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in less than 24 hours.
00:23:42.49\00:23:43.86
This is not a passing fancy.
00:23:44.83\00:23:47.33
This is not: "Oh,
before I forget...
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By the way, love each other. "
00:23:49.42\00:23:51.00
This is rooted in the
heart of His last appeal
00:23:51.40\00:23:57.35
before His execution.
00:23:57.65\00:23:59.56
"I give you a new commandment
that you love one another. "
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Kind of interesting
that He would call it new.
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Hardly feels like
a new commandment.
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I mean, the disciples have grown
up since they were knee-high
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to a grasshopper
they've grown up with that.
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Haven't they? I mean
Leviticus chapter 19...
00:24:14.79\00:24:16.44
didn't God
thunder from Mt. Sinai
00:24:16.85\00:24:19.43
"You shall blank your
neighbor as yourself. "
00:24:19.63\00:24:22.89
What did He say from Mt. Sinai?
00:24:22.99\00:24:24.39
"You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. "
00:24:24.59\00:24:27.41
Hardly a new commandment.
00:24:27.81\00:24:29.54
It's the basics
of Jewish upbringing.
00:24:29.64\00:24:33.55
And yet Jesus looks
in the flickering orange
00:24:33.85\00:24:37.01
of that dancing torch...
00:24:37.21\00:24:38.99
He looks into the eyes
of these eleven who are left
00:24:39.20\00:24:42.53
and says: "I give
you a new commandment
00:24:43.76\00:24:45.32
that you love one another. "
00:24:45.72\00:24:49.12
You know what's going to
be new about this commandment?
00:24:50.41\00:24:52.49
In less than 24 hours
they will see love defined
00:24:55.56\00:24:58.88
in crimson colors
00:24:59.08\00:25:02.07
as never before
in human history.
00:25:02.27\00:25:04.48
I flew Sunday night to
the North American Division
00:25:06.37\00:25:09.51
for a committee that I'm on.
00:25:09.81\00:25:11.85
So I'm on the ground... We're
in this little plane - Delta
00:25:13.04\00:25:15.45
Airlines in Detroit.
I'm waiting to go to BWI...
00:25:15.65\00:25:17.86
that's Baltimore/Washington
International Airport.
00:25:18.00\00:25:21.61
And the pilot comes over.
You know how when they pull
00:25:21.81\00:25:25.13
the plane... Oh, your heart just
sinks when they pull the plane
00:25:25.23\00:25:27.02
over to the side and you're
just getting ready to take off.
00:25:27.12\00:25:28.89
So something's gone wrong,
and the word is that there's
00:25:29.09\00:25:30.81
this massive thunderstorm
over the nation's capital.
00:25:30.91\00:25:34.03
So they've shut down
Dulles, they've shut down BWI,
00:25:34.24\00:25:36.56
they've shut
down Reagan National.
00:25:36.76\00:25:39.83
Ronald Reagan National Airport.
00:25:42.20\00:25:44.70
You've heard of that
airport, haven't you?
00:25:44.80\00:25:46.17
Do you know that Ronald Reagan,
00:25:46.26\00:25:49.22
former president
of the United States,
00:25:49.42\00:25:51.01
once upon a time dipped
into this upper room discourse
00:25:52.28\00:25:55.99
and chose a
verse with love in it
00:25:56.19\00:25:59.76
and read it on
national television?
00:26:00.06\00:26:01.83
Some of you remember
this. This was back in...
00:26:02.51\00:26:04.49
oh, I'm thinking
maybe the winter of 1982.
00:26:04.79\00:26:09.86
Were any of you
alive back then? 1982?
00:26:10.07\00:26:12.46
Were you? OK. I just need to
to get to know this audience.
00:26:12.66\00:26:16.17
OK, so you were.
00:26:16.37\00:26:17.74
1982. You
remember the Air Florida?
00:26:17.77\00:26:21.03
Remember the
Air Florida tragedy?
00:26:21.33\00:26:23.24
You remember that plane all
prepped and ready to take off
00:26:23.54\00:26:28.07
to the southern
climes of Florida
00:26:28.27\00:26:30.19
on... It was National
Airport back then, wasn't it?
00:26:30.49\00:26:32.84
National
Airport. All ready to go.
00:26:33.14\00:26:35.09
Got held up -
frigid, January afternoon -
00:26:36.29\00:26:40.20
got held up on the tarmac.
00:26:40.40\00:26:43.18
You remember the story?
Got held up on the tarmac.
00:26:43.28\00:26:45.21
Unbeknownst to the pilot, ice
began to develop on the wings.
00:26:45.51\00:26:50.02
It had been de-iced, but
apparently too long stationary.
00:26:50.26\00:26:54.25
Finally he's put in the line and
with the roar of those engines
00:26:54.56\00:26:59.23
thunders down that
runway and just as he lifts up -
00:26:59.53\00:27:04.51
you remember the
tragedy, don't you? -
00:27:04.65\00:27:06.02
that ice meant there
was not sufficient lift
00:27:06.05\00:27:09.04
and the plane right
into the Potomac River.
00:27:09.24\00:27:11.81
Right into the... You
remember the story, don't you?
00:27:12.02\00:27:14.88
Fell into that
Potomac. The fuselage burst open
00:27:15.81\00:27:18.93
disgorging all the passengers.
00:27:19.13\00:27:21.46
They're bobbing now...
No time to put anything on.
00:27:21.96\00:27:25.10
They're bobbing in
the icy, frigid Potomac.
00:27:25.40\00:27:29.12
That was back in what? 1982,
and so there aren't a whole lot
00:27:29.42\00:27:32.41
of CNN helicopters around.
But I remember the news footage,
00:27:32.61\00:27:36.79
don't you? Your remember the...
00:27:36.89\00:27:39.01
of all those helicopters
hovering over that piece of
00:27:39.41\00:27:42.89
broken fuselage.
There are human survivors.
00:27:43.09\00:27:45.65
The helicopter -
the rescue helicopter -
00:27:45.95\00:27:48.35
comes out. You
remember the story?
00:27:48.45\00:27:49.82
He drops that O-ring.
He drops it down to a man,
00:27:49.85\00:27:54.00
a bald-headed man.
"All right, sir. You know
00:27:54.30\00:27:56.85
what to do with it.
Just hold onto it. "
00:27:56.95\00:27:58.32
They have
paramedics now along the shore.
00:27:58.35\00:27:59.77
Everybody's raced
for this emergency.
00:27:59.97\00:28:02.20
"Hold onto the ring and
we'll just drag you across. "
00:28:02.40\00:28:04.56
I mean, everybody knows
that's what you do: you hold on
00:28:04.76\00:28:06.17
to the ring and they'll
pick you up and drag you across.
00:28:06.28\00:28:08.33
The man gets the ring.
00:28:08.53\00:28:10.05
Instinctively begins to
hold on and realizes there's...
00:28:10.45\00:28:13.17
there's a flight attendant
just a few yards from him.
00:28:13.27\00:28:16.45
And he swims the ring over
to her. Do you remember that?
00:28:16.66\00:28:19.58
So they get her to safety;
00:28:20.65\00:28:24.69
they come back for the man.
00:28:24.90\00:28:26.27
They drop the ring back to him.
00:28:26.30\00:28:28.04
You remember the story.
He finds another survivor.
00:28:28.44\00:28:30.93
He hands the ring. I
don't remember how many times
00:28:31.13\00:28:33.95
that little ritual took place.
00:28:34.15\00:28:37.69
But one time when
they came back again
00:28:37.89\00:28:40.77
for the bald-headed man
00:28:40.97\00:28:42.87
he had slipped
into that frigid depth.
00:28:43.17\00:28:46.49
President Reagan went
on national television
00:28:46.79\00:28:50.17
that night to intone the
sacrifice of this stranger.
00:28:50.37\00:28:55.40
Do you know
which verse he quoted?
00:28:55.70\00:28:57.15
Chapter 15. You have
your Bible open here.
00:28:57.35\00:28:58.84
Chapter 15. It's
one of the love words
00:28:59.04\00:29:01.93
in the upper room discourse.
This is chapter 15 verse 13.
00:29:02.23\00:29:06.33
You can say it out loud
with me. Let's just read it
00:29:06.53\00:29:08.11
out loud together:
"Greater love has no one
00:29:08.31\00:29:12.03
than this: than to
lay down one's life
00:29:12.13\00:29:14.91
for his friends. "
00:29:15.11\00:29:17.27
The President of the
United States after whom now
00:29:18.29\00:29:20.70
the airport is named
reads on national television
00:29:20.80\00:29:24.53
John 15:13...
the words of Christ.
00:29:24.77\00:29:27.96
Nobody has greater love
than to lay down his life
00:29:28.16\00:29:30.45
for his friends.
In less than 24 hours
00:29:30.65\00:29:32.66
the eleven will see the
truth of that one definition.
00:29:32.86\00:29:37.60
There is no
greater love than Calvary.
00:29:37.90\00:29:42.52
Isn't that right?
00:29:42.92\00:29:44.48
No greater love. Greater
love has no one than this:
00:29:44.78\00:29:47.35
than to lay down her
life - lay down her life -
00:29:47.55\00:29:50.01
for her friends.
00:29:50.21\00:29:51.90
That's what's new.
00:29:52.68\00:29:54.13
They've heard this
from kindergarten days:
00:29:55.08\00:29:58.79
love your neighbor.
00:29:59.09\00:30:00.46
"But now I give
you a new commandment
00:30:00.79\00:30:03.10
that you love one another.
00:30:03.20\00:30:04.57
As I have loved you
you love one another.
00:30:04.60\00:30:06.57
By this the whole world
will know you are My people
00:30:06.77\00:30:09.21
if you have love
for one another. "
00:30:09.41\00:30:12.13
As I have brooded over that 11th
commandment if we can call it
00:30:15.36\00:30:18.50
that... As I have brooded
over these words here in John 13
00:30:18.60\00:30:22.53
verses 34 and 35 I
have wondered to myself.
00:30:22.63\00:30:26.09
Do you know
what's new about this?
00:30:29.41\00:30:31.00
I mean, the more you brood
on it the more it hits you.
00:30:31.30\00:30:34.49
You know what's new
about this commandment?
00:30:34.69\00:30:37.32
What's new about this command-
ment is what Jesus did not say.
00:30:37.72\00:30:41.21
If you think about it, Jesus
could have looked into those
00:30:43.56\00:30:46.36
upturned faces in that orange
glow of flickering shadows.
00:30:46.46\00:30:49.97
He could have looked in
their faces and said: "By this
00:30:50.07\00:30:52.08
the whole world will
know you are My people
00:30:52.38\00:30:54.77
if you remember to
keep the Sabbath Day holy. "
00:30:56.47\00:31:00.55
Couldn't He have said that?
00:31:01.87\00:31:03.54
Listen, I remind you
ladies and gentlemen,
00:31:03.84\00:31:05.87
everybody in that
room was a Sabbatarian.
00:31:06.07\00:31:07.70
Everyone in that room
is keeping the Sabbath
00:31:08.00\00:31:10.58
that the pre-incarnate
Christ gave to the human race.
00:31:10.78\00:31:14.19
The Sabbath was made for
man and not man for the Sabbath.
00:31:14.39\00:31:17.25
Everyone in the
room was a Sabbatarian.
00:31:17.45\00:31:20.50
Please don't misunderstand me.
00:31:23.26\00:31:25.26
I believe with all of my
heart in the fourth commandment.
00:31:26.53\00:31:28.65
I believe that that
fourth commandment will shine
00:31:28.95\00:31:32.48
brighter and brighter as
we move to the end of time.
00:31:32.68\00:31:35.71
You know why? Because it calls
people back to the Creator.
00:31:36.11\00:31:39.60
We live in a nation now
that has gone absolutely bonkers
00:31:39.90\00:31:43.70
in the opposite direction.
00:31:43.80\00:31:45.17
Throwing out the
Creator; denying there is a God.
00:31:46.06\00:31:49.48
Oh no, the seventh-day Sabbath
is a gift whose time has come.
00:31:49.78\00:31:53.42
But I find it fascinating...
We're just talking here -
00:31:53.72\00:31:56.30
watching on
3ABN and you and me -
00:31:56.50\00:31:59.31
I find it fascinating that Jesus
didn't say: "By this the whole
00:31:59.51\00:32:01.52
world will know you are
Mine: if you keep the Sabbath. "
00:32:01.62\00:32:03.49
I also find it interesting
that He didn't say: "By this
00:32:04.53\00:32:06.94
the whole world will
know you are My people:
00:32:07.08\00:32:09.06
if you cling to the Blessed
Hope that I am coming soon. "
00:32:09.27\00:32:12.36
Now don't misunderstand me.
00:32:12.76\00:32:14.19
Just a few breaths later after
giving the 11th commandment
00:32:14.39\00:32:17.86
Jesus will speak these
words. Say them with me:
00:32:18.06\00:32:20.13
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:32:20.33\00:32:22.46
You believe in
God... believe also in Me.
00:32:22.76\00:32:26.29
In My Father's
house are many mansions.
00:32:26.59\00:32:29.51
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:32:29.81\00:32:33.00
I go to prepare a place for you
00:32:33.40\00:32:35.40
and if I go and prepare a place
for you - here it comes now -
00:32:35.60\00:32:38.66
I will come again. "
00:32:38.86\00:32:41.91
Of course that
is the Blessed Hope.
00:32:45.59\00:32:47.59
It burns bright in all of
our hearts, but it's rather
00:32:47.89\00:32:50.93
amazing to me that He didn't
take either half of the name
00:32:51.03\00:32:54.91
that I bear -
Seventh-day Adventist -
00:32:55.01\00:32:56.45
and say: "By this the whole
world will know you're Mine:
00:32:56.55\00:32:58.15
the Sabbath or
the second coming. "
00:32:58.35\00:33:01.18
Ladies and
gentlemen, the point is
00:33:01.58\00:33:04.00
you can go through all the
great teachings of scripture.
00:33:04.30\00:33:07.57
He didn't take a one of them.
00:33:07.87\00:33:09.24
He said: "By this the
whole world will know you are My
00:33:12.18\00:33:14.82
people. " When you
gather together and you drive
00:33:14.92\00:33:18.41
into a town and you suddenly
burst the population of that
00:33:18.51\00:33:21.04
little... that
little farm community
00:33:21.14\00:33:23.10
and you do business in town.
"By this everybody will know
00:33:23.30\00:33:26.59
you are Mine: the way
you love each other. "
00:33:26.79\00:33:31.21
Isn't that something?
00:33:31.51\00:33:33.52
My friend Throstur sitting
in my office three weeks ago
00:33:34.55\00:33:37.19
and he says:
"You know what Dwight?
00:33:37.29\00:33:38.66
We're not going to get
any revival. There's not...
00:33:38.69\00:33:40.06
God's not going to do a
new thing until we learn
00:33:40.09\00:33:41.84
how to ask God to
answer the prayer of Christ
00:33:42.24\00:33:46.05
that night
before His execution. "
00:33:46.55\00:33:48.99
Verse 34: "A new
commandment I give you
00:33:51.68\00:33:54.54
that you love one
another. As I have loved you
00:33:54.74\00:33:56.71
that you also love one
another. By this all will know
00:33:56.91\00:33:59.21
that you are My
disciples: if you have love
00:33:59.31\00:34:01.38
for one another. "
00:34:01.78\00:34:03.18
Unmistakable.
00:34:04.68\00:34:06.94
Unequivocal.
00:34:07.24\00:34:08.61
Unconditional.
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.01
By this all - red and
yellow, black and white -
00:34:10.05\00:34:12.77
by this all -
literate and illiterate -
00:34:12.97\00:34:18.21
socially marginalized,
economically disenfranchised,
00:34:19.53\00:34:23.46
by this all will
know you are My people:
00:34:23.66\00:34:27.58
by the way you love each
other and you love them. "
00:34:27.81\00:34:32.24
Then they'll know.
00:34:32.98\00:34:34.35
That's what'll tell them.
00:34:34.38\00:34:36.13
Because you can get
it straight up here...
00:34:37.28\00:34:39.75
Now listen carefully: you
can get it straight up here
00:34:39.85\00:34:42.29
and have it all wrong in here.
00:34:42.50\00:34:45.33
Amen.
00:34:45.63\00:34:47.00
There were people
alive at the time of Christ
00:34:47.08\00:34:49.66
who had it all right up here
00:34:49.86\00:34:52.00
but they had it
all wrong down here...
00:34:52.21\00:34:54.88
and they dogged
Jesus to His death.
00:34:56.11\00:34:58.75
They arranged with
Judas to betray Him.
00:34:59.05\00:35:04.57
They had it all right up here
00:35:05.07\00:35:07.64
but they had it
all wrong down here.
00:35:07.84\00:35:11.16
"By this the whole world knows
that you are My people... "
00:35:12.61\00:35:17.12
You're My
disciples; you're My church.
00:35:17.32\00:35:21.69
"if you have love
for one another. "
00:35:22.09\00:35:25.59
Less than 24
hours and He'd be dead.
00:35:27.57\00:35:29.86
Less than 24
hours before His death.
00:35:30.56\00:35:33.98
You know, when a
man is on death row
00:35:34.18\00:35:36.29
he tends to cut to the chase
00:35:36.49\00:35:38.59
and speak only of what matters.
00:35:38.89\00:35:40.93
So the question
that begs to be asked is:
00:35:43.36\00:35:45.12
are we a loving people?
00:35:45.22\00:35:46.70
Are we a loving people?
00:35:46.73\00:35:48.42
Or are we, as Mark Twain
cynically put it: "Are we good
00:35:48.62\00:35:52.23
in the worst
sense of the word? "
00:35:52.43\00:35:54.42
Ever met people like that?
00:35:55.85\00:35:57.94
Good in the worst
sense of the word.
00:35:58.34\00:36:00.15
So right and
proper in their behavior.
00:36:00.75\00:36:06.57
So right and proper, but
please, Lord, don't let me live
00:36:07.07\00:36:10.81
next door to them.
00:36:10.91\00:36:12.35
Please... I'll
live down the street.
00:36:12.75\00:36:15.06
Good in the worst
sense of the word.
00:36:15.47\00:36:17.37
Like the little
English girl prayed: "Oh God,
00:36:17.57\00:36:20.14
make the bad people good
and the good people nice. "
00:36:20.24\00:36:24.01
Nice.
00:36:25.91\00:36:27.68
"By this the whole world
will know you are My people:
00:36:27.98\00:36:30.01
if you have love
for one another. "
00:36:31.14\00:36:32.98
Are we a loving people?
00:36:35.62\00:36:37.12
Are we nice?
00:36:37.42\00:36:39.27
Or are we good in the
worst sense of the word?
00:36:39.57\00:36:41.81
I want to share
a story with you.
00:36:43.55\00:36:44.97
Phillip Yancey told this story
00:36:47.57\00:36:52.46
in his stirring book
What's So Amazing About Grace.
00:36:52.76\00:36:56.20
It's a true story he
heard from a friend of his
00:36:56.40\00:36:57.96
who is a social work that
works with the down-and-out
00:36:58.16\00:37:00.09
in Chicago. Had to drive by
Chicago to come down here today.
00:37:00.19\00:37:02.85
All right. So this is his social
worker friend speaking now.
00:37:03.05\00:37:08.12
"A prostitute came to me"
00:37:08.73\00:37:10.84
the social worker friend says.
00:37:11.04\00:37:12.66
"This prostitute came to me
in wretched straits, homeless,
00:37:12.76\00:37:14.85
sick, unable to buy food
for her 2-year-old daughter.
00:37:15.05\00:37:17.16
Through sobs and tears she
told me she had been renting
00:37:17.37\00:37:19.78
her daughter, 2 years old, to
men interested in kinky sex. "
00:37:19.81\00:37:24.18
You just can't believe it.
00:37:24.58\00:37:26.71
"She made more renting out her
daughter for an hour than she
00:37:28.73\00:37:30.76
could earn on her own in
a night. She had to do it,
00:37:30.86\00:37:32.66
she said, to support
her own drug habit. "
00:37:32.86\00:37:34.54
Phillip's friend said: "I could
hardly bear hearing her sordid
00:37:34.84\00:37:37.79
story. For one thing
it made me legally liable.
00:37:37.90\00:37:40.32
I am required to
report cases of child abuse.
00:37:40.52\00:37:42.41
I had no idea what
to say to the woman.
00:37:42.61\00:37:44.50
At last I asked her if she had
ever thought of going to church,
00:37:45.00\00:37:47.92
to a church for help. I
will never forget the look
00:37:48.22\00:37:50.88
of pure naive shock
that crossed her face.
00:37:51.08\00:37:53.38
'Church? ' she cried.
'Why would I ever go there?
00:37:53.58\00:37:56.44
I was already feeling terrible
about myself. They would just
00:37:56.64\00:37:59.67
make me feel worse. ' "
00:37:59.77\00:38:01.16
Yancey then
reflects on this story.
00:38:05.26\00:38:07.40
"What struck me about my
friend's story is that women
00:38:07.70\00:38:09.81
much like this prostitute flew
toward Jesus not away from Him.
00:38:10.01\00:38:13.77
The worst a person felt about
herself the more likely she
00:38:14.63\00:38:16.99
saw Jesus as a refuge.
00:38:17.09\00:38:18.65
Has the church lost that gift?
00:38:18.95\00:38:21.67
Evidently the down-and-out
who flocked to Jesus
00:38:22.98\00:38:25.34
when He lived on
earth no longer feel welcome
00:38:25.54\00:38:27.59
among His followers. " Yancey
asks: "What has happened? "
00:38:27.79\00:38:30.83
Brothers and sisters,
00:38:31.33\00:38:33.48
what has happened?
00:38:33.78\00:38:35.59
Do we have it right up here
00:38:35.89\00:38:38.74
but do we have it wrong in here?
00:38:38.94\00:38:41.79
"Yeah, Dwight, fortunately
that's not our denomination. "
00:38:43.23\00:38:48.25
I got a letter...
I got a letter from
00:38:52.57\00:38:57.53
someone in a church
somewhere in this country
00:38:57.93\00:39:01.26
outside of my community.
00:39:01.56\00:39:03.09
Dear Pastor Nelson:
About five years ago
00:39:03.39\00:39:06.63
another close friend
of mine died of AIDS.
00:39:06.73\00:39:08.45
His name was Jack; he
died at the age of 34.
00:39:08.76\00:39:10.78
Jack was baptized as an
Adventist about 15 months
00:39:11.62\00:39:13.81
before he died and I knew
him mainly from the weekly
00:39:13.91\00:39:15.91
prayer meetings.
Jack was infected with HIV
00:39:16.02\00:39:18.38
several years prior to
his joining the church.
00:39:18.48\00:39:20.03
He never knew he had
HIV until he got pneumonia.
00:39:20.23\00:39:22.38
He survived the pneumonia,
met some neighbors of his
00:39:22.58\00:39:24.30
who were Adventists, and came
into the truth through them.
00:39:24.41\00:39:26.54
Hallelujah!
00:39:26.94\00:39:28.31
Unfortunately, she goes on,
00:39:28.71\00:39:32.21
a few members of the
church couldn't accept Jack
00:39:32.24\00:39:34.30
because he had AIDS.
00:39:34.50\00:39:35.87
Some stopped going to
church and prayer meetings
00:39:37.17\00:39:38.92
because he was there
00:39:39.02\00:39:40.39
and they feared
catching AIDS from the air
00:39:40.42\00:39:41.79
or sitting in
the same room as him.
00:39:41.82\00:39:43.26
My former pastor tried very
hard to educate these people
00:39:44.38\00:39:48.56
but they didn't want
to hear it. When Pastor -
00:39:48.76\00:39:50.95
she gives his name -
spent time in the hospital with
00:39:51.15\00:39:53.39
Jack every day before he
passed away they would say
00:39:53.49\00:39:55.59
something like: "I hope our
pastor won't get AIDS in the
00:39:55.69\00:39:57.42
hospital then come back
and give it to all of us. "
00:39:57.52\00:39:59.17
How angels must weep,
she writes, in heaven for the
00:40:01.84\00:40:04.29
hardness of hearts even
of professed Christians.
00:40:04.39\00:40:06.08
Now, her last line:
Thank the Lord Jack remained
00:40:06.39\00:40:08.38
faithful until the end and
even had a spirit of love and
00:40:08.48\00:40:10.36
forgiveness for those
members who shunned him.
00:40:10.46\00:40:12.97
Jack knew how much Jesus
loved him and that was enough.
00:40:13.17\00:40:15.55
I'm not sure
that woman is right.
00:40:17.24\00:40:19.15
I'm not sure that's enough.
00:40:19.36\00:40:20.90
I'm not sure it's
just enough to know
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.14
Yes, Jesus loves
me... the Bible tells me so.
00:40:25.34\00:40:28.26
Apparently Jesus
doesn't feel it's enough either.
00:40:28.76\00:40:31.36
Jesus said: "This is how the
whole world will know you are
00:40:31.66\00:40:33.76
the people: because you
have love for one another. "
00:40:33.86\00:40:37.74
"As I have loved you,
you love each other. "
00:40:38.04\00:40:40.74
Didn't He say that?
00:40:41.63\00:40:43.07
On the eve of His
execution didn't He say that?
00:40:44.07\00:40:46.99
He must mean it.
00:40:47.30\00:40:48.94
He must be serious.
00:40:50.32\00:40:52.47
"By this the whole world
will know you are My people:
00:40:53.76\00:40:57.51
if you have love
for one another. "
00:40:57.81\00:41:00.33
You know what? I
would laugh off these little
00:41:00.73\00:41:03.17
stories, you know,
these little aberrations...
00:41:03.37\00:41:05.62
I would laugh them off
were it not for the fact
00:41:06.02\00:41:09.14
I know my own heart.
00:41:09.54\00:41:11.54
I know my own heart
00:41:12.58\00:41:14.41
and I know how easy it is for me
00:41:15.88\00:41:18.90
to dismiss somebody who
doesn't believe like I believe.
00:41:19.10\00:41:22.11
Somebody who takes a little
different theological nuance.
00:41:22.31\00:41:25.33
"Well he doesn't... Poor guy. "
00:41:25.53\00:41:27.46
I know how easy it is for me
00:41:28.93\00:41:31.67
to have it all right up here
00:41:32.07\00:41:34.61
but to walk by people down here
00:41:34.72\00:41:38.12
and have it all wrong in here.
00:41:38.32\00:41:40.63
The 11th
commandment's for me and you.
00:41:42.99\00:41:45.74
"By this the whole world
will know you're My people:
00:41:47.02\00:41:50.18
because you have
love for each other. "
00:41:50.48\00:41:52.97
The word gets out!
00:41:53.27\00:41:54.84
You can't hide it.
Whoa! Look at them!
00:41:55.14\00:41:58.55
"By this the whole world
will know you are My people:
00:42:00.36\00:42:04.57
if you have love
for one another. "
00:42:07.40\00:42:13.27
Now may I ask you a bit
of an embarrassing question?
00:42:16.04\00:42:21.04
I have to ask myself this, too.
00:42:21.14\00:42:22.62
Could it be that in our
exuberance to get it right
00:42:22.92\00:42:26.25
over the 4th commandment
00:42:26.45\00:42:29.98
we have neglected
the 11th commandment?
00:42:30.28\00:42:33.38
Could it be that
in a generation...
00:42:34.84\00:42:37.85
Now listen: I have these kids.
00:42:38.05\00:42:39.53
This generation... I have them.
00:42:39.73\00:42:41.24
They're young; they're bright.
00:42:42.66\00:42:45.20
Struggling to carve
out meaning in this life.
00:42:47.61\00:42:51.10
But if you want to talk about
the millennials - that's the
00:42:53.50\00:42:56.02
generation now
that's on the scene 18-30-
00:42:56.12\00:43:00.50
you want to talk
about the millennials.
00:43:00.63\00:43:02.00
You know what attracts
the attention of a millennial?
00:43:02.21\00:43:04.94
Pretty soon the boomers are
going to be... if Jesus doesn't
00:43:05.44\00:43:08.26
come soon, boomers are
going to be a thing of the past.
00:43:08.46\00:43:10.41
And I'm a part of it, so...
00:43:10.71\00:43:12.86
So I want Jesus to
come... Please, just come.
00:43:14.74\00:43:17.96
But God said: "Dwight,
you've got something to do.
00:43:18.26\00:43:20.12
You have something to do.
00:43:20.32\00:43:22.51
That world of Mine... that
7 billion earth children...
00:43:22.81\00:43:26.10
I want those
children. Go to them.
00:43:26.30\00:43:30.14
Go to them in My name
00:43:30.54\00:43:32.92
teaching them to observe
all things and don't forget
00:43:33.22\00:43:35.64
to include the 11th commandment
when you teach all things. "
00:43:35.74\00:43:38.46
But this
generation... you know what?
00:43:42.90\00:43:47.76
What they're looking for...
let me tell you the truth...
00:43:50.07\00:43:53.82
You know this... in
fact you already know this...
00:43:54.02\00:43:55.75
You've got
grandkids? You know this.
00:43:55.95\00:43:58.20
They're looking
for authenticity.
00:43:58.50\00:44:00.56
They're looking
for transparency.
00:44:00.96\00:44:02.68
They say: "Listen,
don't give me this head stuff.
00:44:03.78\00:44:05.46
Do you practice what you preach?
00:44:05.96\00:44:08.73
Do you live it out? "
00:44:09.03\00:44:10.40
That's what they're looking for.
00:44:10.62\00:44:11.99
There are 3,600 of them
there at Andrews University.
00:44:12.29\00:44:14.93
They're struggling as well
00:44:16.20\00:44:18.09
just like your
kids and grandkids.
00:44:18.40\00:44:21.26
But there are by the millions
00:44:21.76\00:44:25.13
secular kids who
have no connection.
00:44:25.33\00:44:29.25
This generation now is
the most godless generation
00:44:29.45\00:44:32.52
in America that we've ever had.
00:44:32.82\00:44:35.09
I know it says "In God
we trust" on our coinage.
00:44:35.39\00:44:37.49
Every day that goes by there are
less people that trust in Him
00:44:38.61\00:44:41.50
in America. You
know this, don't you?
00:44:41.80\00:44:44.18
Of course. What's
going to reach those hearts?
00:44:44.38\00:44:49.48
"By this all the world
will know you are My people:
00:44:52.12\00:44:57.92
if you have love
for one another. "
00:44:59.20\00:45:02.09
You say: "Oh Dwight, that's
not how we're going to grow
00:45:02.39\00:45:07.48
the church. We're
going to grow the church
00:45:07.58\00:45:08.95
doing what we do best
here, doing what we do best
00:45:09.20\00:45:13.48
there at Andrews.
00:45:13.68\00:45:16.26
We're going to send
more and more people out.
00:45:18.47\00:45:20.38
They're going to win souls. "
00:45:20.68\00:45:22.66
Amen; amen; amen!
00:45:22.86\00:45:24.49
I have a quotation in my
pocket I want to share with you
00:45:25.99\00:45:28.75
written by a little
woman 5'3" about 100 years ago.
00:45:29.05\00:45:34.63
She wrote these words...
00:45:37.32\00:45:38.70
I want to read them to you.
00:45:42.71\00:45:44.23
A book called Welfare Ministry.
00:45:45.74\00:45:47.33
Having welfare, caring
for the good of our neighbors.
00:45:47.43\00:45:50.24
Listen to this line:
00:45:50.28\00:45:51.65
"If we would humble
ourselves before God
00:45:51.89\00:45:57.61
and be kind, and courteous,
and tenderhearted and pitiful,
00:45:58.85\00:46:04.78
there would be 100
conversions to the truth
00:46:05.82\00:46:10.05
where now there is only one. "
00:46:11.10\00:46:16.03
Don't tell me that Jesus got
it wrong just before He died.
00:46:18.37\00:46:23.30
"By this the whole world
will know you are My people:
00:46:25.58\00:46:29.47
if you have love
for one another. "
00:46:30.99\00:46:35.97
Kind, tenderhearted,
pitiful. Means full of pity.
00:46:36.27\00:46:40.39
Full of pity.
00:46:41.87\00:46:43.45
Desire of
Ages... Oh, I love this.
00:46:45.09\00:46:47.45
Listen to this:
"Love to man... " This is
00:46:47.65\00:46:49.75
Desire of Ages page 641:
00:46:49.85\00:46:51.38
"Love to man is the
earthward manifestation
00:46:51.59\00:46:53.65
of the love of God. It
was to impart this love
00:46:53.75\00:46:56.18
to make us
children of one family
00:46:56.39\00:46:59.23
that the King of
Glory became one with us.
00:46:59.43\00:47:01.84
And when His
parting words are fulfilled
00:47:02.04\00:47:04.21
'Love one another
as I have loved you'
00:47:04.41\00:47:06.40
when we love the world
as He loved it, then for us
00:47:06.70\00:47:10.42
His mission is accomplished
and we are fitted for heaven
00:47:10.62\00:47:14.19
for we have
heaven in our hearts. "
00:47:14.39\00:47:18.77
Isn't that beautiful?
00:47:19.07\00:47:20.44
We're fitted for heaven.
How many want to go to heaven?
00:47:20.51\00:47:22.00
Come on; come on: How
many want to go to heaven?
00:47:22.20\00:47:23.57
But of course! You want
to be fitted for heaven?
00:47:23.74\00:47:27.23
Love one another.
00:47:27.63\00:47:29.34
Desire of Ages says:
"When we love one another
00:47:29.64\00:47:33.64
we are fitted for
heaven for we have heaven
00:47:33.94\00:47:37.52
in our hearts. "
00:47:37.82\00:47:39.58
Apparently Jesus really did mean
00:47:41.03\00:47:44.17
to speak 31 times
about love before He died.
00:47:45.74\00:47:50.36
Apparently the 11th commandment
00:47:51.57\00:47:54.21
is essential for the Ten
Commandments to take root.
00:47:54.41\00:47:58.38
Wow! Wow.
00:47:59.68\00:48:02.95
"A new commandment I give
you that you love one another. "
00:48:05.14\00:48:07.37
"As I have loved you that
you also love one another. "
00:48:07.67\00:48:10.36
"By this all will know
that you are My disciples:
00:48:11.66\00:48:16.51
if you have love
for one another. "
00:48:17.45\00:48:19.47
Friday He dies. Thursday night
00:48:20.58\00:48:23.48
He invites us.
00:48:27.12\00:48:28.72
Telephone rang in the
Pioneer Memorial Church
00:48:30.42\00:48:32.81
there on campus.
00:48:34.15\00:48:35.59
My secretary said:
"Dwight, there is a woman
00:48:36.66\00:48:41.24
on the phone. I
don't recognize her voice.
00:48:41.35\00:48:45.90
She didn't give her name;
00:48:46.14\00:48:47.92
she didn't want
to give her name.
00:48:48.03\00:48:49.40
You want to take the call? "
00:48:50.01\00:48:51.75
Said: "Of course,
send the call through. "
00:48:51.85\00:48:53.22
Said: "Hello. "
She said: "Hello! "
00:48:53.51\00:48:55.96
"Pastor Nelson?
" I said: "Yes. "
00:48:56.26\00:48:57.72
"I've been
listening on the radio. "
00:49:03.92\00:49:05.47
We have a radio
telecast every Sabbath.
00:49:05.77\00:49:09.35
She said: "I've been
listening on the radio.
00:49:09.58\00:49:10.95
You've been talking about this
God who's not somebody to be
00:49:12.35\00:49:14.15
afraid of but
somebody to be a friend of.
00:49:14.25\00:49:16.21
I knew... I knew I
could call you for help. "
00:49:16.61\00:49:22.08
And the moment she said "help"
00:49:22.38\00:49:24.61
a voice inside of me said
00:49:25.11\00:49:28.44
"Get ready... she's
going to ask for money. "
00:49:28.64\00:49:34.33
I'm embarrassed
to tell you this.
00:49:36.35\00:49:38.05
Just like that I
said: "She's going to ask.
00:49:39.54\00:49:41.34
You watch, Dwight, you watch.
00:49:41.54\00:49:43.16
She will ask you for money.
00:49:43.36\00:49:44.73
You'd better have an answer
and you'd better have it fast. "
00:49:44.76\00:49:46.51
I said: "We've got the
Salvation Army in Benton Harbor,
00:49:47.01\00:49:49.51
We've got United
Way. Got the police.
00:49:49.61\00:49:51.94
Dorcas is closed
so that's no good.
00:49:52.24\00:49:54.54
I'll find something. "
00:49:56.55\00:49:58.00
She said: "I knew I
could call you for help. "
00:49:58.50\00:50:00.93
I said: "Yes... and
what would that be? "
00:50:01.03\00:50:02.78
She said: "Well, I need
some... " And then she said
00:50:03.28\00:50:08.92
"money. " I said: "I
told you; I told you. "
00:50:09.06\00:50:11.14
I'm just getting ready... I'm
just getting ready to respond
00:50:13.31\00:50:16.40
very politely and
the Holy Spirit comes up
00:50:16.60\00:50:19.76
and He said... said:
"Listen, listen to this woman. "
00:50:19.96\00:50:24.97
She said: "I actually
have a thousand dollars
00:50:31.61\00:50:34.57
waiting for me in Chicago.
00:50:36.20\00:50:38.24
But after listening to these
teachings about the God that
00:50:39.75\00:50:43.25
you've been describing,
I know I can't go back
00:50:43.45\00:50:47.71
for that thousand dollars. "
00:50:47.81\00:50:49.45
And then the story tumbled out.
00:50:49.75\00:50:51.38
Two little kids. Resorting
to what they call the world's
00:50:51.88\00:50:56.60
oldest profession to
keep food on the table.
00:50:56.70\00:51:00.95
Plying her art in the sullied
00:51:01.05\00:51:05.15
sooted doorways
of the Windy City.
00:51:05.35\00:51:08.34
I could go back... but
I don't think I should. "
00:51:09.38\00:51:13.36
I said: "You are right. "
00:51:13.66\00:51:15.53
Made arrangements for
this woman to get the money
00:51:16.82\00:51:19.08
to her anonymously. I
said: "You come into the church.
00:51:19.18\00:51:21.48
There'll be an envelope
here. It will have money in it
00:51:21.68\00:51:25.23
and may God be with you. "
00:51:25.37\00:51:26.86
Never met her.
00:51:28.10\00:51:29.47
A month later I'm at
the back of the church,
00:51:33.16\00:51:35.62
front of the church,
greeting the worshipers
00:51:35.82\00:51:37.91
as they're leaving
after second service
00:51:38.01\00:51:39.49
and a tall woman
comes through line.
00:51:40.94\00:51:43.77
Attractive.
00:51:44.17\00:51:45.79
She says: "Hi, Pastor Nelson.
00:51:46.09\00:51:48.93
Do you remember me? "
00:51:49.23\00:51:50.70
I said: "No I don't actually. "
00:51:52.88\00:51:55.25
She gave me a name. "Sorry. "
00:51:56.57\00:51:59.81
Then she just said a few words.
00:52:00.31\00:52:03.21
I said: "Oh, I remember you. "
00:52:03.31\00:52:05.72
She said: "I hope you don't
mind, but the children and I
00:52:06.73\00:52:08.41
have been coming to worship here
00:52:08.51\00:52:10.17
these last few Saturdays. "
00:52:10.47\00:52:12.35
I said: "Bless your heart.
You are welcome to worship here
00:52:13.56\00:52:17.56
any time you wish.
This is your family. "
00:52:17.76\00:52:21.53
The congregation never knew it
00:52:22.95\00:52:25.22
but when her face came up
out of that baptistry with water
00:52:29.56\00:52:33.72
glistening on her countenance
00:52:33.92\00:52:37.18
and a smile of a thousand watts
00:52:37.38\00:52:41.14
I knew the truth.
00:52:42.29\00:52:44.60
If any woman is in Christ,
00:52:44.90\00:52:47.87
behold, she is a new creation.
00:52:48.07\00:52:50.56
Old things are passed away!
00:52:50.86\00:52:52.69
Behold, all things become new. "
00:52:52.99\00:52:55.67
I almost turned that woman away.
00:52:58.45\00:53:02.66
Too much of a bother for me.
00:53:02.96\00:53:04.33
I haven't got time for this.
00:53:04.56\00:53:06.50
You have a Bible question?
You want to argue theology?
00:53:06.80\00:53:09.23
We can talk.
00:53:09.43\00:53:10.80
I'm not giving them money.
00:53:11.58\00:53:13.03
I almost, I'm
embarrassed to tell you,
00:53:13.53\00:53:17.18
almost turned that woman away.
00:53:17.22\00:53:19.49
Jesus said: "Hey
wait a minute, Dwight.
00:53:20.90\00:53:23.67
This is the only way
they're going to know.
00:53:23.88\00:53:26.04
It's not the radio that saves.
00:53:26.24\00:53:27.78
It's not satellite that saves.
00:53:27.88\00:53:29.77
I save through people...
00:53:31.01\00:53:33.77
through warm
and loving people. "
00:53:34.07\00:53:37.02
"If you will love one another
00:53:37.32\00:53:41.25
the whole world will know...
00:53:41.65\00:53:44.70
the whole world will
know you are My people. "
00:53:46.24\00:53:51.39
Boy, I want to love
like Jesus, don't you?
00:53:53.33\00:53:55.95
Oh, I want to love like Jesus.
00:53:56.45\00:53:59.91
I bet Throstur's right.
00:54:01.82\00:54:03.59
Until that prayer gets answered
00:54:04.09\00:54:06.48
how could God ever
do a new thing anyway?
00:54:06.88\00:54:10.94
You want to
stay near that cross?
00:54:12.99\00:54:15.98
You want to
stay near that cross?
00:54:16.28\00:54:19.65
Every night we're going to
sing this together you and me.
00:54:20.15\00:54:23.28
Jesus, keep me near the cross.
00:54:24.52\00:54:26.96
There a precious fountain.
00:54:27.06\00:54:29.37
312 if you have your
hymnal on your phone.
00:54:29.67\00:54:31.66
Jesus keep me near the cross.
There a precious fountain.
00:54:35.17\00:54:38.22
Free to all a
healing stream flows from...
00:54:38.42\00:54:41.93
Calvary's
mountain. In the cross,
00:54:42.13\00:54:44.38
in the cross, be my glory ever.
00:54:44.58\00:54:47.09
Stand with me; stand with
me. Let's sing; let's sing.
00:54:47.39\00:54:49.49
Those of you watching
on television right now:
00:54:49.79\00:54:51.52
you join us. You sing it
out. You know the first stanza.
00:54:51.72\00:54:55.09
We'll just keep
singing the first stanza.
00:54:55.29\00:54:56.66
Jesus, keep me near the cross.
00:54:57.71\00:55:03.68
There a precious fountain.
00:55:03.88\00:55:09.43
Free to all a healing stream
00:55:09.73\00:55:15.33
flows from Calvary's mountain.
00:55:15.63\00:55:20.92
In the cross,
00:55:21.62\00:55:24.45
in the cross,
00:55:24.75\00:55:27.66
be my glory ever.
00:55:27.96\00:55:33.93
Till my raptured soul
00:55:34.33\00:55:38.76
shall find
00:55:38.96\00:55:40.81
rest beyond the river.
00:55:41.11\00:55:47.01
Let's sing it like a prayer now.
00:55:47.21\00:55:49.10
Jesus, keep me
00:55:49.40\00:55:53.13
near the cross.
00:55:53.33\00:55:56.28
There a precious
00:55:56.84\00:56:00.36
fountain.
00:56:00.56\00:56:03.79
Oh God, we hear the
words of our Lord Jesus tonight
00:56:53.85\00:56:58.49
just hours before
He was cut off from You
00:56:58.93\00:57:03.43
pleading with us. "Please,
this is a new commandment.
00:57:04.95\00:57:08.68
I want you to love one another.
00:57:09.08\00:57:11.09
This is how the whole
world will know you're the right
00:57:11.39\00:57:13.76
people, you're My people,
00:57:13.86\00:57:15.86
if you have love
for one another. "
00:57:16.06\00:57:18.54
So Father, all of our
hearts, transform us into
00:57:18.84\00:57:22.53
the friends and the
lovers of Christ Jesus
00:57:22.74\00:57:26.02
and may we love the
world in His name we pray.
00:57:26.32\00:57:31.93