The old rugged cross
00:00:09.10\00:00:13.71
Till my trophies
at last I lay down
00:00:13.74\00:00:20.52
I will cling to
the old rugged cross
00:00:20.55\00:00:26.92
And exchange it
some day for a crown
00:00:26.96\00:00:33.70
Oh, that old rugged cross,
00:00:33.73\00:00:37.27
So despised by the world
00:00:37.30\00:00:40.74
Has a wondrous attraction for me
00:00:40.77\00:00:47.64
For the dear Lamb of God
00:00:47.68\00:00:50.71
Left His glory above
00:00:50.75\00:00:54.38
To bear it to dark Calvary.
00:00:54.42\00:01:01.26
So I'll cherish
the old rugged cross
00:01:01.29\00:01:07.86
Till my trophies
at last I lay down
00:01:07.90\00:01:14.60
I will cling to
the old rugged cross
00:01:14.64\00:01:21.38
And exchange it
some day for a crown
00:01:21.41\00:01:28.25
To the old rugged cross
00:01:28.28\00:01:31.75
I will ever be true
00:01:31.79\00:01:35.22
Its shame and
reproach gladly bear
00:01:35.26\00:01:41.60
Then He'll call me some day
00:01:41.63\00:01:44.80
To my home far away
00:01:44.83\00:01:48.40
Where His glory
forever I'll share
00:01:48.44\00:01:55.04
So I'll cherish
the old rugged cross
00:01:55.08\00:02:01.75
Till my trophies
at last I lay down
00:02:01.78\00:02:08.26
I will cling to
the old rugged cross
00:02:08.29\00:02:14.96
And exchange it
some day for a crown
00:02:15.00\00:02:20.94
When we come to the point where
00:02:24.14\00:02:26.11
we have beheld our
beautiful Savior at the cross,
00:02:26.14\00:02:30.08
then our response is to
surrender our lives to Him.
00:02:30.11\00:02:34.02
We want to invite you to join us
00:02:34.05\00:02:35.38
and sing now "I'll go
where you want me to go."
00:02:35.42\00:02:37.89
It may not be on
the mountain's height
00:02:52.10\00:02:57.84
Nor over the stormy sea
00:02:57.87\00:03:03.88
It may not be at
the battle's front
00:03:03.91\00:03:10.49
My Lord will have need of me
00:03:10.52\00:03:16.89
But if by a still, small voice
00:03:16.93\00:03:21.70
He calls to paths
00:03:21.73\00:03:25.10
I do not know
00:03:25.13\00:03:28.94
I'll answer, dear Lord
00:03:28.97\00:03:32.27
With my hand in Thine
00:03:32.31\00:03:36.41
I'll go where You want me to go
00:03:36.44\00:03:42.48
I'll go where You want me to go,
00:03:42.52\00:03:47.36
Dear Lord
00:03:47.39\00:03:48.82
O'er mountain, or plain, or sea
00:03:48.86\00:03:54.93
I'll say what
You want me to say,
00:03:54.96\00:03:59.70
Dear Lord
00:03:59.73\00:04:02.64
I'll be
00:04:02.67\00:04:04.11
What You want me to be
00:04:04.14\00:04:09.91
There's surely
somewhere a lowly place
00:04:09.94\00:04:16.25
In earth's
harvest fields so wide
00:04:16.28\00:04:21.99
Where I may labor
00:04:22.02\00:04:25.33
Thro' life's short day
00:04:25.36\00:04:29.43
For Jesus, the Crucified
00:04:29.46\00:04:35.64
So, trusting my
all unto Thy care
00:04:35.67\00:04:42.08
I know Thou lovest me!
00:04:42.11\00:04:48.25
I'll do
00:04:48.28\00:04:50.12
Thy will with a heart sincere
00:04:50.15\00:04:55.59
I'll be what You want me be
00:04:55.62\00:05:02.53
I'll go where You
want me to go, dear Lord
00:05:02.56\00:05:08.60
O'er mountain, or plain, or sea
00:05:08.64\00:05:15.31
I'll say what
You want me to say,
00:05:15.34\00:05:20.12
Dear Lord
00:05:20.15\00:05:23.25
I'll be
00:05:23.28\00:05:24.92
What You want me to be
00:05:24.95\00:05:31.86
And now we would like
to invite you to join us
00:05:31.89\00:05:34.10
and sing our theme
song, "At the Cross."
00:05:34.13\00:05:37.13
Alas,
00:05:47.74\00:05:49.08
And did my Savior bleed?
00:05:49.11\00:05:52.31
And did my Sovereign die?
00:05:52.35\00:05:57.35
Would He devote
that sacred heard
00:05:57.39\00:06:02.82
For someone such as I?
00:06:02.86\00:06:07.70
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:06:07.73\00:06:12.93
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:06:12.97\00:06:17.77
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:06:17.81\00:06:23.21
And now I am happy all the day!
00:06:23.24\00:06:28.95
Was it for
crimes that I have done
00:06:28.98\00:06:34.29
He suffered on the tree?
00:06:34.32\00:06:39.83
Amazing pity!
00:06:39.86\00:06:43.20
Grace unknown!
00:06:43.23\00:06:45.27
And love beyond degree!
00:06:45.30\00:06:50.47
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:06:50.51\00:06:55.98
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:06:56.01\00:07:01.58
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:07:01.62\00:07:06.92
And now I am happy all the day!
00:07:06.96\00:07:12.73
But drops of
grief can ne'er repay
00:07:12.76\00:07:18.27
The debt of love I owe
00:07:18.30\00:07:23.57
Here, Lord,
00:07:23.61\00:07:25.34
I give myself away
00:07:25.37\00:07:28.91
'Tis all that I can do!
00:07:28.94\00:07:34.12
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:07:34.15\00:07:39.25
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:07:39.29\00:07:44.73
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:07:44.76\00:07:50.23
And now I am happy all the day!
00:07:50.27\00:07:55.70
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:07:55.74\00:08:01.08
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:08:01.11\00:08:06.51
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:08:06.55\00:08:11.95
And now I am happy all the day!
00:08:11.99\00:08:17.83
Good morning GYC.
00:08:22.70\00:08:24.03
Morning.
00:08:24.07\00:08:25.40
Those watching at home
00:08:25.43\00:08:26.77
and young people
here in Phoenix, Arizona,
00:08:26.80\00:08:29.10
welcome.
00:08:29.14\00:08:31.04
Have you been blessed so far?
00:08:31.07\00:08:32.54
Amen. Amen.
00:08:32.57\00:08:33.91
I've been blessed as well.
00:08:33.94\00:08:35.28
It is my privilege this morning
00:08:35.31\00:08:36.64
to introduce our
speaker Adam Ramdin,
00:08:36.68\00:08:39.11
who'll be sharing with us
00:08:39.15\00:08:40.48
directly after we
have a special music.
00:08:40.52\00:08:42.58
Adam, as you may know,
00:08:42.62\00:08:43.95
comes to us from the
North England Conference,
00:08:43.99\00:08:45.75
where he serves
as the Youth Director
00:08:45.79\00:08:47.66
and Director of PEACE,
00:08:47.69\00:08:49.56
which is an
evangelism training school.
00:08:49.59\00:08:52.33
I have personally have
been blessed by Adam's ministry
00:08:52.36\00:08:54.93
over the last several years.
00:08:54.96\00:08:56.30
And I've had the
privilege of working with him
00:08:56.33\00:08:59.03
over the last couple of years
in Europe doing work there.
00:08:59.07\00:09:01.67
And I'm always
amazed by his passion
00:09:01.70\00:09:04.47
for young people to
be engaged in our church,
00:09:04.51\00:09:07.04
and to an experience a
vibrant life of Christianity.
00:09:07.08\00:09:11.11
Young people, I believe that
God has laid a special message
00:09:11.15\00:09:13.75
on Adam's heart
for us this morning.
00:09:13.78\00:09:15.48
And I would encourage us all
00:09:15.52\00:09:17.12
to really have a
spirit of reverence
00:09:17.15\00:09:18.55
as we hear this morning.
00:09:18.59\00:09:19.92
This is truly our
sanctuary for this week.
00:09:19.95\00:09:22.32
And so I'd encourage you,
00:09:22.36\00:09:23.69
as we're in this
hall to remember that
00:09:23.73\00:09:26.26
and truly try to
make this a place
00:09:26.29\00:09:27.83
where angels would love to
dwell with us here this week.
00:09:27.86\00:09:31.10
We would also like to ask
that if you feel the Lord,
00:09:31.13\00:09:33.44
the spirit
moving up on your heart
00:09:33.47\00:09:34.97
that you'll
respond with a hearty amen,
00:09:35.00\00:09:37.11
and refrain from clapping
as we continue this morning.
00:09:37.14\00:09:40.24
So I ask that you
bow your heads with me
00:09:40.28\00:09:42.01
and as we have a short
word of prayer this morning.
00:09:42.04\00:09:44.21
Dear heavenly
Father, good morning.
00:09:48.28\00:09:51.49
We are here to
listen to You speak.
00:09:51.52\00:09:55.02
We are here to listen.
00:09:55.06\00:09:57.09
Father, I pray that
You'll send Your spirit here
00:09:57.13\00:09:59.59
and that You'll banish
all darkness from this room.
00:09:59.63\00:10:03.40
I'll pray that
You'll banish all darkness
00:10:03.43\00:10:05.20
from the dark
corners of all of our hearts.
00:10:05.23\00:10:09.14
And that You'll open our
hearts to be able to hear
00:10:09.17\00:10:12.34
Your word this
morning and to act upon that.
00:10:12.37\00:10:15.34
So that truly this can
be a life transforming time
00:10:15.38\00:10:18.81
that we can truly
come here and see You
00:10:18.85\00:10:22.72
from the foot of the cross.
00:10:22.75\00:10:25.05
We want to learn more of You.
00:10:25.09\00:10:26.65
Father, I ask You
to be with us now,
00:10:26.69\00:10:28.02
as we go through
this time together.
00:10:28.06\00:10:29.62
We ask You in Jesus' name.
00:10:29.66\00:10:31.13
Amen.
00:10:31.16\00:10:32.56
Amen. Amen.
00:14:09.88\00:14:12.55
Good morning, everybody.
00:14:12.58\00:14:14.18
Good morning.
00:14:14.22\00:14:16.62
It's a pleasure to
be here with you on this
00:14:16.65\00:14:18.15
Friday morning at GYC.
00:14:18.19\00:14:19.95
It's a pleasure to
be able to open the word
00:14:24.06\00:14:27.06
of God with you this morning.
00:14:27.10\00:14:31.70
And as we do that,
00:14:31.73\00:14:33.07
I'll invite you to bow
your heads for a word of prayer.
00:14:33.10\00:14:39.34
Father in heaven, Lord,
00:14:39.37\00:14:40.71
we thank You this
morning for a new day of life,
00:14:40.74\00:14:45.51
for the health and
strength that we have.
00:14:45.55\00:14:50.92
Lord, as we
meditate for these moments
00:14:50.95\00:14:54.62
on this great and
grand theme "At the Cross,"
00:14:54.66\00:14:58.89
may you impress
upon our hearts exactly
00:14:58.93\00:15:03.23
which aspect of this
message we need to hear today.
00:15:03.26\00:15:08.74
I pray Lord that You
would speak through me,
00:15:08.77\00:15:13.78
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:15:13.81\00:15:18.95
Exactly 100
years ago, this year,
00:15:18.98\00:15:22.18
you may have
seen it on the news,
00:15:22.22\00:15:23.55
and you may be
familiar with the story.
00:15:23.59\00:15:25.59
A 100 years ago, this
year, on Christmas day,
00:15:25.62\00:15:29.82
a unique event took place
00:15:29.86\00:15:32.76
in the countries
of Belgium, France,
00:15:32.79\00:15:37.73
and maybe Switzerland.
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.00
Amidst the horror of
World War I, trench warfare,
00:15:40.04\00:15:43.84
where it was not a pretty sight,
00:15:43.87\00:15:45.21
and where it was not
00:15:45.24\00:15:46.64
glamorous to fight for
your country so to speak.
00:15:46.68\00:15:50.68
On Christmas day,
amidst the horror of the war,
00:15:50.71\00:15:53.11
something very unique took place
00:15:53.15\00:15:55.35
and from one trench to another.
00:15:55.38\00:15:57.22
Some of the
soldiers in one trench
00:15:57.25\00:15:58.99
on Christmas Eve
actually in the night,
00:15:59.02\00:16:00.92
they started to hear the
other soldiers sing a song,
00:16:00.96\00:16:03.56
"Silent Night, Holy Night."
00:16:03.59\00:16:05.99
And it wasn't just an
isolated part of the line
00:16:06.03\00:16:09.70
between the
Germans, and the British,
00:16:09.73\00:16:11.27
and the French and so on.
00:16:11.30\00:16:12.63
It was all up the line,
many times it's happened.
00:16:12.67\00:16:15.87
People started
singing Christmas carols,
00:16:15.90\00:16:18.94
"Silent Night, Holy Night."
00:16:18.97\00:16:20.44
And then the other
side, they started responding
00:16:20.48\00:16:22.94
and singing the same Christmas
carol in their language back.
00:16:22.98\00:16:27.02
And when you read the account
historically of the letters
00:16:27.05\00:16:29.52
that the soldiers
sent home to their parents,
00:16:29.55\00:16:31.62
they say that the
next day on Christmas Day,
00:16:31.65\00:16:34.12
as the mourning broke,
00:16:34.16\00:16:35.49
some of them came
out of their trenchese
00:16:35.52\00:16:37.49
putting their hands up,
00:16:37.53\00:16:38.86
and then they didn't get shot,
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.53
another, they came
out the other trench.
00:16:40.56\00:16:42.13
And as they came together,
they spent a few hours together
00:16:42.16\00:16:45.10
exchanging
gifts with each other,
00:16:45.13\00:16:47.00
showing each other the
pictures of their wives
00:16:47.04\00:16:49.27
and their children they've
left behind or their parents.
00:16:49.30\00:16:54.58
History accounts that
they played football matches,
00:16:54.61\00:16:56.41
or as you Americans say
soccer matches together.
00:16:56.44\00:17:00.02
They're in no man's land
in the middle of the war,
00:17:00.05\00:17:02.72
when they're supposed
to be fighting each other,
00:17:02.75\00:17:04.22
they were exchanging presents,
00:17:04.25\00:17:05.72
they were having a good
time, laughing and joking,
00:17:05.75\00:17:08.06
and playing football
together with each other
00:17:08.09\00:17:09.66
in no man's land.
00:17:09.69\00:17:11.03
And it's a very unique story.
00:17:11.06\00:17:13.50
If you've never read it
before or seen anything,
00:17:13.53\00:17:15.20
just Google it, you'll find
plenty of information about it,
00:17:15.23\00:17:18.13
it happened.
00:17:18.17\00:17:19.50
It's a historical event.
00:17:19.53\00:17:20.87
And it's unique,
00:17:20.90\00:17:22.24
because in the midst
of the horror of the war,
00:17:22.27\00:17:26.31
you see this event taking place
00:17:26.34\00:17:28.41
that is so different
to anything else like it.
00:17:28.44\00:17:31.45
And it just shines
amidst the darkness
00:17:31.48\00:17:35.65
that human nature would
have some space for compassion
00:17:35.68\00:17:40.82
and kindness in
the midst of horror.
00:17:40.86\00:17:45.46
If you have your Bible, if
you turn with me to John 7.
00:17:45.49\00:17:48.36
John 7,
00:17:48.40\00:17:49.73
we're gonna spend a few moments
00:17:49.76\00:17:51.10
and a few passages this morning.
00:17:51.13\00:17:52.47
John 7 and we'll be reading
00:17:52.50\00:17:57.17
John 7, the
beginning of the chapter.
00:17:57.21\00:17:58.91
In John Chapter
7, the Bible says,
00:18:05.11\00:18:06.78
and I'll just
paraphrase the first few verses.
00:18:06.82\00:18:08.72
Jesus was there and at John 7,
00:18:08.75\00:18:11.02
His ministry has now
taken place for three years.
00:18:11.05\00:18:14.19
But at a time of John 7,
00:18:14.22\00:18:15.62
He has been
ministering for three years.
00:18:15.66\00:18:17.39
Now we know according to
the seventy week prophecy
00:18:17.43\00:18:19.66
that Jesus had to minister
00:18:19.69\00:18:21.50
or be crucified in
the middle of the week
00:18:21.53\00:18:24.07
or after three and a half
days or three and a half years.
00:18:24.10\00:18:27.24
His ministry was to be
three and a half years long,
00:18:27.27\00:18:29.44
and in John 7 it's three years.
00:18:29.47\00:18:31.44
And the Bible says in verse 1,
00:18:31.47\00:18:32.87
"After these things,
Jesus walked in Galilee,
00:18:32.91\00:18:35.61
for He would not walk in jury,
00:18:35.64\00:18:37.65
because the Jew
sought to kill Him."
00:18:37.68\00:18:39.71
Summary, He's up there
in Galilee, northern Israel.
00:18:39.75\00:18:42.68
He does not go down to
Jerusalem, Southern Israel.
00:18:42.72\00:18:45.29
Why?
00:18:45.32\00:18:46.65
Because the Jews
want to kill Him,
00:18:46.69\00:18:48.02
so His brothers get together
00:18:48.06\00:18:49.42
and they say there
in verse 3 and verse 4.
00:18:49.46\00:18:52.03
Basically they say,
00:18:52.06\00:18:53.40
"Listen Jesus, if you
really are the Messiah,
00:18:53.43\00:18:56.33
why are you hiding in Galilee?
00:18:56.36\00:18:59.33
Go down and show the
world what you can do."
00:18:59.37\00:19:03.10
And then verse 5
says the key verse,
00:19:03.14\00:19:06.31
it says, "For neither did
His brothers believe in Him."
00:19:06.34\00:19:11.75
John 7, after
three years of ministry,
00:19:11.78\00:19:13.72
His brothers, His own brothers
come to Him and they say,
00:19:13.75\00:19:16.99
"We don't basically
believe You're the Messiah.
00:19:17.02\00:19:18.95
If you really were the Messiah,
You wouldn't hide up here."
00:19:18.99\00:19:21.46
But notice what
Jesus response in verse 6.
00:19:21.49\00:19:23.93
Jesus says, "My
time is not yet..."
00:19:23.96\00:19:27.30
What? "Come."
00:19:27.33\00:19:30.67
"My time is not yet come."
00:19:30.70\00:19:32.17
Jesus understood that there
was a prophetic time on that
00:19:32.20\00:19:34.90
He was living on and He said,
"My time has not yet come."
00:19:34.94\00:19:38.81
Turn to John 8.
00:19:38.84\00:19:40.61
John 8, just the page over.
00:19:40.64\00:19:42.31
John 8:58 and 59.
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.58
And the Bible
says there in John 8
00:19:45.61\00:19:47.78
that Jesus was
there in the temple,
00:19:47.82\00:19:51.55
and He just says that
"Before Abraham was I am."
00:19:51.59\00:19:56.46
the Bible says,
00:19:56.49\00:19:59.59
"They took up
stones to stone Jesus,
00:19:59.63\00:20:01.16
but He escaped and went His way.
00:20:01.20\00:20:04.63
They could've
killed Him, but He escapes.
00:20:04.67\00:20:07.10
Now we're going to
see in tomorrow's message,
00:20:07.14\00:20:08.54
not only was it the
wrong time for Him to die,
00:20:08.57\00:20:10.91
it was the wrong
place for Him to die.
00:20:10.94\00:20:14.08
John 10, turn
to John Chapter 10.
00:20:14.11\00:20:17.18
And in John 10, the Bible says
there in verse 39 and verse 40.
00:20:17.21\00:20:23.69
"Therefore, they
saw again to take Him,
00:20:23.72\00:20:26.02
but he escaped
out of their hand."
00:20:26.05\00:20:27.82
So in John 7 Jesus says,
"My time has not yet come."
00:20:27.86\00:20:30.53
In John 8, He escapes
when they try and kill Him.
00:20:30.56\00:20:33.36
In John 10, He escapes again.
00:20:33.40\00:20:35.20
And then we come to John 12.
00:20:35.23\00:20:37.50
John 12, when the Bible says,
turn over the page to John 12,
00:20:37.53\00:20:40.97
the Bible says
there in John 12:23.
00:20:41.00\00:20:44.67
We see a shift.
00:20:44.71\00:20:46.31
Jesus is no longer escaping
00:20:46.34\00:20:48.44
and Jesus is no longer
saying my time has not yet come.
00:20:48.48\00:20:51.75
In John 12:23, the Bible
says, "And Jesus answered them."
00:20:51.78\00:20:57.42
This is His disciples saying
00:20:57.45\00:20:59.39
"The hour is, what,
00:20:59.42\00:21:02.72
come that the Son of
Man should be glorified."
00:21:02.76\00:21:07.26
"The hour has now come."
00:21:07.30\00:21:09.16
We see a shift, John
7, "My time hasn't come."
00:21:09.20\00:21:11.97
John 8, He escapes.
00:21:12.00\00:21:13.40
John 10, He escapes.
00:21:13.44\00:21:14.90
John 12, "The hour has come
00:21:14.94\00:21:17.94
that the Son of Man
should be glorified."
00:21:17.97\00:21:20.91
And come down to verse 28,
00:21:20.94\00:21:22.28
at the end of this little
passage that Jesus speaks.
00:21:22.31\00:21:25.68
He says, "Father,
glorify Your name."
00:21:25.71\00:21:32.52
Something about the cross,
00:21:32.55\00:21:33.89
Jesus says, "The hour has come
00:21:33.92\00:21:36.93
that the Son of Man
should be glorified."
00:21:36.96\00:21:39.16
Father, glorify Your name.
00:21:39.19\00:21:41.86
See, something about the cross
was at that moment of history
00:21:41.90\00:21:46.13
in the darkness of the universe.
00:21:46.17\00:21:50.57
The light of Christ
character shone the brightest.
00:21:50.61\00:21:54.28
You see, the total sacrifice,
00:21:54.31\00:21:56.18
the theme for today is
the total sacrifice of Jesus.
00:21:56.21\00:21:58.71
The total sacrifice of Jesus
00:21:58.75\00:22:01.35
is a total and a
complete revelation of Jesus.
00:22:01.38\00:22:06.86
And at the cross,
00:22:06.89\00:22:08.22
we see the Son of
God glorified completely.
00:22:08.26\00:22:11.23
You see it at
the cross that we see
00:22:11.26\00:22:13.86
the unfailing love of Jesus.
00:22:13.90\00:22:17.83
It's at the cross
that we see the tenderness
00:22:17.87\00:22:20.40
and the courtesy to
those who were abusing Him.
00:22:20.44\00:22:24.94
It's at the cross
that we see the patience
00:22:24.97\00:22:29.44
tested the most and
coming out victorious.
00:22:29.48\00:22:31.98
It's at the cross that we
see the compassion of Jesus.
00:22:32.01\00:22:34.58
It's at the cross we
see Jesus thinking of others
00:22:34.62\00:22:37.45
and not Himself.
00:22:37.49\00:22:39.55
It's at the cross that we
see all of these characteristics
00:22:39.59\00:22:42.62
of Jesus' character
shining the brightest.
00:22:42.66\00:22:46.96
It's at the cross where we see
00:22:47.00\00:22:48.46
the heart to save
others right until the end
00:22:48.50\00:22:51.03
when He's on the cross.
00:22:51.07\00:22:53.10
It's at the cross
that we see the serenity
00:22:53.13\00:22:56.44
surrounding Him in
the most unlikely hour.
00:22:56.47\00:22:59.67
You see, when the
darkness was the deepest,
00:22:59.71\00:23:03.14
the light shone the greatest.
00:23:03.18\00:23:06.15
Then if you have
a candle or a light,
00:23:06.18\00:23:09.75
when you're shining it,
00:23:09.78\00:23:11.12
you see the power
of it in the darkness.
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.96
I like to cycle my bike
to work every now and then.
00:23:13.99\00:23:17.53
I should
probably do it more often.
00:23:17.56\00:23:20.80
From my home to the office,
it's about eight miles there
00:23:20.83\00:23:23.47
and eight miles
back, sixteen miles in...
00:23:23.50\00:23:27.14
In the wintertime, sometimes
I ride my bike to work.
00:23:27.17\00:23:30.07
Now, last winter I was
riding my bike to work,
00:23:30.11\00:23:31.87
and the problem is this.
00:23:31.91\00:23:33.24
England lies at 54
degrees north of the equator,
00:23:33.27\00:23:36.61
which means in the wintertime,
00:23:36.64\00:23:39.38
it doesn't get light
until about 8 o'clock,
00:23:39.41\00:23:41.15
and it gets dark at 4 o'clock.
00:23:41.18\00:23:42.72
I need to be in
the office at 8:30,
00:23:42.75\00:23:44.75
and I need to
leave the office at 5:00,
00:23:44.79\00:23:46.65
and it takes about 45 or 50
minutes to ride my bike there,
00:23:46.69\00:23:49.46
because I'm not very fast yet,
00:23:49.49\00:23:52.26
which means, I ride
the bike there in the dark
00:23:52.29\00:23:54.73
and come back in the dark.
00:23:54.76\00:23:57.00
Now foolishly, I
don't advise you to do this.
00:23:57.03\00:23:59.27
Last year, I rode
my bike a few times
00:23:59.30\00:24:01.20
in the dark with
no lights on my bike.
00:24:01.24\00:24:03.51
I see some mothers
shaking their heads.
00:24:06.84\00:24:10.98
I stayed on the
pavements though,
00:24:11.01\00:24:12.48
the sidewalks as you say.
00:24:12.51\00:24:13.85
My birthday was in July
00:24:17.09\00:24:18.42
and my wife was gracious enough
00:24:18.45\00:24:20.72
to buy me an excellent present.
00:24:20.76\00:24:22.09
She bought me a bike light.
00:24:22.12\00:24:25.23
Someone say amen.
00:24:29.23\00:24:31.10
And I said, I
want a really good one.
00:24:31.13\00:24:32.97
I don't just want these
little few LED lights flashing,
00:24:33.00\00:24:34.90
I want the bright
one that can doom,
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.47
shine right in the distance.
00:24:37.51\00:24:38.84
And she bought me this
really nice torch, a bike light
00:24:38.87\00:24:41.74
and it says that they had
like a 100 meters visibility.
00:24:41.78\00:24:44.41
Now as soon as I got
it, I wanted to open it,
00:24:44.45\00:24:46.41
put the lights on, and shine
it in my office there at home.
00:24:46.45\00:24:49.12
But it was daylight and I
can see the beam on the wall,
00:24:49.15\00:24:51.45
but it doesn't really stand out.
00:24:51.49\00:24:53.79
So that night, when it was dark,
00:24:53.82\00:24:57.29
when I had no
reason to ride anywhere,
00:24:57.33\00:24:58.89
I put the lights on the
bike and I go out riding
00:24:58.93\00:25:01.16
around the
neighborhood that we live in.
00:25:01.20\00:25:02.53
And that light, I'm
telling you, it was so bright.
00:25:02.56\00:25:04.57
As I was riding down the road,
00:25:04.60\00:25:05.93
if there was a house
on the other side there,
00:25:05.97\00:25:07.80
the light was just shining,
and it was like lighting up
00:25:07.84\00:25:10.67
the whole living room of
the house where I was going.
00:25:10.71\00:25:14.28
I mean, you saw the
strength of the light.
00:25:14.31\00:25:19.88
When it was dark,
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.62
when Jesus died on
the cross, it was dark,
00:25:22.65\00:25:26.42
every single evil demonic
angel ever was at the cross.
00:25:26.45\00:25:32.83
Satan had summoned of them all.
00:25:32.86\00:25:34.20
They all got their
marching orders, come here,
00:25:34.23\00:25:36.13
leave everyone else,
come here to the cross.
00:25:36.16\00:25:40.54
When the vileness
was poured out on Jesus,
00:25:40.57\00:25:44.94
Ellen White tells us that
demons in the form of men,
00:25:44.97\00:25:47.38
they're in the crowd,
stirring up the people.
00:25:47.41\00:25:50.95
When all these wickedness is
there, being poured on Jesus,
00:25:50.98\00:25:55.82
it's dark, it's extremely
dark, it's extremely dark.
00:25:55.85\00:25:59.39
And in the midst of that,
00:25:59.42\00:26:00.76
the character of Jesus
just shone the brightest.
00:26:00.79\00:26:04.73
Oh, He was patient
six months previous,
00:26:04.76\00:26:06.90
but now He is
patient on the cross.
00:26:06.93\00:26:09.46
Oh, He was
loving a year previous,
00:26:09.50\00:26:11.53
but now He is
loving on the cross.
00:26:11.57\00:26:13.50
Oh, He was kind a year previous,
00:26:13.54\00:26:16.14
but now He is kind
on the cross to those
00:26:16.17\00:26:18.17
who are putting
the nails in His hands.
00:26:18.21\00:26:20.38
And the character of God shone
the brightest at the cross.
00:26:20.41\00:26:24.35
And so when
Jesus said in John 12,
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.11
"Father, glorify Your
Son, the hour has come."
00:26:26.15\00:26:31.69
The total sacrifice of Jesus
00:26:31.72\00:26:33.96
leads to a total
revelation of His character.
00:26:33.99\00:26:37.89
This leads to a total acceptance
00:26:37.93\00:26:40.36
and a total
conversion on those who see it.
00:26:40.40\00:26:44.47
Ellen White says in
Desire of Ages, page 83.
00:26:44.50\00:26:46.70
You may well know
this quote, it says,
00:26:46.74\00:26:48.37
"It would be well for us
to spend a thoughtful hour
00:26:48.40\00:26:50.64
each day in contemplation
of the life of Christ.
00:26:50.67\00:26:53.48
We should take
it point-by-point,
00:26:53.51\00:26:55.64
let the imagination."
00:26:55.68\00:26:59.31
There's such a thing
as writer's imagination.
00:26:59.35\00:27:02.08
Let the
imagination grasp each scene,
00:27:02.12\00:27:07.52
especially the closing ones.
00:27:07.56\00:27:11.93
As we thus dwell on
His great sacrifice for us,
00:27:11.96\00:27:15.26
our confidence will be constant.
00:27:15.30\00:27:17.53
Our love is quickened,
00:27:17.57\00:27:19.57
and we will be more
deeply imbued with His spirit.
00:27:19.60\00:27:22.67
When we see the
total sacrifice of Jesus,
00:27:25.67\00:27:27.54
it has a profound impact on us.
00:27:27.58\00:27:30.81
On the day that Jesus died,
00:27:30.85\00:27:33.95
there were some people who
in the midst of all of this,
00:27:33.98\00:27:38.15
they saw Jesus die
00:27:38.19\00:27:39.69
and they testified
that He was the Son of God.
00:27:39.72\00:27:43.26
When they saw the total
revelation of the character
00:27:43.29\00:27:45.96
of Jesus as He died,
00:27:45.99\00:27:47.60
they testified as to who He was.
00:27:47.63\00:27:49.53
Turn in your Bibles
to annex six, Mark 15,
00:27:49.56\00:27:52.73
in the Gospel of Mark,
the second gospel of Mark 15.
00:27:52.77\00:27:55.87
We're going to
read there and see
00:27:55.90\00:27:59.37
someone who testifies.
00:27:59.41\00:28:01.08
The first person
we're going to look at,
00:28:06.72\00:28:08.08
we're going to look at three.
00:28:08.12\00:28:09.68
Tradition suggest his name
was quote Longinus, Longinus.
00:28:09.72\00:28:16.42
He would have
commanded upwards of 60 men.
00:28:16.46\00:28:19.49
He was a hot and he
would have been a tough man.
00:28:19.53\00:28:23.06
You had to be in his profession.
00:28:23.10\00:28:24.90
You see, Palestine
was a very war torn place.
00:28:24.93\00:28:27.37
We'll get to the
verse in just a minute.
00:28:27.40\00:28:29.24
Palestine was a
very war torn place.
00:28:29.27\00:28:32.11
You see, in Palestine
or Israel in those days.
00:28:32.14\00:28:34.48
If you were a true patriot,
00:28:34.51\00:28:36.91
the highest form of patriotism
was to kill a Roman officer.
00:28:36.95\00:28:41.52
And so as a Roman officer,
you had to be on your guard,
00:28:41.55\00:28:43.82
you had to be
watching yourself at all times.
00:28:43.85\00:28:46.76
You lived in a violent land,
00:28:46.79\00:28:48.92
and you operated according
to violent laws in a sense.
00:28:48.96\00:28:52.29
There was a violent people.
00:28:52.33\00:28:54.00
You served under a violent
man, Pilate was the commander,
00:28:54.03\00:28:56.73
he was cold and heartless.
00:28:56.77\00:28:58.97
And these men would
have served under him,
00:28:59.00\00:29:00.74
and he would have
rubbed off on them.
00:29:00.77\00:29:02.67
Now on this day,
00:29:02.70\00:29:04.11
Longinus was ordered
to take these certain men,
00:29:04.14\00:29:07.24
and transport them from
one location to another.
00:29:07.28\00:29:09.61
Now, it was nothing new for him,
00:29:09.64\00:29:11.18
it wasn't something
that he hadn't done before.
00:29:11.21\00:29:13.01
No doubt, he had done
this many, many times.
00:29:13.05\00:29:15.48
Take the men from here
and take them over there.
00:29:15.52\00:29:17.49
And so we had his men, they
would have been well drilled,
00:29:17.52\00:29:20.02
they would have
known exactly what to do.
00:29:20.06\00:29:22.22
Certain ones would
have taken one prisoner,
00:29:22.26\00:29:24.29
certain ones would
have taken another prisoner,
00:29:24.33\00:29:25.99
and certain ones would have
taken another prisoner as well.
00:29:26.03\00:29:28.50
Each prisoner
would have a squad of men
00:29:28.53\00:29:30.50
assigned to them, and he
as a superintendent officer,
00:29:30.53\00:29:34.14
would have just been watching
00:29:34.17\00:29:35.50
and keeping an eye on
all of what was taking place.
00:29:35.54\00:29:38.01
Making sure that no
one is coming to try
00:29:38.04\00:29:39.71
and release somebody.
00:29:39.74\00:29:44.68
'Cause when
there's an execution,
00:29:44.71\00:29:46.05
I don't know what it
is about human nature,
00:29:46.08\00:29:47.42
but crowds love to gather.
00:29:47.45\00:29:51.22
Crowds love to come,
00:29:51.25\00:29:52.59
and he knew there was going
to be loads of crowds that day.
00:29:52.62\00:29:54.62
And some of the officers
would have to keep men away.
00:29:54.66\00:29:59.13
And as they get the men,
00:29:59.16\00:30:00.50
and they start marching
them the procession down,
00:30:00.53\00:30:02.80
the awkward narrow
streets of Jerusalem.
00:30:02.83\00:30:05.80
They would pass by the city gate
00:30:05.83\00:30:08.10
and they would
head out to the hill
00:30:08.14\00:30:09.47
where they needed to go.
00:30:09.50\00:30:11.74
His men were always alert
and as they got to Gulgalta,
00:30:11.77\00:30:16.54
the men would all
know exactly what to do.
00:30:16.58\00:30:18.95
I'm sure they
have certain maneuvers
00:30:18.98\00:30:20.52
as to how to hold the arms
00:30:20.55\00:30:22.02
and legs of the
prisoners to restrain them.
00:30:22.05\00:30:24.29
I used to work in a
psychiatric hospital,
00:30:24.32\00:30:25.99
and there they would
teach us certain maneuvers
00:30:26.02\00:30:28.46
that if one of the patients
had an episode so to speak
00:30:28.49\00:30:30.76
and would kick off.
00:30:30.79\00:30:32.13
They would teach
us a certain maneuver
00:30:35.13\00:30:36.50
that you could restrain
them with no harm to them
00:30:36.53\00:30:40.67
and no injury to yourself.
00:30:40.70\00:30:42.14
No doubt, these soldiers
knew these type of maneuvers,
00:30:42.17\00:30:44.97
and when they got
there to Gulgalta.
00:30:45.01\00:30:46.61
And they had to
restrain the prisoners,
00:30:46.64\00:30:48.68
one on one arm,
one on another arm,
00:30:48.71\00:30:50.35
and they pin them down
00:30:50.38\00:30:51.71
and bang the
nails go into the hand.
00:30:51.75\00:30:53.08
And as he's watching this,
the superintendent officer,
00:30:53.11\00:30:55.02
he sees it all takes place,
but something strikes him.
00:30:55.05\00:30:57.75
'Cause after they nailed
two thieves to the cross,
00:30:57.79\00:30:59.85
there is one man
00:30:59.89\00:31:02.19
who does something he
has never in all his life
00:31:02.22\00:31:05.13
and military history seen.
00:31:05.16\00:31:06.70
He sees one man
just lay his hand out.
00:31:06.73\00:31:09.90
No need for the maneuver,
00:31:09.93\00:31:12.27
he sees him lay
his other arm out,
00:31:12.30\00:31:14.00
no need for the maneuvers.
00:31:14.04\00:31:17.84
And they put the
nails into his hands.
00:31:17.87\00:31:20.34
No crying, no curses,
00:31:20.38\00:31:24.58
no struggling, nothing,
00:31:24.61\00:31:28.25
he's never seen this before,
00:31:28.28\00:31:30.35
never ever seen
such a thing before.
00:31:30.39\00:31:34.12
No curses, just
prayers coming from his lips.
00:31:34.16\00:31:36.46
And as they put
the crosses down,
00:31:36.49\00:31:37.89
and they put him up in the air.
00:31:37.93\00:31:39.26
No doubt, for the first
time that day, he relaxed.
00:31:39.29\00:31:43.67
And as they're
watching the three crosses,
00:31:43.70\00:31:45.90
he is not paying much attention
00:31:45.93\00:31:47.27
to the one on the
left or the right.
00:31:47.30\00:31:48.64
He has seen their
kind too many times.
00:31:48.67\00:31:53.27
He's seen those type
of people all the time,
00:31:53.31\00:31:55.11
but it's the one in the middle,
00:31:55.14\00:31:57.35
it's the one in the middle
that is standing out to him.
00:31:57.38\00:32:00.92
This Nazarene,
there in the middle,
00:32:00.95\00:32:03.92
who just calmly there.
00:32:03.95\00:32:05.52
There's a serenity over
him in the midst of this pain.
00:32:05.55\00:32:10.53
And he's watching
this man, he's watching,
00:32:10.56\00:32:13.93
as the nails are bringing
ever bigger holes in his hands,
00:32:13.96\00:32:18.37
as the crown on his head,
every time he leans against it,
00:32:18.40\00:32:21.70
the thorns go
deeper into his head,
00:32:21.74\00:32:24.37
and he doesn't hear
any cry come from his lips,
00:32:24.41\00:32:29.44
just peace and calmness.
00:32:29.48\00:32:33.15
And he hears the words,
00:32:33.18\00:32:34.52
"Father, forgive them,
00:32:34.55\00:32:37.92
for they know not what they do."
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.36
And he was probably
pretty confident in himself
00:32:40.39\00:32:42.39
when he heard those words,
00:32:42.42\00:32:43.76
he probably
thought to himself, yup,
00:32:43.79\00:32:45.99
that doesn't apply to me, I
know exactly what I'm doing.
00:32:46.03\00:32:49.56
My job is done
all, everything is fine.
00:32:49.60\00:32:53.54
I was asked to do
this and I've done it.
00:32:53.57\00:32:55.60
Not quite sure
what he's talking about,
00:32:55.64\00:32:56.97
but he can't be
talking about me.
00:32:57.01\00:33:01.71
This centurion
would have stood there
00:33:01.74\00:33:04.98
and as a lacerated
body is on the cross,
00:33:05.01\00:33:08.58
it just grips his attention.
00:33:08.62\00:33:11.32
He was there in Pilate's place
00:33:11.35\00:33:13.25
when Pilate said behold the man.
00:33:13.29\00:33:15.72
And he's never seen
anything like this before.
00:33:15.76\00:33:18.39
And at this moment,
00:33:18.43\00:33:20.00
as a life of
Christ is ebbing out,
00:33:20.03\00:33:22.86
God drew the blinds
and shut the curtains.
00:33:22.90\00:33:25.87
No human eye was to
behold what would take place.
00:33:25.90\00:33:30.31
And at this moment maybe
he told his men, be on guard.
00:33:30.34\00:33:33.88
Maybe someone's going
to come and take them away.
00:33:33.91\00:33:37.01
Maybe someone's going to
come and try and take them away.
00:33:37.05\00:33:39.81
But then they hear
the triumphant cry,
00:33:39.85\00:33:41.88
it is finished.
00:33:41.92\00:33:44.65
And Father into your
hands, I commend my spirit.
00:33:44.69\00:33:48.02
And in Mark 15:39,
00:33:48.06\00:33:50.66
there towards the end of
the chapter, the Bible says,
00:33:50.69\00:33:53.56
"And when the centurion,
00:33:53.60\00:33:55.76
which stood over against
him saw that he so cried out.
00:33:55.80\00:34:00.04
He gave up the ghost, he said,
00:34:00.07\00:34:02.34
'Truly this man
was the Son of God.'"
00:34:02.37\00:34:07.51
On the day Jesus died,
most unlikely of people,
00:34:07.54\00:34:11.25
the Roman centurion says,
"This man is the Son of God.
00:34:11.28\00:34:16.45
This man is a righteous man.
00:34:16.48\00:34:19.49
This man has done nothing wrong.
00:34:19.52\00:34:21.39
I've never seen a man
like this on the cross before."
00:34:21.42\00:34:26.59
Can any theologian
say something as eloquent
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.46
as this Roman
centurion said when Jesus died?
00:34:29.50\00:34:32.67
This least likely of men,
superintendent of executionist,
00:34:36.34\00:34:41.88
professional
killer of criminals.
00:34:41.91\00:34:45.01
On the day, Jesus died,
at the moment that he dies,
00:34:45.05\00:34:49.45
this man has just
nailed Jesus to the cross,
00:34:49.48\00:34:52.79
and now not more
than a few hours later
00:34:52.82\00:34:55.32
he testifies and says,
"This is the Son of God."
00:34:55.36\00:34:59.96
Sermon title today
is "Three wise men."
00:35:00.00\00:35:05.73
The first one nailed Jesus
to the cross, the second man,
00:35:05.77\00:35:10.87
we are much more used to
looking at the second man.
00:35:10.91\00:35:14.74
We are used to
scrutinizing his life,
00:35:14.78\00:35:17.11
for he was right next
to Jesus when he died.
00:35:17.15\00:35:19.41
He was the youngest of the men.
00:35:19.45\00:35:20.78
He had grown up most
likely in church circles.
00:35:20.82\00:35:22.75
He had grown
around the synagogue.
00:35:22.78\00:35:25.65
He was familiar
with Jewish life,
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.26
he was familiar with
Jewish religious life,
00:35:27.29\00:35:29.02
but somewhere
along life journey,
00:35:29.06\00:35:30.89
he had gotten sidetracked.
00:35:30.93\00:35:32.26
Somewhere along life's journey,
he had made bad decisions,
00:35:32.29\00:35:35.06
and somewhere one
thing led to another,
00:35:35.10\00:35:38.50
one thing led to another.
00:35:38.53\00:35:39.87
It wasn't so much,
00:35:39.90\00:35:41.24
maybe he went headlong
into sin intentionally,
00:35:41.27\00:35:43.44
not many people do.
00:35:43.47\00:35:44.84
He drifted that way most likely.
00:35:44.87\00:35:46.54
He made one
mistake after another.
00:35:46.57\00:35:49.81
We're told in the book
Desire of Ages, page 749.
00:35:49.84\00:35:53.31
There's a paragraph there
00:35:53.35\00:35:54.68
that says, "He
made two mistakes."
00:35:54.72\00:35:56.05
Number one
00:35:56.08\00:35:57.42
he made the mistake of
choosing the wrong associations.
00:35:57.45\00:36:00.69
The people who
he associated with,
00:36:00.72\00:36:02.36
maybe he was attracted to
them, because they were daring.
00:36:02.39\00:36:04.79
Maybe he was attracted to
them, because they were risky.
00:36:04.83\00:36:07.20
Maybe he does
like being around them,
00:36:07.23\00:36:08.80
because they seem so much fun.
00:36:08.83\00:36:10.83
But one thing led to another.
00:36:10.87\00:36:12.30
And his
association with these men
00:36:12.33\00:36:14.04
led him down a crimson pathway.
00:36:14.07\00:36:16.14
And one day the
strong arm of the Roman law
00:36:16.17\00:36:19.01
grasped him on the
shoulder, took him away.
00:36:19.04\00:36:23.58
But we're told
there's another reason
00:36:23.61\00:36:25.05
as to why he was led that way.
00:36:25.08\00:36:28.08
On Desire of
Ages, page 749, it says,
00:36:28.12\00:36:30.52
"He knew about Jesus, he wanted
to give his life to Jesus,
00:36:30.55\00:36:34.76
but when he came towards him,
00:36:34.79\00:36:37.63
the priests and the
rulers turned him away."
00:36:37.66\00:36:44.57
He was turned aside by
professed religious people.
00:36:44.60\00:36:50.34
He was turned aside by
professed religious people.
00:36:50.37\00:36:53.34
Don't miss that point.
00:36:53.38\00:36:55.34
Those who should have drawn
him to Jesus turned him away.
00:36:55.38\00:37:00.78
Maybe your experience today
is like the thief on the cross
00:37:00.82\00:37:04.92
and it could be
that religious people
00:37:04.95\00:37:07.26
have turned you
away from Jesus Christ.
00:37:07.29\00:37:09.62
Maybe your parents,
who took you to church,
00:37:14.30\00:37:19.27
who should have been
your Christian witness,
00:37:19.30\00:37:21.94
but their behavior at
home was anything but such.
00:37:21.97\00:37:25.17
And they have
turned you of God church
00:37:25.21\00:37:26.84
and anything that
resembles religion.
00:37:26.88\00:37:30.85
And you're like
the thief on the cross.
00:37:30.88\00:37:32.95
Maybe it is that you're abused,
00:37:32.98\00:37:35.18
God forbid by someone
in religious authority,
00:37:35.22\00:37:37.69
be it a pastor, an elder,
or someone in your church,
00:37:37.72\00:37:40.49
be it psychological
abuse, be a physical abuse,
00:37:40.52\00:37:42.49
or be it God
forbid sexual abuse.
00:37:42.52\00:37:45.23
And it has so clouded
your picture of who God is,
00:37:45.26\00:37:47.96
you cannot
reconcile your experience
00:37:48.00\00:37:49.96
with God's character.
00:37:50.00\00:37:52.80
Maybe your friends in
academy, or college, or church,
00:37:52.83\00:37:56.91
an Adventist one that is.
00:37:56.94\00:37:59.07
It was your
Christian Adventist friends,
00:37:59.11\00:38:01.21
who gave you your first
drink, your first cigarette,
00:38:01.24\00:38:04.78
or your first
nightclub experience.
00:38:04.81\00:38:09.28
Maybe it was your
Christian Adventist friends,
00:38:09.32\00:38:13.32
who should have
drawn you to Christ,
00:38:13.36\00:38:15.09
who have been the ones
leading you away from him.
00:38:15.12\00:38:18.09
Maybe you've got
a friend here at GYC
00:38:18.13\00:38:21.06
with a bad influence on you.
00:38:21.10\00:38:25.37
This thief on the
cross, he sentenced to die,
00:38:25.40\00:38:29.17
and he goes down
there to Calvary.
00:38:29.20\00:38:31.11
He carries the cross
00:38:31.14\00:38:32.47
and no doubt with
him, there was a struggle.
00:38:32.51\00:38:34.71
When he got there to Calvary,
and knee hits him in the chest,
00:38:34.74\00:38:37.18
someone grabbed his
head, pulled his head down
00:38:37.21\00:38:39.41
one on one arm,
one on the other,
00:38:39.45\00:38:41.08
and as the nails
go into his hands.
00:38:41.12\00:38:42.65
I can imagine the
thief was calling down curses
00:38:42.68\00:38:45.39
on the judgment of heaven
00:38:45.42\00:38:46.76
or whoever on these men
who were crucifying him.
00:38:46.79\00:38:49.16
And as they lifted up the
cross to put it in the ground,
00:38:49.19\00:38:51.39
I am sure that
the Roman soldiers
00:38:51.43\00:38:52.93
recognized that this
was the last opportunity
00:38:52.96\00:38:54.93
they had to inflict pain
00:38:54.96\00:38:56.30
on whoever it was
they were crucifying.
00:38:56.33\00:38:57.67
And I'm sure they had a point
00:38:57.70\00:38:59.03
where instead of
gently putting the cross in,
00:38:59.07\00:39:00.94
and I just in my imagination
00:39:00.97\00:39:02.57
can imagine that
lifting that cross
00:39:02.60\00:39:04.07
and slamming it into the ground.
00:39:04.11\00:39:07.28
And as they do
so, the wounds widen
00:39:07.31\00:39:09.41
and the thief I'm just
saying for argument's sake.
00:39:09.44\00:39:11.55
It's not in the Bible.
00:39:11.58\00:39:13.18
I'm just saying for
my illustration sake,
00:39:13.21\00:39:15.58
he was crucified before Jesus.
00:39:15.62\00:39:18.02
And as he's up there on
the cross and he looks down,
00:39:18.05\00:39:20.32
he sees Jesus doing
what I just explained.
00:39:20.36\00:39:22.66
He's never seen it before,
he sees Jesus put out one arm,
00:39:22.69\00:39:25.76
he see Jesus
put out another arm,
00:39:25.79\00:39:27.46
and he sees that cross lifted.
00:39:27.50\00:39:30.23
And as he's put in the ground,
00:39:30.27\00:39:31.83
he sees a whole
crowd around making fun.
00:39:31.87\00:39:34.44
And as he's put in the ground,
00:39:34.47\00:39:37.67
no curses come from the
lips of Jesus, none of them.
00:39:37.71\00:39:43.18
And as he watches all of this,
00:39:43.21\00:39:45.18
as he watches the
dignified bearing,
00:39:45.21\00:39:47.38
he thinks this is
more than self-control.
00:39:47.42\00:39:50.79
As he watches the
dignified bearing,
00:39:50.82\00:39:52.65
I just imagine
00:39:52.69\00:39:54.96
his mind goes back
to his mother's knee.
00:39:54.99\00:39:58.29
And he remembers a
story that she told him.
00:39:58.33\00:40:00.50
As all little boys in
Israel heard about Messiah,
00:40:00.53\00:40:03.03
who was to come.
00:40:03.06\00:40:04.40
The memories come flooding back.
00:40:04.43\00:40:05.87
He has broken
his mother's heart.
00:40:05.90\00:40:07.60
There is nothing like
a mother's heart broken
00:40:07.64\00:40:09.54
for their children.
00:40:09.57\00:40:11.14
He's broken his mother's heart,
00:40:11.17\00:40:12.51
when his dad came
to visit him in prison,
00:40:12.54\00:40:14.31
he aged about ten years
00:40:14.34\00:40:15.68
just seeing him there in prison.
00:40:15.71\00:40:18.75
As he's up there on
the cross, he knows it,
00:40:18.78\00:40:20.35
his family is going to
have to go through the shame
00:40:20.38\00:40:22.15
of hearing his name
00:40:22.18\00:40:23.52
been struck off the
synagogue membership list,
00:40:23.55\00:40:25.89
at the next board meeting.
00:40:25.92\00:40:28.86
As he's up there on the
cross, maybe in the crowd,
00:40:28.89\00:40:31.06
his parents were there
with tear-stained faces
00:40:31.09\00:40:33.50
and broken hearts.
00:40:33.53\00:40:34.86
And he hears a thief on
the one cross cursing Jesus,
00:40:34.90\00:40:37.80
he hears the crowd
all about cursing Jesus.
00:40:37.83\00:40:39.93
And in the midst of all
this, he can take it no longer
00:40:39.97\00:40:42.60
and he says to the thief, stop.
00:40:42.64\00:40:46.01
We deserve this,
but not this man.
00:40:46.04\00:40:49.14
Not this man.
00:40:49.18\00:40:51.65
And he turns to
Jesus and he says,
00:40:51.68\00:40:54.32
"Lord, remember me,
00:40:54.35\00:40:56.65
when you come
into your kingdom."
00:40:56.69\00:40:58.82
And Jesus replies in words
00:41:02.39\00:41:04.13
that are forever
movingly memorable.
00:41:04.16\00:41:06.70
And he says,
"Truly, I say to you today."
00:41:06.73\00:41:12.07
When I'm nearly
dead, he might have added.
00:41:12.10\00:41:16.20
When it appears my
kingdom has crumbled into ruin.
00:41:16.24\00:41:21.41
When I came to my own nation
and my own nation rejected me.
00:41:21.44\00:41:24.75
Today, when one
disciple has betrayed me,
00:41:24.78\00:41:29.18
when one disciple has denied me,
00:41:29.22\00:41:31.19
when the others have
left me, today, I say to you,
00:41:31.22\00:41:36.59
on my divine authority,
00:41:36.62\00:41:38.36
when it looks like the end,
but it's really the beginning.
00:41:38.39\00:41:40.63
Today, I say to me,
because of your faith,
00:41:40.66\00:41:43.67
you will be with me in paradise.
00:41:43.70\00:41:46.47
Here, the second
man dies with Jesus
00:41:46.50\00:41:49.07
and the experience
of seeing Jesus die.
00:41:49.10\00:41:51.57
The experience of
watching him close as can get,
00:41:51.61\00:41:55.24
causes him to
give his life to Jesus.
00:41:55.28\00:41:58.21
You see a total revelation
of the character of Christ,
00:41:58.25\00:42:00.95
when we see His
sacrifice can do only one thing,
00:42:00.98\00:42:04.15
but change our
hearts when we behold it.
00:42:04.19\00:42:07.59
Three wise men,
00:42:07.62\00:42:11.29
the first one
nailed Jesus to the cross.
00:42:11.33\00:42:15.46
The second one was
crucified with Christ.
00:42:15.50\00:42:21.04
The third
person is less obvious,
00:42:21.07\00:42:22.54
but nonetheless he
played an important part
00:42:22.57\00:42:24.44
in the crucifixion of Jesus.
00:42:24.47\00:42:28.24
He was not from Palestine.
00:42:28.28\00:42:31.81
He was from further a field,
00:42:31.85\00:42:33.28
and at this point in his
life, he's not a believer.
00:42:33.31\00:42:36.48
You see, as Jesus left
the mockery of the trial
00:42:36.52\00:42:38.65
that he had, had,
as he had been whipped
00:42:38.69\00:42:41.72
with a leather strands 78 times,
00:42:41.76\00:42:45.66
as his body was lacerated.
00:42:45.69\00:42:49.23
As blood was pouring down him,
as the crown of thorns is on,
00:42:49.26\00:42:52.53
he said, as he's
been hit in the face,
00:42:52.57\00:42:54.54
hit in the face over and over,
00:42:54.57\00:42:56.20
as he's beaten,
00:42:56.24\00:42:57.57
as he hasn't eaten or
slept for several days.
00:42:57.61\00:43:00.58
They put the cross
on Jesus' shoulder,
00:43:00.61\00:43:02.61
and he slumps to the ground.
00:43:02.64\00:43:05.11
I imagine maybe he fainted.
00:43:05.15\00:43:06.75
They bring a bucket of water,
00:43:06.78\00:43:08.12
they throw on him
the bucket of water.
00:43:08.15\00:43:09.65
He wakes up.
00:43:09.68\00:43:11.02
They put a cross on him
again, he slumps down again.
00:43:11.05\00:43:13.72
In the crowd, men are laughing.
00:43:13.76\00:43:15.32
In the crowd, men are jeering.
00:43:15.36\00:43:16.93
In the crowd, men are saying,
you know, pick up the cross.
00:43:16.96\00:43:22.66
In the crowd, one
man comes forward.
00:43:22.70\00:43:26.13
And Desire of
Ages, page 742 says,
00:43:26.17\00:43:28.97
"He expressed compassion."
00:43:29.00\00:43:34.41
He expressed compassion,
and as he expresses compassion,
00:43:34.44\00:43:38.31
he's grabbed by the soldiers,
they put the cross on him,
00:43:38.35\00:43:41.65
and say you carry it.
00:43:41.68\00:43:43.02
Maybe as he was
walking to Calvary,
00:43:43.05\00:43:44.42
his muttering under his breath,
00:43:44.45\00:43:45.79
why didn't I keep my thoughts
to myself, I don't know.
00:43:45.82\00:43:48.76
Maybe he's saying, "I
should have kept my mouth shut."
00:43:48.79\00:43:52.69
And his men are
jeering, as men are bantering,
00:43:52.73\00:43:54.90
as men are cursing Jesus.
00:43:54.93\00:43:56.73
He's feeling the
brunt of it as well,
00:43:56.77\00:43:58.40
'cause He's carrying the cross.
00:43:58.43\00:44:00.30
That rugged wood is
pressing against his back.
00:44:00.34\00:44:06.51
Ellen White says,
00:44:06.54\00:44:07.88
"His sympathies were deeply
stirred in favor of Jesus.
00:44:07.91\00:44:13.28
And the events of
Calvary in the words
00:44:13.31\00:44:14.85
uttered by the Savior
00:44:14.88\00:44:16.22
caused him to acknowledge
he was the Son of God.
00:44:16.25\00:44:19.85
It is recorded that
forever after that moment,
00:44:19.89\00:44:21.89
he was thankful
00:44:21.92\00:44:23.26
that he had the
opportunity to carry the cross.
00:44:23.29\00:44:25.79
See, Simon no doubt stood by,
00:44:25.83\00:44:27.36
and on the top of the hill
watched as Jesus was crucified.
00:44:27.40\00:44:30.63
He saw the men jeering, he
saw the people mocking him,
00:44:30.67\00:44:33.54
he saw all of this taking place,
00:44:33.57\00:44:35.10
and all he sees come from
Jesus that it's just a prayer.
00:44:35.14\00:44:38.51
And no doubt in that
moment, his heart is broken
00:44:38.54\00:44:41.34
and he surrenders it to Jesus.
00:44:41.38\00:44:43.38
He had felt the
cross press on his back,
00:44:43.41\00:44:46.82
and as time passed on,
00:44:46.85\00:44:50.32
he said "This man is Messiah."
00:44:50.35\00:44:55.99
But the point is this.
00:44:56.02\00:44:58.83
This man did not
choose to serve Christ.
00:44:58.86\00:45:02.76
He was forced or
conscripted into service.
00:45:02.80\00:45:08.57
And maybe there's an application
00:45:08.60\00:45:09.94
for some people here
in this auditorium today.
00:45:09.97\00:45:11.81
Maybe you have been forced
in your religious journey.
00:45:11.84\00:45:17.25
Maybe your parents
forced you to come to GYC.
00:45:17.28\00:45:22.75
Maybe your parents forced you
00:45:22.78\00:45:24.32
every Sabbath
morning to go to church.
00:45:24.35\00:45:26.76
And they say as long
as you live under my roof,
00:45:26.79\00:45:28.82
you will go to church.
00:45:28.86\00:45:32.49
Maybe you are forced to go
to Adventist academy or college.
00:45:32.53\00:45:36.90
Maybe you wish
00:45:36.93\00:45:38.57
you were not born
into an Adventist home.
00:45:38.60\00:45:41.84
Maybe you want to rebel,
00:45:41.87\00:45:44.04
just because you
didn't decide to do it,
00:45:44.07\00:45:46.27
and the only choice you
have left is to do wrong.
00:45:46.31\00:45:51.18
Sometimes we fight the right,
00:45:51.21\00:45:52.91
just because someone
else told us it was right.
00:45:52.95\00:45:54.58
Either way though,
00:45:59.92\00:46:01.26
when you behold
the crucified savior,
00:46:01.29\00:46:02.82
sooner or later
what will happen to you?
00:46:02.86\00:46:05.69
And the Simon was there,
00:46:05.73\00:46:07.06
even though he was
forced into service.
00:46:07.10\00:46:09.40
Simon made a contribution
to the plan of salvation
00:46:09.43\00:46:11.83
that no one has made since.
00:46:11.87\00:46:13.20
You see, we never read of
Simon preaching at Pentecost.
00:46:13.23\00:46:16.04
We never read of Simon
going to the ends of the earth
00:46:16.07\00:46:18.24
and preaching gospel,
we don't read about that.
00:46:18.27\00:46:20.14
In fact we don't read
about Simon after this story.
00:46:20.18\00:46:26.28
We don't read of him
doing great things so to speak
00:46:26.31\00:46:29.88
that we would
consider great today.
00:46:29.92\00:46:32.22
He had the menial job
00:46:32.25\00:46:33.59
of carrying a
cold hard rugged cross.
00:46:33.62\00:46:40.30
Not doing something
great, as we may say,
00:46:40.33\00:46:43.37
but seeing the sacrifice
of Jesus moved on his heart.
00:46:43.40\00:46:50.11
He did the one thing
that was very important.
00:46:50.14\00:46:53.48
He carried the cross of
Jesus prior to His crucifixion.
00:46:53.51\00:46:58.71
Three wise men, one
nailed Jesus, stood across.
00:46:58.75\00:47:01.95
One died with him next to
him, and one carried the cross.
00:47:01.98\00:47:08.49
One nailed him to it.
00:47:08.52\00:47:10.43
One died next to him on
it, and one carried the cross.
00:47:10.46\00:47:15.36
You see,
00:47:15.40\00:47:16.73
each one of these three men
00:47:16.77\00:47:18.10
may illustrate us
in different ways.
00:47:18.13\00:47:20.67
Maybe today, you maybe
like the Roman centurion,
00:47:20.70\00:47:22.84
you maybe
successful, you maybe a leader,
00:47:22.87\00:47:24.87
but you have never
surrendered your heart to Jesus.
00:47:24.91\00:47:29.61
Maybe you are like
a thief on the cross,
00:47:29.64\00:47:31.31
and because of bad association,
or because religious people
00:47:31.35\00:47:33.95
have driven you away from Jesus.
00:47:33.98\00:47:35.58
You have not given
your life to Jesus as well,
00:47:35.62\00:47:38.29
or maybe you are
like Simon of Cyrene.
00:47:38.32\00:47:40.79
You have been forced,
you feel to serve Christ
00:47:40.82\00:47:46.56
or to go along with
your parents religion.
00:47:46.59\00:47:51.13
Each one of these men
though, listen carefully.
00:47:51.17\00:47:53.23
They illustrate a
step in conversion.
00:47:53.27\00:47:55.70
One nailed Jesus to the cross,
one was crucified next to Him,
00:47:55.74\00:48:00.58
and one carried the cross.
00:48:00.61\00:48:02.74
One nailed, one was
crucified, one carried.
00:48:02.78\00:48:05.71
You see, all of us
need to come to the point
00:48:05.75\00:48:07.52
where we realize that we
have crucified the Son of God
00:48:07.55\00:48:10.72
and put Him to open shame,
just like the Roman centurion.
00:48:10.75\00:48:14.76
All of us have to
the come to the point,
00:48:14.79\00:48:16.16
where we realize that
we need to be crucified
00:48:16.19\00:48:18.83
on the cross every day.
00:48:18.86\00:48:22.46
And all of us have
to come to the point,
00:48:22.50\00:48:24.17
where we accept
the master's work
00:48:24.20\00:48:26.37
that he has for
us like Simon did,
00:48:26.40\00:48:28.50
and take up a
cross and live for Jesus.
00:48:28.54\00:48:31.84
When we see the
sacrifice of Christ,
00:48:31.87\00:48:33.58
it should lead us to
recognize, he is the Son of God.
00:48:33.61\00:48:37.08
It should lead us to
be willing to die to self
00:48:37.11\00:48:39.85
on a daily basis
being crucified on the cross
00:48:39.88\00:48:42.78
as Galatians 2:20 says.
00:48:42.82\00:48:45.15
And it should
lead us to be willing
00:48:45.19\00:48:46.86
to accept the Master's work.
00:48:46.89\00:48:49.09
How many of you
here today have realized
00:48:49.12\00:48:50.89
it's your sins that have
nailed Jesus to the cross.
00:48:50.93\00:48:55.40
How many of you this
morning recognize and realize
00:48:55.43\00:48:59.40
that you need to die
to self every single day.
00:48:59.43\00:49:05.67
And how many of
you accepted the work
00:49:05.71\00:49:08.08
that Jesus has for you.
00:49:08.11\00:49:09.44
You see, the thing
about accepting the work
00:49:09.48\00:49:11.15
Jesus has for you.
00:49:11.18\00:49:14.65
You can't choose it. Amen.
You just have to accept it.
00:49:14.68\00:49:20.42
At the cross,
there was another man,
00:49:20.46\00:49:21.96
who was given a job by Jesus.
00:49:21.99\00:49:24.33
John, Jesus on the cross,
00:49:24.36\00:49:26.53
the last one of
the last things he did,
00:49:26.56\00:49:27.93
he said, "Woman behold your son,
00:49:27.96\00:49:29.30
son behold your mother."
00:49:29.33\00:49:33.03
It's interesting,
why is it interesting?
00:49:33.07\00:49:34.50
Because John had a deep desire
to do something great for God.
00:49:34.54\00:49:38.84
He wanted to sit at
the right hand of God.
00:49:38.87\00:49:41.84
John had a deep desire to do
something marvelous for Jesus,
00:49:41.88\00:49:46.38
something seen, something known.
00:49:46.41\00:49:49.08
His mother also
drove that desire,
00:49:49.12\00:49:51.75
and she said to Jesus,
00:49:51.79\00:49:53.12
"When they get to
heaven, can he sit on one side
00:49:53.15\00:49:54.72
and one on the other side.
00:49:54.76\00:49:56.32
John wanted to do something
marvelous and fantastic
00:49:56.36\00:49:58.93
and amazing for Jesus.
00:49:58.96\00:50:01.23
But what was he given to
do to, to care take his mom.
00:50:01.26\00:50:07.70
Look after my
mom when she's dying,
00:50:07.74\00:50:10.11
look after my
mom when she's old,
00:50:10.14\00:50:12.04
take her to church,
take her to see a friend.
00:50:12.07\00:50:13.84
Look after my mother
00:50:13.88\00:50:15.84
when she's sick and she's frail.
00:50:15.88\00:50:17.88
And she can't walk properly.
00:50:17.91\00:50:19.25
She can't shower herself,
00:50:19.28\00:50:20.62
she can't take
herself to the toilet.
00:50:20.65\00:50:21.98
She can't do any of
that, look after my mom.
00:50:22.02\00:50:25.65
I know in the first
few chapters of Acts,
00:50:25.69\00:50:27.36
the Bible says
that Peter and James,
00:50:27.39\00:50:28.72
you know, they went around.
00:50:28.76\00:50:30.09
But after the first
few chapters of Acts,
00:50:30.13\00:50:31.46
we don't read about John.
00:50:31.49\00:50:33.13
He was looking after Jesus' mom.
00:50:33.16\00:50:34.66
Why?
00:50:34.70\00:50:36.03
'Cause Jesus
knew what John needed.
00:50:36.06\00:50:39.53
When you commit to serve Jesus,
00:50:39.57\00:50:41.00
Jesus knows what you
need and you may say to Jesus.
00:50:41.04\00:50:43.54
"I want to serve you there."
00:50:43.57\00:50:45.67
Ah, ah, not there,
you're gonna serve me there.
00:50:45.71\00:50:49.14
See, Jesus knew that what
John needed, and I believe,
00:50:49.18\00:50:52.01
Jesus understanding
the character of John.
00:50:52.05\00:50:54.58
He knew that his
mother was best place
00:50:54.62\00:50:57.29
to mould the character of John.
00:50:57.32\00:50:59.05
Still as a young man,
00:50:59.09\00:51:01.06
to be someone
that would be ready
00:51:01.09\00:51:02.76
to be put in prison
for him in his old years.
00:51:02.79\00:51:09.30
If you say, "I want to
serve you Jesus like Simon."
00:51:09.33\00:51:11.17
You can't pick your
job. You can't pick the work.
00:51:11.20\00:51:14.94
You can't tell
God what you want Him,
00:51:14.97\00:51:16.97
what you want to do for Him.
00:51:17.01\00:51:18.84
And then ask for
His will to be done,
00:51:18.87\00:51:20.21
no, you can't do that.
00:51:20.24\00:51:21.78
You have to just accept the work
00:51:21.81\00:51:23.14
that Jesus has for you.
00:51:23.18\00:51:26.05
As we come to a
close in our message today,
00:51:26.08\00:51:28.08
I want to make an appeal,
and my appeal is specific,
00:51:28.12\00:51:30.95
and my appeal has
three parts to it.
00:51:30.99\00:51:34.36
As you observe
the cross of Christ,
00:51:34.39\00:51:37.09
and you see Jesus
dying for your sins,
00:51:37.13\00:51:39.89
you realize it's your sins
that nailed Him to the cross.
00:51:39.93\00:51:42.70
And you want to say
like the Roman centurion,
00:51:42.73\00:51:45.83
"Lord, I recognize, I
have crucified you afresh."
00:51:45.87\00:51:51.34
As you see Jesus on the
cross, and you recognize,
00:51:51.37\00:51:53.34
and you want to say,
like the thief on the cross.
00:51:53.38\00:51:55.24
I need to die daily, today,
00:51:55.28\00:51:57.75
I need to die with Jesus Christ.
00:51:57.78\00:52:02.08
How many of you
this morning want to say,
00:52:02.12\00:52:03.79
"Lord, I realize
my sins killed you."
00:52:03.82\00:52:07.19
"Lord, I want to die daily,"
00:52:07.22\00:52:09.09
if that is your
desire this morning,
00:52:09.12\00:52:11.76
I would like to invite
you to stand, to stand.
00:52:11.79\00:52:16.13
The second part of the
appeal is very specific.
00:52:22.97\00:52:25.37
I am not asking if
you feel a certain way,
00:52:25.41\00:52:28.14
I am asking if you
know a certain way.
00:52:28.18\00:52:33.08
I was at a GYC ten years
ago in 2004, in Sacramento.
00:52:33.11\00:52:36.45
When an appeal was made,
00:52:36.48\00:52:37.82
for people to be
willing to give their hearts
00:52:37.85\00:52:39.19
to mission service, and
200 people went forward.
00:52:39.22\00:52:42.39
I was at GYC eight years
ago, two years after that,
00:52:42.42\00:52:45.63
and I sat there in a room
with the president of A.F.M.
00:52:45.66\00:52:48.83
and asked him, "Of those
200 people that came forward,
00:52:48.86\00:52:51.07
how many of them follow
through on their appeal?"
00:52:51.10\00:52:53.97
He put his head
down, looked up again,
00:52:54.00\00:52:58.07
one, one.
00:52:58.11\00:53:01.68
But I felt people
at GYC were honest,
00:53:01.71\00:53:05.48
I thought if they
commit something, they do it.
00:53:05.51\00:53:07.85
Two hundred, one, one.
00:53:07.88\00:53:13.56
Lord, have mercy on us.
00:53:13.59\00:53:18.19
You stand this morning,
could you say like a centurion,
00:53:18.23\00:53:20.86
I've nailed Jesus to the cross.
00:53:20.90\00:53:22.46
You stand this morning,
could you say like the thief,
00:53:22.50\00:53:24.40
I want to be crucified
on the cross with Christ."
00:53:24.43\00:53:27.90
Third part of the
appeal is very specific.
00:53:27.94\00:53:30.81
This morning, you know,
00:53:30.84\00:53:33.58
you know that Jesus is
calling you to work for Him.
00:53:33.61\00:53:38.81
Now there's many
different types of ways
00:53:38.85\00:53:40.18
you can work with Jesus,
00:53:40.22\00:53:41.55
but the appeal I'm
going to mention this morning,
00:53:41.58\00:53:43.32
you'd feel God is calling you.
00:53:43.35\00:53:45.22
You know, God is calling you
00:53:45.25\00:53:46.89
to work for Him in
some mission field,
00:53:46.92\00:53:51.63
far away or at home.
00:53:51.66\00:53:53.66
And you want to say to God,
00:53:53.70\00:53:55.33
Lord, like Simon I
will take up the cross
00:53:55.36\00:53:58.87
and I'll do my master's work.
00:53:58.90\00:54:01.74
There may be other
ones of you though.
00:54:01.77\00:54:03.20
And you feel this
morning, you know, in your heart
00:54:03.24\00:54:08.88
that you need to
sacrifice wherever you're going,
00:54:08.91\00:54:11.18
and whatever you're
doing to get some training
00:54:11.21\00:54:14.48
to share the gospel,
maybe as a short-term training.
00:54:14.52\00:54:17.92
I know in the booth, all
there's a plethora of booths
00:54:17.95\00:54:19.85
that will teach you
how to share the gospel.
00:54:19.89\00:54:22.82
Maybe you've had
short term training,
00:54:22.86\00:54:24.33
and the Lord is calling you
00:54:24.36\00:54:25.69
to go for long term
training four, five, six years.
00:54:25.73\00:54:31.43
This morning,
00:54:31.47\00:54:34.40
you want to dedicate
your life to full time service
00:54:34.44\00:54:39.51
in the mission
field whatever that be,
00:54:39.54\00:54:41.61
I would like to
invite you to come forward.
00:54:41.64\00:54:46.31
You want to say like Simon,
00:54:46.35\00:54:47.68
I will take up my
cross and work for you.
00:54:47.72\00:54:49.35
Come forward to
my left side please.
00:54:49.38\00:54:52.49
Left side of stage.
00:54:52.52\00:54:55.32
If you want to commit to God,
00:54:55.36\00:54:59.23
not just to say,
you'll think about it,
00:54:59.26\00:55:00.63
but you want to
commit to God to say,
00:55:00.66\00:55:02.96
"I know, God is
calling me to change my life
00:55:03.00\00:55:05.60
and get some training
to be a missionary at home
00:55:05.63\00:55:07.74
or further a field."
00:55:07.77\00:55:09.10
I want to invite
you to come forward
00:55:09.14\00:55:10.47
to the right side of the stage.
00:55:10.51\00:55:14.48
One mission service,
00:55:14.51\00:55:18.48
one training,
00:55:18.51\00:55:21.98
left side, right side.
00:55:22.02\00:55:27.92
And if it's
both, praise the Lord.
00:55:27.96\00:55:29.46
Shortly after this, the
ushers will come around,
00:55:35.63\00:55:38.97
but just come
forward, keep coming.
00:55:39.00\00:55:40.34
We just have a few moments left.
00:55:40.37\00:55:41.70
You want to say like Simon,
00:55:45.37\00:55:47.14
"I'll carry the cross,
00:55:47.18\00:55:49.61
and I will do the
work that Jesus has for me.
00:55:49.64\00:55:53.01
I wouldn't pick the work,
00:55:53.05\00:55:54.38
but I'll just
commit to do the work."
00:55:54.42\00:55:59.02
Do the work right side.
00:55:59.05\00:56:01.19
To go and get mission training,
00:56:01.22\00:56:03.36
sorry left side,
mission training, right side.
00:56:03.39\00:56:05.26
I get my lefts and
rights confused, forgive me.
00:56:05.29\00:56:07.20
Keep coming forward,
even if you're in the back,
00:56:12.30\00:56:14.84
and you're pretending
to ignore the message,
00:56:14.87\00:56:17.61
but the Holy Spirit still spoke
to your heart, come forward.
00:56:17.64\00:56:23.88
If you're
watching at home later on,
00:56:23.91\00:56:25.91
if you're
watching it on a repeat,
00:56:25.95\00:56:28.12
if you're watching at home now,
00:56:28.15\00:56:29.48
and you want to make
that same commitment,
00:56:29.52\00:56:30.92
to make that same
commitment as well.
00:56:30.95\00:56:32.85
Wherever you may be...
00:56:32.89\00:56:34.22
Let's bow our heads, guys,
00:56:37.69\00:56:39.59
then I close
with a word of prayer.
00:56:39.63\00:56:41.60
Father in heaven Lord,
00:56:41.63\00:56:43.53
You have seen Your children
respond to You this morning.
00:56:43.57\00:56:47.80
Lord, bless them
00:56:47.84\00:56:50.37
and whatever they
may have to sacrifice,
00:56:50.41\00:56:53.41
they may seem
great and in their path,
00:56:53.44\00:56:56.54
give them the
strength to be able to do so.
00:56:56.58\00:57:00.32
Lord, those who have
committed to mission service,
00:57:00.35\00:57:02.22
I pray that You would take
their hearts, take their lives,
00:57:02.25\00:57:06.76
change and mould them for You.
00:57:06.79\00:57:08.79
Guide them
where they need to go,
00:57:08.82\00:57:11.16
not where they want to go.
00:57:11.19\00:57:14.83
And deepen the burden,
00:57:14.86\00:57:16.50
and desire on their
heart from this day forward
00:57:16.53\00:57:19.67
that the conviction
may not fade with time,
00:57:19.70\00:57:21.60
but get stronger and stronger.
00:57:21.64\00:57:23.87
For those Lord, that have
committed to get some training,
00:57:23.91\00:57:26.51
Lord, I pray that
You would guide them.
00:57:26.54\00:57:28.41
You'll provide them,
show them where to go,
00:57:28.44\00:57:30.45
provide them with the means
00:57:30.48\00:57:32.75
that You may
bless them abundantly.
00:57:32.78\00:57:36.92
Even if it's a short-term thing
00:57:36.95\00:57:38.52
or if it's the
beginning of the change
00:57:38.55\00:57:40.52
of their life trajectory,
bless them Lord, I pray.
00:57:40.56\00:57:45.63
Use this army of workers,
00:57:45.66\00:57:48.06
we pray for Your
kingdom in Jesus' name we pray.
00:57:48.10\00:57:53.87
Amen. Amen.
00:57:53.90\00:57:56.71
Those of you have come forward,
there are some ushers around.
00:57:56.74\00:58:00.28