Participants: Elder Ted Wilson, Pr. Stephen Bohr
Series Code: 14GYC
Program Code: 14GYC000004B
|
00:11 Good evening, GYC.
00:14 We're here to fill you in on what God did 00:17 through the evangelism day yesterday, 00:19 how many of you participated in the outreach yesterday? 00:22 Amen. Amen, praise the Lord. 00:24 There were almost 2,000 people who participated. 00:27 God worked in powerful ways 00:29 and I want to read you a few of the things that happened. 00:32 There were about 23,000 pieces of GLOW Literature 00:36 that were passed out. 00:38 There were 1,300 people who are prayed with, 00:40 24, 000 peoples doors were knocked on, 00:44 a 1,372 Desire of Ages were passed out and left in homes 00:50 and there were 220 Bible studies. 00:53 Praise the Lord. 00:55 God is working in powerful ways, 00:56 and I want to share with you a few of the stories 00:58 of how God works. 01:00 Susan has the first story for us. 01:01 Yes, we're really excited. 01:03 Our Good News TV, we already received several calls 01:05 of people wanting to know, how to tune into Good News TV, 01:08 our Christian channel here in Phoenix 24 hours a day. 01:11 And a couple of them even said, 01:13 I'm gonna go run out and get an antennae right now, 01:14 because they didn't have internet, 01:16 they couldn't watch over the internet, 01:17 and so we also wanted to tell you 01:19 about a wonderful person that received a beautiful book, 01:24 Desire of Ages on the life of Christ 01:25 as well as the GLOW tract and the Good News TV book, 01:27 Martha called in saying, 01:29 "I had a couple of wonderful young people at my door," 01:31 and she said "I gave a donation, 01:33 I can't wait to read the book," 01:34 and she said "on this book marker it says 01:37 that there's over a 100 churches in Arizona, 01:39 call for a church near you, and I'm looking for a church." 01:42 And so we told, 01:43 we gave her the address of the church near her 01:45 and she was very excited. 01:47 She want to take Bible studies and we called the local pastor 01:50 and he called her to give her a personal invitation, 01:52 make sure she knew all the times and she said, 01:55 she just wanted to relay a thank you 01:57 to this wonderful young people because otherwise, 01:59 she wouldn't have ever found out about the church. 02:01 So praise the Lord. 02:02 Amen, God is working in powerful ways, 02:04 people are in church and they will be in heaven 02:06 as a result of your work. 02:07 Now Craig has something to share with us 02:09 about another powerful outreach opportunity that happened. 02:12 Well, I believe in music evangelism. 02:14 And I was excited to have that opportunity 02:16 right here in Phoenix in Phoenix 02:18 and GYC did a great job of setting it up, 02:20 they invited us to take the orchestra around 02:21 and all the young people here at GYC, 02:23 they volunteered to play 02:24 with Fountainview Academy Orchestra. 02:26 We went to the large Catholic hospital 02:27 just down the street, 02:28 and they'd arranged for us to go in there 02:30 and play a little concert in the lobby 02:32 and to give out the Desire of Ages 02:33 and GLOW tracts. 02:35 And in fact the sister who met me 02:36 showed me this is the table, 02:38 you put your books here and you give them out. 02:39 Music works magic. 02:40 As the kids were playing, 02:42 all the Desire of Ages we had were gone within 10 minutes 02:45 and hundreds of GLOW tracts went out. 02:46 People loved it, 02:48 everyone coming through the lobby was accepting. 02:49 Very few turned anything down. Amen. 02:51 Then they took us into the chapel, 02:53 where they put us on closed circuit TV 02:55 to 400 patients, who watched the concert from there. 02:59 That was exciting but, folks, 03:02 God has appointments for us everywhere. 03:04 It started out with a little frustration, 03:06 the driver called me up and said, "You're the leader, 03:08 they didn't tell me in the contract 03:10 that you'd have instruments. 03:11 This bus is way too full, it won't fit." 03:13 I told him, "Don't worry, I'm a bus driver, 03:14 I love driving, let's put them underneath." 03:15 Helped him out, made friends, he said, "You sit here, 03:18 and help me go where to find or where we are going." 03:20 So we got chatting and right away he said, 03:22 "What religion are you guys?" 03:23 I said, "Seventh-ay Adventist." He said, "Seventh-day, what?" 03:26 That's not what they told us, 03:27 then he gave me his little spiritual history 03:29 and said, "I'm looking for a church." 03:31 Can you imagine? 03:32 So I gave him the address, he maybe watching tonight. 03:35 Jay, if you're watching, we're praying for you 03:37 and I want to say more than that, 03:38 he told us, when he came back to pick us up, he said, 03:40 "I called my girlfriend and she said, 03:42 she went to a cooking class by your church." 03:44 Amen. 03:46 I said, "Look us up, look us up." 03:48 He said, she asked if you're saying for me, 03:50 just then we stopped at the light. 03:52 I said, "Kids, lets sing." 03:53 We sing our favorite, "Prayer is the key to heaven." 03:55 We want to see him in heaven. Please pray for Jay. 03:57 Amen, God can work in powerful ways. 03:59 Jan, and how did you see the Lord working yesterday? 04:01 Well yesterday, before we started out, 04:03 we prayed, my partner and I, we prayed out, 04:06 we thank God for the divine appointments 04:08 that He was going to give us. 04:10 On this one door where we knocked, 04:13 this lady opened the door and we told her, 04:15 "Well, we're here for community service project 04:17 and your donations for this book, 04:19 The Desire of Ages, 04:20 will help the GYC impact your community." 04:24 Well she said, "I don't have any money." 04:27 But she kept looking at the book 04:28 and I wasn't so sure what to make out 04:30 with her look on her face. 04:33 And, well, before she went inside into her house 04:36 to get some money, she said, 04:38 "God sent you here into my door." 04:40 And so we looked at each other, Atille and myself and we said, 04:44 God is working in this house, we're praying, we're praying, 04:47 and so she comes out with a dollar 04:48 and a couple of cents and she said, 04:50 "God has sent you here in my house." 04:52 We asked her, so tell us your story. 04:55 And she said that she was having 04:56 a very hard time in that house. 04:58 Somebody was putting her down, 05:00 and but she knew she couldn't leave that house 05:03 because God put her there for a purpose, 05:05 and so while she was reading her Bible 05:07 and while she was praying, 05:09 God told her, "Wait for the light." 05:11 I wish I asked her what that light was about, 05:13 but the look in her face showed me that, 05:16 there was something about that book 05:17 that was a part of the story. 05:19 So I was very thankful, I am very thankful to God 05:21 that I'm part of this experience of Him 05:23 drawing people to himself. 05:25 Amen. God answers prayers. 05:28 If you're praying to find the Lord, 05:29 He's gonna send someone, amen. 05:31 And many young people have the opportunity 05:34 to be answers to prayer. 05:35 Now if you're interested 05:37 in hearing more stories similar to this, 05:38 we have a book at the GYC booth called The Open Door. 05:42 If you're not here present at the conference, 05:44 you can go to the opendoorbook.com 05:46 to order your copy 05:48 but it's filled with testimonies 05:49 of how the Lord's worked in powerful ways 05:51 throughout the United States. 05:53 Now, evangelism has finished, 05:55 but what's going to happen with the people 05:56 that we've met, Kevin? 05:58 Yes. This is super, super exciting. 06:00 So each year we do evangelism, 06:02 we go out into the community 06:04 and get or generate all these leads, 06:06 but what happens to these leads. 06:07 Well, this time around beginning now, 06:09 here in Phoenix, 06:11 we are going to be following up on those leads. 06:13 Amen. 06:14 Well, how are we going to be following up on those leads? 06:17 NETS, Northeast Evangelism Training School 06:20 is teaming up with GYC and very, very exciting 06:24 to actually do a training next weekend here in Phoenix. 06:28 And how many of you are from Phoenix or Arizona, 06:31 Phoenix area? 06:33 Amen. 06:34 How many of you are gonna come to the training? 06:36 If you're not, my question is why not? 06:39 It's gonna be at the Camelback Church 06:41 and we're gonna do what's called the NETS Express, 06:44 that will be all weekend, Friday, Saturday, 06:46 and then all day Sunday 06:47 and training on how to follow-up 06:49 on these leads, and what to do with them, 06:51 and there's gonna be some extensive work 06:54 on following up after that as well, 06:56 with some bridge events, we are going to be tallying up 07:00 all the leads that we're having, 07:02 keeping tabs on them, and so on and so forth. 07:05 So very, very exciting. 07:07 You know, I want to let you know 07:08 that for those of you who have participated 07:10 in outreach yesterday, 07:11 that God has worked in a powerful way, 07:14 and without a doubt, 07:15 we know that people will be in the kingdom, 07:17 I can't wait to hear what happens 07:18 as NETS continues to work. 07:20 And we know that God is going to be faithful. 07:21 And I just wanted to say come by our booth at NETS, 07:24 I think it's 424 and the booth that Good News TV 07:28 to come and get a flyer for that training this weekend. 07:30 Amen. 07:32 So if you live in Phoenix, go ahead and get involved. 07:34 Go to the NETS training 07:35 and God is gonna bless in powerful ways. 07:37 Now, I want to ask a question to Thando. 07:41 What is gonna happen, 07:43 now that everyone leaves the conference, 07:45 they're no longer on buses? 07:48 What do we do for evangelism now? 07:50 The good news, Taylor, is that outreach is not over, 07:53 outreach is never over. 07:54 Amen. Amen. 07:56 And we're really excited this year, 07:57 because we're inviting you 07:58 to be a part of virtual outreach 08:00 on March 21st and 22nd of this year. 08:02 And what we're asking you to do is very simple at GYC. 08:06 You go home and pray and just ask God 08:09 what does my community need, 08:11 and how can God use me to impact my community. 08:13 Once you think about your neighborhood, 08:15 your own backyard, your city, your town, your state, 08:18 and just get together with some friends, 08:20 your youth group and just pray and ask God, 08:22 how can we be of service here in our own backyard. 08:25 And as you do that outreach on that day, 08:27 March 21st, 22nd you can be encouraged to know, Taylor, 08:30 that I'm not alone, 08:32 there's these other young people 08:33 are around the world and even around the country 08:35 that are doing this together with me. 08:37 And that if we all did that in our own community, 08:39 that's why we do outreach here. 08:41 Amen. Amen. 08:42 That we can go back home 08:44 and impact our communities for Christ. 08:45 So you're telling me that there's a virtual outreach day, 08:47 people from all over the world March 21st and March 22nd 08:51 people will be doing outreach in their own communities. 08:52 Yes. 08:54 We know that God is gonna work in powerful ways. 08:55 Now the next question is, what resources can I use? 08:59 Michel, you're the VP of Resources for GYC. 09:02 Do you have any idea 09:04 of some resources that we could use? 09:06 Yeah, Well, Taylor, we've already been sharing with you 09:08 a couple of resources that we have 09:09 throughout the conference. 09:11 But we also want to remind you 09:12 that we have some other resources at our booth, 09:14 at the GYC booth in the exhibit hall. 09:17 Can you hold this for me? Thanks. 09:20 How many of you guys canvas this book, this weekend? 09:24 Amen. Yeah, this is a beautiful book. 09:26 If you read The Desire of Ages, 09:28 you know that it's the most beautiful book on Jesus 09:30 that you may ever read. 09:32 And this book answers the question 09:34 of how or who Jesus is 09:36 and how in just three and a half years, 09:38 three and a half short years of life here on this earth 09:41 He changed the world. 09:42 And so we have this book for sale 09:43 at the GYC booth this evening. 09:47 We've also redesigned the Great Controversy 09:48 and reprinted it again once this year. 09:52 And this book will also be available for sale 09:54 at the GYC booth. 09:56 Both books are available in limited quantity, 09:58 so please stop by this evening and pick up your copy. 10:00 Amen. 10:02 So if you want to get involved, 10:03 if you want some books to share with people, 10:04 GYC has redesigned Desire of Ages 10:07 and the Great Controversy. 10:08 Stop by the GYC booth and pick up your copy. 10:10 Now, Nelson, I have a question for you. 10:12 If that's not satisfactory, 10:14 if those two books aren't enough for people, 10:16 is there any other resource 10:18 that you could possibly think of 10:19 that potentially we could use for outreach? 10:24 I'm not sure. Oh! Yes. 10:27 Thank you for reminding me. GLOW tracts. 10:31 We can use GLOW tracts for VOD, Virtual Outreach Day. 10:35 Not only that but we can use GLOW tracts 10:37 throughout the year. 10:38 In fact, for those of you who didn't hear already, 10:41 GYC and GLOW have combined to create a program 10:44 called the One Million GLOW initiative, 10:46 the One Million GLOW Outreach. 10:48 Between now and the next GYC, 10:51 the next 365 days we're challenging everybody at GYC 10:56 to in a cumulative way 10:57 distribute one million GLOW tracts. 10:59 You think we can do that? Amen. 11:01 Yeah, so really what that translates to 11:03 is about one track per GYC attendee per day. 11:08 And the way that we want to do that 11:09 is to encourage every GYC attendee 11:11 to have approximately 300 tracts. 11:14 If you don't have your tracts already at your church, 11:17 or at your house, you want to make sure 11:18 that you stop by the GLOW booth tonight 11:22 because tonight is the last night 11:23 to pick them up without having to pay shipping 11:25 and all that kinds of stuff. 11:26 So we really want to encourage you, 11:27 pick up your tracts. 11:29 Now, another thing about this million track GLOW challenge 11:32 is that it's interactive. 11:33 How are we gonna know 11:34 that we all passed out a million GLOW tracts? 11:36 It's very simple. 11:37 We've made a website, it's called gycchallenge.com. 11:41 GYC what? 11:42 Challenge-- Challenge.com. 11:44 Please mark it down. 11:46 I have people come to the booth all the time 11:47 asking what's the name of that site? 11:49 gycchallenge.com not dot org. 11:53 And when you go there, you'll notice that, 11:54 you can actually click on a button 11:56 that says report and you can report the tracts 11:58 that you distribute every single day. 12:01 And there is a chart there which shows the tracts 12:03 as we're distributing them throughout the year. 12:05 Currently we've distributed almost 4,000 tracts. 12:07 Amen. But guess what? Amen. 12:09 10,000 tracts is only 1 percent of a million. 12:12 So we're not even at 1 percent yet. 12:14 So we got a lot of work to do. 12:16 Only 145,000 tracts out of a million 12:18 have been purchased at GYC. 12:20 So we got a lot more tracts to purchase, 12:21 and only a 117 people of all of you 12:24 have signed up your numbers on this website. 12:28 So we've a lot more people to sign up. 12:30 So my encouragement to you is go to the site, 12:32 get your tracts 12:34 and let's distribute a million GLOW tracts for this next year. 12:36 Amen. 12:37 Imagine what that would do 12:38 if there was a million GLOW tracts 12:40 that are no longer in someone's hands, 12:41 or they're not in someone's hands right now, 12:43 but in one year they could be. 12:45 Imagine the difference that would make 12:46 for the kingdom of God. 12:48 Now, Daniela, I want to ask you 12:49 why is evangelism so important to you? 12:52 So when I was 16, I actually got so sick that I almost died. 12:56 And the doctor like made it very clear 12:58 that unless God interpose 13:00 and some mighty miracle happened, 13:01 I was going to die. 13:02 And so when that finally sunk in, 13:04 I thought about my life 13:05 and just things that I would miss, that I regretted. 13:08 And it was interesting that I didn't think about 13:10 how I wouldn't get to finish school, 13:11 and I didn't think about how I hadn't dated anybody, 13:13 and I wouldn't get married, 13:15 and I didn't think about how I wouldn't make money, 13:17 and I wouldn't get to travel around the world. 13:18 The only thing, that kept running through my head 13:20 on a constant loop was, I haven't done enough for God. 13:24 And all I kept thinking over and over was, you know, 13:26 I just recently found out how amazing God 13:28 and what He's done for me and I haven't told anybody yet. 13:31 And it just was over and over, and I thought about 13:33 all the opportunities I had missed, 13:35 opportunities to share His love with other people. 13:37 And so I prayed that God would let me live, 13:39 so I could tell other people about Him, you know, 13:41 and God answered my prayer and I'm very grateful. 13:44 But I think that for all of us at the end, 13:47 the thing that's going to matter 13:48 is did we know God as a friend, 13:50 and did we help other people to know him. 13:52 And so I think especially when we're beginning a year, 13:54 it's just my hope 13:55 that we all live this year without that regret. 13:58 That we seize these opportunities 14:00 to distribute GLOW, 14:01 to participate in Virtual Outreach 14:02 and just the other opportunities God gives us 14:04 to share His love with others, 14:05 because it's so true that there is no greater bliss 14:08 on this side of heaven than winning souls to Christ. 14:10 You know, by God's grace, I pray 14:12 that we can all look back on our lives, 14:14 and see the ways that the Lord has worked. 14:16 Amen. 14:21 I am crucified with Christ 14:25 Therefore I no longer live 14:29 Jesus Christ now lives in me 14:36 I am crucified with Christ 14:40 Therefore I no longer live 14:44 Jesus Christ now lives in me 15:02 Embrace the cross 15:07 Where Jesus suffered 15:10 Though it will cost 15:13 All you claim as yours 15:17 Your sacrifice will seem small 15:21 Beside the treasure 15:24 Eternity can't measure 15:28 What Jesus holds in store 15:37 Embrace the love 15:41 The cross requires 15:44 Cling to the one 15:48 Whose heart knew every pain 15:52 Receive from Jesus 15:55 Fountains of compassion 15:59 Only He can fashion 16:03 Our heart to move as His 16:08 Oh, wondrous cross our desires rest in you 16:15 Lord Jesus make us bolder 16:22 To face with courage the shame and disgrace 16:29 You bore upon Your shoulders 16:40 Embrace the life 16:45 That comes from dying 16:49 Come trace the steps 16:52 The Savior walked for you 16:57 An empty tomb 17:00 Concludes Golgotha's sorrow 17:04 Endure then till tomorrow 17:07 Your cross of suffering 17:16 Embrace the cross 17:21 Embrace the cross 17:25 The cross of 17:27 Jesus. 18:06 Good evening. Good evening. 18:09 That was weak. 18:12 It's been a long day. How are you all doing? 18:15 Praise the Lord. 18:18 What a wonderful experience it is to be here at GYC. 18:23 I've been to many of them, 18:26 and every single one has been a huge blessing 18:29 to my own spiritual walk with the Lord. 18:33 Before we begin our study together this evening, 18:35 we do want to ask 18:36 for the Lord's special blessing. 18:38 And so I invite you reverently 18:40 to bow your heads with me as we pray. 18:44 Our Father and our God, 18:48 Your people are gathered here in this holy place 18:54 to open Your holy book, 18:57 pleading for the help of the Holy Spirit 19:00 to help us understand the message 19:02 that You have for us. 19:04 We ask Father 19:05 that You will manifest Your power in this place, 19:09 that Christ might be seen in all of His glory, 19:14 and we might be inspired to follow in His footsteps. 19:19 We thank You Father for the privilege 19:21 of approaching your throne boldly 19:24 and we do so because we come in the powerful 19:28 and precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 19:32 Amen. Amen. 19:36 In our study this evening, I would like us to focus 19:40 on the last three words that Jesus spoke to His Father, 19:45 when He was on the Cross of Calvary. 19:49 Those three words that Jesus spoke 19:52 were the following "My God, My God, 19:59 why have You forsaken Me?" 20:02 Words that are found in Matthew 27:46. 20:08 The second saying that I would like us to focus on 20:12 is very short. 20:14 It's found in John 19:30 20:18 where Jesus cried out "It is finished!" 20:25 And the third word of Christ, that I would like to focus on 20:29 is the last that Jesus spoke from the cross. 20:33 The words "Father, 20:36 into Your hands I commend My spirit." 20:40 Those words are found in Luke 23:46. 20:46 But before we focus on these three words of Jesus, 20:51 from the cross at the end of his life, 20:56 we need a little bit of background 20:58 of things that happened immediately before. 21:03 In order to understand what happened before, 21:05 we need to comprehend something 21:08 about the Old Testament sanctuary service. 21:13 When an individual sinned in Israel, 21:17 they would bring an animal to the Court of the Sanctuary. 21:22 They would place their hand upon the head of that animal, 21:26 whether it be a lamb, or a goat, 21:29 or another type of animal, 21:31 and they would confess their sin 21:33 on the head of that animal, 21:35 thus transferring their sin 21:37 from themselves to the animal. 21:42 In other words, the sin was transferred to the animal 21:45 while it was alive. 21:49 The animal bore the sin of the sinner, 21:52 while the animal was alive. 21:57 And then the animal of course was slain. 22:02 It's significant 22:04 that the sin was placed on the head of the animal. 22:10 The head is where our brain is. 22:13 It's where we're thinking, reasoning 22:17 and feeling a curse. 22:23 Now, I want us to visit the events that took place 22:26 immediately before the cross. 22:30 Sometimes, 22:32 we think that the cross tells the whole story. 22:37 But the events that lead up to the cross 22:40 are just as important as Jesus hang in the Cross of Calvary. 22:46 So let's visit the Garden of Gethsemane. 22:51 When we think about Jesus burying the sins of the world, 22:55 we usually think of Jesus on the cross. 22:58 But actually the sins of the world 23:01 were placed upon Jesus not at the cross, 23:06 but in the Garden of Gethsemane. 23:10 I'd like us to turn in our Bibles 23:12 to Matthew 26:38. 23:17 Matthew 26:38 23:20 where Jesus is about to begin His passion in the garden. 23:27 And He pronounces these words of anguish, 23:31 Matthew 26:38. 23:34 Then He said to them, 23:35 He is speaking to His disciples, 23:37 "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. 23:44 Stay here and watch with Me." 23:49 Notice that in this verse we have a connection 23:51 between sorrow and death. 23:54 Jesus said my soul is exceedingly sorrowful 23:59 even unto death and it's sorrow that is going to lead 24:02 ultimately to His death. 24:05 Now in hard times, 24:08 we usually look for support from our friends. 24:14 But Jesus found none. 24:19 Those who came to save 24:22 would soon be crying out crucify Him. 24:27 The disciples whom Jesus begged to pray for Him in the garden 24:32 went to sleep. 24:35 Judas, whom Jesus called His friend 24:39 betrayed the Lord. 24:42 Peter denied Jesus, 24:46 and the last time that he denied Jesus, 24:49 he did it using vulgar language. 24:54 In the garden, the disciples would all flee. 24:58 And that's the reason why we're told in Isaiah 63:3 25:03 that Jesus tread the winepress alone 25:07 and none were with Him. 25:11 In the seventh volume 25:12 of the Bible Commentary page 934, 25:16 Ellen White explains about Jesus. 25:19 He died outside the camp, 25:22 where felons and murderers were executed. 25:28 There He trod the winepress alone, 25:32 burying the penalty 25:34 that should have fallen on the sinner. 25:37 He tread the winepress alone and none was with Him. 25:44 No earthly support. 25:48 And we're gonna notice that as Jesus hung on the cross, 25:51 it seem like, even his Father forsook Him. 25:55 Because He cried out, "My God, My God, 25:57 why have You forsaken Me?" 26:00 So He didn't even feel the support of His own Father. 26:05 Let's follow Jesus now 26:09 a little closer into the garden. 26:12 Matthew 26 26:14 speaks about a cup that Jesus was going to drink. 26:21 Three times Jesus uttered a prayer of anguish 26:24 to His Father. 26:26 I'd like to read those verses, 26:27 the first one is Matthew 26:39. 26:31 We're told there, He went a little further 26:34 and fell on His face and prayed saying, 26:38 "O My Father" you can just hear the passion in His voice. 26:42 "My Father, if it be possible, 26:45 let this cup pass from Me, 26:50 nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." 26:56 And then we're told in verse 42 26:58 that Jesus prayed the same prayer again. 27:01 It says there again a second time, 27:03 He went away and prayed saying "O My Father, 27:08 if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it--" 27:11 Notice, He had to drink what was in the cup. 27:16 "Your will be done." 27:18 And then we're told in verse 44. 27:20 So He left them, went away again, 27:23 and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 27:26 Three times Jesus cried out in anguish to His Father 27:29 to take away the cup if it were possible. 27:32 And of course the question is, what was in the cup 27:38 that was so difficult to drink? 27:41 The word cup that is used there, 27:44 it's the same one that is used in Revelation 16:19 27:48 where we are told that Babylon will drink the wine 27:51 of the fierceness of God from the cup. 27:55 So what was in the cup was the wine of God's wrath. 28:01 And the question is who gave Jesus that cup 28:04 with the wine? 28:06 John 18:11 has the answer. 28:09 John 18:11 tells us, 28:13 this is when Peter took out his sword 28:15 and cut off the ear of the servant. 28:18 So Jesus said to Peter, 28:20 "Put your sword into the sheath. 28:23 Shall I not drink the cup 28:27 which My Father has given Me?" 28:33 The cup was given to Him by His own Father, 28:36 to drink that wine of the wrath of God. 28:41 That's why we're told in Isaiah 53:6 28:45 "All we like sheep have gone astray." 28:48 We have turned everyone to his own way. 28:51 And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 28:57 The Lord, the Father laid on Him 29:01 the inequity of us all. 29:04 That's why Jesus suffered such anguish, 29:07 that's why Jesus felt separated from His Father. 29:12 In Desire of Ages, page 753, we find these words. 29:17 "Satan with his fierce temptations 29:20 wrung the heart of Jesus. 29:23 The Savior could not see 29:25 through the portals of the tomb. 29:27 Hope did not present to Him His coming forth 29:30 from the grave as a conqueror, 29:33 or tell Him of His Father's acceptance 29:36 of the sacrifice. 29:38 He feared that sin was so offensive to God 29:43 that their separation was to be eternal." 29:47 And now notice this. 29:49 Christ felt the anguish that the sinner will feel, 29:54 when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. 29:59 He felt like those will feel 30:02 after the door of probation is closed and they're unsaved. 30:07 Ellen White continues, saying it was the sense of sin 30:12 bringing the Father's wrath upon him as men substitute 30:18 that made the cup he drank so bitter 30:21 and broke the heart of the Son of God. 30:25 The Book of Hebrews, young people, 30:28 describes the anguish of Christ. 30:31 In Chapter 5:7 of the Book of Hebrews, 30:34 we find this description of the anguish of Jesus 30:37 in Gethsemane. 30:39 We're told there, who in the days of his flesh, 30:43 when he had offered up, listen to the words now. 30:46 When He had offered up prayers and supplications 30:50 with the human cries and tears to him 30:56 who was able to save him from death 30:57 and was heard because of his godly fear. 31:00 Notice the words 31:03 prayers, supplications, cries, tears 31:09 that He uttered to His Father. 31:12 So terrible was His anguish in Gethsemane 31:15 as the sins of the world were placed upon Him. 31:18 That we're told in Luke 22:44, 31:21 that Jesus sweated great drops of blood. 31:23 It says there and been in agony, 31:25 He prayed more earnestly, 31:28 then His sweat became like the great drops of blood 31:31 falling down to the ground. 31:34 How many of you ever seen anybody 31:36 so filled with anguish that instead of sweating sweat, 31:40 they sweat blood? 31:42 Perhaps, many of you have seen the movie 31:46 that was produced by Mel Gibson, 31:48 The Passion of the Christ. 31:50 You know, the big emphasis there 31:52 besides the emphasis upon Mary, 31:55 because really it's a movie about Mary, 31:57 it's not really a movie about Christ. 31:59 If you look at the subliminal message, 32:01 but if you look at that movie, 32:03 the emphasis falls upon the severe beatings 32:05 that Jesus received. 32:08 But do you know that Jesus would have died in the garden 32:11 even before anybody laid a finger upon Him. 32:15 We're told in a document 32:19 that Ellen White wrote the Bible training school 32:21 for September 1st, 1915. 32:25 Human nature would then and there have died 32:31 under the horror of the sense of sin, 32:35 had not an angel from heaven strengthened Him 32:39 to bear the agony. 32:42 Human nature would have died. 32:43 Jesus did not die of His wounds. 32:47 Jesus died 32:48 because the pressure of sin crushed Him, 32:52 crushed His heart. 32:54 He would have died in the garden 32:56 before anyone even touched Him, 32:59 if it had not been for an angel coming down 33:01 to strengthen Him. 33:05 Now let's take a look at 33:06 the last three declarations on the cross 33:08 that Jesus uttered to His father. 33:11 In John 8:29, we're told something 33:15 about the relationship between Jesus and His father. 33:19 Here Jesus speaks and He says, 33:22 "And he who sent me is with me. 33:27 The father has not left me alone, 33:31 for I always do those things that please him." 33:37 The Father has not left me alone, 33:39 Jesus said during His ministry. 33:42 But in Matthew 27:46, 33:44 as Jesus is hanging on the cross, 33:46 the sins have been placed upon Him 33:49 in the Garden of Gethsemane. 33:50 He has drunk the cup of God's wrath. 33:53 He cries out in anguish from the cross, 33:55 "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" 34:01 Why did Jesus cry out those words? 34:05 Selected Messages, volume 1, page 321, 34:09 Ellen White explains, and listen to this. 34:12 You know, we can't fully understand 34:14 how Jesus felt. 34:16 You know, we feel the tremendous load of guilt 34:18 just for our own sins. 34:21 But Jesus was bearing the guilt of the sins 34:23 of the whole world upon His conscience, 34:26 that's why the sin was placed on the head. 34:29 We're told there in that statement 34:31 from Selected Messages, volume 1, page 321, 34:34 "The guilt of every sin pressed its weight 34:39 upon the divine soul of the world's redeemer." 34:43 The evil thoughts, the evil words, 34:47 the evil deeds of every son and daughter of Adam 34:53 called for retribution upon himself. 34:58 How many sins? 35:02 Once again, the evil thoughts, the evil words, 35:05 the evil deeds of every son and daughter of Adam 35:08 called for retribution upon himself, 35:11 for he had become man's substitute. 35:14 He said, "I'm going to take man's place, 35:16 I'm going to take the place of every single human being." 35:21 She continues saying though the guilt of sin was not his. 35:25 His spirit was torned and bruised 35:28 by the transgressions of men. 35:30 And he who knew no sin became sin for us 35:35 that we might be made 35:37 the righteousness of God in Him. 35:40 You want to know what His anguish was like. 35:42 The prophet Isaiah describes it in Isaiah 53:4-6. 35:47 We find these words, "Surely he has borne our grieves 35:53 and carried out sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, 35:59 smitten by God and afflicted. 36:02 But he was wounded for our transgressions, 36:06 he was bruised for our iniquities. 36:09 The chastisement for our peace was upon him 36:13 and with his stripes we are healed. 36:17 All we like sheep have gone astray. 36:19 We have turned everyone to his own way." 36:22 And the Lord has laid on him, the iniquity of us all. 36:29 That's why Jesus cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, 36:33 why have You forsaken Me?" 36:34 It's because of all of our sins, 36:36 plus the sins that we've all everyone committed. 36:39 They were placed upon Jesus Christ 36:42 in the garden in which He bore to the cross. 36:47 So now we know why He cried out, 36:50 "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" 36:55 But now we need to look at the next declaration 36:58 to His Father on the cross, "It is finished." 37:02 I want to read John 19:30, 37:05 "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, 37:08 he said, 'It is finished.' 37:11 And bowing his head, He gave up His spirit." 37:14 Now the question is, to whom was Jesus 37:16 uttering those words. 37:18 When Jesus said, "It is finished," 37:20 to whom was He speaking, and what had He finished? 37:26 We need to answer those questions. 37:28 First of all, 37:30 we know that Jesus was addressing to the Father. 37:32 The Spirit of Prophecy makes that absolutely clear 37:35 that Jesus was saying to His Father, 37:37 "Father, it is finished." 37:40 But the question is, what was finished? 37:44 The fact is 37:46 that Jesus came to this earth for several reasons, 37:48 but there are two principle reasons. 37:52 The first reason is 37:53 that the law of God requires absolute sinless perfection. 38:00 I like to ask this evening, 38:01 who here can offer the law what the law requires? 38:05 If you said, I can offer it, that's your first sin, 38:10 because you're lying. 38:12 'Cause the Bible says that all have sinned 38:14 and come short of the glory of God. 38:16 There is none righteous, no, not one. 38:19 We are all sinners. 38:23 We can't offer the law the perfection 38:25 that law requires. 38:27 So Jesus came to this world to live the life 38:29 that the law requires from all of us. 38:33 He came to live in our place. 38:36 He came to weave a robe of perfect righteousness 38:40 that He could offer to the law in our place. 38:44 He did that, but He had to do something else. 38:47 You see, He also had to take care 38:49 of the problem of sin. 38:52 And so after Jesus developed His perfect character 38:55 in harmony with the law 38:56 and wove a robe of righteousness, 38:58 then Jesus took upon Himself all of our sins, 39:02 and He died on the cross for those sins. 39:06 He lived for us and He died for us. 39:11 He lived in our place and He died in our place. 39:15 And Jesus was saying to His Father, 39:17 "Father, it is finished." 39:19 There is now a perfect robe available. 39:22 Now I have died for the sins of the whole world. 39:26 The plan of salvation has met with success. 39:31 Now do you know there's this big discussion 39:32 in Adventist theology 39:34 as to whether that salvation was finished 39:38 at the cross or not. 39:41 The fact is that if you read the writings of Ellen White, 39:43 you would seem to find 39:45 that she is ambiguous when it comes to it. 39:47 Some places, she says that Jesus went to heaven 39:50 to finish His work. 39:52 Other statement, she says 39:53 that He finished it at the cross. 39:56 The fact is that at the cross 39:58 Jesus finished the provision for salvation. 40:01 There was a perfect life and a death for sin available, 40:05 but He continues His work applying those 40:08 to those who through repentance and confession 40:11 and faith in Christ claim what Jesus did. 40:17 In fact, Ellen White says in Desire of Ages, page 834, 40:23 "That when Jesus ascended to heaven 40:25 and met with His Father... 40:30 He said to His Father, 40:31 'I have completed the work of redemption.'" 40:37 Don't misunderstand, 40:38 He had completed the provision for redemption. 40:42 But now individuals must claim what Jesus did personally, 40:48 His life and His death as our own. 40:53 So when Jesus on the cross said, "It is finished," 40:56 He was speaking to His Father and He was saying, 40:58 "Father, there is now a perfect life 41:00 and a death for sin 41:02 that everyone can claim as their own." 41:06 And then we find the last declaration of Christ 41:08 on the cross. 41:10 Luke 23:46 says, 41:13 "And when Jesus had cried out with the loud voice, 41:16 He said, "Father, into Your hands, 41:21 I commend my spirit." 41:24 And having said this, He breathed his last. 41:28 You know, it's interesting, 41:30 Jesus felt forsaken by His Father. 41:33 He had said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 41:36 But notice that when He dies, He does not die without hope, 41:42 because He says to the same father 41:44 that he said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 41:46 He says to the same individual, to the same Father, He says, 41:50 "Father, into your hands, I commend My spirit." 41:55 What did Jesus mean when he said, 41:56 I commend My spirit? 41:58 You know, we usually think of the spirit 41:59 just as being the breath. 42:01 But, you know, the spirit is the breath 42:02 along with identity of the person. 42:06 It is the breath along with their personal identity. 42:10 In other words, with their character. 42:13 See, when we die, 42:15 God keeps a record of our character 42:17 to give us when we resurrect. 42:19 So Jesus was saying to His Father, 42:21 "Father, preserve My spirit, My character in Your record, 42:25 because You promised that if I was successful, 42:28 You were going to resurrect Me." 42:30 The servant of the Lord, in the book Maranatha, page 301 42:33 has this remarkable statement. 42:36 The little old lady understood it. 42:39 She says, "Our personal identity 42:43 is preserved in the resurrection, 42:46 though not the same particles of matter or material substance 42:51 as went into the grave. 42:53 The wondrous works of God are a mystery to man." 42:56 And now listen carefully, the spirit, 43:00 the character of man is returned to God, 43:05 there to be preserved. 43:08 What is that that's preserved, only your breath? 43:11 No, what's preserved is your personal identity, 43:15 your character, who you were during your life. 43:19 And then she continues saying, "In the resurrection, 43:22 every man will have his own character." 43:24 Jesus was saying, "Father, 43:27 You've promised that if I was successful, 43:29 You're going to give My sprit back 43:31 into Your hands I commend My spirit. 43:36 Jesus felt forsaken by His Father, 43:40 but He knew that He was not forsaken. 43:42 You say, well, how can Jesus feel forsaken, 43:45 and at the same time utter these words of hope 43:49 as He is dying. 43:51 Ellen White explains it in a beautiful way. 43:54 In the Bible Echo, September 15, 1892, she says, 43:59 "But when, in his expiring agonies, 44:04 despair pressed upon the soul of the redeemer. 44:09 He relied upon the evidences that had heather to 44:13 that is up to this point 44:14 had been given him of His Father's acceptance. 44:18 And as he yielded up his precious life 44:21 by faith alone, He rested in him 44:25 whom it had been his joy to obey." 44:28 He knew his father from previous experience. 44:33 She continued saying, "Though all was enshrouded with gloom, 44:37 yet amid the awful darkness 44:39 which was felt even by sympathizing nature. 44:42 The redeemer drained the mysterious cup 44:46 to the dregs. 44:48 Though he realizes, but dimly that he shall triumph." 44:52 Notice he recognize dimly that he would triumph. 44:58 He cries with the loud voice, "Father, 45:00 into the hands I commend My spirit." 45:04 He's acquainted 45:06 with the character of His Father. 45:09 He understands His justice, His mercy, and His great love. 45:15 He knew His Father from previous experience. 45:18 He felt separated from His Father, 45:20 but He knew that His Father was not separated from Him, 45:24 because He knew Him from previous experience. 45:27 She continues saying, "In submission, 45:30 He commends Himself to God, 45:33 amid the convulsions of nature, 45:35 the amazed spectators hear the dying words 45:38 of the Son of Man, "It is finished." 45:45 Jesus died a victorious man. 45:48 He did not allow anything to discourage Him. 45:53 He was tempted to allow His feelings 45:57 to dictate the way in which He felt. 46:02 In fact, Ellen White says that the devil pressed upon his mind 46:06 that if he went through with this, 46:09 human beings would not be saved 46:10 because God's justice would not make it possible. 46:13 And then He would lose Himself for ever. 46:18 And yet Jesus did not depend upon His feelings 46:21 and His thoughts and emotions. 46:23 He depended on the promises of His Father. 46:28 Because He knew His Father from personal experience 46:32 and so Jesus rested in the tomb. 46:36 Very early, the first day of the week, 46:39 two angels descended from heaven. 46:42 One removed the stone, 46:44 the other stood before the tomb, 46:47 and with the loud voice said, "Oh, thou Son of God, 46:52 thy Father calls thee." 46:54 Do you notice the connection, 46:56 father into your hands I commend my spirit. 46:57 The angel comes down and says, 46:59 "Thy father calls thee." 47:03 Ellen White describes it, 47:05 "Then the angel from heaven with a loud voice 47:08 that caused the earth to quake, cried out, thou son of God, 47:13 thy Father calls thee, come forth." 47:17 And Jesus came forth. 47:20 His father fulfilled His promise. 47:24 Now there is this question, who resurrected Jesus? 47:28 Was it the Father, was it the angel, 47:32 or was it Jesus Himself? 47:35 Allow me to read your statement from Ellen White, 47:37 and then I'm going to read a passage from John 10. 47:42 Seventh-day Adventist Bible commentary, volume 5, 47:44 page 1,114, Ellen White had this to say about Jesus. 47:51 "He who died for the sins of the world 47:54 was to remain in the tomb the allotted time. 47:59 He was in that stony prison house 48:02 as a prisoner of divine justice. 48:06 He was responsible to the judge of the universe. 48:12 He was burying the sins of the world 48:14 and His Father only could release Him. 48:20 He was a prisoner of divine justice. 48:23 Only His Father could release Him, 48:25 that's why Jesus said, 48:26 "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit. 48:29 Make sure you call me out as You've promised." 48:34 Now I know there's a passage that seems to indicate 48:36 that Christ resurrected Himself. 48:39 But let's read it carefully. 48:41 John 10:17 and 18, John 10:17 and 18, 48:47 here Jesus is speaking, He says, 48:49 "Therefore my father loves me, 48:51 because I laid down My life that I may take it up again." 48:57 See, Jesus took it up. But let's continue reading. 49:00 No one take if from me, but I lay it down of myself. 49:06 I have power, the word power is better translated authority, 49:11 is the Greek word Exousia, it's not Dunamis. 49:15 I have power to lay it down 49:18 and I have power to take it up again. 49:20 Why? Let's finish the verse. 49:22 This command, I have received from My Father. 49:28 There's the biblical basis for the comment by Ellen White. 49:31 There was a prisoner of divine justice. 49:34 And He relied on the promises of the Father, 49:36 That he had learned to love 49:37 that He knew by personal experience. 49:40 And His Father resurrected Him. 49:43 What does all of this have to us? 49:45 Listen, folks, we're in this nice place, 49:49 I'm in a real nice room. 49:53 I enjoy my cell phone, my iPhone, the newest one. 50:02 All of the gadgets and all of the advantages, 50:04 and all the conveniences, but you know what, 50:07 all of this is very soon going to come crashing down. 50:13 And we're going to go through the same experience as Jesus. 50:17 Listen to this remarkable statement 50:20 found in the Review and Herald, April 14, 1896. 50:23 We're going to go over the same ground as Jesus. 50:27 There Ellen White explains, 50:30 "The forces of darkness will unite with human agents 50:36 who have given themselves into the control of Satan, 50:40 and the same scenes 50:43 that were exhibited at the trial, rejection, 50:46 and crucifixion of Christ will be revived." 50:50 Did you catch that? 50:52 She says, the same sins 50:54 that were exhibited at the trial, rejection, 50:56 and crucifixion of Christ will be revived. 50:59 Through yielding to satanic influences, 51:02 men will be transformed into fiends. 51:06 The word "Fiend" means an evil spirit or a demon 51:09 or a very wicked or cruel person. 51:13 And she continues saying, 51:14 and those who were created in the image of God, 51:18 who were formed to honor and glorify their creator 51:21 will become the habitation of dragons. 51:24 And Satan will see in a apostate race, 51:27 his masterpiece of evil, men who reflect his own image." 51:35 Therefore in life, 51:38 we're going to go through the same experience. 51:43 Jesus died with nothing, 51:46 not even His clothes. 51:51 Satan is going to try and convince God's people 51:53 that their sins are too great to be forgiven. 51:56 Have you ever read the chapter on the time of trouble? 52:00 That they will never see God's reconciling face. 52:04 Ellen White says that as God's people 52:06 think about the past, their hopes begin to sink. 52:10 But then, like, Jesus-- 52:12 they will say Father, "We know You, 52:16 we know You from personal experience. 52:19 Even though we feel that You'll never accept us, 52:22 that we'll never see Your face, we trust in Your promises." 52:27 You see, God's people are gonna lose everything 52:30 while following in the footsteps of Jesus. 52:34 We won't be able to trust our emotions, our feelings, 52:39 human friendships, family ties, material possessions, 52:46 or even a feeling of the presence of God. 52:51 God's people will have no human support. 52:54 It will appear that they don't even have the support of God, 52:58 but they will overcome, 53:01 not because of what they feel or what they think, 53:05 but because they know God and they trust in His promises. 53:10 Like Job, which is a typological book, 53:13 it really is a book that describes this time of trouble 53:16 that God's people will go through. 53:18 Like Job, God's people will say, 53:20 "Though he slain me, yet will I trust in Him. 53:24 I know that my redeemer lives. 53:27 And that in my flesh, I will see God." 53:31 In Great Controversy, 621, Ellen White explains 53:35 about God's people during this period, 53:38 their reflection is great, 53:40 the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them, 53:44 but the refiner will bring them forth 53:47 as gold tried in the fire. 53:50 God's love for His children 53:52 during the period of their severest trial 53:54 is as strong and tender 53:56 as in the days of their sunniest prosperity. 54:00 But it is needful for them 54:02 to be placed in the furnace of fire. 54:04 Their earthliness must be consumed, 54:08 that the image of Christ 54:10 may be perfectly reflected. 54:15 Do you want to have that experience? 54:20 Do you want to have that experience? 54:21 I ask again. Yes. 54:24 Are we willing to invest the necessary resources 54:28 for this to happen? 54:31 You know, basically, it takes three things. 54:34 An intense life of prayer, 54:39 secondly, 54:41 a careful study of God's word, 54:46 and number three going out 54:48 and experiencing what Jesus experienced 54:51 in witnessing to others. 54:54 That's the way in which we form a personal relationship, 54:57 a personal link with Jesus. 54:59 So that when crunch time comes, when the trials come, 55:05 even though we don't feel like God is with us, 55:09 we know, He is, 55:11 because we have learned to trust Him 55:13 in times of relative prosperity. 55:19 I'm going to ask you this evening, 55:20 if you want me to have a special prayer for the Lord 55:23 to give you that kind of commitment 55:25 that you will take a stand, that you'll stand this evening. 55:29 As we have a word of prayer, 55:31 this army of youth has power in the hands of God 55:37 to help finish God's work in this world. 55:40 Let's form that relationship with the Lord. 55:43 So that it can be a reality. And Jesus can come soon. 55:47 I'm tired of living in this sin sick world, are you? 55:50 It's time to go home. 55:51 Let us pray, Father in heaven, 55:55 thank You Father for being willing to send Jesus, 55:58 Your beloved Son. 56:00 We know that it was difficult for You to do so, 56:07 but we thank You that You were willing 56:08 to make this great sacrifice to send Him. 56:12 Not so that He could be one of us for a season, 56:14 but for ever. 56:17 We also thank Jesus 56:18 for what He was willing to come and do. 56:21 Father, we want that personal intimate relationship 56:25 with Jesus. 56:27 Oh, Lord, as we go back to our rooms this evening, 56:32 help us to reflect upon these things. 56:35 Give us the spirit of prayer, 56:38 the spirit of study of Your holy word 56:40 that we might fall in love with Your holy word. 56:43 And Father, help us to see in the faces of others, 56:46 a candidate for the kingdom of heaven. 56:49 For Jesus love them. 56:52 And as His followers, we must love them too. 56:56 Thank You Father, for being with us 56:59 and for answering our prayer, 57:02 for we ask it in the powerful name 57:07 of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. 57:11 Amen. |
Revised 2016-08-04