All right, now let's
join our voices together
00:00:14.11\00:00:15.98
in singing our theme
song, "At the cross."
00:00:16.01\00:00:18.35
I have been so blessed
as we've sung this song
00:00:18.38\00:00:20.95
throughout the
week because truly,
00:00:20.98\00:00:22.85
it is all about the cross
00:00:22.88\00:00:24.22
that is the
gospel in it essence.
00:00:24.25\00:00:25.59
Amen. Amen.
00:00:25.62\00:00:26.96
So let's raise our
voices this morning and sing.
00:00:26.99\00:00:28.79
Alas, and did my Savior bleed?
00:00:35.60\00:00:40.34
And did my Sovereign die?
00:00:40.37\00:00:45.11
Would He devote that sacred head
00:00:45.14\00:00:50.01
For someone such as I?
00:00:50.05\00:00:55.02
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:00:55.05\00:01:00.02
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
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It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:01:05.13\00:01:10.17
And now I am happy all the day!
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Was it for
crimes that I have done
00:01:15.40\00:01:20.41
He suffered on the tree?
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Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
00:01:25.35\00:01:30.05
And love beyond degree!
00:01:30.09\00:01:34.92
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:01:34.96\00:01:39.96
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:01:40.00\00:01:44.93
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:01:44.97\00:01:50.04
And now I am happy all the day!
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But drops of
grief can ne'er repay
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The debt of love I owe
00:02:00.45\00:02:05.29
Here, Lord, I give myself away
00:02:05.32\00:02:10.19
'Tis all that I can do!
00:02:10.23\00:02:15.23
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:02:15.26\00:02:20.34
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:02:20.37\00:02:25.34
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:02:25.37\00:02:30.28
And now I am happy all the day!
00:02:30.31\00:02:35.52
At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light
00:02:35.55\00:02:40.42
And the burden of
my heart rolled away
00:02:40.46\00:02:45.49
It was there by
faith I received my sight
00:02:45.53\00:02:50.53
And now I am happy all the day!
00:02:50.57\00:02:56.37
Amen. Amen.
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Amen.
00:03:00.11\00:03:01.44
At the cross, at the cross,
we first received our sights.
00:03:01.48\00:03:06.08
It is only through Christ
that we can be made to see,
00:03:06.11\00:03:09.62
amen.
00:03:09.65\00:03:10.99
GYC, here we
are January 4, 2015.
00:03:11.02\00:03:16.59
Has it been a blessing
00:03:16.62\00:03:17.96
to spend time at
the foot of the cross?
00:03:17.99\00:03:19.79
Amen. Amen, amen.
00:03:19.83\00:03:21.80
Morning by morning,
00:03:21.83\00:03:23.70
God has awakened our
ears to hear as the learned
00:03:23.73\00:03:27.97
that we may be
able to speak a word
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in due season to
those that are weary.
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So our first night,
we learned nevertheless.
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We learned that in
surrendering to God,
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we take hold of the promises
00:03:40.92\00:03:43.59
and we believe
more in the promises
00:03:43.62\00:03:45.85
than in our
present circumstances.
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Our second night, we
learned of three wise men.
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Three men who testified of God,
00:03:51.83\00:03:55.36
one who was nailed to the
cross or died on the cross.
00:03:55.40\00:04:00.40
One who nailed
Jesus to the cross.
00:04:00.44\00:04:03.81
And one who bore the cross.
00:04:03.84\00:04:06.07
Three steps in our experience.
00:04:06.11\00:04:08.71
And our third night, yesterday.
00:04:08.74\00:04:11.21
We learned how
Christ died outside the gate
00:04:11.25\00:04:14.65
in order to sanctify us,
that so that when we sin,
00:04:14.68\00:04:20.06
we may realize that He
is there to cleanse us.
00:04:20.09\00:04:22.92
Amen. Amen.
00:04:22.96\00:04:24.73
So we look forward to hearing
00:04:24.76\00:04:26.16
what the Lord has
to speak to us today.
00:04:26.19\00:04:28.96
Why don't we pray?
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Dear Heavenly
Father, we thank You so much
00:04:34.27\00:04:37.47
for the gift and the
privilege You give us
00:04:37.51\00:04:39.47
to come before You this morning.
00:04:39.51\00:04:41.68
We thank You for
the gift of life.
00:04:41.71\00:04:43.95
We thank You for Jesus
00:04:43.98\00:04:46.18
and for calling us Your children
00:04:46.21\00:04:47.75
and, Father, we
come in our weakness
00:04:47.78\00:04:51.79
before the cross of Jesus
00:04:51.82\00:04:54.12
asking that you
would cleanse us.
00:04:54.16\00:04:56.52
Dear Father, you
promise that You're faithful
00:04:56.56\00:04:59.66
and just to forgive us our sins
00:04:59.69\00:05:02.43
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness,
00:05:02.46\00:05:05.57
and Father we thank You
00:05:05.60\00:05:06.94
that You do not
leave us orphans.
00:05:06.97\00:05:08.57
But You have
given us the Holy Spirit
00:05:08.60\00:05:10.94
and, Father, we long
for a fresh outpouring
00:05:10.97\00:05:13.74
of the Holy Spirit this morning,
00:05:13.78\00:05:15.68
that the seed of truth
would fall on good ground.
00:05:15.71\00:05:19.65
And we thank You
for hearing our prayers
00:05:19.68\00:05:21.32
in Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:05:21.35\00:05:23.75
One day soon, there
will be no more crying
00:05:56.95\00:06:04.89
No more pain
00:06:04.93\00:06:07.70
Aching and loss
00:06:07.73\00:06:13.50
All of our anxieties
00:06:13.54\00:06:21.34
Will be
00:06:21.38\00:06:23.45
Forever gone
00:06:23.48\00:06:29.68
But now
00:06:29.72\00:06:32.65
To dying for the
sovereign tonight
00:06:32.69\00:06:38.03
Remember to deep latch him
00:06:38.06\00:06:45.60
Leaning fully upon the cross
00:06:45.63\00:06:53.34
And one day you believe
00:06:53.38\00:06:56.38
Jesus say
00:06:56.41\00:07:01.18
Well done, good
and faithful servant
00:07:01.22\00:07:08.29
I'm proud of you
00:07:08.32\00:07:12.06
My child
00:07:12.09\00:07:16.56
Enter into my kingdom
00:07:16.60\00:07:23.00
He is your
heart, He is your breath
00:07:23.04\00:07:30.85
Here are the many mansions
00:07:30.88\00:07:37.22
That I promised you is
00:07:37.25\00:07:41.59
A home
00:07:41.62\00:07:45.53
Finally free from earthly care
00:07:45.56\00:07:52.70
Finally free from earthly world
00:07:52.73\00:07:59.51
One day soon There
will be joy and peace
00:08:12.69\00:08:19.13
When old trials ever come
00:08:19.16\00:08:26.77
Heaven, earth free heaven
00:08:26.80\00:08:33.64
A place to find Lord
00:08:33.68\00:08:40.68
But now during in these times
00:08:40.72\00:08:47.09
Don't let earthly
things Feel Lord mine
00:08:47.12\00:08:53.73
A little longer we will wait
00:08:53.76\00:08:59.03
To hear him sing
00:08:59.07\00:09:01.07
Here's the
patience Of the saints
00:09:01.10\00:09:06.68
Well done, Good
and faithful servant
00:09:06.71\00:09:12.38
I'm proud of you my child
00:09:12.41\00:09:19.45
Enter into my kingdom
00:09:19.49\00:09:24.93
He is your heart
00:09:24.96\00:09:27.33
He is your breath
00:09:27.36\00:09:32.33
Here are the many mansions
00:09:32.37\00:09:37.74
That I promised you
00:09:37.77\00:09:40.74
A home
00:09:40.78\00:09:45.55
Finally free from earthly care
00:09:45.58\00:09:52.55
Finally free from earthly world
00:09:52.59\00:10:00.50
No more night
00:10:11.57\00:10:15.58
No more pain
00:10:15.61\00:10:19.71
No more tears
00:10:19.75\00:10:23.22
Never crying again
00:10:23.25\00:10:27.36
Praises To the great, "I AM"
00:10:27.39\00:10:34.33
We will live in the light
00:10:34.36\00:10:38.33
Of the risen
00:10:38.37\00:10:42.24
Lamb
00:10:42.27\00:10:47.88
Amen.
00:11:05.49\00:11:07.03
Good morning,
everyone. Good morning.
00:11:15.24\00:11:18.01
Was it not a blessing?
00:11:18.04\00:11:19.37
Amen. Amen.
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.48
It's a privilege to be
here with you this morning
00:11:22.51\00:11:24.21
one last time
00:11:24.25\00:11:26.18
before we are soon to head home.
00:11:26.21\00:11:31.42
I've been thoroughly blessed
being here at GYC this year.
00:11:31.45\00:11:37.06
And I'd like to thank
those who have been responsible
00:11:37.09\00:11:39.53
for giving me the privilege
to be able to be here with you
00:11:39.56\00:11:43.43
and to share from
God's word with you.
00:11:43.47\00:11:48.17
Before we start we bow our heads
00:11:48.20\00:11:49.64
for a word of prayer.
00:11:49.67\00:11:52.47
Father in Heaven, Lord we,
00:11:56.71\00:12:00.65
pause in Your
presence this morning.
00:12:00.68\00:12:04.85
Thank You, Lord, for
the blessing of life,
00:12:04.89\00:12:08.02
health, strength.
00:12:08.06\00:12:11.89
And, Lord, as we
open Your word today
00:12:11.93\00:12:13.70
as we meditate upon
grand and glorious themes
00:12:13.73\00:12:17.47
from the Bible.
00:12:17.50\00:12:19.23
We pray, Lord, You
may illuminate our minds,
00:12:19.27\00:12:24.14
that You want to apply
these things to our hearts
00:12:24.17\00:12:30.68
that we may feel the moving
of your Holy Spirit upon us
00:12:30.71\00:12:35.18
in a supernatural way.
00:12:35.22\00:12:38.62
I pray Lord that You
would speak through me,
00:12:38.65\00:12:41.06
take hold of my thoughts
00:12:41.09\00:12:44.36
and express them in Your way
00:12:44.39\00:12:48.06
at this time we pray
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:12:48.10\00:12:51.67
Now I'm the type of person
in case you don't know me,
00:13:00.28\00:13:04.95
as many of you do not.
00:13:04.98\00:13:07.32
But I will have a go
at most things in life.
00:13:07.35\00:13:12.59
I like to think
I'm quite adventurous,
00:13:12.62\00:13:16.62
maybe even prone to
taking a risk or two.
00:13:16.66\00:13:20.73
And I would try most things
00:13:20.76\00:13:22.10
even if I'm not
properly prepared for it.
00:13:22.13\00:13:24.20
Now a year or so ago,
00:13:24.23\00:13:25.67
I joined the surge of
interest going through,
00:13:25.70\00:13:29.70
it seems the world at
the moment in triathlons,
00:13:29.74\00:13:34.48
and so I bought a bike,
00:13:34.51\00:13:35.88
a road bike and
signed up to do a triathlon.
00:13:35.91\00:13:41.32
I didn't have a wetsuit so
I found a website in England
00:13:41.35\00:13:44.42
where I could rent a wetsuit
especially for triathlons,
00:13:44.45\00:13:48.46
and I rented a wetsuit
00:13:48.49\00:13:50.03
and then I
prepared for my triathlon...
00:13:50.06\00:13:52.39
by watching videos on YouTube.
00:13:55.96\00:13:58.07
It was a 750
meter open water swim.
00:14:03.00\00:14:07.64
The last time I swam 750 meters
00:14:07.68\00:14:10.05
was probably when I
was 11 or 12 years old.
00:14:10.08\00:14:13.48
It was a 20
kilometer or 12 mile bike ride
00:14:13.52\00:14:15.82
and the last time I did that,
00:14:15.85\00:14:17.29
I think I did it
once in the last 15 years
00:14:17.32\00:14:19.39
and it was a 5 kilometer run
00:14:19.42\00:14:21.62
of which I had never
done in my whole life.
00:14:21.66\00:14:25.99
So I prepared by
getting some tips
00:14:26.03\00:14:27.56
from a good friend of mine.
00:14:27.60\00:14:29.83
And I prepared by watching
00:14:29.86\00:14:31.20
inspiring
motivating videos on YouTube.
00:14:31.23\00:14:33.67
The day came, it was the
Blenheim Palace triathlon.
00:14:37.31\00:14:41.74
The day came, packed the
car, put the bike in the car,
00:14:41.78\00:14:44.75
tires pumped,
backpacked everything
00:14:44.78\00:14:46.55
and went down
there to Blenheim Palace
00:14:46.58\00:14:49.32
in Oxfordshire, England,
absolutely beautiful place.
00:14:49.35\00:14:53.49
It is the birthplace
of Winston Churchill.
00:14:53.52\00:14:57.39
A magnificent venue
00:14:57.43\00:15:00.73
and backdrop to
almost kill myself.
00:15:00.76\00:15:05.23
So we gathered at a
line, they do the...
00:15:05.27\00:15:08.50
they did the big
like hurrah thing of all,
00:15:08.54\00:15:10.51
these guys getting
ready to go, in our way,
00:15:10.54\00:15:12.57
you know we're getting
ready to get in the water,
00:15:12.61\00:15:14.44
jump in the water.
00:15:14.48\00:15:15.81
It's the first time
I've been in the water
00:15:15.84\00:15:17.45
to swim in a wetsuit.
00:15:17.48\00:15:19.35
Not really advisable,
00:15:19.38\00:15:20.72
I should have
practiced beforehand
00:15:20.75\00:15:22.08
so I jumped in the water.
00:15:22.12\00:15:23.45
And we get sort of
swim at the line there
00:15:23.49\00:15:24.92
getting ready to
swim and the gun goes off,
00:15:24.95\00:15:26.52
and when the gun goes off,
00:15:26.55\00:15:27.89
I don't know what happened,
but something overcame me
00:15:27.92\00:15:29.62
and I just started trying to
be like a professional head down
00:15:29.66\00:15:33.19
and I was like doing
like that my freestyle
00:15:33.23\00:15:35.00
as smooth and fast as I could.
00:15:35.03\00:15:38.30
It was a mad rush, keep
feet kicking everywhere,
00:15:38.33\00:15:40.84
arms going everywhere, mad rush
00:15:40.87\00:15:42.34
and I go off with
the with the main surge
00:15:42.37\00:15:46.37
for about 25 meters.
00:15:46.41\00:15:50.25
Then I was out of
breath and I look up
00:15:50.28\00:15:52.25
and way in the
distance 725 meters away
00:15:52.28\00:15:55.18
is the finish line and then,
00:15:55.22\00:15:57.79
I went from
freestyle to breaststroke,
00:15:57.82\00:16:01.16
I went from
breaststroke to doggy paddle,
00:16:01.19\00:16:04.76
away from doggy
paddle to lying on my back
00:16:04.79\00:16:06.80
and kicking my legs
and swimming like that.
00:16:06.83\00:16:09.36
And eventually I
got out of the water
00:16:09.40\00:16:14.04
and I think there
was one person behind me.
00:16:14.07\00:16:19.94
Maybe it was just an angel there
00:16:19.97\00:16:21.31
to encourage me,
00:16:21.34\00:16:23.71
so I get out of the water
00:16:23.75\00:16:25.21
and had 400 meters to
walk at the transition area.
00:16:25.25\00:16:27.28
Now I had complete my run.
00:16:27.32\00:16:30.25
Sorry, my swim was complete,
00:16:30.29\00:16:32.42
but my triathlon
was not completed.
00:16:32.45\00:16:37.03
I got to the transition
area and at this point,
00:16:37.06\00:16:40.26
I was almost dead.
00:16:40.30\00:16:43.63
Now yesterday, I
said, that I sometimes,
00:16:43.67\00:16:45.20
my wife tells me I'm
prone to exaggeration
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.17
and I did say yesterday,
00:16:47.20\00:16:48.54
that my wife says that
I'm always exaggerating
00:16:48.57\00:16:50.84
which itself was an exaggeration
00:16:50.87\00:16:52.21
because she told me afterwards
I don't always say that
00:16:52.24\00:16:54.01
I only sometimes say that.
00:16:54.04\00:16:55.38
So you can...
00:16:58.68\00:17:00.72
I don't know take,
take what you want.
00:17:00.75\00:17:02.45
So anyway I'm
feeling like almost finished,
00:17:02.48\00:17:04.55
I get to the transition area,
00:17:04.59\00:17:05.92
and all the other
athletes get there
00:17:05.95\00:17:07.29
and they take off
everything quickly
00:17:07.32\00:17:08.66
and try to get out
there as quick as they can,
00:17:08.69\00:17:10.03
for me it was like a break.
00:17:10.06\00:17:11.39
Let me just take it
easy for a little bit,
00:17:11.43\00:17:12.76
then I got on my bike
00:17:12.79\00:17:14.13
and did the bike
and that was okay,
00:17:14.16\00:17:15.50
it wasn't so bad the bike,
though my legs felt like jelly,
00:17:15.53\00:17:18.27
finished the
bike, completed the bike
00:17:18.30\00:17:22.34
but I hadn't
finished the triathlon.
00:17:22.37\00:17:24.41
And then I get to do the
run, the run five kilometers.
00:17:24.44\00:17:30.41
Set out start off
looking quite cool
00:17:30.45\00:17:32.58
and looking quite good
for about 4, 500 meters
00:17:32.61\00:17:36.82
and then it was a long walk.
00:17:36.85\00:17:41.49
Ran a little bit,
walked a lot, ran a little bit,
00:17:41.52\00:17:43.89
walked a lot, ran a
little bit, walked a lot,
00:17:43.93\00:17:46.23
and the last two kilometers
00:17:46.26\00:17:47.60
I think I walked the
whole last two kilometers
00:17:47.63\00:17:49.00
because I just
wanted to say enough energy.
00:17:49.03\00:17:52.03
So that when I got
to the last 300 meters,
00:17:52.07\00:17:53.74
I could jog across the line.
00:17:53.77\00:17:56.47
So at least the spectators there
00:17:56.50\00:17:57.94
thought that I might have ran.
00:17:57.97\00:18:01.41
By then when I crossed the line,
00:18:01.44\00:18:04.18
I had completed, I
had finished the swim,
00:18:04.21\00:18:07.42
finished the
bike, finished the run
00:18:07.45\00:18:10.02
and only then had I
completed the triathlon.
00:18:10.05\00:18:16.49
The sermon this
morning is entitled complete
00:18:16.52\00:18:19.86
but not completed.
00:18:19.89\00:18:24.20
Complete but not completed.
00:18:24.23\00:18:29.94
In 1863, the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:18:29.97\00:18:33.78
began just a
small group of believers
00:18:33.81\00:18:38.45
here in North America.
00:18:38.48\00:18:41.58
But in the space of
160 years, it would grow
00:18:41.62\00:18:44.32
to be over 18
million people strong today.
00:18:44.35\00:18:48.92
The fastest
growing Protestant Church
00:18:48.96\00:18:51.36
in more countries in the world
than any other denomination
00:18:51.39\00:18:56.87
would have the second
largest educational system
00:18:56.90\00:18:59.90
in the world.
00:18:59.93\00:19:01.37
How would it grow so fast
00:19:01.40\00:19:03.04
in a relatively
short space of time?
00:19:03.07\00:19:06.07
What was special?
00:19:06.11\00:19:08.41
Was it because we had famous
celebrity members early on
00:19:08.44\00:19:12.31
that attracted other
people to our church?
00:19:12.35\00:19:15.98
Was it because we rediscovered
a new method of church growth?
00:19:16.02\00:19:22.82
Was it because we had
an easy to accept message
00:19:22.86\00:19:27.33
that people could
just flock to know?
00:19:27.36\00:19:31.67
There were no celebrity
members early on in Adventism.
00:19:31.70\00:19:37.31
We did though
rediscover so to speak,
00:19:37.34\00:19:39.24
this fancy new
method of church growth,
00:19:39.27\00:19:42.54
and our message was not
an easy to accept message.
00:19:42.58\00:19:45.35
It was very hard,
it was very unique,
00:19:45.38\00:19:47.45
it was very
different, it was very peculiar.
00:19:47.48\00:19:52.15
When we surveyed the
span of Christian history
00:19:52.19\00:19:55.52
and we see the
growth of Christianity,
00:19:55.56\00:19:58.39
when we look at the Dark Ages,
00:19:58.43\00:19:59.96
and we see the
progression of Christianity
00:20:00.00\00:20:01.76
from the Dark Ages,
00:20:01.80\00:20:03.13
we can see that different truths
00:20:03.16\00:20:05.83
that had been lost or hidden
gradually were rediscovered.
00:20:05.87\00:20:11.27
The truth on the scriptures
00:20:11.31\00:20:13.41
being the inspired
word of God rediscovered.
00:20:13.44\00:20:16.64
The truth on baptism
by immersion rediscovered.
00:20:16.68\00:20:20.48
The truth on the second coming.
00:20:20.52\00:20:21.98
The truth on the Sabbath,
all of these rediscovered.
00:20:22.02\00:20:25.15
It was almost like
once every 50 or 100 years,
00:20:25.19\00:20:28.59
a new truth not
really a new truth,
00:20:28.62\00:20:30.99
an old truth in
new clothes came back,
00:20:31.03\00:20:36.60
then we see the birth
of the Adventist Church
00:20:36.63\00:20:39.07
around the 1840s to the 1860s.
00:20:39.10\00:20:45.31
And all of the above teachings
00:20:45.34\00:20:47.14
and many, many more had
been discovered by other people.
00:20:47.18\00:20:50.88
What else remains the
final piece of the puzzle
00:20:50.91\00:20:56.18
in the
restoration of the picture
00:20:56.22\00:20:57.92
of the character of God
00:20:57.95\00:20:59.29
for the Adventist Church to
study and give to the world.
00:20:59.32\00:21:06.23
It was the
message of the sanctuary.
00:21:06.26\00:21:11.43
The message of the sanctuary
was unique to Adventism,
00:21:11.47\00:21:14.47
the complete package
of the plan of salvation.
00:21:14.50\00:21:17.67
I like to say, you know a
picture says a thousand words
00:21:17.71\00:21:20.74
and God in order to
give to ancient Israel
00:21:20.78\00:21:22.91
and then to us a
picture of salvation,
00:21:22.94\00:21:25.45
these themes like
justification, sanctification,
00:21:25.48\00:21:27.98
you know what did they all mean.
00:21:28.02\00:21:29.38
God took a picture of
salvation and gave it to us
00:21:29.42\00:21:32.75
in the form of
the sanctuary service
00:21:32.79\00:21:34.96
so that we can visualize
00:21:34.99\00:21:36.52
how we might
experience salvation.
00:21:36.56\00:21:41.03
So we see Christ's
ministry in three phases,
00:21:41.06\00:21:43.67
in the courtyard,
in the holy place,
00:21:43.70\00:21:46.03
and in the most holy place.
00:21:46.07\00:21:48.20
And as Pastor David Shinn
said so succinctly yesterday
00:21:48.24\00:21:54.51
the problem, I
mean in the sanctuary,
00:21:54.54\00:21:56.75
we're freed from the
penalty of sin in the courtyard,
00:21:56.78\00:22:00.12
the power of sin
in the holy place
00:22:00.15\00:22:02.72
and the presence of
sin in the most holy place.
00:22:02.75\00:22:07.32
You see the sacrificial
atonement of Jesus Christ
00:22:07.36\00:22:11.06
dying on the cross had
been spoken of partially
00:22:11.09\00:22:15.60
for about 1800 years,
00:22:15.63\00:22:17.73
prior to the rise of
the Adventist Church.
00:22:17.77\00:22:20.30
The Adventist
Church did not rise
00:22:20.34\00:22:21.97
to speak about this truth only,
00:22:22.00\00:22:25.01
it is not our work today
to speak only about the cross.
00:22:25.04\00:22:29.91
I love the theme
for GYC this year.
00:22:29.94\00:22:32.81
In fact, I think has
been one of the best themes
00:22:32.85\00:22:34.32
that they have ever
had, absolutely beautiful,
00:22:34.35\00:22:39.02
at the cross.
00:22:39.05\00:22:43.39
Not some
romanticized picture of Jesus.
00:22:43.43\00:22:48.00
But seeing the
cross in its true place
00:22:48.03\00:22:51.13
in the grand scheme
of the plan of salvation.
00:22:51.17\00:22:55.24
Now a vital part of
Jesus Christ ministry
00:22:55.27\00:22:59.37
on the cross,
00:22:59.41\00:23:01.21
His work on the cross
when He died was complete.
00:23:01.24\00:23:07.38
But His work was not completed.
00:23:07.42\00:23:14.09
His work on the
cross was complete,
00:23:14.12\00:23:16.59
but His work was not completed.
00:23:16.62\00:23:21.63
Now I believe as
an Adventist Church,
00:23:21.66\00:23:24.00
we have seen through
the pages of scripture
00:23:24.03\00:23:26.60
and we see in the
writings of Ellen White.
00:23:26.63\00:23:28.37
If you ever get a chance
00:23:28.40\00:23:29.74
to read the book Desire of Ages,
00:23:29.77\00:23:31.11
if you have not read it
00:23:31.14\00:23:32.47
and you read the
closing chapters of the book
00:23:32.51\00:23:34.74
as it focuses on the cross,
you will gain insight and depth
00:23:34.78\00:23:38.28
into what Jesus
went through on the cross
00:23:38.31\00:23:40.32
that you've never seen before.
00:23:40.35\00:23:43.02
And I believe within
the Adventist message
00:23:43.05\00:23:44.99
we can see the teaching
00:23:45.02\00:23:46.52
of the sacrificial
atonement of Christ
00:23:46.55\00:23:48.49
in a clearer way than
it's ever been seen before.
00:23:48.52\00:23:52.29
But part of the
message of Adventism
00:23:52.33\00:23:54.70
is to connect what
Christ did on the cross
00:23:54.73\00:23:58.40
with the full
atonement of Jesus Christ,
00:23:58.43\00:24:01.60
to see the cross
00:24:01.64\00:24:02.97
and the judgment
together as one whole.
00:24:03.00\00:24:06.01
It is not the
case, it is not the case
00:24:06.04\00:24:08.04
that when the
Adventist Church came along,
00:24:08.08\00:24:09.98
they just tacked
on one more teaching
00:24:10.01\00:24:12.95
to all the others that had
previously been discovered.
00:24:12.98\00:24:16.89
It's not like we
just put the last one
00:24:16.92\00:24:19.42
like a spare wheel
on the back of the car.
00:24:19.45\00:24:21.79
No!
00:24:21.82\00:24:24.79
But as we heard
yesterday in the divine service,
00:24:24.83\00:24:27.40
the key to understand the gospel
00:24:27.43\00:24:29.83
is seen through the sanctuary.
00:24:29.86\00:24:34.00
More than adding one
truth, it was adding the truth
00:24:34.04\00:24:37.04
that enables us
to see all the others
00:24:37.07\00:24:39.54
in their clarity.
00:24:39.57\00:24:41.44
You know,
recently I bought a camera.
00:24:41.48\00:24:42.91
Had little basic one
00:24:47.45\00:24:50.05
and I thought I like
to get a nice big camera
00:24:50.09\00:24:53.82
with a big lens,
00:24:53.86\00:24:56.93
though I got a
camera with a big lens
00:24:56.96\00:24:59.86
and kind of like
when I did my triathlon
00:24:59.89\00:25:01.56
I really don't know
what I'm doing with it
00:25:01.60\00:25:04.33
yet, yet.
00:25:04.37\00:25:09.84
And I've taken some
pictures on my camera,
00:25:09.87\00:25:11.21
I only got
about three weeks ago.
00:25:11.24\00:25:15.64
And I was playing
around with all the dials
00:25:15.68\00:25:18.68
and I really didn't know
what I was playing around with
00:25:18.71\00:25:20.95
maybe some of you can
relate to this experience.
00:25:20.98\00:25:23.62
So I'm playing
around these different dials
00:25:23.65\00:25:25.02
and I touched something
and I didn't know I touched it,
00:25:25.05\00:25:27.29
and didn't even know
what it was that I touched,
00:25:27.32\00:25:29.92
even I did know
that I touched it.
00:25:29.96\00:25:33.23
So what happened was as I
was looking through the camera,
00:25:33.26\00:25:35.70
everything was blurry.
00:25:35.73\00:25:37.60
And I take a picture
it was actually clear
00:25:37.63\00:25:39.57
when it came out but it
was blurry through the lens
00:25:39.60\00:25:41.97
and I didn't know what this was,
00:25:42.00\00:25:43.51
and I thought
maybe it's not clean
00:25:43.54\00:25:44.87
so I'm polishing the lens,
and I'm polishing the front,
00:25:44.91\00:25:46.68
I'm polishing the back.
00:25:46.71\00:25:48.04
Maybe there's something on
the lens and it's not clear
00:25:48.08\00:25:50.85
so I'm trying to
polish it, take more pictures.
00:25:50.88\00:25:52.55
It's looking
through, it's still blurry.
00:25:52.58\00:25:56.82
I was in Malaysia recently
00:25:56.85\00:25:58.19
with a good friend
of mine Jason Sliger.
00:25:58.22\00:25:59.59
He took one look
he said, "Oh, yeah
00:25:59.62\00:26:01.52
that thing right there."
00:26:01.56\00:26:03.66
I was like, "Uh, that's simple."
00:26:03.69\00:26:05.03
"Yeah, you just
have to adjust that
00:26:05.06\00:26:06.39
and that's why
people wear glasses
00:26:06.43\00:26:07.76
adjusted for them
00:26:07.80\00:26:09.60
and so that's why you
can't see through being clearly
00:26:09.63\00:26:11.53
it's blurry at the moment."
00:26:11.57\00:26:13.47
I was like, "Uh,
okay, adjust it clear."
00:26:13.50\00:26:17.81
To me it's almost
somewhat like that
00:26:17.84\00:26:19.84
the sanctuary is the lens
00:26:19.87\00:26:22.81
that gives clarity
to everything else,
00:26:22.84\00:26:26.28
gives clarity.
00:26:29.78\00:26:31.12
In the book Great
Controversy, page 423
00:26:31.15\00:26:32.69
if you're taking notes.
00:26:32.72\00:26:34.06
In the book Great
Controversy page 423,
00:26:34.09\00:26:35.76
the first sentence in
this chapter says this,
00:26:35.79\00:26:39.16
"The subject of the
sanctuary was the key
00:26:39.19\00:26:42.96
that unlocked the mystery
of the disappointment of 1844.
00:26:43.00\00:26:46.94
And again then goes on and says,
00:26:46.97\00:26:48.44
"It opened to view a
complete system of truth,
00:26:48.47\00:26:53.44
connected and harmonious."
00:26:53.48\00:26:58.05
The subject of
the sanctuary opened
00:26:58.08\00:27:00.75
to view a complete
system of truth connected
00:27:00.78\00:27:04.65
and harmonious.
00:27:04.69\00:27:06.12
You see while
the Christian church
00:27:06.15\00:27:07.62
had taught about the
cross for 1800 years,
00:27:07.66\00:27:10.03
prior to the rise of
the Adventist Church.
00:27:10.06\00:27:12.63
If not until the cross is seen
00:27:12.66\00:27:14.60
in the light of
the full atonement
00:27:14.63\00:27:16.53
of Jesus Christ that
is completely understood.
00:27:16.56\00:27:22.20
As Adventists it's not like,
00:27:22.24\00:27:23.64
all of the people you
guys talk about the cross
00:27:23.67\00:27:25.31
that's okay, but
we'll talk about this.
00:27:25.34\00:27:26.71
No, no, no.
00:27:26.74\00:27:30.11
They don't have
the full picture of it
00:27:30.15\00:27:31.48
because you can only have
the full picture of the cross
00:27:31.51\00:27:33.52
when you see in the light
00:27:33.55\00:27:34.88
and the lens of
the sanctuary message
00:27:34.92\00:27:36.89
that Christ has given to us.
00:27:36.92\00:27:40.82
It's part of the
whole atonement process
00:27:40.86\00:27:43.16
Jesus Christ Ministry
00:27:43.19\00:27:44.53
in three phases
of the sanctuary.
00:27:44.56\00:27:46.76
In Patriarchs and
Prophets page 357 to 358.
00:27:46.80\00:27:50.67
It talks about the
different phases of ministry
00:27:50.70\00:27:52.97
and it says this,
"The blood of Christ
00:27:53.00\00:27:56.60
while it was to
release the repentant sinner
00:27:56.64\00:27:59.41
from the condemnation of the law
00:27:59.44\00:28:01.01
was not to cancel the sin.
00:28:01.04\00:28:02.54
It would stand on
record in the sanctuary
00:28:02.58\00:28:04.05
until the final atonement."
00:28:04.08\00:28:08.05
So there was a
sacrificial atonement of Christ
00:28:08.08\00:28:09.85
on the cross but there
was also another atonement,
00:28:09.88\00:28:11.72
the final atonement that would
come in the heavenly sanctuary.
00:28:11.75\00:28:15.06
You see the commonly
held view in Christianity
00:28:15.09\00:28:17.69
is that your sin is canceled out
00:28:17.73\00:28:19.56
the minute you
ask for forgiveness.
00:28:19.59\00:28:22.76
But the sanctuary teaches
00:28:22.80\00:28:24.13
that while we're free
from guilt and condemnation
00:28:24.17\00:28:26.87
straightaway
00:28:26.90\00:28:29.14
the record is transferred
to heaven with this thing,
00:28:29.17\00:28:32.24
until this thing
called the final atonement.
00:28:32.27\00:28:35.98
In essence Jesus has taken
responsibility for our sin,
00:28:36.01\00:28:38.71
He died to pay
the penalty of our sin
00:28:38.75\00:28:40.78
but our sin still is dealt with
00:28:40.82\00:28:44.49
the sacrifice of Christ
on the cross was complete.
00:28:44.52\00:28:48.62
But his work in
the atonement of man
00:28:48.66\00:28:52.29
was not completed.
00:28:52.33\00:28:57.37
The cross is not the end
of the atonement process.
00:28:57.40\00:29:02.44
The atonement was
not yet completed.
00:29:02.47\00:29:06.07
You see in the
light of the sanctuary
00:29:09.14\00:29:10.51
the cross is not
a standalone event.
00:29:10.55\00:29:14.72
The ministry in the courtyard
is connected to the holy place,
00:29:14.75\00:29:17.85
which is connected
to the most holy place,
00:29:17.89\00:29:19.95
the three phases
of Jesus' ministry.
00:29:19.99\00:29:24.86
Some say as I said today,
00:29:24.89\00:29:26.46
or some don't even say
directly they might allude to,
00:29:26.49\00:29:29.26
they might infer in Christianity
00:29:29.30\00:29:33.00
and even in Adventism
that the work of atonement
00:29:33.03\00:29:35.77
was completed at the cross.
00:29:35.80\00:29:38.74
I did not
believe this is accurate
00:29:38.77\00:29:40.11
and true to the Bible
or the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:29:40.14\00:29:43.31
The atonement of
Christ will not be completed
00:29:43.35\00:29:48.05
until Christ leaves
the most holy place.
00:29:48.08\00:29:52.92
The sacrifice was complete.
00:29:52.95\00:29:56.59
The provision to
forgive man of sin was made,
00:29:56.62\00:30:00.33
but it is not completed.
00:30:00.36\00:30:03.67
Listen carefully,
until we apply it, live it,
00:30:03.70\00:30:08.27
experience it in our
lives from day-to-day.
00:30:08.30\00:30:14.48
There was something to be done
00:30:14.51\00:30:16.54
that the Bible calls
the Day of Atonement.
00:30:16.58\00:30:18.35
Ellen White refers to
it as the final atonement
00:30:18.38\00:30:20.28
and we need to
understand both concepts
00:30:20.32\00:30:22.28
and to understand why we
are a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:30:22.32\00:30:25.85
The Adventist
Church came into existence
00:30:25.89\00:30:27.86
at the same time
Christ was from the holy
00:30:27.89\00:30:30.16
to the most holy place,
00:30:30.19\00:30:31.86
and the primary
purpose of our church rising up
00:30:31.89\00:30:34.20
was to declare the full message
of the atonement of Christ.
00:30:34.23\00:30:38.30
Not to focus just on one phase,
00:30:38.33\00:30:40.24
but to focus on all
phases of Christ's ministry,
00:30:40.27\00:30:44.27
on his ministry as our Savior,
00:30:44.31\00:30:46.47
his ministry as our
judge, the two go hand in hand,
00:30:46.51\00:30:49.44
they cannot be separated.
00:30:49.48\00:30:51.61
It's kind of like
the futile argument
00:30:51.65\00:30:53.42
you would have
with someone else.
00:30:53.45\00:30:54.78
If you were arguing,
00:30:54.82\00:30:56.15
which one had greater importance
00:30:56.18\00:30:58.19
in your procreation
your mother or your father?
00:30:58.22\00:31:00.66
Both, both
00:31:04.06\00:31:08.36
you see when we
look at this subject,
00:31:08.40\00:31:09.80
the genius of Adventism,
the genius of Adventism
00:31:09.83\00:31:15.20
is it brings together
these great truths together
00:31:15.24\00:31:18.21
and joins them
perfectly together.
00:31:18.24\00:31:20.48
The genius of Adventism
is that it brings together
00:31:20.51\00:31:23.38
grace and works
together harmoniously.
00:31:23.41\00:31:27.88
The genius of
Adventism is it brings together
00:31:27.92\00:31:30.52
justification and
sanctification together
00:31:30.55\00:31:34.02
complete and whole.
00:31:34.06\00:31:35.86
The genius of
Adventism is it brings together
00:31:35.89\00:31:37.99
love and justice.
00:31:38.03\00:31:39.73
It brings together
the cross and judgment.
00:31:39.76\00:31:42.13
The genius of
Adventism is it brings together
00:31:42.16\00:31:44.97
AD 31 and AD 1834,
00:31:45.00\00:31:49.07
no
contradiction between the two,
00:31:49.10\00:31:51.07
harmonious and together.
00:31:51.11\00:31:54.31
Adventism brings
together Christ as our Savior
00:31:54.34\00:31:57.55
and Christ as our
judge not as separate terms
00:31:57.58\00:32:00.28
but as ones that
compliment each other.
00:32:00.32\00:32:03.05
The cross forgives
us and cleanses us.
00:32:03.08\00:32:07.09
The cross justifies
us and sanctifies us.
00:32:07.12\00:32:12.03
You see in ancient Israel.
00:32:12.06\00:32:14.13
I think sometimes we have a
misconception of the judgment
00:32:14.16\00:32:16.93
because we all too often
apply earthly judgment concepts
00:32:16.97\00:32:20.04
to the heavenly judgment
00:32:20.07\00:32:21.57
and it's not the
way that it should go.
00:32:21.60\00:32:25.14
In ancient Israel, they
did not have any lawyers
00:32:25.17\00:32:29.68
or attorneys,
00:32:29.71\00:32:32.38
the judge was at the same
time the attorney or the lawyer.
00:32:32.41\00:32:39.05
One person had both functions.
00:32:39.09\00:32:42.62
Therefore, when you went
to the judge in your mind
00:32:42.66\00:32:46.90
you were also
going to your savior.
00:32:46.93\00:32:52.17
You see all too often we
liken the heavenly judgment
00:32:52.20\00:32:54.37
where there's a
lawyer against you,
00:32:54.40\00:32:56.07
there's a lawyer for you
and then there's the judge,
00:32:56.10\00:32:58.64
that's not how it is.
00:32:58.67\00:33:00.04
In ancient Israel,
the judge was the one
00:33:00.08\00:33:04.01
who defended you as well,
00:33:04.05\00:33:06.05
therefore the
judge was your savior.
00:33:06.08\00:33:11.55
The judge that you went to
00:33:11.59\00:33:14.29
would deliver you from injustice
00:33:14.32\00:33:16.22
and would vindicate you.
00:33:16.26\00:33:17.59
In the Book of
Genesis the first picture
00:33:17.63\00:33:18.96
we have of Jesus
Christ is one of our Creator.
00:33:18.99\00:33:21.76
The second
picture we have of Jesus
00:33:21.80\00:33:23.87
is as our judge
in Genesis Chapter 3.
00:33:23.90\00:33:26.57
But in the context of
Genesis 3 as our judge
00:33:26.60\00:33:29.07
He is also our
Savior for in Genesis 3:15.
00:33:29.10\00:33:32.17
He gives the promise
00:33:32.21\00:33:33.78
that, "I will
release you and save you."
00:33:33.81\00:33:35.61
You see because
Jesus lived on this earth,
00:33:39.91\00:33:43.22
the judgment and
salvation they go together
00:33:43.25\00:33:45.09
because Jesus
lived on this earth,
00:33:45.12\00:33:46.45
died as a man
suffering in our flesh.
00:33:46.49\00:33:49.02
Because he was
tempted in all points
00:33:49.06\00:33:50.49
like as we are yet without sin,
00:33:50.53\00:33:52.03
he can therefore
judge and intercede for us
00:33:52.06\00:33:55.13
with compassion and work
00:33:55.16\00:33:56.87
to complete the
sanctification process in us.
00:33:56.90\00:34:01.50
Christ forever shares
an affinity with mankind,
00:34:01.54\00:34:05.27
forever he shares a bond with us
00:34:05.31\00:34:07.04
and therefore he is able
to judge us compassionately
00:34:07.08\00:34:11.08
because he is our
savior that died in our place.
00:34:11.11\00:34:15.75
See the plan of salvation
00:34:15.78\00:34:19.09
takes into account
Christ work on the cross
00:34:19.12\00:34:21.42
and His work in
the heavenly sanctuary.
00:34:21.46\00:34:23.09
The sacrifice was complete.
00:34:23.12\00:34:25.13
Don't miss me, it
was a complete sacrifice.
00:34:25.16\00:34:28.26
He paid the
penalty for sin in full,
00:34:28.30\00:34:32.40
holding back
nothing giving everything,
00:34:32.43\00:34:35.84
willing to go eternally
separated from His Father
00:34:35.87\00:34:39.87
for your sins and mine,
it was a complete sacrifice.
00:34:39.91\00:34:44.58
But the atonement
was not completed.
00:34:44.61\00:34:48.52
The merits of the
cross need to be applied,
00:34:48.55\00:34:51.22
realized, lived, and
experience in our lives today.
00:34:51.25\00:34:55.36
And the question this morning
as we're beginning to close
00:34:55.39\00:34:58.06
so to speak of GYC
00:34:58.09\00:34:59.66
is how is it
with your heart today?
00:34:59.69\00:35:02.93
How is it with your heart today?
00:35:02.96\00:35:08.04
Are you living
that experience today?
00:35:08.07\00:35:10.37
Are you applying the victory
of Christ on your behalf?
00:35:10.41\00:35:14.74
So matter when we
accept Jesus into our hearts,
00:35:14.78\00:35:16.78
we have to go through
the process of justification
00:35:16.81\00:35:19.05
and sanctification.
00:35:19.08\00:35:21.35
You know sometimes, we think
00:35:21.38\00:35:22.72
that in the
process of sanctification,
00:35:22.75\00:35:27.59
the cleansing of the heart,
00:35:27.62\00:35:29.26
the moment by
moment coming to Jesus.
00:35:29.29\00:35:32.03
What Christ did for us
at the cross was complete,
00:35:38.63\00:35:42.34
it must be
completed in our lives.
00:35:42.37\00:35:44.77
Amen. Amen.
00:35:44.81\00:35:46.31
There're few
people when you look at
00:35:46.34\00:35:47.68
who were standing
00:35:47.71\00:35:49.04
in the shadows of
the cross so to speak.
00:35:49.08\00:35:50.41
You had the thief
on the cross there,
00:35:50.45\00:35:51.78
you know sometimes some people
use the thief on the cross
00:35:51.81\00:35:53.15
as a reason to argue
00:35:53.18\00:35:55.52
why
sanctification is not needed.
00:35:55.55\00:35:59.35
Well, he was justified
but he didn't have time
00:35:59.39\00:36:00.76
to be sanctified.
00:36:00.79\00:36:02.12
He had sanctification too...
00:36:08.00\00:36:09.53
Amen.
00:36:09.56\00:36:11.87
You try being nailed to a cross
00:36:11.90\00:36:14.94
with metal spikes
in your hands and feet
00:36:14.97\00:36:18.77
and have no anger,
frustration, bitterness
00:36:18.81\00:36:23.51
in your heart.
00:36:23.55\00:36:27.02
You know when he
died on the cross,
00:36:27.05\00:36:28.95
we're not even sure
he did die on the cross.
00:36:28.98\00:36:32.15
They broke their legs before
Sabbath to speed up their death
00:36:32.19\00:36:35.49
but it does not say guarantee
that it would made them die.
00:36:35.52\00:36:38.46
It's possible and
I'm just speculating here
00:36:38.49\00:36:41.76
using imagination,
writer's imagination
00:36:41.80\00:36:45.17
that has the youngest and
strongest one on the cross
00:36:45.20\00:36:48.00
after they broke his legs.
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.37
They put the cross down
00:36:49.40\00:36:50.74
and they take him off the cross.
00:36:50.77\00:36:52.11
It's possible he did not
die right then and there.
00:36:52.14\00:36:57.38
And as a criminal, he would
have been taken to Gehenna,
00:36:57.41\00:37:00.02
which was the place,
the valley of Hinnom,
00:37:00.05\00:37:02.58
the garbage dump of Jerusalem,
he would have been taken there
00:37:02.62\00:37:05.79
and I'm sure they didn't
pick him up on a nice trolley.
00:37:05.82\00:37:08.56
I can just picture in my
mind the thief on the cross
00:37:08.59\00:37:10.93
taking of nails
pulled out of his hand,
00:37:10.96\00:37:12.79
he is still gasping for breath.
00:37:12.83\00:37:14.80
He's still dying slowly
00:37:14.83\00:37:17.70
and there is on the
ground a donkey comes up,
00:37:17.73\00:37:20.24
they tie a rope around his legs,
00:37:20.27\00:37:22.10
put it to the donkey
00:37:22.14\00:37:23.47
and drag him on his
back to his cemetery.
00:37:23.51\00:37:30.05
When they get
there, they throw him
00:37:30.08\00:37:31.41
on the garbage dump.
00:37:31.45\00:37:34.05
He's still alive,
still got breath in his lungs
00:37:34.08\00:37:37.99
and just imagine in his
mind the words going round
00:37:38.02\00:37:41.19
today you'll be
with me in paradise.
00:37:41.22\00:37:44.06
Paradise as wild
animals might be around in
00:37:44.09\00:37:46.29
paradise at the smoke of
the burning rubbish ascends
00:37:46.33\00:37:49.36
paradise.
00:37:49.40\00:37:50.73
If God forbid he made
it through Friday night
00:37:50.77\00:37:53.17
and Saturday
morning Sabbath morning
00:37:53.20\00:37:55.64
the sun beats
down on his wounds.
00:37:55.67\00:38:00.74
If he did not die on Calvary
which is a strong possibility,
00:38:00.78\00:38:05.55
he would have
died a slow agonizing
00:38:05.58\00:38:08.82
and painful death.
00:38:08.85\00:38:11.72
You try being
sanctified in that condition
00:38:11.75\00:38:14.69
and say the thief on
the cross had it easy.
00:38:14.72\00:38:16.93
No way, thief on the
cross did not have it easy.
00:38:20.33\00:38:26.80
Maybe the thief represents
00:38:26.84\00:38:28.17
those who accept
Christ late in life may be,
00:38:28.20\00:38:30.21
but he also represents
those who accepted Christ
00:38:30.24\00:38:32.47
under the most
trying circumstances.
00:38:32.51\00:38:38.21
The sacrifice of Christ
for the thief was complete
00:38:38.25\00:38:40.72
when he died on the cross.
00:38:40.75\00:38:42.78
But there still was a work
to be completed in his life
00:38:42.82\00:38:45.32
until he died one hour, two hour
00:38:45.35\00:38:47.39
or one or two days later.
00:38:47.42\00:38:49.49
When you think
about the disciples,
00:38:49.52\00:38:51.26
Peter the most
powerful of disciples
00:38:51.29\00:38:53.23
that many of us
see ourselves in.
00:38:53.26\00:38:55.03
When Jesus died on the cross,
00:38:55.06\00:38:56.46
the sacrifice of Jesus
for Peter was complete.
00:38:56.50\00:38:59.40
But it had not yet been
applied to Peter's life.
00:38:59.43\00:39:01.40
Peter still had serious issues
00:39:01.44\00:39:05.11
with anger and his temper
00:39:05.14\00:39:09.08
and he had to be
cleansed and made whole of that.
00:39:09.11\00:39:13.28
John the beloved,
yeah, he saw Jesus died
00:39:13.31\00:39:18.35
but he had some serious issues
00:39:18.39\00:39:19.99
he had to deal with in his heart
00:39:20.02\00:39:21.96
of pride, arrogance
00:39:21.99\00:39:26.13
and Christ had to
deal with him in those
00:39:26.16\00:39:28.16
and, and he had to
apply the sacrifice of Christ
00:39:28.20\00:39:30.43
to his heart.
00:39:30.47\00:39:31.80
Thomas that
disciple to be honest
00:39:31.83\00:39:34.77
that represents more of us
00:39:34.80\00:39:36.34
than we would be
willing to admit.
00:39:36.37\00:39:39.14
Thomas, the one who
has a lack of faith,
00:39:39.17\00:39:42.14
Thomas the one who
doubts the power of God.
00:39:42.18\00:39:44.81
This Thomas who
doesn't really believe fully
00:39:44.85\00:39:47.68
in the power of God.
00:39:47.72\00:39:52.82
He had issues with his faith
00:39:52.85\00:39:54.69
and Christ had
to help him there.
00:39:54.72\00:39:58.79
Nicodemus, he believed in Jesus
00:39:58.83\00:40:02.30
but something in his life
00:40:02.33\00:40:03.67
and character
prevented him early on
00:40:03.70\00:40:05.13
from testifying
openly to Jesus Christ
00:40:05.17\00:40:07.37
and he
represents many of us too.
00:40:07.40\00:40:10.11
Represents many of us too.
00:40:10.14\00:40:12.17
You see when we apply
the sacrificial atonement
00:40:12.21\00:40:14.01
of Christ in our lives
on a day-to-day place...
00:40:14.04\00:40:16.51
day-to-day basis,
00:40:16.54\00:40:18.31
then the final
atonement can be completed
00:40:18.35\00:40:20.62
and Christ can pour
out his latter rain power
00:40:20.65\00:40:22.88
on his church
00:40:22.92\00:40:25.45
to give a loud cry
message at the end.
00:40:25.49\00:40:27.99
Today we need to
experience the early rain
00:40:28.02\00:40:30.43
in our day-by-day decisions.
00:40:30.46\00:40:33.90
Applying the victory
Christ has given to us
00:40:33.93\00:40:36.40
in our day-to-day decisions
00:40:36.43\00:40:38.50
and the challenges that we face.
00:40:38.53\00:40:40.27
See I believe God desperately
wants to pour out His Spirit
00:40:40.30\00:40:42.94
on us in full
measure but he can only do it
00:40:42.97\00:40:47.68
when we allow the
merits of the sacrifice
00:40:47.71\00:40:50.51
of Christ on Calvary to
be completed in our hearts,
00:40:50.55\00:40:53.92
when the work of sanctification
is completed in us
00:40:53.95\00:40:57.62
then as Christ draws his work
00:40:57.65\00:40:59.89
in the heavenly
sanctuary to a close.
00:40:59.92\00:41:02.22
When the sins on
record are blotted out,
00:41:02.26\00:41:04.89
then God will give
latter rain power to his church.
00:41:04.93\00:41:11.57
Philippians 1:6 says,
00:41:11.60\00:41:12.93
"Be in confident
of this very thing
00:41:12.97\00:41:14.70
that he who has
begun a work in you
00:41:14.74\00:41:16.34
can complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ."
00:41:16.37\00:41:23.08
How many of you want to say
as GYC 2014 draws to a close
00:41:23.11\00:41:27.65
that you want to
allow Christ's work
00:41:27.68\00:41:29.85
to be completed in your hearts.
00:41:29.88\00:41:32.75
The work that Christ did
on the cross may be realized,
00:41:32.79\00:41:35.89
applied, live and
experience in your life today
00:41:35.92\00:41:39.59
and tomorrow and the day
after and the day after that,
00:41:39.63\00:41:42.30
that you can be
prepared to receive
00:41:42.33\00:41:43.90
the latter rain power from God.
00:41:43.93\00:41:47.14
How many of you
is that your desire?
00:41:47.17\00:41:48.84
Let me see your
hands that you desire.
00:41:48.87\00:41:50.74
Amen, amen.
00:41:50.77\00:41:53.21
I want to make another appeal.
As we come towards a close.
00:41:53.24\00:41:59.95
It's more
specific. It's more specific.
00:41:59.98\00:42:05.29
The work of Christ needs
to be completed in our hearts.
00:42:05.32\00:42:08.36
Christ Object Lessons says,
00:42:08.39\00:42:11.66
that God is
waiting with longing desire
00:42:11.69\00:42:14.66
for the
character to be reproduced,
00:42:14.70\00:42:16.43
the character of Christ to
be reproduced in his people
00:42:16.46\00:42:19.93
and you want to
reproduce in your hearts
00:42:19.97\00:42:22.84
that when you lay
aside your fancy GYC clothes
00:42:22.87\00:42:24.97
that you're wearing today.
00:42:25.01\00:42:27.21
Then you take off your
nametag when you get home.
00:42:27.24\00:42:30.25
Then you unpack
your program booklet
00:42:30.28\00:42:32.01
when you get home,
00:42:32.05\00:42:33.78
that you want to have a
heart that's consecrated,
00:42:33.82\00:42:36.25
dedicated and
transform to serve Christ.
00:42:36.28\00:42:40.16
Now my second
appeal is more specific
00:42:40.19\00:42:41.82
and I am
alluding to the characters
00:42:41.86\00:42:43.76
in the Bible I've just
mentioned just previously.
00:42:43.79\00:42:46.43
You see God wants
every single one of us
00:42:54.67\00:42:56.10
to be saved, amen.
00:42:56.14\00:42:57.47
Amen.
00:42:57.51\00:42:58.84
He knows every single
one of us, individually.
00:42:58.87\00:43:03.11
I have an uncle in
Iceland, I'm half Icelandic
00:43:03.14\00:43:04.71
and half Mauritian
though I was born in England.
00:43:04.75\00:43:06.55
I have an uncle in
Iceland, he's a farmer,
00:43:06.58\00:43:07.92
he's a sheep farmer and
we were talking to him once
00:43:07.95\00:43:10.65
how he collects his
sheep, how he round them up.
00:43:10.69\00:43:12.55
He says, "One year
they take, one week
00:43:12.59\00:43:14.56
all the farmers in the
county they get together
00:43:14.59\00:43:16.26
they go riding on the mountains.
00:43:16.29\00:43:17.76
And there as they
ride on the mountain,
00:43:17.79\00:43:19.13
they collect the
sheep who have from far,
00:43:19.16\00:43:20.90
along away and they
collect all the sheep
00:43:20.93\00:43:22.56
from all the
different farmers together
00:43:22.60\00:43:24.10
and as they round
them up into a pen.
00:43:24.13\00:43:25.73
They then divide
the sheep whose is who."
00:43:25.77\00:43:27.94
And one of my
sisters said one time,
00:43:27.97\00:43:29.37
but when you get
the sheep together,
00:43:29.40\00:43:30.74
why don't you just say
200 for you, 50 for you,
00:43:30.77\00:43:34.44
70 just count the
numbers of how many you have,
00:43:34.48\00:43:37.11
and he laughed at
her as if she was crazy.
00:43:37.15\00:43:39.51
He said, "No, no, no, you
don't just take 200 sheep.
00:43:39.55\00:43:44.15
You don't just take 100 sheep.
00:43:44.19\00:43:45.52
You don't take 25,
you take your sheep."
00:43:45.55\00:43:50.33
My uncle my mum says
had this unique ability
00:43:50.36\00:43:52.93
growing up on a farm in Iceland,
00:43:52.96\00:43:54.63
had this unique ability
00:43:54.66\00:43:56.00
that he could look
into the face of a sheep
00:43:56.03\00:43:57.37
and just like you or I
00:43:57.40\00:43:58.73
look across to
see our faces today,
00:43:58.77\00:44:00.24
and see all the different faces.
00:44:00.27\00:44:01.60
He can look into herd of sheep
and see all different faces.
00:44:01.64\00:44:04.37
That was that,
that was named that,
00:44:04.41\00:44:05.74
that was named that, he
knew them all individually.
00:44:05.77\00:44:07.88
And so when he goes
to the herd of sheep,
00:44:07.91\00:44:10.71
they do have these clever things
00:44:10.75\00:44:12.08
that they mock
the ears and so on,
00:44:12.11\00:44:13.45
but he has this ability
to collect that one's mine,
00:44:13.48\00:44:15.45
that one's mine, that one's mine
00:44:15.48\00:44:17.29
and that one's mine.
00:44:17.32\00:44:18.65
He knows them individually.
Christ knows us individually.
00:44:18.69\00:44:23.63
He knows what we're struggling,
00:44:23.66\00:44:25.06
he knows the challenges
that we face and this morning,
00:44:25.09\00:44:27.86
He knows your heart
better than you know yourself.
00:44:27.90\00:44:31.13
He knows you individually.
00:44:31.17\00:44:32.50
My first appeal is
not a glamorous appeal.
00:44:35.60\00:44:38.57
The book Christ Object
Lessons, page 154 says this,
00:44:38.61\00:44:42.58
"There is nothing
so offensive to God,
00:44:42.61\00:44:48.55
or so dangerous
to the human soul,
00:44:48.58\00:44:50.79
as pride and self-sufficiency
00:44:50.82\00:44:55.22
of all sins it is
the most helpless,
00:44:55.26\00:44:59.93
the most incurable."
00:44:59.96\00:45:04.60
Pride, self-sufficiency
is the most incurable sin
00:45:04.63\00:45:10.57
and dangerous.
00:45:10.61\00:45:12.17
See, maybe you are
a successful person,
00:45:12.21\00:45:14.31
maybe you're
prominent in your church,
00:45:14.34\00:45:17.51
your youth group,
GYC and while other see
00:45:17.55\00:45:21.48
you are someone
to emulate after,
00:45:21.52\00:45:23.08
you are like the Apostle
John and you only serve God.
00:45:23.12\00:45:27.69
It seems because
of what good things
00:45:27.72\00:45:29.52
he can give you or
where he can place you.
00:45:29.56\00:45:31.59
And it's like, as you serve God,
00:45:31.63\00:45:32.96
Lord, I've done
good for you take note.
00:45:32.99\00:45:34.80
Lord, I've just done
this for you, take note.
00:45:34.83\00:45:36.77
Lord, I'm giving my life to you,
00:45:36.80\00:45:38.17
take note, keep it on record.
00:45:38.20\00:45:41.80
And we suffer from pride.
00:45:41.84\00:45:44.27
It's a deadly sin because
no one sees it in church.
00:45:44.31\00:45:46.91
No one sees it.
00:45:46.94\00:45:48.84
It's hidden behind
the suit and the dress,
00:45:48.88\00:45:51.88
it's hidden but it's
deadly because it's hidden
00:45:51.91\00:45:55.58
and because no one sees it,
00:45:55.62\00:45:56.95
all too often we
forget even there ourselves.
00:45:56.99\00:46:00.29
We forget as there ourselves.
00:46:00.32\00:46:03.79
Today, first appeal
if you know you struggle,
00:46:03.83\00:46:10.80
you battle, you
wrestle with pride...
00:46:10.83\00:46:15.07
as the piano plays,
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I just want to invite you
to come forward say to God,
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that's my struggle.
00:46:26.28\00:46:28.32
While they're coming forward,
my second appeal is this,
00:46:35.12\00:46:39.56
come forward, come on
close, come close, come close.
00:46:39.59\00:46:41.90
My second appeal some
of you are like pizza,
00:46:41.93\00:46:46.97
you follow your master
you do anything for him.
00:46:47.00\00:46:50.04
You go on outreach, check,
00:46:50.07\00:46:51.84
you go on GYC
knocking on doors, check.
00:46:51.87\00:46:54.64
You sacrifice a year of
your life to Jesus, check.
00:46:54.68\00:46:57.41
Go for mission
training school, check.
00:46:57.45\00:47:00.32
You take some blows for Jesus.
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No problem,
00:47:01.98\00:47:03.32
I'll do that for
you Jesus no problem
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but you struggle, you struggle,
you struggle with anger
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and you have a temper
like a drunken sailor.
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It's amazing in
church sometimes,
00:47:17.30\00:47:18.63
you observe some
people so holy, so righteous,
00:47:18.67\00:47:20.64
but yet they have
serious anger issues
00:47:20.67\00:47:24.01
that someone in your
home could testify off.
00:47:24.04\00:47:27.38
Your wife, your
husband, your children,
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may be your
children know what it's like
00:47:29.34\00:47:30.68
to get beaten by a loose
hand on the way to church
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and then see you
say Happy Sabbath
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when you get there.
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If today, you recognize
that you have an anger issue
00:47:38.55\00:47:43.19
that you want to
surrender to God like Peter.
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This is not a glamorous appeal.
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You want to say Lord, that's me.
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I want to invite
you to come forward.
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Amen.
00:47:55.84\00:47:57.17
My next appeal is
for those who can relate
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to the experience of Thomas
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that you are a
skeptic in your group,
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always telling
others that something
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that cannot be done.
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You are the
skeptic in your group.
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You guides it with
pragmatism and realism
00:48:15.39\00:48:18.36
but you're a skeptic.
00:48:18.39\00:48:20.06
You know Ellen White says
00:48:20.10\00:48:21.43
that when the thieves
came back there was 12,
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two said yes, 10 said no.
00:48:24.60\00:48:26.43
She said if 10 said
no, and two said yes.
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The people would have
believed the 10 who said no,
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the two who said no,
not the 10 who said yes.
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And some of you here
have no faith like Thomas
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and you're holding the work back
00:48:37.85\00:48:39.48
because every time
your voice doubt the people
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go along with you.
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And you justify
yourself saying, listen.
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What I predicted
took place not realizing
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that your attitude is
actually causing to take place,
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not predicting it.
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And if you struggle like
Thomas without skepticism
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and a lack of faith,
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I'd like to invite
you to come forward.
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Amen, come forward.
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My next appeal is
for those like Nicodemus,
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you're scared to
come out in the open
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and testify of Jesus.
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Scared,
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in your school, no one knows
you're Seventh-day Adventist.
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Every time Friday comes
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and something
else is taking place
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you're busy, busy
00:49:45.31\00:49:49.08
in your
workplace you've been there
00:49:49.12\00:49:50.45
for one, two, three years.
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No one knows you're
Seventh-day Adventist,
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and you keep saying well,
you know, I let my light shine.
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If I'm good
enough, if I'm righteous,
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if I'm Christian
enough, then surely one day
00:49:58.36\00:50:00.13
they'll come to me and
say, "Why are you a Christian
00:50:00.16\00:50:02.03
or who are you?"
00:50:02.06\00:50:04.63
May be but may be not.
00:50:04.67\00:50:09.54
The loud cry message
is not going to be given
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just by being kind to people.
00:50:11.54\00:50:15.91
The Three Angels
message are spoken verbally
00:50:15.94\00:50:18.08
and may be you realize
that you need to be intentional
00:50:18.11\00:50:21.05
in your witness
to those around you
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and not be ashamed of Jesus.
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If like
Nicodemus, you want to say,
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"Lord give me courage to be
bold and intentional for you."
00:50:34.23\00:50:39.47
I'd like to invite
you to come forward.
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Give me courage to be bold,
00:50:46.51\00:50:48.48
it's easy to be
bold here at GYC.
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It's easy to be bold
with those that are bold,
00:50:53.05\00:50:55.45
it's hard to be bold
when the champions are few,
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when the champions are few.
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Let's come forward,
or stand where you are
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if the aisles are full.
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The last group
that I want to appeal to
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before we close today,
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applies to a
smaller group in here
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though I know you're
here for I have seen you.
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I know this is
a youth conference
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but the last group
I want to appeal to
00:51:17.81\00:51:19.27
is the parents for standing
in the shadow of the cross,
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there was a woman called, Mary.
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I believe Mary was
a great woman, amen.
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But one of Mary's
problems so to speak was
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she never really understood
the mission of her son.
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When he was 12 years old,
00:51:36.66\00:51:37.99
she didn't know what he
was doing in the temple.
00:51:38.03\00:51:40.20
Why have you
done this against us
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and even when he
died on the cross
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her heart was broken
not just that he died
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but that the hopes she had
for him were not fulfilled,
00:51:46.70\00:51:51.24
and my last
appeal is for parents
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and here maybe
you're already forward.
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Maybe you're
still sitting there,
00:51:54.78\00:51:57.98
it's a terrible thing
when an Adventist parent
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blocks their child
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for following God's
calling on their life.
00:52:04.22\00:52:06.96
It's a terrible thing
00:52:06.99\00:52:08.92
when an Adventist
parent wants to see
00:52:08.96\00:52:12.19
their forsaken dreams
realized in their child.
00:52:12.23\00:52:17.57
When the child says,
"I feel God calling me
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to go for a mission
here, God calling me for this,
00:52:19.53\00:52:21.34
God calling me for that.
00:52:21.37\00:52:22.70
It's a terrible thing
when an Adventist parent says,
00:52:22.74\00:52:28.08
"don't do that."
00:52:28.11\00:52:30.71
I have contemporaries of
mine that I went to school with
00:52:30.75\00:52:32.41
and I can tell you
00:52:32.45\00:52:34.65
when you see them
now in their 30's.
00:52:34.68\00:52:37.65
Maybe they're in
church but maybe they're not.
00:52:37.69\00:52:40.09
And there's a
hollow look in their eyes.
00:52:40.12\00:52:41.92
There's a gap in their heart,
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had a friend of mine once
looked to me a few GYCs back
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and he just had this
00:52:47.23\00:52:48.56
they sought sad,
sorrowful look on his face.
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He was gifted in ministry
00:52:54.37\00:52:56.60
but to please his
parents he never went forward.
00:52:56.64\00:53:01.48
Adventist parents
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and he looked at me in
Baltimore GYC and he said,
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"You are doing
what I should be doing."
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If there's any
parents in here and you know
00:53:14.62\00:53:17.33
that you're
holding your children back
00:53:17.36\00:53:20.10
from the exact course
God has for their life
00:53:20.13\00:53:27.07
and you want to say,
"Lord, I surrender my parental,"
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whatever it might be control.
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I surrender the hold
I'm putting on my children
00:53:38.11\00:53:41.08
to you.
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If that's you,
I'd like to invite you
00:53:44.62\00:53:48.52
to come forward or
stand where you are.
00:53:48.56\00:53:54.76
I like to invite you
to come forward and stand
00:53:54.80\00:53:58.03
or come forward where you are.
00:53:58.07\00:54:00.54
Amaris is going
to sing the song,
00:54:00.57\00:54:02.30
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
00:54:02.34\00:54:04.97
as she sings that
if any of these appeal
00:54:05.01\00:54:06.88
still apply to you then please
come forward as a song sings.
00:54:06.91\00:54:13.05
But as she sings a
song let's bow our heads.
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Let's meditate
00:54:16.48\00:54:19.79
and let's ask Christ to
turn our eyes toward him.
00:54:19.82\00:54:25.53
From death
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Into thy everlasting
00:54:27.53\00:54:35.00
He passed, and
we follow Him there
00:54:35.04\00:54:42.94
Over us sin no
more hath dominion
00:54:42.98\00:54:50.82
For more than conquerors
00:54:50.85\00:54:55.69
We are!
00:54:55.72\00:55:00.93
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
00:55:00.96\00:55:08.47
Look full
00:55:08.50\00:55:10.01
In His wonderful face
00:55:10.04\00:55:16.61
And the things of earth
00:55:16.64\00:55:20.52
Will grow strangely dim
00:55:20.55\00:55:25.82
In the light of His glory
00:55:25.85\00:55:31.66
And grace.
00:55:31.69\00:55:38.53
Father in Heaven
Lord, we thank you
00:55:38.57\00:55:42.30
as we sing the
words of the song,
00:55:42.34\00:55:43.67
Turn our eyes to you.
00:55:43.71\00:55:47.48
Lord I pray that you
may reveal yourself to us,
00:55:47.51\00:55:51.98
in a beautiful
whole and complete way
00:55:52.01\00:55:55.68
that we've never seen before
00:55:55.72\00:55:58.45
and we behold the face
of you dying on the cross.
00:55:58.49\00:56:04.29
That we may
behold your love for us,
00:56:04.33\00:56:08.46
that we may behold you,
00:56:08.50\00:56:15.07
is our sacrifice as a
priest, and as our king.
00:56:15.10\00:56:22.08
Lord, we thank you,
00:56:22.11\00:56:25.21
that you've paid the price
for our sins that is complete
00:56:25.25\00:56:31.49
but Lord I pray that you
would be with each person
00:56:31.52\00:56:33.66
who has stood come
forward raise their hand
00:56:33.69\00:56:37.53
you know the
struggle of their hearts
00:56:37.56\00:56:39.83
and what it is
they may go through.
00:56:39.86\00:56:42.46
Lord, I pray that for whatever
reason they may have responded
00:56:42.50\00:56:45.17
to this appeal that
the work of sanctification
00:56:45.20\00:56:50.81
in their heart
Lord, may be completed.
00:56:50.84\00:56:55.08
Maybe completed
00:56:58.55\00:57:01.42
that we may
have total salvation.
00:57:01.45\00:57:05.92
Bless each
person in here we pray,
00:57:05.95\00:57:11.53
in the name of
Jesus, amen, amen.
00:57:11.56\00:57:17.37